May 19, 2025 • 20 mins
Learn twenty ways running or walking can help you outgrow porn. I’m super passionate about this!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to the Husband Material podcast, where
we help Christian men outgrowporn.
Why?
So you can change your brain,heal your heart and save your
relationship.
My name is Drew Boa and I'mhere to show you how let's go.
Today, we are talking about myfavorite activity, running,
(00:24):
because running is one of themain reasons why I've been able
to stay free from porn for thepast 10 years.
And, by the way, everything Isay in this episode about
running also applies to walking,especially fast walking, and
you're going to hear how I gotinto running 20 ways running or
walking can revolutionize yoursexual recovery, and how you can
(00:47):
get into it with the HusbandMaterial Running Club.
First, how did I get into thisman?
I never liked running when I wasa kid.
I thought it was boring.
Of course, it was exhaustingand it felt like a burden when a
cross-country coach was tellingme exactly what I should do
every time I go running.
So I thought I hated running,but the truth is, I hated the
(01:11):
version of running that I had todo in PE class and on the
cross-country team.
Everything changed in my senioryear of high school, during
basketball season, when a memberof my own basketball team threw
me against a wall and broke myhand In order to stay in shape.
While I couldn't playbasketball, I ran Without a
(01:33):
coach telling me what to do,without a track forcing me to go
in circles and circles.
I started exploring myneighborhood.
I didn't have rules andrequirements for how long or how
fast I would go.
I did it my way and Idiscovered that I actually love
running, and I wonder how manyof you might learn to love it if
(01:54):
you found a version of runningor walking that works for you
Now.
Running is an essential part ofmy life.
It is one of the most powerfulpractices I have found for
outgrowing porn, and I'm goingto tell you 20 reasons why.
Now, a lot of these ways thatrunning can revolutionize your
recovery are not unique to thisactivity.
(02:16):
The unique part is that runningor walking does them all at
once.
There are lots of differenthealthy habits for sexual
recovery, but in this one habitof running or walking at a
decent pace, you can get 20 ormore really helpful benefits
(02:36):
just by doing this one thing.
So it is a high impact activity.
It is very efficient, it isvery effective, especially if
you start getting a routine ofrunning.
I want to tell you about 20 waysrunning can revolutionize your
sexual recovery.
You ready, here we go.
Number one regulation.
Why does porn have so muchpower over us?
(02:58):
Because it's a regulator.
It helps to regulate ourautonomic nervous system.
In other words, when you feelangry, agitated, anxious or
sexually aroused, porn calms youdown.
When you feel numb, zoned out,dead inside, empty and hollow,
porn wakes you up.
It's kind of like a thermostatin your house.
(03:20):
When your emotional temperatureis too hot or too cold, porn
serves the function of bringingyou back into balance.
And guess what?
Running does the same thing inso many ways.
One of the primary ways thatrunning provides regulation to
your brain and body is through,number two, breathing.
(03:41):
Running automatically deepensyour breathing.
Many of you know this.
Right, you're, running forcesyou to breathe more.
You have to flood your brainwith oxygen in order to run, and
even in order to walk at a fastpace, your breathing will
deepen, your lungs will fill up,and this is so helpful.
(04:04):
It plugs your prefrontal cortexback in.
It increases your capacity tomake decisions you can be proud
of.
So, even just by running, firstof all, you're getting deeper
breathing.
And also, number three, you'regetting mindfulness, because, in
order to run or walk, you haveto have a sensory awareness of
(04:26):
your surroundings.
Running engages your sensessight, sound, touch and, as a
result, it keeps you in thepresent moment.
You know when I'm running Inotice the leaves on the trees,
I see the clouds in the sky, I'mpaying attention to the weather
, I see passing cars, I seepeople going by.
(04:46):
All of that is mindfulness.
And guess what?
One of the best ways to preventrelapse that has been proven by
research is mindfulness.
Breathing and mindfulness gotogether, and when you run, you
automatically do both.
It's remarkable when I teachclients how to efficiently and
(05:08):
effectively prevent relapse.
Breathing and mindfulobservation are two of the major
pieces.
The fourth benefit of runningthat I want to talk about is
embodiment.
Most of us inhabit anincreasingly digital,
disembodied daily existence.
We're on screens all the time,at work, even at home, and so we
(05:29):
live so much of our livesdisembodied up in our heads.
Running helps you get out ofyour head and into your body,
away from screens.
