Who Needs to Exercise?

Everyone needs to exercise! However, physical activity is especially beneficial to people who are overweight.

During the exercise, one must engage in those physical activities that raise their heart rate above normal. Physical and mental wellness are both enhanced by physical activity.

Regular exercise, like walking or climbing hills, produces a huge range of benefits for the body and mind, regardless of how intense it is.

See Benefits Of Cardiovascular Exercise, Benefits Of Nature, and Simply Healthy Habits To Start Today For A Happy Life.

It is imperative to exercise every day at any intensity to prevent a range of diseases and other health issues. We must remember that our ancestors were nomadic, moving about in search of food and shelter and traveling great distances every day. To remain healthy, our bodies have to be physically active regularly [1].

In this article, we discuss who needs exercise. Different types of exercise, benefits of exercise, and more. Let’s start!

Who needs exercise?

People of all ages, including babies, men, women, and seniors, can gain many benefits from exercise. We will briefly examine some of them.

Babies & Exercise

Babies and children need physical activity to grow and develop a healthy body. It also contributes to their mental and physical development [2].

Physical activity is essential for infants and children because it:

Enhances their brain development
Strengthens their muscles, bones, and joints
Coordinates, balances, and increases flexibility
Keeps them at a healthy weight
Improves sleep and relaxation
Enhances social skills, confidence, and happiness
Enhances their learning at school

Additionally, physical activity contributes to a healthy heart and lungs and helps prevent diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer later in life.

By exercising every day, whether through walking, jumping, running, chasing around, climbing trees, riding a bike, etc., your child should be able to get enough exercise. Try to encourage your child to get up and move from time to time.

Men & Exercise

According to exercise physiologists, physical activity is essential for maintaining a healthy weight and reducing the risk of chronic conditions and injuries [3].

Elevating your cardiovascular fitness levels can also improve your overall health and wellbeing. In spite of the importance of physical activity, a vast majority of men from 18 to 64 are not sufficiently active.

Moreover, more than one in three American males (34.1%) suffers from overweight or obesity, making them vulnerable to chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer [4].

Men can benefit from exercise in the following ways:

Reduced risk of diabetes
Having lower cholesterol
Decreased depression and anxiety
Lower risk of hypertension
A healthier circulatory system
Losing weight
Increasing testosterone levels with age
Colon cancer risk is lower
Having stronger bones
Reduced chance of erectile dysfunction
A longer life expectancy

Women & Exercise

Unfortunately, more than one in four American women (27.5%) is overweight or obese. Approximately 70 million adult Americans are overweight or obese (35 million are men and 35 million are women). 99 million are overweight (45 million are women and 54 million are men) [4].

Women may face barriers to exercise because of family responsibilities, body image, and fears of injury. In any case, it doesn’t matter what the barriers to their physical exercise are, it has to be overcome since obesity has a lot of risks. A person who is obese increases their risk of several debilitating and deadly diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and some types of cancer.

To maintain good health on a physical and mental level, it is essential to engage in regular physical activity. Maintaining a healthy weight, reducing your risk for chronic diseases, and promoting good mental health are some benefits of exercising.

For good health, you should engage in moderate-intensity physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day. Women and men should follow the same recommendation.

Senior Citizens & Exercise

Exercise has countless health benefits for people of all ages, including a healthier heart, more durable bones, and improved flexibility. As a senior, there are additional benefits, such as reducing the chances of chronic diseases and injuries and improving mood [5].

Exercise also plays a key role in cognitive function. Studies suggest that after a few weeks of regular exercise, the number of brain neurons-the cells responsible for maintaining your life as well as improving your thinking and memory-increases.

There is strong evidence that outdoor exercise enhances physical, mental, and social wellbeing, particularly through engagement with nature [6]. Researchers found that those who walked three or more times a week had a 35% lower risk of developing dementia than those who did not exercise.

Exercise for seniors has many benefits, including:

Improvement in healing and function – Seniors who exercise regularly will have a 25% faster healing process. Additionally, a healthy, strong body is more likely to be able to fight off infection and be able to recuperate more quickly from illness or injury.
Chronic conditions and disease prevention- According to studies by the National Institute on Aging, seniors who engage in routine exercise can delay or even prevent diseases that could lead to chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, strokes, heart disease, and osteoporosis.
Enhanced balance and stability – Falls are the most common injury among seniors, which can be prevented by regular exercise. The risk of fractured bones is higher when you fall, and exercise is beneficial for improving functional reach and balance.
Enhances the quality of life and prolongs life expectancy – According to a recent study, exercising seniors has psychological benefits as well as physical benefits. The benefits of exercise range from alleviating symptoms of depression to improving mood in general. An increase in mobility due to regular, moderate exercise can assist seniors in maintaining their independence in the long term. Intensity is less important than consistency.

