Working out may be a great way to get fit and lose weight, but that's far from its only benefit. Working out regularly can help keep you healthy in several ways that are often overlooked—and don't necessarily have anything to do with how many pounds you lose.
They help you lose weight.
When you exercise, your body uses energy to perform the movements. This energy comes from calories stored in the body. If you burn more calories than you consume, those extra calories will be used for fuel, resulting in weight loss.
If we look at this equation: Calories In (food) - Calories Out (exercise + daily activities) = Weight Gain or Loss
Exercise plays an important role in helping us lose weight by burning off extra calories from our bodies!
They keep you from getting sick.
Exercise boosts the immune system, and a strong immune system means you're less likely to get sick.
For example, regular exercise increases the production of white blood cells, which fight off infections and diseases. Regular exercise also helps you sleep better: When your body is tired from working out during the day, it's easier to fall asleep at night (and stay asleep). This can also help lower stress levels--stress can contribute to inflammation that makes it more difficult for your body to fight off any illness or infection.
They lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
- Exercise can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
- Lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol is important because it reduces the risk of heart disease, America's leading cause of death.
They boost mood and self-esteem.
Exercise is a great way to boost your mood and help you feel more confident.
Studies have shown that exercise can help people with anxiety and depression by improving their self-esteem, which may be because they're proud of what their bodies can do. The sense of accomplishment from exercising regularly is also an important factor in feeling good about yourself, so if you haven't been working out for a while but want to start again, now would be a great time!
Exercising regularly will also help ensure that when it comes time for bedtime each night (which should be around 8 hours before waking up), you'll have no problem falling asleep or staying asleep until morning without waking up feeling groggy or tired--and this goes double for those nights where there's an early morning workout scheduled!
They may reduce the risk of some cancers.
- Breast cancer: One study found that women who exercised for just two hours per week had a 14% lower risk of developing breast cancer than those who didn't exercise.
- Colon cancer: Another study found that men who engaged in high-intensity exercise (like running or swimming) had almost half the risk of colon polyps compared with those who didn't exercise, while moderate-intensity workouts reduced their risk by nearly 20%.
- Prostate cancer: A meta-analysis of 16 studies found that men who participated in vigorous physical activity had a 35% lower chance of dying from prostate cancer than those who didn't engage in any exercise activities.
They can make you smarter.
- Exercise increases brain volume. A 2014 study found that people who exercised regularly had larger hippocampi, the parts of the brain responsible for memory and learning.
- Exercise increases blood flow to the brain. Another study found that regular exercise increased blood flow in areas responsible for intelligence and cognition in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
- Regular workouts can improve memory, learning, cognitive function, and concentration due to their impact on neurogenesis - or how new neurons form through cell division in structures like your hippocampus - and vascular health throughout your entire body (including those very important cerebral vessels).
They can help you live longer.
This is because exercise helps you live a healthier and more active life, which can help you avoid chronic diseases and improve your overall quality of life.
Exercise may also help prevent obesity by increasing lean muscle mass while reducing body fat percentage. Additionally, that regular physical activity can improve mental health by reducing depression symptoms among children diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).
Working out is important for many reasons that don't get as much attention as weight loss does but are just as important to your health in the long term and should be part of your regular routine as well.
As we've discussed, exercise is important for many reasons that don't get as much attention as weight loss does but are just as important to your health in the long term and should be part of your regular routine as well.
- Exercise can help you lose weight. This is one of the most touted benefits of working out: it makes it easier to shed pounds by burning extra calories and building muscle mass. If you're trying to lose weight and get into better shape, this benefit alone should motivate you enough to start a workout plan--but there's more!
- Exercise helps prevent chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes (which often go hand-in-hand). Regular physical activity reduces risk factors such as high blood pressure and cholesterol levels while improving insulin sensitivity so cells receive glucose from food more efficiently without relying on medication or other treatments like surgery or medication alone. Additionally, if something ever happened where someone needed emergency surgery without warning beforehand (such as an accident), doctors would likely advise them beforehand how important it was for them not only to stay healthy but also to keep up with their usual routine until further notice; this includes getting enough exercise every day just like any other doctor might advise patients against smoking cigarettes because both habits could cause unexpected complications during surgery later down the line.
Conclusion
If you're looking for a way to improve your health, working out is one of the best things you can do. There are many benefits to exercising regularly that don't involve losing weight or looking good in a bikini. I hope this article has helped you see that working out isn't all about looks and body image but also about feeling better and being healthier overall!
