Want to feel better, have more energy and perhaps even live longer? Look no further than old-fashioned exercise.
“Exercise is so good for you.”
I’m sure you have heard that before! Look at all the benefits listed below and anytime you need extra inspiration to workout, review this list.
1. Exercise boosts your energy level: One of the main reasons I exercise is I want to have the energy to do al that God has planned for me. I want to be ready to take action when I hear God’s call to go. I know real joy in life comes from doing God’s work!
Physical activity delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. In fact, regular physical activity helps your entire cardiovascular system work more efficiently. Big deal? You bet! When your heart and lungs work more efficiently, you'll have more energy to do the things you enjoy.
2. Exercise improves attitude: Physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed than you were before you worked out. As I mentioned above, you will have more energy, which will also help you to take on activities with a better attitude. Regular physical activity can even help prevent depression. When you combine your exercises with uplifting music and God’s word, it’s a winning combination!
3. Exercise helps fight disease: Worried about heart disease? Hoping to prevent osteoporosis? Physical activity might be the ticket. Regular physical activity can help you prevent — or manage — high blood pressure, lower your cholesterol, help prevent type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, certain types of cancer and the list goes on. Heaven’s going to be awesome but the longer you live the more time you have to tell people about God’s amazing love for them.
4. Exercise helps you sleep better: Struggling to fall asleep? Or stay asleep? It might help if you boost your physical activity during the day. A good night's sleep has many health benefits. And you guessed it — physical activity is sometimes the key to better sleep. Regular physical activity will help you fall asleep faster and deepen your sleep. Try not to exercise too close to bedtime or you might be too energized to fall asleep.
5. Exercise is good for your brain: When you exercise you send hormones rushing to your brain. There, they mix with a chemical called brain-derived neurotropic factor, or BDNF, which plays a role in brain cell growth, mood regulation, and learning. “BDNF is like fertilizer for the brain,” says John J. Ratey, Ph.D., a clinical associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. “Without it, our brains can’t take in new information or make new cells. If you want to keep your mind sharp, engage in cardiovascular activities.
New studies show the the #1 way to prevent Alzheimers is cardio vascular exercise. If you consistently exercise beginning in mid-life you decrease your risk on this horrible disease by about 50%. That alone motivates me to keep moving!
6. Exercise can add fun to your day: – seriously it can! Physical activity doesn't have to be drudgery. Take a dance class, check out a local climbing wall, play tennis, go for a walk or put in a Faithful Workouts' DVD and get moving. Find a physical activity you enjoy, and go for it. Your kids are watching everything you do, so let them see that exercise can be fun. Get your family to exercise with you. If you do a DVD together you will not only get in shape you will also connect with God and most likely have some good laughs too.
7. Exercise helps you manage your weight: Want to get to a healthy weight? Trade some couch time for walking or other physical activities. This one's a no-brainer. When you engage in physical activity, you burn calories. The more intense the activity, the more calories you burn — and the easier it is to keep your weight under control. When you burn off more calories than you take in you lose weight. You don't always need to set aside major chunks of time for working out. Dedicated workouts are great, but physical activity you accumulate throughout the day helps you burn calories, too.
**Which of the benefits listed above most motivate you to exercise? Why?