Do you dread workouts? Do you talk yourself out of exercising? I would say it's not something that you enjoy doing. 

I know. I 've been there. I have also had many friends here in the Curly Girl Fitness community admit they hate exercising as well, so they don't. 

That little voice inside your head that says, "you should be exercising" or "you need to lose 20 pounds" or "your belly is too big", is relentless. 

I heard those same annoying voices. I decided to do some research on the benefits of stretching and you will be amazed at what I found out! Read on to find out why myself and so many others have fallen in love with doing whole body stretches every day.

A Good Stretch Feels Amazing

Tension, stress, anxiety, depression, sickness, pain, and sitting all day are just a few of the complaints I hear from women. They are aching, unhappy, and feeling bad. They want to feel better. 

Stretching is great to relieve stress, tension, and calm your mind. A few minutes of stretching each day is all it takes to start feeling the benefits. 

Try this Full Body Workout Video and remember to breathe in and out while focusing on the muscle you are stretching. Muscles need proper oxygen to break down glucose which is fuel for your muscles. 

Keep your abs tight throughout the entire stretching routine. Relax all the way when you breathe out. The feeling is amazing! I look forward to my stretch and sometimes do it 2 times a day. 

Stretching Plays A Critical Role in Building Muscle

If you are able to stick with a regular stretching routine, you may see only an increase in range of motion, but also improvement in your performance. Ford explains it this way: The more range of motion you have, the more muscle you will be able to activate. For example, if you have limited range of motion in your hamstrings, you might only be able to activate, say, 40% of the muscle when performing a single-leg deadlift. But if you increase your hamstring flexibility, you can then activate, say 60%, of that muscle. The result? You’ll gain strength.  Source ( SELF )

Improves Flexibility and Prevents Injuries

Stretching improves your range of motion which can help prevent injury. The more flexible our muscles and joints are the less injuries we will encounter. We are all busy doing various activities throughout our day and when having optimal flexibility will keep us productive and safe. 

Increases Daily Movement

Adding physical activity to your day is healthy. Increased daily movement plays an important role in a weight loss program.

You are not burning a ton of calories during a stretching routine; however, it does keep you active. Win-win, right?

Stretching can help with stress and improve your mood. This helps anyone struggling with overeating and fighting sugar cravings. 

During a whole body stretch, muscles start to relax and elongate. That results in a greater range of motion. When you add strength training exercises to your routine after stretching, you will certainly get more bang for your buck! Try this stretch routine video. 

Do A Stretching Routine Every Single Day (You Won't Regret It) 

When you find activity you enjoy, you look forward to it. Many of my personal friends and friends in this Curly Girl Fitness Community have added daily whole body stretches and absolutely love it. The benefits for them have been incredible. 

One friend says she sleeps better, and her muscles do not ache anymore. Another said she began to feel energy boosts within a month, this made her crave the gym and lifting weights, but never misses her daily stretch. 

Ready to Start Stretching? 

I'm Sabrina with Curly Girl Fitness. I have tried to lose weight all of my life. My habits had to change and I was in charge of making it happen. You can too. Curly Girl Fitness was created to help support women in their fitness journey. We are here. We care. We listen. We support. 

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