Exercise Is For More Than Your Muscles.

MORE TOP Reasons To Exercise

 

Exercise and Healthy Habits are Natural Medicines.  They accelerate brain power, better confidence and mood, boost metabolism, curb colds and illnesses, improve lean body mass and wellness, increase sex drive and sleep quality, and more. Perform exercise often and practice healthy living habits as much as possible..... your health and quality of life depend on it! 

A magic fitness or health pill.  A magic fountain of youth.  They do not exist but exercise and healthy habits are the closest things.  And the best news is they do not require any particular age or gender, special equipment, or specific athletic ability or fitness skill. Exercise and healthy habits are necessary to be energetic, happy, healthy, less stressed, and more.  Why do you exercise and perform healthy living habits?  You can have many TOP REASONS (Click HERE to Read More) but here's MORE TOP reasons to exercise this year.    

 1.  Balance Self! and Combat Stress!

A balanced life is characterized as healthy well-roundedness. And healthy well-roundedness is defined as the dividing equally mental, occupational, physical, social and spiritual health and wellness. Life is also referred to as a wheel.  The life wheel is the satisfaction and sum of the elements of your health and (negative and positive) achievements, emotions, skills and talents, and more.  The life wheel mirrors your existence and future.       

The importance of balancing life is like that of a vehicle's wheel that's misaligned or out of whack- it will not roll smoothly or straight. A simple solution is exercise.  Exercising regularly empowers and makes you feel competent and good and that carries over to other priorities and tasks, such as family time and work.  The result is being happy, feeling proud and less stressed.  

There are many suggestions and teachings on balancing life and lowering stress via exercise.  Here is how to develop exercise habits, simplified!  And here are great meditation suggestions.  Try THIS if you are only going to work out.  As mentioned, there are many options but the commonality is: be an early-bird, clear and make up your mind, and plan to do it, regularly.

This will always be one of the most important challenges and priorities for you- Balancing life with exercise and combating stress with it too.  Balance in a conventional sense is achieving management and productivity.  In a recent study at a Florida University: "If you want to get something done, give it to a busy person."  And better, give it to someone who exercises regularly.  If you exercise regularly you are more likely to be more efficient and productive, and relaxed at the same time.

 2.  Be Happier, and a Super Superhero!!!

A bird?  A plane?  No, its a child playing as a superhero.  That was and is the life.  I remember the days of being Spiderman and jumping off the roof.  The reality is children like to play.  And according to UCal-Berkeley researchers it makes them smart.  Who doesn't want to be superhero smart or strong? 

Exercise is a form of play.  It's fun.  And it makes you happy too.  Exercise increases BDNF and endorphins that increase feelings of ease and less pain.  The brain and body due to exercise are in a drug-euphoric state. And it doesn't take long! The first 20 minutes of exercise causes fuller, more happiness versus 45 to 60 minutes of physical activity. That's no more than 4% of your day's schedule.  If you can't fit it in then GO HERE to learn how to attain optimal happiness and health your time, your way. 

Exercise is like child's play and healthy play is a role-playing Superhero-ism. It makes you brave, fearless, feel in control and powerful.  And any exercise amount and type will do the trick. I have a thing for The Avengers, especially Thor, so HERE's an Avengers-type workout. 

    
 3.  Boost Self- and Social Confidence and Esteem

A recent article in the San Jose Mercury News titled "Teen Health: Depression, Anxiety and Social Phobias Rising in Kids" reviews the increased stress and pressures of Silicon Valley's youth. The youth are challenged and forced to keep up with their peers, if not their parents.  The Los Altos High Asst. Principal says, "They're not expected to be great but stupendous."   The result is they do more classwork and college-entry studies and spend less time doing exercise or physical activity, and the imbalance between academia and exercise yields more ADHD cases and problems with anxiety, depression, self-confidence and social phobias.

The answer?  There is no one solution but exercise can help significantly since it boosts self- and social confidence and esteem.  Self- and social confidence and esteem are products of what we want to achieve and what we believe in. Exercising regularly boosts your self-confidence and esteem because it challenges your desires and extends your mental and physical limits.  And exercise improves posture- there's a 10% increase in self-confidence just by posturing up. Further, exercising regularly helps you build confidence and esteem to rid social phobias.  It calms our nerves and controls your fight-flight reaction so you can avert fears, converse and meet with people and form bonds, friendships or social groups. It's even is a form of counseling and therapy for couple's or partners seeking to rekindle their friendship and love and overall relationship.    

