This is a guest post by Kathleen Hubert.
Fitness professionals, personal trainers, and health gurus have been touting the benefits of being physically fit for years. Often the messages highlight the physique improving aspects of fitness - toned arms, smaller waistlines, and well-defined legs. After all, who doesn’t want to look fabulous in skimpy bathing suits or even in their day-to-day wear. However, the plethora of other physical, emotional, and mental benefits that tend to accompany being fit are frequently overlooked.
The real wealth of being fit isn’t just looking great, it’s a variety of short and long-term results that come along with regular exercise, eating well, and choosing the healthiest lifestyle you can manage. Consider just a few of the following physical benefits of being fit:
- Reduced risk of chronic disease - The likelihood of high blood pressure, bad cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and many other diseases are far less in people that remain fit and active.
- Better functioning of the circulatory system - Exercising regularly allows proper flow of blood to the heart and other parts of the body, increasing the overall functioning of the body and lowering the risk of heart diseases.
- Helps manage your weight - The fitter you are, the more calories you tend to burn. Weight loss has always been one of the most touted benefits of being fit.
- Boosts your energy level - Staying fit helps your body to work more efficiently, giving your system more energy to do the things you love.
- Aids in promoting better and deeper sleep - Physical fitness can be the key to a better night’s sleep and a good night’s sleep can improve your concentration, productivity and mood.
- Can improve your sex life - Being fits tend to increase your energy, improve your mood and self-esteem, which can lead to positive effects on your sex life. Studies prove that fit people tend to experience arousal on a more regular basis and have more energy to “follow through.”
The benefits of being fit don’t end with the physical, fitness also lends itself to an array of mental payoffs. Individuals that are fit tend to experience the following mental benefits:
- Improved mood - Fit people are happier people.
- Less likelihood of depression and anxiety - Exercise increases the chemicals in our bodies that promote happiness, meaning depression and anxiety are greatly reduced.
- Increased self-confidence - Fit individuals typically feel better about themselves alll around. They rate themselves higher on physical appearance, happiness, and general well-being.
- Better ability to cope with stress - Researchers have found that people that are fit are less stressed overall and more likely to be capable of dealing with stress when it arises.
In addition to a host of physical and emotional benefits, being fit offers individuals a very important mental advantage as well. Fit people tend to demonstrate increased mental acuity, which means that they are typically faster and sharper in their reasoning. In an age where people are living longer, being able to think clearly is vital.
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