When I first entered university, I did not care to add working out to my daily routine. I had never been athletic in high school, and I had a quick metabolism which permitted people to think I was a lot more fit than I was in reality. My first year was spent eating cafe food, indulging in sweets, and hitting up all the “must-taste” Washington, D.C., restaurants and food trucks. I was fortunate that the amount of walking I do to and from campus allowed that I did not gain the dreaded Freshman 15; however, that did not mean I was in shape. During my first year of college, I likely would have struggled to run a mile or even do more than 10 push-ups without gasping for air. This is all to state that a healthy body is more than how one appears; actually being healthy is about your internal well-being.
College is a time many college students neglect their physical health because of the stresses of classes, the anxieties of the real world, and the pure exhilaration of independence. We tend to have poor eating habits and get minimal exercise. However, as my mother (and body goals) tells me constantly, “College is the the time you want to create a workout routine for yourself in order to prevent future issues with your body." So what are the benefits of working out?
1. Exercise relieves stress and improves mental acuity.
Working out has proven to relax the mind and encourage a positive mentality. Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise, has remarked that "exercise produces a relaxation response that serves as a positive distraction," thus lifting the moods of many and assisting those with depression. Also, studies have shown that exercise improves the memory of those who do it often.
2. Working out reduces the risks of premature death, wards off diseases, and slows the aging process.
Studies have shown that those who exercise have a lower rate of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, and osteoporosis. All these things can lead to an early death in individuals, thus it only benefits you to prevent these diseases by having a regular exercise routine. Working out also slows the aging process because it improves skin and muscle tone, keeping you looking younger daily.
3. It boost your sexual performance, gives you energy, and chances are you will feel better about your body.
Exercise increases sexual drive and stimulates desires. While physical endurance and muscle tone improve the more you exercise, so will sexual functioning. Working out boosts the sympathetic nervous system, strengthens your muscles, increases flexibility, and gives you more energy to do the things you enjoy with the people you enjoy. I think one of the main reasons I enjoy working out is because of the joy it brings to my body. It reminds me of just how present I am in the world as I extend my body to the limit and sweat out the negatives.
Working out is not always fun, but it will only benefit you to start doing it now while in college!
