Exercising ? even simple walking -- just 30 minutes a day can improve your health immediately, and the benefits can last a lifetime. Experts have been telling us that regular exercise reduces the risk of heart disease and other illnesses. Those who exercise five or more times a week are much less likely to die from a heart attack or other heart-related diseases. The risk for stroke and cancer is also much lower for those who exercise.
Many people have a hard time finding an extra 30 minutes a day to exercise, but finding the time is well worth the effort. Many have found the best way to make time for exercise is to set aside a half hour at the same time every day. For example, you might set aside time for walking every evening after cleaning up dinner dishes. In this way, the time set aside every evening can become a good habit. You might even notice that you look forward to that daily half hour of engaging in a relaxing walk or bike ride.
Along with the health benefits of exercising regularly, there are psychological benefits as well. Researchers have found that taking a 30 minute walk can improve mood and alleviate depression. Walkers have found that taking a 30 minute walk outdoors improves their mood ? some even feel euphoric ? and the elevated mood lasts for several hours afterwards. Counselors have long known that prescribing a daily walk for their patients often brings about results consistent with taking an antidepressant. Some mildly to moderately depressed patients have found that just the simple activity of a daily walk alleviates and sometimes completely cures their depression.
Adding daily exercise can give a good kick-start to a diet plan as well. Walking 30 minutes every day or almost every day will increase metabolism and help you lose weight. Regular exercise has also been found to even alleviate hunger, so you eat less. Walking regularly also helps with motivation. Those who exercise regularly have found their motivation to stick with a diet is increased along with their mood.
The many benefits of regularly exercising ? even the simple activity of walking ? are worth the effort of finding time in your busy schedule. Why not try it? Set aside a time each day to exercise and try it for 21 days. You will more than likely find that you feel better both physically and mentally.
For more information about making healthy choices to feel better, look better and live longer, visit the website livehealthyandlong.com
Ruth Hendrickson has a masters degree in counseling psychology. She writes articles about health and psychology for her website livehealthyandlong.com as well as other websites. | |
