Don't you just hate exercising?
You need to make time for it, you need to keep proper diet, you have to drive to and from the gym after work, and on and on...
And if that's not enough, you actually have to exercise! I mean common, haven't we suffered enough that we have to sweat now?
Well no.
But, I realize that you might get a drop in motivation here and there, so to help you keep your motivation levels up I made this list of 18 benefits exercise has to offer you.
I hope it will make you keep going and pushing through even in hard times when you don't feel like working out.
No pain, no gain! (Sorry, I just had to it stick this cliche somewhere)
So let's start.
1. Create Muscle, Bone Density and a Toned Physique
Your body is quite literally what you make it. This means that you can use exercise to build muscle, add bone density and give yourself a much sleeker, fitter looking physique.
The muscles and bones in your body respond to physical stresses.
As long as you are providing the right building blocks – such as the right foods, vitamins and supplements – a well-designed program of exercise can help you add on bone density and muscle mass, while toning up the muscles you already have.
However, keep in mind when you are starting any program of vigorous exercise that it is important to consult with your personal physician first.
Based on your current physical help and condition, your doctor can help you decide on the best exercise regime for achieving your goals safely.
2. Build Your Physical Strength
Obviously, if you add on additional muscle and strength in your bones, you'll also build your overall physical strength – and this in itself is beneficial in any number of ways.
For instance, if you can maintain your physical strength as you get older, it can help reduce the effects of aging over time.
The stronger and more physically fit you are now, the healthier you are likely to be in the future. This can add both longevity and vitality to your life.
Another way that building your physical strength can benefit you is that stronger people are less likely to injure themselves.
Many times, injuries at home or at work are a direct consequence of the fact that you are attempting to do a task that you just don't have the physical strength to complete.
Straining to lift something extremely heavy off a floor or up onto a shelf can easily result in a back injury. If you have enough strength, you can reduce the chances of suffering this kind of injury.
3. Win the Battle of the Bulge
The world has an obesity problem, and it seems to only be getting worse. Americans today are certainly much less fit and more overweight than their more physically active ancestors.
Thanks to automation, desk jobs, an abundance of fast food choices and a changing leisure culture, people are physically exerting themselves far less than in the past.
The result is an epidemic of obesity among both the young and old.
The cost to society of this rampant obesity is tremendous, with ever rising levels of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.
But on a personal level, obesity and its effects can be devastating for individuals and families.
A vigorous program of exercise carried out regularly is the most effective way eliminate or prevent obesity at any age. Exercising will not only make you feel better, you can also save money on medical costs now and in the future.
4. Increase Your Flexibility
Whether because you are getting a little older or because you're living a sedentary life, it's all too easy to allow your body to lose its flexibility.
Flexibility is very important to our overall health, since it allows us to more easily exert ourselves without causing injury. Someone who lacks flexibility is more likely to perform a physical action in a way that results in injury.
For instance, if you lack flexibility in your back you can easily injure yourself while lifting a box or some other heavy object.
And if you want to engage in sports or simply play with your kids, you need to have flexibility. You'll have more fun and be more active that way.
5. Boost Your Energy Levels
Many of us find ourselves tired or even exhausted in the middle of our workday, so it might seem strange that the answer to this problem could be additional exertion.
But the simple fact is, physical exercise not only builds physical toughness, it also can boost your body's energy levels.
Physical exercise on a regular basis revs up your metabolism, meaning you'll have more energy throughout the day for all of your activities, whether it's at work, at home or at play.
Having the energy and physical strength you need to enjoy your life without being tired all the time is one of the greatest benefits you can get from a systematic program of vigorous physical exercise.
6. Feel Happier and Enhance Your Mood
It's often been said that "the mind follows the body."
This may sound like a cliché, but it's also very true. Feeling good physically can have a very positive effect on your general mood, emotional health and overall happiness.
Exercise – done properly and safely – can over time make you feel great as you increase your strength, flexibility and overall physical health.
But even aside from the long-term benefits that exercise will have on your mood as you get in better shape, there are much more immediate benefits as well.
For instance, when you're exercising and exerting yourself, your body is producing endorphins and adrenaline, both of which help you feel better in the moment, boosting your happiness.
So by carrying out a regular exercise regimen, you can quickly get yourself into a better mood.
7. Reduce the Chance of Developing Chronic Diseases
As mentioned above, physical exercise carried out in a regular, systematic way can have a very positive impact on your general physical health.
Americans have to be concerned about many different types of long-term chronic disease, from heart disease and diabetes to arthritis.
However, studies have demonstrated repeatedly over the years that people who exercise frequently are less likely to develop any number of chronic diseases than those who don't.
