Sample Call to Action Heading
Add a strong one liner supporting the heading above and giving users a reason to click on the button below.
Are you also struggling to take that first step towards exercising? You know it would be good for your body, that is common knowledge, but you keep finding excuses not to start (yet).
In this blog post I made a quick overview of 9 reasons to start exercising. This way you really understand how come exercising is so beneficial instead of just knowing “it’s good for your health”.
Most of these benefits are also to be found (briefly) on the website for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention1. I definitely recommend you to read into that website, it will give you valuable and trustworthy information. In this post I added other research data to explain the benefits a bit more.
Regularly exercising may reduce the risk of developing certain cancers. Most strong evidence is for following cancers1-5:
For other cancers the evidence is there, but less convincing5.
How is this possible you may wonder? Through the many health benefits exercising has on your body. It reduces the levels of sex hormones, reduces the insulin in your blood, reduces inflammation and time of digestion (so the gastrointestinal tract is less exposed to possible carcinogens). Exercising also prevents obesity, improves your immune system and alters the metabolism of bile acids (again so the gastrointestinal tract has less exposure to carcinogens)5.
Physical activity is also linked to improved survival and also lowers the risk of relapsing1,5,6. While being treated for cancer, it is possible to still do exercises, albeit with the necessary precautions6.
Regular exercise can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and can help you control your blood glucose levels1. In an article from 2018 the researchers observed a decrease in type 2 diabetes when people joined a strength training program. In resistance training the body improves insulin sensitivity and increases glucose transport2. These are important mechanisms that are involved in developing diabetes (type 2). Besides resistance training, it is also aerobic training that improves insulin action, as long as you stay committed to regular exercise3.
It is the combination of both aerobic and resistance training that is thought to be most effective in controlling glucose and lipids4. For people with less time but still the desire to workout and enjoy the health benefits, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a good solution4.
To conclude: there is a wide range of evidence that proves that exercising aids in preventing and managing type 2 diabetes.
Add a strong one liner supporting the heading above and giving users a reason to click on the button below.
As we grow older with age we experience reduced muscle mass and muscle strength. Luckily, muscular training activities like lifting weights can help maintain & increase muscle mass, strength, and prevent osteoporosis by slowing down the loss of bone density1,7.
Lifting weights doesn’t mean you will become a bodybuilder. You can do customized workouts to keep your bones and muscles strong without having that super muscular body (unless that’s what you’re aiming for of course).
If you’re having troubles with your back muscles or bones, you can read about my blog posts about back problems. You can start doing these exercises (5 easy exercises for back pain) immediately to start feeling the benefits of exercising.
Regular exercise, along with the proper diet, can play an important role in controlling your weight and preventing obesity1. The formula of gaining weight (and vice versa losing weight) is easy: if you take in more calories than you burn, you gain weight. Of course the details of this mechanism are a bit more complex, but, in a way, all you need to do is consume less calories and/or burn more in order to get your healthy weight.
In an experiment by Kim BY et al. (2017), they found that obese participants show greater weight loss when diet and exercise are combined, but ongoing moderate physical activity is recommended to prevent gaining the weight again you just lost8.
Obesity is prevented by physical activity by9:
Regular physical activity lowers the risk of heart diseases (such as high cholesterol, coronary artery disease, and heart attacks). This is because exercise not only strengthens the heart and improves blood circulation, but it also lowers your blood pressure and has a positive effect on cholesterol and triglyceride levels1,7. More activity also means a lower risk10.
The recommended guideline by the World Health Organization (WHO) is moderate-intensity physical activity of a minimum of 150 minutes per week or vigorous-intensity physical activity for minimum 75 minutes per week. In a research comparing inactive people to people who do meet the WHO-guidelines on physical activity they find that the latter group had a 7% lower lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease in men and even an 11% lower risk in women, all aged between 45-8511.
Note that even though meeting the WHO recommendations on physical activity, your risk for cardiovascular disease is also linked to other factors like smoking and unhealthy eating10. So it is not just about the physical activity, you’ll have to make other lifestyle changes as well to really lower your risk of developing a cardiovascular disease.
Regular exercise gives us structure, purpose, energy, and motivation. It reduces how much we overthink and will help managing stress and anxiety. This will help reduce symptoms of depression when already diagnosed or prevent depression from developing. Physical activity can help build your self-esteem as people will create better fitness and a more positive self-perception. Group workouts also make you connect more with people, making you feel less lonely. It is important though to find the right activities for you that you’ll actually enjoy12,13,14.
Finally, you have to realize that even if you don’t have much time, every minute of exercise counts. Start with short workout sessions and slowly build it up and make it a habit14.
Exercise combats stress and fatigue so you end up feeling more energized. When your body is active, more oxygen/energy is sent to your body’s cells. Once exercising is routine, it won’t feel like you don’t have energy to start, but rather make you feel more mentally and physically ready to do your workout17.
We talked about exercise giving you better sleep quality, this also makes you feel more energized, since you recover more during a better sleep. When you exercise, your body releases more of your endorphins (a hormone released when doing something needing much energy). This higher level of endorphins gives you a happy/energized feeling (aka “runner’s high”)18.
Lastly, exercising regularly helps you focus better and have improved concentration18. This way it saves you energy when doing certain tasks. Lots of bonuses, right?
We always say that exercise is good for you, but in this blog post I took a deeper look into the ‘good’ of exercising and physical activity in general. We learned that it has both physical and psychological benefits like lower risk of obesity, diabetes type 2 or cardiovascular disease and your mood, sleep and energy levels. One important rule is to make sure the activity or exercise you’re doing is FUN, so you can commit for the long term.
If you’re ready to look further into it, check out my service page to see what program fits you to start your health journey.
Know that this post is informational, but doesn’t replace professional medical advice or a personal consultation with me (book here).
Convincing a friend to start exercising with you? Please share this post with them.
RSPFIT Personal Training
BE0778861005
Velodroomstraat 125, 2850 Boom
0492442851
rspfit.coach@gmail.com
Copyright (c) 2023 – RSPFIT Personal Training