Energy must be used. We’re not supposed to keep energy. We’re supposed to burn it. Every morning we are each given a quota of energy which we are supposed to use up. If we don’t use it today and tomorrow and the next day, eventually we are left with all this stale energy and we call it “feeling lazy today”.
When you exercise or keep active, you feel more positive. Your outlook changes. When you move, your body starts producing and releasing endorphins (especially when you do higher impact movements – when your heart starts pumping faster). That’s why people feel so good after doing exercise. They feel physically tired, but emotionally they feel good, positive, and exhilarated.
Generally, you’ll find that people who exercise regularly or are very active physically are upbeat most of the time. They just seem to be positive and energetic. Mentally they also seem to be very alert. That’s true science, because exercise stimulates the brain and mind. It’s the effect of the endorphins … and the other happy hormones that get secreted when we exercise – dopamine, oxytocin and serotonin. My good friend, Estelle Sam, refers to them as D.O.S.E. – dose. Get your dose of happy hormones!
All I know is that I need to move! If I don’t move enough ….. man ….. eventually I just wanna sit. The less I move, the less I want to move. Not good!
When it comes to exercise, sometimes you’ve just got to take action even when the motivation’s not there. You’ve just got to decide: I’m gonna do it now!
What if you have a medical condition that puts you at risk when exercising – like a heart condition? Obviously, in these cases you should get advice from your health adviser before doing any exercise routine. What if you have a condition that doesn’t allow you to do high impact exercise, or you can’t run due to a physical limitation? If that’s you, here are some ideas that will help you: swimming, cycling, rowing … anything that doesn’t cause direct physical impact on the body. For older people who sometimes struggle with impacts to their joints, swimming has been known to be an excellent exercise. One can even exercise while lying on your bed.
Some of these suggestions may not seem like they’ll be very effective, but it’s better than doing nothing. If you do even just a little something, you can build on it. Never despise a small beginning. Your health is a lifelong journey. The important thing is to begin!
