Benefits of Exercise and How to Make it Easy

Most people know that exercise is good for them. It can help you lose weight, makes you happier, and helps you live longer. But what most people don’t consider is why?

Well, here’s your answer!

1.     Weight management

Key word here is “management.” Exercise alone won’t make us lose weight, but it does contribute. It can also help people gain weight. The right kind of weight gain – muscle. Exercise increases your metabolism, burns fat and increases muscle mass. So whatever your weight goals may be – exercise is vital in the progression.

2.     Mental health

This can be a whole separate post (and probably will be). Simply put, exercise releases endorphins that make us happy. It also helps combat anxiety and depression. Daily movement is proven to improve your mood, help you destress, and balance your happy hormones.

3.     Vitality

One key component in the Blue Zones (areas of the world where people live the longest) is daily movement, mostly walking. Exercise helps protect our bones, increases lung stamina, improves our heart, and reduces high blood pressure.

Exercise doesn’t have to be spending 2 hours at the gym every day. It is easy to reap the benefits through consistent, simple movement. Find what works for you and what motivates you. Weight training, aerobics, yoga, or even stretching all benefit the body in different ways. Do you think you would feel your best at a different weight? Do you find yourself needing more energy? Struggling with your mental health? Worried about longevity? All reasons to start some daily movement!

How you can simply add movement to your daily routine:

·      Take phone calls while walking

·      Ride your bike to work

·      Walk to local restaurants or coffee shops

·      Mow the lawn

·      Get up every hour and stretch

·      Wake up 30 minutes earlier and stretch, go for a brisk walk, or do a short yoga flow

·      Instead of catching up with friends with food or coffee, go for long walks

·      Play outside with your kids

For a simple start to exercise focus on incorporating it into your daily routine rather than cutting out a big chunk of time – it’s not always realistic! Consistency creates sustainability when it comes to health. Jumping right into exercise might exhaust your body. Take it slow but make it a goal. You’ll eventually be able to incorporate more over time.