Here are 50 amazing health benefits of exercise and physical activity that will help to reinforce your need and desire to get fit. Each and every one of these benefits will improve the quality of your life.
Health Benefits of Exercise and Physical Activity
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- Releases endorphins and improves mood.
- Reduces your resting heart rate [1].
- Improves glucose metabolism.
- Increases lean body mass.
- Reduces your blood pressure [2].
- Boosts metabolism and enables more calorie burning when at rest.
- Improves cholesterol levels [3].
- Improves insulin sensitivity.
- Increases longevity [4].
- Increases mitochondria for more efficient fat burning.
- Reduces the workload on the heart.
- Increases blood supply to the brain and muscles.
- Stimulates bone growth and improves bone strength and density [5].
- Helps prevent obesity.
- Boosts testosterone production, and increases sex drive.
- Improves balance.
- Improves sleep quality [6].
- Improves flexibility through increased mobility.
- Improves muscular and cardiovascular endurance.
- Enhances immune function [7].
- Increases thyroid hormone.
- Improves your day to day functional strength.
- Reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease [8].
- Increases self-esteem and self-confidence.
- Makes you look younger.
- Improves posture.
- Effectively manages type II diabetes [9].
- Protects against injury.
- Increases growth hormone levels.
- Helps prevent muscle loss when losing weight [10].
- Makes you stronger.
- Improves V02 max.
- Gives you stronger ligaments, tendons, and joints.
- Improves cognitive function and memory [11].
- Increases lung capacity.
- Helps relieve arthritis pain.
- Lowers body fat levels.
- Improves recovery times when rehabbing injuries.
- Reduces your risk of breast and colon cancer [12].
- Improves energy levels.
- Makes you more productive and efficient at work [13].
- Effectively treats anxiety and depression.
- Helps you become a better fat burner.
- Decreases blood triglycerides [14].
- Helps foster new and healthy relationships.
- Helps control food cravings.
- Improves leptin resistance.
- Makes you happier.
- Can help you quit smoking [15].
- Makes you a positive role model for family and friends.
I hope you enjoyed these 50 health benefits of exercise and physical activity. This article is part of a series titled The 50 List. Be sure to check out the rest of the series!
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I love reading your posts!
I’ve lost 77 pounds in the last year by cleaning up my eating and joining a gym! I still have about 20 pounds I would like to lose and a lot of loose skin to hopefully tighten up! BUT I have hit a wall!!! And suggestions???
Erica, congrats on losing 77 pounds! That is no small feat. I’m sure I have some suggestions for you, but I’d need to see your fitness program (daily diet and exercise routine).
Great post Tony, that ought to motivate anyone! I love it that exercise boosts my mood and my metabolism, controls food cravings, burns fat and makes me happier! To think, there are 45 more benefits! Thanks for sharing, Jana
Thanks Jana. I’m sure I could have come up with another 50 if I had more time. The benefits are endless, and many have yet to even be discovered.
Loved this! Definitely makes me want to be better with working out and exercising.
My biggest struggle right now is my HUGE sweet tooth… I seem to constantly crave anything that’s over loaded with sugar… Some days I do pretty good and can avoid those foods and I feel great when I do… But it seems to be an every other day kind of thing. When I have a good eating day, the next day my craving for sweets is through the roof!!!
Any advice?
Hey Meagan, this post my help you – 10 Ways to Break Your Carb Addiction
Very informative . i Love reading your posts.
I love reading your posts – so glad I found them!
I lost 38 lbs in the last year and got my life and my true self back. Another 10 lbs or so to go (a guestimate as I have a physical rather than a scale goal) and I know you are going to help me get there.
Thankyou
Congrats on the weight loss Ali. Hope I can help with the rest, but it’s all up to you.
Excellent article! Very informative.
I am in the process of trying to lose 20+ lbs and have already lost 6 in 2 weeks thanks to your articles and healthy eating ideas!
I love to read them and they inspire me to keep going and work harder to be my self again.
I workout 4 to 5 days a week, and I love it! It makes me feel good, and I sleep better too. I am finding that I need to curb my carbs addiction a bit better….any advice on that??
Hey Kathy, good job on the weight loss progress! As for your carb addiction, have you read this yet? 10 Ways to Break Your Carb Addiction
Exercise has also been shown to increase baby’s brain Developement in the womb
50 Excellent Tips! Always nice to see why it’s so important to get off the couch and get some exercise daily! Thanks for sharing … off to the gym! 🙂