Your favourite benefits of exercise?
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The changing shape of my physique, my strength, my flexibility.5
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#1 for me is mental health. It keeps my anxiety levels down and when they flare up, a good workout can be a total reversal.
Other favourite benefits include the general mood boost, the ability to do more things in my day to day life that require strength, agility, or endurance without worrying about it.
I also really like that I can eat a little more.9 -
It helps to keep me motivated.
I feel better, in general. I have a few aches & pains still, but it’s nothing like how I used to hurt.3 -
Zombie-ing this thread because I like the topic and thought of my favourite thing.
Daily exercise has given me so much more confidence.
I used to be a mess of anxiety and fears.
Now I can speak up for myself in real life the way I used to only be able to do online.
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My favourite benefit is ... sleep.
When I'm a little bit out of shape, I sleep like a log when I've had more than an hour's exercise in a day.
When I'm in better shape, I sleep like a log when I've had 2 or 3 hours of exercise in a day.
When I'm in really good shape, I sleep like a log when I've had 5 or 6 hours of exercise in a day.
It's great!! I get these really deep, restful night's sleep when I exercise.4 -
My favourite benefit is ... sleep.
YAAAAS.
Apparently, I've had ADHD all my life and a shortage of dopamine keeps me from getting deep sleep. Before they put me on adderall (To help me sleep. Because of course that's how I work. >_<), about 5-6 hours of cardio could put me down for a restful sleep.
Now I have a "quick" fix for days when I don't have time to move like I'd prefer, but the deep sleep of cardio is so much more satisfying than the sudden crash shut-down of adderall.
I've found a "happy medium" between the two, slightly reducing my cardio to only a couple hours per day and boosting with a smidge (I'm on a child's dose.) of store-bought. ("If you can't make your own, store-bought is fine.")
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Recognizing that this is a zombie thread, my favorite things about running:
- First, the easy one: it's something my body can do now that I used to think was impossible.
- Second, the one that's going to make me sound nuts, unless you do it too: Do you ever play out imaginary conversations in your head? You know, arguments that you want to start but never actually will...comebacks you didn't think of...that sort of thing...well, apparently my brain likes to filter through all of that stuff during a run. I guess it's good for my mental health to get it all out.9 -
@apullum I can totally relate to that. I do a lot of my mental processing during my walks or runs.
This is a great topic............
I've only been regularly exercising for the past 6 months but I have seen immense benefits from regular activity. My mental health and mood is generally better, no more sore lower back, I'm more flexible, have more stamina to get through my busy day, more energy means more patience and I'm a more relaxed parent and spouse and I can see the changes in my body shape.
This summer I did a hiking trail that I found really challenging. When I did it again in the fall I couldn't beleive that I found it so easy. Seeing progress in your abilities is motivating!7 -
I can't see my journey being near as successful without exercise. I came from a very lean athletic body and then quit exercising and quit eating right for 16 YEARS (many reasons, but mostly just laziness and gluttony) and I gained 100 lbs.
From day one of my journey I started exercising along with keeping at a calorie deficit. It took everything I had and every breath to finish walking a few miles a day for the 1st month...Now I am back into weight training along with pretty intense cardio. I exercise EVERY day.
At age 54, this has turned my life around 180. It's taken away my depression and improved my labs completely, along with flexibility , stamina and muscle tone. I didn't even think this was possible last April, but now 83 lbs down and seeing my progress, I am a changed man!9 -
mental break5
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I love that feeling you get when you come out of a good workout. The endorphin's and sense of accomplishment. Exercising consistently just makes me feel happy and more confident.6
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It's helping me recover from drinking, giving me the best sleep I've had in a few years actually. The progress with speed, strength, and generally how much more it takes to wear me out is exciting. It boosts my mood, gives me something to look forward to.5
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Recognizing that this is a zombie thread, my favorite things about running:
- First, the easy one: it's something my body can do now that I used to think was impossible.
- Second, the one that's going to make me sound nuts, unless you do it too: Do you ever play out imaginary conversations in your head? You know, arguments that you want to start but never actually will...comebacks you didn't think of...that sort of thing...well, apparently my brain likes to filter through all of that stuff during a run. I guess it's good for my mental health to get it all out.
Ooh, totally.
It helps get all the emotional arguments out of the way by imagining those replies you'll get in return, and then hone a better, more nuanced "comeback".
Very zen.3 -
It's "me" time, something I get to do all for myself. I spend all the rest of my time either working or taking care of my kids. Also it makes me feel good knowing that my body can do things that it couldn't before.8
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Gives me a stress release. I can take sometime for myself to either hit the weights or run on a machine really seems to calm me down and release stress.4
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I love the mental effects! I feel so much better about life in general after a good run outside, at my favorite place. Must be the endorphins...the best drug ever! Even if I only burn a few calories, I feel better about myself. And I know that it will add years to my life!4
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I like the feeling of accomplishment afterwards. I like the way my body feels. I like that it reduces my anxiety.
I’m still not a person who looks forward to a workout but I never regret doing my workouts.4 -
Mocking my teenagers when they can't keep up with their middle aged mother on family outings...yeah, that's never getting old...and I a runner and a ballerina, so they aren't inactive teens, but I still got 'em beat in terms of walking/hiking speed and endurance.6
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Avoiding the permanent move to an assisted living facility for as long as possible.
Yes, my OH's sedentary mother had to go to a nursing home when she could no longer get on and off the toilet unassisted.
My mom is active, and if she has to go to a nursing home prematurely it will be from something like falling off the ladder while cleaning gutters (which I have been begging her for years to stop doing >.< )
Regular exercise is crucial to my mental health.4 -
lporter229 wrote: »Strange, but I am not even sure that I can answer this question. Exercise has become so much of a part of my life that I am completely lost without it. I can't even quantify the benefits because if I am unable to exercise, it's like a part of me is missing.
Yes, I start to feel anxious if I postpone lunch, which is when I regularly exercise.3
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