Post by bmazzo on Mar 17, 2024 23:26:43 GMT
This round runs from Feb. 12 through March 24
Challengers:
Cherry — Do some form of exercise most days
Cathy — Honestly track everything
Judy — Move more
Holly — Maintain Lifetime at Goal Status
Bev — More cautious of what I'm eating
Jan — Adding more fruits and veggies into my meals, no after-work snacking
Hosts:
Feb. 12 through Feb. 18 — Cherry
Feb. 19 through Feb. 25 — Cathy
Feb. 26 through March 3 — Judy
March 4 through March 10 — Holly
March 11 through March 17 — Jan
March 18 through March 24 — Bev
"Don't worry about failure, you only have to be right once" unknown
Since this is the last week of our challenge period & we have talked about a lot of stuff over the years, I thought maybe I would take each of our goals that we had this period & try to find something about each one of them.
Cherry's challenge was to get some sort of exercise everyday. Here are some benefits of doing just that.
The health benefits of regular exercise and physical activity are hard to ignore. Everyone benefits from exercise, no matter their age, sex or physical ability.
Need more convincing to get moving? Check out these seven ways that exercise can lead to a happier, healthier you.
1. Exercise controls weight
Exercise can help prevent excess weight gain or help you keep off lost weight. When you take part in physical activity, you burn calories. The more intense the activity, the more calories you burn.
Regular trips to the gym are great, but don't worry if you can't find a large chunk of time to exercise every day. Any amount of activity is better than none. To gain the benefits of exercise, just get more active throughout your day. For example, take the stairs instead of the elevator or rev up your household chores. Consistency is key.
2. Exercise combats health conditions and diseases
Worried about heart disease? Hoping to prevent high blood pressure? No matter what your current weight is, being active boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol, and it decreases unhealthy triglycerides. This one-two punch keeps your blood flowing smoothly, which lowers your risk of heart and blood vessel, called cardiovascular, diseases.
Regular exercise helps prevent or manage many health problems and concerns, including:
Stroke.
Metabolic syndrome.
High blood pressure.
Type 2 diabetes.
Depression.
Anxiety.
Many types of cancer.
Arthritis.
Falls.
It also can help improve cognitive function and helps lower the risk of death from all causes.
3. Exercise improves mood
Need an emotional lift? Or need to lower stress after a stressful day? A gym session or brisk walk can help. Physical activity stimulates many brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier, more relaxed and less anxious.
You also may feel better about your appearance and yourself when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem.
4. Exercise boosts energy
Winded by grocery shopping or household chores? Regular physical activity can improve your muscle strength and boost your endurance.
Exercise sends oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. And when your heart and lung health improve, you have more energy to tackle daily chores.
5. Exercise promotes better sleep
Struggling to snooze? Regular physical activity can help you fall asleep faster, get better sleep and deepen your sleep. Just don't exercise too close to bedtime, or you may be too energized to go to sleep.
6. Exercise puts the spark back into your sex life
Do you feel too tired or too out of shape to enjoy physical intimacy? Regular physical activity can improve energy levels and give you more confidence about your physical appearance, which may boost your sex life.
But there's even more to it than that. Regular physical activity may enhance arousal for women. And men who exercise regularly are less likely to have problems with erectile dysfunction than are men who don't exercise.
7. Exercise can be fun — and social!
Exercise and physical activity can be fun. They give you a chance to unwind, enjoy the outdoors or simply do activities that make you happy. Physical activity also can help you connect with family or friends in a fun social setting.
So take a dance class, hit the hiking trails or join a soccer team. Find a physical activity you enjoy, and just do it. Bored? Try something new, or do something with friends or family.
Any ideas here that might encourage you to be more active? Do you have a regular daily exercise routine?
Fun: What's the very last thing that you bought in a store?
