We all know that exercise has many benefits for us, both physically and mentally; however, it is not always easy to stay motivated! As we get older, life tends to get more hectic as our responsibilities continue to increase. The demands of our busy lives can take their toll, from demanding jobs to family responsibilities to everyday commitments, thus we are left feeling drained. With that in mind, it can be easy to lose sight of that motivation to exercise, let alone keep up the consistency. As daunting as it can be to incorporate another daily activity into your life, setting aside 30 minutes to exercise every day not only helps your body, but your mind as well. Exercise acts as a mental reset, delivering benefits that go far beyond physical strength or stamina.
Why is exercise so important? The experts at Mayo Clinic cite these benefits to staying physically active on a regular basis:
• Preventing excess weight gain or helping to maintain weight loss.
• Boosting our “good” cholesterol levels and decreasing unhealthy triglycerides to support smooth blood flow and decrease risk of cardiovascular disease
• Promoting feelings of happiness, relaxation and calm, resulting from the stimulation of certain brain chemicals when you are physically active
• Energizing the body and promoting a healthier heart and lungs, thanks to the extra oxygen delivered to your tissues and your cardiovascular system through exercise
• Enjoying better and deeper sleep (provided you don’t time that activity right before bedtime, which may have an energizing effect)
• Improving confidence, physical appearance, as well as your sex life by enhancing women’s arousal and making male erectile dysfunction less less likely when comparing people who regularly exercise to those who don’t
• Adding a sense of fun and connection to your life by being in nature and around others
So what are some ways you can engage in physical activity? It’s often all about finding an activity that you truly enjoy doing. This way it doesn’t feel like you have to drag yourself or are being forced to do it.
Countless people enjoy exercising at a fitness center or gym, and there are many reasons why. The range of equipment available at most clubs gives you lots of workout options, and many feature interactive classes you can take, along with opportunities to work with trained coaches. If you are looking to be more social, it is a great opportunity to try something new together with a friend or family member, or as a way to meet new friends who are likely to share some common interests. Options for fitness clubs and gyms are plentiful in cities and urban areas. We love LifeTime health clubs for their top notch equipment and attention to guest comfort. With clubs in many metropolitan areas, LifeTime offers numerous classes and thoughtful extras that set it apart from other fitness centers, such as their on-site spa services at LifeSpas which allow guests to drop in for a post-exercise CBD massage to care for those aching muscles. Or, if you love a more intense and regimented workout, and you like the added motivation of working out in a group, you might consider CrossFit, which offers full-body workouts that are performed alongside coaches and peers. Offering a variety of different classes to prevent your workout from becoming dull, CrossFit encourages friendly competition—meaning you can keep track of your results while also competing with those around you in class. With gyms and centers located everywhere, from cities to small towns, you can shop around until you've found a CrossFit gym that feels right for you. The right one should be excellent at scaling and modifying workouts for your individual needs, as well as creating a sense of community and connection.
Not a fan of intense workouts? One thing to love about exercise is that there are options for every location and fitness level. There are a wide variety of low-impact workouts that may feel perfect you. From Yoga, to Pilates, to Barre, Tai Chi, swimming, or the simplest one of all—taking a walk—low-impact exercises offers the tremendous health benefits of their high-impact counterparts with the advantage of being gentler on the joints and easier to perform for those who have a limited range of motion. From muscle strength, to stamina, to flexibility, to cardiovascular health, low impact workouts allow you to improve your health without stressing your body to the limit or twisting into a pretzel. As your strength and flexibility improve, each one of these workout types allows you to scale up, whether that is holding a pose longer, stretching more deeply, swimming faster, or walking farther, you are able to adjust as you go and respond to your body’s needs. Best of all, thanks to the plethora of free online instruction and paid courses, from local instructors, to phone apps, to YouTube videos, most of these workouts can be done from the comfort of your own home.
Just remember: whatever route you take with your workout, it should feel fun. With so many options, you can try a few things in search of the exercise that feels right for you. Remind yourself that you’re making a positive impact on your health along the way!
However you choose to exercise, we are here to support you with some post-workout TLC. Drop an ANTARA CBD Bath Truffle into the tub for a soothing soak, or bring relief to the body with a well-deserved rubdown using regular strength Restore Balm or extra strength Relief Balm.
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*Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389