WARNING
Exercise has been known to cause health and happiness.
What is Exercise?
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"Exercise is any movement that works your body at a greater intensity than your usual level of daily activity. Exercise raises your heart rate and works your muscles and is most commonly undertaken to achieve the aim of physical fitness” (Glanville, N.)
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Forms of exercise:
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Aerobic (endurance) exercise: jogging, stair climbing, biking, swimming
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Strength exercise: free weight lifting, resistance bands, resistance machine
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Flexibility: yoga, stretching
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How long/how often:
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Depends on goals/wanted outcomes
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“ Government guidelines recommend that the average healthy individual does 30 minutes of moderate cardio vascular exercise 3-5 times per week” (Glanville, N.)
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Tips for people who say they are "too busy" to work out:
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Wake up earlier
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Multitask on cardio machines
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Go for a walk/jog on your lunch break
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Make a plan & stick with it!
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Aerobic
Strength
Flexibility
Physical Benefits
Nonphysical Benefits
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Overall Health
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"In the long-running Framingham Heart Study, moderate activity tacked on 1.3 years of life for men and 1.5 years of life for women versus low activity. Raising the bar to high activity added 3.7 years for men and 3.5 years for women" (Minter-Jordan, M., Davis, I., Arony, Z.)
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Prevention of diseases/conditions
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"Regular physical activity can help protect you from the following health problems: heart disease and stoke, high blood pressure, non-insulin dependent diabetes, obesity, and back pain" (medicinenet.com)
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Increase happiness
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"Lifts spirits by releasing mood-lifting hormones and relieving stress. In some studies, exercising regularly has helped ease mild to moderate depression as effectively as medications; combining exercise with medications, therapy, and social engagement is a better-reliever" (Minter-Jordan, M., Davis, I., Arony, Z.)
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Release of endorphins (receptors in the brain that reduce perceptions of pain, also trigger a positive feeling in the body), dopamine (feelings of pleasure and happiness), and serotonin
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Stress-reliever
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Increase in confidence and self-esteem
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Improved sleep
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More energy
Glanville, N. (2017). What is Exercise? Retrieved from https://www.weightlossresources.co.uk
Glanville, N. (2017). How often should I Exercise? Retrieved from https://www.weightlossresources.co.uk
Minter-Jordan, M., Davis, I., Arony, Z. (2014). Healthy Mind, Healthy Body: Benefits of Exercising. Longwood Seminars at Harvard Medical School.
Warburton, D., Nicol C., Bredin, S. (2006). Health Benefits of Physical Activity: the Evidence. University of British Columbia.
