Health & Fitness Centre

By Author: joe swails
Total Articles: 29
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In this article:

What is energy (in relation to the body & mind)?

Why do we sometimes suffer from a lack of energy?

What would be a good starting point for having more energy?

How can getting fit help?

How can weight-loss help?

How can others help?

As well as adopting a healthier lifestyle, what else can I do?

How can I help others?

Summary & Suggestions for further learning through this website

What is energy (in relation to the body and mind)?
When we feel sluggish and find it difficult to summon enough energy to face carrying out activities that we know we really should, then we are really saying that our physical and mental ‘batteries’ don’t have enough power left in them at that particular time of the day or week to carry out the task or activity in a positive or ‘vital’ way.

You could even think of your body in the same way as you would a car: If there is not enough fuel in the tank, and if the parts that make up the whole are not being properly maintained, then the overall system is not going to run properly.

The ...
... crucial ‘combined fuel’ that humans need is a proper diet (so that the body and brain gets all the vitamins and minerals they need to function properly and well) combined with regular exercise.

It is so important to stress the importance of the brain (as well as the body) needing sufficient nutrients in order for it to function healthily and well. Also, in the realm of mental health, the role(s) and interplay of a range of neurochemicals and hormone-like substances, such as endorphins, serotonin and dopamine, all impact upon how much energy the brain has, and also how positive the mind feels. Exercising regularly can help boost these neurochemicals (we will focus upon this more closely in a moment!).

So, as well as poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle, let’s look now at other factors that can impact upon our energy levels in a negative way.

Why do we sometimes suffer from a lack of energy?
As well as the aforementioned reasons for low energy levels, other factors can include:

Disturbed sleep

Obesity

Poor outlook on life (e.g., a seemingly unshakeable lethargy, a permanent sense of defeatism…)

Lack of encouragement and support from others

Fatigue due to a feeling of hopelessness that your life is not going at all where you hoped it would – that time has simply taken your dreams away

Let’s look now at what would be the best initial step towards having more energy and feeling so much better as a result.

What would be a good starting point for having more energy?
Make the decision to do so. This may seem obvious, but is it? So many people are aware that they lack energy, but, sadly, they tell themselves that they really should do something about it one day.

Make the decision. Don’t put it off any longer. That said, with your decision made; don’t just dive in in your exuberance to get started. Take the time to formulate a plan of action – a plan specifically tailored to suit your lifestyle and tastes when it comes to dietary preferences and choosing the right exercise activity. Opt for an exercise activity you will enjoy – one you will be more likely to keep up even when the going gets tough!

How can getting fit help?
Exercising regularly has so many benefits, it would be impossible to list them all here. What we can tell you is that taking the decision to make getting fit part of your new healthy lifestyle is one of the best things you could do if you would like to lose weight, boost your self-confidence, change your overall outlook, and feel better physically and mentally.

Put simply, (and as we have seen), exercise increases feel good neurochemicals and hormone-like substances like endorphins in your brain while simultaneously reducing the production of damaging stress hormones (such as cortisol). Endorphins are hormone-like substances too, but good ones.

As you exercise, more and more endorphins are released in the brain (cardiovascular and aerobic exercises are best!). This not only has the effect of making you feel better, but it also masks your emotional pain. In fact, you could almost think of endorphins as your brain’s very own over-the-counter painkillers. When you exercise, you are basically taking another trip to the pharmacy – to stock up.

When the different neurochemicals such as serotonin, adrenaline and dopamine in your brain are all boosted (and working in unison) – along with your boosted endorphins – this can create a feeling of significantly increased energy. You will feel able to go further when carrying out tasks at home or at work.

As well as exercising regularly, paying attention to your diet can also be a massive factor and influence upon your energy levels. We’ve all heard the expression you are what you eat, well let’s see if that’s true. Or rather, let’s see if the expression What you eat will determine your energy levels is accurate, by looking at diet and weight-loss now…

How can weight-loss help?
The great thing about weight-loss is that it is measurable. As the benefits of combining a balanced diet with regular exercise become apparent, you will be delighted each time you step on to the scales in the gym or in your bathroom at home at the end of each month by how you’ve lost another pound, or even two! The positive psychological impact of this will be enormous. You’ll draw energy from it. You’ll feel better about yourself.

