Part 2: The Benefits of Exercise

If you make exercise part of your day, you’ll already experience some noticeable benefits.  These include:

1. Waking up in the morning feeling refreshed

2. Having energy left at the end of the day

3. Feeling more optimistic about recreation

4. Sleeping more soundly at night

The benefits above are general.  Let’s examine the more specific benefits of exercise on specific parts of the body:

 Exercise prevents heart disease

The average ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) is about 4.5.  If this ratio doubles or reaches 7, you double your chances of developing coronary heart disease.  You reduce that risk by as much as 50% if your ratio is 3 or lower.

The lowdown on cholesterol:  not all cholesterol is bad.  You have the good one (HDL-1 and HDL-2), the not so bad one (VLDL) and the harmful one (LDL).  To get your ratios, divide the total amount of your cholesterol by your amount of HDL.  The lower the ratio you have, the better.

           

Exercise prevents osteoporosis

28 million Americans have osteoporosis. 80% are women.  Only ¼ of this 80% know they have the condition and only half are being treated.  The annual osteoporosis bill to the United States is $14 billion.

Studies have shown that sufficient amounts of calcium and regular exercise build strong bones.  While genetics play a major role in developing the risks of osteoporosis, individuals can control some factors that will help prevent the problem. 

Peak bone mass is attained in your 20’s.  Starting an exercise program while still young, even if you live in the fast lane, will help you avoid bone disease.

Exercise prevents diabetes

People are still debating how much exercise an individual needs, but for people with type-2 diabetes, exercising three or more times a week improves fitness and blood sugar levels.  If you have type-2  diabetes and are overweight, exercise done with the following parameters would be of tremendous benefit: intensity of 60%-70% maximal heart rate, with duration of 30 or more minutes, 4-7 days each week.

There have been hundreds of documented reports that reveal how people’s lives have significantly improved and the remarkable transformation that their bodies experience after they made the decision to take ownership of their weight and fat problems.  

If this isn't a wake up call for you, it should be!  Why wouldn't you want to live a long healthy life?  There is no way that I would risk living with any of these diseases if all I had to do was get up off of the couch and make time to exercise.  Work is going to always be there; if something happens to you tomorrow, trust me....they will have someone else to take your place without skipping a beat.

Your probably asking yourself, "How do I get started?"  Well, stay tuned...next, I'll explain how and a very simple way for you to get started.

Live Fit Live Strong!!