Joyce J
27 September 2022
While we’re on the subject of exercising regularly to obtain your healthy body fat percentage. Did you know that it also has positive effects on your brain, immune system, and more? Most people don’t. In fact, here’s 11 evidence based health benefits:
1. Helps You Lose Weight
We’ve covered this one, but to reiterate, pairing a steady work out routine with a healthy diet can help you lose and control your weight. Keep in mind that the routine to maintaining or losing weight looks different for everyone, so make sure to find what works for you to keep you healthy and happy.
2. Boosts Your Mood
Speaking of happiness, did you know that working out regularly can actually make you feel happier? Exercising is actually known to improve your overall mood and decrease feelings of depression, stress, and anxiety. On top of that, exercising increases the production of those endorphins that make you feel positive!
3. Increases Your Energy
Studies have shown that exercise reduces fatigue and increases energy. It’s also been proven that even people suffering from serious illnesses also see increased energy after exercising. That means that next time you think you need a nap, try working out! You may be surprised with how you feel afterwards.
4. Reduces the Risk of Chronic Diseases
Exercising produces an increased blood flow in your body which improves circulation and raises your oxygen levels. This helps to decrease blood pressure and blood fat levels which in turn, lower your risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, and more.
5. Helps Out Your Immune System
Yep, you read that right. Exercising regularly helps to improve your immune system! This is because exercising increases your blood flow as your muscles contract which means it also increases the circulation of your immune cells. And this year, we need all of the immune boosting we can get.
6. Improves Your Sleep
Although working out does increase your energy levels, it can also help you get a better night’s sleep as well. In fact, one study found that 150 minutes of activity per week can provide up to a 65% improvement in sleep quality. Working out increases the amount of deep sleep you get which means more time for your brain and body to rejuvenate!
7. Promotes a Better Sex Life
Exercise and sex aren’t often related but working out regularly can actually help improve your overall sex life. Getting physical (in the gym that is) can improve performance and pleasure in bed while also increasing the frequency of sexual activity. Exercising has also been shown to lower the risk of erectile dysfunction in men.
8. Reduces Chronic Pain
Dealing with chronic pain can be incredibly hard on both physical and mental health. Many doctors used to tell people with chronic pain that rest was the best treatment, but in more recent studies, it has actually been shown that activity helps relieve chronic pain. Exercising can also increase pain tolerance which helps to improve overall quality of life.
9. Improves Your Brain Health
As previously mentioned, working out promotes blood and oxygen flow in your body which of course includes your brain. On top of that, exercise can also stimulate the production of hormones that aid in the growth of brain cells.
Without getting too science-y with you, physical activity can promote brain function, memory, and the ability to think, learn, and use judgement. Who knew you could work out your legs and brain at the same time?!
10. Strengthens Your Bones and Muscles
Unfortunately with age, our bone density and muscle strength tends to decline. Regular physical exercise can slow the loss of bone density while also building strong, healthy muscles. Exercise also helps in managing pain associated with arthritis and other conditions that affect the joints.
11. Improves the Look of Your Skin
Another surprising benefit of exercise is that it makes your skin look better! Aerobic exercise pumps up blood flow to the skin which also delivers oxygen and nutrients that improve skin health. Also, if you exercise long enough, your skin can develop more blood vessels and capillaries which in turn increases blood flow as well.
The bottom line is that exercising regularly can do more than just help you lose weight. On top of improving your outward appearance, it also helps to boost your mental health, confidence, social life, and more. And while it may be difficult to find the motivation to settle into a regular workout routine, once you do, you’ll never look back.
Summary
Knowing your healthy body fat percentage, is a good first step when you are trying to establish a healthier lifestyle. Simply, because it gives you a baseline to work from and helps you to set realistic weight loss goals.
In addition, having a healthy body weight not only helps you to look and feel good, but it’s one of the leading factors to a living longer, disease-free life.
