Move Your Body
For years, I have struggled with my weight. I know that I am not alone in this, am I? This is something that many of my friends and I talk about quite frequently. Losing weight became increasingly more difficult when I turned 40. It seemed like no matter what diet I tried, I could not lose weight! It wasn’t until a good friend of mine let me in on a big secret that I was able to get my weight under control. You’re in for a treat because I’m going to share the secret with you. Are you ready? Okay, here it goes: move your body!
Move Your Body: How I Started Moving
Back in April, I purchased a Nordictrack recumbent bike. Since we were confined to the house (due to quarantine), it was hard to make excuses about why I couldn’t ride the bike regularly. In fact, I used the bike to escape boredom and also to cope with other issues that I was battling during that time.
One ride turned into two. Two rides somehow turned into 100. And, somewhere along the way, 40 pounds disappeared! So, while it is very important to eat right, the combination of eating right and exercising is the formula that worked for me.
Move Your Body: The Benefits
Of course, the weight loss was my favorite benefit of being more physically active. But I have to tell you some of the other benefits of me simply moving and exercising more:
- Maintaining my weight
- Increased energy during the day
- Better mood
- Less pain in my joints (except on the days when I overdo it with exercising)
- Decreased anxiety and depression
- Better sleep
These are just some of the benefits that I’ve noticed. I can’t wait until my yearly checkup because I’m certain (I guess hopeful would be a better word to use) that some other health issues that I have had in the past have improved.
Now, I’m no workout guru by any means, so please don’t think that I’m judging you if you don’t exercise. I just know that for me, moving more is the right decision. And I’m pretty confident that moving more can be beneficial for you, too.
So, as we go into the new year, I challenge you to move more. If you’re already pretty active, I encourage you to continue! Let’s celebrate our success in advance! We will be our best selves in 2021!