Going for a run or a walk canget you out of the house if
you've been cooped up all day athome or if you've been slaving
away in an office, and even ifyou run at a gym, you're still
(05:50):
getting out of the house, whichis helpful.
Benefit number five to runningis bilateral stimulation.
When you walk or when you run,you are using both feet.
You are stimulating both sidesof your body and brain.
Feet.
You are stimulating both sidesof your body and brain.
Many of you are aware of EMDR,or brain spotting, which uses
the power of bilateralstimulation to help create
(06:11):
coherence and bring balance toyour nervous system.
Well, I have good news for youyou can harness the power of
bilateral stimulation evenwithout trauma therapy through
something as simple as going fora walk or a run.
Again, running is not the onlyway to do bilateral stimulation,
but it's really cool that youdo it automatically in addition
to all these other things Like.
(06:31):
Number six, running releasesenergy.
If you are experiencing intenseemotions, post-traumatic stress
or overwhelming sexual arousaland your energy needs a place to
go, let it out through yourfeet, let it out through your
lungs.
The breathing, mindfulness,embodiment and bilateral
(06:51):
stimulation of running allcombine to give what's inside of
you a different outlet than anorgasm.
Sometimes, a relapse seemsinevitable when you don't
perceive any other outlet forwhat you're feeling in your body
than an orgasm.
Running gives you anotherrelease and, especially if you
(07:13):
run for longer than 30 minutes,you're putting yourself in a
really good position to preventrelapse, because research
indicates that if you don'tresist a sexual urge and you let
it come and let it pass,usually it won't last more than
30 minutes.
So if you can get out and runfor 30 minutes or more, you can
probably weather the storm ofwhatever trigger tornado you're
(07:34):
going through.
The seventh reason why I loverunning and why it's so great
for sexual recovery is that itgives me space and time to
reflect.
Similar to journaling, itcreates a space for me to digest
whatever experiences I need toprocess.
When I don't know how I'mfeeling, sometimes when I go for
a run I get clarity.
And not only that, I get tothink about it, I get to really
(07:57):
feel it.
It's an opportunity to feelwhatever I need to feel and to
think about whatever I need tothink about Like a blank page.
A run is a great opportunityfor reflection and emotional
processing instead ofsexualizing our emotions through
porn.
The eighth way that running canrevolutionize your sexual
recovery is through solitude andcommunity.
(08:19):
For me, going for a run or awalk can be a way to recharge.
It can be a really helpfulintrovert time where I'm
engaging in solitude withoutisolation.
On the other hand, if I go fora run or a walk with a friend,
we can have longer, better,deeper conversations.
(08:39):
Compare this to pickleball.
I love pickleball, but, man, aconversation in pickleball is
going to stay at the surfacelevel.
You might be able to talk tosomebody for five or ten minutes
, but if you go for a long walkor run, you can have a
conversation that lasts twohours and it feels like it flew
by.
And having a friend or a groupto go running with can really
(09:00):
boost your motivation and makethe run go by more quickly,
especially if you take advantageof point number nine
experiences in nature.
Running is one of the best waysto get into nature, to go into
green spaces, open spaces,forests, mountains, deserts,
even prairies.
When I lived in Wheaton,illinois, in the upper Midwest
(09:21):
of the United States, myfavorite place to run was the
Prairie Path.
For some people it wasn't much,but for me it was so
life-giving.
Even though the Prairie Pathwas just a slice of forest in
the middle of sprawling suburbs,to me it felt like a different
world.
So even if you live in a bigcity, you can find pockets of
(09:43):
nature in parks or maybe just aplace with a great view to
overlook the city.
Nature promotes mental health.
Nature absorbs trauma, and oneof the best ways to allow
yourself to experience it is togo for a walk or run through it.
And as you do so, you willprobably experience number 10,
(10:03):
seeing beauty.
Guys, if you're outgrowing porn, you need to learn how to see
beauty without possessing it orcontrolling it.
Lust sees beauty and wants toconsume it.
Love sees beauty and honors itand treasures it and respects it
(10:24):
.
Running or walking in abeautiful natural space gives
you a chance to see somethingbeautiful without needing to
possess it or control it.
You're simply letting it comeand letting it go as you go,
with the flow of your run orwalk, and as you do so, I often
find number 11, adventure andnovelty.
(10:48):
As an Enneagram type 7 andsomeone who has an addictive
personality, I often want topush boundaries and seek out the
unknown, and running gives me ahealthy way to do that.
