If your hectic work week and the economic slump are making you tense, try exercise-not food-to improve your mood.
We all know about the physical perks of working out. For starters, you can get a leaner body, and a stronger heart. But the mental benefits are just as important. Exercise can boost your mood because it increases the production of endorphins, which are the brain’s feel good hormone. Exercise also lowers levels of stress hormones, like cortisol. (In case you didn’t know, the hormone cortisol can cause premature aging if you experience large amounts of it regularly!) Bottom line: a sweat session can help your brain and body cope better with anxiety.
The big impact of physical activity on stress is that it helps people to feel better, think more clearly, and be more productive. In addition, staying active improves your self-confidence, helps you sleep better, and combats symptoms associated with depression.
Also, exercise can help you divert yourself from all your worries! People seem to feel effects of stress reduction from exercise simply from the distraction of doing the activity. While you’ll get mood-boosting benefits no matter what the workout, it helps if you enjoy yourself at the same time. If you like what you’re doing, you’ll be more likely to stick with it and less likely to focus on your day-to-day hassles.
Above all else, make exercise a priority in your life. When life gets hectic, exercise tends to be the first thing cut from the “to-do” list. Knowing how it can actually help make you feel better, instead of worse, should be enough of a reason to make time for it where there seems like there isn’t any. All you have to do is strap on your runners, show up, and do the work! You’ll be laughing all the way home as you reap the benefits of exercise.
CrossFit Zone and Ultramarathoner’s Rob and Donald are wanting to get a group of people together for a 5km to 8km hike out to East Sooke or Gowlland Tod on Saturday June 13th. The time is TBA! Please post in the comments if you are interested in participating.
Today’s Workout:
Buy In – 10 high knees, 10 butt kicks, 10 leg kicks, 10 hip openers, 10 sumo lunge forward, 10 sumo lunge backwards, 10 karaoke x 3 sets each
WOD – 10 rounds of 100 Metre Sprints; rest remainder of the minute (next sprint begins at 2:00 min.)
Cash Out – Deadlift 3-2-2-2-1-1-1-1-1 reps adding weight each set
