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Facts on How Exercise Keeps the Body in Shape

Regular physical activity keeps your body in shape both physically and mentally, helping you look and feel great. To benefit from exercise, MayoClinic.com recommends 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week. In addition to aerobic activity, perform strength-training exercises, such as yoga or lifting weights, at least twice a week.

  1. Calories for Weight Loss

    • Exercise helps control and maintain your weight. To lose weight, you must burn more calories than you consume. If losing weight is your goal, MayoClinic.com recommends increasing the time spent exercising to 300 minutes per week, which means exercising five days per week for 60 minutes. To lose 1 pound of fat, you need to burn 3,500 calories throughout the week. Increasing the intensity of exercise burns more calories. For example, a 160-pound person running at 5 mph for one hour burns 606 calories. The same person burns 861 calories when running at 8 mph for one hour.

    Muscle and Bone Health

    • According to WebMD, a pound of muscle burns more calories than a pound of fat, even when you are not exercising. Building muscle from regular physical activity helps facilitate and maintain weight loss. Exercise puts tension on the muscle and bone, which strengthens muscles and increases bone density. As you age, muscle mass naturally declines; however, according the University of Maryland Medical Center, people who exercise regularly are stronger and leaner than other people in their age groups. Increasing strength and bone density is especially important as you age, as it helps reduce the risk of falling and bone fractures.

    Disease Prevention and Health

    • In addition to staying physically fit, exercise has a variety of health benefits to keep your body in tip-top shape by warding off many common health conditions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, regular exercise reduces your risk of heart disease, arthritis, some forms of cancer and diabetes. Physical activity also helps reduce blood pressure and improves cholesterol levels. According to MayoClinic.com, exercise also helps boost your energy levels by carrying oxygen and nutrients to your tissues, which makes your heart and lungs work more efficiently.

    Mental Health

    • The changes in your physical appearance, such as weight loss and toned muscles, can help boost your self-esteem and overall mental health. Exercise also improves your sleep quality and reduces anxiety. According to WebMD, there are a variety of benefits exercise provides to your mental well-being. Exercise activates the neurotransmitter serotonin and boosts endorphins, which can leave you feeling happier and reduce some symptoms of depression. Regular physical activity also reduces stress hormones for a more relaxed feeling.

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