The Top Ten Reasons to Exercise

We’re halfway through January, and if you made any New Year’s resolutions, chances are you’ve begun to lose a little steam, if not outright given up. If one of your resolutions was to get more exercise and you need some extra incentive, below are the top ten reasons to stick with it.

1. Strengthen Your Bones. Regular weight-bearing exercise is a crucial adjunct to building bones.
2. Relieve Depression. Mildly to moderately depressed people who exercise 20-30 min. every other day will experience a positive mood swing within just three weeks.
3. Slow the Aging Process. By strengthening your muscles and heart and thereby counterbalancing the age-related decline in physical abilities, exercise can help you maintain your physical independence.
4. Ease Stress and Anxiety. Activity disperses the hormones that accumulate during high-stress times. Exercise is also a natural tranquilizer — after exercising, you’ll feel serene.
5. Improve Cholesterol Profile. Regular, vigorous exercise increases levels of “good” cholesterol (HDL), associated with a reduced risk of heart disease.
6. Enhance Your Self-Image. Those who exercise regularly feel better and more confident than those who don’t.
7. Improve the Quality of Your Sleep. When you exercise regularly, you fall asleep more quickly, sleep more soundly and awake more refreshed.
8. Reduce Your Risk of Chronic Diseases. Non exercisers are twice as likely to develop heart disease as those who exercise. Exercise also regulates blood sugar, which reduces the risk of diabetes.
9. Improve Your Mental Capacity. Many studies have found that those who exercise have better reaction times, concentration levels and memory.
10. Lower Your Risk for Certain Cancers. Studies suggest that women who don’t exercise have more than 2 ½ times the chance of developing a cancer of the reproductive organs and almost twice the risk of getting breast cancer of those who exercise.