Think exercising is just for people who want to sculpt their abs and build muscles?  Think again - our definitive list of the health benefits of exercise will challenge your preconceptions about exercise and get you moving - again.

1. Exercise helps people fight stress. Exercise is capable of increasing relaxing nervous messengers, to wit: dopamine, norepinepherine and the brain chemical serotonin.  If you want this benefit and if you are under a lot of stress right now, you need at least 30 minutes of any type of rigorous physical activity, like walking, running, jogging or aerobics.  The type of exercise is entirely up to you; you just need half an hour worth of exercise to help de-stress yourself.

2. A natural sense of euphoria can be gained through exercise.  Try short bursts of intense physical exercise and you will feel more relaxed and happy the rest of the day.

3. Exercise reduces weight and controls the fat percentage of the body.  This means your body’s appearance and your self-image improves dramatically as you keep working on your body through exercise.  No diet pills and muscle-building supplements needed to gain more self confidence, because exercise and proper diet are all you need to gain this benefit.

4. Any type of physical activity (most especially exercise) challenges both the mind and the body and also directly contributes to the ability of a person to learn. Think exercising is only for varsity players and sports-minded folk? Think again - it may be the extra boost your brain needs to ace that test or pass that board exam.

5. If you can burn at least 350 calories every week, you can naturally lift symptoms of clinical depression. According to studies, exercise produces effects comparable to effects of prescription medication for clinical depression.  Feeling the blues lately?  A good run may be all you need to naturally lift that feeling of depression.

6. Experts recommend at least thirty minutes of moderate exercise for pregnant women.  Try stationary bicycles and other non-strenuous forms of exercise. Exercising during pregnancy helps prevent heart problems for the mother and also produces positive effects on the unborn child.

7. It has been found that individuals with adult onset diabetes have abnormally high levels of stress.  Exercising can help reduce sensitivity to insulin and also helps reduce stress.  Too much stress can cause physical damage in the long term; heart problems such as hypertension has been linked to too much stress.  Take control of your diabetes the natural way by getting enough exercise on most days of the week.

8. According to a study published in the Cochrane Library, regular exercise can help individuals with the psychiatric condition schizophrenia by reducing anxiety and clinical depression in schizophrenic patients.  The guideline for schizophrenic individual is 30 minutes per day.

9. People with adult onset diabetes can still safely build muscle mass through specific exercises like rowing and leg presses.

10. According to a study published in the sports medicine journal BMC Physiology, running marathons (or just running in general) can help people slow down aging by reducing apoptosis.  Apoptosis is cellular suicide and has been linked with many negative health conditions.

11. Getting enough exercise is also important for individuals who are suffering from lymphoma.  According to researchers from the University of Alberta, lymphoma patients who underwent a regular exercise regimen over a period of weeks report better daily functioning, less-fatigued feeling and were happier than lymphoma patients who did not engage in the exercise regimen.

12. According to the US Cancer Institute, women who regularly engaged in rigorous physical activities reduced their risk of developing breast cancer by 16% compared to women who did not engage in regular exercise or did not get enough exercise, generally.

13. Based on a study done by researchers from the University of Exeter, exercise (even a few minutes of exercise) can help people quit smoking by making the activity less attractive to individuals.

14. According to guidelines provided by the Cochraine Systematic Review, people with rheumatoid arthritis can strengthen joints and improve physical functionality by engaging in regular, moderate exercise.

15. According a study from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, regular exercise is capable of reducing the amount of visceral fat in the body. Visceral fat has been linked to increased incidence of obesity, heart problems, organ problems and diabetes.

16. Based on a study by researchers from the UGA College of Education, regular exercise can help reduce anxiety by as much as 20%.

17. Having trouble with food cravings?  Exercise can help.  According to Harry Prapavessis, MD of the Exercise and Health Psychology Laboratory, an exercise regimen can help people reducing food cravings and even quit smoking.

18. Are you suffering from weight increase after a period of sustained weight loss?  Don’t worry - you are still keeping your heart healthy and you are still keeping diabetes at bay by continuing with your regular exercise. University of Missouri researchers state that exercise can counter any negative effects produced by weight regain.

19. According to the Journal of Endocrinology & Metabolism, sedentary adolescents (both lean and obese individuals) can reduce their body’s sensitivity to insulin with moderate aerobic exercises.

20. Based on research from the Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, an effective exercise regimen can be prescribed for people suffering from anxiety disorders and other such problems if traditional routes of treatment are not possible.

Sources:
health.usnews.com
clinical.diabetesjournals.org
clinical.diabetesjournals.org
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com