Mad? Moody? Get to boot camp

Sometimes it's hard to get out of bed to go to class, or to head to boot camp after work instead of collapsing on the couch -- and it's not just physical tiredness that lures us away from exercise. How often has a simple bad mood held you back?

Such was the black cloud I felt on Friday, when a combination of stressful life situations and hormones was making me cranky and cross. But guess what? 45 minutes of strenuous exercise later, the cloud had lifted and I felt genuinely better, a feeling that lasted me the whole rest of the day. At some unknown point in the middle of the workout, the mood went away and what would have been a long, cranky day suddenly became more manageable.

And no, it's not just me...

Research confirms that aerobic activity reduces PMS symptoms, including a study by researchers at George Washington University who investigated the effects of a 14-week aerobic training program on the psychological symptoms of PMS. The conclusion: women with PMS who did aerobic exercise for 45 minutes, three times a week, showed decreased premenstrual depression and anxiety when compared with a sedentary control group. (Link)

Yet another reason why exercise is never just about losing weight -- although that's a great benefit, obviously. It's about being your best self and living the best possible life. Life's too short to not try to make it the best possible, right?

Posted by Kate