Self-esteem is defined
as " The experience of being capable of meeting life's challenges and being
worthy of happiness. " 1. Exercising greatly enhances a person's self esteem
and mental outlook while reducing stress. Self-esteem is a critical component
of any program aimed at self-improvement program. It offers hope to correcting
these problems. A close relationship has been documented between low self-esteem
and such problems as violence, alcoholism, drug abuse, eating disorders,
school dropouts, teenage pregnancy, suicide, and low academic achievement.2
It is never too late to start a work out program as a way to best build
toward the goal of improved self image, and always too early to stop exercising.
Early on in the attitude adjustment process periodic exercise is necessary
for good physical and mental health. The focus of this article is to explain
how exercise improves a person's self image.
Sudden, seasonal, bursts
of energy towards getting in shape come and go with the ever-changing weather.
What is important is that maintaining some form of physical exercising,
beyond ones every day cycle, helps reduce anxiety while building emotional
strength. How? Physical strain weakens pent-up, nervous, energy; that would
otherwise fester and brew harshly within a person's psyche. One theory
is that endorphins, a chemical the pituitary gland produced during vigorous
exercise improves one's mood. Regular exercise also decreases the risk
for chronic health conditions such as heart disease and cancer, and there
seems to be a connection between these illnesses and depression.3Most people
agree that even though they may not look forward to doing a workout, they
tend to feel better after they do, and equally better to assume their rightful
place at work.4
It should never bother someone
to take the relatively minor steps necessary to improve their own health;
especially when doing so can only upgrade that person's self esteem along
the way. In this post 911 day feeling good about ones self should be very
high on the Must Do List. Even people in their nineties who have not been
active for many years can strengthen bones, muscle, heart and lung capacity
when they start and maintain a steady exercise program. You don't have
to exercise every day to achieve goals for good health. Initially, aim
for every other day.
"I get bored doing exercises.
Besides, there never seems to be enough time. "How many of us have said
that in the past week alone? Pry a crowbar into that not-as-hectic-as-you-say-it-is
schedule of yours, and rush to find time to save your own life. Walking,
or running if you're better able for fifteen minutes is a terrific start.
The average length of time spent by those considered in good shape is about
twenty minutes three times a week.
Whichever course you choose please maintain that physical
pace for at least thirty minutes. Eventually, you should want to work out
at least 30 minutes each day, but work up to that gradually. Moderate activity
that gets your heart pumping a little harder and causes you to break a
sweat is what you want to strive for. Strength training is also a good
idea. Be sure to warm your body up adequately before you begin your work
out.
When the weak excuses of
avoidance matter less than attempts at self improvement remember oxygen
is the key to life. How well one performs during periods of exercise in
full depends upon their oxygen intake. The only way physical recuperation
can be achieved is after oxygen has reached the blood stream. This is why
it is paramount to breathe properly. Always breathe through the nose and
not through the mouth. Oxygen absorbed through the nose reaches the blood
many times faster than air absorbed through the mouth. Of all the times
to keep your mouth shut this is it. It is this revised breathing pattern
that greatly reduces one recovery time, while reducing the likelihood of
a heart attack caused form a lack of oxygen in the blood barring any preexisting
physical abnormalities.5 Pulmonary rehabilitation can help you reach your
physical potential. It can also help you avoid heart attacks and keep you
out of the hospital.
Health concerns:
If you've had a heart attack,
or other heart problems, chances are that you would benefit from regular
exercise, and you can probably safely start an exercise program right in
your own home. Eventually, you will begin to feel better and want to do
more. Being physically fit is good for your back, especially your lower
back. An exercise program that emphasizes cardiovascular strength, flexibility,
and strength training is good for the health of your back. Activities that
are least likely to cause the chronic lower back pain that is so common
include things such as biking, hiking and or swimming. Activities with
more moderate risks are: baseball, basketball, bowling and golf.
