Whether you’re young or old, the health benefits of regular exercise can’t be overlooked. Gyms like GoodLife Fitness, Planet Fitness and Snap Fitness are full of people of all ages, sizes and walks of life who want to improve their physique and well-being through exercise. If you need more convincing, take a look at this list:
1. Exercise sheds off excess weight.
When you exercise, you burn calories. The more intense your workout, the more calories you burn. So if you’re trying to lose weight and have not found any luck in dieting, you may be able to achieve your goal by supplementing a healthy diet with exercise. You don’t have to go to the gym for this either. Any physical activity like walking 30 minutes a day or staking a few flights of stairs several times a day can help you lose weight if you do it consistently.
2. Exercise prevents diseases.
Regardless of your current weight, being physically active can increase your levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol to lower your risk of cardiovascular diseases. Exercise also regulates blood sugar levels and improves circulation. If you do it regularly, you can help prevent diseases and health conditions like stroke, metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, arthritis, heart disease and even cancer.
3. Exercise elevates mood.
Do you need to destress after a very busy day at work? Physical activity stimulates chemicals from the brain that may leave you feeling happier, less anxious and more relaxed. Moreover, when you exercise regularly, you will feel better about yourself and your appearance which boosts self-esteem.
4. Exercise gives you more energy.
Regular physical activity can boost your endurance and improve strength. It improves circulation which means oxygen and nutrients get delivered to your cells and tissues so you can have more energy to deal with daily chores.
5. Exercise leads to better sleep.
Many people suffer from insomnia and the problem gets worse as you get older. Fortunately, you can improve your quality of sleep and sleep a lot easier at night especially with aerobic workouts.
6. Exercise improves sex life.
If you always too tired or too out of shape to enjoy sex, you can change this through exercise. Regular physical activity boosts energy levels, makes you more confident in the bedroom, and make you feel better about yourself. Aside from these things, studies have also found that exercise enhances arousal for women while men become less likely to have issues like erectile dysfunction when they engage in regular physical activity.
Ready to Get Started?
Now that all these benefits have convinced you to give it a go, consider the following as guide on how much exercise and what kind of exercise you can get started with:
1. Aerobic exercises (Cardio)
Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity spread over a course of a week. If you’re trying to lose weight, try to do 300 minutes a week. Aerobic exercises include swimming, walking, biking and even mowing the lawn.
2. Strength training
Train all the major muscle groups in your body at least twice a week. Do at least one set of each exercise using weights or resistance bands heavy enough to tire your muscles after 12-15 reps.
You can also use weight machines, body weight, heavy bags and other similar items.
If you’re new to exercising or if you have a medical condition, it’s best to talk to your doctor first before starting a program.
Check out this video to learn more about the benefits of exercise and how it changes your body when you do it consistently: