With the new year around the corner, it’s the perfect time to start a new healthy habit. Exercise is a daily activity that can spark joy in your everyday routine. While the Mayo Clinic recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day, remember your self-tolerance and goals. 

The greatest importance of exercise is that it makes you feel happy and healthy. If you don’t enjoy how you’re getting in your workout, maybe try another form of training. 

Lately, I’ve created a habit of going to the gym with my friend after school. Finding a partner to work out with becomes a great way to motivate oneself and each other. This is my greatest advice if you feel uncomfortable in new workout settings such as a gym. Many experiences can become intimidating, especially if you’re new to any type of gym setting. 

The importance becomes remembering the reason you’re working out: for your health and happiness. If you’re looking for some extra motivation the Mayo Clinic reminds you that, “Physical activity may help bump up the production of your brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins. Although this function is often referred to as a runner’s high, any aerobic activity, such as a rousing game of tennis or a nature hike, can contribute to this same feeling”.  

Exercise can be directly attributed to happiness! These endorphins can boost your mood along with the self-satisfaction you’ll already feel from your achievement. 

Creating a daily habit of working out while you’re young can have long-term benefits within your lifespan as well. “Regular physical activity provides important health benefits for chronic disease prevention,” according to the CDC. It also has long-term benefits on brain health, heart health, cancer prevention, healthy weight, bone strength, and balance and coordination.

The biggest thing to remember is that exercise is a self-fulfilling task. No matter how scary or difficult it can be in the beginning, it is equally as rewarding. While the HHS cites that “60 million children and teens participate in organized sports each year” not everyone finds joy in participating in sports, and the older an athlete gets the harder it can become to find recreational sports available to them. Investing in a form of exercise that can fuel your mind and body allows a constant stream of positive energy in your life. 

So if you’re looking to start hitting the gym shortly here’s some of my advice: you are your own biggest critic. Nobody is watching and critiquing your physical fitness, everyone has to start somewhere and you’ve made a huge step by putting yourself out there. I have struggled with anxiety within a gym environment but the sooner I realized my presence went unnoticed the easier it became for me to focus on my gain. Your body is something that you should invest in and dedicating time every day to reach your own fitness goals can lead to a happier and healthier future.