Bodybuilding makes not only a fit body, but also fit mind. The word bodybuilding says everything. It is so easy to understand the meaning of this word and what this sport is about. Bodybuilding is the best sport when it comes to making your body proportionally shaped and fit.
This sport is not only about the body. More important, this great physical activity is about health, too. Are you looking for health benefits of weight training and aerobic exercise? Bodybuilding has it all.
IMPROVE BODILY HEALTH
Bodybuilding decreases risk of developing coronary heart disease. By engaging in physical activities such as weight training and aerobic exercise you have more chance to reduce and control high blood pressure, obesity and high cholesterol.
Bodybuilding has such great and healthy impact on muscle, bones and joints. Bodybuilding keeps your body and muscle strong and flexible. Bodybuilding and weight training can definitely help you with osteoporosis and arthritis.
These health benefits of weight training and aerobic exercise are already well known. Can our brain and mind benefit from bodybuilding, weight training exercise and aerobic exercise? What do we know about that?
Since, I was a little girl, I heard sayings such as, "In healthy body, healthy mind". Having over twenty years of experience in bodybuilding and fitness, I can tell you that this saying makes so much sense and it's so true.
Keep your body healthy and fit; your mind will keep healthy and fit, too.
IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH
Bodybuilding, weight training exercise and aerobic exercise can boost our mind and mental well being. Weight training and aerobic exercise can help with reduction in stress, anxiety and depression. Weight training and aerobic exercise can help in rising of self-esteem and confidence.
This is so important for people who have low self-esteem. Bodybuilding exercise can boost your self-esteem and confidence, by helping you to develop positive self-image. Developing positive self-image will happen as the result of changes in body shape as you begin to lose weight or feel your body get leaner, stronger and better.
Bodybuilding, weight training and aerobic exercise can improve your mood and help you deal better and easier with negative emotions. The way weight training and aerobic exercise can improve mood is because this exercise will make you feel good.
Physical activity, weight training and aerobic exercise help releases of endorphin. Endorphin is a brain chemical which influences mood. Bodybuilding exercise can help you sleep better, reduce fatigue and psychological tension.
STRESS
Too much stress and anxiety can affect your mental health and mind. The negative effects of stress are:
- Stress causes negative thinking
- Stress takes so much of our physical and mental energy
- Stress destroy enjoyment in life
- Stress reduces ability to focus
Stress is the body's reaction to physical or emotional change. Physical symptoms may include headaches, muscle pain, chest pain, weight gain or weight loss, etc.
ANXIETY
Anxiety is different from stress. Anxiety is a feeling of nervousness, fear, worry. Anxiety could be caused by:
- Stress at workplace
- Stress and problems in a personal relationship
- Financial stress
- Emotional stress
- And more
Some physical symptoms of anxiety include:
- Difficulty breathing
- Anxiety interferes with ability to sleep
- Upset stomach
- Dizziness
- Abnormal hearth rhythms
- Restlessness
- Trouble concentrating
- Irritability
- Muscle tension
- And more
Bodybuilding, weight training exercise and aerobic exercise can help your mind and brain by protecting your thinking and memory. Millions of people experience memory and thinking problems as they get older.
The worst case scenario is when Alzheimer's disease affects brain cells, which destroys memory and thinking. Alzheimer's disease brings gradually loss of mental functions like thinking, remembering and planning.
Weight training and aerobic exercise gets the blood flowing and your brain needs a lot of blood to function correctly. Having a healthy blood flow can keep your brain and mind functioning properly. It can keep your thinking, remembering and planning skills at work for you, not against you.
