by Kevin Parris | Jan 9, 2020 | Fitness Journey
Do you have
an active lifestyle? Do you engage in regular physical activity? Exercise is
very important in our lives and to experience the benefits of the exercise we
need to make it part of our daily lives. Exercise is any activity that gets
your muscles working and burning excess calories.
There are
many forms of exercise including walking, running, jogging, dancing, swimming,
and lifting weights, just to mention a few.
Many people
have their lives carried away by their jobs and forget about themselves. Thus
they end up having inactive lifestyles. This can be detrimental to your health.
A lot of people are struggling with obesity, diabetes, and other lifestyle
problems because of not incorporating exercise into their daily lives.
There are many health benefits of being active, both physically and mentally. Regular exercise may even help you feel better about yourself. In this blog, you’re going to learn about the health benefits of regular exercise. Keep reading to discover more.
Regular
exercise helps control weight
Due to our
busy lives, we tend not to be mindful of what we eat and most of the time, we
prefer fast foods to healthier ones. People love these fries because they are
easy to prepare and can easily be ordered online. These foods have lots of
sugars and bad fats which only do more harm to your body than good.
You gain
weight so fast and before you realize it you already have weight problems.
These fast foods should be avoided and regular exercise can help regulate your
weight.
Physical
activities help you burn excess calories. If you are struggling with excess
weight, going to the gym could be a great treat for you. You will get to engage
in a variety of exercises of varying intensities that will help you burn more
calories during a session.
Whether you are dealing with weight issues or not, engaging in regular exercise even for about 20 minutes can help you control your weight. Make sure that you’re active every day by taking the stairs, jogging, running or even hitting the gym.
Regular
exercise increases your energy levels
Regular
exercise can boost your energy levels by improving your muscle strength
endurance. When you engage in physical activity more oxygen and nutrients are
supplied to your tissues. At the same time, your cardiovascular system is
actively involved meaning that you get more energy to go about your daily
activities.
Fit people are usually more productive and they don’t get tired quickly. They’re not victims of fatigue and thus their quality of life is just good. So, exercise more to have increased energy levels.
Regular
exercise promotes your brain function
Regular
exercise is great for your brain. Brain function can degrade when you lead an
inactive life. People with inactive lifestyles might experience memory loss,
depression, and slow learning. Also, they might experience an earlier onset of
Alzheimer’s disease, which affects many Americans.
Exercise alters
the structural and functional aspect of the brain. It also promotes blood flow
to the brain which feeds the growth of new blood vessels and new blood cells as
well. Adequate blood flow to the brain and the growth of new cells supports and
improves brain function.
Regular exercise also impacts the hippocampus, a part of the brain that plays a vital role in memory and learning. It promotes the growth of this part thus helping improve the mental function in older adults.
Regular
exercise fights off illnesses
Regular
exercise combats several illnesses and health conditions such as heart disease,
high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, high cholesterol
and stroke among many others.
Exercise
improves high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, which is the good
cholesterol and helps decrease the unhealthy triglycerides. Thus your blood
circulation improves decreasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Various forms
of exercise such as cardio training increase your heart rate. The heart, which
is also a muscle gets stronger when you exercise, reducing the risk of heart
disease.
Regular
exercise improves the strength of your joints and muscles. This, in turn,
reduces the likelihood of pain and aches and other joint and muscle problems
that are common among older adults who live inactive lifestyles.
People who
exercise are less likely to catch flu or cold because regular exercise improves
their immune system.
So, if you want to keep certain illnesses and health conditions at bay, you should consider living an active lifestyle.
Regular
exercise promotes better sleep quality
Many people
struggle to get good quality sleep. Lack of enough sleep affects your quality
of life and lowers your productivity during the day. You always wake up tired,
feeling not ready for the day.
Engaging in regular physical activity can improve your sleep and help you relax. You will be able to fall asleep faster and remain asleep. You will always wake up feeling relaxed and ready for the day. However, you should never exercise close to bedtime as it could make you feel too active and energized to go to bed.
Regular
exercise improves your mood
Exercise can
improve your mood. When you engage in physical activity, your brain releases
various chemicals that lift your mood, making you feel happier, less anxious
and more relaxed.
Exercise
triggers changes in various parts of the brain that regulate stress and
anxiety. Exercise is, therefore, natural treatment for anxiety and stress.
Also, it can
help relieve some symptoms of depression by increasing the sensitivity of the
brain for serotonin and norepinephrine hormones.
You can experience a boost in your mood regardless of the intensity of your physical activity. Exercising even for a short period will have a powerful impact on your mood. So to fight your negative moods, probably after a long day at work, just hit the gym, you will get home feeling rejuvenated and relaxed.
