Description: Do you live a sedentary lifestyle? Here are good reasons to ditch that lifestyle.
You’ve never been a gym buff all your life. You may have various reasons, like being intimidated by big guys flexing their muscles after every exercise they do. Maybe you find the gym fees too exorbitant. Or you just hate going to the gym, period.
You’re not even fond of going out for a walk or run every day. You don’t like being sweaty, and you think waking up in the morning for a jog is a waste of time. And you can’t squeeze in half an hour or so in your busy schedule for some cardiovascular activity.
But eventually, you will need to stop offering excuses and overcome whatever fear you have of working out. Regular physical activity is one of the most important things that you can do to ensure your good health, especially in the long run.
Why should you regularly work out in gyms like Anytime Fitness or World Gym? Here are some really good reasons to do so:
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Control Your Weight
If you’ve always had problems with your weight, then don’t be surprised why. Living a sedentary lifestyle is the primary reason why you’re not losing weight, regardless of how many fad diets you try.
You don’t really need to be a gym rat in order to maintain your ideal weight. Simply allot 150 minutes of exercise a week or 2 ½ hours of exercise. You don’t even have to run or jog for that amount of time. You can spend 30 minutes of walking or jogging in the morning every weekday, before you shower and head to work. Then spend another hour or so in the weekends.
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Lower Your Risks of Cardiovascular Diseases
Do you know that cardiovascular diseases like heart ailments and stroke are among the leading causes of death in the U.S.? In 2013, more than 600,000 people in the United States died because of heart disease while more than 120,000 died due to stroke.
Again, you can reduce your risks of these diseases if you get at least 150 minutes of exercise a week. You can further reduce your risks if you spend more time working out. Regular physical activity can also lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
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Lower Risks of Diabetes
You can also lower your risks of diabetes if you work out regularly. Diabetes happens to be the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. It is also estimated that nearly 10 percent of the U.S. population has diabetes.
Diabetes can also cause numerous complications such as heart attack, stroke, hypertension, hypoglycemia, and hypertension.
Regular exercise helps in lowering the body’s need for insulin as our weight is maintained. It also enhances the sensitivity to insulin, hence glucose is more effectively used in the body.
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Reduce Risks of Certain Cancer Types
There are two cancer types that you can avoid if you’re physically active—colon and breast.
Numerous studies in the U.S. and other parts of the world have consistently prove that adults who increase either the duration or frequency of their physical activity can reduce their risks of having colon cancer by up to 40 percent relative to those who live a sedentary lifestyle.
There are several ways by which physical activity can protect you against colon cancer. It can enhance hormone metabolism, improve insulin regulation and decrease the amount of time that the colon is exposed to potential carcinogens. It can also alter certain inflammatory and immune factors which may influence colon cancer risk.
Regular exercise has also been proven to be effective in lowering risks of breast cancer. Most studies have shown that physically active women have lower risks of breast cancer than inactive women. Spending 30 to 60 minutes of moderate to high intensity physical activity every day can help in lowering hormone levels, improving immune response, and maintaining ideal body weight.
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Strengthen Bones and Muscles
As we age, it is very critical that we have strong bones, joints and muscles. These parts not only support your body, but also ensure that you can do your daily activities well. Again, numerous studies have shown that regular exercise can slow down the loss of bone density that is associated with aging.
For example, people who do 120 to 300 minutes of moderate intensity exercises each week have reduced risks of hip fracture. The same goes for the effects of regular physical activity on arthritis and other conditions that affect the joints.
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Improve Mood
Working out regularly can keep you in a good mood all the time. Exercise stimulates numerous brain chemicals which can make you feel happier and relaxed. It can also lower risks of depression, and even help you sleep better.
These are five good reasons why you should integrate regular exercise in your schedule. With these health benefits of regular exercise, there’s really no reason why you should insist on maintaining your sedentary lifestyle.