7 Surprising Facts About Working Out
We all know we should work out, we hear it every day. We know that being overweight adds extra stress to our bodies, we know that our lifespan can be increased and the quality of the same. But when you ask people about working out, the most common answers you’re going to receive involve weight loss, followed by strength and overall health. But none of these actually capture the full scope of what a well-balanced and consistent workout can do for you.
Give your brain a boost!
There have been a lot of recent studies that indicate that an active lifestyle can enhance your ability to think clearly and perform recall. The ability to access, retain, and recall information can increase your productivity by leaps and bounds. If you want to increase your ability to set goals and reach them, getting on to the exercise band-wagon is an excellent place to start!
Stretch away the stress!
No one likes to think about exercising, it’s generally seen as an uncomfortable obligation hanging over our head reminding us that we lead a lifestyle far too sedentary, and that we really should do something about. What most people don’t realize is that ultimately an active lifestyle will lead to a happier and more stress free existence.
Our bodies weren’t meant to be sedentary, and by taking the time and effort to keep them active every system within it will work better. It’s even beneficial to those around us, when your stress levels are reduced you’re also less grouchy and irritable, a win for everyone involved.
Are you tired of being tired?
One of the things that comes up rather frequently when people think about exercising is “I’m already tired all the time, where am I going to find the energy for that?” What they don’t know is that one of the best ways to overcome persistent weariness is to get out there and get active. A mobile body is more efficient in just about every avenue, including being able to rest better
One of the causes of insomnia is a body that is insufficiently active, and has a lot of pent up energy and, yes, stress at the end of the day. As you start making exercise a regular part of your routine, you’ll find that your strength and stamina increases, and even relaxing will feel more rewarding once you’ve invested some time and energy into being active.
But where will I find the time?
It may sound ludicrous, but it is easy to find time for fitness, especially when you consider just how little activity will benefit you. Taking as little as 10 or 20 minutes a day to go through some basic exercises is going to do wonders all by itself. If you can manage to do this 2 or 3 times per day, you’ll be on the way to a healthier lifestyle and ready to start building on what you’ve already begun. While 60 minutes a day of exercise is suggested to help weight loss, no one says it all has to be done at once, and breaking it up throughout the day can actually make it easier to accomplish. Grab a jump rope, do some stretches, or just speed walk around the block a couple of times a day and you’ll start reaping the benefits almost immediately!
You’ll get sick less often!
Exercise isn’t just about building up energy and keeping yourself physically fit. Being active even an hour each day will boost your immune system and ward off a bunch of the ailments that face the modern person. Heart disease, arthritis, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, even diabetes can all be held at bay with just a slight change in your activity level.
As we get older, it gets harder and harder to get into the habit of being fit. Sedentary lifestyles tend to build up quite a bit of momentum, but once you’ve started on that road you’ll be surprised how quickly your body first adapts, and then starts to crave that daily workout.
It isn’t all about weight loss
While weight loss is a driving factor in many peoples decision to become more active, it isn’t the best or even the most important reason to get yourself up and active. If you’re focusing on weight loss you may not see the results of your efforts fast enough to keep you motivated. Instead focus on enhancing your health, mark your days not by how much weight you’ve lost, but by how much better you feel being active again.
All of the reasons listed above are excellent reasons to get yourself out and active in the world again. Losing weight may make you look better, but all of the energy you’ve gained, the increased flexibility, and the elimination of depression are going to have a much more immediate benefit. Don’t let the fact that you aren’t back to your high school weight get in your way, instead realize that every day you’re active is one more day closer to being active like you were then, without the attendant exhaustion.
Your partner will thank you for it
There isn’t a single aspect of our love lives that can’t be improved by exercising. Just the decrease in stress and depression will go a long way towards improving your time between the sheets. But for those suffering from a lack of desire, or even erectile dysfunction, the benefits of getting out and being active will start to show very quickly.
Your stamina and flexibility will open whole new worlds for you, and you won’t be as tired at the end of the day, and therefore not only be more open and receptive to intimacy, but will perform better. If that isn’t incentive enough to drive you to increasing your activity level, then take note of the fact that you’ll look better in the act!
These are just a few of the facts that your average person isn’t immediately aware of when it comes to getting back into the swing of exercising. With so many benefits crossing so many aspects of our lives, including how long we’re here, why wouldn’t you want to start adding an hour of exercise to your life every day?