One of the most important things you can do to begin living a healthier lifestyle is to become more physically fit. Not only does exercise improve physical fitness, it also can help with mental health, addiction issues, stress, and self-confidence. Here are some of the key ways a regular workout routine can improve your life.
Making the Most of Your Workout
“Exercise” is one of the most-searched terms online, and for good reason. As interest in general fitness grows, it can be difficult to identify the best overall types of exercise. Most experts believe a good routine combines several types of exercise. Cardio work is the foundation of any workout — by making you breathe harder, it increases blood flow and the amount of oxygen in your lungs, improving your overall fitness. Strength training helps develop bone strength and muscle fitness; core exercises protect your back, allowing you to use your other muscles more effectively; and balance training improves self-sufficiency by reducing the risk of a fall. Finally, stretching reduces tension, improves flexibility, and speeds up muscular repair.
Improve Your Mental Health with Aerobic Exercise
New research suggests that exercise — particularly aerobic work like running and swimming — is one of the best ways to improve mental health. Not only does cardio boost overall mental well-being thanks to its endorphin-releasing properties, as little as one hour of cardio per week has been shown to prevent depressive episodes. Since it increases the flow of oxygen to the brain, aerobic exercise also reduces the amount of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline while releasing the mood-regulating chemicals serotonin and dopamine. With vigorous exercise, a protein called BDNF is also released, which supports neuron (brain cell) health and mental processing. Together, these chemicals reduce stress and heart strain, improve both short- and long-term memory, and help build self-confidence.
Lighten the Burden of Addiction Recovery
Standard addiction treatment for drug and alcohol abuse is generally limited to 12-step programs, clinics, and talk therapy; however, exercise can be an integral part of the recovery process. Physical activity releases endorphins, replacing the artificial drug-induced high with a natural boost, and improving the body’s overall well-being. Fitness also helps to increase confidence, which, in turn, builds self-reliance outside of the addiction. The routine of a regular exercise regimen can eliminate free time that would otherwise be filled with drug or alcohol abuse and promotes deep sleep at the end of the day. All this combines to alleviate the major effects of withdrawal (insomnia, depression, and weight gain). Regular exercise can even help heal the damage done to the body and demonstrate the potential positive effects of remaining sober.
Maintaining Your Healthy Routine
One of the most difficult parts of developing an all-around healthy routine is maintaining the routine amid the distractions of everyday life. Begin by surrounding yourself with a positive, affirming friend group who will encourage you when necessary. This will make it easier to continue your routine even when you don’t feel like it. Try setting an alarm half an hour before it’s time for you to leave for your workout to give yourself enough time to prepare; feeling short on time is one of the main reasons why people begin to skip their daily routine. Continue to improve your overall well-being away from the gym by eating healthfully and reducing the amount of saturated fats, sodium, and added sugar in your diet. Finally, reduce the stress in your life with regular relaxation exercises such as meditation, yoga, or controlled breathing.
Even though it may take extra effort at first, getting into the rhythm of a regular exercise routine is a key part of improving your health. Exercise improves your mind by reducing stress and improving positivity — and you’ll also become more physically fit! Take the first steps today toward a long-term healthy lifestyle by incorporating half an hour of light cardio work into your daily routine.
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