How can exercise benefit physical health?

In one of our previous blogs we identified all the areas in which exercise can improve our mental health and reduce stress.
This time we are going to address the substantial physical benefits that regular exercise will have on our bodies, ultimately having a positive impact on our mental well-being and stress levels also!
Some of the physical benefits of regular exercise may be quite common whereas others may well be things you might not have associated with exercise:

Weight management

We can all agree that the most common form of weight management associated with exercise is fat loss. In tandem with a diet that is helping us to remain in a calorie deficit (more energy out than calories in), exercise is an effective tool for anyone wanting or needing to lose excess fat. 

Consistent exercise can also help to maintain our current weight if we are happy where we are, with the help of a calorie maintenance diet (the same calories in as energy out).

Finally, regular exercise incorporating resistance training can be used to gain weight in a healthy context by increasing our body mass with added muscle and body fat if necessary for the individual. Again, this will be achieved with the help of the correct diet, in this case eating in a calorie surplus (more calories in than energy out) with enough protein.

Reduced risk of osteoporosis

Resistance exercise and weight-bearing exercises are evidently important for increasing bone density and helping to prevent and/or improve osteoporosis, with many studies highlighting the significant impact of regular weight-bearing and resistance exercise.

NHS guidance suggests that adults should try to include muscle-strengthening exercise at least 2 days a week by working all the major muscle groups… something that can be achieved in just 42 minutes on the MegaBox circuit!

If you've been diagnosed with osteoporosis, it is always advised to talk to your GP or a health specialist prior to undertaking a new exercise programme to make sure it is safe for you.

Blood pressure and cholesterol

In the short term, blood pressure will rise in response to the heart's need to meet the increased demands of oxygen that the working muscles need to function during exercise. However, over the long term, exercise can help to decrease our resting heart rate and as a result will reduce blood pressure at various exercise intensities.

Not only can physical activity help to reduce high blood pressure it can also help prevent it from developing in the first place. This may be particularly important to people who have a genetic predisposition to high blood pressure.

Most people with high blood pressure are fine to increase their physical activity levels safely. However, if your blood pressure is very high your doctor may wish to bring your blood pressure down by using medication first. 

Regular exercise can help to lower your Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL) cholesterol, the type of cholesterol that blocks the arteries, and raise your High Density Lipoproteins (HDL) cholesterol levels, the good cholesterol which removes fat from your arteries. Reducing the risk of cardio-vascular issues significantly.

Monitoring your heart rate is very important on an on-going basis, particularly during exercise to monitor maximum heart rate levels… This can be done whenever you exercise at MegaBox Fitness with Uptivo which is our live heart rate monitoring system!

Menopause

Studies have shown that menopausal women who exercise over a 12 month period experienced significant improvement in their physical and mental health, while symptoms increased for women who did not do any form of exercise.
Cardiovascular exercise, strength training, stretching and stress relief techniques were all included within the prescribed exercise methods. All of which are included as part of the MegaBox circuit!

While there is no concrete evidence that exercise can significantly reduce hot flushes, sleep disturbances and night sweats, we do however know that exercise is undoubtedly helpful in treating depression, which some women experience during menopause.

In addition, as mentioned earlier, exercise can help keep your weight under control. Many women think that during menopause weight gain is only associated with hormonal changes, however research has found that women who are more physically active are less likely to gain weight than sedentary women.

Exercise will not only increase the overall calories you burn, it will help slow down the natural loss of muscle mass associated with aging. By exercising, building muscle and altering your body composition, your metabolic rate will increase, resulting in your body burning more calories each day. Together these factors help to increase your calorie expenditure and combat weight gain.