Tuesday 27 April 2021

'Exercise for Better Health'

If you are a regular reader of this blog you may have seen other posts about exercise and the benefits it can bring. Can you have too many posts about exercise? No, I don't think so, and with this in mind I will share some details of the interesting article I read on Diet Doctor site recently. It was by Dr Tony Hampton called "Exercise For Better Health" and below I share some words from it. 

"Bodies thrive on movement
Exercise has many evidence-based benefits:

Mental health: Exercise promotes the creation of positive endorphins, releasing stress and improving mood, helping reduce anxiety and improve symptoms of depression.

Sleep: It improves sleep quality and resets circadian rhythms. (read more information on how to improve sleep, here)

Energy: It increases energy levels throughout the day and fights fatigue. The more you exercise, the more energy you will have.

Blood sugar: It helps muscles take up excess blood sugar, increasing insulin sensitivity and helping lower your blood glucose measurements over the day.

Mobility: It builds muscle strength, flexibility, and balance — helping you keep mobile and preventing falls as you age. Did you know that elderly women with low muscle mass have significantly higher mortality than women with more muscles? Frailty kills.

Metabolism: Physical activity helps increase your metabolic rate, especially if you build lean muscle. Plus it promotes the health and functioning of the mitochondria, the powerhouses of our cells.

Circulatory system: It keeps blood vessels elastic and strengthens the muscles of your heart and lungs; it helps reduce blood pressure and reduces the risk of strokes. It increases blood flow to the brain and helps reduce the risk of dementia.

Immune system: It can boost your immune system, providing anti-cancer benefits and helping you fight infections such as Covid.

Weight maintenance: Exercise can help burn fat and improve body composition.

Think of exercise as a form of play, just like the movement you did as a child. Exercise should be fun and enjoyable for you.

Don’t feel you have to kill yourself in the gym, like a contestant on The Biggest Loser. Any movement is good.

Walking is good, walking towards metabolic wellness. Any step you take is a step in the right direction."

The above is a snippet from Dr Hampton's article which you can read in full 
here

I wonder do you have a favourite way to exercise?
Mine is walking ...

Yes, it's me (Jan) putting my left foot forward!
image from post here

Enjoy your day

All the best Jan

46 comments:

  1. I just need to exercise....and I used to LOVE walking. And think I still would if I had a good place to walk. I don't really like walking in the street even in our small town, but the sidewalks are so rough they are hard to walk on.

    ReplyDelete
  2. isn't it wonderful that something so good for you is free to do!
    Yes walking is my favorite too, you can go fast or slow and enjoy the outdoors while you are doing it :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Estas muy linda y al igual que tu me gusta caminar. Te mando un beso

    ReplyDelete
  4. Walking is good for both mental and physical health. We can do it anywhere.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love walking as well. And dancing.
    Amalia
    xo

    ReplyDelete
  6. My favorite way to exercise, Jan! Fresh air does wonders for the spirit, too. Gardening is my second favorite exercise. Pulling those weeds gets you in some interesting yoga positions as you try to sidestep the flowers! :) Thank you for an inspiring post! Enjoy that spring sunshine. xx K

    ReplyDelete
  7. Nice to see a pic of you, Jan! For me it has to be rowing as we bought a machine during the lockdown and have used it every day since.

    ReplyDelete
  8. You are looking good walking there.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Walking (and gardening) are my favourite exercises. I also need to get back to swimming.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love walking, too. And do my daily training with DVDs (yes, plural - I sadly have the time) by Detlef Soost - it comes with music and funny faces of him. Tough but really motivating.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Walking outside is always wonderful! Valerie

    ReplyDelete
  12. Walking is my favourite form of exercise too, it helps that I have a dog, I've got to get out there in all weathers even when I don't feel like it.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Yes, I think easy body, ha ha. I can't I'm affraid. I used do all of them, until I had my stroke.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I enjoy my walking and swimming, but I'll never be a gym bunny! Take care and have a great week xx

    ReplyDelete
  15. I'm all for keeping fit, but I do like it to be social so walking with a friend, or yoga with others. Right now things are closing down again but here in Thailand, I am generally very happy to swim as well as the water is warm. The salutary message here is that frailty kills. I wish I was better at the gym!
    Have a great week
    Wren x

    ReplyDelete
  16. I agree that exercise is good for you it's just getting that motivation to start and then put into your routine. Walking is also my preferred exercise but I can't wait for my Zumba classes to start up again.

