Exercise and the Mind-Body Connection

1. With regular exercise you can overcome or prevent depression altogether. Sadly many people suffer from depression, whether for brief or extended periods of time. It is a proven fact that getting your body moving with some exercise not only takes your mind of your problems, it causes endorphins to be released that give you that natural high and feelings of happiness.

2. Exercise provides your body with more energy! Some people believe that exercising will tire them out. On the contrary, as you train your body at the gym, you'll notice that you'll have more energy throughout the day without stimulants like caffeine to give you that buzz to stay awake!

3. Getting some exercise will actually help you reduce stress! Most North Americans are overstressed, overworked and under-active! Why not combat this with some exercise to not only help you stay in shape while many hours are being spent in front of a computer in the office, but reduce the daily stress that you feel.

4. One of the reasons why so many people work out at a gym is because they recognize the connection between burning calories, building muscle and losing weight. Some people are content to not spend any time exercising but are generally the first people to feel poor self-image or feel overweight or just generally bad thoughts about their appearance. Exercising regularly will help you to keep a positive self image. If you are a size 14 today the reality is you may never achieve a size 6, however you can feel good about who you are and make the most of what God has given you! We all come in different shapes and sizes and thanks to the media many people, especially women feel inadequate. Thanks to the positive endorphins we receive from exercise we can all feel a sense of accomplishment after a great workout, and know that we are taking control of our destiny and changing our body one workout at a time!

5. Moving your body releases toxins! We all have toxins built up from chemicals in our food, the poor quality food we sometimes choose, the pollution in the air we breathe, and even the chlorine in our water. When we move and sweat we release built-up toxins that our body longs to eliminate. Fuel this with drinking lots of water and we are on the right track to flushing the toxic waste goodbye! You'll notice that as you move, you'll perspire. Feel great, not gross when your t-shirt is wet with sweat as you'll know your body is working to remove unwanted materials. Moving actually helps you with stomach gas and flatulence as well. If you exercise regularly you'll reduce that gassy feeling that can often occur combined with proper eating habits.

6. Did you know that playing sports, lifting weights, and using a cardio machine along with stretching actually improves your posture! You may be currently visiting a chiropractor to assist you with some misalignment that you are experience which over time, if left untreated can lead to poor posture. If you exercise and stretch for 10 minutes after your workout everyday you can prevent deterioration and further misalignment along with improving your overall posture. Abdominal exercises are a great way to strengthen your back muscles so that your core body is strong to provide support to the spine also.

7. Exercising allows you to be more social, and make some new friends if you let it! Whether in the gym, out for a jog, playing a sport with some friends or a local team step out and make some new friends. Hey, they already have something in common with you as they are involved also! I like going to the gym alone because it allows me to chat with new people and really focus on what I am there to do. Venturing out into a group class such as yoga, step class, Pilates, boxing or dance classes such as salsa are a great way to get your workout in while making some great new friends that also enjoy a healthy lifestyle.