It is no secret that being active is good for you. Still, there are millions of people (as shown by the global obesity epidemic) that still are not motivated. Even if you are not obese, skinny does NOT mean healthy. Being active has many incredible benefits. Here are 10 to hopefully help you get motivated. If you like them, be sure to share this article. It may help someone else!
- Weight Loss (or maintaining a healthy weight) – This is the one that honestly seems to motivate most people. If you want to lose weight, GET MOVING! Not sure what to do? Try a 14 Day FREE TRIAL of Beachbody on Demand. It is a great way to get thousands of workouts streamed instantly.
- Reduce your risk of heart disease – Just 30 minutes of moderate activity per day has been shown to lower your risk of heart disease.
- Reduced risk of cancer – Studies keep coming in showing that regular exercise can lower your risk of cancer. These include breast, uterus, colon, and more.
- Slow bone loss – This is a big one, especially for women (since they tend to suffer more from osteoporosis). Our bodies respond to the demand we put on them. Weight training tells our body to make stronger bones. I interviewed Vide Savoie a few years ago. She shared her thoughts on women lifting weights, and I know that a lot of women liked what she had to say. You can read the article HERE.
- Builds your stamina – I don’t know about you, but I hate running out of steam. I have a 2 year old son, and a daughter due on 6 weeks. Stamina is a pretty big deal for me right now. How about you?
- Tones and strengthens muscles – This is more than just looking good, it is feeling good. If feels good to be strong. I’m not saying you need to look like Arnold, but being tone and knowing that you have some strength can do wonders for your health, and your self-esteem.
- Keeps your joints healthy (assuming you exercise correctly) – Your joints want to be used. If you don’t work them, they get stiff. Exercise keeps them in working order. Just be careful not to pound your joints too hard, or you may do more harm than good. This is one more reason I suggest CLICKING HERE to check out Beachbody on Demand. You gain access to some of the top trainers in the world, and workouts for every fitness level. They know what they are doing, and will show you how to SAFELY workout.
- Stress relief – While many people have this idea that exercise is a form of punishment, it is actually more of a reward. Exercise can actually help you feel better. It released “feel good” chemicals in your body, which can help relieve stress.
- More energy – Again, exercise is not a punishment to beat you down. It is there to build you up. Yes, you may be tired after a workout. However, in terms of overall energy, exercise boosts your energy levels, not depletes them. My son tends to get up around 6:30. I like to be ready for the day when he gets up, which means getting my workout in before he is up. That means getting up around 5:15. When I first started that, it was tough. Now, I get up ready to go (most days), and feel better the rest of the day because I got my workout in.
- Strengthens you lungs – I not only have asthma, but I was also born with a condition called pectus escavatum. Essentially, my lungs needed some love. When I was 14 I started delivering newspapers, which had me out running every morning. My lungs gradually got stronger, and more efficient. Now, while I keep my inhaler around, it is rarely used. Why? Because exercise has helped strengthen my lungs. Being out of breath sucks, so do something about it!
