Is It Really Important To Keep Fit?
Yes, (you knew this all along, didn’t you?) keeping fit has a great effect on keeping healthy but many people only realize the many benefits of regular exercise when health problems start to wear them down and by that time, they often believe (wrongly) that it is “too late” or they are “too old”. Not so! You can start exercising at just about any age and any condition of health, though you will need to consult your doctor if you have any worries or concerns about your health or age but regular exercise started as soon as possible, like yesterday will give you great benefits:
Burn Excess Fat
Regular exercise can help you burn excess body fat and keep your body lean, though if you are very overweight, you will need to consult your medical advisers: start out slow on the exercise and lose weight through eating healthily. Too much body fat can cause or contribute to many health complications including heart disease, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome and diabetes to name just a few. Diabetes can lead to stroke, heart attack and limb amputation!
Great Physique
Many overweight people struggle with issues of body image yet seem to be unwilling to do anything about it, even though it may be hard to find nice clothes that fit, or they hide from the camera or don’t want to take a beach holiday. Even if you hate the thought of going on a diet, a regular fitness routine can help you develop a great physique by shedding excess fat and gaining a great body. Muscle burns more fat, so if you build muscle, you can lose weight more easily. Muscle is also denser than fat and firmer, so you look leaner and don’t “jiggle” as much. Exercising can help you get rid of cellulite and have a flat tummy. Weightlifting is a great way of gaining muscle and molding a great body. And no, it will NOT make women look unfeminine! Women cannot bulk up muscle like men, they will look leaner.
Mental Strength
Keeping your body active improves brain function. Exercising keeps your mind sharp and alert and can help develop mental strength and increase overall awareness. Exercise has also been shown to improve mood, and can help relieve depression, possibly through the release of dopamine and endorphins. Work out your favorite form of exercise. Maybe it’s running or jogging or lifting weights. Make a commitment (and keep it) to do a regular exercise routine and see how much good it does your mind.
Build Your Physical Strength
A regular fitness routine is ideal for strength building. It will build body muscle and improve physical strength, as well as strengthening your back for good posture. Many people become less active as they grow older. But you do not need to lose your strength, even if your speed slows. Fitness routines will help you keep your strength and agility to keep up with your children or even grandchildren. Exercise can also slow the ageing process by tightening your skin and increasing your body’s metabolic rate.
Motivation And Fitness Tracking
These are just four of the benefits of a fitness routine. Ignoring your body’s NEED for physical exercise can lead to developing lifestyle diseases later in life. Exercise is very important and the consequences of not taking exercise can be catastrophic. How can you motivate yourself to exercise and maintain a disciplined fitness schedule? One way is by having fitness goals that mean something to you, so you WANT to achieve them. Another is by using fitness trackers, to monitor your general physical activity and evaluate your progress.