Benefits of Exercise

Exercise is planned, structured, and repetitive bodily movement that improves or maintains one or more components of physical fitness. (Physical Activity and Health: A Report of the Surgeon General, 1996) Benefits that may occur with regular, consistent aerobic, resistance, and flexibility exercises are listed below.

All individuals respond differently to exercise even when participating in the same program. Benefits that may occur with regular, consistent aerobic, resistance, and flexibility exercise are listed below.

EXERCISE IMPROVES

  • Flexibility
  • Cardiovascular & cardiorespiratory function
  • Functioning of your immune system
  • Strength of muscles and tendons
  • Skin tone, making your skin look more elastic
  • Sleep patterns
  • Self-esteem and a greater sense of self-reliance and self-confidence
  • Ability to relax
  • Personal satisfaction and self-image
  • Perceptions of acceptance by others
  • Productivity
  • Overall quality of life

EXERCISE REDUCES

  • Risk for heart disease and premature death
  • Risk for stroke
  • Risk of developing diabetes
  • Body weight or body fat, lowering your BMI. BMI stands for Body Mass Index. It is a numerical value used in most clinical settings to determine if a person is underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese. BMI provides a more accurate measure of total body fat than the assessment of body weight alone. Increased BMI is associated with an increase in morbidity and mortality
  • Risk for osteoporosis in females and males
  • Depression and anxiety
  • Frustration with daily problems; allows for a more constructive response to disappointments and failures

EXERCISE ALSO

  • Prevents/helps control high blood pressure
  • Prevents/helps control high cholesterol
  • Builds and maintains healthy bones, muscles, and joints
  • Promotes a younger and healthier body
  • Helps you manage stress more effectively
  • Provides an easy way to share activities with family and friends and an opportunity to meet new friends

Thirty minutes of moderate intensity activity, or activity that causes small increases in breathing and heart rate, is recommended on most, if not all days of the week. You should meet with your physician prior to starting any new exercise program. The key to success in any exercise program or plan is to find activities that you enjoy and that you will want to participate in. Once you have found an activity you enjoy, it will become much easier to gain the benefits associated with regular exercise.