I love exploring every streetin my neighborhood, discovering
the hidden gems, going out tothe trails and finding places
I've never seen before, andthat's way better for my brain
(11:09):
than scrolling on my phone andtrying to see what's new out
there in the world on a littlescreen, versus immersing myself
in an environment that's new anddifferent.
Running is not about consuming,it's about connecting.
And also point number 12, itcan spark creativity.
(11:31):
Running, or walking or hiking,can put you into a flow state
where new ideas emergespontaneously.
And if you've never heard theterm flow state before, go look
it up.
It's one of the secrets tounlocking creativity and
productivity.
And, frankly, many of my bestideas for husband material or
(11:54):
for this podcast have come whileI'm out on a run.
No surprise, sometimes if I'vebeen struggling with something
or wrestling with a problem inmy head for a long time.
If I go outside for a walk or arun, sometimes it becomes clear
Often I experience number 13,.
(12:15):
Often I experience number 13,spiritual depth.
Running allows me to just bewith God, no words necessary,
just like being with an oldfriend, where you don't have to
say anything.
You can just be together,comfortably, in peace, knowing
each other.
And if your relationship withGod has been primarily
(12:37):
intellectual, it can be sohelpful to have a spiritual
practice that engages your bodylike this, a benefit that many
of you might be interested in isnumber 14, better sleep.
For my birthday this year, Itook six friends to the Manitou
Incline, my favorite hike herein Colorado Springs.
I'm actually wearing my ManitouIncline hat while recording
(13:01):
this.
The Manitou Incline climbs2,000 vertical feet in one
horizontal mile.
It is composed of 2,768 steps.
In other words, it's a greatworkout with a great view.
It's my favorite place to go.
So my friends came with me andone of them has been having
(13:24):
sleep troubles.
He hasn't been able to sleepfor a long time and he told me
that after he hiked the inclinewith me, he slept better that
night than he has all year.
If you want better sleep,cardiovascular exercise,
especially through walking orrunning, can be a game changer.
It can also change.
(13:46):
Number 15, your appetite, if youwant space to enjoy more food
or to feel better after eating abig meal.
The more you walk or run, themore calories you burn, the more
food you need to eat and themore food you get to enjoy.
As a result, I think runningcan really improve your
(14:08):
relationship with food and withyour body in general.
Which leads me to number 16.
More self-confidence If you gofor a run, no matter how far you
went or how fast you ran.
It's something you can feelproud of.
It's a redemptive risk and nomatter what the outcome is going
(14:28):
for, a run is worth celebratingAlong the way.
You might experience number 17,endorphins and dopamine.
You may experience what isoften called a runner's high.
Some of you have neverexperienced this and you've said
running is never enjoyable.
I've never felt a runner's high.
You probably won't experiencethat at first, but as you get
(14:51):
used to it, if you turn it intoa routine, eventually your brain
and body might start to reallylike it, and when that happens,
you experience number 18,delayed gratification.
Now, this is so important forany type of addiction recovery,
including porn and sex addiction.
Running can help to reset yourbrain's reward system so that
(15:17):
you're not getting the immediategratification of porn or
masturbating.
You're getting the delayedgratification, which is more of
what our brains were designed toexperience, where you put in
work and something's difficultand you get rewarded on the
other side of it.
And the more we choose delayedgratification instead of
immediate gratification, westart to appreciate the process.
(15:40):
We start to enjoy the journey,not just the end.
And that's so important becausein order to outgrow porn, we
need to become more comfortablebeing uncomfortable.
We need to become more tolerantof feelings that feel
intolerable, and running is agreat way to practice that.
(16:03):
Sometimes it's tough, sometimeswe want to stop, sometimes it
hurts.
Running helps us to be presentto that and to push through it
and keep going.
And, of course, there's anunhealthy way that we might
force ourselves to run a certaindistance or to run a certain
speed.
But what I'm advocating forhere is slow, steady growth and
(16:27):
getting out of your comfort zoneand running a little farther
every time or a little fasterevery time, and one of the
reasons I'm committed to runninglong-term is number 19,.
Longevity Distance running orhiking or backpacking, is an
activity that you can not onlycontinue as you get older.
You can actually get better atit as you get older.
(16:49):
Let me tell you I am notgetting faster in my 30s, but I
last longer when I go for a run.
In my 20s, the thought of doinga marathon was extremely
intimidating, and now for me,it's not.
