It’s raining. It’s too sunny. I slept at 4 am. Feel too lethargic. Well, these are just some of the excuses summed up regarding throwing off the quilt and going for a run early morning. So what should get you going?
Simply put: Running is something you do for yourself. Something that keeps you fit physically and happy mentally. The best thing running starts a healthy cycle in your life.
Let’s see how :-
Running starts a wonderful and healthy cycle of getting up early and most importantly, sleeping on time and not whiling away time watching excessive T.V, or boozing/partying. Tie up with a running club or just promise your friend and schedule a shot run the next morning. And this is where the change will set in. The basic courtesy of showing up on time the next morning, will put you to bed early. (it’s perfectly cool to sleep at 10 pm as it is at 2 am). Starts are difficult but once you cross the initial hurdle you’d love reaping the benefits. Make it a habit. And you shall start loving it. The physical fitness and mental happiness that the body shall enjoy will make you want to do it daily. Self-motivation shall set in. And trust me, even your dog shall be your best companion for running.
If you’ve been working out regularly, you’ve already discovered it: No matter how good or bad you feel at any given moment, exercise will make you feel better. And it goes beyond just the “runner’s high”—that rush of feel-good hormones known as endorphin and endocannabinoid. Researchers found that even a single bout of exercise—30 minutes of walking on a treadmill—could instantly lift the mood of someone suffering from a major depressive order. It boosts sleep quality, mood, and concentration during the day. And I can assure you, a “runner’s high” is far better than a green high. 😉
Running not only adds years to your life, Even running at 70% of VO2 max, helps you fight diseases by improving immunity. Light or moderate running boosts our body’s natural immune system by circulating protective cells through the body faster, to attack and eliminate bacteria, viruses and fungi. Infection fighters, such as Natural Killer Cells, macrophages, immunoglobulins, white blood cells, and other antibodies, are produced in the bone marrow, lungs, and spleen, and have a clean up effect on foreign invaders.
The increase in body temperature when we run may inhibit the growth of bacteria, thus reducing its foothold in the body. Regular running helps rid the lungs of airborne bacteria and viruses that cause URTI, while others believe exercise causes the loss of carcinogens through increased sweat and urine loss.
Tell you what, I can confidently say this fact about improving immunity with personal experience. My immunoglobulins help me fight a grave disease like typhoid and the doctor was pretty impressed with my ability to be so fit, happy and strong despite being afflicted by it.
And lastly, most importantly, running improves eating habits. Not only , do you start eating healthy because you want to work out without getting tired but also skeletal muscle, believe it or not, also secretes hormones that help it communicate with the rest of the body. When muscle contracts during exercise, it releases a chemical that reduces white noise in the brain and helps the hypothalamus clearly determine the body’s correct nutritional status. Clearly, hormones released from muscle during exercise have a positive effect on eating habits.
So guys, remember no one is too busy to run. You need to make time for a run. Run for yourself. It’s the best thing you can treat yourself with. Happy running !!!
-Published with permission from Ganga Shinghal
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