The Benefits of Getting Physical: Why You Need to Move Today

How often do you look back and realise you could have made the time?

We’ve all got the excuses, haven’t we? “I don’t have time,” “I’m too busy,” “I’ve got children,” or “I’ve got to work.” Every single excuse in the book. Yet, exercise is one of those things that pays dividends across every aspect of your life—and frankly, there’s no better time to start than today. I always remember that quote: your body is the best it is ever going to be today. It’s only going to go downhill from here, but you can certainly influence the gradient.

The minute you start moving, even if it’s just a gentle walk, the benefits kick in immediately. Your cardiorespiratory system starts working harder, your circulation gets a boost, and you even start perspiring, which cleans out your pores. It stimulates your digestion and improves your elimination—it’s a comprehensive tune-up for the whole system.

More Than Muscle: The Mental and Emotional Payoffs

The truth is, the benefits of exercise extend far beyond strengthening your muscles, bones, joints, and immune system. My favourite benefit is how dramatically it sharpens your mind.

I sometimes get stuck in a rut. Call it problem-solving or writer’s block—when you just can’t get the words out. That’s when I tell myself: put on your shoes and walk. While you’re walking, you’re thinking, and different ideas come to you. You find that solution that seemed completely out of reach while you were sitting still.

In a similar vein, exercise is a massive mood booster. It kicks in all those delicious endorphins. And not only are endorphins free and legal, but they’re almost as good as wine. They truly do make you feel better. If you’re feeling stressed, challenged, anxious, or miserable, go for a walk. Do something that distracts you.

I once read a wonderful quote—I don’t know how true it is, but I loved it anyway—that exercise unleashes the pharmacy in your muscles. You’ve got all those feel-good chemicals rushing to the fore, so you may as well make the most of it.

JoziStyle Opinion: No Excuses

Fortunately, exercise is cheap. All you need is a pair of walking shoes, a pair of shorts, a T-shirt, and bada-bing, bada-boom, you start walking.

And to those who say they don’t have the time? You could easily make ten minutes in the morning (get up ten minutes earlier if you have to) and ten minutes in the evening after supper. You’re going to eat anyway—you may as well walk around the block afterwards. Do something.

If you want to socialise, join a tennis club or one of these paddle clubs that are so popular at the moment. Different strokes for different folks, as they say, but the point is you do something. Even if your body is “gone,” as some people feel, start small. Walk around the block. Walk around the garden.

Find Your Solution, Not Your Excuse

I was never really mad about exercise myself. My back problems mean that running up and down a road just jars my spine—it’s the worst. It was only when I found an exercise I genuinely enjoyed that I became consistent. For me, that was cardio at the gym (aerobics class) and Pilates. I’ve got no hand-eye coordination, so cricket or rugby was never going to work.

Half the solution is finding an exercise or a sport or an activity that you enjoy. If you enjoy it, you’re far more likely to pursue it and to continue with it.

If you are inclined to find excuses, start focusing on the solution: What kind of exercise can you do?

• Tip for Intensity: If you’re going walking, you need to walk at a pace where you’re getting slightly breathless. You shouldn’t be panting like a dog, but you should be at the point where you couldn’t really manage a full conversation. That’s when you know your respiratory and cardiovascular systems are working harder.

I recently got a bit brave and jumped from my usual 2-kilogramme dumbbells to the 5-kilogramme ones while walking. Forty-eight hours later, I had strained my bicep and my arm was bent like a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Lesson learned: you’ve got to do it consciously and you’ve got to do it consistently.

Now, stop reading and go find your shoes.

Follow JoziStyle online and listen to us on air.