As your body gets older, youmay not have the speed that you
(17:09):
had when you were younger, butyou can have greater endurance,
and that's awesome.
This is an activity that youcan continue for your whole life
.
Some of the higher intensityactivities out there are not as
gentle or suitable for olderpeople, and running or walking
is something you can not only dointo older adulthood, it can
(17:31):
also extend life as well,through all the different health
benefits.
And finally, number 20, themost profound part about running
for me is that it becomes a wayof life.
Running is a metaphor.
There are so many lessons thatcome from running Finish strong,
don't give up.
(17:51):
People say that sexual recoveryis a marathon, not a sprint,
and I believe they're right.
I think that's one of thereasons why running a marathon,
or even a half marathon or evena 5k, can give you so many
benefits that I've justdescribed, and more so.
In summary, here are the 20ways running or walking can
(18:12):
revolutionize your sexualrecovery Regulation, breathing,
mindfulness, embodiment,bilateral stimulation, releasing
energy, emotional processing,solitude and community
experiences in nature, seeingbeauty, adventure and novelty,
(18:32):
sparking creativity, spiritualdepth, better sleep, increased
appetite, more self-confidence,endorphins and dopamine, delayed
gratification, longevity and away of life these are all the
things I love about running.
This is why it's my veryfavorite practice personally and
(18:55):
why it's so helpful foroutgrowing porn.
Even if running is not yourthing.
To help you get outside and tohelp you get moving, I would
like to invite you to join theHusband Material Running Club.
This is open to members of theHusband Material community and
all activities are welcomeRunning, walking, hiking, biking
(19:16):
, swimming, skateboarding.
Any of those activities can berecorded on the free app called
Strava and if you would like tojoin this club, go down to a
link in the show notes and ifyou're a member of the Husband
Material community, then youwill be approved.
This is a way that we can cheereach other on, see our progress
(19:38):
over time, celebrate each otherand have more motivation to
outgrow porn throughout runningit.
I'm so excited about this thatI even wore my Colorado Springs
Marathon shirt, got my ManitouIncline hat right here, my
running gear to record thisepisode.
Thanks for listening to this.
I absolutely love this topicand would love to engage with
(20:00):
any of you about it.
Always remember you are God'sbeloved son and you he is
well-pleased.
Welcome to the Husband Material podcast, where
we help Christian men outgrowporn.
Why?
So you can change your brain,heal your heart and save your
relationship.
My name is Drew Boa and I'mhere to show you how let's go.
Today, we are talking about myfavorite activity, running,
(00:24):
because running is one of themain reasons why I've been able
to stay free from porn for thepast 10 years.
And, by the way, everything Isay in this episode about
running also applies to walking,especially fast walking, and
you're going to hear how I gotinto running 20 ways running or
walking can revolutionize yoursexual recovery, and how you can
(00:47):
get into it with the HusbandMaterial Running Club.
First, how did I get into thisman?
I never liked running when I wasa kid.
I thought it was boring.
Of course, it was exhaustingand it felt like a burden when a
cross-country coach was tellingme exactly what I should do
every time I go running.
So I thought I hated running,but the truth is, I hated the
(01:11):
version of running that I had todo in PE class and on the
cross-country team.
Everything changed in my senioryear of high school, during
basketball season, when a memberof my own basketball team threw
me against a wall and broke myhand In order to stay in shape.
While I couldn't playbasketball, I ran Without a
(01:33):
coach telling me what to do,without a track forcing me to go
in circles and circles.
I started exploring myneighborhood.
I didn't have rules andrequirements for how long or how
fast I would go.
I did it my way and Idiscovered that I actually love
running, and I wonder how manyof you might learn to love it if
(01:54):
you found a version of runningor walking that works for you
Now.
Running is an essential part ofmy life.
It is one of the most powerfulpractices I have found for
outgrowing porn, and I'm goingto tell you 20 reasons why.
Now, a lot of these ways thatrunning can revolutionize your
recovery are not unique to thisactivity.
(02:16):
The unique part is that runningor walking does them all at
once.
There are lots of differenthealthy habits for sexual
recovery, but in this one habitof running or walking at a
decent pace, you can get 20 ormore really helpful benefits
(02:36):
just by doing this one thing.
So it is a high impact activity.
It is very efficient, it isvery effective, especially if
you start getting a routine ofrunning.
I want to tell you about 20 waysrunning can revolutionize your
sexual recovery.
