Benefits of exercise 1

Why should I exercise when there’s tons of other cool stuff to do with my time?

Hey amigo,  I’ve got your answer right here.

First of all, you need to know that physical exercise is any movement that makes your muscles work and requires your body to burn calories. There are many types of physical activity, including swimming, running, jogging, walking and dancing, to name a few.

Being active has been shown to have many health benefits, both physically and mentally. It may even help you live longer

Here are some ways regular exercise benefits your body and brain:

Ø  Need an emotional boost?

Exercise has been shown to improve mood  and decrease feelings of depression, anxiety and stress. It produces changes in the parts of the brain that regulate stress and anxiety. It can also increase brain

Sensitivity for the hormones serotonin and norepinephrine, which relieve feelings of depression. Additionally, exercise can increase the production of endorphins, which are known to help produce positive feelings and reduce the perception of pain. Furthermore, exercise has been shown to reduce

symptoms in people suffering from anxiety. It can also help provide distraction from fear. Here's where it gets interesting, it doesn't matter how intense yourworkout is. It seems that your mood can benefit from exercise no matter the intensity of the physical activity. In fact, a study in 24 women who had been diagnosed with depression showed that exercise of any intensity significantly reduced feelings of depression. The effects of exercise on mood are so powerful that choosing to exercise (or not) even makes a difference over short periods. One study asked 26 healthy men and women who normally exercised regularly to either continue exercising or stop exercising for two weeks. Those who stopped exercising experienced increases in negative mood.

So, want to feel happier, exercise is the 'go to' activity.

Ø  Looking to shed some pounds?

Some studies have shown that inactivity is a major factor in weight gain and obesity. To understand the effect of exercise on weight reduction, it is important to understand the relationship between exercise and energy expenditure. Your body spends energy in three ways:

·         digesting food;

·         exercising; and,

·         maintaining body functions like your heartbeat and breathing.

While dieting can help to some extent, a reduced calorie intake will lower your metabolic rate, which will delay weight loss. On the contrary, regular exercise has been shown to increase your metabolic rate, which will burn more calories and help you lose weight.

Ø  Muscles and bones too Weak for ya?

Exercise plays a vital role in building and maintaining strong muscles and bones. Physical activity like weight lifting can stimulate muscle building when paired with adequate protein intake. This is because exercise helps release hormones that promote the ability of your muscles to absorb amino acids. This helps them grow and reduces their breakdown. As people age, they tend to lose muscle mass and function, which can lead to injuries and disabilities. Practicing regular physical activity is essential to reducing muscle loss and maintaining strength as you age. Also, exercise helps build bone density when you're younger, in addition to helping prevent osteoporosis (weak bones)  later in life, interestingly, high-impact exercise, such as gymnastics or running, or odd-impact sports, such as football (soccer) and

basketball, have been shown to promote a higher bone density than non-impact sports like swimming and cycling.

Ø  Can’t stay in the game long enough?

Exercise can be a real energy booster not only for healthy people, but also for those suffering from various medical conditions. One study found that six weeks of regular exercise reduced feelings of fatigue for 36 healthy people who had reported persistent fatigue. Furthermore, exercise can significantly increase energy levels for people suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and otherserious illnesses. In fact, exercise seems to be more effective at combating CFS than other treatments, including passive therapies like relaxation and stretching, or no treatment at all. Additionally, exercise has been shown to increase energy levels in people suffering from progressive illnesses, such as cancer, HIV/AIDS and multiple sclerosis.

Ø  Scared of chronic diseases?

Here's a trivia: lack of regular physical activity is a primary cause of chronic diseases. Regular exercise has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, cardiovascular fitness and body composition, yet decrease blood pressure and blood fat levels.

In contrast, a lack of regular exercise — even in the short term — can lead to significant increases in belly fat, which increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and early death.  Therefore, daily physical activity is recommended to reduce belly fat and decrease the risk of developing these diseases.

Ø  Got skin like the croc-man? (okay maybe not that bad)

Your skin can be affected by the amount of oxidative stress in your body. Oxidative stress occurs when

the body's antioxidant defenses cannot completely repair the damage that free radicals cause to cells. This can damage their internal structures and deteriorate your skin. Even though intense and exhaustive physical activity can contribute to oxidative damage, regular moderate exercise can increase your body's production of natural antioxidants, which help protect cells. In the same way, exercise can stimulate blood flow and induce skin cell adaptations that can help delay the appearance of skin aging.

That’s it for now guys, but be sure to be back as I will be posting more great reasons why you should exercise regularly.