I daresay most of us are aware of the benefits of exercise. If you play sports you need to consistently spend time in the gym to stay in shape and conditioned for the next big game. Do you want to fit into that old pair of pants that you used to love, but they’re just a little snug now? Let’s not forget to mention that there is something very attractive about the person who does take time to take care of themselves. Did you know, however, that there is so much more that exercise can do for you mentally?! I know for me it’s helped me with work and with school and I’m about to tell you how.
“Working out early in the morning actually gave me more energy throughout the day”
I’m not a morning person. I used to wake up at noon, get some chores done, head to work and repeat. One day I had a friend invite me to a bootcamp class at 5:00 A.M. and that forever changed my life. I found that getting a workout in, early in the morning, actually gave me more energy throughout the rest of the day; I kid you not! I think for me it gave me a sense of pride that helped me walk with my head high for the rest of the day. But you don’t need to take my word for it, according to Mayoclinic.org “Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. And when your heart and lung health improve, you have more energy to tackle daily chores”. Getting an early workout helped me be much more productive on days I needed to be to work at 7:00 A.M.
I also can’t tell you how tough it is for me to stay stationary when studying and reading my textbooks for class. So what did I do? I decided to kill two birds with one stone. I began to listen to my lectures while I lifted weights. I could have been listening to music like many people do, but I wanted to consolidate certain parts of my life. Afterall, part of finding balance in life is looking for the areas in your life you can try to simplify to feel more stable. Other than listening to lectures while lifting, I also read my textbooks while doing the elliptical.
You’ll sleep much more soundly when you exercise daily as well. There are nights when I have a lot running through my head, and I can’t seem to get the thoughts out so I’ll go back to the gym or I’ll drive somewhere and go for a run. Running can really help you find clarity, peace and serenity, and it gives you one more chance to plug your headphones in and listen to that lecture on physics.
Here’s a really fun part about working out. We all love great foods! But with age, we’re not going to be able to maintain a healthy weight eating anything we want, compared to when we were younger. Exercising daily gives you the opportunity to treat yourself a little more often and still stay fit. But be warned, you will probably find yourself hungrier than usual with all the calories you’ll be burning, working out; just ask Alexa Tucker who writes for Self.com “If you're suddenly ravenous after starting a new workout routine, it's not all in your head—since you're burning more calories than your body's used to, it might be looking to refuel.”
Exercise should be a weekly, if not a daily routine, that you ought to integrate into your life. Treat this as a ‘must’ and not a ‘should’, and I assure you your life will feel much more fulfilled.
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