The common statement “Beauty is pain” is something a girl would completely understand. We understand and accept it because we know that the end product of our hair, face, or body will be worth the pain we put it through. There may be some truth to this statement because everyone has tried some sort of diet where we choose the salad instead of that amazing cheeseburger. These sacrifices can be quite painful, but we continue to give in knowing that we will improve our overall health. Exercising, which is another sacrifice made to improve our health, can also be extremely painful and anyone who has ever done an intense run knows exactly what that pain is. But, in addition to getting your body in shape, running goes beyond toning and strengthening muscles or losing a few pounds. Running has many benefits that many people are unaware of. Just thirty minutes of running during the week can do wonders for a person's health. (Allen, 2014) This doesn't seem too painful now, does it? In fact, running benefits a person's mind, body and age. Running benefits the mind. Many don't understand the magnitude of what running can do for them. It obviously helps the body physically, but how does it help the mind? In a study published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, researchers found that even a single exercise, such as thirty minutes of walking on a treadmill, can instantly improve the mood of someone with major depressive disorder. . (Allen, 2014) Running protects people from anxiety and depression. (Harper, 2014) This does not mean that a person must suffer from a depressive disorder to feel better. Anyone might need a little pick-me-up here and there and running can do exactly...... middle of paper ...... skip diets and go jogging. Running is the best way to burn calories because it burns calories even after an individual has finished exercising, this is called the “afterburn”. Burning calories is probably the biggest benefit of running, especially in the world we live in today that is so obsessed with weight loss. Finally, running helps your body as you age. It can help prevent disease, improve muscle strength, keep the mind sharper as we age, and many other things. Getting older can be a scary thing and while there's no way to turn back time or keep a body in its peak, running can help a person feel good about their body. Running has countless benefits that can truly improve the body and life. So why sit and read this newspaper when you can go out for a nice jog? It will help your health feel much better.