Fitness to your mind, body, and soul is like the rain is to grass, flowers, and gardens. It refreshes and feeds necessary nourishments to assist with growth and flourishing. Fitness and health experts have been telling the public for many years how incredibly important committing to a lifestyle of health and fitness is for the mind, body, and soul.

How fitness helps the body

Physical fitness has many benefits for the body.  It helps maintain muscle tissue, keeps the heart strong, strengthens the bones, boosts the immune system, strengthens muscles, aids in digestion, and helps keep excess weight off.  Exercise has been proven to help with physical endurance so that you will not tire so quickly from day to day doing tasks such as climbing stairs, cleaning the house, or lifting your children.

Working out will get your heart pumping extra blood to your vital organs, including your brain.  As the blood carries oxygen, your brain will benefit from this and experts assert that your cells can actually regenerate as a result, which is very beneficial for optimal brain function.

Let’s face it: obesity is common in the UK and much of this is contributed to lack of healthy eating and exercise.  The older you get, the slower your metabolism is; thus, the need for exercise becomes even more prevalent.  Obesity leads to all sorts of physical problems, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.  These are sure fire reasons why committing to a lifestyle of exercise is so important.

How fitness helps the mind

Fitness can significantly benefit the mind, as it increases blood flow and releases “happy” chemicals that help you to feel better emotionally.  When you exercise, neurotransmitters called endorphins are released in the brain and provide a sense of well-being and happiness that can last for hours.

Another way that fitness helps the mind is that it relieves built up stress.  As you go through your day to day activities, anxiety and stress can affect you mentally and physically.  Chronic stress can cause physical and mental problems such as high blood pressure, anxiety disorders, and depression.

When you exercise, stress tension decreases and you get a sense of relief.  Haven’t you ever just felt overwhelmed with busyness and stress and went for a brisk walk only to feel much better by the end?  Getting those muscles moving and heart pumping will decrease your stress level so that your mind can relax and be at peace.

How fitness helps the spirit

The spirit is the absolute essence of who you are.  Underneath the physical body and separate from the mind lies a river of flowing life and love that oftentimes gets overlooked and forgotten about. Following the belief of the ancient physical and spiritual discipline of Yoga, committing to a lifestyle of fitness can certainly help the mind, body, and spirit.

As you embark on a journey to take care of yourself by exercising and eating healthy, you are less likely to be plagued with stress, anxiety, depression, and physical illnesses, which makes it much easier to tune into your spiritual life.

Make a commitment

A healthy fitness regime is well worth the commitment in your life.  Go ahead and make a plan to exercise at least 3 times a week.  If you doubt your ability to commit to such a task, consider hiring a personal trainer, as he or she will be there to motivate you, instruct you, and encourage you to live a healthy lifestyle so you can be at your best physically, mentally, and spiritually.

You can stay fit doing all sorts of exercise.  Choose from brisk walking, jogging, weight training, playing tennis, basketball, golf, or softball. Join a gym and sign up for a fitness class, yoga, or Pilates.  There are plenty of opportunities for you to get into shape and stay in shape.  All you need is to make a firm commitment and dedicate yourself to such a healthy task.

Article by Start Right PT – Female Personal Training (no longer trading)

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