Wether you're involved in sports or live an active lifestyle, physical activity pays big dividends. The more you do, the greater the health benefits. Physical activity & fitness is the right move for almost everyone! Consider these reasons how workouts help:
1. Trimmer Body
If you're physically active, you'll have an easier time maintaining a healthy weight or, if you're overweight, losing weight & keeping it off will be easier.
2. Less Risk for Health Problems
An active lifestyle or a sports regimen, can help protect you from many ongoing health problems. Studies show that regular physical activity helps lower risk factors. For example, physical activity helps to lower total and LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglyceride levels while boosting the HDL (good) cholesterol level. It helps control blood pressure and improve blood glucose levels. Your risks for heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers go down when you fit physical activity into your daily life.
Active living also may reduce or eliminate the need for medication to lower blood lipids, lower blood pressure, and manage diabetes.
3. Stronger Bones
Regular, weight bearing activities such as walking, running, weight lifting, and cross country skiing help make your bones stronger. Even in adulthood, weight bearing exercises help maintain bone strength and reduces your chance of fractures and osteoporosis.
4. Stronger Muscles
Strength training activities such as lifting weights, at least two times a week keep your body strong for sports and everyday living. When you're strong, it's easier to move, carry, and lift things. When you exercise your muscles, you also give your heart a workout. It's a muscle too. A strong heart pumps blood and nutrients more easily through your sixty thousand miles of blood vessels.
5. Endurance
You won't tire as easily when you're physically active. You'll be able to keep up with your children, pets, and friends. It will also give you more endurance while having sex & improve your sex drive.
6. Better Mental Outlook
Exercise releases endorphins, which are feel good chemicals in your brain. You'll notice if you're ever in a bad mood & you decide to workout, or even run, after your physical activity you will naturally feel happier. Working out also gives you mental space. Time to zone out and focus on your body. When I workout I don't think about anything except how my form is & how my body feels. So, if you have a lot to think about take an exercise break. Active people describe people feelings of psychological well being and self esteem when they make active living a habit. It's a great way to reinforce an empowered attitude and positive outlook.
7. Stress Relief & Better Sleep
Research shows that physical activity helps your body relax and release emotional tension. That promotes longer, better quality sleep, and you may fall asleep faster.
8. Better Coordination & Flexibility
Your body moves with greater ease and range of motion when you stay physically active. Stiffness and back pain usually starts creeping in when you're no longer active and you sit long hours for work. Make sure you're giving you body enough activity to release tension & prevent muscle stiffness.
9. Injury Protection
When you're in shape, you can more easily catch yourself if you slip or trip, and you can move away from impeding danger quickly. Your body will also be more limber, preventing pulled muscles. Continuing to workout, as you age if you fall or something you won't break bones as easily.
10. Prolong Aging
Research suggests that physical activity slows some effects of aging. Active people have more strength and mobility and fewer limitations. This is important for staying healthy and growing with loved ones. Staying active will physically keep you young, as well as mentally healthy! So, its for these 10 reasons how workouts help increase your overall quality of life!
American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide, (ch1, page 17)