Do people who workout really have Happy Hormones??

I have noticed that I have been in a better mood and feeling good lately so I was wondering do people who exercise really have happy hormones??? I think about a qoute from the movie Legally Blonde that Elle said "I just don't think that Brooke could've done this. Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don't." So I wanted to read and share more about why/how working out makes you happy:)

Like Elle says when you exercise you release Endorphines into your body. Endorphins are natural hormones that your brain releases when it senses happiness. These endorphins give you a sense of happiness, satisfaction and well-being; they tell you all is well with your body. If you feel happy then you think differently about life. Exercise does a body good but also it promotes a healthy mind.

The Cochrane Review has produced a landmark metaanalysis of studies on exercise and depression. They picked 23 rigorous studies out of a pool of more than one hundred. The conclusion was that exercise had a “large clinical impact” on depression. Among the studies that support the theory that exercise directly causes improved mental well-being (as opposed to vice-versa) is one that looked at the effect of exercise on older adults with clinical depression (Blumenthal et al., 1999). The authors compared exercise to a commonly prescribed anti-depressant medication (Zoloft), and found that both were equally effective in reducing depressive symptoms. So, workout or take meds to feel better???

So it is shown and proven that working out makes your body and mind happy but how?

1. Exercise will tone your body.  Therefore you will begin to feel better about the way you look.
2. Your brain chemistry changes while you are working out; leading to feeling calm.
3. You will feel a sense of accomplishment after each time you exercise leading to improved self-esteem.
4. Exercise can be a healthy means of distracting yourself from your emotional pain.  Exercise can also be a means to face your emotional pain because the increased confidence will allow you to deal with internal traumas in a bold, self-assured manner.
5. Exercise by itself is known to improve depression and anxiety.
6. Exercise can help prevent illness: Heart disease, osteoporosis, and even cancer may be prevented through a good workout on a regular basis. Your circulatory and lymph systems benefit greatly from exercise and they are mostly responsible for your health. The blood carries nutrition to your cells and the lymph carries away waste. And your increased breathing oxygenates all the cells in your body. Additionally, your immune system is strengthened to prevent common colds and other illnesses.

So, I guess I found an answer to my question....do people who workout have happy hormones and the answer is YES!!! So do something good for yourself and make exercise a part of your daily life and change the way you look, feel and think!!!

www.beachbodycoach.com/FitwithMeliss