I think a lot of people fear or hate that word, "EXERCISE".
I've always had a good relationship with exercise. My dad was really into working out and his physique and I took after him in that department. In French grade school, once a year we would run this race and I was always very competitive in it and usually took 2nd place while my best friend always got first. I loved it! When we moved to the States I loved going for runs with my uncle or riding my bike for miles. Biking is another story, I like the idea of it until I am riding and then I'm all sorts of uncomfortable and can't figure out why I keep going back to it. Thank God someone stole my bike! I used to frequent the gym in our old apartment complex and started going there as young as 12. I love lifting weights and cardio has been a pretty good friend of mine too. Whether I run, jog, walk, hike, or HIIT train I really like doing it all.
Exercising or just getting up off your ass and going for a walk for a longer distance than walking to the fridge or restroom does a body and mind good.
I can say that when I exercise I sort of get into a meditative state, especially with running. It is a good feeling to have your mind just focused on the run. Exercising releases endorphins and gets your blood flowing. Endorphins are these awesome things that get released during exercise inside your body and produces that euphoric state. It's why so many people use exercise as a stress reliever. Endorphins reduces your sense of mental stress and pain and helps to release dopamine which is another neurotransmitter that makes you feel good.
You probably think that you'd have to workout all day to deal with your stress but really the endorphins are gonna last you for a while and the more regularly you exercise the better you'll be at dealing with stress. It is not a 100% guarantee to living a stress-free life, no, I still do become very stressed and depressed at times but it has definitely helped with the severity of it and how I cope with them two bastards. I went through a very dark and scary time in my early 20's where stress and depression don't even begin to cover some descriptive words for that period of time. But I think the thing that carried me through and kept me from completely losing myself depended not only on will power but on the fact that I managed to work out every once in a Blue Moon. Reminding myself that my body mattered and that taking care of it was also key to regaining my senses. You only get one body so you might as well take care of it the best you can and exercising is one of the best things to do for you not only physically but mentally, and even spiritually.
I think it's a good idea to try different ways to exercise because there isn't just one set way and there are so many fun ways out there believe it or not. Some days I like just walking, some days I like running sprints, some days I like to just stay in my room and watch YouTube exercise videos and do them along with them.
Don't injure yourself trying to reach a goal too quickly. Enjoy the process. I know I have pushed myself way too hard and fast trying to get a result as soon as possible. It isn't going to happen overnight, so just be patient and feel good about the fact that you took the time to take care of your body and mind.
And keep it up. I know its easy to fall out. I know I did many times. I usually would workout feverishly for 2 weeks and then quit! I am determined not to let that happen again but I'm also not hard on myself about taking some time off. If I don't feel like breaking a sweat then I just go for a walk or make sure I spend the day moving around a lot by cleaning or playing with the kids.
Once you're in a flow you will start to notice the way it has reduced your stress and given you more energy. I think having more energy is also a huge benefit, am I right? Who doesn't want more energy!? When you first start you probably will notice a boost of energy and then it might level off for a few days as your body gets used to the effects of exercise. Gradually you will notice a lot more energy and if you've ever wanted to wake up more energized, this could be the answer. I know it has helped me tremendously from being in an absolute fog to BOING I'm up!
Exercise, you should check it out!
Here I am sweating to my new favorite exercise, hip thrusts with weights, great for the glutes.