Exercise is an action and the act of doing exercise permeates you and your body and mind to be more of a "doer" instead of a "thinker" and that makes you more confident and secure to hold you and your posture up and conquer goals, develop relationships and succeed.

 4.  Improve Sleep Quality and Sex Drive

Want to get a good night's sleep?  Exercising regularly leads to improvements in sleep quality, but its a matter of consistency, exercise intensity and time.  If you exercise regularly for a few months you may experience fewer interruptions and greater lengths in sleep. And the exercise prescription is to do cardiovascular exercises at a moderate intensity near Noontime to significantly improve sleep quality and time.  Further, it's important to not exercise six hours before bedtime which has an opposite result on sleep quality and time. Remember this- A night of poor sleep translates to a next day's poor workout.

What exercise does to improve sleep quality and time it also does to your libido or sex drive.  A bad night's sleep or consistently bad sleep habits lowers hormonal influence (Men: Androstenedione and Testosterone; Women: Oestrogen and Progesterone; BOTH: FSH and LH) and sexual drive and function.  However, current research shows exercising regularly and exercising 30 minutes at a moderate intensity before sexual activity increases sexual function and orgasm.  So sleep improves sleep quality and time and sex drive and function, Yes ..... but WARNING: too much sex can lead to too many kids which makes it impossible to get any amount or quality of sleep.

 5.  Stay Young- Live Longer!

We all desire to live longer and prosperous. Yet, your body has to fend for itself and fight off allergens, pollutants, stress, toxins, and more, from damaging telomeres and enable itself to progressively improve your aerobic capacity, metabolic efficiency, muscular and physiological stamina and strength, and more.  The good news is as little as brisk walking or cycling for 15 minutes boosts your aerobic capacity 15 to 25% which correlates to living another 10 to 20 years.  Similarly, exercise performed at a moderate intensity often decreases premature death risk 50% and prolongs life.  And exercising regularly counteracts the effects of poor posture and sitting (READ About Effects of Sitting on Your Heath and Well-Being) and improves life expectancy as much as quitting smoking.  These things are no stretch of the truth, literally! 

We live in a great world.  We can be free and live prosperously. And exercise is essential to living a healthy, long life.  Of course, exercise is more than medicine and age, genes and more affect your health and longevity, so it's important to know how exercise helps you and improves many areas of your life and it's wheel so you can perform it regularly.  Think of it like the Olympic athletes who exercise and train extremely hard to achieve a dream and earn a medal, but significantly improve their well-being too.   

Top Reasons To Exercise This Year

TOP Reasons To Exercise

 

Exercise and Healthy Habits are Natural Medicines.  They accelerate brain power, better confidence and mood, boost metabolism, curb colds and illnesses, improve lean body mass and wellness, increase sex drive and sleep quality, and more. Perform exercise often and practice healthy living habits as much as possible..... your health and quality of life depend on it! 

A magic fitness or health pill.  A magic fountain of youth.  They do not exist but exercise and healthy habits are the closest things.  And the best news is they do not require any particular age or gender, special equipment, or specific athletic ability or fitness skill. Exercise and healthy habits are necessary to be energetic, happy, healthy, less stressed, and more.  Why do you exercise and perform healthy living habits?  Here are TOP reasons to exercise this year.

 1.  Control or Prevent Many Chronic Health Risks

 

Exercise is Medicine.  It really is.  Exercise alone can benefit our bones, heart, lungs, muscles, and many more body organs and physiological systems, and reduce our chances of diseases or health risks.  The benefits of 30 to 60 minutes of average to moderate intensity exercise 3 to 5 days a week (Exercising Regularly) or a combination of cardiovascular exercise and weight training performed for 150 minutes per week (Exercising Regularly) are generally noticed and scientifically proven.  Undisputed.

Alzheimer's: You have 40% less risk of Alzheimer's via exercising regularly.

