First of all, let’s stop calling it that. “Exercise” just has the worst connotations all up on it that, let’s face it, are never going to be cool. If you’re anything like me, you dreaded gym class in high school and you agree the phrase “active vacation” is a revolting oxymoron. Think of it from now on as just movement. Activity. Training. We’re getting better already, right? "Exercise" requires a specified time and date and length. "Movement" is you dancing in your living room or running around the yard with your dog. "Exercise" sounds like it needs a treadmill with a countdown and an emergency stop clip. "Activity" is you exploring that huge nature preserve 15 minutes from your house you drive by every day. "Exercise" sounds like its a soul sucking chore you dread showing up for. "Training" is you setting small goals for yourself every day or week or month, hitting them and feeling awesome and accomplished about it.
Second: Think about how
It’s gonna make you so much less of a stressed out, mood-swingin’, frowny-faced psycho. Science is telling us some pretty incredible things about the effects of physical activity on the brain, guys. Not only can it make you
smarter, help preserve
your eyesight, improve cognitive function AND
prevent memory loss, but it is my #1 remedy for the blues. It will give you an immediate elevation of some powerful neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, anyone?) and that gets you feeling all good and positive and CAN-DO all over the place. That immediate reward is pretty great on its own, but now, studies are starting to prove it can help you
deal with the stress that can occur even after you come down from that high.
OHHH, WHAT?!
Three; it makes your aches less "ouch!". Sciatica, back injuries, fibromyalgia and arthritis are all paralyzing health problems and doing the right movements every day can significantly lessen the pain from all of them. Ask your doctor before you start any kind of regimen, but get over that idea that sitting on your butt will make said butt hurt less. Scratch that notion and reverse it, cause that butt ain’t getting any better by watching honey booboo marathons in bed and popping muscle relaxers (although that sounds like a pretty stellar sunday). The more your body gets used to daily movement and usage of all those big beautiful muscles and joints in your body, the more it will fluidly and effortlessly perform the tasks you put it up to.
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| Come at me, bro. No, seriously. I dare you. |
I’m no doctor or scientist but I do know that changing my relationship with exercise, something thats been a regular part of my life for the past ten years, has been an amazing revelation I try to share with everyone. I used to run for miles a day convincing myself achey knees were normal and if it wasn’t hard and horrible there would be no benefit. I would spend hours in the gym, sometimes twice a day, and come home so exhausted I couldn’t even eat dinner. It wasn’t until i started seeing movement as just a part of my life and doing activities I enjoyed every day that I realized it can be fun and super effin' rewarding. Words can’t describe how enormously powerful and strong I feel after lifting a weight I didn’t think my little shoulders could support. I relish day long excursions to local parks and wildlife preserves exploring and totally zen-ing out in nature. And most days, the smile on my face can be attributed to the hour i spent learning and performing dance hall moves on the elliptical (ask me about my gully creeper).
Most importantly, all of this joy and motivation can’t help but bleed into every other aspect of my life. Suddenly I’m knocking down other goals, saving more money, having more fun and shredding deadlines left and right.
How would shifting your ideas of exercise impact your life in the short and long term? You owe it to yourself to reap all and any of these stellar benefits and hello spring! What a friggin' perfect time to start thinkin' and feelin' all kinds of brand new, right?
