Exercise
Growing up, I was never an athletic kid. I tried soccer, volleyball (which I did enjoy but wasn’t great at), cheerleading, swimming, golf, gymnastics, and tennis. I didn’t enjoy any of them enough to pursue them long term. However, I always wanted to be “in shape.” I went through several 3-4 month periods of using a gym membership, only to give up after a while. I was in show choir and musicals in high school, which helped some (dancing), but especially at the start of college, most of what I was doing was occasional walking.
After freshman year of college, I was home for the summer, and my mom was working out downstairs using a subscription like Peloton or Beachbody. I became intrigued and asked her about it. I decided to try it and have been exercising regularly ever since (3 years now). Side note: I know these subscription based programs can seem very 80s/90s and like they don’t work, but I can tell you that they do!
Regular exercise is so helpful and important for our physical and mental health. Physical activity releases endorphins in our brain, which helps us feel good. If you’ve ever went on a run, walk, lifted weights, danced, played a sport, etc., it’s likely you experienced the effects of endorphins. You feel great for a little while after the activity, are alert, and feel awake. If you are also dealing with stress, anxiety, or depression, exercise can be a great coping mechanism. I’m not sure I would’ve made it out of sophomore year of college without dropping organic chemistry if I wasn’t working out before or after class.
Physical activity also gives us the opportunity to use our bodies the way they were intended to be used! We were not created to sit around all day. We are born with muscles, flexibility, etc. for a reason. Our bodies literally crave movement. Building that muscle and endurance is vital for our well-being. With that, exercise improves our health! When we get into shape, we are improving our cardiorespiratory system, heart health, immune system, and brain health.
Exercise looks different for everyone and is dependent on age, ability, time, equipment, etc. For example, if I have bad knees, I’m not going to do high impact activities like running or plyo. Exercise could be a walk around the neighborhood, joining a Zumba class, starting to lift weights, running, jump rope, joining a recreational sport, and plenty more. Furthermore, you don’t need to be or aren’t going to be good at whatever you try right off the bat. Give yourself the grace to try something new and stick with it for a bit. Habits take a while to build up, but once they’re there and you see how it changes you or helps you for the better, you won't want to stop. This is one hobby that I think everyone can get into!
Challenges/Points:
Exercise is important for our physical and mental health.
Exercise releases endorphins and improves our cardiorespiratory system and immune system.
Pick one way to exercise this week and try to do it at least three times.
Questions:
Do you currently have an exercise routine?
What holds you back from making this a hobby or coping mechanism?
How do you believe working out has affected you in the past?
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