In last week's newsletter, the feature article stated that "We Are Clueless About What Makes us Happy." Well ... we might be clueless about
it -- because of our tendency to "miswant" -- but current research is not clueless at all. The evidence is in ... and it's conclusive: The best "drug" you can find is pretty much any kind of physical activity/exercise that you are able to do regularly.
"Around the world, people who are
physically active are happier and more satisfied with their lives. This is true whether their preferred activity is walking, running, swimming, dancing, biking, playing sports, lifting weights, or practicing yoga. People who are regularly active have a stronger sense of purpose, and they experience more gratitude, love, and hope. They feel more connected to their communities, are less likely to suffer from loneliness or become depressed.
"These benefits are seen throughout the lifespan. They apply to every socioeconomic strata and appear to be culturally universal. Importantly, the psychological and social benefits of physical activity do not depend on any particular physical ability or health status. They have been demonstrated in people with chronic pain, physical
disabilities, serious mental and physical illnesses, and even among patients in hospice care. The joys described above—from hope and meaning to belonging—are linked first and foremost to movement, not to fitness." -- Kelly McGonigal
This idea has been a life-changing NEW PARADIGM for me ... and I hope you will adopt this
mindset as well:
We don’t exercise for weight loss,
or even so much to change our body composition.
We exercise for HAPPINESS.
For our mental well-being.
And if exercise DOES help with weight loss and
body composition, that's a bonus. You might have seen headlines that talk about how exercise doesn't help very much in the process of weight loss.
Don't let the headlines confuse you -- exercise does, indeed, make a difference, but in our current environment, where our eating is so out of control, it's not enough. In a world
where we can easily consume 3000 calories of sugar and fat in a single meal, with fast food and ever-preset desserts, it's almost impossible to out-exercise all that unhealthy food.
But so what? That's not the main reason to exercise anyway.
The main
reason to exercise is not that your body needs it. Your brain needs it. Your soul needs it. You exercise for well-being. For mood. To feel good. To expand your energy and focus.
Weight loss will come later, as you have more energy and focus to discipline yourself for better eating.
Listen to what McGonagil says in her book "The Will Power Instinct":
“Exercise turns out to be the closest thing to a wonder drug that self-control scientists have discovered. For starters,
the willpower benefits of exercise are immediate. Fifteen minutes on a treadmill reduces cravings, as seen when researchers try to tempt dieters with chocolate and smokers with cigarettes.
"The long-term effects of exercise are even more impressive. It not only relieves ordinary, everyday stress, but it’s as
powerful an antidepressant as Prozac. Working out also enhances the biology of self-control by increasing baseline heart rate variability and training the brain.
"When neuroscientists have peered inside the brains of new exercisers, they have seen increases in both gray matter—brain cells—and
white matter, the insulation on brain cells that helps them communicate quickly and efficiently with each other. Physical exercise—like meditation—makes your brain bigger and faster, and the prefrontal cortex shows the largest training effect.”
