Exercising is nothing new, especially if you want to keep in shape and look good. The problem I have found over the years is that some guys who lose their hair think it’s OK to ‘just let themselves go’ – this is a massive mistake, here are the reasons why you should, if not more so, keep yourself in shape as a bald guy.
#1 – Health and well-being
We all know that exercising, eating well and cutting back on alcohol/smoking can dramatically change not only the way you look, your health, but the way you feel about yourself – so why do so many guys who are going through hair loss think it’s acceptable to forget what every man should be doing?
I guess this comes down to a number of reasons but commonly it’s the lack of self-esteem and low personal pride in their appearance. No matter what your stage of hair loss there is simply no excuse to not to look after yourself, not to be aware of your health and what you can do to make sure you’re keeping in shape.
It has been proven that regular exercise, even as simple as a good walk, can dramatically affect your well-being – if you are feeling low, having issues regarding hair loss then starting on a path to looking after yourself will only lead to positive results.
#2 – Helps you keep in shape
Keeping is shape is something all of us should be conscious about, it’s not that difficult these days to find the time to either visit the gym, go for a run, workout at home, attend a class or pick up a sport you’ve always liked.
There are a plethora of sports centres around every corner, classes you can attend for free and if you have the money, personal trainers that will design workout routines that you can do in the local park – the world has never had so many opportunities available to help keep us in shape.
Regular exercise and/or a fitness program will help you keep in shape, the trick is to define an end goal and stick to it, this will ensure you stay focused and don’t lose track or get bored too easily when trying to reach your goals.
Make sure at first you don’t set your goals too high, start small and build up, this way you will benefit from reaching certain milestones and the sense of achievement will push you to the next level.
#3 – Great for self-esteem and confidence
We know that hair loss can have a detrimental effect on your self-esteem, confidence and well being, its particular difficult as a young man if you’re going through the early stages of hair loss at school or college, I know, I have been there.
This time in your young adult life is the time when you want to be at your peak physical fitness, and sport plays a big part of your ambitions and motivation.
Don’t let hair loss get in the way of your physical goals, you’ll regret it if you do. Exercise, sport and competition are fantastic ways to help build your self-esteem and your confidence – remember this is one of the things you can actually control about your appearance, you are the master of how you look, not nature.
You might be going through a rough time with some of your fellow students, sports rivals or just in general so heading out onto a playing field, a sports hall or the gym is probably the last thing you want to do, but trust me it’s what you need to do, see below about the psychological benefits.
Improved self-esteem is a key psychological benefit of regular physical activity. When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins. These endorphins interact with the receptors in your brain that reduce your perception of pain.
Endorphins also trigger a positive feeling in the body, similar to that of morphine. For example, the feeling that follows a run or workout is often described as “euphoric.” That feeling, known as a “runner’s high,” can be accompanied by a positive and energising outlook on life.
Endorphins act as analgesics, which means they diminish the perception of pain. They also act as sedatives. They are manufactured in your brain, spinal cord, and many other parts of your body and are released in response to brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. The neuron receptors endorphins bind to are the same ones that bind some pain medicines. However, unlike with morphine, the activation of these receptors by the body’s endorphins does not lead to addiction or dependence.
Regular exercise has been proven to:
- Reduce stress
- Ward off anxiety and feelings of depression
- Boost self-esteem
- Improve sleep
So with this in mind, it’s proven that regular exercise can help more than just your physical appearance it can be a natural drug, a high and a way to help you deal with anxiety, depression and boost your self-esteem.
#4 – Healthy body, healthy mind
I always thought this was a bit of a myth, something you would read in ‘spiritual’ books or you’d hear from the vegan at a BBQ, but you know what, it’s true.
The better your body feels from exercise, eating well, cutting down on drinking & smoking the sharper and more focus your mind becomes.
I have tried a couple of different diet fads over the years, not because I have a massive issue with my weight of body shape, more the fact I’d like to keep myself looking and feeling healthy and also see what effect this had on my mental well-being.
To be honest, the times when I have done detox diets and cut back on the things we all like, my body not only felt clean and healthy but my mind, focus, concentration and reactions were all sharper.
OK, in the real world and unless we are complete health freaks, feeling this way is not always going to be the norm, life is not lived in NutriBullet shake.
You need to find a balance, what works for you and what you can keep up with. A small amount of regular exercise can have a massive overall effect on both your body and mind.
If, like me, you want to keep in shape, the days when you’re not exercising you feel sluggish and in some cases, irritable, all it takes to release those endorphins is a little exercise – you’ll feel better and healthier straight after.
#5 – You’ll have people talking more about your body than your hair
Some of you out there have taken looking after your body and mind to the next level, ripped bodies, healthy and disciplined minds.
Bald guys need to think that little bit harder about their appearance than most, if you’re dedicated enough, no matter your age, then you can have the body you have always wanted, and why not, just because your hair has given up you shouldn’t.
If you work hard enough then there’s no reason why you can’t have people taking more about your muscle gain than your hair loss.
There is nothing better for the ego than someone complimenting you about how you look, we all respond to positive comments and no matter what you say, we all like them.
Give people something else to talk about other than your receding hairline, positive comments will only push you further to reach your personal goals, whether that is to be the next Arnold or Mo Farah, or it’s simply to lose a few pounds and show people that you can fit into those jeans you wore in your 20’s.
