Wednesday, June 19, 2013

# Physical Exercise ? Uggh !!!!!

Mankind can be divided into two groups--those who exercise and those who don't.The numbers in the first group are slowly swelling.Some do it spontaneously & happily,some reluctantly,while some others are hounded into doing it by their doctors,their ever enlarging girths or their galloping blood sugars.But no matter how reluctant some of us might be to take up physical activity,the need for it is greater today than it ever was.All our gadgets & time saving devices combine to transform us into couch potatoes.Junk food & tinned stuff chime in to further damage our health;while every day stress takes it's toll on our mental equilibrium.

The various exercises & physical activities give us the following benefits:--

Endurance exercises include brisk walking,jogging,swimming,cycling,skipping,rowing,hiking,dancing or playing strenuous sports.

Strength exercises refer to lifting weights & using resistance bands.

Flexibility can be achieved through stretching exercises,yogic postures & aerobics.

Balance exercises are good for the aged & the infirm-these include standing on one foot,heel-to-toe walk & Tai Chi.

Improving Your Physical health through Exercise
*1 Melts excess fat,cuts obesity.
*2 lowers blood sugar-thus controlling diabetes.
*3 Perks up digestion.
*4 improves blood circulation.
*5 Strengthens muscles.
*6 Augments bone density.
*7 Improves joint mobility, thus curing joint pains.
*8 Strengthens heart,lowering risk of heart attacks.
*9 Enhances lung capacity.
*11 Regulates blood pressure-thereby lessening chances of high 
      B.P &strokes.
*12 Improves stamina & vigor.
*13 Betters athletic performance.
*14 Induces better sleep.
*15 Enhances immunity.
*16 Prevents falls & fractures.

Enriching Your Mental Health
*1 Lifts depression.Exercise augments the release of feel good 
  chemicals like serotonin,dopamine & endorphins-which are 
  natural pain killers & mood elevators.
*2 Burns up stress hormones adrenalin & cortisol.
*3 Abets social interaction.
*4 Increases self confidence.
*5 Improves self esteem.
*6 Takes mind off worries.
*7 Improves memory & cognition--see this site.
*8 Increases happiness.

Beginning a Physical Routine.
Those who want to start a physical routine can pick up whichever activity suits their requirement & inclination.It is best to start slow & warm up before going for harder exercises because while a physical regime has countless benefits ;it can also be harmful if done wrongly.

In the initial stages aim at small targets only.--strenuous activities will put you off.It is wise to exercise with a companion if possible.If you know your friend will be waiting for you to join him in his morning walk,you are more likely to shed lethargy & get cracking.


And lastly,results are slow in coming.Do not expect magic & be disheartened after a few days.If you persist for a length of time you yourself will feel the difference in your mind,body & soul;and then you will need no prodding to follow your exercise routine!
So Happy Sweating to All of You!!

Pics from google.


49 comments :

  1. I love going for walks Indu but of late household work has me tied up to the core and no time at all :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jaish i know it is difficult to take out time when you have a 4yr old prancing around you.Suppose you get up 1/2 an hour earlier?I have a suspicion that he will get up along with you!!!
      Then take him along.

      Delete
  2. I am still in the seconds group though. I would rather curl up under the blanket with a book than go out walking. And also I lack the patience. I go out, a week at max and then I feel extremely lazy! But yes, I am planning elaborately these days to take up jogging yet again!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rajrupa welcome here-nice to see you.
      Curling up under a blanket-it sounds very inviting-but start with a tiny routine.

      Delete
  3. I am closing my eyes...this post is not for me...lazy bones that I am :) Just kidding!! A very gentle and warm reminder for the other category of people like me. But you know, continuous regime makes one feel good. Hubby exercises regularly..

    ReplyDelete
  4. I like walking and can do long walks any time, but cant climb stairs at all.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Renu they say walking is the best all-round exercise--if you have to choose only one thing to do.
    I have seen that my knee joint improves when i walk;i am a bit puzzled why this is happening with you.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love brisk walking. Have been doing it religiously for more than a decade. Am very regular at it and it keeps me healthy. So yes, agree with everything you say.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes Rachna ,somehow your freshness & health consciousness peep through your writings.Good for you!

