This Platinum Jubilee, seeing the Queen wear her crown, reminded me of a fabulous quote I once heard which says:
"Health is the crown on the head of the person that has it, but is only seen by those who don't."
So very true. We all know there is a connection between exercise and health, but maybe all the benefits may not be familiar to us. Here are 10 benefits of exercise on our health, although this list is not an exhaustive one by any means!
2. Promotes neurogenesis the generation of new brain cells and repairs brain cells damaged by stress
3. Increases the speed at which your brain processes information by increasing connections among your neural pathways
4. Produces norepinephrine which helps with concentration
5. Releases serotonin which regulates anxiety and helps with memory
7. Burns calories and helps with weight loss
8. Keeps your heart healthy by boosting high density lipoprotein (HDL) the good cholesterol and decreases unhealthy triglycerides, which reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease. It can also lower resting systolic levels among people with hypertension
10. Prevents ageing of the skin by stimulating blood flow and increases your body’s natural antioxidants which help protect cells
Impressive, right? And yet, one of the biggest obstacles I hear people say to me is "Jen, I am too busy to exercise- there simply isn't the time."
“Those who don’t make time for exercise must eventually make time for illness “ said Edward Stanley.
Robin Sharma wrote, that saying you have no time for exercise is like saying you have no time to stop and put fuel in your car.
So, is it that only people with 'time' are the ones that exercise and keep in good shape? Who are these people? The truth is that the majority of us lead busy, hectic lives and FEEL like we don't have time for anything new. But in the majority of cases, this simply isn't true.
As much as some people would like to think they are too busy to exercise, when they look carefully at how they are actually using every waking minute of their day, it soon materialises that there is space to carve out just 30 mins a day to invest in themselves.
The legends on my challenges who totally transform their bodies, have the same 24 hours as everyone else. They still have to juggle work and family life as well as have some semblance of a social life and down time. But they decided to forfeit something to achieve their health goals, whether it be TV, switching off their social media, setting the alarm an hour earlier or handing the kids over to a friend or their partner to get a workout done.
In essence we make time for what is important to us or what we see as an imminent priority. But if COVID 19 taught us anything, health is wealth, and without it we have nothing.
Edward Stanley said “Those who don’t make time for exercise must eventually make time for illness".
But how do you get started?
1. Perhaps, start off small and gradually build it up.I highly recommend a book called Atomic Habits by James Clear which provides practical advice on how to set up a new 'habit'. He writes: "the truth is, small habits can reinforce the identity you want to build. If you show up at the gym five days in a row—even if it’s just for two minutes—you are casting votes for your new identity. As the votes accumulate, so does the evidence of your new identity."
2. Announce your intention to friends and family so they can support you. There is also power in proclaiming out loud a new commitment. I mean, let's face it; who of us like to have egg on our face after giving up on day two?!
3. Get around like minded people with the same intention, so you can motivate and inspire one another. I believe that one of the reasons my on line challenges work so well, is the support in the private Facebook group, creating a safe and positive environment to be in.
4. Set clear, achievable and realistic goals of what you would like to achieve in 6 weeks and then in 12 weeks, 6 months and a year. Could you enter into a 5K run which will force you to get up and train for it?
5. Be clear about WHY you are making the sacrifice to get fitter and healthier and write it down somewhere. Is it to look better in your clothes? Or perhaps it's to feel more confident without your clothes on? Is there a health condition in your family which you are determined to give yourself a better chance to avoid? Do you lack energy playing with the kids? Is your health currently suffering?
If you would like some support and guidance on how to start with a new exercise regime, then do contact me and I am only too happy to offer up some advice.
Perhaps, start off small and gradually build it up. I highly recommend a book called
So, let's polish up those crowns of good health and place them proudly upon our heads for everyone to see!
Jen x
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