We have all heard the phrase “failing to plan is planning to fail”, right? This holds true with many things but also with your health and well being.
For example, before we go on a trip, I will pack healthier snacks and sometimes full meals to know that I, for the most part, stay on track with my goal to eat right and stay headache free. Since fitness is a large part of my life, I will also look into gyms near my accommodations so I know what to expect, where to go and to not waste my time driving around looking for a place that allows day passes.
What does this have to do with Massage Therapy & Remedy Barefoot Massage Studio? Good Question. Carry on to find out!
It’s the new Year and many people are staking their claims on fitness & wellness resolutions. With that comes many challenges, celebrations, and unforeseen circumstances.
I have put together a small list of reasons WHY you should be adding Massage Therapy at Remedy to your resolutions to ensure they stick, but more importantly to your maintenance plan.
Reason #1: Active Recovery
If your resolution is to lose weight and be more physically active, guess what??? You’re gonna be sore. Soreness can be a good thing! It typically means that post heavy workout, you have activated and caused little micro tears in your muscles which causes your muscles to heal and grow. With these tears, come adhesions (aka knots).
This is where Massage Therapy comes in to play! As LMT”s (Licensed Massage Therapists) we can break down those adhesions and increase circulation to the tear site, causing decreased soreness and quicker recovery time.
So you may not be looking for a deadlift PR in the New Year but you do want to become more physically active (alongside clean eating) to lose some extra pounds. You may not become AS sore as lifting but you may feel some new aches and pains that you haven’t in awhile (or EVER.. Yikes!). This can be from a plethora of things ie; unsupportive shoes, poor posture or execution, excess weight on your joints, and the list goes on. If you’re logical, will want to nip these things in the bud before they turn in to something chronic and sideline you for a long period of time. As we all know the healing process takes much longer the older we get.
Reason #2: Incentive
You set goals for yourself and you Smash the crap out of them!!! Now what?
It’s easy to reward yourself with food but what if you’re like most other Americans, a cheat meal can easily lead into a cheat day and next thing you know you’re making a back slide. I myself, look forward to a cheat meal but sometimes I think to myself, “What am I? a dog doing a trick for some table scraps?”
Instead of all the push & pull, why not REWARD yourself with a therapeutic massage? Not the kind where your partner gets tired after 3 minutes but rather the professional kind where there are no kids running in, no phones ringing and we work on the exact spot you need us to. You may find that we discover areas that you either forgot caused you agony at one time or, that you know about but didn’t realize how deep seated it really was or what else was causing it.
We are sometimes like detectives trying to figure out where these things are coming from! There is hands (and in our studio, FEET) down no better way to reward yourself with some “me time” that actually stimulates you to feel better than when you came in and makes you feel like the Bad *ss you really are to keep pushing forward to your goal.
Reason #3: A Mental Break
This may sound crazy but have you ever looked at massage as a mental break? Many folks come in and just want the noise to stop. The buzzing phones, constant social media, traffic, kids activities, and on some days just keeping your head above water!
Massage Therapy is a known aid in anxiety, insomnia and obvious STRESS reliever. It’s the new Year, and maybe you’re working on a new project to de clutter your home or your boss promoted you and now you have way more responsibilities at work?
As LMT’s our job is to provide you with a stress free zone where you can talk our ears off and get everything off your chest or you can bliss out and go in and out of consciousness until your 60-90-or 120 minutes are up! Dim lights, heated tables and warm feet- or hands- can make you literally melt like budda!
Reason #4: Looking Forward is Moving Forward
Something to look forward to. Don’t have the funds for a vacation this year or if you’re like me, just simply need something to get you through a typical Northwest Ohio winter? Get a massage on the books so you know you have something to look forward to.
I like to plan mine for the end of day, but lately I have seen so many people take a vacation day to get their massage (think kids at school and nobody around to bother you when you get home!) and have a DAYcation (Did I just make a word up? If that catches on remember me as coining that phrase…) where you can sip coffee or tea, get a massage, stroll around your favorite store, and just CHILL. Hell, take a selfie while we are back walking on you and brag on your awesome self made DAYCATION!!! You deserve it. We all do.
Reason #5: You Are Training For An Event.
Will you be donning a pair of posing trunks or bikini to step on stage soon? Or putting in all the dreaded winter miles for a shot at Boston next Spring? Then Massage Therapy is a no brainer. A must. You’ll be paying entry fees, probably buying some new gear but don’t forget to set some moolah aside for massage!
In an effort to not overcomplicate recovery, accomplished distance runner Shalane Flanagan was noted as saying “Recovery to me is Sleeping, eating well, and maybe a massage…” , while 4 time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler says that when he was on top of his game he was getting a Deep Tissue massage twice a week for recovery. So, you wanna be the best? You gotta train like the best (or be like the rest!).
Reason #6: LAST BUT NOT LEAST….. You Got A Gift Certificate!
Doy! Book that thing! I estimate 25% of our sold Gift certificates go unredeemed! Wuuuuut?!?!?!? Sad but true story people. I recently had a woman who won a free massage with us and it was expired by almost 1 year. She missed out but you don’t have to. You love massages so why not book it?
A Remedy Massage Gift Certificate is most valuable when used!
It’s like getting the shoes you wanted and never wearing them, next thing ya know they are out of style and your donating them to Goodwill. Use it if you got it.. Book it. Even if it’s not until Spring Break, get it on the books (think failure to plan is a plan to fail…remember how I started this whole conversation?) Mark it on the calendar. We have email reminders and text reminders so there it’s almost fool-proof!
Time to Schedule
As I play the wrap it up music on this blog, I want you to take just 5 minutes and look at your calendar. Go ahead, this blog will still be here…
SO…DO YOU HAVE A MAINTENANCE PLAN?? If any of this resonated with you, I urge you to take a look at our schedules HERE. What days and times work and will be best for you? What type of massage makes you sing? What Therapist jives with your style?
Thanks for stopping by!
In Health & Laughter,
Marcy Kozsey Bowman, LMT