The Benefits of Exercise on Our Health

A Few Words About the Benefits of Exercise

By the term physical activity or bodily exercise, we refer to:

“Any body movement produced by skeletal muscles that results in a substantial increase in energy expenditure above resting energy expenditure”

Therefore, any activity we do during the day that involves movement is a form of physical activity. Forms of physical activity include:

• Daily physical activity (includes activities performed daily such as household maintenance and cleaning, gardening, commuting, carrying loads, etc.)
• Daily activities-hobbies (includes activities such as dancing, swimming, cycling, etc.)
• Organized exercise (includes exercise programs in specially

designed spaces that aim to improve physical abilities such as strength, endurance, flexibility, etc. through the execution and repetition of specific movements)

It is generally accepted that exercise is a fundamental element for a healthy life. From strengthening our cardiovascular system to improving our mood, the benefits of regular physical activity are numerous and significant.

The importance of exercise stems from its essential role in maintaining and improving our physical health, as well as in promoting mental well-being.

In an era where stress and tension are often part of our daily lives, exercise appears as an effective strategy for combating the negative effects of this lifestyle.

Moreover, it is undeniable that there is a close connection between exercise and nutrition.

A balanced diet can help improve our athletic performance and prepare us for daily physical activity, while exercise itself can improve our metabolism and help us manage our body weight.

How Often and How Much Should We Exercise?

The World Health Organization (WHO) revised its guidelines for physical activity in 2020. ¹

Specifically, for children and adolescents (5-17 years old) it is recommended:

• At least 60 minutes/day of moderate to vigorous intensity, primarily aerobic, physical activity, throughout the week.
• Vigorous-intensity aerobic activities should be incorporated, as well as activities that strengthen muscle and bone, at least 3 days a week.
• They should reduce sedentary time as well as screen time.

For adults (18 to 65 years old) it is recommended:

• At least 150-300 minutes/week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75-150 minutes/week of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise or an equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise.
• At least 2 times/week muscle-strengthening exercises at moderate or greater intensity that include all major muscle groups, as these provide additional health benefits.
• For additional health benefits, adults can further enhance their physical activity by performing more than 300 minutes/week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or more than 150 minutes/week of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise.
• They should reduce the time spent on sedentary activities.

How Does Exercise Affect Our Physical Health?

Exercise, one of the pillars of health, has a range of benefits that positively affect our physical health.

Let’s examine the most important ones:

Improvement of Cardiovascular Health.

Regular aerobic exercise, such as walking, running, or cycling, can improve heart health. Specifically, it can improve the heart’s ability to pump larger quantities of blood to the lungs and various organs of the body (increased cardiac output), leading to better oxygenation.

Also, regular aerobic exercise seems to have a beneficial role in improving risk factors associated with the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases. Specifically, it leads to a reduction in blood pressure and improvement in lipid profile, reducing triglyceride levels and increasing levels of “good” cholesterol (HDL-C). ²

Improvement of Muscle Mass and Strength

The stimulus of exercise, especially resistance exercise, is vital for muscle function. Resistance training combined with increased protein consumption leads to an increase in muscle protein synthesis and consequently to increase in muscle mass and strength.

Improvement of Glycemic Control

Regular exercise improves glycemic control in people with diabetes mellitus. Good glycemic control is essential for avoiding complications of the disease, which can be life-threatening.

A meta-analysis of 11 clinical studies involving 846 people with diabetes mellitus emphasized the effectiveness of regular organized exercise in reducing fasting glucose levels, glycosylated hemoglobin, and insulin resistance index in people with diabetes mellitus. ³

Improvement of Bone Health

Exercise has been proven to be a significant factor in enhancing and maintaining healthy bones, given that exercise is the stimulus that makes bones stronger. Your muscles grow and strengthen through exercise. Bones behave similarly.

Therefore, regular physical activity helps both in bone development and in preventing age-related bone mass loss.

Weight management

Physical activity plays a significant role in managing body weight.

However, it’s surprising that although exercise is one of the first things we turn to when we decide it’s time to lose weight, it doesn’t seem to be an effective method for weight loss when not accompanied by dietary modifications.

In other words, most data from studies show that exercise alone plays a very small role in weight loss. ⁴

Exercise seems to have a significant effect on body composition, weight maintenance, and prevention of weight regain after loss.

Improvement of Sleep Quality

Exercise can help improve sleep quality, leading to enhanced well-being and overall health. ⁵

How Does Exercise Affect Mental Health?

Exercise affects not only our physical health but also our mental well-being. ⁶

Let’s take a detailed look at how exercise impacts mental health.

Improvement of Cognitive Function

What’s good for the body is good for the mind.

Exercise helps improve cognitive function, such as memory, attention, concentration, and other cognitive abilities.

