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While the obvious benefits
of exercise are well known by most, many people are still unaware
of the not so obvious. Let’s start with the heart—our
body’s greatest muscle. According to the surgeon general,
aerobic exercise, also known as cardiovascular exercise, must
be done on a regular basis in order to maintain a healthy heart
and lungs. Doing so will strengthen the heart, as lifting weights
does for the body, thus making it easier for you to breath while
increasing your aerobic capacity and endurance. In essence, the
amount of blood your heart can pump per beat, will increase, enabling
your heart to work less, but more efficiently. It also helps to
lower blood cholesterol and promotes healing to injured areas.
That is one reason why physical therapy on an injury begins almost
immediately after surgery.
Resistance training (weights, exercise balls or bands, and weight
machines) aids in increasing your strength, power, and muscular
endurance. You may not know that bone density is greater in individuals
who perform weight-bearing exercise than in those who don’t.
This is particularly important in preventing osteoporosis. This
type of training builds somewhat of a protective shield around
bones and joints by building the muscles that surround them. Your
metabolism will also essentially receive a booster due to the
added muscle that in turn stimulates calorie burning.
Surprisingly, many people exclude flexibility as part of their
fitness regime. As a matter of fact, you will lose flexibility
in your muscles if you exercise and do not stretch. Not only does
flexibility make it much easier to perform daily tasks like bending
to reach for something, but also helps to prevent strained muscles
by maintaining their suppleness as well as increasing blood flow
to the muscle. Stretches should always follow exercise in order
to relax and elongate the belly of the muscle that underwent the
strain of the exercise.
The list of benefits goes on and on, and speaking of relaxing,
exercise also helps maintain healthy sleep patterns. I personally
fall asleep almost immediately after my head hits the pillow.
If you are not currently exercising and have problems falling
asleep, try starting a fitness program before you look to sleep
medication. Exercise even strengthens your immune system. A strong
body can fight off bacteria and viruses much easier than a weak
body can. A lack of energy also stands to be corrected through
exercise. This tends to be a common complaint I hear from people
frequently. Since exercise helps to increase your energy and allows
your body to work at an efficient level, a fit person’s body
does not work as hard at everyday activities as does a body that
is out of shape. It becomes much easier to walk from the far end
of the parking lot, climb the stairs to the fifth floor, or stay
awake during those long board meetings when you are in good health.
Aside from the physical benefits that exercise offers to your
body, it offers many mental and emotional benefits as well. For
example, thought patterns are greatly influenced through exercise.
Following exercise, your brain is affected and can process thoughts
much easier due to the stimulating effect that exercise offers.
It awakens you to draw from a higher state of consciousness. Exercise
also releases endorphins that bring on a euphoric feeling.
In the end, living a fit
lifestyle can result in less out of pocket expenses by reducing
the amount of money you will spend on medicine and medical bills.
It is much wiser both from a physical standpoint as well as a
financial one to take care of yourself now, and lessen, if not
prevent any unnecessary medical problems on down the road. Remember,
it is never too late to change old habits, and there is no time
like the present!
Melissa Allen is a certified
personal trainer, Blackbelt & fitness consultant, as well
as the owner of Optimum Condition— personal fitness training
and kickboxing instruction. She is a regular columnist with various
newspapers and welcomes input from her readers. Please contact
her with any questions or comments that you may have by calling
(619) 252-4993, email her at Opticondit@aol.com, or visit her
website at www.optimumcondition.com. |
