Weight Loss and Health Benefits - Exercise

Weight loss programs often speak of getting yourself more active, increasing physical activity, does in fact have a great number of vast benefits on over all health, as well. Much research and many studies have been done on the impact of physical fitness on weight loss, but also on health- no matter what your age, physical activity needs to be a part of your daily life. The more, the better- NAS, or the National Academy of Sciences, recommends an hour of activity a day for most people. To some this may sound like a great deal, but when you factor that this can be any number of things, spread out over the course of the day, it may not be as hard as you think to bring physical activity into your weight loss plans. Walking, gardening, even a good, heavy house cleaning may be just enough for you to add a bit of physical activity to your daily life, easily.

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As a part of a weight loss program, physical activity is key. You have to be able to maximize the fat loss that you are working on, at the same time- keeping your muscle mass, or even building it. There are a number of other good reasons to be more physically active as well. It is a well known fact that regular activity not only strengthens the heart, but it also lowers bad cholesterol, raises good cholesterol, lowers blood pressure, helps your circulatory system, and enables your heart to work more efficiently. If you are worried about heart disease, high blood pressure or stroke, this is all great news, because it lowers the risk.

Another concern that has been raised, particularly in those who are in weight loss plans due to diabetes risk and other factors, is that the disease rates are climbing. Physical activity, combined with weight loss, helps prevent and control this disease, and losing weight can increase your insulin sensitivity. It also improves blood sugar and cholesterol levels and reduces blood pressure- very important factors for people who already have diabetes. Frank Hu, MD from the Harvard School of Public health found that one brisk walk, for just an hour a day cut the risk of Type Two Diabetes by about thirty four percent. So, physical activity is very important, in regards to both the prevention and management of diabetes.

There are also a number of psychological benefits to getting regular physical activity. When engaged in physical activity, your body is creating hormones called endorphins, and these generally come with an energizing and confident feeling. An uplift in mood is only a part of the bigger overall picture. When small goals are made for physical activity and met, self confidence increases, and this leads to a much healthier overall weight loss program. Exercise has also been known to be a big source of stress relief for many- physical activity, coupled with endorphin release as well as that out let of the physical symptoms of stress is incredibly beneficial.