Physical activity has many benefits, and it is very important to keep your body healthy and in motion. But sometimes it can be difficult to find the motivation to be physical active, especially after a long day at work.
In this article you will find all the benefits of exercising and find the motivation to get started. Also, I will give you two workouts you easily can do at home.
First, let’s talk about why it is so important to get your daily exercise and the benefits of being active.
It is well known that daily exercise is good for the body and mind, but what is the benefits actually?
- Exercise improves your general health
- Exercise prevents many sicknesses
- Exercise gives you more quality of life
Three very good reasons to do your daily exercise, right? But let’s dick deeper into how it affects you.
How exercise affects your body
Being physical active improves the body’s circulatory system, which makes your heart pump even better. Also, there will be transported even more oxygen around in the body to supply your heart and muscles. Exercise gives you a more stable blood sugar, so you will not fall into that candy draw. By being active regularly, or even at a daily basis, you will have more want for eating healthy during the day, which will keep your blood sugar more even. A steady blood sugar makes you less tired through the day and prevents your need for sugar.
Physical activity will also give you more energy, and you will have less tendency to throw yourself on the couch, and instead maybe clean the house or make a delicious dinner.
When you are being active you will automatically use your muscles a lot and increase your muscle mass. It’s the muscles that burn the fat in your body. Therefore, if you want to loose weight, you must have focus on activate different muscle groups. Most important it will reduce the fat between the organs, which is the unhealthiest fat.
How exercise affects your mind
Not only is daily exercise good for your body, it is also really healthy for your mind. When you are psychical active your brain will send out endorphins, dopamine and serotonin, which is the natural happy drug of your body. 45 minutes workout can give you a feeling of happiness, almost like an euphoria. It is individual how intense you should workout to release these chemical reactions in the brain. But most people will start to feel a change after 30-45 minutes. Especially if they work out regularly. And the better shape you get into, the more fun it will be to work out. Therefore, never give up on your practice. Put a goal for yourself, it will often keep up the motivation.
How does the natural happy drugs affect you?
Endorphins are hormones that relieves pain, help you to be in a good mood, and they give you a feeling of happiness.
Dopamine is the reward system of our brain. It will be released when we eat or work out, which will make us feel joy and make us repeat the act again and again. That is why we can feel an unconsciously addiction, when we start to work out, because we want to feel that joy the dopamine makes us feel.
Serotonin is a chemical reaction responsible for our psychology well-being. It makes you feel happy and calm.
How much exercise should you be doing?
To feel a difference from all the benefits, you should be intensely active for at least half an hour per day. Intensely activity means that you must have a high pulse during the activity. Therefore, it is not enough with only a walk in the park, but find an activity that you like, that also makes you sweat.
It is important to find a good routine that matches your day, so you are more motivated to proceed every day.
There are several activities that gives a high pulse
- Running
- Power walking
- Biking
These three activities are easy to fit in your day, as it doesn’t take much of your time, and is easily available. Another good way to be more active during the day is, instead of taking the bus or your car, you can get on your bike or walk instead. In this way you sneak in some activity in a busy day.
Inspiration for your training
Are you interested in a workout routine, I will give you some good examples here, that will get you a high pulse and make your muscles burn. Most important is that you can do it at home in your living room or in your garden, when the weather is good.
This workout will make your booty burn and it takes only 10 minutes!
- 30 sec air squat
- 1 min alternating cross back lunges
- 30 sec jump squat
- 1 min band walk
- 30 sec hyperextension with 2 sec hold on the top
- 1 min step up
- 2 min superset – 30 sec on every exercise for both legs
- Firehydrant
- Glutekickback
- 1 min hip burner, 30 sec for both legs
- 30 sec glute bridge
- 1 min hip lift march
- 30 sec glute bridge with feet pushed together
- 30 sec glute bridge hold
This is a true burner! And if you are up for more go through it twice – or more.
Do you want a workout for your whole body, you should try this one:
Three rounds
- 10 push ups
- 20 air squats
- 20 Sit ups
- 10 Dips
- 20 Lunges (10 on each leg)
- 20 Mountain climbers
- 45 sec plank
Try not to do any pauses between the exercises and only take small pauses between each round. This will definitely make you sweat, and you will activate many different muscles in your body.
Exercise on a regular basis is very good for both the body, mind and soul. It keeps you healthy, and makes you feel better long term. I hope you can use the workouts in this article, so you easily can get started with working out, or just use it for some new inspiration.
About the Author
Heidi Kirstine is a freelance writer and has been vegan for 4 years now and loves experimenting with new recipies. She finds peace and joy in cooking, and loves to show people how amazing plants can be, and how good a plant-based diet makes her feel.
