Being active in early life when your metabolism is raging anyway can set you up for a rude awakening later in life. Using myself as an example, I remember fitting in a whole large pizza for lunch during two-a-day football practices. I did it then and had that thing burned off in a day or two. These days, it takes me an entire month.
Chances are, if you’re old enough to be out of college, then you know how quickly that ability can leave you. That’s why it’s important to get active now and stay that way as long as humanly possible. Not only will it lead to a better quality of life, but it could also lower your health insurance rates, your life insurance, and even your car insurance.
Here are seven additional tips of working out, brought to you in part by our friends at the Mayo Clinic.
Reducing stress and anxiety
The older you get, the more stress you have. That’s life. But a good workout routine will help you end every rough day on a positive note. As Mayo points out, “Hopping on the treadmill for 30 minutes can increase concentrations of norepinephrine, a brain chemical that helps the brain deal with stress.” In smartphone terms, this is essentially like plugging your brain into a wall socket and recharging its battery.
Preventing memory loss
Even though it’s your body doing the heavy lifting, workouts are good for the mind as well. “Physical activity can lead to better brain health and may prevent memory loss,” Mayo Clinic states. “There may be no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, but exercising can delay or minimize its symptoms by a whopping 50 percent,” that number according to the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation.
Increasing self-confidence
Hitting fitness milestones can work wonders for your self-esteem. In my own life, I’ve been trying to find time to work out more, but I’m finding that being a new parent can make any such routine hard to establish. However, I don’t feel like I’m falling behind because I use an app on my phone called Breeze to follow my average activity levels and beat my goal each day. As I do this, the goal increases to where I’m incrementally more active with each passing week. All I have to do is make it to the finish line, and I’m in better shape than I was before. Now, obviously, we and the Mayo Clinic still recommend sustained cardiovascular activity for 30 to 60 minutes per day; but you have to start somewhere, and when you do, it’s easier to build your self confidence in each little victory.
Improving sleep
Most of your body’s growth and repair occurs during sleep. As Mayo points out, “If you’re struggling with insomnia but would prefer not to take sleeping pills, physical activity can help you get a good night’s sleep. Just don’t work out right before going to bed, or your body will be too alert to sleep.”
Boosting your mood
Endorphin release can improve your mood tremendously, and guess what one of the best ways to achieve it is: that’s right, working out. So if you feel yourself getting snippy with loved ones or co-workers, step away from what you’re doing and go get your heart rate up for a few minutes.
Increasing productivity
While technology has made it easier to do more with less, that doesn’t get you off the hook for putting forth some good old-fashioned hard work. To maximize your productivity, part of that hard work and labor needs to be sustained exercise. “Getting away from your desk and going to the gym during your lunch break can help maximize productivity at work,” Mayo notes. “A good workout can help you get more things done in less time by increasing mental clarity.”
Lowering the risk of heart disease
Got cholesterol problems? Working out regularly can assist in lowering bad cholesterol and unhealthy triglycerides, both of which will increase your odds of having a heart attack. Starting now can help you stave off the negative effects.
Source: https://hometownquotes.com/insurance-news/health/exercise-helps-finances-security-life.html
