Did you know that daily physical activity what we often call as exercise or workout can also impart some inspiring life lessons? Long after the last step or rep, these nuggets of wisdom can be applied all throughout your day—consider it therapy with (physical) benefits.

For one thing, the endorphins — also known as “happy” hormones produced in the brain — that flood your body after a quality sweat are beyond comparison. According to research published in The Primary Care Companion to The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, the official journal of the Association of Medicine and Psychiatry, exercise has been linked to reduced symptoms of anxiety, depression, and negative mood, as well as improved self-esteem.

Les talk about the 13 valuable lessons exercise can teach us about life.  

You can listen to this podcast to know more about this topic.

Practice makes you perfect

When we start any new exercising routine, it is hard in the beginning. Someone who has never done core workouts can find it challenging to go for deep stretches or hold a plank for more time. But as you do it regularly, you get better at it. You cannot hold your crunches comfortably on the first day of your exercising. But when you gradually increase the length, it gets much easier by the end of the first week. 

Focus

Imagine yourself holding a plank or balancing yourself on one foot. You need a lot of focus to do this. The same applies in life as well. For tasks, which require precision, you need to focus. 

Sometimes pain or burn is good

You will be in main after your first or second day of workout. But then burn is good. It is an indication that your muscles needed that stretch. When you want to get the results, you have to come out of your comfort zone. 

Quality is more important than quantity

How well and mindfully you work out is more important than how long you exercise. By saying that how well you are working out, I mean to say, if you are doing, say, bicycle crunches, then instead of doing 30 reps incorrectly, it is better to do 15 reps with 100% perfection. By mindfully working out, I mean, you should take breaks in the form of gentle stretches, or yoga, or Pilates once a week. It reenergizes you, and you get ready for the next week. 

Everything in moderation

You should know how much your body can take. Don’t think of running 50K just because your friend has done that. The same goes for weights. Always start with less and gradually increase it. First, build strength. It will save you from injuring yourself while exercising. 

It takes time to get good results, have patience

It will take some time to get to your target weight. Sometimes it may take a little longer than expected. It will not happen instantly. And to keep up with that result, you have to be consistent. So, Life is just like that. Success, victory, and even genuine self-gratification come only when you play the long game.

Sometimes you need someone to lean on

You have done everything, but you are not getting the results. It will be a better idea to get help from someone from the fitness industry to follow some workout program. In life also, we need people to lean on. They become our support system, and then the challenging journey seems manageable.

You are not the center of attraction

When trying out a new form of exercising in a group, getting cautious is natural. But believe me, people don’t have too much extra time to pay attention to you. So, leave the hesitation behind and dive in. The same thing applies to life. We give too much importance to what others are thinking about us, but the truth is different. Everyone is busy in their own lives. 

Past is past

We often compare our previous weight to our current weight. For example, if you were thin during college, you successfully maintained that weight even after marriage, but you gained a little after pregnancy. Now you want to go back to your college weight. Come on. Be practical. If a woman has gained weight during pregnancy, then expecting that the weight to come down to pre-pregnancy weight immediately after giving birth, then it is not smart thinking. Your old weight was your past. You can always try to get to your ideal weight. But thinking about that and not doing anything to change your current weight will not solve the problem. Don’t use them as a benchmark for your current fitness goals. Every day is a fresh start and a new you. Keep looking forward and improving.

It is never too late to make a new beginning

I have seen many women who think that once they hit a certain age, it is tough to lose weight. Instead of  thinking that now no matter whatever they do, nothing is gong to change because their body type like that, it is a better idea to start taking steps towards it. The same applies to life. You will encounter several occasions when yo have to forget the past and make a new beginning.

Showing up is the first step

You enroll in a workout workshop. Or say you subscribe to a channel. You start your workout with great enthusiasm. Now on Day 7, you don’t feel like getting up in the morning because your legs are hurting from the leg exercise you did during the week. You end up missing that day’s workout. And this continues. But if you overcome the laziness and show up every day, then you are on the right track. Half of the battle is won when you start to show up. You dont need any motivation to start. Then you are a real pro. 

Motivation lies within us

Everything you need to succeed is already inside you, and the key to unlocking it is movement. Start moving, keep moving, and the motivation will come.

Even the smallest victories mean celebration

If you finish a month-long workout series without a break, then it’s an achievement. You can celebrate. Such moments keep your interest and motivate you to keep going. To me, a celebration can be taking a break for a day from exercising. In our life, small joyful moments can be a reason to smile and be happy. In the absence of these moments, life will be boring. 

So, next time when you exercise, think of these benefits from life’s standpoint. It is much more than just a physical movements. I am sure you will never miss any workout.

Want some extra motivation. Take a print out of these reminders.

You may like https://mothersgurukul.com/burn-excess-fat-tone-body-five-exercises/

This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy and Noor Anand Chawla, and happily SPONSORED BY RRE Studios and SHOWCASE Events.