Benefits of Physical Activity and Exercise Recommendations

Physical Activity

1. Benefits of Physical Exercise

The main reason why many people exercise is to keep fit, as this is the way to maintain the physical abilities of the body in an optimum state throughout life.

The human body is designed to move and a sedentary life usually leads to diseases and even premature death.

There are many health benefits in performing regular physical activity and its impact can be seen at many levels:

1. Cardiac

Reduces the risk of coronary heart disease because it increases the size of the heart and reduces heart rate so that the organ gets less tired.

2. Vascular

The number of red blood cells, leukocytes, and lymphocytes increases and improves blood circulation and elasticity of the arteries.

3. Respiratory

Increases lung capacity and decreases the number of breaths per minute.

4. Muscular

Muscles gain strength and endurance, increase in size and elasticity, and improve motor coordination.

5. Endorphins

When we perform physical exercises, our bodies release endorphins, substances responsible for the sensation of pleasure and well-being achieved after the activity.

6. Bone

Increases bone density, vascularization, and bone mineral retention.

7. Articular

Strengthens the elements constituting the joints, that is, cartilage, ligaments, etc.

8. Metabolic

Increases the level of good cholesterol (HDL) and lowers that of bad cholesterol (LDL), maintains glucose at adequate levels, and facilitates the removal of toxins.

9. Mental

Brings a sense of general well-being, improves mood and emotions and increases self-image, reduces anxiety and stress, helps to fight depression and reduces the risk of its appearance.

10. Other Benefits

In addition to the above, physical exercise reduces the risk of some cancers and diabetes, helps to control obesity and excess weight, increases stamina to perform physical tasks, etc.

2. How Much Physical Exercise Do We Need?

Although regular physical exercise is a source of health, it can cause problems if not done with minimum advice and control. Many people, despite their ignorance about the basic aspects of physical exercises, start without seeking the necessary information to find out if they run any risk in doing it.

For any physical activity to translate into better quality of life and health, it is necessary to consider how it can be carried out, meaning the type, intensity, and duration of the activity.

To Avoid Injuries

1. Practice physical activities on a regular basis.
2. Perform a good warm-up, begin gently and increase the intensity gradually without forcing.
3. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes made with the appropriate material.
4. Do stretches at the end of the physical activity. Perform a good cool down.
5. Drink water or isotonic drinks whenever you are thirsty.
6. Avoid physical activities after eating or on a full stomach.
7. Know the limits of your body to know when you are pushing too much.

2.1 People Who Do Not Perform Regular Physical Exercises

They must start gradually by taking a few minutes each day to do some kind of aerobic exercise. This should be up to about half an hour daily, which is the minimum time recommended.

To be more active, it is enough to change some habits of everyday life, for example:

• Climb stairs at (home, work, etc.) and avoid the elevator.
• Walk the dog.
• Ride a bicycle.
• Wash the car by hand.
• Walk to work.
• Get off a couple of stops ahead of the bus, metro, etc.
• Play games that require physical effort with children.
• Replace TV with activities that require movement.

2.2 People Who Perform Minimum Physical Exercise

The next step is to perform new activities that are stimulating and facilitate the maintenance of regular physical activity throughout life; for example:

• Walk between 30 and 60 minutes five times a week, at a fast rate.
• Go to the pool to swim.
• Go to the beach to walk or run barefoot.
• Attend dance classes.
• Go for field trips.
• Go hiking.
• Go to the gym.

In general, these activities should mobilize large muscle groups, include periods of intensity, and be performed between 3 and 5 times a week.

3. Recommendations for Starting

It is not always easy to know the type of physical exercise that is best for each person. Here are some criteria for taking that decision:

1. Fix clear and realistic objectives.
2. Know your personal physical and psychological limitations.
3. Gather all possible information on the activities that interest you.

Once you decide the kind of physical exercise you want to perform, it is necessary to consider a series of recommendations that will help you to create a habit and also help you to continue to practice. Do not make it very common in order not to cause early abandonment of activity:

1. Begin exercising slowly, without haste, then increase the intensity and duration of the activity gradually.
2. Organize your time: if most people dedicate time every day to watching TV, how can they not have time to exercise, which is healthier?
3. Motivate yourself to exercise. When people have a good time, they tend to repeat the activity.
4. If an activity becomes boring, it should be changed to another more interesting one. There are many possibilities and the most important thing is to enjoy it.
5. Set personal precise and clear goals and achieve them gradually and establish new ones when you achieve the first ones.
6. It is important to be aware of the progress and improvement you have made with the passing of each day.

Finally, it is worth noting that there are several myths and beliefs related to physical exercise that are not true. Some of them are illustrated in the table below: