Top 20 Benefits of Exercise

[Missy]

1. Elevates your metabolism so that you burn more calories everyday.

2. Increases your aerobic capacity (fitness level). This gives you the ability to go through your day with less relative energy expenditure. This enables a "fit" person to have more energy at the end of the day and to get more accomplished during the day with less fatigue.

3. Maintains, tones, and strengthens your muscle. Exercise also increases your muscular endurance.

4. Decreases your blood pressure.

5. Increases the oxidation (breakdown and use) of fat.

6. Increases HDL (good) cholesterol.

7. Makes the heart a more efficient pump by increasing stroke volume.

8. Increases hemoglobin concentration in your blood. Hemoglobin is part of the red blood cell that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.

9. Decreases the tendency of the blood to clot in the blood vessels. This is important because small clots traveling in the blood are often the cause of heart attacks and strokes.

10. Increases the strength of the bones.

11. Causes the development of new blood vessels in the heart and other muscles.

12. Enlarges the arteries that supply blood to the heart.

13. Decreases blood levels of triglycerides (fat).

14. Improves control of blood sugar.

15. Improves sleep patterns.

16. Increases the efficiency of the digestive system which may reduce the incidence of colon cancer.

17. Increases the thickness of cartilage in joints which has a protective effect on the joints.

18. Decreases a woman's risk of developing endometriosis by 50%.

19. Increases the amount of blood that flows to the skin making it look and feel healthier.

20. Exercise, in addition to all the physiological and anatomical benefits, just makes you feel GREAT!

[ehyatt]

I have noticed that I have slept much better since beginning the exercise regimen that I am on. I no longer feel the need to take that nap when I come home from work everyday either.

A friend at work told me that women (and I am sure men too) lose a lot more weight when they consistently get 8 hrs. of sleep each night. She said this is extremely important for women and their cortisone levels, when we don't get enough rest and are stressed out, that is when we end up with all that dreaded belly fat!

[Widdlecuddles]

that is great information. I willn have to remind myself of these when I don't feel like exercising. I think I'll print off this list.

[pathoulihanuk]

same here i didnt realise that many benefits it certainly makes you feel good anyway. will print it as well.