You ready, here we go.
Number one regulation.
Why does porn have so muchpower over us?
(02:58):
Because it's a regulator.
It helps to regulate ourautonomic nervous system.
In other words, when you feelangry, agitated, anxious or
sexually aroused, porn calms youdown.
When you feel numb, zoned out,dead inside, empty and hollow,
porn wakes you up.
It's kind of like a thermostatin your house.
(03:20):
When your emotional temperatureis too hot or too cold, porn
serves the function of bringingyou back into balance.
And guess what?
Running does the same thing inso many ways.
One of the primary ways thatrunning provides regulation to
your brain and body is through,number two, breathing.
(03:41):
Running automatically deepensyour breathing.
Many of you know this.
Right, you're, running forcesyou to breathe more.
You have to flood your brainwith oxygen in order to run, and
even in order to walk at a fastpace, your breathing will
deepen, your lungs will fill up,and this is so helpful.
(04:04):
It plugs your prefrontal cortexback in.
It increases your capacity tomake decisions you can be proud
of.
So, even just by running, firstof all, you're getting deeper
breathing.
And also, number three, you'regetting mindfulness, because, in
order to run or walk, you haveto have a sensory awareness of
(04:26):
your surroundings.
Running engages your sensessight, sound, touch and, as a
result, it keeps you in thepresent moment.
You know when I'm running Inotice the leaves on the trees,
I see the clouds in the sky, I'mpaying attention to the weather
, I see passing cars, I seepeople going by.
(04:46):
All of that is mindfulness.
And guess what?
One of the best ways to preventrelapse that has been proven by
research is mindfulness.
Breathing and mindfulness gotogether, and when you run, you
automatically do both.
It's remarkable when I teachclients how to efficiently and
(05:08):
effectively prevent relapse.
Breathing and mindfulobservation are two of the major
pieces.
The fourth benefit of runningthat I want to talk about is
embodiment.
Most of us inhabit anincreasingly digital,
disembodied daily existence.
We're on screens all the time,at work, even at home, and so we
(05:29):
live so much of our livesdisembodied up in our heads.
Running helps you get out ofyour head and into your body,
away from screens.
Going for a run or a walk canget you out of the house if
you've been cooped up all day athome or if you've been slaving
away in an office, and even ifyou run at a gym, you're still
(05:50):
getting out of the house, whichis helpful.
Benefit number five to runningis bilateral stimulation.
When you walk or when you run,you are using both feet.
You are stimulating both sidesof your body and brain.
Feet.
You are stimulating both sidesof your body and brain.
Many of you are aware of EMDR,or brain spotting, which uses
the power of bilateralstimulation to help create
(06:11):
coherence and bring balance toyour nervous system.
Well, I have good news for youyou can harness the power of
bilateral stimulation evenwithout trauma therapy through
something as simple as going fora walk or a run.
Again, running is not the onlyway to do bilateral stimulation,
but it's really cool that youdo it automatically in addition
to all these other things Like.
(06:31):
Number six, running releasesenergy.
If you are experiencing intenseemotions, post-traumatic stress
or overwhelming sexual arousaland your energy needs a place to
go, let it out through yourfeet, let it out through your
lungs.
The breathing, mindfulness,embodiment and bilateral
(06:51):
stimulation of running allcombine to give what's inside of
you a different outlet than anorgasm.
Sometimes, a relapse seemsinevitable when you don't
perceive any other outlet forwhat you're feeling in your body
than an orgasm.
Running gives you anotherrelease and, especially if you
(07:13):
run for longer than 30 minutes,you're putting yourself in a
really good position to preventrelapse, because research
indicates that if you don'tresist a sexual urge and you let
it come and let it pass,usually it won't last more than
30 minutes.
So if you can get out and runfor 30 minutes or more, you can
probably weather the storm ofwhatever trigger tornado you're
(07:34):
going through.
The seventh reason why I loverunning and why it's so great
for sexual recovery is that itgives me space and time to
reflect.
Similar to journaling, itcreates a space for me to digest
whatever experiences I need toprocess.
When I don't know how I'mfeeling, sometimes when I go for
a run I get clarity.
And not only that, I get tothink about it, I get to really
(07:57):
feel it.
It's an opportunity to feelwhatever I need to feel and to
think about whatever I need tothink about Like a blank page.
A run is a great opportunityfor reflection and emotional
processing instead ofsexualizing our emotions through
porn.
