Hey there! I hope this article finds you doing well. If you are reading this, you are obviously interested in finding out more on how your exercise habits (good or bad) are affecting you. That shows you care about your health. Now let me show you how exercise improves your health.
Everyone has their own motivations for exercising: fun, health, work, competition, or just to look better. If you are not currently exercising regularly you can use the information you learn here to motivate you to get started. Whatever the motivation, everyone can gain from being active. The benefits outlined in this article can be obtained with as little as 30 minutes of exercise a day. For each type of exercise (intensity, duration, frequency) specific benefits can be obtained. For now I will touch on the health advantages you get from following a basic exercise program consistently
The 11 components of physical fitness are divided into two categories as follows:
Health-Related
Cardiorespiratory Fitness
Muscular Strength
Muscular Endurance
Flexibility
Body Composition
Skill-Related
Balance
Coordination
Reaction Time
Agility
Speed
Power
I like to add Nutrition as a 12th component as it is a crucial part of the puzzle. If your body is not properly fueled, then you are setting yourself up for subpar performance in the other 11 components. By adopting a regular exercise program that includes these components, the benefits are seemingly endless. Here are just a few:
Decreased Blood Pressure
Decreased LDL Cholesterol
Increased Bone Density (decreased risk of Osteoporosis)
Decreased Body Fat
Increased Metabolism
Decreased Risk of Heart Disease
Decreased Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Decreased Anxiety and Depression
Injury Prevention
Decreases in certain medications (upon physician recommendation)
With the listed exercise benefits and a myriad of others, the excuses for why you havent started should fade away. If you are already exercising on a regular basis, this affirms what you are doing and should keep you motivated to push yourself with every workout.