Posted on February 13, 2014 by Jenny Cromack

I think many clients assume that as personal trainers we are always active with clients and therefore don’t need to train. However, our job when we are with our clients is to make sure they are working optimally towards their goals, using the correct techniques, timing their reps, etc. It’s certainly not a chance for us to sneak in a quick workout! So, why do I workout? What are the benefits of exercise to me?

Well, like many people, I exercise so I am more confident about my body…I’d be a liar if I didn’t say that vanity was part of the reason! However, my main reason is because it makes me feel great and I use it to de-stress. For me, there is nothing better than getting out for a run when I’ve had a busy day or have something on my mind, it’s chance for my brain to de-clutter and for me to unwind. Take today for example, I went out to my car at 5:40am ready to set off for work as normal, only to find some toe-rag had broken into my car! Today was meant to be a rest day but I just needed to get out there and run….to take my mind off what had happened, put things into perspective (after all having my car broken into is nothing compared to what the poor people suffering in the flood hit areas of the country are going through) and generally let off some steam about the situation. What a better way to channel some aggression into something positive! Today’s run wasn’t about running at a certain pace or doing a particular distance, today was just about running for the hell of it and feeling a million times better about life when I came back, and guess what it did just that!

Whilst I was out running I thought about what had been stolen from my car, amongst other things was my sports bag….why someone would want to steal my sweaty sports kit I have no idea! One of the essential things they stole were two of my decent sports bras and my favourite running leggings. How a woman can run or exercise for that matter without a decent sports bra is beyond me. I’ve tried and tested many a sports bra and prefer the Shock Absorber Run, however if anyone knows of any other good sports bras then let me know! Oh well, always one to try and turn a negative into a positive, at least I get to go shopping for new sports kit and many of my clients will probably say it’s about time since much of the clothing I wear to train in is often covered in holes or paint! Who cares what you look like when you train…you’re there to work hard and sweat not be part of a beauty show!

Anyway, I digress…..what are the other benefits of exercise for me personally? Well, the main reason I started exercising is because when I was a teenager, despite being very sporty, I was also overweight. I was always known for the amount of food I could pile onto a plate at a family party and my brother’s nickname for me was Thunder Thighs (for those of you who remember Thunder Cats…he used to sing the theme tune to me but sing Thunder Thighs instead!). So, I started exercising to lose weight. As I became more and more educated about health and fitness and I realised I couldn’t do it without also following a healthy eating plan and so these days they go hand and hand and therefore one of the other benefits of exercise is that it encourages me to eat healthy and stay in shape. In addition to these benefits I have healthy cholesterol levels, I’m not at risk from diabetes and my heart is going strong…..all great excuses to keep exercises me thinks!