I know you hear all the time that you should exercise but have you ever caught yourself thinking why? There are so many benefits to regular exercise that go beyond losing weight. While weight loss can be one of your goals, long-term health and prevention of chronic disease should be the main priority. Like they say, “workout because you love your body, not because you hate it!” Let’s dive in and look at some major benefits of exercising regularly.
1. boosts Mood
Have you ever noticed after a workout that you feel SO good?! Not only do you feel strong but your mood is instantly better? That is because exercise helps release certain chemicals such as serotonin and norepinephrine that help boost your mood and calm your nerves. There are even studies being done to look at the effects of exercise vs drug treatment for certain conditions such as depression and anxiety. If you are feeling down or super stressed try moving your body!
2. weight management
It comes as no surprise that exercise can help us lose weight. When you build muscle, your body increases its metabolism. Increased muscle mass = increased calorie burning throughout the day. (WIN!) This does not mean that you have to kill yourself in the gym every. single. day. Finding an activity that you love and gets your body moving is the best way to stick to it. Consistency is key! Controlling weight also plays a role in preventing chronic diseases.
3. chronic disease prevention
Regular exercise is one of the best ways to help prevent common chronic diseases such as hypertension (high blood pressure), dyslipidemia (high cholesterol), and type 2 diabetes. The American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, and American Diabetes Association recommends regular physical activity as one of the top lifestyle recommendations for prevention and treatment of those conditions. The recommendation is 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week. This comes to about 150 minutes per week. Now don’t tell me that sounds like a lot because when you calculate it out it is only 1.5% of your week. You can do it!
4. Bone Health
You might not be thinking about bone health very often or ever at all but this is one of those “you can thank me later” topics. As women, our bone health declines later in life in response to the decrease in estrogen we have around menopause. Bone density usually peaks in your mid-twenties and has a pretty slow decline after that. One of the top ways to preserve bone density is resistance training. Not only does it help build strong muscles but helps build strong bones too!
5. increased energy
I don’t know about you but after a hard workout, I feel like I can conquer whatever the day throws at me! Your body is warmed up and ready to go. When you exercise regularly, your body doesn’t have to work as hard doing everyday tasks like breathing and walking. You can then use that energy to tackle your next project or stay focused at work. Exercise can also help you sleep better which in turn gives you more energy for your day to come.
I hope this post inspires you to get your body moving more often! Do you workout regularly? If so, what are your favorite workouts to do? If not, what is stopping you? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. It might help others get some ideas of what they can do too!
