Have you ever thought truthfully about your motivation for exercise? Why do you really drag yourself out of bed each morning to hit the weights?
If the answer is “to look better”, then I’m afraid your commitment to exercise and healthy eating will only be temporary. When the going gets hard (and I assure you it will get hard) you’ll give it away, go back to sleeping in and before long you’ll be back on your junk food and alcohol diet, which will lead to a degeneration of your health.
Oops, did you say degeneration of my health?
Yep that’s exactly what I said. Poor diet and lack of exercise will get you feeling like crap and visiting your doctor to cure your ailments, and before too long you’ll find yourself on the medical rollercoaster.
Sad isn’t it?Yet people fall into this trap all the time because they couldn’t summon up the motivation to exercise and eat healthily.
And I’ll tell you what, if you think exercise is hard, try being sick!
On the other hand, if your answer is “for health and wellbeing” you can't fail because your health is so important to you, you will always find a way to exercise and eat clean.
We all knowthat a well-balanced diet combined with regular exercise is good for us, but it’s easy to forget just how HUGE the benefits can be, for example there’s:
· reduced risk of heart disease
· reduced obesity
· lower blood cholesterol levels
· lower risk of type 2 diabetes and some cancers
· lower blood pressure
· stronger bones, muscles and joints and reduced risk of osteoporosis
· lower risk of falls
· improved recovery from a period of hospitalisation or bed rest
· better sleep. (source www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au)
Exercise also causes the brain to release a flood of neurotransmitters that can give us a sense of wellbeing and improve our overall mood. These “happy molecules” have been linked to a range of benefits including the improvement of symptoms in people with depression and anxiety.
Exercise is also thought to help improve our ability to cope with stress and may even play a role in our levels of self-esteem.
I for one feel fantastic after a workout. It’s yet another AWESOME reason why you should exercise.
So, the next time you’re going through an exercise slump and can’t seem to drag yourself out from under the doona, just think, in an hour’s time you’ll be feeling better than ever and giving yourself the gift of good health. Looking great is just a bonus!
