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We all know exercise is good for us. But when you boil it down to the essentials – exactly how does exercise benefit us?
1. Psychological benefits
Ever tried exercising after a tough day’s work? You’ll be amazed how much of a de-stressor. Exercise has been shown to have a number of positive psychological affects and has been used as a treatment for ailments such as depression and low self esteem.
2. Lifestyle diseases
May of the modern day woes we suffer – heart disease, high blood pressure, Type II Diabetes, etc. can be directly collated to a lack of exercise. Regular physical activity can help prevent (or at least manage) many of these modern day ailments.
3. Weight management
Feel some extra kilograms creeping on? A consistent exercise program, maintained over an extended period of time is an ideal way for you to manage your weight. For example adding a 30 minute walk into your daily exercise regimen will burn about 420 kilojoules (or 100 calories) per session. If you did nothing else that would chew through that level of activity would burn through almost 5 kilograms of body fat. Even small amounts of physical activity will, over time, help improve your body weight. This doesn’t have to be hardcore. Simply taking the stairs rather than the lift, walking to the shop rather than driving – smaller changes to your lifestyle “habits” will have major implications on the scales in the longer term.
4. Too tired to exercise – think again
Exercise will actually help to increase your energy levels rather than deplete them. Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients around the body at an elevated rate. More oxygen and nutrition supplied around the body means more energy to do the things you enjoy.
5. Sleep Improvement
Recent research has shown that carrying excess body weight can have dire affects on your sleeping habits. For example a neck circumference of greater than 40 centimetres in men has been shown to be strongly related to sleep apnoea. As mentioned above (see point 3) exercise can help to alleviate this problem and hence enhance your sleep. One word of warning however, do not exercise close to your bedtime. Exercise stimulates the nervous system, so exercising to close to bed-time can result in sleeping difficulties – best to stop exercising at least 2 hours before bed time.
6. Spice up your sex life
Too tired for some sexy time? Or feeling a little self conscious about your body. Exercise could be the answer!
As mentioned above, regular physical activity improves energy levels, gives you a more positive psychological outlook on life and can improve your physical appearance. All of which will improve your sex life, but wait, there’s more. Physical activity has been shown to increase libido in women and lower the incidence of erectile dysfunction in aging men.
So, the take home message – get active to get intimate!
7. Exercise is fun!
As hard as it might be to believe if you’ve led a largely sedentary lifestyle – exercise is fun! Getting involved in an activity the whole family can enjoy on the weekend is healthy, builds family ties and creates a great legacy that is sadly lacking in modern day society – physical activity can be fun.
By creating a routine around exercise will maximise the results such as a fitness plan that incorporates aerobic, strength and flexibility or just hrow a Frisbee around with the family, kick a soccer-ball, go to the local park and play on the swings with the kids, walk the dog, play together at the beach, do some bush-walking – all fun activities the whole family can enjoy together.
If you get bored one thing, try something different. As long as you’re moving that’s what counts!
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