Being physically active has been a huge campaign going on in Singapore for the past few years. State challenges like the National Steps Challenge reward us for our physical activity, but is there a more important message at hand here? We all know exercise is good for our health, but many of us don't know the full extent of the benefits.
Here are the top 10 reasons why a physical activity culture is something to embrace in your life.
Top 10 benefits of physical activity
1. Weight management
One of the main benefits of exercise is that it helps control weight. Exercising increases calorie consumption, which helps us lose weight or maintain an ideal weight. Regular exercise also helps improve your metabolic rate, making weight management much easier.
2. Bone and muscle health
Exercise physically strengthens your body because it strengthens your bones and muscles. Strong bones contribute to better balance, which means greater stability and fewer injuries, while stronger muscles contribute to fitness for everyday activities such as climbing stairs or carrying groceries. There is no need to hesitate to actively build muscle; A bodybuilder's physique requires years of training and very specific nutrition. Instead, comprehensive strength training will ensure that the muscles in your body remain functionally healthy for years to come!
3. Relieve physical pain
Exercise provides rehabilitation for chronic pain such as lower back pain. The right kind of exercise can be a good form of physical therapy for persistent pain or long-term injury. However, be sure to consult a professional for the perfect workout recommendation before starting your workout.
4. Protection from sanitary conditions
In addition to making you physically stronger, exercise also keeps your body healthy by reducing the risk of chronic diseases. By helping to control weight, exercise also keeps obesity-related diseases at bay, such as diabetes and heart disease. Exercising regularly also keeps your blood sugar and insulin levels at healthy levels.
5. Younger, healthier skin
A REAL POST-WORKOUT GLOW: Exercising benefits skin and makes it look younger by stimulating antioxidant production. These antioxidants repair damaged skin cells, stimulate blood flow and improve skin health.
6. Improves mental health
There are several ways that exercise is beneficial for the brain. First, exercise triggers the release of hormones that facilitate brain cell growth. Then, exercise also increases blood flow to the brain, allowing it to get more oxygen to function better. Moreover, oxygen also helps in improving memory by increasing the size of the hippocampus, which is the part of the brain responsible for memory. This slows down the aging of the brain and also protects you from degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and mental disorders such as schizophrenia.
7. Increase energy level
The rush of hormones from a good workout is an important energy booster that helps you fight fatigue and stay more focused. This energy boost is especially beneficial for people with chronic fatigue or health conditions that affect energy levels.
8. Mood improvements
In addition to making you feel more energetic, exercise also makes you happier. The hormones like endorphins that are released during exercise trigger positive feelings and drive out negative feelings. This makes exercise a good form of therapy for people who suffer from anxiety or depression.
9. Better sleep quality
Exercise helps you sleep better at night and fights insomnia by making sure you are tired enough at bedtime. Plus, the stress-relieving effect of exercise helps relax your mind and body so negative thoughts don't keep you awake for hours at night. Exercise also helps regulate the body's circadian rhythm. Heating your core body temperature during exercise allows your body to cool down significantly before bed, promoting restful sleep.
10. Increased libido
Sleeping isn't the only activity that bedtime benefits from exercise; So is sex. Exercise enhances circulation and flexibility, increases libido, and improves sexual performance and overall experience. For older men, exercise helps reduce erectile dysfunction symptoms.
In short, physical activity is essential when looking for the best physical and mental health. The easiest way to reap these benefits is to make time each week to exercise. Appropriate and customized workouts allow you to maximize the time you spend exercising to achieve the greatest benefits. Not sure how to plan an exercise routine? Start with the following three steps.
Planning an exercise routine
1. Setting goals
The exercise, like any other project or plan, should begin with setting the goal (ie SMART goals). Be specific about what you want to achieve within a certain period of time. Is it to improve your endurance so you can run or swim for longer? Or is it for more strength to bench press with heavier weight? Whatever your goal, define a specific target outcome that you can work on. When setting goals, consider your current abilities and fitness levels and take into account any current health issues or injuries so you can come up with a viable plan.
2. Planning the duration and frequency of training
Before starting the types of exercises you want to do, plan how many training sessions you can do per week and how long each training session will last. Most experts recommend exercising four to five days a week, varying the length and structure of your workouts with a mix of different types of activities.
3. Training Structure
There are three types of activities to consider: aerobic, anaerobic, and no exercise. These exercises focus on different aspects of fitness and health, so sticking to at least one or two sessions of each activity per week is ideal.
aerobic activities
Moderate intensity: brisk walking, recreational swimming, cycling
High intensity: running, swimming, continuous laps, spinning
Aerobic exercises are essential to building your physical conditioning because they work your heart and lungs, allowing you to develop a higher working capacity. It's important to incorporate moderate and vigorous intensity exercise into your routine to build a stronger aerobic base: Aim for a total of 150 minutes of moderate activity and 60 minutes of vigorous activity each week. To make it easier, you can break your aerobic exercises into manageable 10-minute blocks.
Anaerobic strength training activities
Activity types: push-ups, pull-ups, squats, resistance exercises, weightlifting
Strength training is important because it strengthens muscles and bones for better health and resistance to injury. Strength exercises also help with weight loss: as you gain muscle, your metabolism increases, which allows you to better convert calories into energy.
Physical activities without exercise
Types of activities: casual walking, stair climbing, frisbee
NEPA is not intended to be a physical requirement, but rather is a legitimate form of physical activity that works well to support an active lifestyle. Participating in NEPA on rest days prevents you from falling into a state of lethargy and increases (slightly) your total caloric expenditure.
Keep your workouts safe
In addition to deciding which exercises to include in your workouts, you also need to make sure you have safety protocols in place. The search for safe exercises begins with the following steps:
• Appropriate warm-up and cool-down processes
These should last for at least five to ten minutes. Stretching and slow jogging are common warm-up and cool-down exercises.
• Watch for signs of infection
When it comes to cardio or strength training, it's important to stop at any sign of distress to avoid injury. Avoid strenuous exercise when you already have injuries such as stress fractures or sprains.
• Monitor your form during strength training
Most of the injuries you get during strength training are due to poor level, so always pay attention to your level and never try to rush into your workouts.
• Stay hydrated
Heat-related injuries are among the most common heat-related injuries.
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