Regular
exercise improves your sex life
Regular
exercise can boost your sex life. Engaging in physical activity improves the
function of the cardiovascular system, increases blood circulation, leads to
toned muscles and boosts your energy levels. All of this helps promote your sex
life.
When you feel
good about your physical appearance and have increased confidence in yourself,
your sex life may experience a boost.
Regular exercise also increases your frequency of sexual activity. So, if you want to improve your sex life, get more physically active.
Bonus:
Exercise is fun
Exercise can
be a lot of fun and gives you an opportunity to socialize with others.
Socializing is great for your mental wellbeing. There’s no better way to unwind
and enjoy the great outdoors then exercising. Running with a fitness partner in
the great outdoors allows you to get soaked in nature.
Taking a fitness class or a dance class is even more fun. Your life will never be boring again. You will be happy and have a sense of belonging when you see other members of the fitness class sweating it out. It is even more satisfying when you learn a new dance move and do it perfectly.
Conclusion
The health
benefits of regular exercise are many. Engaging in regular exercise is a great
way to experience a boost in your energy levels, lift your mood, fight off
illness and have fun. Regular exercise strengthens your muscles and joints,
controls weight and improves your sex life.
by Kevin Parris | Dec 10, 2019 | Fitness Journey
We all know
that exercise is important in our lives. Along with eating a healthy diet, we
need to maintain an active lifestyle and this should be among our top
priorities in life. Many times, we tend to give excuses for not incorporating
exercise into our weekly schedule or daily schedules.
Well, you
might be having a busy schedule but that doesn’t mean that you should not
maintain an active lifestyle. It’s time to quit giving excuses and find ways to
include exercise to your weekly schedule. Sometimes, we don’t even realize that
we have time for everything.
We don’t
realize that we can create time for exercise because we are too busy giving
excuses. This is not the way to go. If you just take some time to plan and
allocate time for everything you will realize that you have enough time to
exercise.
Exercise doesn’t have to take a huge chunk of your time every day. 30 minutes is enough. If you are wondering how to introduce exercise to your weekly schedule, this blog will teach you how to do exactly that. Keep reading to learn more.
Starting
small is a good idea
One of the
best ways to introduce exercise to your busy weekly schedule is by starting
small. You want to be easy on yourself so you can keep doing it until you fully
adapt. By starting I mean you need to do simple exercises.
Starting big
with complex exercises is not the way to go especially if you have a busy
schedule. In fact, in fitness, a beginner should not start with the complex
exercises. If they do they will give up so fast. You need a rigorous workout
schedule to get instant results. You will quit without even seeing the results.
Fitness is
all about consistency and patience. Doing simple exercises when you are just
starting will allow your body and mind to adjust to making exercise part of
your weekly schedule or daily schedule as well.
You need to
allocate time to perform simple exercises. Therefore, start by looking at your
work schedule and determine the amount of time you can devote to exercise every
week. Do not feel discouraged if you cannot get plenty of time from your
schedule. Just allocate the much that you can find. It will go a long way.
Once you have
determined the amount of time you can allocate to exercise, it’s time to
establish your exercise goal. In this case, for instance, your goal can be
exercising for 30 minutes a week for the first week, and then progress to 30
minutes twice a week and then 30 minutes three times a week.
That way your body and mind will adjust fully to this schedule and an active lifestyle will become one of your top priorities in life.
Have
the right mindset
Having the
right mindset is important in health and fitness. Here we are talking about
having a positive mindset. If you truly want to introduce exercise to your
weekly schedule, you to stop having those negative thoughts about exercise or
workouts.
Many people
think that a healthy lifestyle is boring, that working out is tiring and it’s
something for bodybuilders. Others just keep worrying about their fitness level
and so they don’t start exercising because they lack willpower. Others think
they are too busy to exercise and that exercise is a waste of time.
Negative
thoughts will only kill your willpower. The best way to deal with that is to
have a positive mindset. Just think positively. Think of how exercise will help
you get in shape, keep you feeling good about yourself and keep illnesses at
bay.
Thinking positively will help you find adequate time for exercise and make healthier lifestyle choices. Incorporating exercise into your daily life is all for your own good. You stand to benefit. If something will improve your life significantly, why wouldn’t you find time for it?
Adjust
your time to wake up
Some people
have very demanding jobs such that they cannot find time to exercise during the
day. However, that doesn’t mean that you should not exercise. You can do
something about that, and one way to do that is to wake up earlier.
You can wake
up one hour before your normal time and take a morning run or get to a nearby
gym for some workout.
To ensure that you have enough time for exercise and preparation to get ready for a workout, ensure you have laid out your workout clothes the night before and what you will wear to work. This will ensure there’s no time wasted.
Have
a support system
In the
fitness journey having a support system is really helpful. A support system
keeps you accountable and committed to your workout schedule. A support system
can be your friend, colleague or family member, whom you workout with.
