Some people don’t need to exercise to maintain a healthy weight. If you’ve got a high metabolism, you could find that you burn off calories naturally throughout the day without doing any physical activity – allowing you to eat what you want while staying slim.
However, that doesn’t mean that you don’t need to exercise. There are many other health benefits to exercise beyond weight management that are just as important. This post delves into some of the reasons to exercise that aren’t weight loss.
Stronger muscles
Exercise builds muscles – which makes us better at physical tasks like running, jumping and lifting. Even if you have no interest in competing in sports, developing your strength can help to make everyday tasks easier like lifting shopping bags or walking up stairs.
Healthier heart
Our heart is a muscle that we need to work out through regular cardio exercise. Exercise also helps to relieve stress and regulate our blood pressure, which can reduce the risk of one day experiencing a heart attack.
Healthier lungs
Doing exercise can also improve lung health. When you exercise, you take deeper breaths, which help to remove old air and contaminants from your lungs. Exercise can also improve lung capacity, allowing you to hold your breath for longer.
Higher energy levels
While an exercise may initially knacker you out, you could find that you have increased energy levels once you recover. Exercise releases dopamine to help us feel more motivated for the rest of the day. By helping our lungs and heart to be more efficient, repeated exercise can also improve our endurance, preventing us from getting tired as quickly from everyday physical tasks.
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Youthful skin
Exercise helps increase oxygen flow to the skin, while also flushing out toxins in the skin. Not only can this give your skin a short-term ‘glow’, but it can also help your skin maintain its elasticity in the long run – reducing the production of wrinkles.
Improved digestion
Exercise increases blood flow to muscles all around your body – including muscles in your gut. If you’re constipated, you could find that going on a run helps to get your gut moving. It can also help reduce bloating caused by IBS.
Stress relief
When we exercise, our body releases feelgood endorphins which help to flush out stress hormones. Many people who experience chronic stress find that a workout is the perfect stressbuster. Stress relief is one of the best reasons to exercise regularly!
Beat depression
There is no one way to treat depression. However, exercise does seem to be an effective remedy for many people. Because exercise increases dopamine levels and reduces stress levels, it can restore feelings of motivation and reduce negative feelings.
Better sleep
Exercising throughout the day can help to keep your body clock in check. If you’re often inactive during the day, your body can find it harder to determine when to produce sleep hormones – which could lead to slower production of melatonin and an increased risk of insomnia.
Live longer
When you exercise regularly, you increase blood flow to every organ in your body. This can help every organ to work more efficiently. Studies have found that exercise can reduce the risk of many killer diseases including heart disease, liver disease, diabetes and dementia. Exercise regularly, and you could therefore live longer.
Can you think of any other reasons to exercise regularly? Please let us know in the comments below.
*This is a collaborative post, however, as always, all opinions are my own.
