Exercise: Key To Good Health
There is a friend of mine who is a gym instructor who I worked with for a few months sometimes ago. He normally puts a new motivational quote on the door to his gym each month. On one of the months, he put a quote that got my attention. It read "move to live." It got my attention and I asked him about it. He explained to me that a lot of health benefits are attached to regular exercises. More so, there are sicknesses that can be avoided by simply exercising. This was when I understood that exercise is actually a key to good health. Staying healthy goes far beyond what you eat, even though it is also important, but it also includes how you move. This is why I believe that exercise is not just about building muscles or staying fit, but also about long life.
You will agree with me that the human body is designed to move. However, in this era, it is common to see people live a sedentary lifestyle; always behind their devices, sitting throughout the day, replacing physical labour with automation, staying indoors and working remotely, then when they are not working, they will be on social media. All these may look like flex, but they also have effect on the health. A lot of people tend to forget that when something that is supposed to be moving is not moving, it may develop fault. If you park your car for a very long time without warming it, the battery may run down or it may develop certain issues. In the same way, if your muscles, your joints, and your entire body do not move, it might have serious health implications.
Exercise is actually your life in motion. If you observe the people who are active, you will notice that they enjoy healthier body, sharper mind, and even live longer. Exercise does not only mean going to the gym to lift several pounds of weight. Even the walk you take in the morning, the jogging, dancing in your house, and strolling, can be great exercise. I once read in a science journal sometimes ago that regular exercise is good for preventing certain heart diseases, even reduces the likelihood of obesity, diabetes, and other health issues. Some people can spend money on medications, but tend to overlook the very medicine that is free - which is exercise.
You may not even spend anything to keep fit. In fact, you do not have to go to the gym even though you cannot rule it out. The little things you do, which you can form as a routine, like doing press-up in the morning, talking evening walk, etc, can have a big effect on you. I observed one of my Uncles and saw how intentional his is about exercise. He would walk to the store from his house instead of driving, he would take the stairs instead of the elevator in his place of business. No wonder he is so strong even as he is approaching 75 years. Exercise does a lot of good to your health.
It is worthy to note that even beyond the physical health benefits of exercise, there are other things that you can gain from it. It can also do good to you mentally, and can also enhance your mood. When you workout, endorphins are realised within you, and that is part of the things that make you feel happy afterwards, because they are called "happy hormones." This can also help to fight stress, depression, and anxiety. I have noticed that there are times that if I feel moody, I would just take a few minutes walk from the house round the neighbourhood. By the time I come back, my spirit will be lifted and my mood will automatically improve. This shows the benefits of exercise.
Let us not also forget the social benefits of exercise. If you register for one month gym sessions for example, you will agree with me that after the one month, you would have made new friends, gotten new contacts, and may even have new relationships. There is a friend of mine who gave me a very significant help when I was acquiring a particular skill. Adorably, I met the guy some years back in a gym. Within a week, we were already friends, and that was how our friendship started. Now Imagine if I had not gone to the gym, I may not have met him. As much as gym does good to your physical body and your mental health, it also has some social benefits that cannot be denied.
Thanks for reading
