Why is Exercise important?

'Exercise' is a huge topic. Lets break it down so it is easier to look at as a whole.  

Despite the picture shown, we are not only talking about elite athletes, or exercising 2 or 3 times a day like professional athletes. 

Exercise ranged from individual peoples levels. If you go on a 20 minute walk... every minute counts! If you can do more, that's your perceived level. 

The amount of exercise can depend on age, weight, size and diet. 

The average woman should aim for 150 minutes a week, which translates to just over 20 minutes of moderate exercise each day. 

The average man should aim for 30 minutes of moderate exercise each day. 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/expert-answers/exercise/faq-20057916

Different people have different requirements. If you eat less and you are not trying to loose weight, you may no need toe exercise as much.  

If you are trying to put on muscle mass or improve your cardiovascular systems, you should focus on the specific types of training. 

• Cardiovascular training such as rowing, running or swimming is good for the lungs and can improve mental health. 
• Strength training such as weights or calisthenics is good for increasing muscular strength, endurance and size. 

Another fact which is often missed is that exercise takes up a very small amount of the calories that are burnt through a day. 

Weight loss is caused by calory deficit. This is the difference between how many calories you consume compared to the amount you use in a day. 

You can follow the link below which will take you to a calculator for a physical activity. Do not entirely rely on the results of the calculator. If you are interested in learning on how to start an exercise journey, you can contact me through our contact page or research , reach out to a professional else where. 

Social media and on the web can become intimidating when everything is telling you exactly how to do exercise and that is amazing to do exercise. People often forget that there are negatives towards exercise too!

Negatives about exercise:

• Muscular aches and pains. 
• Joint stiffness/ soreness. 
• Fatigue. 
• You will need to eat and drink more food and water. 

Unfortunately, a few of the positives about exercise also come with similar negatives!

Your body, brain will work together trying to make everything as easily as possible even if it is not the best option, (that's why we have the urge to stay in bed and take shortcuts). Your body will also adapt to changes when you start exercising. 

Somethings however, you cannot adapt to and improve: Joints, (the body's pivot points) are worked very hard and they don't recover like muscles do!

Doing lots of exercise will wear out our joints and make your muscles sore while they recover. 

If you did not exercise, your joints may become stiff as you are not using them, if you do exercise they may become more stiff from overuse! Either way we need to prepare for degeneration. 

You can't use this as an excuse not to do exercise! I am an advocate for sports and since will tell us the benefits still outweigh the negatives. Sports massage can help you manage your exercise better and reduce the pain you experience.

Exercise, like other things, benefits multiple systems at the same time. The type of exercise you do can change which is benefited the most. 

• Mental Health 

Exercise can greatly benefit anyone's mental health. Exercise helps relive tension, stress while boosting energy. Exercises causes a release of endorphins throughout the body. 

There physical benefits as well as a feel good factor!

• Appearance

Unfortunately, 'looks' have a big impact on everyone's day to day life. Society has created a stereotype of what fit, healthy and attractive is. A lot of this is unattainable and verges on unhealthy due to the length some people go to achieve the looks. 

This can lead to mental issues however the standard, (before it was exaggerated), was based on healthy body types. Doing exercise, training regularly can improve how you look, present yourself. It can decrease fat and therefore increase your quality of life. 

• Muscles 

Muscles, (similarly to appearance) are based of a healthy model but are often taken too far. If we break it down. Muscles are very helpful tools, if we build them, our lives often get easier. 

If we develop muscles by exercising. Activities we found more difficult will become easier due to adaption. We will be able to do more, lift heavier objects etc. 

• Fitness 

'Fitness' is a wide topic. I am specifically talking about the cardiovascular system. This is the effectiveness of the body and systems to process oxygen. Fitness and endurance are closely linked. 

If you go running, at first you will not be able to run fast for long, you will become tired very quickly. After training you will adapt and your body will improve at removing carbon dioxide and supplying oxygen to the areas needed. 

• Fat levels

Having fat is not unhealthy!

Different people have different levels of fat. Females have more fat stores than males so that if they get pregnant the body has more stores to support the mother and child. 

Fat is food / energy converted into a storable substance. If you digest/  eat more food / energy than you use. You will excrete or store the extra. 

Loose fat you need to create an energy deficit. This is where you use more energy than you eat. This is the ONLY way to loose fat naturally. 

• Improves immune system 

The immune system is the body's way of protecting us from outside threats. 

It is extremely effective. We have cells in us that are made to defend the body from threats such as viruses and bacteria which can reproduce and thrive off out body. 

Exercise can hep improve the system.

How does exercise improve the immune system? Take a look:

• Increased blood flow - transporting white blood cells. 
• Helps clear out air passage ways. 
• Increased body temperature could decrease the reproduction rate of bacteria. 
• Strengthen antibodies. 
• Reduces stress hormones.