Staying active offers many benefits to your overall well-being. Exercise can:
- Boost your mood
- Increase your metabolism
- Reduce your risk of chronic ailments
- Improve flexibility and balance
- Help with mobility
This explains why you see a lot of people from all walks of life and all age groups working out in gyms like Mountainside Fitness and New York Sports Club. Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of exercise:
Exercise Makes You Happier
Exercise has been proven to be a mood booster and a natural remedy for depression, stress and anxiety. It stimulates changes in the brain to increase the production of endorphins, which are known to generate positive feelings and alleviate pain.
An interesting thing to note is that the intensity of your workout does not matter. Simply exercising can significantly reduce symptoms of depression.
Shed Those Extra Pounds
Lack of activity is a leading contributor to weight gain and obesity, while regular exercise helps increase your metabolic rate, leading to more calorie burn and weight loss.
Strengthen Your Muscles and Bones
Weightlifting, coupled with adequate protein intake, stimulates muscle growth by promoting the absorption of amino acids. Regular physical activity is especially crucial as you age since it helps prevent muscle loss and maintain strength, reducing the risk of injuries.
Boost Your Energy Levels
By improving cardiovascular health and lung function, aerobic exercise increases blood flow and oxygen delivery to the muscles, making them more efficient.
Reduce the Risk of Chronic Diseases
A sedentary lifestyle can trigger chronic diseases. By exercising regularly, your body will have an improved insulin sensitivity, better heart health, and healthy body composition. It can lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol levels, and even help prevent conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and various types of cancer.
Boost Brain Health and Memory
Exercise is not only beneficial for the body but also for the brain. By increasing heart rate and promoting blood and oxygen flow to the brain, exercise enhances brain function, memory, and thinking skills.
Improve Sleep Quality
Regular exercise can help you relax and achieve better sleep quality. Exercise depletes energy levels, which stimulates restorative processes during sleep.
Boost Your Immune System
Moderate-intensity exercise increases the circulation of immune cells in the body, allowing them to detect and fight off infections more effectively. But it’s important to note that overtraining can have the opposite effect and temporarily suppress the immune system, so it’s essential to maintain a balanced approach to exercise.
Enhance Cognitive Function
Physical activity promotes the growth and development of new neurons in the brain, particularly in areas associated with memory and learning. It also increases blood flow to the brain, delivering oxygen and nutrients necessary for optimal cognitive function.
Try this beginner-friendly workout without any equipment: