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There’s no question that staying on top of your health can be a challenge. Between work, family, and social obligations, it seems like there’s never enough time in the day to take care of yourself. But it is crucial to make time for your health – after all, you can’t pour from an empty cup! This blog post will discuss some tips for staying on top of your health and cover everything from getting enough exercise to eating a healthy diet. So read on for helpful advice on how to stay healthy and happy!

1) Consider your mental health

The first step to staying on top of your health is to take care of your mental health. This includes managing stress, getting enough sleep, and spending time with loved ones. When you’re feeling good mentally, it’s easier to make healthy choices for your body as well.

If you’re struggling to manage stress, there are a number of helpful coping mechanisms you can try, such as yoga or meditation. You can also talk to a therapist, which can be incredibly helpful in managing both stress and other mental health concerns.

2) Eat a nutritious diet

It’s no secret that what you eat has a big impact on your health. Eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is crucial for maintaining your health. It’s also important to limit processed foods, sugary drinks, and unhealthy fats.

Making time to cook meals at home can be challenging, but it’s worth it when you consider the benefits for your health. Meal prepping or cooking in bulk can help save time during the week. And there are plenty of healthy recipes out there that don’t require a lot of time or effort to make!

3) Try some yoga

Yoga has a plethora of health benefits, including reducing stress, improving flexibility and balance, and even helping to prevent chronic diseases. If you’re new to yoga, there are plenty of resources available to help you get started. There are also many different types of yoga, so you can find a style that suits your needs and preferences.

4) Receive regular health screenings

It’s important to get regular health screenings, even if you feel healthy. This can help catch any potential health concerns early on when they’re more likely to be treatable. Some common health screenings include tests for cholesterol, blood pressure, and cancer. You’ll also be able to get some answers on Contraception and a variety of other health topics. Depending on your age and family history, your doctor may recommend additional screenings.

In conclusion, there are several things you can do to stay on top of your health. From eating a healthy diet to getting regular health screenings, there are many ways to make sure you’re staying healthy and happy. However, what’s most important is finding what works for you and making time for your health!

 

Many people who read the title to this post may, quite obviously, think that ‘not being able to see well’ is a good prerequisite for needing glasses. On that note you would be utterly correct. Yet the truth is that noticing a lapsing degree of visual quality is not the only sign that can come along with needing glasses.

After all, some people feel that having to wear glasses is somehow inconvenient or isn’t the kind of ‘accessory’ they’re looking for, but of course, visiting a service like Clear Vision Optometry to get an appropriate prescription and eye health check is absolutely essential regardless.

But what are the hidden or seemingly inconsequential signs that you may need glasses in your life? After all, if you can notice the signs, then you’ll be much more likely to visit the professionals as and when you need them. While this may sound minor, your eye health is an essential part of your overall wellbeing, and so consider the following symptoms you may wish to look out for:

Tension Headaches

If you notice that tension headaches seem to keep recurring and it’s making you lose focus, keeping you distracted, or if they come on at all hours of the day for no discernable reason, it’s important to make sure that it’s not poor eyesight causing you this problem. Over time, this issue can compound and as your brain tries its hardest to clarify the input from your ocular system, it can lead to headaches and the inability to think clearly. While it’s important to visit your doctor, it can also be worthwhile to schedule an eye test.

Halos In Bright Light

If you notice fuzz or halos in bright light then it could be that your eyesight needs testing. This can sometimes be a sign of a lack of competent vision or degrading vision. This can also sometimes cause the tension headaches we laid out above, which is never a fun experience in its own right. When you can adequately find the glasses you need, or the treatment you deserve, then you’re much less likely to find that brighter lights bother you, especially when contrasted against the darkness of a blacker image or night.

Trouble Driving

If you notice that you’re struggling to make out the license plates of those several cars in front of you, or your hazard perception seems to be less responsive, or simply that you tend to get headaches while driving (particularly at night), then it might be you need driving frames. In many countries, a proper eye examination is required in order to ensure you can see properly or that you have the proper lens provisions in place, but this is not universal. In some scenarios, a final examiner might just ask you to read out a license plate a few cars away, but that hardly proves yo have great eyesight, nor does it apply to degraded eyesight after you’ve passed your test. We’d recommend that if you’ve been having trouble, you visit your optometrist immediately.

With this advice, you’ll be able to identify if you need glasses in your life – but always refer to the accredited professionals.

