During my 2 year journey of adding working out to my daily routine, I have figured out some ways to not make working out feel like a chore and more like an opportunity to express myself in my own way. Initially, I started so I could lose weight, and it opened up the option to do more sports. Working out not only affects us physically, but also can affect us emotionally and mentally.
Whenever you exercise, it releases chemicals called endorphins and serotonin. This sends a feel good sensation throughout your body making you feel warm, comfortable, and happy. It gives you this feeling of accomplishment once you finish your workout. According to helpguide.org, “The same endorphins that make you feel better also help you concentrate and feel mentally sharp for tasks at hand. Exercise also stimulates the growth of new brain cells.”
The best piece of advice I would give to people that I wish I knew 2 years ago is that working out should be fun. If whenever you try to work out, you hate it, you might be doing something wrong. For beginners the easiest way to start is with morning stretches. Here are some mobility stretches to get you started from Medical News Today. Once you are comfortable with doing morning stretches, you can add a routine after school. I started with this: a 10 minute jog outside, come back inside and do 15 push ups, 20 squats, and 20 sit ups.
From there you can adjust to your workout goals with research. This is what I did when I started, you’ll start to see results within a month. But always remember to push yourself: if it gets too easy, do more. I understand how hard it is to want to get up every day and do something consistently; working out has helped me accomplish my physical goals to lose weight and made me emotionally stronger.