It has been frigidly cold for this Toronto winter, and my outside running has come to a halt. Instead, I'm hitting the treadmill until the ice melts and the temperature warms a bit. I tend to exercise on my own, but have many friends who have joined running groups or hired fitness coaches to keep them motivated. I have a few friends whom I text with about our running, so that I'm accountable about my exercise regime. That, and I signed up for the Sporting Life 10km run in May so I have to stay active over the winter in order to run 10km in early May!
Exercise is so important for so many reasons, some of which are:
circulation
digestion
diabetes & heart disease prevention
cancer prevention
stress reduction
promoting better sleep
memory & brain function
increased production of endorphins (feel good chemicals)
If you're not exercising, you may not know what you're missing and how good your body & mind would feel if you were moving it on a regular basis. Try joining a meetup.com group in your neighbourhood, go outside for a walk/ski/snowshoe/skate, get a fitbit to make sure you're getting your 10,000 steps in each day, or just go to your local Toronto Public Libary where you can borrow a pedometer for free! Whatever the case, don't let this cold weather be your excuse for not getting moving.
Lastly, I like to focus on the benefits on your health as the best reason to exercise. I found this video and really liked the message:
Stay warm & active,
Morgan
Comments