Easing a loved one into a nursing home is a very challenging part of life. However, it is for the good of their health. It is even more difficult dealing with the passing of a loved one. Nonetheless, it is a natural stage in life and it happens to every family. 

Whether you have young children or family members that have never experienced a death in the family, it is important to help people prepare for the event. It will help the experience feel a little easier to deal with and not so much of a panic moment. On that note, here is how to prepare your family for the passing of a loved one.

Sort the funeral in good time

Telling your family about the passing of a loved one is hard enough. It is a good idea to arrange the funeral with as few people as possible so that everyone can grieve in their own way. 

Getting prepared and ahead of their game with the funeral arrangements will ensure that you can spend plenty of quality time with your loved ones on the day. You won’t want to leave anything until the last minute otherwise you might not fulfil the expectations of the one that you lost.

Ask people to visit before the passing

You might know when to expect your loved one to pass. If so, then ensure to ask family members and friends to visit them before it happens. 

This is to ensure that they both get one last memory together. It might be the last time that they see them, so pre-warning people will make sure that they get to see them. 

Educate young children on the process

When you know the event is going to happen, it can be useful to educate young family members on the process of death. Otherwise, they might hear it from someone else and their story might not be so friendly as yours. 

Therefore, when the younger members of the family hear about the passing of your loved one they understand what has happened and why it happened. Furthermore, they can think of the loved one in a good place and not have negative connotations, which can make the grieving process harder.

Be supportive

When a family member is ill and you know that they do not have long left, it is important to be supportive of them as well as your family. You might spend more time with that loved one and therefore, less time with your children. 

Nonetheless, your children will understand if you let them know that the loved one is ill. They might even want to be there to support them. Either way, be supportive of everyone around you as people deal with the grieving process in different ways. 

Dealing with the passing of a loved one is not easy. Being there for your family and preparing the younger generation can make the event much easier to process. Be there for each other and your loved ones before they pass to grasp onto those last special moments.

 

When it comes time to move a parent or loved one into a nursing home, it can be a time fraught with emotion. Even if the person in question is eager and willing to move. Remember that your senior loved one will be struggling with the loss of independence and anxious about this next chapter in their life. 

And you’re likely feeling these emotions keenly too. Alongside questioning whether what you’re doing is the right thing at the right time. It’s important to remember that these feelings are completely normal and an expected part of the transition. But there are ways to make your loved ones transition into a nursing home much smoother. 

  • Visit Often

Nothing will help your parent or loved one more than seeing you often. Making sure you’re still a mainstay in their lives shows that you still care. And it gives them contact with the outside world, so they don’t feel so cut off. 

But this rule might not be something you need to stick to during the early weeks. You know your parents and loved ones the best. Some people respond well to having constant help during a big change. While others will benefit from being left to their own devices for a few weeks. Talk to them about what suits them best at the start. 

  • Get Help

It takes a village to look after people. So mobilize yours if you need extra help, especially at the start. It can take a while to settle into a new routine. And you may not have all the time in the world to help your loved ones settle in. So make it a whole family and friends affair. This takes the strain off you and shows your parents just how many people care for them. And how many people are ready to help whenever they might need it again.

 

Remember that we all need extra help sometimes. And you never know what situation you might find yourself in. Unfortunately, cases of nursing home abuse have risen in recent years. So it helps to be prepared with a talented nursing home abuse lawyer if you run into problems. 

  • Acknowledge The Difficulties

 

It will help to speak about the move in a positive light. Of course, you want to get your parents or loved ones excited about their move rather than have them dreading it. But they will have concerns and fears. And if you spend the whole time drown out their worries with positivity, you won’t help quell their concerns at all. 

 

Let them talk through their worries openly and honestly. Acknowledge their feelings and help them move forward through them in a positive light. They’re much more likely to listen to you in the future if you take the time to listen to them. 

  • Keep It Familiar

 

Assisted living facilities and nursing homes aren’t huge. So your parents’ move likely means they are downsizing. For some of them, that decrease will be considerable. As a result, you may find them missing all the things they love, and that make their home feel like theirs.

Take the time to surround them with belongings that will fit comfortably in their new home. This will help them settle in much easier and ease the sting of losing some of their belongings. 

Interestingly, using their old belongings helps to make your parents feel more in charge too. You may be tempted to give them lots of new tech and furniture in a bid to make things easier. But all this does is overwhelm them with new things. Because everything about the nursing home is already unique. 

