Why Strength Training Is Important for Everyone
Everyone knows the obvious benefits of exercise such as losing and keeping off weight, decreases in body fat, strengthens your heart and lungs, gives you more energy, lowers your cholesterol, decreases the risk of heart disease, decreases your risk of colon and breast cancer, helps you feel good about yourself, just to mention a few.
Actually, the benefits are endless.
Physicians agree that if there was a magic pill to help prevent many conditions and diseases, exercise would be it! I realize another important benefit of regular exercise and staying fit since living in Columbus, Ohio for the past 23 years as opposed to living in my hometown of Los Angeles.
Living in Los Angeles, you can't help but be more physically active and motivated to exercise.
The sun is shining almost every day of the year and the average daily temperatures are usually in the 70's or 80's.
The biggest weather decision of the day you ask yourself is, do I wear the brown shorts or the blue shorts today? In LA, everyone is out and about, running, walking, biking, golfing, playing tennis, going to the gym, playing beach volleyball, or the park for outdoor boot camps - strutting around showing off their toned and firm bodies.
It's Hollywood after all.
Here in Columbus where I now reside, the mindset and atmosphere is quite different.
Sure you have your die hard fitness fanatics (me included-you can take the girl out of LA but you can't take LA out of the girl) who still venture outside despite the inclement weather.
You see them out in the streets running, power walking, cross country skiing at the park (yes, I saw a woman doing this the other day), walking their dogs - navigating through ice, snow and cold temperatures.
Others stay indoors and barely muster up the motivation to get on a treadmill, elliptical, exercise bike or visit the gym so they can at least get some sort of exercise on a regular basis.
The majority however, find it extremely difficult to get motivated or muster up the energy to do any exercise at all.
Not realizing that energy begets energy, meaning the more you do, the more energy you will actually have, the better you will feel overall.
That's because when you exercise and exert a decent amount of energy, you not only increase the blood flow and oxygen to your brain, muscles and other body parts, but wonderful endorphins are released in your body following exercise that give you a natural high and fantastic feeling.
What could be better than that? I will agree that these few months of winter weather can be mentally and physically exhausting.
Living in the Midwest during the winter months has it's own challenges and being fit and healthy is more important than ever.
It takes a lot of energy, strength and balance to clean off the car without falling on the icy driveway, shovel snow when it's blistery cold out there and navigate through the snow and ice just walking to your car from the house or in the parking lot to work or the grocery store.
It just takes a lot MORE to bundle yourself up and head outdoors.
I hear about so many people slipping and falling and injuring themselves or afraid to go outside for fear of such.
This is why regular exercise and especially strength training is extremely important.
Strength training really creates a mind-body connection so that you become more in tune with your body.
You should be performing the exercises carefully in consideration of the muscles you are working.
Strength training really forces you to "listen to your body" as you focus on increasing your strength, endurance and stamina.
There's no doubt that strength training is something that everyone should be doing 2-3 times per week.
It's never too late to start and numerous studies show it's the best way to lose and keep off weight, charge up your metabolism because increased lean muscle mass burns more calories even when you are at rest, strengthen your bones to help avoid osteoporosis, and tone and firm your entire body.
You just look and feel better! Strengthening the muscles around the joints is the best way to prevent so many injuries sports enthusiasts, athletes and ordinary people often encounter from overusing the same muscles time and time again.
In addition, work on improving your balance while you are strength training to help you navigate through your daily activities including the icy, snowy parking lots and streets.
Sometime soon, in a couple of months or so, we are going to have to shed our "winter coat".
How are you going to look? Don't delay.
Get moving and don't be afraid to bundle up and venture outside for some fresh air.
It can be very invigorating.
Just watch your step!
Actually, the benefits are endless.
Physicians agree that if there was a magic pill to help prevent many conditions and diseases, exercise would be it! I realize another important benefit of regular exercise and staying fit since living in Columbus, Ohio for the past 23 years as opposed to living in my hometown of Los Angeles.
Living in Los Angeles, you can't help but be more physically active and motivated to exercise.
The sun is shining almost every day of the year and the average daily temperatures are usually in the 70's or 80's.
The biggest weather decision of the day you ask yourself is, do I wear the brown shorts or the blue shorts today? In LA, everyone is out and about, running, walking, biking, golfing, playing tennis, going to the gym, playing beach volleyball, or the park for outdoor boot camps - strutting around showing off their toned and firm bodies.
It's Hollywood after all.
Here in Columbus where I now reside, the mindset and atmosphere is quite different.
Sure you have your die hard fitness fanatics (me included-you can take the girl out of LA but you can't take LA out of the girl) who still venture outside despite the inclement weather.
You see them out in the streets running, power walking, cross country skiing at the park (yes, I saw a woman doing this the other day), walking their dogs - navigating through ice, snow and cold temperatures.
Others stay indoors and barely muster up the motivation to get on a treadmill, elliptical, exercise bike or visit the gym so they can at least get some sort of exercise on a regular basis.
The majority however, find it extremely difficult to get motivated or muster up the energy to do any exercise at all.
Not realizing that energy begets energy, meaning the more you do, the more energy you will actually have, the better you will feel overall.
That's because when you exercise and exert a decent amount of energy, you not only increase the blood flow and oxygen to your brain, muscles and other body parts, but wonderful endorphins are released in your body following exercise that give you a natural high and fantastic feeling.
What could be better than that? I will agree that these few months of winter weather can be mentally and physically exhausting.
Living in the Midwest during the winter months has it's own challenges and being fit and healthy is more important than ever.
It takes a lot of energy, strength and balance to clean off the car without falling on the icy driveway, shovel snow when it's blistery cold out there and navigate through the snow and ice just walking to your car from the house or in the parking lot to work or the grocery store.
It just takes a lot MORE to bundle yourself up and head outdoors.
I hear about so many people slipping and falling and injuring themselves or afraid to go outside for fear of such.
This is why regular exercise and especially strength training is extremely important.
Strength training really creates a mind-body connection so that you become more in tune with your body.
You should be performing the exercises carefully in consideration of the muscles you are working.
Strength training really forces you to "listen to your body" as you focus on increasing your strength, endurance and stamina.
There's no doubt that strength training is something that everyone should be doing 2-3 times per week.
It's never too late to start and numerous studies show it's the best way to lose and keep off weight, charge up your metabolism because increased lean muscle mass burns more calories even when you are at rest, strengthen your bones to help avoid osteoporosis, and tone and firm your entire body.
You just look and feel better! Strengthening the muscles around the joints is the best way to prevent so many injuries sports enthusiasts, athletes and ordinary people often encounter from overusing the same muscles time and time again.
In addition, work on improving your balance while you are strength training to help you navigate through your daily activities including the icy, snowy parking lots and streets.
Sometime soon, in a couple of months or so, we are going to have to shed our "winter coat".
How are you going to look? Don't delay.
Get moving and don't be afraid to bundle up and venture outside for some fresh air.
It can be very invigorating.
Just watch your step!
