The next time you are thinking about hitting the gym but your bed seems a lot more comfortable and it's a lot more tempting to hit the Snooze button on your alarm than to get up, do keep in mind that there are many positive benefits to exercise. While it may still be tempting to stay put, once you do get up and moving, you will know that you are doing something that will improve your life and your health long after the workout is done.
OK, I’m not saying it’s going to be easy. But just look at the potential payoffs of firing your snooze button.
Exercise is a Great Stress Reliever
We all have a ton of stress in our lives these days and regular exercise gives us an outlet for those feelings. Instead of carrying around our frustration like a big ball of negativity that pushes down on us, getting physical helps us to diffuse those feelings.
If you want to get the focus off of your own frustration, choose a sport that pits you against an opponent, such as a game of one-on-one basketball. You will be so focused on what the person you are playing against is doing that you won't have time to think about the problems you have been experiencing at work or whatever is bothering you at that moment in time.
Exercise Helps to Develop a Positive Attitude
When you treat your body well by giving it regular physical activity, something amazing happens. You start to feel better about life in general, not just when you are actually exercising, but after you have finished working out.
Being physically active releases endorphins, the body's "feel good" hormones. These are the same ones that provide the euphoric feeling that comes with being in love (or eating chocolate). When you work up a sweat on a regular basis, you allow your body experience this wonderful state and you don't need to worry about whether you will be rejected (such as if you were in love) or gaining weight (from eating too much chocolate).
Exercise Gives Your Metabolism a Boost
If you include working out with weights as part of your routine, over time you will start to develop lean muscle. Muscle needs nutrients to keep them healthy and once the percentage of body fat starts to go down, your metabolism will kick into higher gear automatically to keep your muscles well fed. This will make it easier for you to lose weight, which will certainly give your self-image a boost.
Exercise Can Help Combat Depression
In addition to an increased level of self-confidence, regular exercise may help to combat feelings of depression. It's a simple solution to a problem that many people struggle with. There are no side effects, like there can be with medications. Exercising is a safe pastime, so long as you don't push yourself too hard, too soon.
credit: third party image reference
credit: third party image reference
These are just a few of the benefits to getting active on a regular basis. Rather than exercise on your own, why don't you find an exercise buddy and get started right away?
0 Comments