What Can I Expect From Eating Clean And Regular Exercise?
Let’s face it: We all need to exercise. My dad and I were talking the other day about a new “study” that came out that linked NOT exercising to an increase risk of cancer. While I never really buy into these studies, it does bring up a great question:
What can I expect from eating clean and regular exercise?
Let’s take weight loss/fat loss out of the equation. We all know these are the biggest reasons why people start a diet and begin to exercise. I don’t want to discount weight/fat loss (everyone who reads this blog knows my story or can read more about it), but there are more benefits to it than just getting skinny.
I’m going to outline benefits I’ve noticed as well as others I’ve read about:
1. More Energy
This one is the most obvious to me. I work an office job. I sit in front of a computer every day. It is easy to want to eat junk, but when I did, I felt tired, lethargic, not as sharp, etc. But when I’m really focused on nutrition and regular exercise (like my Insanity + Shakeology routine I’m on now), I feel steady energy all day. I never feel like I’m crashing. I can focus better.
Outside of work, I have more energy to play with my kids and do things with them. I can exercise more than once a day a few extra times a week, burn some more calories, and not feel out of it.
2. Better Sleep
True story: During the fall, I get on a sugar kick. Usually the sugar kick starts around 8:30-9pm at night and last until I go to bed. When I do this, my stomach does not feel as good and I do not sleep as well. During this past fall, due to the shoulder issue being a bit of a bummer, I quit exercising outside of physical therapy. And I didn’t rest as well, had a hard time wanting to wake up each morning, etc.
Just a few days into what I’m doing now and I’m resting better than ever before. I’m going to sleep faster, waking up refreshed, even if I only get 6-7 hours of sleep. And getting better sleep leads back to my first point: More energy!
3. Improved Self-Confidence and Image
I’m proving to myself that I CAN do something with I eat clean and exercise daily. I show myself that I can focus, be consistent, and accomplish goals. Combining that with the fat loss (that yes, after one week, I can notice a bit of), makes me feel better about myself.
4. Less Irritable
I’m a lot nicer person to be around after an Insanity workout. Just ask my wife.
5. Increased Libido
I’m neither going to confirm/deny this (I don’t “kiss and tell”), but I get emails from Men’s Health magazine and have read some various diet books that boast this. And it make sense. For a male, eating certain foods and exercising seems to give a boost in natural testosterone. And it produces sweat, which they say is a pheromone. And pheromones seems to turn women on. Or something like that…
For women, there’s actually been ladies reporting climaxing while exercising! If that isn’t libido increasing I do not know what is! Along with that, though, having better self image (#3) and a less irritable husband (#4) seem to help this happen a lot…umm…..easier (that’s a good word for it).
Don’t believe me? Google it.
6. Stronger Bones
I’ll admit I don’t know the science behind this, but it has been reported that strength and resistance works actually helps with bone density. My mom is living proof of this: Combined with some calcium treatments, she has moved her bone density away from a dangerously low level by lifting weights.
7. Better Health/Quality of Life
This is probably the most important, although many people simply overlook it.
Sure, do all of the above, but the best thing is what happens on the inside. The better you eat, and the more you keep toxic foods and fat off and out of your body, the better your health is. Eating foods that prevent chronic inflammation and producing mild exercise-induced inflammation is good for you. People can move away from being diabetic by doing these things. They can reduce their chances of stroke and heart attack. They can reduce their cancer risks and other things simply by eating clean and working out.
So from these reasons, which ones do you want to have happen to you? To your spouse? Let’s discuss this in the comments section!
