As Barras Paralelas da BOOMFIT são o complemento certo para um treino intenso e versátil, que traz dinamismo aos...
The Best Gift is to Take Care of Yourself!
Only 18 % of Portuguese people take regular exercise. This number puts us among the most sedentary countries in the European Union. At first glance, this subject would only be relevant to people looking for a certain type of body appearance. For anyone who is an athlete, or enjoys doing some kind of sport or exercise, you know that moving your body goes far beyond your appearance.
Exercise has the effect of reducing stress-related hormones, particularly adrenaline and cortisol. Although we are putting the body under stress when we exercise, this is not processed in the same way as mental stress. In fact, it almost seems as if we use the stress accumulated in the brain as fuel to move our muscles. It's easy to think of this idea when we feel like we need to "release" our energy.
In addition to its reducing effect, physical exercise also has a hormone-promoting effect. This means that it not only reduces hormones associated with stress, but also stimulates the production of endorphins, hormones responsible for more positive moods and even reducing symptoms of pain or discomfort. Although it may seem contradictory, the post-workout feeling can be similar to that of stepping out of a hot bath, but exponentially more beneficial.
Besides the hormonal effects, there are personal and social effects that make this habit particularly appealing. Socialising with other people, the team effort, the motivational support... make exercise a shared experience. In my case, the experience I've had in all the sports I've practised has always been more enriching and fulfilling when shared, and has left me with friends for life. This happens for a number of reasons, but above all by sharing adversity, which, although fictitious, can still be overcome together.
Our physical condition inevitably improves. And with that improvement comes a feeling of increased confidence that makes us feel something greater. Our feeling of control and ability to perform certain exercises contributes to our perception of overcoming small daily challenges in other aspects of our lives, and we suddenly feel that life is going better for us, when in fact it was we who triggered this reaction.
The increase in blood oxygenation, promoting the maintenance of abilities such as cognition and memory, and the improvement in sleep quality resulting from physical activity, also weigh heavily on improving our quality of life as a whole. At the same time, it helps us to enter a state of flow, allowing us to abstract from the challenges that our days bring us. I've never felt that runners high, but my workout is one of the few moments of the day when I feel that everything around me disappears and it's just me and the weights.
Like any person, I suffer from stress at work. It's normal, but everyone knows that there is stress and THE STRESS! Referring to the data collected by LPATS, more than half of Portuguese workers are at high risk of burnout. What this means is that these people are in such an accumulated state of stress that at any moment they may no longer be able to deal with the stress factors of their daily lives, leading to an apathetic and almost inert state. Given what these figures show us, we would expect at least 50 per cent of the population to be actively trying to combat the main factor responsible for this weakened state of mental health, which is clearly not the case.
One of the basic reasons for this kind of neglect is the lack of awareness of mental health and its intimate connection with physical health. The physical is still neglected or, alternatively, dissociated from the body in many circumstances, with both behaviours being highly detrimental to the well-being of the general population. The work done so far in this direction is short, but in fact people are more susceptible to talk. The exercise itself, and all the things we discuss that it involves, also allow moments for people to open up, share their internal issues, and eventually take steps to solve them.
In short, it's up to each of us to find the type of workout that we're passionate about, that motivates us and that we enjoy, so that we can incorporate it into our routine and, as a result, bring us all the benefits mentioned above, taking our health to a more positive and sustainable stage. Nobody better than BOOMFIT to help us.
Happy Holidays!
João Francisco Lima
VIDEO - "The Best Gift is to Take Care of Yourself!"
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