You are never too old to start engaging in a regular exercise routine, even if you are a senior citizen. Choosing something you enjoy and setting goals that are easy to achieve is the key to success.

Thus, in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle, you need to perform at least light exercises whether you are a kid, man, woman, or senior citizen.

Different forms of light Exercises

You can do the following forms of light exercises that are healthy for your overall health by doing them for a few minutes every day:

Walking
Swimming
Cycling
Running or jogging

WALKING

People can walk effectively to establish a consistent, lifelong exercise routine that has been shown to have the most essential health benefits over the long run.

The health benefits of a walk can outweigh any medicine the doctor may prescribe, even in winter. Walking is a form of exercise that any other activity cannot replace. Walking improves blood circulation significantly.

There are several benefits to walking, including:

Cardiovascular fitness should be improved.
Strengthen your muscles and bones.
Enhance muscle endurance.
Enhance energy levels.
Manage your weight and fat.

Swimming

Swimming is a great exercise because your whole body needs to work against water resistance.

The benefits of swimming are many, including:

Keeping your heart rate high while reducing stress on your body
Keeps your heart and lungs healthy and helps you maintain a healthy weight
Strengthens muscle, increases endurance, and improves cardiovascular fitness
As you use nearly all of your muscles while swimming, it is an all-over body workout.
Muscle toning and strength building [7].

Cycling

It is mainly an aerobic activity, meaning that the lungs, blood vessels, and heart are all working hard while you ride. Breathing deeper, sweating more, and experiencing a higher body temperature will improve your overall fitness level.

Regular cycling has many health benefits, including:

Cyclists are at a lower risk of severe diseases such as strokes, heart attacks, some cancers, diabetes, depression, obesity, and arthritis through cycling.
It is a healthy, enjoyable, and low-impact exercise that is good for all ages.
Improved cardiovascular fitness.
Flexibility and muscle strength are improved.
Increased joint mobility.
Reduced stress levels.
Coordination and posture were improved.
Increased bone strength.
Fat levels were reduced [8].

Running or jogging

Running is also a form of aerobic activity. The act of running or jogging requires more energy than cycling or walking. You don’t have to exert as much effort to obtain the same health benefits. It can significantly improve your mental and physical health [9]. It is proven that running reduces stress, improves heart health, and helps ease depression symptoms. To start running, you only need a good pair of running shoes.

Runners and joggers gain many health benefits from regular exercise. Here are some of them:

It builds strong bones because it involves weight-bearing
Muscles should be strengthened.
Boost cardiovascular fitness
Several kilojoules are burned.
Maintaining a healthy weight is essential [10].

Benefits of Exercise

There are many health benefits to exercising. You’ll have more energy, your mood will be better, you’ll sleep better, and you’ll live longer.

Here are some benefits of exercise:

Increase Metabolism

As we age (inactivity), we lose muscular tissue. The amount of muscle in the body controls metabolism. However, exercise helps to build muscle tissue. After a cardio workout (running, aerobics, swimming, walking), you’re burning calories, your metabolism is stimulated, and your appetite may be reduced temporarily as well.

When your muscle mass is high, you will have

A high metabolic rate
Increased energy consumption
Maintaining a healthy weight is easier.

Exercise helps combat health problems and diseases

Do you worry about heart disease? Do you wish to lower your blood pressure?

Being active increases the “good” cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and decreases unhealthy triglycerides, no matter what your weight is. By keeping your blood flowing smoothly, you reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Many health problems and concerns can be prevented or managed with regular exercise, including:

Stroke
Falls
Metabolic syndrome
Type 2 diabetes
Depression
High blood pressure
Arthritis
Anxiety
Several types of cancer exist

Moreover, besides improving cognitive function, it can also reduce the risk of death due to various causes.

Better sleep can be achieved through exercise

Have trouble sleeping? Your sleep can be improved and deepened if you exercise regularly. It is advisable to avoid exercising too close to bedtime, as you may feel too energized to sleep.

Mental health and exercise

A study led by Dr. John Griest of the University of Wisconsin examined the effects of running versus psychotherapy on depression. Results showed that running relieved moderate depression as effectively as psychotherapy.