  • Have Boundaries

You will want nothing more than to ease the worries of your loved ones and make their transition a smooth one. But you still have a life, a job, and maybe a family to look after and be an active part of. Free up as much time as you can at the beginning, but know that it’s ok if you can’t be there all the time.

Set out strict boundaries at the start of what you can achieve comfortably regarding being there and helping out. Make your parents and loved ones aware of these boundaries kindly so they know what you can do with your time.

  • Trust Your Instincts

There will be a lot of people in your ear telling you things. From what’s expected of you to how you should care for your parents. In the end, you know best. You know your parents best, so always trust your instincts. 

  • Give It Time

And most importantly, give it time. It takes time to settle into new places. And feelings you and your loved ones may have at the start will diminish as time moves on. So give it time. 

 

Our daily life directly impacts the good quality of our joints. When you suffer from osteoarthritis, taking care of your joints is essential. To take care of it, it is necessary to adopt good daily habits. Physical activity, a varied diet and even hydration are the main keys. Sometimes we may even need surgery to improve our mobility. You may want to look at orthocentralcoast.com.au

Eat a balanced diet 

Changing your eating habits is essential when you are prone to joint pain. Processed foods tend to increase the rate of inflammation in the body, a trigger for osteoarthritis. To overcome this, it is then necessary to modify your eating habits. Eat fatty fish. Oily fish such as sardines, herring or even salmon are rich in omega 3 necessary for the proper functioning of our cells. These omega 3s are also powerful anti-inflammatories.  Do not forget the vegetable proteins. They participate in the renewal of muscle tissue and bone mass. Consuming it regularly is recommended to protect your joints. 

Stay hydrated and favor ionized water 

Hydrating is essential for the proper functioning of our body and therefore of our joints. In particular, it is recommended to vary the water that is consumed by drinking ionized water composed of a higher PH than so-called “basic” water. Ionized water is rich in benefits and helps fight against the acidity of our body. 

Practice a gentle activity to fluidize your joints 

When someone is prone to joint pain, playing sports is recommended. Long avoided for fear of exacerbating the pain, practicing physical activity nevertheless makes it possible to maintain good joint health. If you want to maintain a healthy weight, it is essential so that the joints do not have excessive weight. It is however necessary to opt for an activity adapted to your desires but also to your physical capacities. Walking, swimming, water aerobics or even yoga and pilates are all recommended practices for keeping in shape gently and efficiently. These activities make it possible to stress the joints without attacking them.  

Adopt the right postures to preserve your cartilage 

Our posture, also known as “good postural habit” is essential to protect your joints and avoid attacking them. Indeed, a poor distribution of the load on our joints can overwork our cartilage and damage it. The goal is to stay fluid in your movements in order to “save” your joints. One of the first things to do is to stand up straight whether you are sitting or standing. 

Nutritional supplements 

Nature has many benefits to fight against joint pain. Meadowsweet, Harpagophytum, White Willow or even red fruits are formidable antioxidants that help soothe pain. They can be consumed in the form of food supplements to fight against inflammation or to promote the regeneration of cartilage if they are based on chondroitin and glucosamine. Spices such as turmeric are also beneficial. Its anti-inflammatory effects help reduce joint pain. These spices can be consumed in different ways. Integrated fresh in dishes, in powder or why not in herbal tea.

 

weight lifting

There is a point in many fitness fanatics’ lives when they hit a plateau with their workouts and fitness. They hit all of their goals and now wonder what’s next. It’s at this point that many decide to get shredded AF and become a bodybuilder.

Bodybuilding is an attractive fitness discipline for many people because of the challenge of it. There is a very strict regimen that must be followed and results happen regularly. It’s very targeted and you have to be very organized for it to work.

If you’re at that point where you want to take your fitness goals to the next level then becoming a bodybuilder is a logical way to go. In this article, we will go over exactly how you can get started on this journey.

1 – Find the right gym

Some gyms have a very big focus on bodybuilding. They differ from other gyms that do a bit of everything so these are the ones to look for. They have trainers there that understand the steps necessary to be successful. And the gym is always full of bodybuilders so the equipment is geared to this type of workout.

When starting any kind of hobby or lifestyle change, it pays off to be around people that are passionate about the topic. There is usually a community of people that love to help newbies that are getting started. Bodybuilding is no different. Often, there is a person that acts as a sort of mentor to somebody that needs to learn the ropes.

Ask around in the gym where you currently go and somebody there will likely point you in the right direction. There are also numerous forums online where there will be somebody that can answer where the best gyms are in your area.