The eighth way that running canrevolutionize your sexual
recovery is through solitude andcommunity.
(08:19):
For me, going for a run or awalk can be a way to recharge.
It can be a really helpfulintrovert time where I'm
engaging in solitude withoutisolation.
On the other hand, if I go fora run or a walk with a friend,
we can have longer, better,deeper conversations.
(08:39):
Compare this to pickleball.
I love pickleball, but, man, aconversation in pickleball is
going to stay at the surfacelevel.
You might be able to talk tosomebody for five or ten minutes
, but if you go for a long walkor run, you can have a
conversation that lasts twohours and it feels like it flew
by.
And having a friend or a groupto go running with can really
(09:00):
boost your motivation and makethe run go by more quickly,
especially if you take advantageof point number nine
experiences in nature.
Running is one of the best waysto get into nature, to go into
green spaces, open spaces,forests, mountains, deserts,
even prairies.
When I lived in Wheaton,illinois, in the upper Midwest
(09:21):
of the United States, myfavorite place to run was the
Prairie Path.
For some people it wasn't much,but for me it was so
life-giving.
Even though the Prairie Pathwas just a slice of forest in
the middle of sprawling suburbs,to me it felt like a different
world.
So even if you live in a bigcity, you can find pockets of
(09:43):
nature in parks or maybe just aplace with a great view to
overlook the city.
Nature promotes mental health.
Nature absorbs trauma, and oneof the best ways to allow
yourself to experience it is togo for a walk or run through it.
And as you do so, you willprobably experience number 10,
(10:03):
seeing beauty.
Guys, if you're outgrowing porn, you need to learn how to see
beauty without possessing it orcontrolling it.
Lust sees beauty and wants toconsume it.
Love sees beauty and honors itand treasures it and respects it
(10:24):
.
Running or walking in abeautiful natural space gives
you a chance to see somethingbeautiful without needing to
possess it or control it.
You're simply letting it comeand letting it go as you go,
with the flow of your run orwalk, and as you do so, I often
find number 11, adventure andnovelty.
(10:48):
As an Enneagram type 7 andsomeone who has an addictive
personality, I often want topush boundaries and seek out the
unknown, and running gives me ahealthy way to do that.
I love exploring every streetin my neighborhood, discovering
the hidden gems, going out tothe trails and finding places
I've never seen before, andthat's way better for my brain
(11:09):
than scrolling on my phone andtrying to see what's new out
there in the world on a littlescreen, versus immersing myself
in an environment that's new anddifferent.
Running is not about consuming,it's about connecting.
And also point number 12, itcan spark creativity.
(11:31):
Running, or walking or hiking,can put you into a flow state
where new ideas emergespontaneously.
And if you've never heard theterm flow state before, go look
it up.
It's one of the secrets tounlocking creativity and
productivity.
And, frankly, many of my bestideas for husband material or
(11:54):
for this podcast have come whileI'm out on a run.
No surprise, sometimes if I'vebeen struggling with something
or wrestling with a problem inmy head for a long time.
If I go outside for a walk or arun, sometimes it becomes clear
Often I experience number 13,.
(12:15):
Often I experience number 13,spiritual depth.
Running allows me to just bewith God, no words necessary,
just like being with an oldfriend, where you don't have to
say anything.
You can just be together,comfortably, in peace, knowing
each other.
And if your relationship withGod has been primarily
(12:37):
intellectual, it can be sohelpful to have a spiritual
practice that engages your bodylike this, a benefit that many
of you might be interested in isnumber 14, better sleep.
For my birthday this year, Itook six friends to the Manitou
Incline, my favorite hike herein Colorado Springs.
I'm actually wearing my ManitouIncline hat while recording
(13:01):
this.
The Manitou Incline climbs2,000 vertical feet in one
horizontal mile.
It is composed of 2,768 steps.
In other words, it's a greatworkout with a great view.
It's my favorite place to go.
So my friends came with me andone of them has been having
(13:24):
sleep troubles.
He hasn't been able to sleepfor a long time and he told me
that after he hiked the inclinewith me, he slept better that
night than he has all year.
If you want better sleep,cardiovascular exercise,
especially through walking orrunning, can be a game changer.
It can also change.
(13:46):
Number 15, your appetite, if youwant space to enjoy more food
or to feel better after eating abig meal.
The more you walk or run, themore calories you burn, the more
food you need to eat and themore food you get to enjoy.
