Our overall health is probably one of the most significant aspects to our individual lives. In reality, without our health, our quality of life would be slim to none. Maintaining our health is a sub aspect to our overall health. There are countless ways to maintain our health such as choosing healthy options when we eat, taking vitamins, seeing our doctors regularly, or getting a sufficient amount of sleep. Although all of these are great ways to maintain great health, over time, I have learned that working out is one of the best ways to lead a healthy lifestyle. The great thing about working out is that there are so many ways that one could do it; you are able to pick the way that benefits you the most whether it is swimming, running, going to the gym, dancing, and so many other ways! Working out has been proven to benefit one's life in so many ways, and here are a few ways it has:

1. Working out improves one's mental state.

Working out is great for one's mental health because it gives them a sense of well-being. The more we work out, the more endorphin we produce. Endorphin is a hormone produced in the body and holds a large function within the brain and the nervous system, controlling many physiological functions. This hormone is known to be the controller of one's happiness, which is a huge aspect to maintaining great mental health. Also, seeing progression within ourselves, it could give us a sense of accomplishment, which definitely gives us one-up on our mental state!

2. It gives you that dreamy summer body.

Although this may not sound like it is too important for your health, it is! Yeah, you will have a nice body that will look good in a bathing suit, but you will also be healthy. Becoming too overweight could be dangerous to your body. It could give you high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and it could even take a toll on your legs, where it would make them weaker for having so much pressure on them all day, everyday.

3. It serves as a type of rehabilitation.

If you're someone who is active in sports or who is just always getting hurt, you know that physical therapy is always the answer. Physical therapy is basically a controlled and more mild work out directed by a physical therapist. Once you become stronger, working out alone will probably be the best option to get you back on the road to recovery. Every doctor that I've went to for advice on how to get back into the game informed me to stay active by working out, even if it isn't extraneous, it's something.

4. It will give you more energy.

Think about it. When you are sessile, your body stores all of this energy and turns it into fat. When you are active and working out, your body uses the energy and produces more. If you do not work out, you will probably be tired all of the time and teach yourself no sense of motivation. Working out gives you that little push.

These are just a few reasons why it is so important to work out. To me, these are the most important, but one could formulate many different reasons why working out is so important to them. According to Brandon Zofrea, who competes in the sport of power lifting, "Lifting is as beneficial to the mind as it is to the body. With a strong body comes a strong mind. It will teach you the skill of perseverance, working out of your own comfort level because you know the reward of it all will be worth all the discomfort." Brandon competed in sports his whole life and was injured many times. Eventually, he retreated to lifting and working out, and his life has changed for the best in so many ways. Even if you have doubts, try it once and see for yourself!