Just reading the title of this article probably makes you laugh because you’re pretty sure you cannot ever possibly love exercise. I mean, who in the world loves sweating, huffing, and puffing? Well, many people do, and studies show that you can become addicted to exercise physically just as you can to unhealthy substances and food. You know that exercising will make you feel better but so far you’ve had a hard time sticking to anything.
The key to keeping up your workouts is to love your work out! Who said that exercising has to mean running on a treadmill, or doing strenuous (and boring) calisthenics? There are exercises that you can do that don’t feel like anything but fun. Try them, get addicted, lose weight, and improve your health! Here are some fun physical activities you can do to get healthy.
Garden – Not only will you have fresh, organic fruits and veggies at your disposal when you harvest but the act of gardening, weeding, and taking care of your garden will increase your metabolism, infuse you with natural vitamin D, pulling weeds can pack quite a calorie burn. A 55 year old, five foot six inch tall, 150 pound woman would burn 227 calories per hour gardening.
Dance – It is likely your town has ballroom dancing or line dancing lessons or groups that meet up every week to shake their booties toward better health. As you learn the dances you’re burning calories, having fun, laughing, and then when you learn them, and go out at night to show off what you’ve learned you’re burning additional calories at 113 calories an hour, in addition to all the tummy tightening laughing, it can’t be beat for falling in love.
Set a goal – If you participate in exercise for a reason such as training for an event then you have a starting and end which makes it easier to stick to. Gyms all over the country have programs such as six weeks to 5K where they will work with you and train you to get off the couch and work up to running or walking 5k (or more). Doing this type of activity with a friend or partner will make it that much more fun and keep you motivated when you’re feeling frustrated.
Take lessons – Have you always wanted to play tennis, golf, or other sport. Well, learn! Take a lesson. The lessons will be calorie burning, as well as exciting and fun. You can switch up your lessons and learn to skate, roller blade, or anything your heart desires as long as it’s physical in nature. Keeping on moving is the answer to feeling ageless.
One symptom of menopause is developing poor digestion. After years of eating the wrong foods eventually, it’s time to pay the piper. Years of eating wrong eventually eats away at the flora in your gut that aids in digestion, eventually you get to the point where it feels like you can’t digest anything, including fiber! However, you can rebuild your gut with healthy bacteria that will improve your digestion naturally.
Add Probiotics – Live microorganisms they help in the digestive process by coating the gut. You can find these probiotics in yogurt, supplements, yeast and raw foods. Eat some daily starting now and you’ll see an improving of your digestion within two weeks. Hint: Eating yogurt at night about 30 minutes prior to bed will help you sleep better.
Drink Water – Most people walk around chronically dehydrated, constipated, and miserable mainly due to lack of drinking enough fresh filtered water. Everyone should drink at least 8 glasses of water per day. Some professionals recommend drinking water only between meals instead of during them to avoid diluting the digestive acids in your stomach.
Eat Raw Food – Eat a lot of raw vegetables and fruit. Try eating only raw fruit for breakfast or snacks instead of processed cereals for a very awake and energetic day. Eating cereals and other types of breakfast foods and snacks sometimes make us more tired than we otherwise would be. Consider juicing your veggies to ensure you get enough of the raw food enzymes that assist with digestion.
Lower stress — Spend some time each day relaxing and just being. No rush, no food, no electronics. Just you and nature or you in a hot relaxing bath. It is amazing how lowering your stress can create better digestion.
Whole & Natural — Avoid processed, non-organic, genetically modified (GMO) foods, in favor of whole and natural foods that are closer to nature. You can never substitute the goodness, both in taste and nutritional value of an apple over a processed fruit snack. There is no possible way for anything that is not found in nature to be better for you than what nature already provides.
The phrase “use it or lose it” applies to so many different aspects of your life. Any skill that you have will erode in time if you don’t practice it daily. The same goes for using your mind, or your body. If you want to stay physically and mentally healthy it is important to continue doing the things you like doing as often as possible so that you will not get out of shape. While life sometimes gets in the way of our best intentions to exercise our bodies and minds, the fact is, if you don’t keep doing it, you will lose the ability and maybe even the desire.
Brain research discovered a long time ago the “use it or lose it” phenomenon. This is why it is recommended that you do cross word puzzles, read complex novels, and continue communicating with others. By continuing to do these things you will keep your mind alert in other aspects and not only with the ability to do a cross word puzzle. If you like to write, or read, keep writing and reading every day.
The same thing can be said for sexuality. If you don’t use it you will lose it. This does not mean to run out and find some stranger to have sex with if you’re alone, but rather consider alternatives such as masturbation. Orgasm is good for alleviating stress and keeping you feeling youthful. Even if you cannot have sexual intercourse due to lack of partner you can have regular orgasms that will make you feel better about yourself. Moreover, you won’t ever lose your ability to achieve an orgasm when and if a new someone shows up.
Doctors also know that it is important to keep using your body physically as much as possible. Older people who have kept up regular exercise and stretching maintain a higher range of motion and less body pain than people who give up on exercise. You’ll have lower blood pressure, less body pain, and a happier life over all if you continue doing things that keep you physically and mentally active and alert.