Even for many of those who do develop a chronic disease, positions frequently recommend a carefully laid out program of physical exercise to help minimize the effects of that chronic disease.
For example, cardiologists will often suggest that patients begin a program of reasonable exercise intended to help slow or reverse the effects of their disease.
Of course – if you have a chronic medical condition – you will want to consult with your doctor or doctors before actually beginning such an exercise regimen.
8. Boost Your Brain Power
One of the remarkable and exciting benefits of exercise can be enhanced cognitive abilities.
If your brain is feeling a bit sluggish these days, an effective way to give your thinking a bit more zip is to start exercising.
Research has clearly demonstrated that people who exercise on a regular basis see significant improvements in their mental clarity and capabilities.
One area of life where this is most obvious is in academics. There is clear evidence that students who engage in vigorous physical exercise during the week are much more likely to do well academically.
There is a one-to-one correlation between physical exercise and test score results for students at both the public school and college levels.
If you're in school, you want to give yourself every possible advantage. One way to do this is through exercise.
9. Enjoy Great-Looking Skin
As we get older, it gets harder and harder to keep our skin looking young and healthy.
To address this, people find themselves turning to all sorts of lotions and potions in an effort to try to keep their skin looking great.
Surprisingly, one of the best ways to improve the appearance of your skin is to engage in regular, vigorous exercise.
The reason why exercise is beneficial to your skin is fairly straightforward.
For one thing, it increases the blood flow to your skin, and helping to nourish your skin cells with vital oxygen and nutrients, keeping them healthy.
This increased blood flow will also remove waste products – such as nasty free radicals – from your living skin cells.
This is not to say that exercise will "detoxify" your skin. This is a myth. But it does help flush any cellular debris away from your skin.
Another way that her skin can benefit from regular exercise is that exercise stress. When you decrease your stress levels, a number of problems that stress either produces or exacerbates can be reduced.
For instance, if you have eczema or acne you may find that your condition will improve if you reduce your stress by exercising.
This link is still being researched, but it's thought that oil-producing sebaceous glands are affected by stress hormones.
10. Improve Your Sex Life
Another exciting potential benefit of regular exercise is that it can improve your sex life.
For men, exercise can minimize the chances of developing erectile dysfunctions.
Research has demonstrated that middle-aged men who were previously sedentary and who then engaged in regular exercise over the course of several months later reported improvements in their sex lives.
In fact, those men who accomplish the most with their fitness and exercise goals also achieved the greatest improvements in bed.
For women, other researchers have found that women who exercise regularly experience enhanced sexual desire and satisfaction.
In fact, experiments have demonstrated that women who carried out 20 minutes of intensive exercise prior to watching X-rated movies experienced more obvious physiological indications of sexual arousal than those who watched the movie without exercising first.
11. Enjoy Better, Deeper Sleep
If you want to get better sleep, you're not alone.
Sleep problems and disorders are extremely common, especially these days. But one great way to get to sleep faster and to wake up feeling refreshed and rested is to engage in regular, vigorous exercise.
It doesn't really require that much to get this particular benefit. If you do a minimum of 10 minutes of walking or bike riding a day, this can provide you with significantly better quality sleep.
Furthermore, people who exercise can reduce the risk they will develop serious sleeping disorders, such as restless leg syndrome or sleep apnea.
Research has demonstrated that intensive physical activity can improve both the duration of your sleep and its quality.
It does this by helping to hire you out and reduce your overall stress levels.
It's believed that exercising in the morning and afternoon can reset your body's sleep wake cycle by raising your temperature of bit.
When this drops a few hours later, it helps to trigger sleepiness.
This means that exercising outdoors – with your body exposed to higher temperatures and sunlight – can help even more.
12. Have Fun and Make Friends
In addition to all the other benefits you can get from exercise, you should also think about the social benefits as well.
Unfortunately, many of the social events we take part in seem to revolve around food.
This can make keeping yourself fit and healthy very difficult.
But you can substitute other events – events that include exercise – that will still allow you to enjoy an active social life and all the benefits that derive from that.
Exercise with a friend or friends or in some other group setting. This will make exercise more enjoyable and make the time pass more quickly.
Exercising with others also means you will motivate them and they will motivate you in turn.
You'll be less likely to slack off on your exercise because of social input.
You can sign up for fitness classes, amateur sports teams, road races or just take your dog for a walk in a public park. You'll be surprised how many new friends you just might make.
13. Reduce the Risk of Heart Disease
Exercising regularly is a great way to reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
Research has demonstrated that you only need to exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes each day in order to reduce your cholesterol levels, lose pounds and lower your blood pressure.