Arthritis and Osteoporosis: You have 30% less risk of arthritis or osteoporosis via exercising regularly and performing low to moderate intensity load-bearing weight training.

Blood Pressure and Stroke: You have 20% less risk of high blood pressure and 30% less risk of stroke via exercising regularly.  Specifically, exercise lowers blood pressure about 10 to 20 points. And exercise combines with healthy living habits prevents 80% of most strokes.

Cardiovascular Heart Disease: You have 30% less risk of cardiovascular disease via exercising regularly.  Exercise makes up a 10% increase in HDL-C and an approximately 10% reduction in LDL, TC and TG.  Regarding exercise and HDLs, the following are the best conditions for better HDLs: 1) Exercise at a HR > 75% max three to fours days a week; 2) Jog or run at greater than a 10 minute per mile pace; 3) Jog or run a total of eight or more miles per week; and 4) Work off more than 1000 calories per week.  And if you exercise regularly, have a 10% body weight reduction and practice healthy living habits you have a 40% less risk of hypercholesterolemia (LDLs, TC, TGs, etc.), and that lowers your overall risk of cardiovascular heart disease (and stroke) too.

Cancer: You have a markedly less chance of certain cancers via exercising regularly.  You also have up to 30% less body inflammation as shown by lower C-Reactive Protein levels.  The less body inflammation correlates to a more efficient and stronger immune and physiological systems. Regarding cancer and exercising regularly, you have 30 to 50%, (40 to 60%), and 40% less risks of Breast, (Colon, Lung, Prostate), and Uterine cancers, respectively.  Other cancers are changed too.

Diabetes Mellitus and Insulin Intolerance: You have a 20% increase in GLUT4 Transporters ("Movers" of sugars to cells, mitochondria or tissues) and insulin sensitivity and 50% less risk of diabetes mellitus via exercising regularly.  Significant improvements in glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity were among exercisers doing cardiovascular exercise, eating nutritious meals SANS FRUCTOSE!!! and OTHER SIMPLE SUGARS, and performing fast-twitch weight-bearing workouts. 

Regular exercise combats many chronic conditions and health risks.  Though significant changes or health improvements are seen among exercisers performing the minimum recommendation of 30 minutes or more of moderate intensity exercise most days of the week, exercise and health is dose-responsive so exercising at greater durations and/ or intensities significantly lower risks of most conditions, diseases and other health risks.  And DO NOT forget about adequate nutrition, less stress and optimal levels of sleep! 

 2.  Improve Brain Clarity, Function and Power!

Exercise increases cardiac output (Blood Pressure * Heart Rate) so metabolic tissues can have blood, nutrients and oxygen to process and use.  This is true for organs, muscles and other tissues, INCLUDING the brain!!!  This accelerates your brain's function and boosts your brain's memory and power.  Exercising for 30 to 60 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity most days of the week increase your alertness, attention, attitude and motivation.  However, as little as 10 minutes of a complicated exercise, physical activity or sport, such as dancing and tennis, causes the development of new brain cells that enhance attention, concentration and memory.  Interesting, cardiovascular exercise > weight training in increasing memory;  research shows running versus squats increases more neuropeptide factors and they increase the creation of new brain cells and support existing neurons.  Exercising regularly increases your brain's balance and levels of neurotransmitters (Dopamine, Noradrenaline, Serotonin) and if your brain is communicating properly and signaling together you are able to flex and strengthen your brain's muscles.  If you really want to help your kids' or own learning, memory and reading, exercise before school or work. This is your brain on drugs.  Exercise drugs.  Say "Yes!"  

 3.  Increase Lean Body Mass and Metabolism

Exercise has a direct impact on your lean body mass and metabolism. However, many exercise physiologists and researchers question what are the best exercises to get lean and have a high metabolism. The truth is, it is debatable whether exercise significantly increases lean body mass and metabolism. Most muscular and physiological changes occur by following sound exercise and nutrition plans, and sleep.  It's not that one is more important than the other.  It'll always be a quest for the truth since your metabolism decreases 1% per year.

