Exercise: Live in the Moment
We all know that exercise is good for us. It keeps the heart beating, the joints moving, the weight off, and muscles strong. As we get older we are told time and time again how important it is for our health. So why is it so tedious? It’s boring, sweaty, time-consuming, and sometimes painful, awkward, and downright embarrassing when we do it wrong. What’s the point?
The point
is that approaching exercise as if it were the enemy is harmful to building an exercise regime, or thinking positively about keeping healthy habits. Many people view exercise as a chore and are unable to stick to a regime for very long. So what is the secret to all of those people that actually like to exercise?
Scientists have theorized many reasons as to why certain people exercise consistently. It could be due to upbringing, genes, motivations, and convenience. The most common reason found over years of study was that people who keep exercising gain pleasure from the task. While this might seem an obvious reason, it may be easier said than done. Simply telling yourself to love it isn’t enough. Rather, having a mindfulness about the act is what is important.
Dutch researchers, curious to whether mindfulness is that important, conducted a survey to see. They used 400 adults, who are physically active to fill out an online survey and questionnaire based on their exercise regime, feelings towards exercise itself, and mindfulness of the act. Volunteers were asked to rate the questions given, such as: “How satisfied are you when exercising?” on a scale of totally agree to totally disagree. The results showed that those who exercised most enjoyed it the most, and those who enjoyed it the most, were mindful during physical activity. They encountered feelings of satisfaction and accomplishment that are necessary to keep working towards a goal.
Having mindfulness is the process of being cognizant of what you are doing, aware of the effect, and focusing on the moment. Zoning in on the feeling of your body moving, how you are doing your part to stay healthy, and even visualizing the calories burning away, can give a positive mindset. That’s not to say that exercising isn’t hard work, painful, and occasionally annoying, but accepting the good and bad of exercise, will help you mentally, and physically.
Exercise is very important to our overall health and well-being, and can come in many forms, from walking around the block a few times a week, to weight training for the Mr. Wonderful Muscle contest. Moving our bodies reduces risks for many issues, like blood pressure, diabetes, or heart disease.
Doctors involved with sports medicine, such as orthopedic surgeons, recommend exercise to their patients with joint and arthritis issues. Those with knee pain, back pain, shoulder or wrist pain can benefit from daily exercise, more so than by not exercising. Keeping up a habit of exercise not only lowers pain but also improves appearance and mental health.
If you have questions about developing a healthy exercise routine or suffer from knee pain or a shoulder injury contact our sports medicine specialists at Orthopedic Surgery San Diego to develop a plan that is best for you.