Benefits of Exercise
Right about now you might be saying...."blah blah blah". I realize that. We all know the benefits of exercise right? Maybe so. But, do we focus on them? Or do we focus on the "pain" of exercise? I'd suggest that if you are not exercising regularly, you are focusing on the pain. Tony Robbins says we do things for only 2 reasons; 1. To avoid pain, or 2. To gain pleasure. And he says that most of us will do more to avoid pain than gain pleasure. Unfortunately, I have found this to be true for many people, your humble blogger included. So, this truth is neither good nor bad necessarily. It is what it is (to use a much overused phrase). The key is, harnessing this truth to work for us, and specifically in the area of exercise. The more we know the benefits of exercise, and the pain of not exercising, the more likely we are TO exercise. Many people don't start watching their cholesterol or blood pressure until it becomes something that is severe enough to get one thinking about their mortality. In other words, the pain of not taking care of themselves gets bigger than the pleasure of not taking care of themselves. What we have to do, if we are to create a lifestyle that includes regular exercise, is to focus on the pain of NOT exercising, and the pleasure of the results of exercising. That's our best bet for making it part of our lifestyle.
Here are some of the benefits (to get back to our topic at hand, guess my ADHD is acting up)
1. Burn Fat (duh).
We ALL know this benefit. Consistent cardio work (walking, biking, or any activity that elevates your heart rate for 30 minutes or more) will help you burn fat.
2. Build lean muscle mass:
So what? Why would you want lean muscle mass? Besides helping you look better physically, having more lean muscle mass will boost your metabolism, making it easier for you to lose weight or maintain your current weight. It will boost your energy levels, and of course make you stronger. Resistance training will help you build lean muscle. This could include weight lifting on machines or free weights, or just doing exercises like push ups, situps, dips, lunges etc. This type of exercising will also build stronger bones, reducing the chances of osteoporosis as you age.
3. Lower Blood Pressure/Heart Rate:
The Mayo Clinic website states that cardio exercise can lower your blood pressure by 10 mm/Hg. That's as much as one could expect with one blood pressure medication! It takes consistency in cardio exercise to get the stabilizing effects though. You need to keep up the exercise for abut 3 months or so to get the benefits. You want to aim for 30 minutes most days of the week. If you think that's too much for you, just start with a little more than you currently do. Get used to that, then increase by a little more. I had the same issue with time constraints, but I slowly increased my time on the treadmill and now shoot for three 1-hour walks/week, along with 3-4 half hour walks/week. It can be done (particularly if the pain/pleasure principle detailed above is used!)
4. Improve Your Mood:
Need to blow off some steam after a stressful day? A workout at the gym or a brisk 30-minute walk can help you calm down.
Exercise stimulates various brain chemicals, which may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed than you were before you worked out. You'll also look better and feel better when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem. Exercise even reduces feelings of depression and anxiety. You will always feel better about yourself mentally since you know you are doing good things for yourself. Don't think so? Do the opposite. See how you feel about yourself when you eat poorly and don't exercise. My bet is you'll soon see the difference, and fall in love with feeling good about yourself by taking better care of your physical health.
There are many more benefits to exercise, this is only a short sample list.IMPORTANT: DO NOT START AN EXERCISE PROGRAM WITHOUT CONSULTING YOUR OWN PERSONAL CHIROPRACTOR OR OTHER HEALTH CARE PROVIDER, PARTICULARLY IF YOU ARE OVER 40 AND HAVEN'T EXERCISED, OR HAVE HAD HEALTH ISSUES THAT COULD BE AGGRAVATED BY EXERCISE. IF IN DOUBT, CONSULT YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.
