Regular exercise will become a habit

In an earlier blog, "Habits of mind are the key to fitness," I mentioned that your mindset may actually be the key to fitness. I believe it is and that it’s a gradual process. In the beginning I had no idea that my state of mind (habits of mind) would be influenced by my exercise activities. And for quite a long time I don’t think it did. Or maybe it did and I didn’t notice, that’s a possibility.

Pete Sutton huffing and puffing waiting for the euphoria to kick in!

I have personally experienced both a physical benefit and a mental benefit. The physical one is easy to talk about and is all about how to do things that make your body stronger.

The mental side is more subtle and, in the beginning, not very noticeable except to send signals that I’m tired, something hurts, I want to stop, and other clear and obvious messages that may be more negative. 

The good signals come a little later, when you start getting into the rhythm of your routine. They may appear after you’ve jogged for 15 minutes when your target had been 10 minutes, and you didn’t feel any worse for the extra 5. You feel pretty good about that. It’s likely that I would have said I think I’ll do that again tomorrow! I think this is the way the mental side of fitness begins.

I realized that certain individual exercises left me with a particularly good feeling. Maybe not through the entire routine but at the end or after I’m all finished. For example, when I finish with my session on the elliptical, I feel a huge feeling of satisfaction -- I am of course short of breath and exhausted -- but I felt good. I decided to check this out with a little research.

I found that most experts agree that a hard workout, for most people, produces effects such as "a sense of euphoria," relaxation, optimism, and a state known as "runner's high." Research has shown that this is due to the release of endorphins -- chemicals in the brain that act as natural painkillers and mood elevators.” Other benefits of exercise include lowered stress, improved mood, overall brain health, and a sense of accomplishment.

"The mental benefits of aerobic exercise have a neurochemical basis. Exercise reduces levels of the body's stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. It also stimulates the production of endorphins, chemicals in the brain that are the body's natural painkillers and mood elevators. Endorphins are responsible for the "runner's high" and for the feelings of relaxation and optimism that accompany many hard workouts — or, at least, the hot shower after your exercise is over." (From Harvard Medical School)

The effect my fitness routine has on me is similar to this description but I couldn’t define it so precisely. I often say in my blog posts that my exercise routine makes me feel good and gives me a sense of accomplishment. And I like the feeling! 

That is how I feel almost all the time after I finish my workout on the elliptical and it explains why I have no hesitation in starting my session each day. In fact, I look forward to it and even though there may be some huffing and puffing and slight discomfort doing the workout (I won’t call it pain) the result is something that nothing else that I do can provide me with.

This is the mental part that I’m talking about here. Not the physical part. This is really a double-barreled exercise, like two for the price of one. I get a good aerobic exercise with two heart rate spikes and a whole-body workout. In addition, it clears my mind.

After about 60 years of doing this, I think my mind is expecting to receive its little jolt of happiness each morning!

I started off decades ago, when I was in my thirties, jogging and running; then years later going to the elliptical and all this time I’m getting a positive mental feeling after every workout. After about 60 years of doing this, I think my mind is expecting to receive its little jolt of happiness each morning! This might be described as a habit and a good one!