How a Regular Fitness Routine Will Boost Your Health and Wellbeing
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Originally Posted On: https://bliciousfitness.com/how-a-regular-fitness-routine-will-boost-your-health-and-wellbeing/
Do you want to know the keys to improving your quality of life and your body?
Well, there are a few things that all of us can do every day that can help get us there.
These include drinking more water, improving or increasing the amount we sleep and eating more nutritiously. But one essential key that can’t be left out is regular exercise. Yet, while we can implement the first two without much effort and crash diets tend to go in out of fashion, having a regular fitness routine is one that many people struggle to incorporate into their lives.
This leaves some to get accustomed to constantly fighting with their weight going up and down over the years. But there is good reason to make having a regular fitness routine a priority in your life.
Let us look at some of the benefits you stand to gain by focusing on your fitness overall.
Focus on Fitness for Better Mental Health
The unfortunate reality of life is that all of us will go through some form of mental strain. The recent pandemic has lead to many experiencing higher levels of anxiety, stress, and even depression.
So what can we do about it? Well, time and time again, studies have made it clear that regular exercise can have a wonderful effect on our mental health.
There are several reasons why.
On a biological level, when we work out, our body produces endorphins.
These hormones do wonders for our brain, boosting our sense of well-being and positivity. This has a knock-on effect throughout our day, as if we are more relaxed and positive, then we tend to be able to handle stressful situations much better.
If we suffer from anxiety, then exercise can also become a welcome distraction. Anxiety tends to have two effects. We can’t seem to think about much else and, even if we don’t notice it, it causes our body to tense up.
For that reason, a trip to the gym can provide that sense of relief that you are looking for. For those moments that we are focused on pushing our bodies to the max, we cannot afford to think about much else. This means our minds at that moment can have a well-deserved rest.
Exercise will also cause our muscles to become more relaxed, although it may not feel that way the day after a good workout!
Lastly, we can’t overstate the value of the companionship gained by having a regular fitness routine. If we work with a personal trainer, head to the gym with a friend, or enjoy attending group sessions, then we are benefiting from building relationships that are essential in combating conditions like depression.
Exercising Can Help Your Sleep
Another thing that helps keep our bodies in optimum condition is sleep. Yet, for many, those few hours of rest rarely leave us feeling energized enough the next day. This is where our friend, regular exercise can come in to save the day.
When we spend time on our fitness, our bodies work harder to recuperate the energy lost throughout the day. This has a natural effect on improving our sleep quality.
The time it takes to fall asleep is even improved, so think of your workout as one way to get in the fast lane to dreamland!
Fitness Can Prevent Future Health Conditions
For many, making time in their busy schedule to head to the gym is a struggle. Are you one of them? Well, one way to boost your feelings of motivation is by viewing the time spent at the gym as a firm and sure investment in your future.
The reason? Because regular exercise is the best way to combat nearly all of the most common health complaints that increase as we age.
One example is type 2 diabetes.
In our modern society, it is easy to think of sugar as being nothing but evil. But it is important to remember that healthy sugars found in fruits and other foods serve a great purpose. To give our cells and, by extension, our body the energy it needs.
If we regularly exercise, these sugars, found primarily in carbohydrates, are put to good use. But if we never try to improve our fitness, it is very easy for our bodies to develop type 2 diabetes.
For this reason, exercise is regularly recommended in both the prevention and also treatment of the condition. One study found that just 2.5 hours per week was enough to help in prevention and 150 mins a week for those already with the condition.
The same principles apply to the prevention of high cholesterol, strokes, arthritis, high blood pressure, and more. So be sure to make your fitness a priority when thinking about your future.
Keeping Your Machine Running
Another great benefit to having fitness as part of your routine is its ability to help us maintain a healthy weight.
While countless conditions can unexpectedly occur, there is no doubt that being overweight increases the chances of future health problems. That is why exercise is so crucial for all of us today.
Our bodies are well-oiled machines, meaning that they are made to move.
By increasing the amount that we workout, we can also increase our metabolism. While it may seem unreal, having a higher metabolism means that even when we are not working out, our bodies can process and burn more calories. This is because the higher our muscle mass, the higher our metabolic rate is.
So how should this affect your workouts?
Well, to get the best benefits, it pays to include some form of resistance training in your workouts along with cardiovascular work. By doing so, you will improve your overall stability, strength, power, and the all-important muscle mass you need to start to eat up all those calories.
If you are particularly interested in weight loss, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) through sprinting is very effective. One study found it to be 40% more effective at burning fat than traditional HIIT methods, so channel your inner Usain Bolt and give it a try!
Your Key to a Better Life
Nothing in this life is free, and our health is no exception. It takes hard work and effort to get the best from our bodies, but as we have seen, our bodies pay us back in priceless ways when we do. So make your fitness a priority and reap the benefits today!
If you want to feel the effects of these benefits and live in or around the Smyrna area, come and check us out at B’licious Fitness. We provide everything from functional training helping you to perform day-to-day tasks with ease to personal training or just standard gym access.