agardner
Monday, May 22, 2017 - 17:08
It’s time to retire the overused excuse that you’re lack the energy to exercise. Research proves that exercise actually increases your energy levels and is more effective at warding off fatigue than a nap or staying on the couch.

The research suggests that the energy boost you feel after exercising is more than just the psychological benefit of knowing that you did something healthy for yourself. Even modest amounts of low-intensity exercise release the body’s natural endorphins into the blood stream, leaving you feeling refreshed and happier than before you began exercising. Exercise also improves the body’s cardiovascular health, allowing your body to transmit oxygen and nutrients more efficiently.


Exercise’s ability to improve energy isn’t only physical, but also leads to improved sleep, which allows for you to benefit from a higher level of energy throughout the next day as well. Once you start to enjoy the extra energy exercise brings, exercise will be a habit you look forward to maintaining, rather than a chore you struggle to finish.

To get more energy, rather than less, from your workout regimen:

  • Aim for 2 ½ hours of weekly exercise. If you’re new to exercise, start with moderately intense exercise and increase your effort slowly. If it seems difficult to incorporate exercise into an already full schedule, look for areas where you can fit in even a brief workout at first. FitClub’s convenient locations make it easy to fit in a quick workout before or after work, or even during your lunch break.

  • Choose a workout you enjoy. Nothing is worse than struggling through an exercise you hate. Fortunately, FitClub has a wide array of cardiovascular and strength training equipment, free weights, and group exercise classes. When you find the right exercise or combination of exercises, you’ll begin to look forward to that part of your day.

  • Consider it time for yourself. Instead of treating exercise as a chore that you have to do or a task to cross off your to-do list, consider your workout an opportunity to catch up with a workout buddy, watch a favorite television show while you’re on the cardio machine, or listen to your favorite, motivating music.

  • Try the 15 minute rule. If you’re really struggling to make it through the day and an hour long workout seems too much to tackle, promise yourself that you’ll go to FitClub for fifteen minutes. If you’re not feeling more energized or motivated after fifteen minutes, give yourself permission to quit. This will keep you in a consistent workout regimen, and you will likely find that you are feeling better after fifteen minutes and energized to finish a solid workout.