    ReplyDelete
  17. All in all, I feel when one exercises, it truly helps!

    Walking is my favorite exercise!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hello Jan,

    I enjoy walking too, great photo!
    I do have my indoor exercise bike for the rainy days.

    Have a happy day!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Walking and weight training for me. :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. Me gusta caminar y bailar. Me gusto verte. Besos.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Walking works for me, I love it.

    ReplyDelete
  22. You look terrific in the picture! slim and well dressed! Red is a great color!
    Walking is my second nature as I don't drive. Needless to say, it benefits the mind and body.

    ReplyDelete
  23. You don't have to tell me about how good exercising it. I sure love my 6 mile morning walk each day!! Would love to go walking with you!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  24. You look like you are moving with energy in your photo and that's such a good thing. I love to walk, and also do some stretching and cardio exercise at home. I hate going to a gym (still closed here anyway). Gardening is also good exercise.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Enjoyed reading this exercise post, Jan. I agree that it is something we all need to do daily.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Walking is my preferred exercise. Before Covid I would swim four or five times a week.

    ReplyDelete
  27. I'm with you, Jan, walking is my form of exercise. It has been for many years and we love to start our days walking. Great tips, my friend.

    ReplyDelete
  28. I walk every day for about 1 hour with my dog.

    ReplyDelete
  29. wonderful posting dear Jan !

    and thank you specially for the sweet photo of your own :) i loved it !

    i have been exercising since almost eighteen years ,after birth of my younger son and because of my terrible backache ,i left intense exercise since few years but my almost half hour yoga and walk is on and i think i can't feel good without doing them :)
    thank you for encouraging posts always !

    ReplyDelete
  30. Interesante.
    También es el mío. Caminamos todos los dias, ahora más ya que no podemos hacer otra por el covid cosa.
    Cuídaros.
    Un abrazo.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Walking is definitely my favourite thing to do. I enjoy it and forget about it being exercise. X

    ReplyDelete
  32. Exercising has become a passion for me as I try to do what I can to maintain strength and fitness as I get older. You can never have too many posts on exercise :)

    ReplyDelete
  33. Mine is walking also. I just love doing it too.

    ReplyDelete
  34. When I'm near water, my favorite is swimming. Otherwise, walking.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Oh I'm with you, it's walking every time! Great to know how good it is for us.xxx

    ReplyDelete
  36. Hi Jan! I'm walking with you! Great post! Big Hugs!

    ReplyDelete
  37. i cannot walk very far but appreciate what i can do. when i can't get outside, i do laps in the house...you look like you have a great stride!!

    ReplyDelete
  38. My grandmother lived to be 104. She always said, "Move everyday, walk, stretch, and lift light weights." I do that everyday.

    ReplyDelete
  39. I prefer to be outside rather than inside or in a gym ..so i LOVE to walk and hike. Living in the mountains, there is always beauty everywhere I choose to go. love the pic of your walking.

    ReplyDelete
  40. I'm pleased you added that particular sentence. For people with reduced mobility it's essential advice.

    "Don’t feel you have to kill yourself in the gym, like a contestant on The Biggest Loser. Any movement is good."

    We'll assume you took the photo Eddie. LOL.

    ReplyDelete

The lowcarb team value your comments. Thank you for taking the time to contribute to our blog. Please note! negative comments and insults from anonymous idiots, with nothing to add to the debate will not be authorised. However, we welcome constructive criticism.

The best of health to you and yours.

Eddie