16 Good Reasons To Exercise

Tagged: exercise, exercise tips, Fitness, fitness motivation, health and fitness, Healthy Body, Healthy Lifestyle, healthy living, weight loss motivation, Weight Loss Resolution

Why Should I Exercise?

We all know that exercise in important. And we all know that exercise can make us look SMOKIN’ HOT!

However, some of us don’t know just how beneficial exercise is to our overall physical health. So, to help you understand the impact of exercise better I’ve put together the following list which outlines 16 of the most important reasons why we need to incorporate a fitness program into our daily lives.

I hope that you refer to this list for motivation during those times when you feel discouraged by slow progress or feel the urge to exclude exercise from your daily to-do list for whatever reason.

You Will Look Better

Most of us will never look like a fitness model or slim down to a perfect size 4. But, we can all look a little better, and feel a lot better, with exercise. This is because when we combine aerobic exercise with weight training we reshape and tone our bodies, and improve our overall balance and posture. And, all of these small changes, when combined, lead to an overall improved appearance.

You Will Be Less Stressed

Exercise is a great way to shed the tension and nervous energy brought on by the stress of everyday life. More than 200 studies, to date, have shown that regular exercise leads to reduced overall stress levels and can help you cope with stressful events in a far more productive manner.

You Will Sleep Better

When I tell  people, “You will sleep better if you workout”, their immediate response is, “Well, of course, who wouldn’t sleep better when exhausted?”. So, I feel that it’s important to mention that exercise does not help you sleep better by simply exhausting you.

Numerous studies indicate that one of the most effective cures for mild insomnia is aerobic exercise. People who exercise 3-4 times a week, for about 30 minutes per session, report sleeping better most likely because of hormonal changes, such as increased serotonin levels, brought on by regular exercise.

You Will Have Less Lower Back Pain

These days it seems as if everyone is suffering from lower back pain. Of course, this isn’t surprising considering the amount of time we spent sitting behind our office desks, our car steering wheels, on our couches, etc. All this sitting, which is often done with bad posture, can wreak havoc on our lower backs. However, there are ways to combat chronic lower back pain and the most effective of these ways is through consistent aerobic exercise.

Exercise, even mild forms of it, help strengthen our abdominal and lower back muscles, which can help ease lower back tension pain as well as do wonders both for our posture and balance.

You Will Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer

All of us ladies worry about the likelihood of breast cancer happening to us or to our loved ones. Though breast cancer is devastating doing something as simple as making time to workout 3-4 times a week can drastically reduce our risk of breast cancer.

Numerous recent studies have suggested that regular exercise can reduce our risk of developing breast cancer as well as reduce the likelihood of the cancer coming back, if one has been diagnosed. (source)

You Will Reduce Your Risk of Colon Cancer

A variety of studies have shown that moderate exercise can reduce your risk of developing colon cancer by as much as 40%. This is mainly because exercise helps speed up the passage of feces through the intestines, thus reducing the amount of time waste sits in the colon or rectum. (source)

You Will Reduce Your Risk of Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a thinning of the bones which often effects menopausal women but can also impact men. The key to preventing osteoporosis lies in eating a diet, high in Calcium, and implementing a weight training program into your daily fitness routine. A number of influential studies have shown that weight training exercises can help us build and maintain bone density at any age.

Weight training exercises help prevent osteoporosis by placing weight on the bones. Weight training exercises do this by forcing muscles to pull against bones thus stimulating the retention of Calcium, in the bones that are bearing the weight.

You Will Lessen Your PMS Symptoms

PMS sucks!! But, it can be managed. One of the best ways to reduce the symptoms of PMS is through regular exercise. In fact, in some women, regular exercise can help eliminate PMS symptoms entirely.

Exercise helps ease PMS symptoms by strengthening your pelvic floor muscles and increasing the amount of endorphins and Serotonin in your body which can help manage pain naturally. But, most importantly, exercise helps manage your PMS symptoms by reducing your overall body fat percentage which helps reduce the amount of estrogen produced in your body.