Be certain to warm up before
you go, and cool down when you're finished. Additionally, done properly
stretching can prevent injuries such as strains, sprains and shin splints;
while increasing the range of motion in the joints and increasing blood
circulation. Hold stretches. Bouncing is not beneficial, and may even be
harmful. Overstretching can cause injury, so if you're stretching to the
point where you feel pain, stop. The neck, shoulders, trunk, hips, leg
and groin muscles all benefit from stretching. Sudden overzealousness can
lead to harmful excess. Do not overdo it. A little bit of tightness is
expected, but pain is another story altogether. If you begin to feel pain
in your joints or your muscles, give yourself days of rest until the pain
goes away. If pain continues, or if your legs or feet become cool or pale,
see your doctor.
Pay attention to your body's
response to heat. After 15 minutes of working out in hot weather your body
temperature can rise as much as 5 degrees. Sweating has a cooling effect
on your body, and sufficient fluid is needed to produce enough sweat. Drink
water before and after you work out, as well as every 15-20 minutes during
your exercise routine. If your body can't get rid of heat effectively,
the consequences can be as simple as an uncomfortable workout or as serious
as fatal heat stroke. An even cool-down decline period is also important
after the workout is finished. If, during this time you experience shortness
of breath, dizziness, cold or clammy skin, nausea or chest pains while
you are exercising, stop right away and call your doctor.
Where is the best place to
work out? Many cannot afford the rising prices of fitness clubs, or home
fitness equipment. That is ok. In the home simple chairs and the floor
are excellent starting apparatus for use by the beginner. And since saving
money is a consideration staying home is a superior way to minimizes costs.
Keeping in mind, failure to do something about one's weakening health will
have tragic consequences.
"I don't need a formal exercise
program. I walk from desk to desk at least three miles at my job every
day. I don't need more exercise. "Here again, the lazy rush to the forefront.
Shuffling around the office hardly substitutes for a prolonged, minute
after minute, calorie burning program that extended exercise offers. Office
types can walk for the rest of their indoor careers and never accumulate
the needed time necessary to burn calories and unmanageable fat buildup.
"I'm running around so much anyway that the stress of it all is probably
just as good as exercising." Wrong. Get off your duff. The excuses are
failing you as fast as your inactivity.
Losing weight seems to be
high on the list of why people want to exercise. While fat does nothing
beyond sitting there; muscle tissue burns calories much faster than fat.
Calories only burn with the combination of exertion and time allotted to
that strain. Through it all a rapid heart rate, with quickened breathing,
to achieve sought after reductions. Also, strength training can tone your
muscles and increase bone mass especially important for women, who are
frequently at risk for osteoporosis. Weight reduction is in direct relation
to energy spent multiplied by time allotted. Here are three shortcut exercise
suggestions:
a. Park your car farther
away from your destination than you normally do to give yourself extra
walking time.
b. If possible, take just
15 minutes before or after you eat lunch to go for a quick walk
c.Exercising with a group
puts peer pressure on all of us not to quit.
At work walk the halls briskly
or go up and down the stairs to get your blood pumping a little faster
do it. Even though the weather is never totally reliable you can still
go to your nearest mall and walk briskly. Add some fun to your routine
try dancing, or dance classes. It's a great way to socialize and exercise
at the same time. According to the Women's Sports Foundation. "Women who
exercise report being happier than those who do not exercise." Women who
exercise miss fewer days of work. Regular exercise can reduce high levels
of fat in the blood. Women who exercise weigh less than non-exercising
women.
The World Health Organization
estimates that fewer than 30% of American adults engage in some form of
physical exercise on a daily basis. Whereas nearly 60% of American youth
manage to find the time for physical exertion; to a sufficient level to
constitute constructive physical activity helpful to prolonged good health.6
Once the fitness routine is properly mapped out and underway there is a
new, healthier, addiction taking place. Doing well with what is natural.
By all accounts, it is far cheaper and easier to manage than pills and
expensive medical advice. Good medicine is not cheap. Neither is bad medicine.