2 – Set goals

Bodybuilding requires an almost obsessive amount of planning. It is essential to have a goal to strive for so the planning can be done effectively. Organizing yourself has to line up with the goals that you have.

It is also important to break down goals into milestones. Set the ultimate endpoint for your goal and what results you wish to achieve. Then, work backward to determine how to plan the route to get there. Along the way, you will have to set these milestones that act as road markers. When you hit these short-term goals, it indicates that you’re on the right path.

3 – Develop a routine

The goals you set are going to determine the routine. Each step of the journey is going to look different and the workout routine is going to change accordingly.

In the beginning, the focus is going to be on getting lean and developing muscle mass. Once you hit a plateau, it will be time to move on to another phase with a different routine to match. Usually, it involves incorporating isolation exercises and the weights and machines that work for those.

In every phase, it pays off to have a routine planned out and then stuck to. Understand what needs to be done and how much time it takes to perform each day. Then schedule your week to make sure that you are able to stay with the routine.

4 – Start out slow

The very beginning of the journey toward becoming a bodybuilder is to use the right weights. You likely already have some strength from the previous workout routine you were doing but you have to understand where you are starting out from. It’s important to use moderate weights, yet also know what your max out weight is.

This is the weight that you can lift at least once. Then, use weights that are 70% of the max weight number. This is how much weight you will be using to start out. Use these weights to do six to ten reps for three to four sets. You’ll gradually increase the weights until you’ve gone past your max weight.

5 – Target muscle groups

Each day is going to involve a different muscle group to work on to get good results. Best results come when you are doing six to ten sets per muscle group per week. This is assuming that you already have some mass to start with. A complete beginner will need to start out doing the whole body to get to a good starting point.

Conclusion 

It takes time, patience, and a lot of grit to become a bodybuilder. The payoff is an incredible body that is a testament to the hard work that you’ve put in.

 

 

You’ve made a decision to start living a healthier life and to begin taking better care of yourself. Naturally, this means you have to start exercising regularly. If this is something you haven’t done before, it’s easy to think you can just jump straight into things. As eager as you might be, you need to stop and prepare yourself for your new exercise regime. This begins by running a few tests that will help you identify any potential issues that could impact your workouts. Likewise, the tests should help you figure out if it is safe for you to exercise or not.

Here are the essential tests to conduct:

Fitness Tests

Technically, this includes lots of different tests under the same banner. Fitness tests are exactly as they sound; tests to see how fit you are. They can come in different varieties but are mostly split into two categories:

  • Strength tests
  • Cardiovascular endurance tests

A strength test can consist of a push-up test where you see how many you can do in one go. Head online to compare your results to others and it indicates how strong you might be. This helps you put realistic expectations on what you should start doing in the gym

Cardiovascular endurance tests will help you understand how fit you are aerobically. There’s a 1-mile test most people use, and the results can be found online and compared once again. If you are way below average, it shows you you need to work on improving your cardio – which will be good for your overall health. 

Flexibility Tests

Similarly, you need to conduct flexibility tests to see which muscles are the tightest in your body. This is also a good way of identifying any possible restrictions when you exercise. For instance, if stretching your shoulder causes pain, you might have an issue in the joint that should be seen before you start an exercise program. 

There are loads of stretch tests you can do, and the internet is once again a fantastic resource for you to look at. You can find loads of videos that will help you do the stretches as well. 

ECG Test

This is the most serious of all the tests as you are recording the electrical activity of the heart. As noted on dralasady.com.au, this is often referred to as an exercise stress test. In essence, you are hooked up to a device that measures your heart rate and tracks the rhythm. It will assess if your heart is beating normally and if there are any irregularities. 

The reason this is so vital is that it can detect concerns when you are exercising. It may identify that your heart is put under extreme stress when exercising and it can’t handle vigorous bouts of activity. By undergoing the test, you figure this out before something bad happens. 

Testing never sounds fun, but it’s an integral part of starting your fitness journey. Make sure you test yourself to see what needs to be addressed before you start exercising regularly. 

 

Back pain is never fun. But chronic back pain can eat away at your mental health, especially when painkiller medication isn’t effective anymore. Many people who experience recurring back pain have developed coping mechanisms such as making an appointment for physiotherapy and staying away from potentially harmful activities. 

Unfortunately, when you’re doing everything to prevent pain, it can be disheartening to struggle with chronic soreness. If you are a chronic pain victim, you want to make sure that your condition isn’t linked to a medical diagnosis. Indeed, some medical conditions can facilitate back pain. The good news is that your doctor can’t see any underlying condition. The bad news is that the back pain is still haunting you. Where does it come from?  You’d be surprised to know that back pain can be the result of everyday activities. 

