Mood and Exercise have an interesting relationship. When we are feeling low, we often don’t want to move. When we exercise, we feel great! There are many facts and statistics around the benefits of exercise on mood, yet we still may struggle to get up and get going. One suggestion that is often made is to get up and dance! How perfect for Bellyfit! As instructors, we may be helping women in ways we don’t even know about.

Here are some major reasons Bellyfit is a wonderful mood booster!

1. Group Environment

Not only does Bellyfit provide an intelligent, balanced, powerful, and beautiful workout, it’s done in a group. This is important, as it builds a sense of community. Because Bellyfit is a women’s only class, there is an inherent sense of belonging. This can help reduce feelings of isolation or loneliness. Additionally, there have been studies that have shown that people who exercise with a friend are much more likely to adhere to their workout. They will attend more often, and thus reap the benefits of exercise! So, calling a friend and asking her to be a Bellyfit buddy may be a great way to keep motivation up during those dark, rainy, or snowy winter days.

Some people get anxious in groups, so our practise of letting the class participants know what to expect is the best way to ease that anxiety. The structure of the class being the same each time also helps to ease the anxiety some participants may feel. So it’s a welcoming, structured, group experience where we can all shake and shimmy the winter blues away!

2. Aerobic Activity

Studies have shown that aerobic exercise is especially helpful in improving mood. The benefits of aerobic exercise on mood can last up to a few hours! In fact, there is even research being done on exercise as a natural treatment for depression. The long term effects of exercise on mood are being examined. If someone is struggling with depression, she should speak with her health care provider.

Thirty minutes is often the suggested time frame to enjoy exercise’s effect on improving mood. Bellyfit’s rockin’ pre-cardio, cardio, and cardio recovery (which add up to over 30 minutes) are an excellent way to produce endorphins, which elevate mood. Alice recently blogged about endorphins (Nov. 27/09) and the amazing effects they can have on us! Serotonin and norepinephrine are also often talked about in relation to exercise.

3. Rhythm

There is nothing quite like moving together in a group to the same rhythm. It’s incredibly unifying and for some, a life affirming celebration. It’s a way to feel part of something bigger than us all, a way to feel included. Indeed, rhythmic exercise has been deemed especially helpful in elevating mood. It has long been understood that Ӆa group of people moving together gained a feeling of more strength and security than any one individual could feel alone."¹ We also know that “rhythm fulfills two roles in movement: it structures the action of an individual, and it facilitates a feeling of connection to the group.”²

In my opinion, just the sound of our feet on the floor all moving in sync is therapeutic and incredibly powerful. Our feet make percussive sounds as we step, hop, and jump in class. Our bodies move in a rhythmic dance from the inside out. Over the past number of years, there has been cutting edge research around therapeutic uses of rhythm and the body. There are even drumming techniques that have been created to assist people with their nervous systems. It is believed that rhythm can help reduce stress, and some practitioners even utilize rhythm to help people heal from traumatic life experiences.

4. Reducing Stress

Speaking of stress, some people believe that exercise can improve the way we respond to stress. So, exercise is like a vitamin that helps us cope in stressful situations, while boosting our moods and keeping our bodies healthy. Stress is often thought of as the cause of most dis-ease. If we can help our participants lower their stress levels and be better at managing stress when it (inevitably) arises, we are doing great work!

A discussion about reducing stress would be incomplete without mentioning yoga. When we do our yoga inspired stretch, many of the postures we flow through are inherently therapeutic for mood. Our BFIIT manuals are a wonderful source of information regarding the poses we do in class and their benefits on mood. It’s quite remarkable how many positive benefits each pose has. I have been teaching Bellyfit for nearly a year and a half, and I still review my manual regularly, each time with a beginner’s mind. I encourage you to do the same, so you too may wonder at all the wisdom contained in Bellyfit and our bodies.

5. Other Benefits

There is a sense of accomplishment that comes with attending a class. Your participants made the effort to get there (despite who know what barriers), they arrived, and they shimmied! Not only did they come to the class, it’s probable that they accomplished something new for themselves such as “getting” an arm movement, or doing a high impact option for the first time. Even encouraging students to reach through their fingertips to fully realize a movement is helpful. It gives a sense of completing something; a class, a movement to its full expression… if participants are feeling overwhelmed in their lives and they manage to a) attend class and b) accomplish something new, that’s one big checkmark for them!

And last but certainly not least, the MUSIC! As Bellyfit instructors we are blessed with the most incredible music to utilize for our classes. For me, it’s pure bliss. The first time I heard the new Bellyfit Earth Instructor Mix CD, tears of joy came to my eyes because it was such beautiful, inspiring, and exquisite music. It moved me, and to be sure, it will move others too.

So remember, as a Bellyfit instructor, you’re likely helping women in ways you may not even know about. Of course, we are not treating anyone for anything, but if they are helped and empowered during class, isn’t that what it’s all about?

About Rachel Goodman

Rachel Goodman, M.A. is a Creative Wellness professional offering a fusion of mind body fitness and expressive arts. She has a B.F.A. in Dance from York University with a concentration in choreography and her M.A. in Expressive Arts Therapy with a minor in psychology. Her thesis explored the effects of emotional trauma on the body. For many years, Rachel has been involved in awareness and advocacy work around promoting positive body image and preventing disordered eating. Rachel was in the first ever BFIIT group, and has been teaching Bellyfit since 2008. She is a Bellyfit CREW Consultant, and believes in the healing benefits of Bellyfit.

Medical Disclaimer:

This article is for information only. It should not be interpreted or construed as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, nor should it be construed or interpreted as teaching those things. Health and wellbeing are very individual to each person, and each person should always consult with her primary health care provider.

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