You Will Lessen Your Menopause Symptoms

According to numerous studies, including a prominent one conducted in 2006, women between the ages of 55 to 72, who exercise on a regular basis, experience significant improvement in both mental and physical health during and after menopause.

“Joining the regular exercise program improved the women’s health and also gave them the chance to join a sociable group activity and reduce feelings of loneliness,” says Villaverde-Gutierrez in a news release. “Our findings suggest that regular exercise programes can help to alleviate some of the physical symptoms associated with the menopause and improve women’s health and quality of life.” (source)

You Will Lessen Your Risk of Heart Disease

People who do not exercise are just as likely to develop heart disease as those who smoke. On the other hand, those who exercise, even moderately, experience less stress, have stronger immune systems, better circulation, lower body fat percentages and a variety of other factors that lead to an overall reduced risk of developing heart disease.

You Will Lessen Your Risk of Developing Type II Diabetes

Regular exercise is a great way to manage Diabetes as well as prevent it. Regular exercise helps reduce your chances of developing Type II Diabetes by lowering your blood sugar levels as well as your cholesterol levels.

You’re Less Likely To Need Gallbladder Surgery

Gallbladder surgery is an invasive surgery and its outcome will effect every facet of your life including what you can and cannot eat. But, the good news is that if you are a woman, over 40, you can virtually eliminate your risk of needing gallbladder surgery by maintaining a healthy weight and exercising at least 3-4 times a week.

According to a study published in the Sep. 19, 1999 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, consistent exercise, even if it’s low impact exercise such as walking, can help reduce a woman’s risk for gallstone surgery. Unfortunately, this study’s findings do not apply to women who are severely overweight.

“Essentially, we found yet another advantage of exercise,” says Michael Leitzmann, MD, one of the study’s authors. Leitzmann goes on to say that although the results of this study can  apply to men, they are especially important for women, who are more likely to suffer from gallstone disease. (source)

You Will Increase Your Self Esteem

One of the indirect consequences of becoming more fit is an increase in self esteem. This increase in self esteem is brought on by a variety of factors including a sense of achievement as you meet your fitness goals, higher endorphin levels, and improved overall body image. 

You Will Be a Good Example To Your Kids

It’s no secret that kids don’t always listen to their parents. But, they do watch their parents, learn from them and follow in their footsteps.

As a parent, you are in a powerful position to teach your kids healthy habits, from an early age. And one of the best ways to do this is to set a positive example for them to follow. Of course, we all know that teaching kids to incorporate fitness into their daily lives is especially important now that childhood obesity and childhood Type II diabetes are at an all-time high.

You Will Be More Likely To See Your Grand kids

Do you often dream of seeing your grand kids? Playing with your grand kids? Well, as pleasant as these dreams are, they are not likely to come true if you don’t take steps to protect your health now.

Staying fit will not only help you look and feel younger but according to numerous studies it can also help add as much as 10 extra productive years to your life. These extra ten years can be the difference between never meeting your grand kids or being around to play with them and see them grow up, even if you started your family later in life.

You Can Stay Connected To Like-Minded Friends

Regardless of your age, gender or fitness level, making an effort to become more active can be just the thing to breath new life into your social life. For example, one of the best ways to become more active is to join various social clubs such as a gym, a walking or hiking group or a baseball team. Thus, you will be exposed to a new set of people whom you would not have otherwise met if you had not decided to become more active.

Why Do You Exercise?

Tell us why you exercise and enter to win a Jillian Michaels 4-Set DVD package which features: 1 Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30, 1 Jillian Michaels Killer Buns & Thighs, 1 Jillian Michaels: 6 Week Six-Pack and 1 Jillian Michaels – 30 Day Shred.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This blogger was not compensated for this giveaway. I am not associated with any of the companies or persons mentioned in this giveaway. No purchase is necessary to enter. Void where prohibited by law. The odds of winning are based on the number of entries received. This promotion is no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, and is compliant with Facebook TOS. To qualify to win, you must fill out the Rafflecopter entry. Must be aged 18+ to enter and win. DVD’s may ship separately. 

photo courtesy of: mikebaird