When it comes to health, there are three pieces of the puzzle: 1) Diet, 2) Exercise and 3) Lifestyle. Whilst nutrition is a big contributing factor to health and any weight loss aspirations, it is by no means the only thing you should care about. In this article, you will find 5 reasons why exercising is not only a good idea – it’s a must-do.

1. It Helps You Lose Weight Faster

Doing exercise regularly, whether weight training or cardio, burns off extra energy that you would not have used without it. Purely from a weight-perspective, exercising regularly actually means you can be a bit more liberal with your diet choices. The odd treat here and there isn’t going to impact your weight nearly as much as if you were not in a routine of regular exercise. Purely from a weight management standpoint, think of exercising as a way to pre pay your snacks.

2. It Can Help You Lose Fat Without Changing Your Diet

Working out usually leads to building more overall lean muscle mass. Your body constantly burns calories to fuel the muscle mass – both during and outside of working out. It’s basically like free calorie burning! Therefore the more muscle mass you have, the more calories you’ll burn by just by default. This means you can eat the same amount of food as you used to and even possibly lose weight.

3. It Reduces Your Risk of a Heart Attack or Stroke

Any form of exercise (including weigh training) improves your cardiovascular health, which includes improving blood flow throughout the body and a reduction in the chances of a clot forming. Strokes and heart attacks are all too common these days, we must do all we can to reduce our risk and ensure our quality of life as we age.

4. It Keeps Your Bones Strong

The biggest factor as to why old people suffer from mobility issues and must use walkers, canes and wheelchairs is because they have brittle bones and joints. The strength of these two things is determined by bone mineral density. The only way to improve this (other than medication) is to exercise, as this places enough stress on the bone to make the body understand that it is a priority (thus fortifying it).

5. It Alleviates Feelings of Anxiety and Depression

When we exercise, our body produces a lot of feel-good hormones known as endorphins. These endorphins have been scientifically proven to reduce cortisol, which is the primary hormone for stress and anxiety. By reducing cortisol, it can help feel calm, relaxed and most importantly: at peace. Another benefit is that it potentially assist in offsetting cravings and the feeling of needing a quick, unhealthy snack.

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Conclusion:

People tend to think that working out is just to get big muscles or lose the holiday fat. However, we hope this article has helped you understand all the other tremendous benefits that an exercise routine can have. It is no longer a question of if, but a question of when you should do it.

When starting any new diet or nutritional program, we recommend that you seek the advice and support of a qualified professional to ensure that it is suitable for you and your individual circumstances.