Battle Stress With Battle Ropes

It’s an hour before kickoff on Sunday afternoon. My family has had a long weekend of getting together with friends up in the mountains for the weekend.

As with most Sundays, there is a laundry list of things to do to prepare for the week ahead of us. When my wife approaches me to take out the trash, I snap at her in a way that would make you think she has asked me to re-finish the hardwood floors in our home.

“Are you kidding me, I just sat down to relax and watch some TV. Now you are putting this on me!”

There is a pause, we both look at each other, and she says, “When was the last time you worked out?”

It’s nice to have someone in your life who knows you, and when I get snippy, it means one of two things. Either I’m tired or have gone more than a few days without sweating.

On the Sunday mentioned above, it was a little of both, and after I took out the trash, I jumped on the bike for a quick ride before the game. The stress relief was needed, especially before I spent the next 2 hours or so yelling at the TV.

Exercise as a source of stress relief

If you don’t work out regularly making time for excise throughout your week might seem like another chore to add to the list. However, prioritizing fitness can be fun and positively contribute to your life in several ways.

According to the Mayo Clinic, regular exercise can result in the following:

• Better weight control
• Combats adverse health conditions
• Improves your mood
• Boost energy
• Promotes a better night’s sleep
• Positively contribute to your social life
• Improves your sex life

You have to make the time

Of course, the most significant issue that comes up when discussing healthy lifestyle creation is the lack of time people have to dedicate to their health.

I get it, I’m a married professional and a father, and time is a significant commodity in my life.

There is a saying I picked up in my 20’s, “life has a way of disciplining those that don’t discipline themselves.” This quote is a poignant reminder that when we don’t attend to our health, it will eventually work against us.

Exercise needs to be worked into a daily schedule, and a handful of tricks can help.

• People who work out in the morning tend to be more consistent with their routines.
• Walking a mile burns around the same amount of calories as running a mile
• Find something that you enjoy. I prefer hitting a heavy bag over running.
• Create a family or friend fitness challenge to help with accountability.

Conclusion

The nice thing about what I suggested here is it doesn’t take very long to benefit from working out. Of course, it would be a good idea to check with your doctor before starting a routine, primarily if you haven’t worked out in a while.

Have fun, go out and sweat a little, I would love to hear how you are making time in your life for your health.