Everyone knows that fitness is vitally important for both wellness and wellbeing, but unfortunately this knowledge does not often translate into action. Despite most people knowing that they should have an active lifestyle, few people actually take as much exercise as they should.
This can be especially dangerous for older people, especially women over the age of 50, who are at risk in numerous different ways if they do not take daily exercise.
Exercise is classed as any activity that raises the heart rate, and that can be something as simple as a brisk walk – which is free, easy and can be done right outside your front door.
As the heart rate increases with exercise, blood is pumped around the body, promoting good circulation. This carries more oxygen to the brain and to the vital organs, which makes us feel mentally alert and also increases internal health. Lack of exercise, on the other hand, can be responsible for a wide range of different health problems, including weight gain, obesity, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, sleeping disorders, osteoporosis, ageing, headaches and lack of muscle tone.
To be effective, exercise should make you sweat, and should combine cardio exercise such as cycling, skipping, running or swimming with a higher resistance form of exercise such as push ups, weight machines, sit ups and weight training. This can benefit you in seven different ways.
- Exercise can help to control your weight by increasing your metabolism as well as by burning calories.
- Exercise boosts your ‘good cholesterol’, reducing your chances of getting health problems.
- Exercise boosts your energy and your mental alertness as your muscles will be more toned and your body will be better able to absorb nutrients.
- Exercise can help promote the happy hormones in your brain and this will relieve stress, anxiety and depression.
- Exercise will help you to sleep better at night.
- Exercise will make you feel stronger and more attractive to the opposite sex.
- Exercise is fun!
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