[underbluewaters]

I'm coming around to this way of thinking. My personal anecdote: I had my first child in June premature and it has been... difficult. There's no amount of energy that can get you through caring for a newborn. During the most difficult phase I read that exercise can counteract the effects of sleep deprivation. So I started running, then I went back to the gym, and now I go nearly every day. I don't think the exercise itself has given me that much more energy. Rather, it's a change in mindset.

I found it easier to get up early and go to the gym when I realized I'm going to feel like shit in the morning no matter what, so I might as well just get up and go. When I was childless and care-free I would skip if I had one too many beers the night before, a tiring weekend, or just didn't feel "100%". This change in lifestyle made me realize there never was a "100%". Now maybe the exercise gives me a small boost in energy, but most importantly I'm conditioning myself to push myself towards my goals regardless of how much energy I think I have.