I overheard a conversation a couple of young friends were having about exercise. One young lady is very short and petite, and was told by the other person “you don’t need to work out, because you’re already skinny.” WRONG. While health issues like high blood pressure and heart disease are often times related to obesity, they also effect people who are “skinny.”
Exercise isn’t just for people who are overweight, because exercise isn’t just needed for weight loss. Exercise has additional physical and mental health benefits. Here are just five:
- Cardiovascular health – exercise forces the heart to pup harder to get blood to your muscles. Over time, this strengthens the heart, and makes many activities of daily life, such as climbing stairs and playing with children, much easier
- Stronger bones – any type of load bearing exercise (walking, running, weight training) causes a positive stress on the bones. The bones react by producing more osteoblasts, which are responsible for bone remodeling and growth. This can help prevent and delay osteoporosis, which women are especially susceptible to as they age.
- Boost your mood – Exercise releases endorphins, which make you feel happier and more positive. In addition, exercise is a great stress and tension reliever.
- Build self-confidence – As you exercise and accomplish fitness goals, you start to fell better about yourself, and believe in your ability to take on and complete new challenges.
- Creates discipline – Sticking to an exercise routine builds discipline, determination, and dedication. These are qualities that can be applied to a number of situations in life.
The takeaway? Even skinny people need a regular exercise program.
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