Taken from March edition of Good Health & Medicine magazine a highly recommended read and one which I personally subscribe to for up-to-date, relevant information on health and wellbeing. Follows is an extract from Paula Goodyers new book Fit & Firm For Ever. Don't forget to book your session once you've read these top 10 reasons to exercise!
#1
Your body looks better in clothes (& without them)
Getting a spray tan, body scrub, waxed, moisturised and a pedicure will all help you look great, but regular exercise over the long haul is what will keep weight off permanently - not just for a few weeks or months.
#2
Exercise can reduce menopause symptoms (without scary side effects)
Some research suggests women who exercise more have fewer hot flushes. No-one really knows why but, according to one theory, exercise reduces stress, which is considered to be a trigger for hot flushes.
#3
It helps boost your sex drive
Exercise keeps your body working better, your energy levels higher and lowers your stress levels, so it makes sense that it will be kind to your sex life. But exercise also enhances sexuality because it makes people feel good about themselves.
#4
It may delay biological aging
Forget cosmetic surgery - go for a jog instead! Keeping fit with regular aerobic exercise (walking, jogging, cycling) through middle age and older can hold back biological by about 12 years.
#5
It buys you time in the long haul
A 30 minute walk or workout might seem like on more thing that's impossible to squeeze into your day, but do it often enough and you'll become more productive. Physically, you actually get more done when you're fitter and stronger, while the oxygen boost to your brain helps you think better, too.
#6
Your heart will last longer
The list of heart benefits of an exercise habit is long. Exercise lowers the risk of clots forming in the arteries, encourages blood vessels to make nitric oxide and it keeps surfaces supple. Researchers looking at the link between exercise and the risk of heart disease and stroke iin women aged over 45 in the US Women's Health Study found women who exercised the most were 40 per cent less likely to have a heart attack or stroke than those who did the least amount of exercise.
#7
It makes you healthier (even if you're overweight)
What if you needed to lose weight and improce your health, but could only choose one way to do it - more exercise or a healthier diet? Exercise is the best pick. No-one is suggesting you don't do both, but an overweight person who exercises can bhave a lower health risk than an inactive person of normal weight who does no exercise.
#8
Your brain will be fitter
What's good for your heart is also good for your head - clean arteries will also keep your brain cells supplied with the nutrients and oxygen it needs to stay in good shape. This may explain why studies show regular exercise (especially if it's vigorous and includes strength training) seems to reduce the risk of dementia and improve memory.
#9
It's like an all-purpose health pill
It's impossible to ignore the mountin evidence that exercise prevents or helps to treat a long list of diseases. The proof of its power is now engraved in medicare -people with chronic health problems, including high cholesterol, insulin resistance, diabetes, depression and osteoarthritis are now eligible for a medicare rebate for consulatations with an exercie physiologist who can plan an exercise program for them. Regular exercise can also boost your immune system, so you're less vulnerable to colds and flu.
#10
It brings the pressure down
Regular exercise reduces blood pressure by making your heart stronger. And the stronger your heart is, the less effort it takes to pump blood around the body. This means there's less pressure on your arteries.
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