Let's face it. The majority of us find going to the gym a bit of a nuisance -- a chore, rather than a time we can truly enjoy. To get to your cardio on a Friday after classes, or to try and weight lift after a long and tiring day is probably the last thing anybody wants to do. Of course, this doesn't include a select group of people who will find their way to the gym through rain or sleet, tornadoes, earthquakes, or any other obstacle you can think of on any given day of the week. Trust me, I know. I'm one of them.
Regardless, it's common knowledge that exercising provides a wide array of benefits for the body, given that it's done safely and well-intentioned. Some of these benefits are well known, and others tend to fly a bit farther under the radar. At the end of the day, the benefits of working out are immeasurable -- not only for your body, but for your mind. The following points are some of the big ones. If they interest you, consider a good session of exercise the next time your schedule allows.
1. Stress relief.
Hitting the weights or going for a run is proven to boost norepinephrine, a chemical that can moderate the brain's response to stress. Aside from working up a sweat and simply feeling accomplished at the end of a good workout, the exertion of physical activity can do wonders in relieving mental tension.
2. Happy pills, minus the pills.
Like I just mentioned, exercise has the ability to stimulate the release of certain chemicals within the brain that help establish a sense of well-being. Endorphins and dopamine are real things -- doctors don't just recommend exercise for the clinically depressed or anxious because they have no better solution, but because they understand that exercise is a free form of therapy.
3. Productivity away from actual work.
Back to that whole idea of feeling good after a workout -- a lot of that stems from feeling as if you've made good use of your time. Whether or not you've set a new record or done anything extraordinary, you'll find that working hard physically can be very rewarding.
4. Working off last night's cheesesteak.
This is self-explanatory. Working out burns calories. Keep off the pounds by exercising.
5. Inspiration and self-confidence.
Aside from kicking the metabolism into high gear, exercising on a consistent schedule will allow you to develop clean eating habits much more easily. It's not to say that you can't have one without the other, but they seem to fit together quite well. Develop habits out of both of them and you'll notice changes, both physical and mental. The growth of self-confidence is born of these changes, and will begin to spill over into different aspects of your life.
But, how?
With these things in mind, you may be thinking, "Yeah, working out seems cool. I don't think I'll ever have time, though. I'm too busy as it is." The trick that I found very early on, when I began getting into the world of fitness, was to discover ways to motivate myself. I found that some of the best ways to encourage myself to exercise were to look up to fitness and music personalities and use them as inspiration.
With that in mind, I would encourage you to think about the outlets that exercise can channel into -- perhaps an overall healthier mindset, better sleep patterns, the ability to use newfound confidence in Public Speaking 101 or in new situations that you may find yourself. Consider these things and gauge what you'd like to achieve in regards to each of them, and be open to the idea that this whole idea of fitness has demonstrated, time-and-time again, a more disciplined lifestyle with larger payoffs than simply keeping pounds off of your waistline.
Of course, this all must be done healthily and with good intentions. Unfortunately, like all things, exercise can be taken too far and serve to hinder, rather than enhance, your life. Stay motivated within and by yourself. Find music that you enjoy running to or a YouTube video that inspires you to try and mold your body into something you can be proud of.
Incorporating a workout, of some form or another, into your daily routine can have immeasurable benefits. Aside from being good for your health, the possibilities of where a such a lifestyle can lead are endless. So give it a shot. Everybody starts somewhere. Why not now?
