By Elsa Longhurst
“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”
What motivates you to exercise? Is it the need to obtain a certain body image? Or your desire to counterbalance the deliciously fatty hamburger you ate last weekend? Maybe you feel absolutely no motivation to exercise, and nothing on this earth could propel you to choose to hit the gym. I’ve been there. What if you knew that exercise could benefit not only your physical body, but your mind and soul as well? Exercise has been proven to benefit mental wellbeing as well as physical health (Anderson & Durstine, 2019; Ohrnberger et al., 2017). Would that knowledge change how you approach (or avoid) exercise in your life?
I woke up this morning at 6am with no desire to exercise. It was cold, windy, and snowing outside. It would be so nice to just sit here in my pajamas all morning! The thought rang loud in my head. However, I know that exercise is good for my body and my mind. I know that consistent exercise helps me balance all the emotions I experience in a day, feel more energized, and maintain better relationships with those around me (Exercise). Two of my roommates were headed to a workout class, and they encouraged me to come with them. Resisting the desire to be stagnant all morning, I put on my leggings and tennis shoes. We headed out the door together.
Exercise has a multiplicity of expected and unexpected health benefits: chronic pain is often relieved (Anderson & Durstine, 2019), holistic healing for burn patients is expedited (Miri et al., 2024) and strengthens the heart whether it is healthy or diseased (Kemi & Wisløff, 2010). In addition to the physical health benefits of exercise, exercise has been found to provide many mental health benefits (Ohrnberger et al., 2017). Ohrnberger et al. showed that past physical health had a direct impact on current mental health, and vice versa (past mental health had a direct impact on present physical health). Mental and physical health positively impact each other in an upward spiral. Factors that played a role in the relationship between physical and mental health included employment, decision making ability, and various lifestyle choices, including smoking, alcohol consumption, diet. Better health, both physical and mental, enabled people to maintain better employment. Better mental health enabled more clarity in making decisions about health choices, which lead to better physical health. Lastly, better mental health enabled more healthy lifestyle choices (Ohrnberger et al., 2017). Choosing to exercise can improve mental health, while developing more stable mental health improves physical health.
After the workout class, I walked home with my roommates, sweaty and satisfied. One roommate remarked, “I am so glad we exercised this morning! I needed that today.” We all agreed with her sentiment. Although exercise is often painful and challenging, the movement helps me find greater balance in all aspects of my life. Working out is so important for my body, mind, and soul.
To get me out the door this morning, I needed the internal motivation of knowing that exercise is so good for me. Additionally, I needed support and encouragement from my friends. Finding support from other people is another significant contributor to overall happiness and wellbeing in life (Supportive Relationships). Friends can provide motivation to start working out and can make exercising feel easier. Davis & Cohen (2018) found that people who had social support while performing a strenuous cycling workout perceived that the task was easier compared to those who were cycling alone. Social support makes the biggest difference when an individual is performing close to their maximum physiological ability (Davis & Cohen, 2018).
Joining friends to work out can lighten the load and make working out more enjoyable. I am so grateful I took the time to move my body! If you don’t have a consistent exercise routine, I invite you to set an attainable goal and find a workout buddy. Your workout buddy could be a sibling, parent, roommate, neighbor, or friend. Making time to exercise will allow you to find physical, mental, social, and emotional benefits, and help you feel good as you care for your body.
Want to learn more about the power behind exercise? Check out the Exercise module on My Best Self 101!
“Just believe in yourself. Even if you don’t, pretend that you do, and at some point, you will.”
References
Anderson, E., & Durstine, J. L. (2019). Physical activity, exercise, and chronic diseases: A brief review. Sports Medicine and Health Science, 1(1), 3–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smhs.2019.08.006
Davis, A. & Cohen, E. (2018). The Effects of Social Support on Strenuous Physical Exercise. Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology. 4:171–187. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40750-017-0086-8
Kemi, O. J. & Wisløff, U. (2010). High-Intensity Aerobic Exercise Training Improves the Heart in Health and Disease. Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention. 30:2–11. https://doi.org/10.1097/HCR.0b013e3181c56b89
Miri, S. , Rashtiani, S. , Zabihi, M. R. , Akhoondian, M. and Farzan, R. (2024). Role of exercise in nursing care for burn wound patients: A narrative review from a nursing perspective. Journal of Nursing Reports in Clinical Practice, 2(Issue 2), 101-109. https://doi.org/10.32598/JNRCP.23.101
Ohrnberger, J., Fichera, E., & Sutton, M. (2017). The relationship between physical and mental health: A mediation analysis. Social Science & Medicine, 195, 42–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.11.008