Real Life Benefits Of Regular Exercise

We all know that exercise is good for us – but do you know just how much of a difference it can really make? If exercise feels like a chore for you, then it’s well worth adjusting this mindset. Getting more exercise can make you feel better about your body – as well as boosting your mental health. In fact, it’s a very simple way to increase your overall well-being.

The Real-Life Benefits of Exercise

There are so many real-life benefits to regular exercise that it’s difficult to list them all in one place. From improving your strength and flexibility to making you feel better about yourself and your life, they are all up there. The fact that more exercise means you’re sitting less is another big factor that many people simply don’t consider. If you’re moving more then you’re sitting less, and that can help with weight loss, as well as helping you to feel more emotionally balanced and regulated. You can also lower the risk of metabolic problems by moving more and regular exercise can have a preventative impact when it comes to many of the health conditions that we fear the most.

How To Integrate More Exercise Into Your Life

There are two types of exercise that are particularly beneficial – aerobic exercise and strength training. Moderate aerobic exercise could be something like swimming, cycling or mowing the lawn while vigorous aerobic exercise includes running, dancing or heavy physical work. When it comes to strength training this can be done using weights in the gym, using your own bodyweight or activities such as rock climbing, which build strength through movements.

Aerobic Activity

General recommendations are that we should have at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise every week in order to get the health benefits. Alternatively, you can aim for 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity. Ideally, you will be spreading this exercise out over a few days and it can be really effective to opt for a combination of both moderate and vigorous exercise. If you want to aim for the optimum level of health benefits from aerobic activity then 300 minutes a week of moderate exercise can be really effective. The advantages of doing this range from being able to maintain a weight loss plan to building up strength and resilience.

Strength Training

It’s a good idea to balance out aerobic activity with strength training. Ideally, you will be working all major muscle groups at least twice a week. You don’t need to go overboard when it comes to strength training – one set of exercises is enough to get all the health benefits that you need. If you want to do strength training right then make sure that you’re using a weight or resistance level that is heavy enough to tire your muscles out – and aim for 12-15 reps each time.

Exercise has a great range of benefits for anyone of any age – and it’s easy to get started with both aerobic and strength activities.