E.X.E.R.C.I.S.E. Whew!

I'm coming back from a few months off from exercise!  I had a rough few months that had me sleeping for more hours than I could count and with no energy to do the things I love like riding my bikes and working out (outside of a gym that is!).  So it felt good to hit the pavement on my commuter bike to go to the store, and to run one minute, walk five (no, I'm not kidding - unfortunately the days of easily running ten miles are gone taking two stress fractures and a bum knee with them), and crazy work outs at home with Nike Training Club, an application on the iPhone for women who want to sweat and hurt for a few days after, my kind of training!

See, the transition has not been easy.  I found myself struggling to stay awake one recent afternoon but a prayer in my heart for the energy I had not long ago and suddenly I found myself with motivation!  I got up and did a nice little workout that kicked my butt for a few days to kick start my journey back into healthy exercising.

Why is exercising so important?  Aside from helping a person age well and overall decreased fat, exercise is important for our brains!

The effects of aerobic exercise on the brain extend beyond emotional well-being. Writing for "Today's Dietitian," registered dietitian Diane Welland, says research showing a positive link between exercise and brain function dates back to the 1930s. A 2004 Harvard Study looked at the effects of exercise on the cognitive function of more than 17,000 women aged 70 to 81 for two years and found that the more a woman exercised, the better her cognitive functioning. Active women suffered at least 20 percent less decline than their sedentary counterparts.

A Mayo Clinic study published in a 2010 issue of the "Archives of Neurology" found participants who regularly took part in moderate aerobic activity reduced their risk of developing mild cognitive impairment by more than 30 percent. The exact reasons why exercise offers these benefits remains unclear -- but possible explanations include its effects on brain cell growth, improved oxygen delivery to the brain and stimulating the production of substances that repair damaged brain tissue.
(livestrong.com) 

How much better would our cognitive functioning be if we started young?!  To me that sounds like a life worth living - healthy and sound!  

Exercising also reduces the risk of high cholesterol, breast and colon cancers, the risk of Alzheimer's disease, constipation, stress levels and risks of premature death.  It improves sleep, mental clarity and concentration including general moods, digestion, immune function, and among many other benefits, it improves bone density.   (Why Should I Exercise?)

So, I found myself with motivation and a few things to remind myself of why it is healthy and important for me to push through my drowsiness onto a better life (in this department anyways)!

With this little tidbit on exercise, I hope you have been encouraged to go for a walk, or run (if you can), or what ever else gets your blood pumping through those arteries, which will in turn, strengthen the whole you!

What are your everyday exercise struggles?  And why does exercise almost seem like a bad word?!  I'd like to hear your perspective from where you are in life and maybe how you overcome some of your obstacles in exercising!