Finally realising the benefits of exercise
At the start of this year/late last year, I decided to make a proper attempt to lose the weight that I had gained over in the UK in 2005/2006. I had gained about 5kg, I lost 2kg when I came back to Australia, but I still carried the extra 3kg. Not a big deal because there wasn't a noticeable difference, but I decided none the less to return to my weight that I was at pre Heathrow injection.
So this year I've lost 6kg. It's quite a significant amount for my 5 feet 0 inches. However, like the 3kg weight gain, you can't really tell. Some of my pants are sitting a little looser than they used to, but other than that, not much of a difference.
The point of this though, is to emphasise another benefit I've found through making a concerted effort at weight loss: the correlation between exercise and improved mood.
What I discovered through regular exercise, is how it really does improve my mood, and when I'm feeling stressed, or anxious, a good session at the gym really helps. This benefit of exercise is something that's always touted, but I think never really understood until you experience it.
And despite last year, going to the gym semi-regularly (once or twice a week), I never really noticed the improvement in my mood. When I was only working out at that level of frequency, I would only feel buggered after the fact. This year I've been going three, and occasionally four, times a week and I've really noticed how a session at the gym improves my mood.
Today, I think I noticed it more than I have during other days. I moved house last week you see. I had one day to pack, one day to move. One of the people I was moving out with, flew out of town before signing the lease and paying bond + rent and didn't tell us, and I ended up paying his share. I'm trying to keep up with my studies, and not really doing it all that well at the moment - with an exam in two weeks time, this is not a good thing. I have a friend who is staying with me for the next few weeks, who has come up specifically to spend time with me, and I don't have enough time to do anything with him, and that's been making me feel guilty. I've recently started seeing someone, and can't spend any time hanging out with just him, because I feel like my spare time should be spent either studying or spending time with my mate who's staying with me. There is a retarded project manager at work who is doing my head in. And I get paid monthly and I'm at the point where I don't have a cent to my name.
So, to cut to the chase, I've had a few things going on, and I came into work feeling rather stressed, and a touch unhappy this morning, and after my lunchtime jog I felt a whole world better.
Exercise. Gotta love it.
So this year I've lost 6kg. It's quite a significant amount for my 5 feet 0 inches. However, like the 3kg weight gain, you can't really tell. Some of my pants are sitting a little looser than they used to, but other than that, not much of a difference.
The point of this though, is to emphasise another benefit I've found through making a concerted effort at weight loss: the correlation between exercise and improved mood.
What I discovered through regular exercise, is how it really does improve my mood, and when I'm feeling stressed, or anxious, a good session at the gym really helps. This benefit of exercise is something that's always touted, but I think never really understood until you experience it.
And despite last year, going to the gym semi-regularly (once or twice a week), I never really noticed the improvement in my mood. When I was only working out at that level of frequency, I would only feel buggered after the fact. This year I've been going three, and occasionally four, times a week and I've really noticed how a session at the gym improves my mood.
Today, I think I noticed it more than I have during other days. I moved house last week you see. I had one day to pack, one day to move. One of the people I was moving out with, flew out of town before signing the lease and paying bond + rent and didn't tell us, and I ended up paying his share. I'm trying to keep up with my studies, and not really doing it all that well at the moment - with an exam in two weeks time, this is not a good thing. I have a friend who is staying with me for the next few weeks, who has come up specifically to spend time with me, and I don't have enough time to do anything with him, and that's been making me feel guilty. I've recently started seeing someone, and can't spend any time hanging out with just him, because I feel like my spare time should be spent either studying or spending time with my mate who's staying with me. There is a retarded project manager at work who is doing my head in. And I get paid monthly and I'm at the point where I don't have a cent to my name.
So, to cut to the chase, I've had a few things going on, and I came into work feeling rather stressed, and a touch unhappy this morning, and after my lunchtime jog I felt a whole world better.
Exercise. Gotta love it.
posted by dee | 8:08 pm
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home