Active lifestyles are associated with a longer life.
It can also help you maintain a healthy weight, heart health, and mental health.
People who sit or do not move much throughout the day have a higher risk of health problems such as obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
1. It helps you maintain a healthy weight
A healthy weight is not just about reaching a certain number on the scale, but also about maintaining a healthy diet and getting plenty of exercise. The right balance of calories consumed and burned can help you maintain a healthy weight and decrease your risk of developing serious health conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease.
The most efficient way to burn calories is by eating a healthy diet and being active. The average person needs about a quarter of their daily calories from physical activity to keep their body at a healthy weight.
In fact, being physically active and exercising the right way can increase your energy levels, boost mood, improve sleep quality and lower your risk of health problems like depression, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The best part is that it can be fun!
Be sure to consult with a doctor or other qualified health professional before embarking on an exercise program. They can give you tips on how to exercise safely and recommend a suitable exercise routine.
You can also start by taking advantage of the many free or low-cost exercise equipment available at your local health centre or shopping mall. It’s also a good idea to consider joining an exercise class or group, such as a dance class, a walking club or a volleyball team.
A well-designed exercise routine should include a variety of exercises, including strength training, aerobic and flexibility exercises. Ideally, you should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week. It may also be helpful to have a workout buddy. The key is to find an exercise that you enjoy and can do consistently.
2. It helps you maintain a healthy heart
A healthy heart is vital to your overall health, as it carries oxygen, fuel, hormones and other essential substances to all parts of your body. It also whisks away the waste products that result from your metabolism. But as with every other part of your body, a heart that isn’t working properly can put you at risk for disease and health problems.
Regular exercise is a simple yet powerful way to improve your heart’s function and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. It helps you build strong muscles, boosts your energy level and reduces stress. It can also improve your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, protect you against heart attacks, and keep your arteries flexible and functioning well.
When you exercise regularly, your heart works better and more efficiently, pumping blood to your lungs and all over your body more effectively than ever before. It also gets more oxygen to your muscles, which makes it easier for them to work and help you stay stronger and healthier.
In addition, your arteries get wider and more elastic, meaning that they have more flexibility to push blood through your body smoothly and consistently. And your high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels increase, and your unhealthy triglycerides decrease, which helps lower your risk for heart disease.
To make sure that you get the most out of your exercise routine, you should incorporate both aerobic and strength training into your daily life. It’s best to include two or more days a week of moderate or vigorous aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, swimming, cycling, jogging, or running. You should also include muscle-strengthening activities, such as lifting weights or using resistance bands.
If you have a medical condition or other issues, ask your doctor about what kind of physical activity is safe for you to do. For example, you should not do high-intensity exercises such as jogging or running if you have diabetes or heart disease.
Keeping your diet on track is another important way to maintain a healthy heart. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, lean meats, whole grains, and nuts and seeds can help keep your heart healthy. It can also prevent many diseases and health conditions, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.
3. It helps you maintain a healthy mind
Physical activity can have several health benefits, from improving heart and lung function to reducing the risk of diabetes, cancer and other chronic diseases. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity 5 days a week to reap the rewards.
Start with something that gets your blood pumping and keeps you moving, like a brisk walk or light run. If that isn’t possible, see everyday activities as a chance to be active. Try jogging to your next appointment rather than driving, using stairs instead of elevators or catching a bus one stop early and walking the other.
In addition to the benefits of getting your heart and lungs working, you may find that being active also improves your mental well-being. It stimulates chemicals that improve your mood and the parts of the brain responsible for memory and learning. It may also help reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation.
The best way to get started is to find an activity you can do in the comfort of your own home, whether that’s going for a jog around the neighbourhood or trying out a new class at the gym. The most important thing is to be realistic and stick with it. You might be tempted to quit, but if you stick with it, you’ll be glad you did. You might even start to enjoy it.
4. It helps you maintain a healthy body
There are many reasons to be active – but the most important is that it can help you maintain a healthy body. It can help you feel and look your best, prevent chronic illnesses, reduce your risk of disease and improve your mental health.
Physical activity helps keep your muscles, bones and joints strong, which means you can move better and avoid injuries. It can also improve your respiratory, cardiovascular and overall health. It can help you manage weight, decrease your risk of heart disease and diabetes, and reduce your risk of certain cancers like breast, bowel, bladder, prostate and endometrial.
In addition, it can boost your self-esteem and make you feel more energised. It can also lower your stress and anxiety levels.
It can also help you get more sleep, which can be helpful for your energy levels and mood. It can also help you manage depression and other mental health conditions.
Regardless of your age, fitness level or ability, you should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week. You can do that by walking, jogging or doing other forms of exercise.
You can also incorporate movement into your daily routine by reducing the amount of time you spend sitting. This will also help to increase your metabolism, which will give you more energy throughout the day.
If you’re not already active, start with just a few minutes each day and gradually increase the amount of activity you do each day. This way, your body will be used to being more active and you’ll be able to achieve the benefits of regular exercise.
Remember, however, that you may need to work through any injuries and pain you have before you’re ready to continue exercising. Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns.
Getting active can be difficult for some people, but it’s important to stay motivated and keep trying new things until you find something that suits you. It’s also worth remembering that you can be active in ways that don’t involve physical activity, including being more sociable and engaging in activities such as volunteering.