Exercise burns calories and develops muscle.  If you burn more fat and develop more muscles you gain lean body mass.  The argument is fat is active tissue as is muscle tissue.  Fat versus muscle burns two to six calories per pound.  We are not saying fat is an efficient or healthy metabolic tissue. What it is is a slow-acting calorie burner that causes disease and higher mortality.  A muscle is the exact opposite.  And it's better to have more of it!  An added pound of lean muscle tissue burns an extra 50 to 100 calories per day.  An added three pounds of lean muscle tissue burns an extra 10,000 calories per month.  So, what is the best exercise for your body mass and metabolism  A moderate-paced run burns about 550 calories per 45 minutes.  A traditional strength workout burns near 200 calories per workout.  Traditional strength training involves to much resting, sitting and socializing.  The best exercise, however, is HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) that combines bursts of high-intensity cardiovascular efforts, like sprints, with high-intensity strength training, such as barbell dead lifts and squats.  A 20-minute HIIT routine stokes your metabolism one and half times that of a 45 to 60 minute run or traditional workout.  The HIIT exercise routine will be most effective and efficient, BUT you can maintain a lean body and revving metabolism via eating well and exercising regularly that expends 400 calories per day.

 4.  Increase Energy and Stamina 

Exercise fends off fatigue or tiredness.  Say what?  Yes, exercise does not drain your energy levels but instead increases it by delivering more blood, nutrients and oxygen to the brain, heart, muscles and other tissues and raising endorphins and other "feel good" hormones, including adrenaline and testosterone.  You may think exercise is the last thing on your mind when you are stressed out or pooped and tired but it's a drug that is liken to caffeine in coffee or energy drinks except its a more human, natural stimulant.
 
You Are An Exercise Away From Energy & A Good Mood!

Exercising regularly causes a 20% boost in energy and 65% decrease in fatigue.  The best exercise routine to increase energy and stamina is to perform 150 minutes a week of low to moderate intensity exercise or physical activity.  It is also best to combine cardiovascular exercise with strength workouts and do the following suggestions:

     -  Break up exercise routines into two sessions.

     -  Do compound, multi-joint exercise movements.

     -  Perform different exercise routines or randomly switch workouts.

     -  Rest less between exercises or exercise sets, and try supersets.

Performing cardiovascular and strength training routines with these suggestions will amp your energy and help you kill your PRs or workouts.  But take breaks or as much rest as needed in order to recharge your body and mind and "up" your energy and stamina.  And BEWARE- high intensity exercise, such as heavy strength training workouts drains energy significantly more than moderate weight training and slows recovery time... "I'm more tired than usual."  So exercise five days a week, fuel up before and after exercise sessions, and SLEEP!  

 5.  Reduce Colds or Infections

Exercise directly influences immunity.  It enhances your immune system and reduces the amount or severity of colds, flu or infections.  However, do you know what exercises to perform?  Should you do light-, moderate- or high-intensity workouts?  The immune system governs and operates under strict balances and regulations- "an immunity cell response system."  The immune system has T1- and T2-Helper Cells that mediate inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses, respectively.  The immune system must balance the T1:T2 responses to appropriately decrease inflammation and increase circulation and recovery.  The more inflammation due to exercise or infections or viruses = the more risk of seeing yourself sick. Therefore, THE RECOMMENDATION is 30 to 60 minutes of moderate intensity exercise most days of the week.  [Intense exercise temporarily decreases the immune system; it decreases in immunoglobulin levels are demonstrated after intense exercise which lowers your ability to fend off infections or viruses.]  And if you exercise approximately four days a week doing 30 minutes of moderate intensity four days a week you will be sick for half as many days compared to others who do not engage in any exercise or perform an exercise routine less than the recommendation. Specifically, if you exercise often and get sick you are 40% likely to have it for a less duration and with less severe symptoms.  Of course, there are other factors or risks that impact your immune system too, such as age, diet, health risks, stress, and more. Therefore, exercise at a reasonable intensity often and practice healthy living habits as much as possible to have an efficient and strong immune system that fights bacteria, infections and viruses.

Exercise is medicine.  A daily dose of it ought to be a routine or staple.  If you had a bacterial infection or chronic condition you would take an antibiotic drug or prescription to defeat the infection or treat yourself. Exercise is the same.  The daily dose will build you up, protect you and support you. We (Phytly) exercise because our 10 feet have so much to do for each other and the world!