Exercise and nutrition are key to living a good life. They go hand in hand like salt and pepper or peanut butter and jelly. Taking care of our bodies through regular physical activity and a balanced diet has so many benefits. Not only does it help us stay physically fit, but it also boosts our energy levels, improves our mood, and can even decrease health risks. Exercise and nutrition are a dynamic duo for our bodies. They keep us strong, happy, and energized.
As an athlete, I get a lot of exercise daily because I always have practice, speed training, or plyometrics. These exercises can be hard and tiring, but after I finish my workouts I feel confident and good about what I have accomplished. It changes my mood from being exhausted to happy, just being physically active. I feel not only in shape but like my whole body has changed. Physical activity improves brain health and provides positivity. It’s all about a positive mindset and taking care of ourselves inside and out.
Along with feeling good, eating a nice balanced meal makes me feel better. When I eat fast food or something greasy, salty, sugary, fatty, or anything that makes me bloated or like I’m going to throw up, I hate it. It changes my mood and makes me not want to do anything. But eating a balanced meal with plenty of nutritious foods helps me feel way better in so many ways.
While exercise and nutrition improve our moods, it also increases muscle strength and endurance. Mayo Clinic explains that exercising sends oxygen and nutrients to tissues in our bodies and helps our cardiovascular system. This helps our heart and lung health and gives us more energy. Along with that, it also has a positive influence on the digestive, immune, respiratory, and skeletal systems. I think this is an important factor especially because there is an increase in health problems in the U.S. and people are not correcting this issue.
Exercise is important for many reasons relating to physical and mental health, but nutrition contributes to exercising. Having a good, full, equal meal supplies our body with nutrients that are important for muscle strength and endurance. From National Geographic Education, I learned that eating right and following through with a balanced diet allows more growth in muscles and in general. We need a certain amount of protein, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and carbohydrates each day. Protein helps build muscles which is good because it helps us with movements. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health states that vegetables and fruits are what should be mainly eaten. They can lower blood sugar, reduce health risks, and lower digestive problems. Whole grain provides fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that control cholesterol, weight, and blood pressure. Lastly, carbohydrates support bodily functions and provide energy.
With exercising and nutrition, they both help keep us alive and feeling good about ourselves. It’s amazing how both of them correlate with one another and how it can change our entire lives. It’s important to exercise because it keeps us moving and it’s important to eat and have a good nutritious meal because it allows our body to grow, but also stay healthy. Living a long life is from eating well and exercising.
When I am exercising or working out, I have to eat well to gain muscle and obtain a healthy life. Without a good nutritious diet, no one would be able to fully see results even if they are exercising daily. As stated, exercise and nutrition are a dynamic duo and are always connected. That’s why I exercise and it has become a daily necessity in my life.