12 Changes I Noticed After Working Out Everyday for a Month
For a few weeks, I had been working out 3–5 days a week, whenever I felt like it, and it was fun. I noticed that I attracted more people in the neighbourhood to also engage in physical exercise everyday, which was motivating to be honest. And I remembered, every time I went for trekking, I would struggle. Climbing uphill was hard; climbing up the stairs when I could not access the lift was hard; walking long distances was hard. I realised how weak I have become over the years, staying indoors and moving around by Uber vehicles when needed, and just idling physically most of the day.
Not only is laziness not healthy, but it can also cause serious problems as you grow older. I saw a health report that was published, and that was the slap on the face I needed, a reminder for me, so I decided to work out everyday. And I am SO HAPPY that I chose to do this!
“Keep your squats low and your standards high. — Anonymous”
What I Learnt After Working Out Everyday for a Month
- Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is Real! If you are a newbie in the world of fitness, you, like me or anyone else like us would probably wonder how the sudden pain that shows up and becomes worse in a few hours or the next day happens not while you are exercising or immediately after the excercise either, but only later. And hence the name “DELAYED Onset Muscle Soreness”.
If you, like me, are a science lover, I insist that you listen to Episode 133: “What is DOMS?” by The Prehab Podcast. There is so much interesting information in there and it’s not even long!
2. You Feel Much Stronger. Okay, this could have something to do with the change in the food consumption, too, but I am sure that working out everyday plays a major role! If you ask, “how can you just feel stronger?”, I don’t have an answer to that; you will have to try it out yourself!
3. You Sleep So Much Better. I have noticed that after exercising, I feel fresh for a while, and I do my work normally, but slowly, I start feeling tired and drowsy (which is only normal for most people but only more normal for beginners!), and when I finally go to bed, I get to enjoy sound sleep!
4. Your Need for Rest Increases. This seems like an obvious one right? The harder you work, the more tired you get, and the more you want rest. Well, we could understand this easily in theory, but this means that we will have to plan our daily lifestyle differently because we now spend more time exercising than we did in the past and we need more rest than we did in the past!
There are days when you will get really, really tired, especially after overexertion, that is, when you push yourself too hard and your body cannot take it. On days like that, be kind to yourself and give your body some rest.
5. Your Appetite Increases. Again, another obvious one, right? Yes, the harder you work, the more calories you burn, and you would soon be able to notice that your hunger and thirst also increase.
Relating to this, before you go out for your workout, before an hour or an hour and a half, have a heavy, nutritious meal, not something your body can digest easily, but something with complex carbs and proteins, and drink a lot of water right before you leave if you don’t like carrying a bottle or anything unnecessary with you.
And to deal with the tiredness following your workout, come back and have some nutrient-rich snack, preferably something rich in proteins and calcium, and electrolytes, and the easiest to access and the most commonly advised food for this purpose is: banana! Yes, have a banana or two. I prefer to avoid protein drinks and protein powder, and so far, this works out for me.
6. You Will Gain Muscle and Lose Fat. This is something that depends on several factors like the individual’s age, sex, genetics, the exercises we do, the weight, the time spent, and such, but this is another change that you will certainly notice. And some experts say that the weighing scale may not show much change in the initial stages, and that could be because muscle is heavier than fat is, so as fat reduces and muscle increases, your weight could fluctuate.
You are not alone if you ask, “but how will I know if it is muscle or fat?”. That is a common question. From what I have read, fat is softer (think belly fat) and muscle is harder (think of biceps). I could feel this change, muscle gain mainly in the upper abdominal region, the middle of my back, and most importantly, in the lower sections of my calf muscles.
7. Your Posture Will Improve. I was surprised when I noticed suudenly one day that I was sitting with my back upright, sitting straight without nay support to lean on. This was surprising because usually, I sit with my back slouched and my arms arched up a bit, which is the result of spending too much time in front of the laptop/computer screen. I really didn’t expect my posture to change and my spine to stay straight as a result of regular physical activity, and this is one of the things I love!
8. What Seemed Hard Last Week Will Feel Easier Today. I really don’t know if it’s the brain fooling you into thinking that this is the case or if your body can so quickly improve or if it is a mix of both. Either way, as you continue to exercise everyday, you will notice that you are showing small yet significant signs of improvement.
9. You Will Be Able to Stretch Better with Ease! Physical activities that require that you stretch your arms or legs, which could have felt harder for you earlier would feel much easier.
10. Your Balance Would Improve. This is another interesting change I noticed after 2–3 weeks of working out everyday. Earlier, I wouldn’t be able to stand on one foot for long, but nowadays, it’s easier and doesn’t feel hard at all. Also, while moving around, I can feel it.
11. Your Mood Will Improve Significantly! To feel this change, you don’t have to wait for long. When you invest a solid amount of time to exercise each day, you will notice that you start feeling positive or happy and more confident and even relaxed, so physical exercise does not benefit just your physical health but also your mental health, or to put it better, your overall health!
12. You will feel motivated overall. It’s normal to feel so not confident in yourself in the first orsecond week of working out, but once it becomes a habit, it could start feeling like an addiction, and the only difference is that this is a healthy addiction. You will want to workout more often! You will no longer need motivation from other sources because you would realise that it is fun!
