Chapter 10 – Fitness

This week’s chapter on fitness was great, as I have been recently doing my zoom class workouts that my gym has to offer. I can honestly say I never really learned much about fitness, workouts, and the different type of physical activities that the body can do that are beneficial for the long run. I always knew that it was best to stay active and to find an activity that you love just to keep yourself and your body healthy. I never took it upon myself to understand what different workouts can do and what you should be doing to give your body the most beneficial activity or exercise it needs. I love running and that use to be the only workout that I would focus on, but recently I have been joining a lot of gym classes and I love that even more. Of course, during this time with gyms being closed I do not get the full experience that I love, but the classes they offer on zoom have been great.

The three main topics I learned that I believe are huge for me and my health goal and allowing myself to create a healthy lifestyle is how physical activity and exercise help improve back strength, improve mental health and stress management, and longer lifespan. I have noticed since starting college I have experienced painful lower back problems and just never cared to take the time to look into what was causing it. Learning that regular exercise helps target the back mussels to strengthen them, while also working core muscles helps to reduce longer back pains make me want to stick to a workout routine. I have played sports my whole life and have always been active, but when leaving for college I no longer played sports or stuck to a workout routine and it is probably because I no longer am exercising those muscles. I am interested in finding workouts that can help reduce lower back pain and other exercises I can do to help.

Regular physical activity now just seems like an obvious factor for mental health and stress, but I never took the time to even notice the relationship that my mental health had when I was or was not exercising. This is something that is so important for me and makes me want to make a point during the day to set aside for working out and having that time for me and whatever exercise I chose to do that day. I know that every time I have stuck to a workout I always feel a lot happier and better about my day and week to come. I know that it can be challenging to find the time, but knowing that I can choose to make time to do something that will make me feel better, look better, and just blow off some stress, seems reason enough to make sure I allow myself to do that every day.

Lastly, the big one I learned about was how regular exercise has the power to live a longer life. This one I just loved learning about because I certainly want to live a long healthy life and want to know the tools that will allow me to do so. This not only means living a longer life but also having the opportunity to reduce health risks, that living a sedentary lifestyle most likely would not allow for you to do.

Physical activity for most and sticking to a workout routine is challenging and can be intimidating to get into, that is why I think it is so important to find a workout that works best for you, but also you love to do. I never limit myself and I think that is what has helped me so much, I have tried different classes and found out what was and was not for me. I was able to find out that I love kickboxing and cycle classes, so now when I get to do this during the day I am so excited and not dreading it because It works for me and that is what is most important for everyone to focus on and find what works for them.