Why exercise?
When I exercise I get hungrier afterwards which makes me eat more. I know I must satisfy my hunger and replace the calories I have burned until my blood sugar gets back up to normal. So, why should I exercise if it makes me eat more when I want to lose weight ?
Research has shown that people adopting a scheduled exercise program as part of their weight loss program are 5 times more likely to succeed and achieve a weight loss goal. Further, maintaining exercise as part of a life change program supports making any weight loss permanent. If we are overweight usually we do need to MOVE MORE.
Body Atrophy
If we do not exercise our body muscles atrophy. They become less functional and weaker,worst case, not capable of meeting our daily activity demands and supporting our everyday life activities. As we age we lose muscle mass anyway and have lower strength. We accelerate this if we do not keep active.
It creeps up on us without our knowing until the day we realize we are no longer fit. Eventually basic functions like getting up off the floor and getting in and out of the car, carrying our shopping, carrying a laundry basket can start to be affected. Worse still we may start to injure ourselves doing any of our heavier load daily tasks.
We need to use our muscles regularly to avoid this and if possible work our muscles harder than just at our daily norm.
It is never too late to halt or reverse this trend. We all need to take stock of our situation and adopt and implement a plan to “Move More” while we can. We do not have to run marathons or pump iron.
Combined Exercise and Weight Loss
As we lose weight we will regain functional capability. This is amplified when combined with improvement in our strength, flexibility and endurance produced by exercise. As our level of activity increases, our physical fitness normally will increase with it and we find we feel better about ourselves.
We get the feeling of improved health. If not then we should see a doctor and get checked out just in case.
You will enjoy your day more and deal with life challenges and stress more easily, have more freedom of movement, have more stamina to do much more than just go to work and do the home chores as you get in better physical shape.
How to enjoy exercise
- Choose an exercise program featuring exercise that suits you preferably with an exercise “buddy”.
2. Make it a habit, exercise 30 – 40 minutes at least 3 times per week, daily if possible.
3. Give yourself the time to create a regular routine and exercise around the same time each day.
4. The key is to build exercise into your life style so that it is not disruptive and chose times of the day that work best for you.
5. If you miss a day don’t worry about it. Just get back at it the next day.
Homework
If you are not doing it already, start a daily exercise program (or at least 30 minutes 3 times a week.)
A daily walk is easy, can be done without equipment, is free and has been used as the go to exercise used by over 85% of all people who achieve permanent weight loss.
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