I am often asked why I don’t give as much attention to nutrition issues as I do exercise. While I do occasionally blog and/or speak on nutrition in the news and how it relates to every life choices, I choose to focus on exercise as the cornerstone for change. Through my experience working with people suffering from diabetes, obesity, chronic pain, depression, low back pain, and other degenerative conditions, I have witnessed how physical activity can empower change toward a more balanced life full of possiblity.
I recently participated in a webinar sponsored by the American Journal of Health Promotion. The webinar presented research findings suggesting that success in changing one behavior relates to success in changing other behaviors as well. One of the points made by Marie-Josee Sharr, MAPP,CPT, CWCC, Owner and Founder of Smarts and Stamina, was that exercise behavior intervention can have a positive effect on creating change in other areas as well. In my experience, I have found this to be true. When using physical activity as the cornerstone for change, making healthier food choices, for example, becomes more doable.
Exercise = Better Mood + Better Sleep + Increased Willpower
Here is the great thing about exercise: physical activity increases serotonin and decreases cortisol. Serotonin, a neurotransmitter, is believed to be responsible for maintaining emotional balance. Cortisol is a a stress hormone and when elevated is correlated with weight gain. And here is the good news: a little bit of exercise goes a long way. A 20-30 minute walk on most days of the week can lower cortisol.
In looking at other benefits from the exercise/serotonin/cortisol connection, here are 3 more reasons to focus on exercise:
- Willpower – Exercise can help increase willpower.
- Food cravings – Exercise can decrease food cravings.
- Sleep habits – Exercise improves sleep.
So regular exercise helps us eat better, sleep better and basically feel better about who we are. So is exercise really enough? No. But it is a great place to start.
photo credit: Iris Aldeguer here