Exercise changes your mood....

Exercise not only changes your body, it changes your mind, your attitude and your mood.

I know what you're thinking....exercise...I HAVE to do some every day, don't I? Well, no, you don't, but you should and here's why...

First of all, if you are on this journey, changing the way you deal with food, you want your body to change with you, or you would not be doing this. If you do NOT exercise, you will lose weight, but at a slower rate, and your body will not be getting in shape as you shed those unwanted pounds.

Exercise does way more than tone, though. Exercise shows you how powerful you are. How capable you are of pushing yourself to achieve new goals. Exercise fills your body and mind with endorphins. Endorphins are the body's natural high. Some have compared them to "natural opiates". Endorphins relieve pain, relieve stress, and even enhance pleasure.

Exercise makes you feel good about you. As your body gets stronger and you can do more, lift more weights, swim longer, walk longer distances (or whatever exercise you like to do), the feeling of accomplishment that accompanies your effort can be measured in just how good it makes you feel. Exercise is a feel-good task. If you commit to doing at least 30 minutes of brisk exercise every day, your body will work better, you will feel better and your new health program will go faster.

I do a bunch of exercise every day. I am limited by my bad knees and back, but do chair yoga every morning at home, swim at the gym for 45 minutes every day (I swim half the pool, and walk fast the other half, and do exercise in the pool), I go to three different chair yoga classes during the week, and do chair cardio every night at home. I also have a Fitbit and try hard to get steps in, but don't ever do too much so my knees hurt. Exercise more than anything else, even losing 100 pounds, has been the best thing I have ever done. I know I won't stop, because I LIKE it. I have developed a routine, have my gym bag always packed, a gym outfit ready to wear, and can be out the door heading to the gym in under 10 minutes.

If you are not exercising yet, start. If you are, don't EVER stop. If you have been somewhere and seen a vigorous person in their 80's exercising, you will know why keeping up with your exercise is a critical component to your success here and in life.

Get those endorphins working for you!!

Spark on.