Excellent benefits of exercise

Being as though it is almost New Year's, I thought it was quite fitting to talk about the benefits of exercise. Exercise, as you know, helps us in so many ways. In this article we will examine some of the benefits of exercise.

Let's face it, our lives seem to be getting more and more stressful each day. You get stuck in a traffic jam, the kids are acting up, and maybe your job has you stressed out. All this stress can cause a release of cortisol and can increase our blood pressure and cause us to do other things like emotionally eat. Exercise is one of the greatest ways to deal with stress. After you exercise, studies have shown that cortisol levels decrease and feelings of well-being increase. Without a doubt one of the best benefits of exercise is stress relief.

Self-esteem is another great benefit of exercise. We all have a certain self-concept of ourselves. And let's face it we are all conscious of our bodies and the way we look. When you exercise, and you see your body change and feel better, studies have shown that self-esteem and self-concept improve. You start feeling better about the way you look, and often times compliments that you receive can brighten your day. So without a doubt, self-esteem is another great benefit of exercise.

Blood pressure and cholesterol are other great benefits of exercise. Studies have also shown that as a result of exercise, blood pressure and cholesterol decrease. Replacing body fat with muscle also helps to increase the metabolism, and lower your resting heart rate. Therefore your heart doesn't have to work as hard at rest to pump blood throughout the body.

Socialization is another good benefit of exercise. Many times if you work out at a gym you tend to become friendly with other gym-goers, and before long, you have made numerous friends throughout the duration of your workouts. Playing basketball, tennis, or other physical activities can be very social in nature which is another great benefit of exercise.

The list goes on and on, and these are just a few of the many benefits of exercise. At every body's personal trainer we wish you all the best of health for this coming New Year, let this be the healthiest and best year of all.