Why you should exercise
REGULAR physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health.
Being physically active can improve your brain health, help manage weight, reduce the risk of disease, strengthen bones and muscles, and improve your ability to do everyday activities.
It can also help you curb your appetite and improve your mental well-being.
Adults who sit less and do any amount of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity gain some health benefits. Only a few lifestyle choices have as large an impact on your health as physical activity.
Everyone can experience the health benefits of physical activity — age, abilities, ethnicity, shape, or size do not matter.
Immediate benefits
Some benefits of physical activity on brain health happen right after a session of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.
Benefits include improved thinking or cognition for children 6 to 13 years of age and reduced short-term feelings of anxiety for adults.
Regular physical activity can help keep your thinking, learning, and judgment skills sharp as you age. It can also reduce your risk of depression and anxiety and help you sleep better.
Weight management
Both eating patterns and physical activity routines play a critical role in weight management. You gain weight when you consume more calories through eating and drinking than the amount of calories you burn, including those burned during physical activity.
To maintain your weight, work your way up to 150 minutes a week of moderate physical activity, which could include dancing or yard work. You could achieve the goal of 150 minutes a week with 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.
People vary greatly in how much physical activity they need for weight management. You may need to be more active than others to reach or maintain a healthy weight.
To lose weight and keep it off, you will need a high amount of physical activity unless you also adjust your eating patterns and reduce the amount of calories you’re eating and drinking.
Getting to and staying at a healthy weight requires both regular physical activity and healthy eating.
Can anyone exercise?
Talk to your doctor before starting an exercise program. This is especially important if your doctor is already monitoring you for a health problem, such as heart disease or osteoarthritis.
However, everyone can benefit from physical activity. For most people, it is possible to begin exercising on your own at a slow pace.
If you have never exercised before, start with a 10-minute period of light exercise. A brisk walk every day is a good first exercise. Slowly increase how hard you exercise and for how long.
You should try to exercise even if you have a physical disability that limits movement. Your doctor can help you find other exercises to improve your overall health.
Things to consider
To avoid injuring yourself during exercise, don’t try to do too much too soon. Start with an activity that is easy for you, such as walking. Do it for a few minutes a day, several times a day.
Slowly increase the amount of time and the intensity of the activity. For example, increase your walking time and speed over several weeks.
Trying to push yourself too hard in the beginning could cause muscle strain or joint sprain. When this happens, you’ll have to wait for the injury to heal before continuing your exercise program. This can really sidetrack your health goals. -