WHY
EXERCISE IS IMPORTANT
Exercise is a vital
factor contributing to good health and physical fitness. Have you ever heard
the expression “USE IT OR LOSE IT”? Well
it’s true... If you don’t use your body you will definitely lose it. Thus, your
muscles will become weak and flaccid. It would also affect your respiratory
system which will hinder the oxygen flow throughout the body. Lack of exercise
will also cause your joints to be stiff and be easily injured.
Helps
Prevent Diseases
The human body was essentially
designed for movement and actually craves exercise. Good health and fitness is dependent
on regular exercise. It reduces the risk of heart disease, cancer, high blood
pressure, diabetes and other diseases. It can also develop your appearance and hinder
the aging process.
Improves
Stamina
When you exercise, your
body uses energy to keep going. Aerobic exercise involves continuous and rhythmic
physical motion, such as walking and bicycling. It improves your stamina by
training your body to become more efficient and use less energy for the same
amount of work. As your conditioning level improves, your heart rate and
breathing rate return to resting levels much sooner from strenuous activity.
Strengthens
and Tones
Exercising with weights
and other forms of resistance training develops your muscles, bones and
ligaments for increased strength and endurance. Your posture can be improved,
and your muscles become more firm and toned. You not only feel better, but you
look better, too!
Enhances
Flexibility
Stretching exercises
are also important for good posture. They keep your body limber so that you can
bend, reach and twist. Improving your flexibility through exercise reduces the
chance of injury and improves balance and coordination. If you have stiff,
tense areas, such as the upper back or neck, performing specific stretches can
help "loosen" those muscles, helping you feel more relaxed.
Controls
Weight
Exercise is also a key
to weight control because it burns calories. If you burn off more calories than
you take in, you lose weight. It's as simple as that.
Improves
Quality of Life
Once you begin to
exercise regularly, you will discover many more reasons why exercise is so
important to improving the quality of your life. Exercise reduces stress, lifts
moods, and helps you sleep better. It can keep you looking and feeling younger
throughout your entire life.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD I EXERCISE?
The benefits of any
exercise program will diminish if it's disrupted too frequently. A
"stop-start" routine is not only ineffective, but can cause injuries.
Being consistent with exercise, therefore, is probably the most important
factor in achieving desired results.
People often assume
that more is better. Wrong! Doing
too much too soon or performing intense exercises on a daily basis will have
deleterious effects, such as muscle/tendon strains, loss of lean tissue, and
fitness-level plateaus.
Cardio
If you are a beginner,
start off slower than you think you should. Three days per week is realistic,
safe and effective. If you are experienced, do cardiovascular (aerobic)
exercises such as walking, jogging and bicycling for no more than 200 minutes
per week with no more than 60 minutes per session.
Lifting
Weights
Weight training should
be done no more than three times per week targeting the same muscle groups.
Exercise the same muscle groups on non-consecutive days because muscles need
adequate time to recover and cannot be effectively trained if they are tired or
sore.
Stretching
Many people forget to
stretch or make the excuse that they don't have the time. Flexibility is
important, so make the time! Stretching can be done every day, but stick to a
minimum of three times per week in order to reap the benefits. When the body is
warmed up, such as after a workout session, perform five to 10 stretches that
target the major muscle groups. Hold each stretch for 10-30 seconds
This is great advise Kenny, we just have to make the time and commit.
ReplyDeleteThank you Val, I'm glad I could help. Remember, "Eat well, Exercise Daily and See Results"
ReplyDelete