Going through these quick moves a few times during your work day will help
your body release tension and make you feel better than if you simply sit.
a. Clasp your hands behind
your head and pull your elbows together and shoulder blades back.
b. Gently bend your
wrists up and down, holding 3 to 5 seconds each time.
c. Hug yourself tightly
for 10 seconds, then change your arms (bottom to top) and do it again.
d. Slowly tilt your
head left, right, front, back.
e. Raise your arms
over your head, and stretch one hand higher, then the other.
f. Stand in place and
march using high knee responses.
A 2002 study by The National
Academy of Health showed teens were five times more likely to engage in
overuse of alcohol, drugs and crime than were those who were already committed
to a regular schedule of exercise. Incidents of absenteeism at the work
place decrease with programs of employee fitness available.6
It comes naturally to send
kids outside to play during the warmer months. In the winter, you have
to make more of a conscious effort. Don't let the kids veg-out watching
bargain basement videos and tired, re-run television shows complete with
their own reality video games attached all day during the weekends. Consider
making exercise a family thing. Go skating, take a winter hike or even
a nice long walk. The cold fresh air will invigorate
everybody and make sleep come a little easier too.
Exercising regularly in amounts of time that add up to thirty minutes a
day should help a troubled person fall asleep at night. You might not be
able to do it every day, but using your lunch hour for physical exercise
a few times a week can be a real time-saver. Just getting out and walking
for 30 minutes can be a great energizer. If a longer lunch exercise session
appeals to you, it might not be a bad idea to talk to your supervisor about
it. You might get permission to do a serious workout at a health club if
there's one nearby, a skating rink, a basketball court, whatever if you're
willing to make up the time at the end of the day; not a bad idea considering
you won't need to rush home and exercise after work. See, I remembered
how busy you are. During holiday time people need to exercise as much as
any other time of year if not more considering the added mental stress
that holidays tend to bring. For those who stop exercising in the winter,
and attempt to pick up where they left off when it gets warm are exposing
themselves to the risk of injury. In bad weather, little daylight, or during
holiday periods, there's plenty of time for over indulgence; making it
tempting to spend free time under a blanket watching television and eating
from a giant bowl of chips. Staying active gives a person not only more
energy but the desire to want more. Remember exercise needs to feel a little
bit like work.
Challenge yourself in the following ways:
a. Perform your activity
more quickly than usual, or double the amount of time you usually devote
to exercise.
b. Add weight training to
your routine.
" Are weights still heavy?
" I heard a less than enthusiastic, rotund, person ask; having responded
to complaints about the over-size storage trunk he refers to as his stomach.
"Probably" I replied with an ounce of sarcasm, knowing this conversation
was spiraling. The chubby one added, " Rather than risk a month after month
work out routine doing the wrong thing I'd rather not start at all. " What
can be done with folks like this? The lazy. Those who reason themselves
out of a chance at improved health before they begin are a sad lot indeed.
They blindly conjure countless, air-tight, reasons for doing nothing about
their lasting problem of poor mental and physical health. How tragic it
is when laziness wins out over correctness. Who then to listen to? Take
a leisurely stroll through any hospital ward; where the occupants are literally
dying for a chance to do what the perpetually lazy pass-up daily a real
chance to succeed. Exercise helps when people feel down in the dumps7.
It is also very effective against major depressive disorders. If, however,
you take medication for depression and you're interested in finding out
whether exercise would benefit you, talk with your doctor. Never stop taking
prescription medicine without talking with your doctor first.8
Once the new you is exercising
you will soon realize that exercise makes you feel better. It is not your
imagination. Make exercise a habit. As we all know, habits are hard to
break bad ones and good ones. That's why you'll find it hard to get out
of the habit of exercising once it has become part of your routine. Tell
yourself that for the next few months you are going to exercise on specific
days week after week. After three months, you probably won't want to break
this habit.
The end
Zaak Fresh
Bowling Green University -- English & economics
Freelance writer.
Single, New Jersey.
Editors Note: Reach Out Magazine would like to thank Mr. Fresh for this very informational article. Exercise is a very important part of our lifestyle and can improve our physical and mental well-being. Reach Out recommends you contact your doctor first before starting any exercise and discuss what exercises work best for you. If you which to contact Mr. Fresh you can reach him at: laker@crisp.net