It's Worth the Effort ... Really It Is!

I know a lot of people who avoid exercise like the plague. In fact, they don’t even consider exercising until the doctor tells them that they have to do it. They recoil at the thought of sweating. They look at weights and machines as something akin to torture devises! However, I want to take a little bit of time to taut the virtues of exercise for everyone. Yes, this means you – even if you don’t need to lose weight or have received a doctor’s mandate.

Recently, I was slammed at work and spent about two months coming in very early (6:00 AM) and staying late. Keeping up with my morning workouts was impossible. Now that the crunch is over, I’m getting back to my old routine and I have to say, I missed it.

Exercise is a natural stress reliever and mood enhancer. I noticed when I start my mornings with exercise; I leave for work in a better mood. Throughout the day, I find that even in stressful situations, I’m less tense and don’t experience as much of the physical symptoms that stress creates.

It sounds counterintuitive but exercise actually gives you a nice energy boost. So when you say you don’t have the energy to exercise, the ironic thing is that exercising anyway will give you more of the energy you crave!

When I exercise regularly, I can see a definite difference in my ability to focus and in mental clarity overall. I feel sharper and better able to get my work done.

Exercise doesn’t have to be a painful, stressful or negative experience. The trick is to find things you enjoy to do.

Go for a walk. (put on some good music or walk with a buddy to make it even more fun).

Dance or take a dance class.

Play outside and run around with the kids.

Golf and walk (instead of taking the buggy).

If there is an exercise you actually do enjoy, take a class or join a club. I’m a member of a hiking group. A good friend of mine joined the YMCA so she can have access to their pool.