Benefits of Exercise

09/05/2010 by admin.

Many people exercise so that they can either lose or maintain their weight and in many cases if they could manage their weight without exercising they would.  This means to me that they ignore many of the benefits of exercise which include some of the following:

• Reduce risk of heart disease or a stroke
• Reduce blood pressure where hypertension exists
• Reduce stress levels
• Improved muscle tone
• Improved self esteem and self confidence
• Improved bone health and reduced risk of osteoporosis
• Lowers cholesterol levels
• Promotes healthy blood sugar levels and therefore reduces the risk of Type II Diabetes

So, how much exercise should you do?  As a minimum adults should do a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise 5-7 times per week. This can be split eg 15 mins walk in the morning, 15 mins walk in the evening.  Ideally we should also exercise for an additional 20-30 mins 3 times a week with a raised heart and breathing rate.

Seek your GP’s advice if you have any health problems or intend to increase your exercise routine to any great extent.

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