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Tag: exercise

  • Being Physically Active Is Good For You

    There you have it folks. It’s written in big bold letters. Move. Moving your body is vital to keeping it in tip top shape. And that’s not only referencing physique, it’s also referring to your health. Moving is an important part of life for both adults and kids. It improves brain health, helps you to manage your weight, strengthens your bones and muscles, reduces your risk of functional limitations and reduces your risk to certain diseases. 

    Improves Brain Health 

         There are multitudes of hormones and chemicals that your brain needs to function well. Exercising helps keep these hormones and chemicals in check.

    • Insulin: Insulin is a peptide hormone and is important for your brain because it regulates cognitive functions. Neurodegenerative disorders may be one of the effects of insulin resistance. Dementia states may also be a result of damaged cognitive systems due to insulin resistance. Moving your body and keeping active can help reduce insulin resistance. Therefore, get active. 

    Weight Management

         Consuming more calories, through eating and drinking, than you can burn, causes weight gain. Of course, even while being active, you will gain weight as long as you consume more calories than the calories burned throughout the day along with physical activity. That is why you have to get active while also watching the calories you consume. 

    • Maintaining weight: You can maintain your weight with at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week. You can split it up to 30 minutes everyday for five days a week. There are a plethora of things you can do to get active. Go on a walk with someone, go jogging, hiking, biking, teach yourself a dance, play a sport. Moving can be fun. 

    Strengthens Bones and Muscles

          None of us get younger with each passing day. Our age only continues to climb, but the strength in our muscles and bones decline. 

    Reduces Your Risk of Functional Limitations

         Think about all the things you are able to do now. And then think about getting older and not being able to do any of the simple daily tasks you could. Imagine not being able to climb the stairs at 70. Imagine not being able to go for a walk without aches and pains. If we make it to old age without any serious illnesses, shouldn’t we try to keep our bodies as mobile as possible? Quality of life would be so much better than achy and creaky joints. 

     Reduces Your Risk to Certain Diseases

         Getting moving keeps you healthy. It’s a known fact. Being healthy plays a part in preventing diseases. That is also a known fact. Moving even reduces the risk of getting certain types of cancers. Even thinking about cancer fills every fiber of my being with dread. Moving is a simple preventative measure that might keep you from facing certain diseases. 

     Move

         In the gentlest manner, in the kindest manner, in the manner which I wish with all my might for each and everyone of us to be the healthiest we can, to be the kindest we can to each other, I ask that you take care of yourself. Love yourself, respect others, and move. 

  • Stretch, It’s Good For You

      Our bodies, when young, in most cases, are kind of really great. With minimal aches and pains, we can get up and out of bed easily (though reluctantly), sit and stand without assistance, and we can get through the day without assistance needed physically. But, that can change. 

    Bodies Grow Weary

         Like with most things, with time, we will wear out. We will grow old and tired and sore because our vessels can only hold us up for so long. In time, our joints will begin to ache, and we will begin to lose our ability to perform daily tasks. We won’t ever be as nimble as we were in our youth, but there are things that we can do to prevent us from losing too much of our abilities to do things. We can stretch to maintain muscle health and flexibility. These are important factors to preventing aches and pains and preserving independence. 

    Our Bodies as we Age

         As we age, we lose flexibility in our muscles and tendons as they shorten and stiffen and stop functioning properly. Our range of motion will decrease and pain will increase. Even bending down to tie our shoes will become difficult and maybe put our backs out of commission for days. Muscle cramps and pain and damage, strains, joint pain and falling are some of the things we’ll be at risk for if we don’t take care of our bodies now, but we most certainly can take care of our bodies now. We can stretch. Stretching helps maintain flexibility which then increases our range of motion. For example, the distance from fingers to shoelaces is not only a far distance away, it also requires multiple muscle groups to be put to work. Stretching allows for our backs to bend and knees to fold and fingers to tie our shoelaces. 

    Now What?

         So, what do we do with this information? We take it with a grain of salt and then we go stretch. Start gentle with easy repetitive motions like marching in place. Then we start stretching our muscles, holding positions that stretch out calves, hamstrings, hip flexors, quadriceps, shoulders, neck and lower back. Just don’t push it into pain because your muscles will tighten and your stretching then will become counterproductive. 

    To Conclude

         Do things to try to keep your bodies as healthy as possible, because while we can’t deny the fact that sometimes, we get really unlucky, but what if we do get that lucky? What if we do get to grow old? We wouldn’t want to be in pain. Now remember, I’m a random person on the internet, you’ve got a brain, try your best out there, and good luck.

  • Don’t Ignore Sweat, It’s Good for You

    Ever wondered why sweating is important? And how sweating may be beneficial for your skin too? Well, today I’ll be discussing the benefits of sweating. 