In fact, regular exercise can help prevent cognitive decline as we age.

Mood Enhancement

The stimulus of exercise leads to the release of neurotransmitters in the brain, such as endorphins.

Endorphins (beta-endorphin, enkephalin) are chemical substances primarily produced in the brain region, pituitary gland, and other body tissues. They are natural opioids that contribute to pain reduction and have been found to be associated with positive emotions. T

Endorphin levels increase after exercise, causing positive mood changes and mental well-being.

Boosting Self-Confidence

Exercise can help increase self-confidence and self-esteem.

This can be due to many factors, such as improved body image, a sense of achieving better health, etc.

Stress and Anxiety Reduction

Exercise is known for its ability to reduce stress levels.

Physical activity aims to enhance the body’s ability to cope with stress, while promoting a sense of calm and well-being.

Regular exercise can also help in managing depression and anxiety disorders.

Improvement of Social Skills

Exercise, especially in group activities, can help enhance social skills, promoting communication, teamwork, and solidarity.

Is Exercise Necessary in a Diet?

Often, the discussion about weight loss focuses on diet, and while this is crucial, we shouldn’t overlook the importance of exercise.

Above, we mentioned that several studies have failed to show that increasing physical activity, as the sole intervention, can lead to weight loss.

However, this doesn’t negate the fact that exercise and nutrition should work together to help us achieve our goals, but primarily for our physical and mental health. Therefore, the ideal in a weight loss effort is to combine diet with exercise.

This is because:

1. By increasing physical activity, we increase our energy expenditure – that is, we burn more calories. This can help us achieve an energy deficit, which is necessary for weight loss.
2. Exercise, especially resistance training, is essential for improving body composition. It can help us maintain muscle mass and have greater fat loss during a period of weight loss.

7 Tips to Increase Your Physical Activity

Here are 7 tips to increase your physical activity:

1. Set realistic goals. Start with small changes, such as walking more or taking the stairs instead of using the elevator. As your fitness improves, you can increase the duration and intensity of your exercises.
2. Incorporate exercise into your daily life. Find ways to make exercise part of your daily routine, such as walking to work, or taking a short exercise break during your day (especially if your work is sedentary).
3. Choose activities you enjoy. You are much more likely to stay consistent if you choose an exercise you like. This can be anything such as walking, yoga, pilates, cycling, swimming, dancing, or any other activity you enjoy.
4. Find a friend or family member to exercise with. You are much more likely to stay consistent with your exercise if you have the support of a loved one (such as exercising with your children).
5. Take a break from the screen. Try to replace the time you spend sitting in front of a screen (TV, computer, mobile phone) with physical activity. Reducing screen time is particularly important for children.
6. Track your progress. Keep a diary or use an app to monitor your progress. This can help you stay focused and motivate you when you achieve your goals.
7. Pay attention to your diet. A healthy and balanced diet can help you feel better and have more energy for exercise. It’s also important to drink enough water, especially during and after exercise.

Conclusion

Exercise is not just a choice, it’s a commitment to ourselves.

Make exercise part of your daily routine, not because you have to, but because you deserve health and well-being.

Exercise plays a crucial role in maintaining our physical and mental health.

Increasing physical activity is not always an easy process, but with consistency and a positive approach, it will become a pleasant and, above all, healthy habit.

We should understand that enhancing physical activity not only offers temporary benefits but is also an important investment in our long-term health and well-being.

Finally, increasing physical activity should be done within the framework of a healthy lifestyle and through the adoption of proper dietary habits, so that we can reap the full benefits of exercise and maintain our health and well-being at every stage of our lives.

Bibliography

1. WHO. Physical Activity. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity (Accessed May 2023).
2. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Benefits. Available at: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/heart/physical-activity/benefits (Accessed May 2023).
3. Kumar A, Maiya A, Shastry B, Vaishali K, Ravishankar N, Hazari A, Gundmi S, Jadhav R. Exercise and insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Phys Rehabil Med. 2019, 62(2):98-103. doi: 10.1016/j.rehab.2018.11.001. Epub 2018 Dec 13.
4. Franz M, VanWormer V, Crain L, Boucher J, Histon T, Caplan W, Bowman J, Pronk N. Weight-loss outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of weight-loss clinical trials with a minimum 1-year follow-up. J Am Diet Assoc. 2007, 107(10):1755-67. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2007.07.017.
5. Banno M, Harada Y, Taniguchi M, Tobita R, Tsujimoto H, Tsujimoto Y, Kataoka Y, Noda A. Exercise Improves Sleep Quality: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2017, 13(6), 829-840. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.6572.
6. Smith P, Merwin M. The Role of Exercise in Management of Mental Health Disorders: An Integrative Review. Annu Rev Med. 2021, 27; 72: 45–62.doi: 10.1146/annurev-med-060619-022943.