Nutrition is key to being healthy, but it must be accompanied by a good exercise regimen. Without exercise, all that good healthy food would go to waste. It is like having an expensive Rolls Royce with the best premium fuel, but never taking it out for a drive. Our bodies were designed to be used to full capacity. The more we use it, the greater it performs. Muscles grow when they are challenged to perform at a greater capacity. Blood flows faster to feed oxygen to the different parts of the body that requires it. When energy is required frequently, the body becomes an energy factory supplying energy to any part of the body that needs it. Our body is an engineering masterpiece designed by God Himself.

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Exercise is extremely important for a balanced physical, mental, and spiritual state. Exercise improves mood by decreasing depression, anxiety, and stress. Exercise activates the production of endorphins such as serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin, which are known to be the “Feel Good Hormones”. Serotonin is the “Happy Hormone” because it regulates the body’s mood by decreasing stress levels. Dopamine is a “Feel Good” hormone because it blocks pain sensations, and it is the brain’s reward system. Oxytocin is the body’s “Love Hormone” by increasing the general feeling of trust and empathy which promotes physical affection.

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Exercise creates a body that we custom-design to our own requirements. We become the architect of our own custom appearance. Do we want a slender body, a muscular body, or even an overweight body? It's our choice. For many, an overweight body seems to be by default, but it does not have to be. There are many conditions that will not allow the standard methods of weight loss, but it is still an achievable goal. Our bodies are very resilient when we give them the proper tools to work with. Understanding our own unique individual bodies will help us better manage our health and our physical appearance.

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Exercise increases our metabolism. The body’s metabolism is high during the young toddler age. We would have an endless energy source if we were to harness the energy generated by children. As the body ages, the metabolism slows down. It slows down because the activity decreases. By continually exercising the body we keep the metabolism high. A high metabolism burns calories even when the body is at rest. It stores no fat because it is in constant “Burn” mode. A high metabolism creates hunger because it devours energy as soon as it is consumed. Many make the mistake of snacking on unhealthy foods just to satisfy their hunger. Snacking on fruits, nuts, and vegetables would be the ideal snacks. But it would be best to limit our meals to two or three times a day. Our digestive system needs rest from the heavy workload of the digestive process.

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Exercise promotes strong muscles and bones. Not just the obvious muscles are strengthened, but those we rarely think about such as the heart, the diaphragm, the intestines, bladder just to name a few. Involuntary muscles benefit from exercise because they kick into high gear during an exercise session. The heart beats faster, the lungs inhale and exhale deeper and faster, the digestive system absorbs whatever nutrients are contained in the intestines to supply the body with more energy and the blood eliminates more toxins from the body filling the bladder for elimination. The entire body benefits from exercise because all systems are interconnected. Exercise is crucial for maximum physical performance in all areas of bodily functions.

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I enjoy exercising. I try to do it daily. I go out on walks with my wife and it gets my body going. I’ve gone on 5K runs with church groups and it is very exhilarating as well as fun socializing with my friends. (5k Fun Run Bolingbrook SDA Church) Challenging the body is a great way to keep the body young and free from muscular aches and joint pain. I challenge myself often. I often try to see how many push-ups I can do. Everyone has their favorite exercise activity. I enjoy resistance exercises such as weights, pulleys, resistance bands, and all manner of strength-building activities. At my age, I need to keep challenging my body so it will not fail me when I need it most. (25 Reps Cable Push-Ups)

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