Benefits of Regular Exercise

Why is being fit good for your physical and psychological health?

A Answers (3)

  • The human body was designed and evolved to function while being regularly. Throughout most of early human development people were very active performing the basic activities of daily life. Hunting, fishing, gathering food, preparing it, keeping dwellings safe and stable, gathering fire wood, clean drinking water and looking after children required hours a day of physical activity. Since human evolved while performing lots of physical activity, the human body functions best when very active. Studies show that physical fitness improves nearly every aspect of human function both mental and physical. Active people live longer, have lower levels of disease, and lower levels of depression.
  • As humans we have adapted over the last few hundred years to survive and that entailed a lot of hunting, gathering, building and walking and moving our bodies around. That is what the human body was designed to do so as we move decade after decade into our easier lifestyles, our bodies are not happy just sitting and not even having to stand at a stove anymore to cook. We can access food, entertainment and work without having to move enough to even burn 1400 calories. But we still want to eat the 2000 calories or more that is wired into our D.N.A. from our ancestors that required all these calories to keep moving throughout the day.

    When our physical health diminishes we then, in turn start to diminish psychologically. It doesn't feel good to be overweight and immobile but there's pain when moving around if you are too overweight. That is a conundrum that can be depressing and make you want to just stay put even longer. spiraling down into a big black hole of not feeling good in the body or the brain. The good news is this "spiral" can be reversed and you can start to spiral in the other direction. Up into proper nutrition and good physical health which makes you feel happy, psychologically and makes you want to move more and eat less.

    Putting yourself through a good, challenging fitness and nutrition program and finding some accountability through the hard days is good for your physical and psychological health because it is what everybody truly needs. 

  • Being fit defines every aspect of your health -- not just physically but also your emotional and mental well-being. In fact, they're interconnected. Smart eating and active living are instrumental to all three. Being fit gives you physical and psychological benefits, including:
    • Energy to be more productive and do things that are important to you.
    • A positive outlook to handle the mental challenges and emotional ups and downs to deal with stress.
    • Reduced risk for many health problems, including heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
    • The opportunity to look and feel at your best.
    • Physical strength and endurance to protect yourself in case of emergency.
    • A better chance for a higher quality of life and perhaps and longer one, too.
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