Gardening with the right equipment

Anybody who loves gardening would tell you: You need to take care of your back. Therefore, whether you are using a push lawn mower or a fertilizer such as the Earthway 2170 commercial broadcast push spreader, you want to make sure that you don’t have to bend to use it. The push handles should be high enough for you to stand up.  Similarly, other guilty culprits in the garden include short-handled lawn edger, root fork, and rake. If you have to bend for a long period of time, you’re going to hurt yourself. 

 

Cooking and back pain

Could your kitchen be a source of back pain? The answer is yes. An inadequate layout where appliances at not at the right height for you can facilitate soreness. A low countertop will see you bent forward throughout the preparation, cooking, and even washing-up stages. It’s a good idea to check for appliance height when you buy a property with a fully functional kitchen. Many homeowners think they are saving themselves a lot of hassle when they found a pre-installed kitchen. However, the wring height installation can lead to severe back pain. 

Netflix and chill and sink

Ah, can there be anything more relaxing in the evening than sitting on the sofa and watching your favorite TV show on Netflix? Netflix is an integral part of our day-to-day life, especially since the pandemic. Truth be told, it can be a fantastic way to wind down at the end of the day. However, if your sofa doesn’t give you any support, you might end up sitting in an uncomfortable position for a prolonged period. 

When strength training causes pain

If you have been told that you have weak back muscles, you may be tempted to improve your overall strength. Strength training offers a fantastic solution to tackle back pain. However, it doesn’t mean you can hit the gym and lift heavy weights from day one. In fact, it’s best to stay away from weights unless you know what you are doing. Poor lifting form is the number one cause of back injuries at the gym. While the injury may not be handicapping, it can lead to chronic back pain if you’re not careful. 

Are you experiencing frequent back pain? It can be a good idea to keep a journal of your activities. You’d be surprised to find a causal correlation between some of your hobbies and your condition. 

 

When it comes to your mental health, you need to know how to spot the key signs that you suffer from a problem. Anxiety is one of the most common mental health disorders out there, and it can exist on its own or alongside depression. People who suffer from anxiety disorder will find that life is a big challenge. Daily tasks are hard to do, and the mental toll can impact your physical health as well. 

However, it’s often hard to figure out if you have anxiety or not. Why? Because the main symptom is a feeling of nervousness or worry, which we all experience throughout our lives! So, how do you know if you’re just at a normal level of nervousness, or you have anxiety?

When do you feel nervous?

Are you only nervous before big events or putting yourself in positions you’ve never been in before? For example, the night before an exam will usually trigger nervousness, as will the day you start a new job. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have anxiety as it’s natural to worry in these situations. If you feel worried every single day when doing fairly normal tasks that you have always done – like going to the shops or ordering coffee – it could be a sign that you have an anxiety disorder. 

Do you suffer from panic attacks?

Panic attacks are when your heart rate increases, you start to feel in a state of panic, and you begin hyperventilating. They can be horrible to experience, and may even result in you passing out. If you regularly suffer from panic attacks, it is a pretty big indication that you suffer from anxiety. Normal nervousness shouldn’t lead to something this extreme, particularly not if they keep on happening time after time. 

Are you suffering from ongoing physical pains?

Does your stomach always seem to hurt and is it hard for you to eat? Do you get constant headaches that make it hard for you to concentrate or go to sleep? If so, this could be a big sign that anxiety has reared its head on you. Typically, people with anxiety will worry so much that it ends up hurting them physically. Your digestive system gets hit the worst, which is why stomach pains in anxious people are common. 

What to do if you have anxiety?

You need to seek help if you discover that you have anxiety. Of course, it needs to be diagnosed first, which is why you should visit a psychiatrist whenever possible. Thankfully, as it shows on sunnysideclinic.com.au, you can get consultations and appointments over video calls nowadays. For someone suffering from anxiety, this can be less socially awkward or terrifying than meeting someone face-to-face. 

The bottom line is that you need to seek help to understand your condition and figure out how to treat it. Anxiety can plague your life for years, making you avoid social situations and miss out on huge opportunities. Hopefully, this short guide has helped you realise when you have anxiety, and when it’s just normal nervousness. 