    The Function of Sweating:

    Sweating is a natural response to cooling our bodies down, especially during exercise or physical activities. Sweat glands are essential in regulating the body’s temperature. When our bodies overheat, sweat begins to produce and without sweat it can potentially lead to a serious problem. What kind of problem, you ask? A common problem when there’s lack of sweat is the risk of heat exhaustion. Dangerous, indeed. For this reason, sweating plays a vital role in keeping us in check. 

    Exercise and Sweat: 

    Moreover, according to honehealth.com, an expert on sweat studies named Andrew Best, has talked about the benefits of sweat during exercise. He describes that sweating can be enhanced throughout daily exercise. The more you exercise, the more sweat is increased resulting in withstanding for longer periods and higher intensity because sweat glands are keeping you cooler. As he stated from a previous research study “subjects who participated in aerobic training four times a week for eight weeks, either on an exercise bike or running on a treadmill, improved their fitness by an average of 19 percent and their sweating capacity by an average of 38 percent.” (Best, 2022) 

    Healthier Immunity: 

    Research has shown that sweating is also beneficial for immunity health. Sweating provides the necessary objective of removing toxins from your body. By exercising or simply heading out on warmer summer days the influence of sweat is your protector in helping your body kill pathogens and therefore improve your immune cells. So, take a walk, do a little jog or a run and it will do the job in helping you maintain your immunity in shape!

    Sweat and Skin: 

    Sweating surprisingly has some benefits for your skin. Studies have shown that sweat can have a good impact on skin glow. By exercising or heading outdoors during a hot summer day and sweating it out can lead to positive results to anti-aging effects, moisturizes your skin, kills harmful bacteria from skin, cleanse skin, and much more. So why not, sweat it out and enjoy the benefits that sweat brings to you! 

    Sources:

    1. Frothingham, Scott. “Sweating Benefits: Beyond Body Temperature Regulation.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 25 Apr. 2019, www.healthline.com/health/sweating-benefits. 

    2. Middleton, Tracy. “9 Surprising Things Sweat Can Reveal about Your Health.” Hone Health, 18 July 2022, honehealth.com/edge/health/benefits-of-sweating/. 

    3. “Boost Your Immune System during COVID-19.” Iowa Specialty Hospital, Iowa Specialty Hospital, 20 Apr. 2020, www.iowaspecialtyhospital.com/news-and-events/news/boost-your-immune-system-during-covid-19. 

    4. Ford, Rosie. “Sweating Is Good for You, and These Are the 5 Biggest Benefits.” DMoose, 4 Apr. 2023, www.dmoose.com/blogs/health-lifestyle/is-sweating-good-for-you. 

    5. of Frisco, By Dermatology Consultants. “What Effects Does Sweating Have on Your Skin?” Dermatology Consultants of Frisco, 5 Dec. 2019, mydermconsult.com/blog/what-effects-does-sweating-have-on-your-skin. 

  • Give Yourself Some Time for A Run

    Giving yourself some time to exercise is beneficial for a healthy mind, body, and health. Exercising is all about having fun and making yourself feel good. It’s a fun way to begin setting up fitness goals whether you want to be active, stay healthy, be in shape, or whatever it is you would like to achieve. Exercise doesn’t have to be boring and it’s more of finding interest in activities you enjoy doing. So, for today’s post I would be recommending running simply because anyone can benefit and start out if you are a beginner. 

    I started out running during my high school days as I was part of the school’s campus track and field team. In which, I participated in cross country and indoor track. Indeed, a marvelous experience filled with lots of good memories. Nowadays, I’ve been a casual runner. In terms of adding a little exercise into my routine whenever possible to stay active and healthy.

    Running for at least 10-15 minutes or more provides significant improvement to your health. These health benefits include the reduction of the risk of cancer, heart disease, boost your mood, relieve stress, improve sleep, strengthen legs and much more. Running is known to be a terrific cardio booster!

    For starters, it’s best to begin at a moderate pace. Try not to push yourself too hard and take it easy and light. But wait! How can I not mention warm-up for at least 5 minutes before running. Warm-ups are essential in order to prevent injuries and loosen up leg muscles. So, here is an informative article written by Watson on “How to Warm Up For Runners: Warm Up Exercises before Running.” I recommend checking it out. As you start running, I recommend starting out for 10 minutes and pace yourself comfortably. As the months go by, you can increase your minutes by 2-3. Within those months you will be able to increase your speed, distance and so forth. Stay healthy and happy running!

  • Make your Mornings Brighter with a Walk

    Have you ever thought about making your mornings brighter with walk? And did you know there’s quite a number of advantages in starting your day with a morning walk, outdoors? Well, let’s start discussing the benefits and make your mornings brighter!

