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Hi friend, I bet you still remember me from my previous post on the importance of taking good care of your body. In the same vein, we will discuss the Effect of Exercise on your health. To start with, what do you understand by exercise concerning your body?

Exercise is defined as an activity that requires physical effort carried out to sustain or improve health and fitness. It can also be seen as any physical movement that helps to improve muscle strength and endurance.

There are many ways to exercise, which include: walking, jogging, running, swimming, dancing, biking, stretching, weightlifting, yoga, etc. Active exercise has a wide range of effects and benefits to the body both physically, mentally, emotionally, and so on.

The way you look, your appearance, and your physical shape say a lot about your confidence level. When you look fit, you tend to have more confidence and self-love. This in turn helps your productivity.

Exercise could be done with a clear purpose such as to lose weight, add weight, build muscles, etc.

Also, when Exercise is done with intentions and regularity, it has a prolonged effect on your body.

Here are the Top 10 benefits of Exercise

1.       Helps you Build Muscle and makes bone stronger

This is one of the main reasons why people exercise. As we get older, we lose muscle mass and function. But exercising regularly may reduce muscle loss and maintain strength.

As we exercise, our bodies release hormones that help muscles absorb amino acids quickly and boost muscle growth. And according to a study, exercising while we’re young helps build bone density, which can help prevent osteoporosis as we age.

2.       Helps maintain weight

If you’re at your ideal weight (62 -70kg), exercising can help in a variety of ways. In addition to using excess calories that would be stored as fat, working out helps maintain muscle mass and repair muscles. It also reduces stress and can help you sleep—all of which lead to good choices when it comes to eating.

3.       Gives you more energy

Physical activity increases your heart rate and gets your blood flowing. More oxygen and nutrients to your muscles mean higher energy levels.  And although it seems odd that expending energy can give you more energy, science backs this claim up.

One study found that 90% of people who completed a regular exercise program reported improved fatigue compared to those who did not exercise. Next time you’re considering an extra cup of coffee to perk you up, try a jog instead.

4.       Makes you feel Confident

Who doesn’t love the rush of endorphins after a brisk walk or spin class?

Endorphins are hormones that are released when your body feels pain or stress and helps to reduce the pain and boost pleasure, creating a general feeling of well-being and positivity.  Endorphins also act as a natural painkiller and can help ease long-term aches.

Regular exercise can strengthen muscles, lessening chronic pain and your risk of injury. Oftentimes, your physical look is relative to your confidence. Ladies in particular always feel that a guy of big stature and physique is naturally confident. And thus, makes ladies very much attracted to guys who pay attention to things like six packs, strong biceps, and imposing posture.

Ladies, as well, love to have this figure eight look, and this comes with a planned workout.

5.       Promotes quality sleep

Exercise can reduce stress and anxiety levels, leaving you feeling more relaxed and stabilized, which is a perfect zone for sleep.

And while working out can also raise your body temperature and make you feel more alert throughout the day, it can also help you drift off better when your internal temperature starts to dip back down.

If you exercise outside, exposure to vitamin D can also regulate your wake-sleep cycle which is controlled by the Pineal gland (Epiphysis cerebri).

6.       Helps fight against depression

If you look good, chances are that you will be happier with yourself and love yourself more. But, if you don’t look in good shape, your “self-love” may reduce and affect your confidence level.

Research shows that for mild or moderate cases of depression, exercise can be an effective treatment.

Exercising increases your brain’s sensitivity to serotonin and norepinephrine, neurotransmitters that help ease feelings of depression.

But don’t think you need to start training for a marathon to gain the benefits? Not exactly.

One study showed that just six weeks of yoga (in addition to standard treatment) was enough to reduce depression and even anxiety. Yoga and Pilates also focus on breathing exercises, which can reduce stress and promote relaxation.

7.       Boosts your brain health

Exercise is beneficial for maintaining brain health for everyone, but even more for those who are at risk for developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Movement promotes cardiovascular health, improves blood flow to the brain, and reduces inflammation. It also stimulates the production of hormones that enhance the growth of brain cells.

A study suggests that in older adults, exercise can also impact the hippocampus. This part of the brain is important for memory and learning. Exercising can help it grow, which may improve mental function.

8.       Reduces pain

If you have chronic low back pain, fibromyalgia, or other conditions that cause chronic pain, exercising has been shown to help reduce pain.

Research from the National Library of Medicine shows that exercise can reduce the severity of pain, as well as improve physical function.

9.       Reduces risk of chronic disease

Exercising regularly can help ward off chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. It can also help if you have high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Just think about how a lack of exercise can impact your health. It can cause significant belly fat (which we know is tough to lose) and has been linked to high cholesterol, inflammation, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

10.   Improves sex life

Exercise can lead to a stronger heart, muscles, and improved flexibility, which can be beneficial when it comes to your sex life.

Research also shows that in postmenopausal women who exercised, their sexual desire increased, while exercise significantly improved erectile function in men.

There are many more benefits of Exercise to your body. Benefits are not limited to increased lifespan. However, it is not enough to learn that you must work out to maintain sound health, it is also important to learn how to rightly do it.

How should you Exercise

The current guideline for physical activity for adults is a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise five days a week. But we all know that exercise and making it to the gym is easier said than done.

You can get exercise from the following activities:

• Walking two miles in 30 minutes
• Biking five miles in 30 minutes
• Swimming laps for 20 minutes
• Running one and a half miles in 15 minutes
• Doing water aerobics for 30 minutes
• Playing volleyball for 45 minutes
• Playing basketball for 20 minutes
• Jumping rope for 15 minutes
• Walking stairs for 15 minutes
• Dancing for 30 minutes
• Performing YOGA for 30 minutes

Use these tips to help incorporate exercise into your life

1. Find an exercise buddy

You’re less likely to ditch your workout if you know you’re meeting your friend at the gym. Finding someone to exercise with will help hold you accountable and chances are you’ll feel more committed.

2. Make it part of your routine

 It takes most people two to six weeks to get into a pattern of regular exercise. And although the first couple of weeks may be the hardest, the longer you do it, the more it becomes a part of your daily or weekly routine. Eventually, it will start to become normal to you, like brushing your teeth.

3. Schedule it

Leaving your workout up to chance is never a good idea. Dr. Kampert encourages people to get a physical wall calendar and schedule a couple of days each week when they’re going to exercise.

4. Find your reason why

For many people, an exercise program is all about losing weight. For others, it’s about becoming healthier to fight off disease. And for some, moving the body feels like therapy. Find your reason for why you do it. Then on hard days, when the last thing you want to do is move, dig into your reason, and use it as motivation.

I’ll close on this with Dr. Kampert’s words, “If we could bottle up exercise, it’d be the best-selling pill in the world”. It is important that we put in the effort to move our bodies. Because ultimately, we’re the only ones who can make the decision for ourselves.

The benefits of doing this—making the move—are long-lasting. And always remember that, when you’re fit as a fiddle, you find it easier to solve life’s riddle. So, make sure you stay fit!

See you in the next post.

Yours,

Timilehin Dada