1/30 Myth Busting Monday

get ready to get inverted today

Myth: Exercise Makes You LOOK Better
​Realty: Exercise Makes You FEEL Better

I have written before about the twisted perception that exercise makes you look a certain way. FOOD makes you look a certain way. We've been lied to our entire lives by the media, our families, our friends, doctors, food companies, exercise "experts," and all manner of well-meaning acquaintances. The lie is this: eat certain foods to feel a certain way and do physical exercise to look better. 
The simple truth is this: exercise improves your MENTAL health as much if not more than your physical health. There is a growing body of scientific research that is uncovering the positive impact physical exercise has on depression, anxiety, stress, and many other mental health issues. 
However, we are bombarded with thousands of messages everyday to "lift, tone and burn," or "go hard or go home," or "hard work pays off," or "just do it," or "make yourself stronger than your excuses." or "sore today, strong tomorrow." Even our TSCF bubble is not immune, "show up and do the work" is on display in our gym. While those messages can be motivating or reaffirming of the exercise choice we've made. None of them actually address the real benefit of exercise.
​Move your body and you'll feel better. 
I was delighted when I recently read this article in Slate that addresses this very topic. In their new column Good Fit, they are exploring exercise myths and diving into what exercise really does for us. Simply, it makes us feel good. 
I have seen this in my 12 years of being a CrossFit Coach. It happens every damn day. Someone walks into the gym looking like Eeyore. After a bit of warm-up movements they actually start talking to the person next to them. During the workout brief they're full of questions and eager to get started. After 3,2,1 Go they're bursting with intensity and getting all the barbell therapy. After the workout they're smiling, happy, energetic and prancing around like Tigger. 

Have you experienced the feel good effects of exercise? Share with us in the comments a time when you felt like crap only to get Tiggerized by exercise. 

Click Here for The WOD