Fitness and Exercise for Women Part 1
Friday, August 29th, 2008Everyone and their granny seems to have a gym membershp these days, but the question is, do they really use it? Or is it just yet another failed New Year’s Resolution along with ‘being more neat’.
More than 60 percent of women don’t get the recommended amount of physical activity daily, currently set at 30 minutes a day. One in four women aren’t physically active at all
Exercise produces many health benefits, such as reducing the risk of developing diabetes. Eight million people have adult-onset, non-insulin-dependent diabetes in the US at the moment, and that number is rising. In fact, diabetes is up in the US by almost 100% in the past decade.
Exercise lowers blood pressure, reduces levels of “bad” cholesterol while raising levels of good” cholesterol, and slows your resting heart rate, enabling it to work more efficiently.
Physically active women experience less intense and fewer symptoms of menopause. In addition, weight-bearing exercise, like walking or lifting light weights, and resistance training using bands, helps increase bone density and prevent osteoporosis.
Exercise can also improve your quality of sleep and elevate your energy level and mood. Exercise releases endorphins to improve your feeling of well-being, and can even help treat depression naturally without the need for antidepressants, which can carry many unwanted side effects.
Aerobic exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues to strengthen your heart and lungs and improve your circulation.