Agreeing most with rm-rf.
I do agree with the poster's topic title: working out helps you.
I do feel physically and mentally better when I sport regularly. But the sport itself has to be rewarding, complex and fun for me, I wouldn't be able to do something like weight lifting, or cardio. Some game has to be involved, for me.
I think we were designed to be using our bodies along with our brains. The body as something more than just a vessel for the brain - because that's what it is in most jobs which require an education. When you neglect your body and do not test it's limits by running or using muscles from time to time, you're missing out. Your body can create it's own drugs, hormones, and some of them are pretty neat. And there's definately much going on hormonally inside you when you're doing physical exercise.
I like a combination of both in my sports - using your body AND brain. As opposed to weight lifting in which you only really use your body.
I don't really like jogging - through my city - but I do it from time to time, still. For me this is about self-discipline, mind over matter, etc, to keep on running even though your body is giving signals to stop. It's about practicing self-control, the same type I would need for example to start studying, and not get distracted in the process. A friend of mine (who is really anti-sports) once made a remark about this. He considered all people who jog or sport and experience a little bit of discomfort sadomasochists. But, jogging, exercising, it has been proven, isn't really bad for you at all. As long as you not overdo it and run marathons. That you choose to do something, and accept a little bit of physical discomfort, or even pain (because you are NOT a pussy

) ; it's not the same as deliberately seeking pain and enjoying the experience of that.