Some awesome side effects of your weight loss journey
June 8, 2017 Ashley 0 Comments
Why do you work out?
Many’ve us do it for weight loss (or maintainenance), sure. But, once we’ve been on track for a while and we’ve got that hot body on lock, we start to notice something. It feels good. It feels good to kick off the A.M., before work, with a quick perspiratory purge. We shed the shell of the slow moving, zombie-esque creature we awoke as, and emerge from our workout reborn. We head into the day feeling powerful. Inspired. Creative. Spartan level ready to take on anything.
And, suddenly, we realize our “why” has grown into “whys”.
So, you might be reading this, thinking, “Yeah… I’m not quite there yet.” In fact, you might even look at your coworkers who waltz into work rocking a Tony Robbins level of energy, while trying to cast the shade of your hater parasol over ‘em. That’s natural. We get jealous of what we aren’t. In fact, I used to do this too. All the time. This fit and joyful chick at the clinic was literally always happy. Why? I didn’t care at the time. I just was bitter I wasn’t on that level. But, retrospectively, I remember her saying she used to get in a quick elliptical workout to EDM before work. Granted, the elliptical and EDM aren’t my thing ATM. (I’m more about forest trail runs and fine tuning by bodily movements.) However, years later after enacting a similar lifestyle change for myself, I can confirm: initiating your day with a workout’s not only invigorating. It’s transformative. If you’ve got any kind of depression or lethargy, prepare to punt those monsters from the remainder of your day.
In fact, a study done on the subject showed you don’t even have to sweat for super long to feel results:
“(…)the efficacy of exercise in decreasing symptoms of depression has been well established. Data regarding the positive mood effects of exercise involvement, independent of fitness gains, suggest that the focus should be on frequency of exercise rather than duration or intensity.”
What’s more, it doesn’t just eliminate the negative stuff.
Working out can also summon some good stuff into your world as well. One big example? Creativity. Now, for a writer like myself, it’s obvious as to why that’d be a selling factor. But, how about if you’re a boss man or a CEO or accountant? Someone who’s not into painting or entertaining? Even still, it’s beneficial for any of us to have the creativity facet of our think meat toggled on. Why? Because, when we’re in a creative state, we can come up with those outside-the-box solutions typical to any sort’ve business.
Another study spotlighted this:
“To determine the association between exercise and creativity, researchers had 48 athletes (who exercised at least four times a week) and 48 non-athletes (who didn’t regularly exercise) do a creativity test. For the first part of the test, the participants had to think of alternate uses for a pen and write them down. Then, the participants were presented with a series of three words and asked to find the link that connected them (for instance, “long” connects the words “time,” “hair” and “stretch”.) Researchers found that the regular exercisers did better on the second task compared with those who didn’t regularly exercise.”
It may not sound like much. But the implications are actually massive. Being able to generate these kinds of connections can make the difference between an epiphany of career saving proportions… or some detrimental miscommunication. What’s more, your brain, strength, and memory improve while your cerebral sponge’s capacity to uptake new info improves:
In sum, weight loss might be the main prize guiding you up the fitness and health ladder. But, if you’re having trouble getting a fire under your bum to start climbing it, know that there are copious other rungs made of amazing side effects you’ll get to look forward to accruing as you do so.
So, lay down a fitness foundation daily – for the sake of losing weight and gaining greatness.