We all know that exercise is a key component in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight, but regular exercise is important for so many more reasons than just your weight:

Reduce Stress & Improve Mood:

Exercise not only makes you look good, it makes you feel good. Getting up off the couch and doing something physically active releases endorphins and increase levels of serotonin (particularly when exercising outdoors), which make you feel good and relieves stress. (1, 2)

Helps improve sleep quality:

Research has found that maintaining a regular exercise regime help reduce the time it takes to fall asleep, reduces the number of times you wake during the night, and improves sleep efficiency, which in the long term could reduce your risk of lifestyle disease such as diabetes and increase your life expectancy. (3, 4)

Reduce the risk of falls and fractures in older age:

You may not aspire to look Arnold Schwarzenegger but being active at all stages of your life helps improve muscular strength, build and maintain bone mass and aid balance and coordination, which, as you age reduces your of osteoporosis, falls and fractures.

Sets a good example for children:

This is a no brainer really, simply a case of ‘monkey see monkey do’ and given all the benefits of exercise (which for children also includes promoting cognitive functions, academics, developing fine and gross motor skills, and promoting positive social behaviours, to name a few) it is certainly something we want to be encouraging our children to do and continue to do into their adult lives.

Strengthens and improves cardiovascular system:

Irrespective of your body weight being inactive increases your risk of chronic lifestyle diseases such diabetes, heart disease and some forms of cancers. Conversely, being active decreases this risk.

Improves immune function:

Marketers love to make claims of the ability of their product to boost your immunity. Regardless of the legitimacy of these claims heading out doors for a regular bout of exercise should be your first port of call if you’re looking to fire up your immune system (followed by a big dose of fresh fruit and veg).

Being active helps to promote good health in general which takes the pressure off the immune system.

It also promotes good circulation and allows the cells and substances of the immune system to get to every nook and cranny more efficiently. Exercising outdoors has the added benefit of Vitamin D which helps modulate immune responses. (5)

What are you waiting for?

If these aren’t enough reasons to exercise regularly, irrespective of weight loss, you can check out more reasons here and get in touch with The Kids Menu to develop a personalised fitness program or tailored family fitness plan to help you achieve your goals.