So, as this blog's title speaks itself, here I am going to talk about fitness and health. I will start with very basic things with which you can improve your health and business. For any individual, believe me, a walk or some exercise in the morning can change the life, especially when you spend your whole day sitting in a chair in front of a computer for solving complex problems of the world and have no time to take care of your health.
Every profession puts different kinds of stress on different parts of the body. This means that some exercises are very beneficial for persons in some occupation while being almost harmful to others. While a great morning moment can feel magical, there’s more to the perfectly productive day than mystical forces at work. A morning routine that leads to productivity is, in fact, a science that you can implement in your own life. There’s something magical about the morning hours. This quiet calm time of the day is unrivaled. You don’t need to do heavy exercise for six days a week in a gym. A brisk walk for 30 minutes every day in your neighborhood will do you a whole lot of good. Do a few simple stretches and exercises every alternate day at home or alternatively start doing yoga and meditation. Walking, cycling, swimming, or even dancing are great stress busters and keep you in shape.
Yes, you will find many great quotes on the social networks that say legends take sleep around 5 hours but remember to be a healthy legend.
Now, let’s talk in points why you should not miss exercise
- Spread happiness
Exercise has shown to improve your mood and decrease feelings of depression, anxiety, and stress. It produces changes in the parts of the brain that regulate stress and anxiety. It can also increase brain sensitivity for the hormones serotonin which relieves the feelings of depression Additionally, exercise can increase the production of endorphins known to help produce positive feelings and reduce the perception of pain. It can also help people suffering from anxiety to be more aware of their mental state and practice distraction from their fears. Interestingly, it doesn't matter how intense your workout is. It seems that your mood can benefit from exercise no matter the intensity of the physical activity. The effects of exercise on mood are so powerful that choosing to exercise even makes a difference over short periods.
- Control weight
Exercise can help prevent excess weight gain or help maintain weight loss. When you engage in physical activity, you burn calories. Biking helps not only to burn calories but also gives effective endurance training to those leg muscles. While running affects mainly your calf muscles and shins, biking works well for the thighs. You can vary your speed between normal and all-out. It helps in building endurance. It is best to go for cycling in the morning to avoid traffic. It is a known fact that the best and also the most appropriate time to do yoga asanas is in the morning, preferably before or at the time of sunrise. It should always be done on an empty stomach. Practicing yoga not only tones the body externally but also helps in the healing and strengthening of the internal organs. A single Surya Namaskar burns 13.91 calories approx. If you practice Surya Namaskar for 30 minutes in the morning and complete about 15 rounds, you burn nearly about 278-280 calories. This is more than what one normally might burn during a 1-hour cardio session.
- Increase Your Energy Levels
Exercise can be a real energy booster for healthy people, as well as, for those suffering from various medical conditions. Furthermore, exercise can significantly increase energy levels for people suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and other serious illnesses. Regular physical activity can improve your muscle strength and boost your endurance. Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. And when your heart and lung health improves, you have more energy to tackle daily chores.
- Brain health and memory
Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will. ~ Mahatma Gandhi
Exercise can improve brain function and protect memory and thinking skills. To begin with, it increases your heartbeat rate which promotes the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain. It can also stimulate the production of hormones that can enhance the growth of brain cells. Moreover, the capability of exercise in preventing the chronic disease can translate into benefits for your brain, since its functions can be affected by these diseases. Morning walks do more than just rejuvenating the body. They have the same positive effect on the mind as well. When you walk, the oxygen and the blood supply to the brain are accelerated and this, in turn, leads to an enhancement in mental alertness, brain function, and memory. Moreover, walking helps increase the brain volume and improves brain function in aged individuals. Take a regular walk every morning to keep your brain functioning properly always.
- Lowers the risk of diseases
Morning walks keep deadly diseases away. Blood circulation in your body is increased, which helps in keeping cardiovascular and other life-threatening diseases at bay. Walking also improves metabolism in muscles and helps the body function normally. So, this low-intensity exercise can take care of all your health problems.
- Restful Sleep
The stress that you go through each day can cause insomnia. The best way to fight this is to take a walk every day. Morning walks help calm your mind, and at the end of the day, you can get a good night’s sleep and feel well-rested when you wake up. In fact, if your lifestyle is not that active and you find it difficult to fall asleep, then you must walk in the mornings.
Now, let’s talk when to exercise
Some people say that morning exercise is the best for heart and diseases while some say that a walk around the neighborhood after dinner is the best exercise.
The truth is that there's no reliable evidence to suggest that calories are burned more efficiently at certain times of day. But the time of day can influence how you feel when exercising. The most important thing, experts say, is to choose a time of the day you can stick with, so that exercise becomes a habit.
- Working Out in the Morning
First, you’ll get your workout done and over before you even start your day. That means you’ll begin your day with endorphins, and a good feeling knowing you accomplished something before 9 a.m. that some people won’t accomplish all day. And that’s a huge ego boost.
Furthermore, you won’t have to worry about working out later in the afternoon or evening. This can be a relief, leaving time for cooking dinner, socializing with friends, and just plain relaxing.
Morning workouts might also be a good option for stress-free snoozing. Since exercise increases heart rate and body temperature, working out too late in the evening (generally after 8 p.m.) may disrupt sleep, while one study showed that working out at 7 a.m. (compared to 1 p.m. or 7 p.m.) may help people sleep more soundly at night.
Finally, one study found that 45 minutes of moderate morning exercise (like walking briskly on the treadmill) helped curb appetite directly after working out. Research also shows that people can burn up to 20 percent more body fat exercising on an empty stomach—much easier to do first thing in the a.m. than at night.
- Working Out in the Afternoon, or Night
While it certainly seems like the morning is an ideal time to work out, fitting in exercise in the afternoon or after hours has its proven perks. Planning on an evening workout may mean you get some extra shuteye in the morning. But there are other benefits, too!
Between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., your body temperature is at its highest. This may mean you’ll be exercising during the window of time your body is most ready, potentially making it the most effective time of the day to work out.
While some may caution individuals about how working out at night can disrupt your sleep, one study even found that those who lifted weights in the evening got better quality sleep and slept for longer than those who did the same workout in the morning. The afternoon is also when reaction time is quickest and heart rate and blood pressure are lowest, all of which combine to improve performance and reduce the overall likelihood of injury.
How to exercise
- Hydrate
Drink lots of water before you exercise. Your body will need the water to help your muscles work and to help you sweat. If you’re dehydrated before you start, just think about how you’ll feel afterwards!
- Don’t stretch
Don’t stretch before exercising. Contrary to popular belief, studies have shown that this is not helpful and will not allow you to perform any better. If anything, stretching before exercising will make you worse off: it’s a great way to pull or strain a muscle and hurt yourself!
- Do warm up exercises
Though researchers cannot agree definitively on whether or not warm ups help you to perform better in exercises, they all agree that warming up certainly won’t hurt. Warm up before exercising by doing a less intense version of your intended workout for 5-10 minutes. If you plan to run, jog first. If you intend to swim, swim slowly.
- Check with your doctor
Certain conditions may make it a good idea to check with your doctor before starting an exercise regimen. There are exercises for every health condition, but it’s a good idea to know what to avoid.
Disclaimer
To make this article interesting, I have added a few of my photographs. I use the word exercise but all my mean is walk or run (exercise is easy to understand). I am mostly active runner.