By Mike Stapenhurst
If you still have problems making up your mind about exercis-ing, here are seven good reasons why you shouldn’t delay any longer.
- You’ll live longer. People who exercise regularly can expect to live longer. In fact, people who get a good workout almost daily can add nearly four years to their life spans, according to several studies.
- You’ll look younger. Studies have shown that regular exercise, both aerobic and strength training, will help you look and feel younger. Another study of seniors who exercised regularly showed that their genetic profile was more like that of young people than old people.
- Exercise helps you burn fat. It is common knowledge that exercise can help you lose weight. The golden rule is that you need to burn more calories than you consume by eating in order to become slimmer. You burn more calories when you exercise than when you don’t, so the solution to your weight problem is to exercise regularly.
- Exercise can prevent diseases. Exercise can prevent you from becoming a victim to several diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, heart problems, and strokes. Not only are some diseases improved by exercise, but some are even healed. Regular exercise can help decrease your HDL cholesterol level, triglyceride levels, and your blood pressure, thus significantly lowering your risk of having a stroke or heart attack. The risk of prostate cancer for men, of breast and uterine cancer for women, and several other risks of diseases can definitely be reduced by exercising regularly.
- Exercise boosts self-confidence. You’ll usually feel better about yourself after a workout. Because your body will be more fit and toned, you’ll feel better about yourself, including the way you look. With your newfound confidence, you’ll be encouraged to meet new people and socialize more often. Exercise has also been found to improve sexual drive.
- Exercise can improve your mood. Endorphins are released with a stronger intensity in the human body during a period of regular exercising. These chemicals have the ability to counteract depression and induce a sense of happiness. Endorphins are released only minutes after you begin a workout.
- Exercise helps overcome problems. Exercise will help you become familiar with the whole idea of conquering obstacles and achieving goals. No matter what your goal is, you will know that you can reach it by working hard.
Now that you’ve read all the great things that exercising regularly can do for you, do you still have any more second thoughts about working out? You can go to a gym, or you can exercise at home. There are numerous ways to exercise, so go with the ones that appeal to you. Even if you devote just a fraction of your time each day to exercising, you stand to gain a lot in the long run.
Mike Stapenhurst is a long-time fitness enthusiast, runner, and walker. He is co-author of the book Marathon Training Tips. Mike is also the developer of customized training logbooks for athletes at www.personallogs.com He maintains a website “26.2” about marathon information and training at www.marathon.ipcor.com and is a contributing author to the Get In Shape website, www.getinshape.ipcor.com.