I am always amazed at how much my life has changed since I started exercising regularly. I am thinner, stronger, healthier, happier, and more inspired to do something with my life. I didn’t always used to feel this way. When I was at my heaviest, just getting through the day was a chore. I had no energy for anything but survival. And that is no way to live. I wanted to thrive! I knew the way to do that was through regular exercise. I just needed to make the decision to take that first step. And I am so glad I did!!
There is a lot of information in this graphic, but the encouraging thing that I saw was that there is always room for improvement. The harder you work, the more benefits you receive. The more you improve, the greater the rewards. You have to love that!
Here are 5 basic reasons to play harder:
1. Heart – your heart will become stronger and more efficient when you ask it to do more work. It will get better at pumping blood to your body, which is necessary for all the processes that keep your blood healthy. Just like any other muscle or organ in your body, it can adapt to stress. The key is to give it positive stress – exercise is just the thing!
2. Brain – when you exercise, you increase blood flow to your brain, drawing nutrients to the most important organ in your body. When you do this consistently enough, it helps reduce the risk of all kinds of degenerative conditions that come with age.
3. Organs – your organs stay healthier because of your activity. Healthier blood means healthier organs. Liver, gallbladder, heart, pancreas, intestines, stomach…all these organs depend on blood for proper function.
4. Health – colds, flus, and bacterial illnesses love to make their homes in unhealthy bodies. Have you ever noticed that a cold seems to stick around forever when you aren’t in the habit of exercise? I know I have. When I am consistently active, I rarely get sick, and when I do, it never seems to last very long, and the symptoms are never as severe.
5. Weight – this is the one you’ve been waiting for! It’s no secret that regular exercise contributes to being leaner and healthier. Along with good nutrition, exercise is a powerful tool to help you maintain a healthy weight.
The idea is to optimize your activity levels along with your nutrition. Most of us aren’t ready to run a marathon or even have the interest. But we all like to have energy to do whatever comes up through the day. Make your exercise fun and make it happen regularly. You will love the benefits!