All of these improvements to your overall health can minimize the chance you will develop heart disease.
It's well-known those who are sedentary – because of the type of work they do and leisure activities they choose – they significantly increased odds of developing heart disease.
This inactivity and lack of vigorous physical exercise puts you at the same level of heart disease risk that you would have if you had high blood pressure, high cholesterol or smoked tobacco.
99 are but the good news is that you can quickly improve your health through exercise.
But the good news is that you can quickly improve your health through exercise. Whether you do it all in one go, or break it up into 10 minute or 15 minute segments, you can still get the same benefit.
14. Deal More Effectively with Diabetes
For diabetics, exercise can be one of the most effective tools in their arsenal when it comes to controlling their blood sugar and weight.
If you have diabetes, exercise can also help you feel healthy and fit. Exercise can help diabetics not only lose weight and lower blood pressure, it can also reduce anxiety,
increased healthy HDL cholesterol minimize bad cholesterol and strengthen bones and muscles. More than this, exercise has been shown to help your body better regulate your blood sugar level and enhance your insulin sensitivity.
These are both vital points for diabetics.
If you have diabetes, it's usually best for you to exercise to a 3 hours after you eat, since your blood sugar level will have risen.
If you are using insulin, don't forget to test your blood sugar level prior to exercise. If you find that it is under 100 mg/DL, you should have a snack to increase your blood sugar – then test again after 30 minutes.
It's smart to also check your blood sugar level following an exhausting activity or workout. Keep in mind that you don't want to exercise if your blood sugar level is very high – meaning over 250.
15. Hone the Habit of Setting and Achieving Goals
One of the best benefits you can get from exercise is developing a habit of setting up goals for yourself and then achieving those objectives.
When you set up an exercise regimen, you will layout objectives like weight loss, increased muscle mass or simply feeling more fit. When you accomplish these goals, you not only get the physical benefits – you get psychological ones as well.
Sticking to an exercise program and accomplishing meaningful objectives creates a sense of self-confidence that can extend to other aspects of your life.
Whether you're a student in college or working a job, we all have to set up and meet certain goals in our daily lives.
Developing the habit of setting up such goals in your exercise regimen and successfully achieving them can only help when it comes to accomplishing these other objectives.
16. Give Your Ego a Big Boost
We all need the occasional boost to our ego, and a great way to do this is through exercise – and the results you see from exercising.
Simply the act of exercising itself is empowering, providing you with the sense that you are taking control of your life and your physical health in a positive and proactive way.
And when you see obvious, tangible results from exercise, it's even better.
It's a fact that losing weight and adding toned, strong muscle doesn't do your ego any harm either.
While judging people based on their physical appearance is not a good thing, there's no denying that we all want to look fit and healthy.
When you lose weight through exercise, you're going to inevitably get supportive and complementary comments from family and friends – and who doesn't want that?
17. Enhance Your Memory
If you find that your memory isn't quite what it used to be, one thing you can do to help fight this problem is to exercise.
Researchers demonstrated that exercise can boost your thinking skills and memory in various ways.
It can directly stimulate physical changes in your body, such as reducing insulin resistance and increasing the production of chemicals that encourage new blood vessel growth in the brain.
Studies have also suggested that exercise can have a direct impact on the brain itself. Researchers have found that those parts of your brain controlling memory and thought are larger in individuals who engage in exercise than in those who don't.
Exercise can also indirectly boost your memory by reducing anxiety and stress and allowing you to sleep more soundly – reducing cognitive impairment.
18. Ramp up Your Immune System
Researchers have discovered that you only need to spend minimum of 20 minutes exercising each day in order to get anti-inflammatory benefits that can boost your overall immune system.
While the researchers in this study based on relatively moderate exercise on a treadmill, they also believe that fast walking – either on a treadmill or just outside walking around your neighborhood – could have the same or similar effect.
Blood samples taken from the participants in this research revealed that the exercise they engaged in reduce the number of immune cells in the body that produce the protein cytokine – also referred to as TNF.
This is a tremendous benefit for those wanting to boost their immune system.
In addition, exercise increases your breathing, blood pressure and heart rate.
As this occurs, your body releases hormones like norepinephrine and epinephrine into your blood, with the result that cytokines are further suppressed.
To Sum Up
Hopefully, you enjoyed and got a lot out of the above list.
These are all important points you need to keep in mind about the benefits of engaging in regular, vigorous exercise.
Keeping yourself fit and healthy is important for your family, your friends and you.
But always remember to consult your personal physician before you actually start any new exercise regimen.
Leave your comments below on what you thought about these exercise benefits and please share this article if you liked it.