Originally from Old Norse, thrive means “to prosper; be fortunate, or successful,” according to Dictionary.com. It can also have the related meaning of “to grow or develop vigorously; flourish.” When one is thriving, they are doing more than just surviving, or just experiencing the minimum amount of success in life. Thriving indicates that one is going above and beyond just surviving to be an even happier and more prosperous person.
There are many ways that a person can thrive in life. One of the most important activities which helps people thrive in their own lives, no matter their profession, age, income level, etc. is a regular fitness routine. The human body was “made to move,” according to a personal trainer. Therefore, it only makes sense to include some form of exercise in your daily or weekly routine.
The Importance of Vigorous Exercise
Exercise does not have to be strenuous to be beneficial. But some health improvements like better cardiovascular health, can only be achieved with a strenuous workout, as one expert indicates. Vigorous exercise can take many forms, including jogging, running, kickboxing, and cardio exercises routines performed in a fitness club class or via an exercise video. Equipment is not always required in order get a good workout. Simply putting on exercise clothing appropriate for the time of year and jogging or running outside can be enough. There are times when equipment is needed, however, like when the weather is too damp or cold for outside activities. At such times a treadmill might be useful for jogging or running. Additionally, equipment can be used for a vigorous workout routine like lifting weights. Often most workout gloves are used when regularly performing weight lifting to prevent hand calluses. They can also, generally help with getting a good grip on the weights and prevent you from feeling the coldness of the weights, if you are working out in a cold environment.
Health Benefits
It’s worth the effort to regularly add some form of exercise to your life; the health benefits are many. Working out can build strong bones, strengthen your muscles, decrease stress, improve your mood, help with weight loss and maintaining a good weight, helps your skin when performing moderate exercise. It also improves sleep and relaxation and helps with memory and thinking. In fact, it’s been shown that exercise can increase the size of the hippocampus, a part of the brain associated with learning and memory, which is an important benefit for older adults.
Getting a good education, surrounding yourself with positive people, learning how to deal effectively with stress, and doing what you love as a vocation or an avocation, are all ways to thrive in life. Another very important factor is taking care of one’s self. One obvious way to accomplish this is through regular exercise. The myriad health benefits are reason enough to carve out time in one’s busy life to work out.