      Delete
  7. "A healthy mind lives in a healthy body"
    You are making your 'basic work' easier...ha..ha:):D
    Jokes apart, a great read indeed! Thank you ma'am!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. By now you must be sick of reading 'after a long time'everywhere-so i will skip it.
      But thanks for coming over & applauding too!

      Delete
  8. cheers! im a gym person and i can vouch for all that u said!! i had a bad case of migraine and low back pain which just vanished few months after i started gymming....i would never miss my exercise for anything! diet is also so very important......

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Very happy to hear that you got rid of your ailments & that too without ingesting medicines which give temporary relief along with unwelcome side effects.
      Carry on!

      Delete
  9. Two groups and ... But, I fall in walking category though I don't vigorously sweat by pull -ups
    Informative post !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Uma,whatever suits one s fine.Thanks for coming over & liking my post.

      Delete
  10. I am beginning to get better at exercising now, that i have a good trainer. It does really make a difference~~

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am glad that you are benefiting from your workups Meoww.
      All the best!

      Delete
  11. I have been a regular with morning walk for over ten years.It keeps me fit ,but,with walks,it is essential to keep a watch on ones diet

    ReplyDelete
  12. I like walking but sometimes my laziness takes the lead

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah,but you are not lazy when it comes to writing posts & clicking pictures!!!!!!!

      Delete
    2. that you are right........... that takes most of my time , lol

      Delete
  13. Very informative as always!

    ReplyDelete
  14. thankfully I belong to the group which you have reccomended ----but not morning walks for me I walk for an hour either in the evening or at night---mornings I have alot of work

    ReplyDelete
  15. and let me add Indu ji that nearly all my poems I have thought about and composed during these walks ---and scribble them on paper as soon as I come back home

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rajni this is a rare coincidence---even i am inspired when i take my morning walk--ideas just come rushing in;& such posts are very genuine-- no?

      Delete
  16. Physical and mental health are equally important, the schedule of 'young guns' these days...it deprives us of both...most of the times!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes Kriti i see it happening around me,& it is very disturbing because the'young guns can do little about it.They have to compete & succeed in these very circumstances.

      Delete
  17. Haha Indu Ji. Whenever I have any sleepless night, i just think that i would go for jogging early morning and then I would have a good night sleep :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. What's more, exercising regularly releases endorphins - the feel good hormones.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Nothing more refreshing than exercise, Indu! Best way to feel good:)

    ReplyDelete
  20. I am a yoga buff..which surely keeps me fit on all the six aspects..Quite an informative post..Thanks for sharing

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi odyzzy,thanks for this.I too am a Yoga buff,it is tops.

      Delete
  21. I love the representation through the cartoons Indu :)

    It is true I think physical exercise has a lot to do with the way we are and the way we react to things. Like they say, a healthy mind in a healthy body!

    ReplyDelete
  22. I love the representation through the cartoons Indu :)

    It is true I think physical exercise has a lot to do with the way we are and the way we react to things. Like they say, a healthy mind in a healthy body!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nice to see you Vinay.
      I am happy that you liked my efforts.
      Yes,exercise is an all-round toner.

      Delete
  23. That is a very nice post and the cartoons makes even better..
    Physical Exercise has a part to play in our daily lives and we need to maintain that....For me Walking and Swimming is the best exercise..But I stick to walking only as I don't know swimming... :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. welcome here.thanks for your support....yes exercise keeps many diseases at bay.

      Delete
  24. Knowing how regular you are at your walks every day, this post couldn't have come from anyone else! I go for walks too, but in the mornings before I begin my day. Not a long one, but one which makes me feel fresh and energetic. I sit in the garden at the end of it and do some mudras and my acupressure exercises too. These I somehow miss when I don't go for walks. So it is doubly beneficial.

    ReplyDelete
  25. So nice to see you here Zephyr.Nowadays i too sit out in a park after my evening walk--the benches were laid out only recently.It is a pleasure to hear the shouts of children enjoying on the swings.
    Yes acupressure is really effective but i haven't tried the mudras yet.
    Thanks for this encouraging comment-love you !

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for reading.Do,give your feedback.