A few days ago, I started my daily run as usual. The sun is just right, the breeze is not dry, and everything seems so comfortable. Halfway through the race, a friend whom I hadn’t seen in several years caught up with me. A middle-aged man has been running for more than three years and lost five things while running!
At first, I really didn’t recognize him. The last time I met him, he was still a fat man weighing more than 180 kilograms, and he always had a simple and honest smile on his round face. But now, he has lost a lot of weight, has a well-proportioned figure, and is full of energy, which is incredible!
“Hey, why are you running here?” I asked in surprise, “Didn’t you not run before? Why are you starting to run now? Also, why have you lost so much weight?”
He chuckled, his eyes shining with pride and determination: “Hey, it’s a long story. In the past few years, I was very busy with work and had a lot of social activities. I stayed up late every day. At that time, I always felt that youth was capital. I could spend as much as I wanted. But one time, I felt very unwell, so I went to the hospital for a checkup. The results showed that I had high blood pressure, and there were a bunch of signs of moderate fatty liver in the physical examination report. It’s red, it scares me to see it.”
He paused and continued: “At that moment, I suddenly realized the importance of health. The doctor said that I should stay up less late and exercise more. So, I chose to run. This running lasted more than three years!
He said that in the past three years, he had lost five things.
1. Lose weight by running away
In the past, his work was stressful and he often had to stay up late. He often neglected diet and exercise because of his busy work. As a result, his weight kept soaring and he looked round and round.
In the first month after he started running, he found that he had lost two or three pounds. He was extremely happy. As the distance and time increased, he slowly lost the excess body fat and gained the body he has now. A slim figure and a confident smile.
Now my weight has been maintained between 140-150, and I really like the way I look now.
2. Lose the three high blood pressure and fatty liver.
Friends said that the doctor’s words at that time made him wake up from a dream.
He knew that if he failed to change his lifestyle in time, his physical condition would only get worse. So he started running consistently, and his body felt much lighter after each run. Slowly, the three highs came down, and the fatty liver disappeared. Now you no longer have to worry about a bunch of red marks in the medical examination report.
3. Get rid of anxiety and depression.
In the past, he was under a lot of pressure at work. He faced difficulties from different customers every day, as well as trivial matters in life, such as mortgage payments, children’s registration fees, etc., which made him feel very suffocated. And I couldn’t find a place to vent, and I slowly became depressed and unhappy.
Running gave him a way to relieve stress. Every time after running, he felt very happy and relaxed. Now I rarely feel anxious or depressed anymore.
Now he is really cheerful and confident, full of energy.
4. Losing sleep due to running away.
In the past, he always suffered from insomnia due to work. He tossed and turned every night and had difficulty falling asleep.
If you don’t sleep well at night, you will feel listless the next day and your work efficiency will be extremely low.
After a period of running, his sleep quality improved. Every night after his run, he would fall asleep quickly and sleep until dawn. It has been a long time since I suffered from insomnia.
His improved sleep also made him more energetic, and his work efficiency was greatly improved.
5. Internal friction is lost in running.
In the past, runners would always be entangled in trivial matters. They were full of conflicts and entanglements, wasting a lot of time and energy.
Running made him focus more on himself, and he also learned to accept himself and reconcile with himself, no longer compromise, and reduce unnecessary internal friction and entanglement.
Now, he has become calmer, more decisive and determined, and more efficient in doing things.
Of course, the benefits of long-term running definitely go beyond that, and he is not the only one like my friend who has become better through running.
Running is not only a way of exercise, but also an attitude towards life. It teaches us to stay focused and positive, and teaches us patience and persistence. Through running, we can find a state of physical and mental balance, gain more strength and wisdom, and make life more fulfilling and meaningful.
How long have you been running? What have you gained from running?