Exercise creates a brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is basically Miracle Grow for your brain. When you exercise, your brain becomes more elastic. Exercise also helps to improve your mood, boost your energy, and reduce overall stress in your body and mind.⁣⁣
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One of my favorite benefits of exercise is that it improves insulin sensitivity, which is the biggest contributor to advance aging. Exercise actually makes your cells and muscles more sensitive to insulin so you don’t need as much. Less insulin means less dangerous visceral belly fat. ⁣⁣
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Daily movement also enhances detoxification by stimulating the colon and releasing toxins through your sweat. It boosts detoxification of environmental chemicals. Vigorous exercise will help you work up a sweat, but gentle exercise keeps your circulation going and flushes out all the toxic fluids that build up in your lymphatic system. Even just lying on your back and putting your legs straight up against the wall for 20 minutes can make a huge difference. ⁣⁣
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Clearly, daily movement has whole-body benefits. These are just a few of them. The question becomes, how do we incorporate movement daily? Here are three simple ways. ⁣⁣
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Make it a priority and think ahead. Every single day I schedule time in my calendar to work out. If I don’t schedule it, I won’t do it. Also, make it easy.
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Do it first thing in the morning. We all know how easily pushing exercise to the back burner and subsequently neglecting it can become. Do your daily exercise first thing in the morning to jump-start your metabolism and set your day on the right course.⁣⁣
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Make it fun. I encourage you to explore all the fun things you may enjoy and save exercise for those times when you just can’t find a way to play on your own or with someone else. Vary up your routine and above all, make it fun.
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Ever since I’ve made movement part of my life, I notice that I’m happier, calmer, stronger, and I just feel good. If you could put exercise into a pill, it would be a blockbuster drug. So I encourage you to get up today and move your body, even if it’s just for a few minutes.⁣⁣