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Perk up your mind - pert up your body! |
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Call it vanity, call it image obsessed, but most of us wish we looked more like the models gracing the covers of those glossy magazines. We know it’s an unrealistic standard, but with more and more celebrities turning to cosmetic surgery to enhance their physique, who hasn’t given some thought to a little nip and tuck? The quick-fix approach has its appeals. But it’s not the only way to get the body of you want - and while going under the knife may change the way you look on the outside, it does little to improve the way your body functions on the inside.
So how can you get a lasting lift? Exercise, of course... and where better to start than at Virgin Active!
On a purely cosmetic level, at Virgin Active you can tackle spare tires, back flab, wobbly tummies, bingo wings and thunder thighs with specialist exercise innovations and latest technology equipment. And unlike drastic measures like plastic surgery, it won’t cost you an arm and a leg! But exercise also offers amazing psychological benefits that you really can’t get any other way. It boosts your mood and your |
confidence,
improves mental alertness, reduces stress and tension, and sends your self-esteem through the roof!
It’s not just all in your mind either. It’s logical that by doing something good for your body will make you feel good about yourself – but physical activity actually triggers chemical activity in the brain, too. When you work out, your brain releases ‘happy chemicals’ - serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine and endorphins, which produce feelings of contentment, reduces stress and depression, and even helps strengthen your immune system.
There are over twenty different types of endorphins that have been discovered in the nervous system, and of these, it is the beta-endorphins secreted during exercise that have the most powerful effect. Sometimes described as “runners high”, the release of beta-endorphins reduces pain (which is the reason why running becomes easier after about 20 minutes) and it stimulates feelings of euphoria, which is why you feel so invigorated with renewed life and vitality after exercise. The effects are well documented – evidenced by the fact that exercise is the preferred method of treatment “prescribed” for people suffering from depression.
Sound pretty convincing? It gets better! Not only does exercise directly produce ‘feel-good’ effects in your mind and ‘look-good’ effects in your body – there are further indirect benefits to working out. Escapism! We all need an outlet in our lives; some time to ourselves when we can reflect and rebalance - and exercise creates the necessary structure in your day to allow yourself time to do this. Your gym workout or exercise class is an important distraction from everyday sources of stress, which dramatically improves your ability to cope with problems effectively and make positive life changes. Another indirect benefit is that muscle tension tends to be reduced by exertion from a good workout, which naturally promotes feelings of relaxation and calmness.
So before you turn to the knife – here’s a few more psychological benefits of exercise to turn over in your mind first…
Clear your mind.
When you’re feeling stressed and tired at the end of a hectic day, exercise is often the last thing on your mind. But ironically, it is exactly what you need. Often we are drained from mentally or emotionally exhausting workdays, but without a physical outlet for our emotions, tensions simply build up in our bodies making us feel worse! The answer? Get your heart beating happily again with a fun-filled group exercise class at Virgin Active. Just a taste of our Gliding, Hulaerobics or Drums Alive classes is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
Sign up for a free workout now.
Improve self-confidence and body image.
Regular exercise is soon rewarded with positive physical changes, which gives you a sense of pride in your accomplishment and reinforces your motivation to continue. But you don’t have to go it alone! You can get results faster and more effectively with a Personal Trainer. Experts in their fields, our highly-trained Personal Trainers can tailor an exercise programme that fits your goals exactly, providing additional encouragement and insight every step of the way, helping you stay focused and avoid training plateaus.
Boost your mood.
Slipping onto the sofa, switching the TV on and then ‘switching off’ for the evening is all too often on our weekly agenda. But this type of sedentary lifestyle actually stifles your creative energies and flattens your mood, making you more prone to lethargic tendencies and low motivation. Instead, by engaging in regular exercise and getting involved in fun group activities in a sociable environment, you’ll develop a happier, healthier outlook on life, find new interests, make new friends, and embrace new experiences that will most certainly pass you by otherwise!
Banish the blues.
Studies show that regular exercise can greatly alleviate - and in some cases even prevent - symptoms of depression. The exact physiological reason is unknown, but scientists believe that multitude of benefits that exercise brings (enhancing your self-image, lifting your mood, improving your performance and physical appearance) can all help boost your overall sense of self, restoring feelings of pride and self-efficacy, which therefore alleviates some of the negative thoughts which can lead to depression in the first place.
Increase mental alertness.
It is widely understood that stress and fatigue negatively affect concentration, comprehension and memory. And since exercise is one of the most effective ways of alleviating stress, regular workouts will enhance alertness and improve overall mental and physical health. Yoga and Pilates offer a particularly effective class format to concentrate on building mind/body strength simultaneously – which has a pronounced effect on mental agility and performance, while reestablishing the connection between mind and body.
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