Exercising regularly is good for you and can help you lose weight. But if you're like many Americans, you're busy, have a stable job, and haven't changed your exercise habits yet. The good news is that it's never too late to start. You can start slowly and find ways to fit more physical activity into your life. To get the most benefit, you should try to get the amount of exercise recommended for your age. If you can, the bonus is that you'll feel better, help prevent or control many diseases, and may even live longer.
Help you control your weight. Along with diet, exercise plays an important role in weight control and obesity prevention. To maintain your weight, the calories you eat and drink must equal the energy you burn. To lose weight, you must use more calories than you eat and drink.
Reduce the risk of heart disease. Exercise strengthens the heart and improves blood circulation. Increased blood flow raises oxygen levels in the body. This helps reduce the risk of heart diseases, such as high cholesterol, coronary artery disease, and heart attacks. Regular exercise can also lower blood pressure and triglyceride levels.
Help your body control blood sugar and insulin levels. Exercise can lower blood sugar and help insulin work better. This can reduce your risk of developing metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. And if you already have one of these conditions, exercise can help you manage it.
Help you quit smoking. Exercise can make it easier to quit smoking by reducing smoking cravings and withdrawal symptoms. It can also help reduce the weight you may gain when you quit smoking.
Improve your mental health and mood. During exercise, your body releases chemicals that can improve your mood and make you feel more relaxed. This can help you deal with stress and reduce your risk of depression.
Help keep your thinking, learning and judgment skills sharp as you age. Exercise stimulates your body to release proteins and other chemicals that improve the structure and function of your brain.
Strengthen your bones and muscles. Regular exercise can help children and teens build strong bones. Later in life, it can also slow the loss of bone density that occurs with age. Doing muscle-strengthening activities can help you increase or maintain muscle mass and strength.
Reducing the risk of some types of cancer, including colon, breast, uterine and lung cancer.
Reduce the risk of falls. For older adults, research shows that doing balance and muscle-strengthening activities in addition to moderate-intensity aerobic activity can help reduce the risk of falls.
Good sleep. Exercise can help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
Improve your sexual health. Regular exercise can reduce the risk of erectile dysfunction in men. For those already suffering from erectile dysfunction, exercise can help improve their sexual function. In women, exercise can increase sexual arousal.
Be active with friends and family. Having a training partner can make it more likely that you will enjoy your workout. You can also plan social activities that include exercise. You might also consider joining an exercise group or class, such as a dance class, hiking club, or volleyball team.
Track your progress. Tracking your activity or using a fitness tracker can help you set goals and stay motivated.
Make exercise more fun. Try listening to music or watching TV while exercising. Also, mix things up a bit: If you stick to only one type of exercise, you might get bored.
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