Exercise and Weight Loss: An Inconvenient Truth
Please read this ENTIRE blog. Why? There is a lot of good news following this one potentially disturbing fact:
Increasing your physical activity is NOT the primary way to control your weight.
Unless you count the crucial move of the “push away” (from the table), exercise is a secondary factor in weight management. Weight loss is primarily a function of the old “calories in vs. calories out” equation. Unfortunately, a half hour of fairly vigorous jogging will only burn off the approximate number of calories contained in one modest slice of pie or cake.
By far, the most common response from those who are asked about health and fitness goals is their desire for weight loss. So, given the statements above, why bother with exercise at all?
The emphatic answer is that exercise is preventative medicine. Instead of taking pills to combat a health problem, or needing surgery to correct a physical issue, getting and staying active works to proactively keep you healthy.
Here are ten documented reasons why engaging in consistent physical activity will be a tremendous benefit to both your body and mind:
1. Exercise has been proven in scientifically valid studies to increase your life span.
Whether you’re a bit heavier than you’d like, or exactly at your goal weight, you DO want to live longer, right? That might be enough said. But there are many other health benefits. Exercise will also:
2. Improve your memory and brain function (at any age!)
3. Protect against many chronic diseases
4. Lower blood pressure and improve heart health
5. Improve your quality of sleep
6. Reduce feelings of anxiety and depression
7. Combat fatigue and increase your energy level throughout the day
8. Reduce joint pain and stiffness
9. Maintain muscle strength and balance
And finally, #10 – Exercise will also aid in weight management, because you will be adding numbers to the “Calories out” half of the weight loss equation.
But don’t just take it from me. Here’s what the Centers for Disease Control has to say about exercise:
Benefits of Physical Activity – CDC: Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Being physically active can improve your brain health, help manage weight, reduce the risk of disease, strengthen bones and muscles, and improve your ability to do everyday activities.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (.gov)
https://www.cdc.gov › physicalactivity › basics › pa-health
Contact our certified fitness professionals at Premier Fitness Source and we’ll be happy to work with you to find the best solutions for whatever fitness goals you’re trying to achieve. You can also stop by one of our GA or TN locations to take a thorough “test drive” on state-of-the-art equipment and make your plan for healthy success.
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