The goal of this article is answer the question "why do we
exercise?"
Now, I know what you're all thinking: we exercise to lose fat so
we can look good! To be honest, that's the reason why most of us
exercise, and there's nothing wrong with that!
But did you know that exercise gives us some much more
substantial benefits than just looking good? It's true! If
you're working out just to look good, then consider these other
benefits just a bonus!
Regular exercise has been proven to: 1) Fight Obesity: Obesity
is linked to heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer and
diabetes.
2) Improve Physical Performance: Resistance training will
increase muscle size, strength and endurance. This, in turn,
will help with improvements in work, sports, hobbies, and
day-to-day activities.
3) Prevent Muscle Loss: Unless you strength train regularly, you
will lose about 1 pound of muscle every year of your life after
age 25. Resistance training prevents the muscle loss that
normally accompanies the aging process. Resistance training can
even reverse some muscle loss!
4) Increase Metabolism: The muscle loss we all experience each
year (after age 25) creates a 1.5% reduction in basal metabolic
rate (BMR) every year. A reduction in BMR means that your body
is less able to use the food you consume as energy.....thus more
gets stored as fat. Resistance training will slow, or even
reverse, that muscle loss - which will increase the BMR.
5) Decrease The Risk Of Injury: Not only will consistent
exercise improve balance and stability, but regular resistance
exercise will do even more to reduce the risk of injury! Muscles
function as shock-absorbers and serve as important balancing
agents throughout the body. Well-balanced muscles reduce the
risk of injuries that result when a muscle is weaker than its
opposing muscle group.
6) Improve Blood Pressure: According to the World Health
Organization, high blood pressure may contribute up to 50% of
cases of cardiovascular disease which kills more than 12 million
worldwide people each year. Regular exercise lowers blood
pressure for most people.
7) Help Heart Disease: By helping to keep the arteries free and
clear of obstructions, exercise helps to prevent heart disease.
Regular aerobic exercise also lowers the Resting Heart Rate
(RHR), a key indicator of heart health.
8) Help Prevent Cancer: Evidence suggests that 1/3 of the
550,000 cancer deaths that occur in the United States each year
are due to unhealthy diet and insufficient physical activity.
Regular exercise has been proven to reduce the risk of breast
cancer and colon cancer.
9) Help Prevent Diabetes: The American Public Health Association
has announced that being physically fit may help prevent the
development of diabetes in healthy women.
10) Help Prevent Estrogen Loss: Regular exercise can prevent or
lessen the impact of many of the changes women experience during
menopause (particularly bone loss/bone weakening). There is some
evidence that symptoms often associated with the hormonal
changes of menopause, such as hot flashes, insomnia and
depression can also be alleviated by exercise.
Well, there you have it.....ten reasons why regular exercise
will help you add years to your life.....and you thought that
exercise just helped you look good in a swimsuit!!
About the author:
Tracie Johanson is the founder of Pick Up The Pace, a 30-minute
exercise studio for women focusing on fitness, health and
nutrition for maximum weight loss. Please visit
http://www.letspickupthepace.com/ for more information.