Also, if your body is lighter, you will feel more nimble, more agile, more able to carry out tasks quickly and almost effortlessly, whereas, before, every task had seemed like a struggle due to feeling ‘heavy’ both physically and mentally, and through feeling breathless every time you needed to pull yourself up off the sofa to go and do the washing up; put the kids to bed; clear out the store room at work, etc.

And the great thing is, you don’t have to embark upon your new health and fitness journey alone. Of course, the core desire and motivation to stick to your plan, gradually lose that weight and get fit and healthy has to ultimately come from inside you, but by palling up with another you can get even more fun out it all and also find some much needed words of encouragement when it all feels too difficult to carry on.

Let’s look at that now.

How can others help?
As we have seen, like building your self-esteem and self-confidence, having more energy is something that can only come from within you. That said, by exercising regularly with a friend you can enjoy getting a little encouragement from time to time – when you simply don’t feel like exercising or maintaining your balanced diet a day longer. This happens to everyone and is the way even Olympic athletes feel at times.

By exercising with a pal, you can find the enthusiasm to keep going or to regain your enthusiasm to get back to the gym. By sharing strategies, setting goals, and having fun together as you work towards reaching your health and fitness goals, it will all seem so much easier, and you’ll notice how your energy levels gradually increase as you reach each milestone on your health and fitness journey.

Another way that others can help you to work towards increasing your energy levels through adopting a healthier lifestyle is by them understanding what it is that you are trying to achieve; why you want to achieve it; and how you will need to set some time aside each week to focus solely upon your health and fitness routine.

By taking the time to explain it all, you can identify potential detractors, receive understanding, encouragement and support from your ‘back-up team’, and equally importantly, get the space you require at certain times in the week to put your needs first and address them by maintaining your new and enjoyable health and fitness plan.

As well as adopting a healthier lifestyle, what else can I do?

Work with your body’s natural clock. Go to bed and get up at regular times. Eat at regular times. Organise your week so that your exercise sessions are all pre-planned, rather than exercising randomly.

Drink plenty of water

Pay more attention to colour when it comes to things like choosing what clothes to wear, what home furnishings to opt for… Bright, positive colours can help to make you feel even more uplifted and give you more energy as a result.

Keep a close eye on your caffeine levels. You don’t need to give up coffee, tea and chocolate altogether, but be careful not to stimulate your body and mind just before going to bed. This will result in disturbed sleep which will leave you feeling sluggish during your wakeful hours.

If you smoke, stop. Like caffeine, nicotine can also result in disturbed sleep. Nicotine can also impact negatively upon your mood, making your irritable, restless and even short tempted with others.

Finally, and before we summarise and look at suggestions for further learning through this website, let’s now consider how you can help others to have more energy.

How can I help others?
Share your knowledge. You could actually transform someone’s life through doing so. And wouldn’t that be an amazing gift to give another?

With your energy levels increased, those around you will already have sensed the positive change in you. It will have transmitted, even if that is not obvious to you. Your family, friends, college classmates and work colleagues will want to feel like you do. This is your chance to help them to do just that.

Also, tell others about the Chemist Online Health & Fitness Centre! The wealth of useful and up-to-the-minute information available here is changing people’s lives every day – for the better.

Let’s summarise now and then look at some suggestions for further learning.

Summary
Through reading this article in Zone 1 of the Centre you have gained a deeper understanding into what body energy levels actually are. You have learned about the reasons why so many of us struggle through life due to having low energy. And you have discovered ways to significantly boost your energy levels by combining a balanced diet with regular exercise. All this will help you to get so much more from life. Also, others will be drawn to you as your boosted energy levels and new found positivity transmits.

Now learn more!
To find out even more about how adopting a healthier lifestyle can impact positively on your life, please click on any of these links:

Talk to your doctor first?
Plan your way to
feeling great
Make it fun

Then where to start?
Make new friends &
share strategies
It’s all about how
you think about it

All information on the Chemist Online Health and Fitness website is for information only. Always consult your GP before undertaking any form of weight-loss, fitness or exercise.

www.chemistonline.co.uk