As a result, I think runningcan really improve your
(14:08):
relationship with food and withyour body in general.
Which leads me to number 16.
More self-confidence If you gofor a run, no matter how far you
went or how fast you ran.
It's something you can feelproud of.
It's a redemptive risk and nomatter what the outcome is going
(14:28):
for, a run is worth celebratingAlong the way.
You might experience number 17,endorphins and dopamine.
You may experience what isoften called a runner's high.
Some of you have neverexperienced this and you've said
running is never enjoyable.
I've never felt a runner's high.
You probably won't experiencethat at first, but as you get
(14:51):
used to it, if you turn it intoa routine, eventually your brain
and body might start to reallylike it, and when that happens,
you experience number 18,delayed gratification.
Now, this is so important forany type of addiction recovery,
including porn and sex addiction.
Running can help to reset yourbrain's reward system so that
(15:17):
you're not getting the immediategratification of porn or
masturbating.
You're getting the delayedgratification, which is more of
what our brains were designed toexperience, where you put in
work and something's difficultand you get rewarded on the
other side of it.
And the more we choose delayedgratification instead of
immediate gratification, westart to appreciate the process.
(15:40):
We start to enjoy the journey,not just the end.
And that's so important becausein order to outgrow porn, we
need to become more comfortablebeing uncomfortable.
We need to become more tolerantof feelings that feel
intolerable, and running is agreat way to practice that.
(16:03):
Sometimes it's tough, sometimeswe want to stop, sometimes it
hurts.
Running helps us to be presentto that and to push through it
and keep going.
And, of course, there's anunhealthy way that we might
force ourselves to run a certaindistance or to run a certain
speed.
But what I'm advocating forhere is slow, steady growth and
(16:27):
getting out of your comfort zoneand running a little farther
every time or a little fasterevery time, and one of the
reasons I'm committed to runninglong-term is number 19,.
Longevity Distance running orhiking or backpacking, is an
activity that you can not onlycontinue as you get older.
You can actually get better atit as you get older.
(16:49):
Let me tell you I am notgetting faster in my 30s, but I
last longer when I go for a run.
In my 20s, the thought of doinga marathon was extremely
intimidating, and now for me,it's not.
As your body gets older, youmay not have the speed that you
(17:09):
had when you were younger, butyou can have greater endurance,
and that's awesome.
This is an activity that youcan continue for your whole life
.
Some of the higher intensityactivities out there are not as
gentle or suitable for olderpeople, and running or walking
is something you can not only dointo older adulthood, it can
(17:31):
also extend life as well,through all the different health
benefits.
And finally, number 20, themost profound part about running
for me is that it becomes a wayof life.
Running is a metaphor.
There are so many lessons thatcome from running Finish strong,
don't give up.
(17:51):
People say that sexual recoveryis a marathon, not a sprint,
and I believe they're right.
I think that's one of thereasons why running a marathon,
or even a half marathon or evena 5k, can give you so many
benefits that I've justdescribed, and more so.
In summary, here are the 20ways running or walking can
(18:12):
revolutionize your sexualrecovery Regulation, breathing,
mindfulness, embodiment,bilateral stimulation, releasing
energy, emotional processing,solitude and community
experiences in nature, seeingbeauty, adventure and novelty,
(18:32):
sparking creativity, spiritualdepth, better sleep, increased
appetite, more self-confidence,endorphins and dopamine, delayed
gratification, longevity and away of life these are all the
things I love about running.
This is why it's my veryfavorite practice personally and
(18:55):
why it's so helpful foroutgrowing porn.
Even if running is not yourthing.
To help you get outside and tohelp you get moving, I would
like to invite you to join theHusband Material Running Club.
This is open to members of theHusband Material community and
all activities are welcomeRunning, walking, hiking, biking
(19:16):
, swimming, skateboarding.
Any of those activities can berecorded on the free app called
Strava and if you would like tojoin this club, go down to a
link in the show notes and ifyou're a member of the Husband
Material community, then youwill be approved.
This is a way that we can cheereach other on, see our progress
(19:38):
over time, celebrate each otherand have more motivation to
outgrow porn throughout runningit.
I'm so excited about this thatI even wore my Colorado Springs
Marathon shirt, got my ManitouIncline hat right here, my
running gear to record thisepisode.
Thanks for listening to this.
I absolutely love this topicand would love to engage with
(20:00):
any of you about it.
Always remember you are God'sbeloved son and you he is
well-pleased.
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