If you’re having any challenges in your active lifestyle, your support system is there to encourage you to keep going. You can join a fitness class together with your friend and always have them accompany you to the gym. You will in actual sense be supporting each other.
Get
a gym membership
Getting a gym
membership in a gym near your workplace is a good decision as you will stay
committed to your workouts. Remember, membership costs you money, so you don’t
want to pay for membership and simply do nothing.
Joining a gym
near your workplace can make it easier to incorporate exercise into your daily
life. Working out in a gym is better as you will have access to plenty of
equipment and professional fitness trainers who will guide you in performing
the right forms of exercise.
If you have a gym at your workplace, then you are lucky, so you utilize to stay fit.
Always
take the stairs
How many
times do you take the stairs? Taking the stairs is one of the easiest forms of
exercise and you do not have to create time for that. You can easily include it
to your daily schedule by just taking the stairs when you get to work, go for
lunch and when you leave work. Isn’t that easy?
Taking is a simple form of cardio training as it increases your heart rate which is good for the health of your heart. Also, by taking the stairs you will be improving the health of your bones, joints, and legs.
Make
your exercise schedule a habit
It’s always
said that it takes 21 days to form a habit. You want to make your exercise
schedule a habit or a part of your daily life. This is one of the best habits
you will ever have.
To make it a
habit, always have a look at it in the morning when you wake up. Your mind will
be aware that the plan for that day also includes exercise. It will always be
at the back of your mind and there is no way your day should end without
fulfilling it.
I would
advise you to create an exercise schedule and pin it on the wall in your
bedroom in a strategic place in which it will be the very first thing you see
when you wake up.
Something becomes a habit if you enjoy it. So, you need to perform exercises that you enjoy to make them your habit. Also, something can become your habit if it’s benefitting you. Exercising will surely bring forth long-term results.
Always
track your exercises
Tracking your
exercises is important as you will be able to measure your progress and
determine your activity level. When you realize that your activity level is
improving you will be motivated to keep keeping on. It feels good when you
realize you can do something you couldn’t do a few days ago.
Note down all the accomplished workout sessions at the end of the day, week, month and even year. This way you will gain more insights about your progress.
Quit
making excuses
Excuses should never be part of your life in whatever you do. To introduce exercise to your weekly schedule quit making excuses. Create time for exercise because you have that time. With one or two adjustments, you will realize you have plenty of time to exercise.
Conclusion
The above
tips will guide you on how to introduce exercise to your weekly schedule. When
starting be easy on yourself and start with simple exercises. You need to have
the right mindset about an active lifestyle. Waking up earlier than your usual
time to exercise can be helpful, especially if you have a demanding job during
the day. You also need to build a support system, make your exercise schedule a
habit and track your activity level to stay motivated.
Be Relentless.
by Kevin Parris | Dec 4, 2019 | Cardio Fitness
Cardio should be part of your daily
workout. When you are just starting your fitness journey, cardio is one of the
first words you will come across, however, you will also realize that many
people don’t add it in their fitness routine. The reasons for not adding cardio
to an exercise program may vary from one person to another.
There is still a good number of
fitness enthusiasts who don’t realize the benefits of adding cardio to their
daily workout. Well, you should know that cardio is an essential aspect of any
workout. Whatever inspired you to start an exercise program, cardio exercises
should be include in the plan.
Cardio exercise can be defined as
any activity that increases your heart rate. The activity is rhythmic and will
help burn more calories. Cardiovascular exercise also increases blood
circulation throughout the body.
There are many advantages of adding cardio to your daily workouts. In this blog, you will discover the various benefits of cardio which will be reasons enough to add cardio to your routine. Keep reading to discover more.
Benefits of adding cardio to your routine
Here are the benefits of adding cardio to your daily workouts.
Cardio increases metabolism
Cardiovascular exercise, or simply
cardio positively impacts your metabolism. Metabolism is an umbrella word for
all the various processes that happen in the body. Performing cardio increases
the rate of those processes, therefore making it easier for you to lose weight
or maintain weight.
Cardio sessions can vary depending on the intensity of the exercises. For instance, more intense cardio sessions may include an exercise such as HIIT which increases your metabolic rate.
Cardio supports heart health
Your heart health is very important and so you
should do whatever it takes to keep your heart healthy, and that should include
cardio. Your heart is a muscle which pumps blood, and as you know all muscles
in the body should be put to work to keep them healthy and strong.
Cardiovascular exercise is one great exercise to keep your heart healthy and strong. Cardio gets your heart pumping at a faster rate throughout the session, which is great for keeping it healthy. So, you should perform cardio regularly to ensure that your heart is healthy, in shape and strong. Don’t always get stuck with simple exercises, do things that will get your heart pumping at a faster rate.
