Four "Other" Reasons to Exercise

 We live in an image-conscious world. Every print advertisement, TV commercial and internet  banner that sweeps our sight has images of flawless human beings, strolling happily down Main Street of Perfectville. They have lean bodies, white smiles, $100,000 kitchens adorned with perfectly prepared meals, squeaky clean and groomed children, cheerful spouses, and manicured yards encompassed by the perfect little white picket fences. While we know deep down inside that that this life is not reality, that little voice inside still beckons…."I want that," so we buy in. 

 Sadly, we often find ourselves exercising as a means to begin painting that picture. We want to look the part. We want to fit the bill. In reality, this is the last reason we should exercise. Consider changing your motivation to one of the four listed below. Ironically, if you put these other motivators first, guess what happens? Your body changes. 

 Here are four other motivations to exercise:

 Stress Relief. Exercise releases endorphins into the body that have the same effect on your brain as an antidepressant or anxiety-reducing drug. Bodies that experience lower stress burn calories at a higher level. Your stress-relieved body will burn fat at a higher rate than your stressed body. By making stress relief your motivation, you start changing your body. 

A Sense of Accomplishment. There is something in the human spirit that brings a sense of personal balance in the mere knowledge that you accomplished something good for yourself that day. You walk through your day differently when you schedule something good for yourself, show up and do the work. Whether or not you were down in weight that week becomes secondary because you can glance back at your week full of follow-through and whisper to yourself, "I did it."

The more accomplished you feel, the more consistent you will be. As a result of your consistency, you’ll burn more bodyfat and build more lean muscle mass. Your body will change.  

Increased Energy and Metabolism. Are you tired? Is your appetite low? Do you feel like you eat very little and are still gaining weight? Through inactivity and inconsistent nutrition, you’ve killed your metabolism, leaving your body systems tired and lethargic. You’ve taught your body to expect no good-quality fuel, so it goes into rest mode. It operates at a minimum metabolically to reserve its resources (fat and food) for energy, because it doesn’t know when it’s going to get fueled again. As a result, you burn a low level of calories throughout your day and feel tired often.

Try this: get up and eat. Three or four hours later, eat again, repeat three more times in your day. Exercise. Rest. This simple process will launch your body into a higher level of operation, maintaining a higher metabolism and leaving you feeling more energetic.

While you’re enjoying this new, more energetic version of yourself, you will burn more fat and restore more lean muscle during rest. This changes your body.

To Be a Good Example.  Whether you’re a mother, father, aunt, uncle, grandparent or friend, the children in your life will mimic you. They want to be like you. They will eat like you and take part in similar activities that you do. You set the stage for how they will choose to live as an adult. Play with them instead of watching from the window. Eat things that you want them to eat. Whether you realize it or not, they’re watching you. Be active and eat well for yourself and for them. As you’re living out the example, your body will change.

If you're officially motivated and ready to get moving, Hudson has many choices when it comes to finding a place to exercise. Its many fitness centers such as and that give you access to all the equipment you need to get moving. For a larger membership price, the offers child care, a pool, and discounts on children's classes. For a more personalized approach, training-focused facilities have made their way into the market as well. At Life's 5 Fitness Center and , your workout happens with a trainer either one-on-one or in a small group.

Think about the four "other" reasons to exercise. One of them is likely to strike a chord within you. Use that motivator and take the first step. When you shift your motivation away from the scale and toward making positive changes in your life, the impact cannot be measured by numbers.