Last Updated on August 2, 2016 by Michael Brockbank
When a lot of people hear the term, “fitness,” they immediately envision slimming down and fitting into old clothes. In reality, this is just the icing on the cake. Weight loss is only one of the effects of achieving better levels of fitness. Although it’s a nice byproduct for those who are considered obese, such as myself, it shouldn’t be your only motivation. Proper fitness can make profound differences in your life.
Going Beyond Weight Loss for Fitness
Proper fitness centers around keeping your body in shape and functional. You see, humans were never meant to lug around excessive amounts of weight. This is why we have so many physical problems when we’re more lethargic. High blood pressure, joint pains, and diabetes are only a few of the most common symptoms from a lack of fitness. As a result, the body cannot operate as it was intended when you’re overweight.
Muscle Development
You don’t need to jump on the weight-lifter bandwagon in order to benefit from muscle development. Even computer geeks like myself need to get up and keep the lean muscles from deteriorating. It’s your muscles that will play into a wide range of daily activities and how you perform those functions.
One of my favorite points to bring up is how doing the standing toe touch has made an impact on my golf game. This is perfect to point out because it demonstrates how performing exercise can impact other aspects of your life. Another example is how dumbbell curls has made grocery shopping vastly easier as I can throw a 55-pound bag of dog food into the cart without straining something or grunting.
You don’t have to look like a spokesperson for body building in order to benefit from getting a bit of exercise. Physical fitness helps you complete a wide range of tasks, or even hobbies, over time. Whether you’re playing golf or would like to spend more time in the garden, it all centers around physical strength and endurance. These two are developed through proper fitness.
Mental Stability
Keeping in shape can also improve your mental stability. Emotions, rational thought and decision making skills are all related to your health. When you deprive the body of vital nutrients, obviously the brain isn’t going to function as well. Even increasing your physical activity improves brain power. More blood and oxygen to the brain improves the power of your mind through exercises.
Studies demonstrate how regular exercise improves a variety of cognitive functions. For example, mood and stress levels are improved in those who commit to higher levels of workouts. In one study at the University of British Columbia, it was found that aerobic exercise increases the size of the hippocampus. This part of the brain is responsible for memory and learning.
The lack of sleep can wreak all kinds of havoc on the body, especially over long periods of time. It can affect everything from the heart to your sex life. Fitness can greatly alter your sleeping patterns for the better. This is one of the reasons why many people work out at night. It gives them a chance to burn excess energy to improve sleep.
Getting More out of Life
It can be difficult for someone like myself to find the energy to do more things throughout the day. That’s because the body has its set routine, which can be difficult to break. However, there is more you can accomplish if you’re willing to take steps to go beyond weight loss.
Physical activity doesn’t mean you have to join a gym or embrace sports. Virtually any movement you make can be part of fitness. I personally commit to 20 minutes of vigorous cleaning around the house daily. This burns calories as well as gives a few of my muscles a bit of a workout. The end result is that I feel better about myself and my house looks better than it did.
Find a hobby that requires a bit of physical activity. For me, it’s golf. Use this as a focal point to work on fitness. For example, I intend on completing workouts that will help my game. I would need to work on shoulders, triceps and back muscles to help add power to my swing.
One of my favorite tools is my 10-pound 8-iron. Practice swings with this club help train the muscles while demonstrating the perfect grip. My point is that you may want to focus a workout to improve your hobby. View it as a form of training to help you get the most from the experience.
It’s Not About the Pounds
Fitness is more than just focusing on weight loss. It’s an aspect that can make huge changes in your life. From processing information in the brain to getting outside to play, being healthy helps you get more out of existence. Improve your life by improving your health. It may be more important to your daily routine than what you realize.
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