    Here’s why: 

    A Routine Consistency:

    Walking is indeed a form of exercise. It’s a healthy habit to start your day with a morning walk and enjoy outdoor fresh air and nature surroundings. Studies have shown that those who often exercise early mornings have set a habit of daily exercise routine. But a change in exercise schedule may always occur under circumstances. Getting up from your bed and beginning your day with a walk, will not only keep you active or stress relieved but will help maintain a consistent routine.

    Eases Your Mood:

    Heading out for a morning walk will help with your wellbeing. A daily walk of at least 10-15 minutes or more could provide you with a variety of benefits. A morning walk helps reduce anxiety and depression, for instance. According to IRT, morning walks help one to feel content and think, reflect and clear their mind, improving their mental health. What’s even better is that if there’s a local park in your neighborhood – spending time with nature could ease and boost your mood. Just by hearing the sounds of nature will bring you peace and relaxation.

    Strengthen Your Muscles & Better Health:

    Why not, and take the opportunity of incorporating daily morning walks into your routine in order for a healthier and stronger you? Morning walks will keep you moving and reduce the risk of disease such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, for instance. It may help with weight loss as you walk at a moderate to fast pace. Therefore, tone your legs and abdominal muscles, which increases a range of motion while strengthening your leg muscles. So, rise up and get walking! Stay healthy!

    Sources: 

    1. https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/health-benefits-morning-walk
    2. https://www.irt.org.au/the-good-life/9-health-benefits-of-a-morning-walk/#:~:text=Lower%20blood%20pressure%2C%20improved%20blood,of%20heart%20disease%20by%2035%25.

  • Exercising For a Healthy Quality of Life

    Including exercising into your daily routine is essential for a healthy quality of life. Everyone benefits from a form of exercise, whether it’s endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility. It’s only a matter of choosing any or even better if you combine a couple of the following four types of exercises as mentioned above. However, keep in mind to always warm-up before/after doing any type of exercise, and ask advice from qualified fitness professionals, especially your doctor. 

    Now, I’ll be explaining the benefits of the four types of exercise. Let’s begin with,

    Endurance:

    Endurance exercise, also known as aerobic, primarily focuses on stamina. The goal of doing endurance exercise is to help you keep fit and healthy while increasing your heart rate and breathing. This allows you to do activities you would like to do for longer periods without getting tired. Therefore, it improves your heart, lungs, and your circulatory system. Some examples of the exercises include walking, running, jogging, cycling to name a few. 

    Strength: 

    Strength training exercises focus on building stronger muscles. It’s also recognized as weight training, resistance training, for instance. The benefits of doing strength exercises is to help you enhance your cardiovascular health. Furthermore, it improves mobility, balance, posture, strong bones, weight loss, prevents injury and reduces the risk of chronic diseases. Examples of strength training exercises include lifting weights, squats, bench press, deadlifts, push-ups, and more. It’s a great choice if you are looking forward to increasing muscular strength. 

    Balance: 

    Balance training exercises help maintain coordination and prevent injuries such as falls. This exercise is definitely beneficial for older adults. Having good balance is essential for mobility, stability and improves awareness of position. The benefit of this exercise is increasing muscular strength and improving joint stability. The common exercises include tai chi, yoga, heel-to-toe-walk, single-leg balance, weight shifts, are a few examples. 

    Flexibility: 

    Flexibility training is the focus of stretching your muscles. The goal of stretching exercises is to enhance your range of motion and to allow your muscles to stay strong. Therefore, help prevent injuries, pain tension or soreness, improve your posture and mobility. For this reason, flexibility training is crucial and shouldn’t be neglected. So, it’s recommended to make it part of your daily exercising activities. The following are examples of flexibility exercises: back stretch exercise, forward lunges, inner thigh stretch, ankle stretch, side lunges, pilates, and yoga are common ones.

    Sources: 

    1. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/infographics/four-types-exercise-and-physical-activity#:~:text=Research%20has%20shown%20that%20it’s,strength%2C%20balance%2C%20and%20flexibility.
    2. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/endurance-exercise-aerobic
    3. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/strength-training/art-20046670
    4. https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness/benefits-of-strength-training 
    5. https://www.livescience.com/55321-balance-exercise.html
    6. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/balance-exercises/art-20546836#:~:text=Stand%20with%20your%20feet%20hip,repeat%20on%20the%20other%20side. 

  • The World of Physical Activity is Vast!

    We have options in the world of exercise! We do not need to limit ourselves to just walking, running, and weight lifting. You can enjoy those exercises but it is important to know that we can get our exercise from other physical activities. Rock climbing, hiking, basketball, tennis, mixed martial arts, yoga, swimming and dancing are just a few activities that can be enjoyed outside of what is offered at a traditional gym. Feel free to add any and all of your favorite activities or activities you want to try out!

