Work Out Wednesday- Exercise For Your Health Not Your Weight

I often encounter people who are naturally thin and maintain what they consider their perfect weight. Usually these naturally thin people feel that exercise is not necessary. I eventually will remind them that thin people die for health reasons everyday because they are to afraid to exercise because of the weight loss aspect. Weight loss is not the only good reason to exercise.

• You'll feel more confident, doing something good for yourself such as working out and eating a healthy diet can go a long way towards making you feel better about yourself. And the better you feel about yourself, the more your confidence will naturally increase.
•  It reduces your risk of the common cold.

• A consistent, medium-intensity routine is a proven cold-stopper. Taking a brisk, 40-minute walk 4 days a week, for example, can cut the number of colds you experience by 25 to 50 percent and can make the colds you do catch shorter by half, studies show. Moderate exercise boosts the number and activity level of important immune-system players called natural killer cells.
  

  

  
• It improves depression without drugs.
  In one study that pitted brisk walking or jogging against the antidepressant sertraline (Zoloft) or a combination of the drug plus the exercise, after 4 months, all three groups had about the same improvement in their depression, but at 6 months, the people who kept up the exercise, had the lowest rates of remission.
  
• It helps prevent and treat Osteoporosis.
  Though brisk walking will help, it may not be sufficient. The impact as your feet hit the ground stimulates cells in the bones of your legs, hips, and spine to build new bone, preventing the thinning that can lead to osteoporosis. But higher-impact activities such as dancing, hiking, jogging, jumping rope, climbing stairs, or playing tennis do more to stimulate bone growth and maintain bone density. (Check with your doctor first if your bones are already thinning or if you have joint problems or are prone to falls.)
  

  

Strength-training is also important. It stimulates bone growth when muscles and ligaments “tug” on bones as you lift weights, use resistance bands or machines, or do exercises (think push-ups) that rely on your own body weight to build muscle. Your best bet is a combination of high-impact exercise and strength-training; in one study, this strategy preserved bone mineral density in women who had just reached menopause, a time when loss of bone density accelerates.

• Healthier Heart is is a given, but basically, exercise gets your heart pumping and, because your heart is a muscle, that makes it stronger and healthier. Heart disease, by the way, is still the number one killer in America. Working out can change that. 
• Clearer Skin You may think that, because you're breaking a sweat, working out is more likely to cause breakouts. But the truth is, as long as you wash your face with an oil-free cleanser after the fact, the increased blood flow to your face and release of dirt through sweating is actually really great at reducing acne and generally helping you look your best.
  

  

  

More Energy yes, you should be spent after a tough boot camp session, but probably one of the biggest benefits of exercise is the increase in energy that comes later on. People who regularly work out report less fatigue on a daily basis, and a general boost in energy. And who doesn't want that?

Better Sleep

Seriously, what can't exercise do? Working out just three to five times per week has also been shown to improve sleep quality in several ways. First, it helps you breathe more regularly. Second, your body is more tired, so you sleep more deeply and soundly. Even your noisy neighbors can't compete with your morning Pilates class.

These are just a few examples of why even if you seem to maintain your perfect weight, you still need to workout regularly.