 

Pain around your hips and pelvic region is incredibly common, particularly for women. If you experience constant pain in this area, there could be any number of issues presenting themselves. Nevertheless, if chronic pain is what you keep experiencing, the chances are you’re looking one of these three issues as the source of the pain:

Hip impingement

Hip impingement occurs where muscle and ligaments get trapped between the hip joint. This sounds painful, and you tend to get a sharp pinching pain that radiates around the hip joint and deep into the pelvis. A good way to know if this might be your problem is by rotating your hip and seeing if the pain increases. For a lot of people, when internally rotating the hip, you get a lot of restriction and feel the intense pinching pain. 

This can be caused by any number of other issues, but poor hip mobility and bad daily habits are the main causes. Ironically, both of these are caused by something else; sitting down. Sitting in a chair or in a car for hours on end will destroy your hips and make it highly likely you suffer from an impingement. 

Arthritis

Yes, you can have many types of arthritis in this area of your body, given how many bones and joints there are in the pelvis. Hip arthritis is shockingly common, and it can occur due to – again – poor hip mobility. A lack of hip mobility can cause restriction within the joint that means the bones move against one another, causing inflammation. 

However, you can also suffer from arthritis in other pelvic joints, such as the sacroiliac joints. These are where the lower spine and pelvis connect, and you can develop sacroiliitis here, which is a type of arthritic pain. Arthritis is usually characterised by constant pain that gets worse when doing certain activities. The more pressure you put on the joints, the worse the pain will be. 

Endometriosis

This is a condition that only affects women, yet it can be a hidden cause of a lot of pelvic pain. As described on dereklok.com.au, endometriosis is a disorder where tissue that forms the lining of your uterus grows outside of the uterine cavity. It is a rare disorder, but it can cause a lot of pelvic pain. 

 

Signs that this could be the source of your pelvic pain include painful periods, pain in the lower abdomen before and during your periods, and lower back pain. If you suffer from any of these – and you only seem to get pelvic pain during or before menstruation – then this could well be the problem you’re suffering from. 

 

The problem with pelvic and hip pain is that it affects everything that you do. You use your hips for everything, so even sitting down can be painful. It’s important for the sake of your health & wellbeing to diagnose your pain and find solutions for it. Thankfully, if you suffer from any of the problems mentioned today, there are treatments for them. 

weight lifting

When we consider breaking into weight lifting, most of us look at the physical benefits without really considering anything else. After all, muscle tone and strength gain are the most notable results on the table and, without them, we probably wouldn’t even think about breaching the weight section in the gym.

It’s certainly for these goals that we develop weight lifting targets alongside the best amino acids and protein powders to help get the job done. But, as with so many things in life, weight lifting has a great deal more benefits for our lifestyles than just what we can see on the surface. In fact, a healthy weight lifting habit could well provide you with everything you need to not only lift physical weights but to also keep on top of the daily lifestyle pressures that have sat on your shoulders for too long. Keep reading to find out just three of the reasons why that is, and how you can embrace these additional benefits with open, newly muscled, arms. 

weight lifting

Pushing you out of your comfort zone

The best exercise regimes will always push you far from your comfort zone, with weightlifting, especially, always focusing on higher weight classes and larger lifts. If you achieve your weight lifting goals for the month, then this mindset could well give you a boost to push yourself more often, whether that be with regards to going in for promotion or moving into a new family home. Either way; weight lifting will provide you with both the physical and mental muscle that you need to make it happen. 

Boosting your self-confidence

Weight lifting can also have a huge positive impact on self-confidence that’s running on empty, especially if you’re able to lift a set that once seemed out of reach. In some way this ties in with the point above, but it uniquely ensures that you’ll be able to face those new challenges without the pressure of self-doubt forever on your shoulders. This is invaluable for ensuring that you give yourself the credit you deserve when you deserve it, and also that you use this foundation to build a life that, pre-weight lifting, you never would have believed you deserved.

Putting you in the driver’s seat

In weight lifting, even if you have a personal trainer egging you on, no one but you will ever be in control, and this is our last and perhaps most importantly lifestyle lesson. After all, taking the helm in this one aspect of your life could prove the benefit of sitting in the driver’s seat for once, making you way more likely to stand up for yourself, recognise when suggestions aren’t helpful, and generally work harder to keep the pressure of other people’s expectations off your shoulders at long last.

Of course, with notable health benefits already on the table, weight lifting didn’t exactly need an extra selling point. Still, if you’ve been holding back because you don’t see the appeal of lifting weights for their own sake, then consider whether lifting these lifestyle pressures is worth diving in for instead.