Cardio improves your recovery ability
In the fitness journey, you will
need time to recover after a session in the gym, but you don’t want the
recovery to take so long. You want the recovery time to be short. Well, several
types of cardio exercise can help improve your recovery ability. These types of
exercises involve lower, moderately paced movements such as light jog or
walking on the treadmill.
This kind of exercises, when done after
a hard session in the gym can help effectively remove the unwanted fatigue or
simply the byproducts that developed during the hard session in the gym. This
will in turn can result in the reduction of your DOMS, or delayed onset of
muscle soreness. Also it promotes the flow of oxygen rich blood to the muscles
thus facilitating the repair and rebuilding process of the tissues. Therefore,
this means you will get back to the gym for hard sessions quicker.
If you want to build muscle, you
need to strike the perfect balance between enough workouts and adequate rest to
allow the muscles to repair themselves. If you happen to be skewed on either of
the direction, you will not get the desired results.
Remember, you need to keep working your muscle more frequently to gain new muscle. Here cardio comes in handy.
Cardio boosts your brain health
Regular cardio training is good for
your brain health as it encourages the release of endorphins, which are happy
hormones. These hormones effectively provide pain and stress relief and boosts
your confidence and emotional stability.
When we’re aging our brains loses tissue which can be detrimental on the brain function, but cardio training can help slow the loss and boost cognitive performance. So add cardio to your daily workout to support your brain health and feel good about yourself.
Cardio can improve your immune system
Performing cardiovascular exercise regularly improves your immune system. You will be less likely to catch colds and other viral illnesses. Cardio training promotes the release of immunoglobulins, antibodies that help improve your immune system.
Cardio lowers blood pressure
This another good reason you should add cardio to your daily workout, especially if you have blood pressure problems. Cardio training can be an effective way to control your blood pressure symptoms lowering it to the healthy level.
Cardio can help deal with depression and fatigue
Depression has become common in the
today’s world and millions of people across the globe continue suffering from
it. While there are prescription medications to deal with depression, cardio is
a natural way to deal with this condition.
Fatigue is another condition that can take a toll in your life, lowering the quality of your life and your productivity at work. You should consider adding cardio training to your routine to deal with fatigue as well.
Cardio can help you manage diabetes
If you’re suffering from diabetes, cardio training can help you manage it. Cardio training does so by enhancing the ability of your muscles to utilize glucose, thus helping you to control your blood sugar levels. Therefore, you will not experience skewed blood sugar levels from as often as you used to before.
Cardio helps manage your weight
Cardio training is a great way to burn more calories, helping you lose weight and manage your weight as well. Adding cardiovascular training to your workout routine will result in a well-toned body with a good posture. You will be able lose weight and keep it off. At the same time, you will need to lower your calorie intake.
Cardio training can boost your mood
Having a good mood is great for you
and your relationship with other people. Cardio exercise can boost your mood by
releasing the happy hormones in our bodies which also help reduce the symptoms
of depression.
You don’t need to perform long sessions of cardio, a short session can significantly impact your mood.
How to choose a cardio exercise
You have just discovered the
benefits of adding cardio to your workout, it’s time to choose cardio exercise.
A few factors should be considered, such as what aligns with your personality,
what is accessible to you and what is comfortable for you.
The gym has a lot of options for
you to choose from including various equipment that you might not have space
for at home.
You need to choose a cardio
exercise that you can tolerate when you’re just starting. Go for something that
you can enjoy or even consider joining a fitness class to socialize with others
and get the motivation to keep going.
It is recommended to perform cardio
at least three times a week. You want an exercise that accessible and
convenient for you. You might also consider having a personal trainer to keep
you accountable and motivated.
Don’t perform one from of cardio exercise every other time. You need to perform other new forms to keep you challenged achieving milestones.
How long should you perform cardio workout
Once you have settled on the type
of cardio exercise to do, you need to know how long you should perform it. When
you’re just starting, make things simple for you and adjust as you progress in
your fitness journey. So, you might want to start with simple types of cardio
training.
Cardio workout, specifically for
beginners should be done for at least 20 minutes and a maximum of 60 minutes
for each session. You can also split your exercise into smaller bits and
perform them throughout the day. That way you will still reap the benefits of
cardio.
The focus of a beginner should be on building a strong cardio foundation which will make it easier for them to progress without ever thinking of giving up on it. Cardio should never be overdone. Start with simple exercises and then increase the intensity and duration as you progress to advanced levels.
Conclusion
You have discovered the benefits of adding cardio to your daily workout. Cardio training is great for your heart health, improves metabolism, boosts your immune system and improves your brain health. For those suffering from diabetes, cardio can help manage the condition. Cardio also lowers your recovery time, thus you can get to the gym quicker and workout your muscles to add more muscle.
Be Relentless!
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