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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.

  • good read, i don’t agree with all points though…as i age, my belief in “wear and tear” theory is strengthening. i am a mum of three and i have experienced if u over do work it actually causes your body to loose energy and in result, age faster…just my view

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  • Yes exercise makes a difference to the whole day, especially when you exercise with a friend.

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  • This winter I organised our coffee club meeting by meeting at a park and walking to the Coffee venue and walking back either home or to our cars.

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  • So true the days I play sport im full of energy the days I do nothing im so tired .

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  • Being an ‘older’ mom I need to keep fit to keep up
    with my little one.

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  • So true, excercise makes me feel better on so many levels, must get stuck back into it again soon!

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  • Some useful and important tips to follow Thanks

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  • Great advice! Makes me want to get off my seat and go for a walk right now!

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  • A great reminder! I really need to be incorporating more exercise into my life, starting TODAY!!

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  • Great advice in this article and lots of ways to improve your fitness.

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  • My choice of exercise is walking, but if I had a choice I would be water skiing, swimming, windsurfing or playing a team sport. My current exercise is getting off the couch for more icecream.

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  • I try and do 30min of exercise each day and I know when I don’t it really affects my mood!

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  • Im trying really hard to work on my core and get a better balance but its proving to be a bit of a challenge with a lower back injury. 🙁

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  • For me, the most important part of your article was the question “What are you waiting for?”. I am convinced of all the benefits of exercise and have no excuse not to get back to walking for a start, and to using the weights and other equipment waiting for me to use them again at home. Thank you, I needed that reminder!

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  • Thanks for your tips, I’m definitely going to improve my fitness as I don’t want to become a fragile old lady!

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  • i definitely feel a change in my mood during this pregnancy if i don’t go for my daily walk!

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  • your reasons are so good

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  • Thanks for writing from a different perspective on exercise. Yes we think its always about weight loss,well I certainly do. I’m psyching myself into getting more fit & healthy & this article has reconfirmed that my focus has to be more on the other benefits of exercise apart from just weight loss. We have a new 24hr gym opening up literally 2mins from me & I have made that commitment that I will walk through their doors & have a look & join. Fingers X’d -no more excuses

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  • Medical & physical problems mean that I can’t do gym work. But walking is easy & free, and I know it does make me feel better in so many ways. It’s a good time to think about things that are bothering me, as some of my best solutions come when I’m walking, and it’s also good to just walk and notice all the things that you miss when you’re driving in the car. The hardest part of going for a walk is that first step to take me outside the front door.

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  • Since I’ve started to exercise I feel so more happier with my self and love pushing myself too. I love what I call me time 🙂

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