Regular exercise is a proven way to improve your health and feel better. It can also reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases.
However, many people still don’t do enough physical activity to reap the benefits it provides. This may be due to several reasons, such as:
It’s good for your heart
Getting out and moving is one of the best things you can do for your heart health. It helps lower your risk of heart disease, improves your overall health and can even boost your mood!
The American Heart Association recommends a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week, or about 30 minutes five days a week. This can be a combination of aerobic exercises (walking, jogging, dancing, swimming) and muscle-strengthening activity, like weight training.
Aerobic activities burn calories and help you lose weight. They also help keep your heart healthy by lowering your blood pressure and improving your heart’s ability to pump blood throughout the body.
In addition to increasing your heart’s overall health, exercise can also reduce the amount of bad cholesterol in your blood and make it easier for your blood vessels to retain their flexibility. These changes may also help prevent heart attacks and strokes in the future.
Being active can be as simple as changing your daily routine to include more movement. Start with small changes, such as adding more steps to your daily commute, and gradually increase them.
To get started, ask your doctor or a Qualified Exercise Professional (QEP) for advice on safe and appropriate activities. This is especially important if you have heart, lung or metabolic diseases or haven’t been active for a long time.
Your doctor or QEP can also tell you about how much exercise is right for your level of fitness and health. They can also give you tips and encouragement to help you succeed in your new lifestyle!
Keeping your heart healthy is a key factor in avoiding other diseases that can affect the heart, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. Keeping your heart healthy can also help you maintain a healthy weight, which is another important factor in controlling blood pressure and reducing your risk of developing these other conditions later in life.
It’s also important to remember that physical activity can have a positive effect on your mental health too, but it will depend on how it works for you and what factors are going on in your life at the time. For example, if you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed, physical activity might not help your mood.
It’s good for your bones
Keeping active is important for a number of reasons, and one of those is that it’s good for your bones. Bones play a variety of roles in the body, including providing structure, protecting organs and anchoring muscles. Healthy bones are crucial for your overall health, and you can protect them by following a healthy diet and getting plenty of exercise.
There are different types of exercises that will help you build strong bones, so it’s important to pick the right ones for your body. For example, weight-bearing exercises, like running, jogging and climbing stairs, work your bones harder than normal movements, which helps strengthen them and slow bone loss.
In addition to regular exercise, it’s also important to get enough calcium and vitamin D in your diet. These vitamins are needed to help your body absorb calcium, which is essential for healthy bones.
Many of the foods you eat can be beneficial to your bone health, as well. These include foods like olive oil, soy beans, fish and omega-3 fatty acids.
Some of these foods can also increase your bone density, but more research needs to be done before we can make any definitive connections between these nutrients and bone health.
If you do want to build stronger bones, you should try to engage in weight-bearing exercise, such as jogging, walking and lifting weights. This type of exercise stimulates the growth of new bone and prevents bone loss.
It’s also important to remember that weight-bearing exercise puts a lot of stress on your bones and joints, so it’s best to do these workouts at a moderate intensity. It’s a good idea to talk with your doctor before starting an exercise program, especially if you have osteoporosis or a history of fractures.
There are also many activities that don’t involve any weight-bearing, like swimming and biking. These aren’t as effective at building bone, but they can still be helpful for strengthening muscles and joints and helping you stay fit.
It’s good for your mind
Getting up and moving around regularly helps boost your energy levels, which can help improve your mental health. Physical activity also stimulates the brain, which can improve your thinking skills and enhance your memory. Whether you’re taking a walk, playing a sport or doing a hobby, being active can be an excellent way to stay mentally healthy.
If you’re not sure what kind of exercise is best for you, talk to your doctor. They can advise you on how much exercise to do each day, as well as what activities are best for your age and condition. It’s also a good idea to be active with friends and family, as doing activities with others can make you feel more energised.
Being physically active is good for your mind because it releases feel-good hormones into the body, which make you feel better. It also reduces stress and can improve your mood, sleep quality and energy levels. It can also reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers. It can even act as a preventative measure against mental health issues, such as depression and dementia. Ultimately, it can help you live a long, happy and healthy life! So why not get started?
It’s good for your mood
There is a lot of scientific research that suggests that physical activity can have a positive impact on your health and well-being. It can have a variety of benefits including improving sleep quality, boosting self-esteem, and helping to manage depression or anxiety. It also can help to increase energy levels and improve concentration, which is good for your mood. It’s even better if you get to choose the activities you do, so make sure you choose something that suits your preferences and abilities.
For many people, going outside is the best way to get active and feel the benefits. But if you’re not keen on the idea of jogging or cycling through the rain, there are plenty of other ways to get moving. Try dancing to music, doing chores around the house or tackling that home improvement project you’ve been thinking about. It may be that you need to find the exercise that best suits your needs and lifestyle, so don’t be afraid to ask for advice. Keeping active is the key to a long, healthy life!