Improvements were noted in:

Anxiety
Depression
Intelligence
Self-concept

The benefits of exercise for your brain and memory

There is little doubt that exercise is beneficial to one’s physical health. The benefits of exercise for improving one’s mental ability are not as highly extolled. It is relatively new to think that our bodies influence our minds [12].

Some research has shown that exercise improves memory, thinking skills, and brain function [13].

The first thing it does is increase your heart rate, which means more blood and oxygen flow to your brain. Additionally, it stimulates the production of hormones that increase the growth of brain cells.

Furthermore, exercise can prevent chronic disease, which means it can benefit the brain, as the chronic disease can affect its function.

In older adults, regular physical activity is essential because aging, combined with oxidative stress and inflammation, leads to changes in the brain.

Several studies have shown that exercise increases the size of the hippocampus, which is vital for learning and memory, thus promoting better mental function in older adults [13].

Finally, exercise can reduce conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia caused by changes in the brain.

Exercise improves skin health

The amount of oxidative stress in your body can affect your skin condition. The concept of oxidative stress describes how cellular damage can occur when the body’s antioxidant defenses cannot completely repair the damages caused by compounds known as free radicals. It can damage your skin’s structure and negatively affect your appearance.

Physical activity can be damaging to your body, but moderate exercise can increase the number of natural antioxidants in your body, reducing oxidative damage.

Exercising can induce changes in the skin cells that delay the aging process and stimulate blood flow [14].

Depression and exercise

The study looked at 156 sedentary, clinically depressed individuals. Randomly, subjects were split into two groups: One group of participants received medication therapy. A second group ran at a moderate pace for 1/2 hours a day.

Their depression was re-evaluated after 16 weeks. Exercise improves the quality of life as much as medication. Only those who exercised showed improvement in mental abilities such as planning, organization, and concentration.

You can have fun exercising… and be social as well!

Physical activity and exercise can be enjoyable. These activities provide a chance to relax, enjoy the outdoors, or be yourself. You can also bond with family and friends while engaging in physical activity.

Try participating in a running race, hiking in the forest, or joining a soccer team. Choose an activity that you enjoy and do it.

Exercise Improves Your Mood

There is no doubt that when people are upset or unhappy, they will often binge or turn to food for pleasure or satisfaction. Engaging in regular activity can improve the mood, and the need to binge on food can be decreased. Regular exercise can boost your confidence, improve your self-esteem, and improve your appearance.

Exercising boosts energy

Are you tired of doing household chores or grocery shopping? Exercise regularly can help you improve your strength and endurance by building your muscles. Exercise helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently by delivering oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. In addition, when your heart and lungs become healthier, you have more energy to handle daily tasks.

Living an active life for a lifetime

Living an active lifestyle is not complicated or tedious, as you can see. It can be pretty enjoyable. Every day, take small steps to improve your health. Some of them are given below:

Take part in several different physical activities that you enjoy.
Do not become discouraged by overdoing it. Keep your goals realistic.
Take part in activities with your partner or friends.
Track your progress towards your goals by keeping an activity log.
Engage in physical activity as if it were a game. Have Fun!

How Much Amount Of Exercise Do You Need?

It is recommended that everyone exercise every day for 30 to 60 minutes, depending on what they are trying to accomplish.

Several studies suggest that daily workouts do not need to be continuous and can be spread throughout the day. For example:

You should park farther away from your destination.
Go up the stairs
After every meal, walk for a few minutes
Work in the garden or yard
If you skip exercise, you will lose time instead of gaining it.

The lack of exercise can lead to 23% of deaths due to degenerative diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, liver disease, and hypertension – the top killers.

According to Roy Shepard MD, Ph.D. At the University of Toronto, if you move from a sedentary state to a more active one, effectively, you will reduce your biological age by 10 or 20 years [15].

Final Words

If we intend to win this race called life, we need to be fit in both the physical as well as spiritual sense. Our bodies are designed to function best when they are exercised.

Satan has filled our lives with all kinds of stressors to wear us out, many of which we have contributed to. Such stresses can cause sickness and even death. These stresses could be easily combated through the exercise that may lead to living a victorious life.

Remember:

There is no destination to fitness. Instead, it is a process. It cannot be stored. We should exercise throughout our lives.

Exercise can be scheduled the same way you schedule other appointments!

Reference

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Tirosh, O., Orland, G., Eliakim, A., Nemet, D., & Steinberg, N. (2020). Attenuation of Lower Body Acceleration in Overweight and Healthy-Weight Children During Running. Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 36(1), 33-38.
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Who Needs to Exercise?

Who Needs to Exercise?