Looking for a good reason to lace up your running shoes and head out for a run today? If you don’t have a good reason of your own, check out my top 3 benefits of running for fitness.

physical benefits

Research has clearly shown time and time again that running for fitness has many health benefits, including:

• improvement of heart and lung function,
• better blood cholesterol levels,
• enhanced immune system response
• decreased chance of developing diabetes, cancer, heart disease
• weight management: runners are less likely to be overweight or obese

Running for weight loss or control is one of the highest-scoring reasons people start running. Excess weight is linked to several of the chronic health problems listed above, most significantly heart disease and diabetes. A daily jog will help burn off excess calories and can reverse many serious health problems.

Mental Benefits

Another benefit you get from running regularly is better mental health. Here are some of the benefits you can experience from jogging every day:

• reduced stress
• improvement of concentration and mental abilities
• lower incidence of depression

In fact, psychiatrists and psychologists have prescribed running for some of their patients suffering from depression. Instead of reaching for that little bottle of pills, put on your running shoes and go for a run.

Other benefits

Since I started running, I have enjoyed greater success in all areas of my life: finances, romance, and career. You may think it’s a bit of a stretch to connect running with success, but hear me out. Top motivation gurus like Anthony Robbins know that a change in our physical state can have massive effects on our mental state.

For example, if you’re feeling sad, you could try cheering and celebrating like you just won the lottery. You would immediately feel positive and optimistic. Although you might think the effect would be short-term, getting into a positive state has been shown to last much longer than the moment it occurs.

Good running form requires you to keep your head up, arms pumping, and breathe deeply into your chest. If you were to observe successful people, you would notice that they also have a very positive physical presence. I say that running form is a model for success. If you run daily, you will fall into this shape and feel successful at least once a day. That can’t help but spill over into other areas of your life. Why not start or end each day with a run and pat yourself on the back for daily success?