Just like with eating healthy, we all have the dreadful sigh of agony when we hear the word exercise. We think of being sweaty, sore muscles, and not being able to walk normal for several days after. We get an instant picture of Jillian Michaels from the “Biggest Loser” yelling at us to do more Burpees, or get lower on those push-ups! What we don’t see is how happy our bodies are for keeping them healthy, building the endurance so walking up the flight of stairs at work doesn’t put us out of breath everyday! It’s not just about taking the stairs instead of the elevator; it’s about choosing a better lifestyle in the long run.
As women we are constantly given the misconception that we don’t need to work out, or having muscles is a bad thing. This isn’t true at all! Women can lift weights, and they can build muscle without looking extremely manly! Toning your muscles and having definition to your arms, legs, stomach, etc. is a good thing! In our class next week I will provide you with some good exercises to help you tone the “flabby” arms and legs that we grow over night! I will also go over techniques to help tone your stomach and shrink the hated “muffin top!”
Exercising is not only for building strength and muscles; it also helps control your weight! The more cardio work outs your do, the more calories you will burn. A lot of workouts even have what we call an “after burn” effect, meaning your burn more calories throughout the day after your workout! This is one of the many reasons working out in the morning is encouraged. Exercising also helps speed up your metabolism so as long as you are eating, your body is constantly burning the food you are consuming!
Ever heard the famous quote from legally blonde “Exercise gives you endorphins, endorphins make you happy. Happy people don’t kill their husbands, they just don’t!” Although the end of that quote is really dramatic, the first part is true! Have you ever been in a bad mood and decided to go on a walk, or worked out for about thirty minutes? Often you forget why you were upset in the first place! Exercise has this effect on many people! It’s a huge stress reliever, puts us in a good mood, and it even gives us energy! You are probably thinking what in the world is she talking about, but I am right! Our body can reach a point of exhaustion but often times we work out to the extent of being “uncomfortable.” This means we work until our body is uncomfortable, but not severe pain. When we stop, our bodies are exhausted for a short amount of time, but after a little bit of rest, it is ready to go again! This is how we build strength, agility, quickness, and endurance. We are training our bodies to become better than they were yesterday!