Exercising involves engaging in physical activity and increasing the heart rate beyond resting levels. It is an important part of preserving physical and mental health. We started the first part of this here. However, below are some other benefits of engaging in exercise.
Helps to shred weight
There is decent evidence to suggest that physical exercise can help maintain weight over time, although it may take more than the recommended amount to do so. Largely, weight shredding is aided by regular exercise as well as a balanced diet.
For example, a person of say weight 70kg after an hour of physical activity would burn 370 calories for hiking, 330 calories for light gardening, while 590 calories can be shredded for running/jogging for
8 km per hour according to the CDC.
Increases chance of living longer
“Strong scientific evidence shows that physical activity delays death from all causes,” according to a 2018 report from the Department of Health and Human Services. Even better, the benefits start to accumulate with modest amounts of moderate-to-vigorous exercise. The greatest jump occurs when a person goes from being “inactive” to being “insufficiently active.”
Improves bone health.
Regular exercise equally helps to prevent bone density loss that occurs with ageing, say the CDC. Moderate or vigorous muscle-strengthening and aerobic exercise, as well as bone-strengthening programs, can improve bone health.
Physical exercise can also help prevent fractures related to muscle weakness and lack of balance, which is important for people with osteoporosis. Weight-bearing exercises, such as walking and dancing, and resistance exercises are generally good for bone health.
Improves brain function and reduces the risk of dementia.
Regular exercise can reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in adults. In people over the age of 50 years, exercise also improves certain aspects of cognition, such as processing speed.
A 2016 study reviewed the evidence indicating that physical activity, cognitive activity, and healthy eating habits improve “brain health” in older adults.
