Jenna Bell
Sports Dietitian, United States

Powerblog

The Real Benefits of Exercise

Yesterday I was thinking about my blog, and all of you, while lathering a menthol muscle rub - wistfully missing my frequent dining out, tired of referring to food as "fuel".  I'm 7 weeks from Ironman Wisconsin and training has hijacked my life.  I could nap at the drop of a swim cap, eat my body weight in carbs and I feel like a crackhead getting a fix when the physical therapist pokes around my muscles.  I think my hair has gotten a few inches longer, but it's hard to tell since it's always wet and tied back.  Despite the clear zinc I bathe in, I have a freckle line across my jaw, permanent tan lines at the point of my bike/run shorts, a raspberry where my wetsuit zips up and the tips of my piggies are mad at me for letting my sneaks get wet during last week's Half Ironman. 

Despite these inconveniences, I know that my training has benefits.  For one, I go to the physical therapist because I have epicondylitis (tennis elbow) from typing on my computer and it seems that it only feels good when I'm exercising.  And, there's all that research.  Long term and clinical studies confirm that chronic exercise improves our blood pressure, reduces the risk for diabetes, heart disease and cancer, promotes weight loss, increases strength and endurance, improves mood, blah, blah, I could go on and on.  Yet, our country is in crisis - obesity rates are through the roof and heart disease is squelching lives - and physical fitness remains desperately low.  Everyone is talking about the health benefits of exercise, but it doesn't seem to move the needle.  So, I'd like to take a crack at it.  From an exerciser's perspective, here is a smattering of what I see as the real benefits of exercise.  Maybe one will speak to you and help you find your inner athlete!

Click HERE for photo gallery! 

Erstellt Von:Jenna Bell am 27 Jul 2010 um 5:22 | 0 Kommentare
Themen: General, Carbs, Energy, Shape, Caffeine

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Illinois, United States

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Dietitian

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I am a board certified specialist in sports dietetics and an age-group triathlete and Iron…MORE