Exercising is everywhere, you see joggers, people with personal trainers, new gyms popping up, new exercising spaces appearing and not to forget the latest quick fixes.
Is all this something we really need? Actually we do. But not just to lose weight or to tone up or sculpt our bodies we need it for general health, well being, rejuvenation, brain function, blood pressure, stress release, maintaining muscle mass and weight control. It’s a long list of positives. A lack of exercise can lead to the acceleration of the natural ageing processes that happen to us all like bone density loss, muscle mass loss, slowing of the metabolism, lack of skin rejuvenation and even brain health. But making exercise a part of ‘you’ can slow these natural process down giving you a better healthier life.
Unfortunately muscle mass depletes as you get older so if you don’t maintain some exercise the body will be flabby, skin will become lose and the body weak with bad posture. Maintaining muscle mass can speed up and maintain the metabolism so your body will burn calories or energy whilst you are sitting and sleeping. This is an easy and natural way to maintain weight levels. No need for huge mass though, just regular exercise with some sort of weight bearing or resistance type of exercise.
Regular exercise will keep bones healthy, bone density and mass are essential to prevent fractures and breaks as you age, also exercise will help prevent bone wastage. This is part of the ageing process but we can prolong it by doing a regular type of exercise that you enjoy. Enjoyment is key to maintaining consistency and regularity. Obviously if you don’t enjoy an activity you’re less likely to do it, so you need to like your chosen activity/activities. On that, mixing the exercise choices up will make a difference because you are using different muscle groups.
Another good reason to exercise is how beneficial it is to your brain. The increase in oxygen and blood which has the vitamins and nourishment helps brain cells grow and the release of chemicals and hormones give you a sense of well being and a good mood. All this helps prevent age related brain diseases.
One of my favourite reasons to exercise even gently is the rejuvenation for the skin and pretty much any cell in the body.
Like I mentioned above the increase in blood supply greatly improves every process of cell rejuvenation, be it cell turnover, nourishment, cleansing, oxygenating and healing. For the skin in particular, the increase in blood flow will automatically even out a poor or sluggish skin tone and encourage cell renewal. Facials and skin treatments are designed to make this happen on the skin too but by regularly taking in some exercise you can double up on not just the health aspects but your skin rejuvenation routine too. Increase in blood flow is the best thing you can give to yourself when it comes to maintaining health and keeping age related issues at bay and skin rejuvenation. Couple this with some facials…..and your skin will look fantastic. Skin peeling ones would work best and complement any exercise activities.
If you can afford 20-30 minutes each day to increase your heart rate and blood supply, then you are doing yourself good. Mix it up with a day of brisk walking, the usual options like jogging, swimming, cycling and treat yourself to a class of something like dance which uses the brain and has the pleasure of music, or yoga or Pilates or try one of the apps you can get on your device which like the classes uses different muscle groups and brain cells. With the brisk walk or jog, move your arms to get those joints moving and release any stiffness too.
I’m a regular exerciser and have been since childhood. I couldn’t live without my morning jog or power walk. I swim for a change and do yoga for the upper body and dance. My dance is at the weekends to music I love but it’s still great exercise. Find your thing and do it, make it a part of your life and make time for it no need to make excuses because it’s only 20-30 minutes, but the benefits are extraordinary and life enhancing and will keep you looking your very best. You’ll notice the difference in your mood too, the mere fact you have got up and done some form of activity gives you a secret sense of achievement and well being. Have a go just make it a part of ‘you’ and your life….you won’t look back.
Comments