Why Is It Important to Have a Regular Exercise Schedule?
One of the top New Year’s resolutions is to get more exercise in our lives, but did you know there is much importance to having a regular exercise schedule – throughout the year? With busy schedules, families to take care of, and expensive gym fees, it’s easy to rationalize why we just don’t have the time for fitness.
But there’s many ways to incorporate easy exercises into your daily life – for free! Exercise isn’t for everyone, yet it benefits the mind, body, and soul. So, continue reading and we’ll give you five benefits of having a regular exercise schedule and how you can fit it into busy day.
BENEFIT #1 – IT ELIMINATES MENTAL STRESS
Exercise is defined as any movement that makes your muscles work and requires your body to burn calories. There are four main categories – endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility.
As you begin to form a regular schedule, it becomes easier to set new goals that challenge you to become more fit. Since exercise strengthens your muscles, your self-confidence also gets a boost and you’ll be more motivated.
If you frequently have mental stress and fatigue, consider consistent exercise as a starting plan. Fitness sessions improve mood and can give you an emotional lift. How? When you exercise, the activity stimulates your brain chemicals thereby making you happier, less anxious, and more relaxed.
Having a regular exercise schedule not only helps alleviate stress but it also reduces depression and anxiety. One study found that 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity per week can provide up to a 65% improvement in mood and sleep quality.
BENEFIT #2 – IT BOOSTS IMMUNITY AND LIMITS THE RISK OF DISEASES
Incorporating fitness into your everyday life can help prevent and manage many health problems and decrease the risk of diseases. Sure, it improves your mood, but it also manages weight loss and is good for your muscles. Plus it can even reduce stroke, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure.
Exercising regularly gives you more immediate benefits but it also helps in the long run by combating high triglycerides, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and even some cancers. It also encourages your blood to flow smoothly and boosts your immunity. Working out increases your “good” cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein/HDL) and lessens the chance of serious medical issues – especially those associated with the heart.
BENEFIT #3 – IT GIVES YOU ENERGY AND BETTER SLEEP QUALITY
Instead of making that extra coffee, working out can help oxygen flow more freely throughout the body and will give you a much-needed boost of energy to get you through your day. While you train your body for fitness, it produces chemicals that help you feel good and sleep better.
BENEFIT #4 – IT REDUCES PAIN AND HELPS FIGHT FATIGUE
Your mind and heart aren’t the only parts of the body that benefit from regular exercise – muscle strength also improves. When you actively use your muscles, they become stronger and, in effect, you become healthier and experience less pain and fatigue.
If you want to reduce your risk of osteoporosis and arthritis, you should make it a point to incorporate fitness into your schedule. Your bones, muscles, and joints all benefit when you work on them. It will not only decrease the chances of forming osteoporosis, but it’ll also help you not fall as you get older.
BENEFIT #5 – IT PROMOTES MUSCLE STRENGTH AND ENDURANCE
Is your muscle strength and endurance lacking? Having a regular exercise schedule can help. As you work on setting new goals to make your muscles stronger, using your muscles frequently will actually help you become healthier.
It’ll reduce your fatigue and will increase your motivation by improving endurance and overall stamina.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
We all have busy schedules but exercise is fairly easy to sneak in. Making activities during your day is completely doable. If you take the elevator, try taking the stairs instead. Or rather than sending an email to a coworker, walk down the hall to deliver your message. Instead of taking the front spot in the parking lot, park further and walk the extra distance.
But fitting in extra exercise doesn’t have to be just at your job – it can also be fun when you work out with your family and friends! There are plenty of fitness classes and clubs that are enjoyable, or you can switch things up and do workout videos or even exercise while watching TV or cooking. Just make sure to track your progress – this increases your motivation and commitment – and don’t forget to try different things so you won’t get bored and start making excuses.