    Kickboxing

    I developed an interest for kickboxing as a child, the world of UFC seemed so brutal but intriguing at the same time. I didn’t actually try it out until I was 18 years old. I found a gym that offered a variety of mixed martial arts classes at a price that was college student budget friendly. I would recommend doing the same, especially if you have a budget to consider. Most of these gyms offer equipment but if you think you’ll stick with the sport, it’s recommended to invest in your own. 

    I tried out some of their  boxing, kickboxing and Brazilian jiu jitsu classes and decided that I enjoyed kickboxing the most. I enjoyed it more than boxing because it required you to use your lower body as well. I felt strong and tactical while performing the movements. I also felt safer in the sense that I would be able to stand up for myself in the face of danger. I will admit that it wasn’t easy at first! My body was not accustomed to this activity and I frequently ended up very sore but what matters the most was that I enjoyed it. You won’t know what physical activity you enjoy until you get to try it for yourself. Be bold and take your first steps into the world of physical activity!

  • How Exercise Benefits Our Overall Well Being

    One of the best activities we benefit from is exercise! Exercise is constantly advertised as a way of reaching an “ideal” body standard but exercise is more than that. That isn’t much of an encouragement to get our bodies moving. I believe we deserve to know more about the benefits of exercise. Exercise can benefit you in ways you’ve possibly never imagined! Your bones, muscles, brain and immune system all benefit from exercise.

    Benefits of Exercise on Your Brain

    Let’s keep in mind that mental health and brain function matter just as much as physical health does! Due to the fact that exercise helps increase blood flow and oxygen levels in the brain, our mood, learning, memory, thinking and judgment skills improve. Cognitive function is essential for our day to day lives and that is why we want to keep our minds sharp. We also get better quality sleep and who doesn’t enjoy a good night’s rest? Exercise also has positive effects on mood. It can help reduce the risk of depression and anxiety because we release brain chemicals known as endorphins. This is why you feel uplifted when you complete an exercise even if you were dreading exercising. Something as simple as going out for a walk can allow you to reap the benefits of exercise.

    Benefits of Exercise on Your Body

    When done correctly and intentionally, exercise can improve the function of your muscles and bones. With exercise, your body’s muscles and bones strengthen and so do their function. Bone strength is important as it helps prevent injuries especially as we get older. Muscles help us manage daily tasks, they determine how well we’re able to handle certain weight, activity, and force. Exercise can also help reduce health risks such as diabetes because it helps regulate our glucose levels. It can help keep blood pressure and cholesterol levels regulated as well which help prevent heart related disease. Finally, because exercise allows us to get more oxygen into our lungs and blood flow to our heart, it can help keep our lungs healthy. This helps keep our immunity strong! Which types of exercises do you prefer?

    Information gathered from the Center for Disease and Control Prevention

  • Why is Exercise Good for You? How Does it Benefit the Body?

    Exercise: The Key to a Healthier You

    Many people connect exercise with weight loss, but its advantages are much more than just shedding some pounds. Regularly engaging in physical activities is key to improving one’s health and enhancing their well-being. Herein, we will investigate the reasons for taking exercises as well as their impact on the body system.

    It is not all about losing weight, but exercise is a significant part of a healthy lifestyle (Harvard et al., 2017). Regular physical exercise is good for your body and not just for your heart but also for your mind. Let us now see how exercise benefits your body.

    Aerobic exercises or endurance exercises are important in order to ensure proper heart functioning. As activities such as swimming, brisk walking, or cycling raise your heartbeat rate and breathing in the long run, it increases your endurance. By improving endurance, you can carry out daily activities with ease, and the possibility of getting heart disease, stroke, and diabetes is reduced.

    Building muscle mass and bone density is possible if an individual incorporates strength training, also known as resistive training, in their workout regime (Healthline, 2021). It is not just a way of making you physically strong, it helps you with your weight problem, improves your posture, and reduces the risks of back and joint pains at the same time (Healthline, 2021). For instance, routine physical feats such as lifting weight and resistance band is often enough to bring about a change in strength.

    Flexibility exercises, whereby you stretch your muscles so as to enhance mobility and lessen tension. These strengthen a person’s flexibility and proper standing (Harvard et al., 2017). Yoga and everyday stretching are some practices that will increase the level of your flexibility, which is important for your overall health.

    These balance exercises are crucial for seniors since they can prevent falls and enhance the level of independent living among older people (Healthline, 2021). Such exercises ensure that you remain mobile and close to the earth on your two legs. The activities involved are such as heel-to-toe, walking, and standing on one foot (Healthline, 2021). Furthermore, some strengthening exercises for the lower body may also enhance your balance.

    Therefore, involving all four categories of exercises, endurance, strength training, flexibility, and balance, in your workout plan can have multiple perks for you. It will enable you to attain optimal body weight and support your total health and fitness in all aspects of your life.