There’s no questioning that exercise is beneficial, but it’s important to understand why. People tend to associate exercise with just weight maintenance and the pursuit of an ideal body image. While that isn’t necessarily wrong, it’s only barely scratching the surface. Then why is exercise so important?
Because your health matters.
Obesity in the U.S. is growing at an alarming rate. Just take a look at this map provided by the CDC. Keep in mind this is taking a look at obesity, a body mass index of 30 or more and that it only goes to 2010. Just being overweight would be calculated as a BMI range of 25 – 29.9. This measurement only takes into account mass and height and doesn’t consider body composition.
Guess what the leading cause of death in the U.S. is. It’s not accidents or cancer (close though). It’s heart disease. Cardiovascular diseases, including strokes and heart disease, account for more than a third of all U.S. deaths. Heart disease and stroke are also responsible for the disability of nearly 4 million people. Not only are these diseases robbing us of our health, but also our money! The total costs of cardiovascular diseases in the U.S. in 2010 were estimated to be $444 billion.
Obesity increases the risk of cardiovascular disease as well as many other health consequences:
- Coronary heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure.
- Type 2 diabetes.
- Cancers, such as endometrial, breast, and colon cancer.
- High total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides.
- Liver and gallbladder disease.
- Sleep apnea and respiratory problems.
- Degeneration of cartilage and underlying bone within a joint (osteoarthritis).
- Reproductive health complications such as infertility.
- Mental health conditions.
The thing is, obesity is preventable. Exercise combined with a proper diet can help you maintain a healthy weight and lower risk for these health conditions. Keep in mind, these health consequences are associated with obesity. Leading an inactive lifestyle results in additional implications that we’ll touch on later. Here are the benefits of regular exercise on cardiovascular risk factors:
- Reduction in body weight
- Reduction in blood pressure
- Reduction in bad (LDL and total) cholesterol
- Increase in good (HDL) cholesterol
- Increase in insulin sensitivity
The bottom line is that regular exercise can help maintain a healthy weight to avoid serious health complications.
Because you deserve to feel good.
Who doesn’t want to feel good, right? Exercise has benefits for people even if they are already at a healthy weight. And we’re talking more than just boosted self-esteem!
Multiple studies have shown that regular exercise can improve mood in people with mild to moderate depression. Exercise enhances the action of endorphins. These chemicals improve natural immunity and reduce the perception of pain and may also improve mood. Exercise may also stimulate norepinephrine, which may directly improve mood. Not only does exercise help with depression, but it also helps relieve stress and ward off anxiety.
**To be continued!