Whatever age you may be, for sure you have read and have been told that exercise is good for you. Any bodily activity that improves or maintains physical fitness and overall health is considered as an exercise. This regular activity can improve our quality of life and may reduce the risk of developing disease like diabetes and heart problems.
Exercise at a glance. There are plenty of evidences which show how one can benefit from staying active thru exercise. Topmost in the list is how it reduces the risk of getting heart diseases. It also lowers the risks of developing diabetes, hypertension and cancer. It helps build stronger bones, muscles and joints. For those wanting to lose shed off some weight, exercise can also help. In totality, staying active makes us feel better and gives us a healthier state of mind.
During exercise, our body releases chemicals that can improve our mood and make us feel better with more energy and more relaxed feeling. It also blocks negative thoughts and helps to distract our minds from daily worries. These benefits of exercise help us deal with stress and will then reduce the risk of depression in a person. It is also through regular exercise that our body is being stimulated to release proteins and other chemicals that improve the function of our brain. This sharpen our thinking, learning and judgement skills.
Now, your question may be, how do we make exercise a part of our daily life? Choose activities that you enjoy. When you are having fun doing it, it will be a lot easier to make exercise a regular part of your life. Listen to music while you exercise and mix things up a little bit. Do a combination of activities so you won’t get bored with just one type of exercise. Make your daily activities more active. Do small changes, you will just realize it is doing a magic for you. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Wash the car yourself. Park further from your office or destination. Walk over to your colleague instead of sending him an email or a chat.
Sharing the activities with family and friends will also do a lot of help. You are more likely to enjoy exercise when you do it with a workout partner or a group. Consider joining an exercise class, hiking club or a volleyball team. Another thing that will inspire you to keep going is when you keep track of your progress. Keep a log of your activity and set you goals. It will help you stay motivated.
Make sure that bad weather won’t stop you from staying active. You can go and walk in the mall, climb stairs or hit the gym. The goal is to do exercise regularly. It is recommended to have a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on all, or if not, most days. Doing any physical activity is way better than doing nothing. It is not necessary to have an athlete-type of training, just keep yourself moving. Just start by doing some and gradually increase to the recommended type and amount of activity for your body.
Do not beat up yourself. If you fail to exercise or miss a session, that is okay. Focus on recovering and what exercise can do to your mood. So get up early the next day and recover, as simple as that!
You have given yourself goals, so every time you have achieved your fitness goal, go and reward yourself. Get a new workout gear or a movie ticket. Celebrate your success and it will keep you going. Exercise helps us live longer, make your body tuned to it. It is the best gift you can give your heart, mind and body.