The Whole You October 2016 | Page 8

Why should I exercise? So you have your diet under control. Your body is at the ideal weight. Why should you add exercise to your daily life? It's true that as much as 80% of the effort for weight control or weight loss is controlled by your diet. Your food choices and timing account for most of your weight control effort. Exercise is work. It takes time, effort and a plan. Why would you take that extra step to add it to your life? What's in it for you? This is a real issue for some people. Not everyone is convinced that it is worth it. The purpose of this article will be to give you information in regards to some reasons why your health will still improve by adding exercise to your daily routine, even if weight loss or weight maintenance goals are not in your plan. Benefits of Exercise Stress release Heart health Social advantages Strength building Bone density Energy levels Stress Relief Whether it is the energy release or gaining the "buzz" from the endorphins, exercise is a great stress relief. A good sweat has a way of putting priorities back in line to allow for a new view on stress causing issues. Cardiovascular Health Your heart can benefit from exercise in many ways. Cardio exercise will help to lower your resting heart rate and create a faster recovery time from intense activity. Exercise can also help to reduce cholesterol and blood pressure levels which create a healthier heart. Exercise, if intense enough, has also been shown to make the heart muscle itself stronger. It’s a social thing… Some sports or activities create unique opportunities to make new friends. Games, tournaments or training sessions allow for a time to get together with people who have similar interests. Many friendships are formed through the bond of competition. It's also a way to "kill two birds with one stone" so to speak. You can get a work out in and see your friends at the same time.