If you thought exercise was merely a necessary evil to keep your body slim and healthy, you’re missing some essential elements of what exercise is about. If you thought exercise was something you had to squeeze in between the demands of life and work because it’s supposed to be “good for you,” you’re overlooking the vital values of exercise.

Through regular exercise, you can find both emotional and physical well being.

Here’s how exercise can make you happy:

1. Choose an exercise you enjoy — If you love to dance, that’s great exercise and you’re having fun. If golf is your game, you’ll get some great benefits while you and your buddies happily compete for the highest score.

2. Exercise improves your mood — Exercise releases endorphins, natural hormones that flood the body with a feel-good energy, a natural high! You release stress through physical exertion and regulated breathing, so you can let go of the day’s challenges and go home feeling relaxed and refreshed.

3. Build confidence as you build skill — Playing a sport like tennis or Pilates is a skill you can continually improve. And as you do, you become more confident in other areas of your life as well.

Here’s how exercise can make you healthy:

1. Exercise helps 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.

2. Stay slim with regular exercise — Being overweight can lead to ill health with high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and joint problems. Exercise burns extra calories and improves your metabolism so you burn fat more regularly. Combine stretching, strength training, and aerobics for a complete exercise program. You’ll not only be able to maintain your optimum body weight, but your overall appearance will improve as blood and oxygen enliven your complexion, your hair, and your skin.

3. Improve your lifestyle through exercise — You’ll sleep better, have a more positive outlook, reduced stress, better concentration, and more energy and endurance to run your life efficiently and effectively. It can even improve your love life, pick up skateboarding or something, read the latest skateboard reviews to keep the fun rolling. Overall, regular exercise slows the aging process and adds to the quality of your life.