“Will not!” “Will, too.” “Will not!!” “Will, too.” “I will not go to the gym today.” “Yes, you will.”

I just woke up to this lovely schizophrenic war being waged in my head.

It’s 5:00 am and I’ve already hit the snooze button 3 times. The fight grows louder.

“Stay in bed. You need the sleep.” “No, I told my friend I would meet her at the gym starting today.” “She’ll understand how tired you are. You work so hard.” “But if I don’t go today, I never will.”

Decision Made

I ignore the voices, roll out of bed and decide to spend a few minutes with my Made to Crave book before I put on my tennis shoes and head for the gym.

I need some serious motivation. The bed looks so much more inviting than the Elliptical right now.

I think I’ll check in with my favorite doctor, WebMD, to remind myself of the benefits of working out at 5:00 am.

Here’s what the doctor said:

Exercise improves your mood.

Physical activity stimulates brain chemicals leading to happier moods and greater relaxation. It has even been proven to lower your risk of depression.

Happy is good. I like that.

Exercise combats chronic diseases.

Heart disease, osteoporosis, high blood pressure and high cholesterol all improve with exercise. There is even evidence that exercise can help prevent type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.

Cancer is bad. I want to avoid that.

Exercise helps manage weight.

Exercise builds muscles. Strong muscles burn calories – all day long!

“Studies estimate that for each pound of muscle you add to your body, you will burn an additional 35-50 calories per day. So an extra 5 pounds of muscle will burn about 175-250 calories a day, or an extra pound of fat every 14-20 days.” (WebMD)

Now this is really good. My body can become a 24-hour a day fat burning machine. My motivation is increasing.

Exercise boosts your energy level.

More oxygen leads to better circulation. Improved circulation makes the body more efficient leaving us with more energy to do the things we love.

I definitely need more energy, especially when I get up at 5:00 am to go to the gym.

Exercise promotes better sleep.

Regular exercise can help us fall asleep faster and deepen our sleep.

That would be fabulous!

Exercise can improve your skin.

“As exercise boosts oxygen to the skin, it also helps increase the natural production of collagen, the connective tissue that plumps your skin. Your skin color is also improved after exercise because of the increase in blood flow.” (WebMD)

Now we’re talking, exercise sounds like a low-cost way to get a mini facelift.

Exercise lowers stress.

Who doesn’t want that?

Exercise improves thinking.

Increased blood flow to the brain leads to quicker thinking.

Enough said – I guess rolling out of the sack to hit the gym is a good idea after all. I’m on my way. Hope to see you there :).

Jump Right In

To increase accountability and encourage others PLEASE take a minute to comment below: introduce yourself, share your successes or struggles, add your food list or simply say ‘hi.’

The journey to change will be more successful if you walk it with others.

What About You?

 

What benefit(s) of exercise are you most excited about experiencing in your life?

 

Please join our discussion and
leave a comment here.

Made to Crave ~ Index to Previous Posts