Not everyone loves to exercise.  For some, it is hard to get to a gym or find time to have the energy after working a long day.  Movement is very important for our bodies.  I know it can be hard to be motivated to get workout clothes on, drive to a gym or find a place outside that has the space and utilities to do a workout.  Working out doesn't always mean going 100%.  Even small workouts 20 minutes a day with low intensity is great for your body and mind.  You just need to break a sweat.  Each time we improve our mobility we improve our health.   

Sometimes starting an exercise can be painful.  Your muscles are not used to the activity and they can get pretty sore.

When starting to exercise, take baby steps:

• Start with stretches to make sure you are limber enough to start the exercise and not get injured
• If you are doing squats, lunges, weights: start with light weights and do short sets in order to get your body used to the exercise
• Do some type of exercise everyday. It does not need to be high impact, just walk around, garden, ride a bike
  
  If you can incorporate an activity while going and leaving from work, it is a great way of getting in exercise without having to do a lot of effort and get to a gym. Walking, riding a bike, jogging is a great way to get in exercise at least 5 days a week.  

Benefits of moving:

1. It is good for your muscles:  

We have more than 600 muscles that surround our bones.  Muscles give us about 40% of our body weight.   When we move them, it improves our strength, balance, coordination, concentration and speeds up our metabolism.  

2. Bones become stronger: 

When we work out, our muscles pull on our bones and provide tension on the joints.  Tension sounds like a bad thing but sometimes this slight tension is good for us.  Weights, jogging, walking, hiking, resistance training all help our bone strength by using the tension of our muscles to pull at the bones which make the bones stronger.  

This is known as Wolff's Law:  

In the 19th century, Julius Wolff a German surgeon explained how bone remodeling happens.  Bone remodeling is dependent on the stress put on the bones.  Bones learn and adapt to the demands we put on them.  If we put a higher demand on the bones, they grow stronger in order to meet the demand.  

3. Joints and movements send signals back to the brain:

When we move, signals are sent from the joints and muscles back up to the brain.  These are called Mechanoreceptors.  These receptors are sensory signals that convert mechanical force into electrical signals to the central nervous system (CNS).  The CNS is your brain and spinal cord.  They coordinate every function in the body.  

These electrical signals the brain determines how you are moving and increases coordination and balance.

4. Brain can reprogram and improve cognitive function.  

Increased oxygen by working out leads to healthier cell production leading to the release of growth factors.  Growth factors are chemicals in the brain that determine the health of brain cells, generation of blood vessels in the brain and the health of new brain cells.  This means our cells are stronger and healthier leading to better brain function.  

5. Avoiding a heart attack:

According to the British Heart Foundation, 10,000 fatal heart attacks can be prevented annually if we exercise.  Riding a bike can reduce your risk of heart disease by 50%. Your heart is made of cardiac muscle which can be trained just like any other muscle.  Making it work will strengthen it and keep stress down.  

6. Improves lung capacity:

Breathing exercises and working out help the lungs pump blood and oxygen through the body leading to stronger lungs and a stronger body.   

How to get the motivation to work out is key:

Find a way to move that you enjoy.  Do you like to walk?  Ride a bike? Garden? Do yoga?
Once you find something you enjoy, working out is not such a hassle and you will look forward to it.  It needs to become part of your routine.  If you get into a routine, you will become functioning on "Auto Pilot" and will program your mind to prioritize it.  

Dr. Amie Gregory is a San Francisco Bay Chiropractor and Holistic Practitioner who understands what the body needs to stay healthy and energized.  She not only works to help people get out of pain but guides patients to become healthier.  Contact us today to see how we can help you become the best you!

References;

https://www.healthline.com/health/wolffs-law

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/regular-exercise-changes-brain-improve-memory-thinking-skills-201404097110

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323787#when-do-they-work