HAPPIDEZZ: 5 Compelling Reasons to Exercise & Lose Weight

From 2016 to 2017, I weighed around 140 lbs (or maybe even heavier, I wasn't really checking) and stood 5' 2" tall. My body mass index said I was overweight. I looked really plump during those times and for a while, I stopped taking selfies because I thought I looked repulsive.

In July 2017, I decided to resurrect my old school boxing gloves and go back to working out. I realized that it was time to change things up for the better. But it wasn't my weight, my BMI, nor my appearance that made me decide to go back to working out and shed off some weight. I just listened to what my body was telling me. Here are signs that your body might be telling you to lead a healthier lifestyle.

1. You have constant migraine attacks

Migraine may be attributed to different factors such as being overweight, poor lifestyle, bad eating and sleeping habits, and stress. I've been a migraine sufferer since 2011. I had a poor lifestyle back then--I always overeat, binge on salty junk food and sweets, sleep late, or don't sleep at all. Basically, I lived a sedentary lifestyle. When I was still overweight, I would get 2-4 migraine attacks per week. This took a toll on my job because I had to miss work on most days of the week. It also affected my relationships because I'd cancel on plans and choose to just sleep all day because of a sudden migraine attack. For almost a year, migraine incapacitated me. I got tired of being sick with migraine all the time and that's one of the reasons why I went back to the gym and started to be mindful of what I eat.

Whenever I consulted my doctor back then, he would always advise me to try to lose weight and improve my lifestyle. Now that I'm more active and have been eating more consciously, my migraines have gone away. I would get headaches sometimes, but they no longer incapacitated me. My attendance at work has improved because I no longer call in sick due to severe headaches. I also now enjoy more time with my loved ones because I no longer get bed ridden due to migraine.

Related: Dealing with Migraine

2. You experience acid reflux

There was a time in 2017 when I'd keep a couple of Gaviscon sachets in my bag because I constantly experienced acid reflux. I observed that my stomach would get hyperacidic when I overeat (or when I continue eating even though I know I'm already full). It would then be followed by a nasty reflux of stomach acid. Most of the time, I was bloated and gassy.

Things got better when I became more mindful of my food intake. I started counting my calories and watched the portions of the food I ate. I also cut down on coffee, soft drinks, and other food and beverages that cause hyperacidity. More importantly, I made sure to stop eating when I'm close to being full; I no longer filled my stomach to its maximum capacity. Thankfully, altering my eating habits improved my tummy situation.

3. You have poor cardio-respiratory endurance

If you find yourself catching your breath after doing simple day-to-day activities (like commuting or climbing a few flights of stairs), you have a poor cardio-respiratory endurance. In my case, a mundane activity like using an overpass easily made me lose my breath. Beshie, let me tell you, the hingal is real!!! Climbing several flights of stairs really made me struggle for air. This struck a chord. I'm too young to be that tired after performing such a simple activity. Dinaig pa ako nung mga 50-year-olds na kasabay ko! This is why I told myself that I should go back to the gym and work on my cardio-respiratory endurance. I need to be fit in order for me to perform daily tasks and activities easily and normally. I need the fitness suitable to my age.

4. You get inexplicable body pains

Lower back and knee pains are often associated with obesity and being overweight. When I was too heavy, my body complained about the excess weight through inexplainable body pains. Even though I wasn't really exerting too much effort on my lower back and left knee, they still ached. It was an inconvenience to be moving around with a painful lower back and walking with an aching knee. It also bothered me to be experiencing joint pains at such an early age. Ano ito? Early onset of rayuma? I didn't want that, and so I did what I had to do.

5. You are fatigued and feel perpetually tired

Being overweight, my body worked extra hard to carry more weight than normal, thus, the joint pains and the feeling of exhaustion all the time. Exercising could help alleviate this. Apart from improving your overall fitness, exercise also releases endorphins or happy hormones. This will help you get rid of feelings of lethargy and maintain a positive energy throughout the day.

While exercise and weight loss could contribute to having a more beautiful appearance, for me, achieving a healthier well-being is more important. Looking good is a bonus, but feeling good is my priority.