These days, with all the technological advances adopted by mankind to ease our passage through this life, we have become highly efficient in performing tasks quicker and better than ever before. The world is moving at an incredible pace and this has afforded us exponential growth as a species.
However, this advancement has come with obvious setbacks. We are not doing the jobs; rather technology is doing the jobs for us. And we simply maneuver the technology.
We may travel hundreds of miles every day and yet hardly anyone uses their own feet to do the travelling. Vehicles do the travelling. Need a letter delivered? No more postmen needed; we have emails. Need to dig a trench? No need for hard labor; we have excavators. Need to harvest the crop? No need to handle the scythe yourself; we have combine harvesters to do it for us.
Our bodies are deteriorating, our muscles losing their strength, our bones losing their mass because human beings were not meant to sit on their backsides and work nine to five punching digits into a computer.
Therefore it is of imperative importance that we introduce heavy, physical exertions back into our lives. Here we shall talk about some of the benefits of regular exercise both for the mind and the body.
Weight control
One of the major problems with the world today is obesity. The problem has reached nearly epidemic proportions in some parts of the world.
Other than the general discomfort experienced by most obese or overweight individuals, it also comes with numerous health risks, such as increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.
People are getting overweight, not because they are eating more, but because they are exercising less. Introducing a strict workout plan into your daily routine will help you burn the overabundance of calories so that your body goes into a calorie deficit. Staying fit and in-shape will help you avoid a range of diseases and it will also help boost your self-esteem and confidence.
Mental health
There has been a general upward trend in the number of individuals complaining about extreme stress, anxiety, depression and an inability to cope with the hardships of life.
Well, it’s not your fault. Our brain is not wired to just feel happy all the time. It has certain specific needs which, if left unfulfilled, will make you feel worse than a zombie. There are certain chemicals called endorphins that are released by the brain during and after exercise which help alleviate our mood and make us feel happy.
And as mentioned previously, a good body helps boosts our self-esteem, removes our insecurities and instills us with confidence.
Reduces risk of cardiovascular complications
This is perhaps the most important reason for us to start exercising more.
For an unhealthy, lethargic, overweight person, there is a high chance of plaque building up inside the coronary arteries which hardens and thickens the artery walls; also known as Atherosclerosis. This can lead to reduced blood flow to important organs of the body and thus high blood pressure.
This is not a death sentence. It is an easily remediable problem with a free of cost solution. A rigorous morning workout regime and other sessions through the day will help your body get back to its original healthy form. Prevention is better than treatment.
Of course, it is also crucial that we also maintain a healthy diet along with our workout regimen.
Boosts metabolism
Recent studies suggests (with a high degree of probability) that regular exercise has the capability of altering your metabolic rate so that your body burns a lot more of fat on a regular basis. A faster metabolism rate means your body burns calories faster, and if you’re in a calorie deficit, your body resorts to burning the stored fat to provide those calories to your muscles.
However, to be in a calorie deficit, make sure you eat healthy. Do not consume a lot of high-calorie, junk food. The more aerobic exercise you do the more fat you will burn to provide your muscles with the much needed energy they require to function. So the harder and longer you push your muscles, the better. It’s not rocket science.
Strength and endurance
Exercise strengthens your muscles and builds endurance. Bodybuilding relies greatly on tearing down muscles so that they can be rebuilt bigger and stronger than before by the body.
A healthier lifestyle with less procrastination will make you a stronger individual with greater strength and greater stamina. You will feel less fatigued by everyday tasks because your body will have adapted to overcome this.
