We get it (and we’ve heard it all): We are in the dog days of summer. Mount Pleaseant and Charleston are virtual sweat-lodges. The pavement radiates heat. It feels IMPOSSIBLE to work out…so you don’t.
It happens. It is HARD to get up, workout and get sweaty when it’s 10,000 degrees outside.
But we’re here to tell you NOT TO QUIT YOUR WORKOUT! When the going gets tough, you gotta push through. So on this HOTTEST day in July, we have dedicated this week’s blog to STAYING MOTIVATED.
Here are FIVE awesome reasons to keep working out (even though your hot, tired, hungover, in a food coma, you’re on “vacay”, etc):
STAYING MOTIVATED REASON #1:
Hitting the gym pays off in big ways.
Let’s start with the obvious! According to LiveStrong, “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that someone who is physically active for seven hours per week is 40 percent less likely to die early than someone who’s active for less than 30 minutes per week. Remaining fit reduces your risk of suffering from heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and many types of cancer.”
STAYING MOTIVATED REASON #2:
Working out helps you burn off steam.
The Daily Burn explains, “Pounding the pavement or retreating to the weight room can work wonders when you’re feeling a little extra anxiety. ‘It clears my mind of past and future stress and helps me focus more on the here and now,’ says Jay Cardiello, strength and conditioning specialist and fitness expert, who’s worked with celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson and Julianne Hough.”
STAYING MOTIVATED REASON #3:
Stopping your routine will change your brain.
Health Magazine reports: “For years, researchers have suspected that exercise is good for your brain, too—according to one 2013 review, it might be able to help offset age-related memory loss. Now, a new study in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience found that even a short vacation from your workout might cause changes to the brain.” Apparently stopping exercise will slow the blood flow to the brain, thus undoing all that positive work!
STAYING MOTIVATED REASON #4:
Staying fit will inspire your little ones.
With the sobering statistic that approximately 1 out of 3 children is either overweight or obese in the United States and that overweight teens have a 70% chance of becoming overweight or obese adults, it’s extremely important to establish fitness as a family priority. And according to experts, leading by example is the best way to get kids interested in being active. “Children who regularly see their parents enjoying sports and physical activity are more likely to do so themselves,” says doctor-run HealthyChildren.org.
STAYING MOTIVATED REASON #5:
No effort is too small.
Let’s finish up with some inspiration brought to you by our friends at Women’s Health: “Sometimes you’re the hare, and sometimes you’re the tortoise, but every minute you’re out there is making you better” — Jen Ator C.S.C. Fitness Director.
And if you need extra motivation, Click HERE for a “Don’t Quit” workout mix put together by Jake “Body By Jake” Steinfeld and shared by Men’s Fitness Magazine.
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