Now that it’s New Years, I’m sure a lot of you are back on the grind when it comes to losing weight and getting in shape. For some of us, it’s about looking good and feeling confident to rock a bikini. And for others, it’s simply about being the best that we can be no matter what the scale says. No matter what, fitness is going to play a massive part in helping you to reach your goals. If you’re new to the ZGYM and our approach to fitness, then let this be your 101 guide to fitness and why you should get in shape!

Weight Management

Regular exercise is an essential step towards achieving a healthy weight. Done right, it boosts metabolism and burns calories, both of which help you lose weight. [1] In fact, not doing any exercise is a significant contributor to weight gain and obesity! [2] Which is why exercise not only helps you to reach a healthy weight, it also helps you to maintain it. While I can’t say what that will look like for you, I will recommend making fitness a part of your lifestyle, and not just a one-time fling. It’s a way of life, not a chore! For me, it looks like regular ZGYM sessions, which are short, sweet, and effective. The rest of the day is spent doing things like hiking, swimming, and being out in nature. Choose whichever activity you like, from dancing to kickboxing. As long as you move your body and enjoy it, there’s no limit!

Mood

Stressed? Anxious? Feeling the blues? Then start exercising! Whether it’s a relaxing yoga flow or an intense ZGYM challenge, exercise helps to lift your mood by stimulating feel-good chemicals in your brain called endorphins. According to WebMD, they trigger “a positive feeling the body, similar to that of morphine.” [3] (Think runner’s high.) Sounds too good to be true? There are tons of studies on exercise and mental health, whether it’s acting as a natural anti-depressant or helping to improve self-esteem. [4] [5] According to clinical psychologist James Blumenthal, Ph.D., “There’s good epidemiological data to suggest that active people are less depressed than inactive people. And people who were active and stopped tend to be more depressed than those who maintain or initiate an exercise program.” [6]

Anti-Aging

Who says getting old is a requirement? If you take care of yourself, then it’s an option. While scientists are still searching for the fountain of youth, there’s no denying that a few simple habits- including exercise- can be just as effective. First of all, look no further than these seniors who are rocking their 80s, 90s, and 100s through regular exercise! You’ve got Ernestine Shepherd (81), who lifts weights, V. Nanammal (99) who practices (and teaches) yoga, Charles Eugster (96), a track and field athlete, and Hidekichi Miyazaki (105), a Guinness World Record sprinter. Why care about fitness and aging? First of all, it’s move it or lose it. If we’re not working our heart rate and using our muscles, then over time, they’ll start to weaken. Which opens the door for a downhill spiral into aging and weakness. I don’t know about you, but I do not want to end up in a nursing home in my golden years! I’d rather be outdoing people younger than me and continuing to move freely without any pain or risk of injury! (In fact, fitness helps seniors to prevent fractures and falls!) [7]  

Total Body Health

When it comes to exercise, it’s not only what happens on the outside that matters. It’s the inside, as well! From head to toe, your entire body is benefiting from exercise. Regular exercise comes with plenty of perks, including: 

•  Immunity (boosts our body’s natural defenses and helps flush out harmful bacteria from the lungs and airways) [8] 
• Heart health (by improving both cholesterol and blood pressure as well as preventing heart attacks) [9] 
•  Better bones (high-impact sports like gymnastics and running, along with explosive workouts like those found in the ZGYM, all promote higher bone density, which prevents osteoporosis and fractures) [10] [11]

•  Diabetes prevention (by improving insulin sensitivity and balancing blood sugar levels) [12] [13]

•  Healthy skin (did you know research shows that regular exercise has a rejuvenating effect on skin cells? Older adults who maintain regular exercise have been shown to have healthy, youthful skin comparable to individuals in their 20’s and 30’s!) [14] [15] 

•  Mental strength (regular exercise has been shown to increase both pain tolerance and mental fortitude) [16] [17] 
•  Brain health (aside from increasing those endorphins I mentioned earlier, regular exercise also increases BDNF, which stands for Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; think of this as a sort of “fertilizer” for the brain, helping to maintain and grow healthy cells. BDNF also improves memory, cognition, and mood.) [18] 
•  Digestion (your daily workout might be on the same level as a probiotic; recent research shows that exercise increases levels of good bacteria, specifically those that promote leanness and improved physical performance. Exercise also helps to relieve constipation since it, well, helps to get things “moving.”) [19] [20]
  
•  Sleep (no need to count sheep, not when you’re regularly exercising at least. Research shows that exercise in general- whether it’s cardio or strength training- encourages deeper, restful sleep since your body has to work even harder to repair itself and recover from the day’s work) [21] [22] 
• Sex drive (regular exercise is good for circulation, endurance, and strength, and all of these things lead to better arousal and performance. It also increases sex drive, especially in women suffering from PCOS and men with erectile dysfunction.) [23] [24]

Over to You

With all of these benefits in mind, is it any wonder that exercise could very well be a superhero hiding in plain sight? You look great after doing it, and in the long term, you’re investing in a better, youthful body. Looking good is just the icing on the cake when it comes to feeling (and being) your best thanks to exercise! Now that you know all the benefits that come from regular exercise, are you ready to commit? If you haven’t already, sign up for the ZGYM today! And if you’re still new to it, then check this post here on how to make the most of your membership! For all of my regular ZGYM warriors, tell us how you feel from living the fit life!

Sources:

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27190483
[2] https://www.livescience.com/43705-weight-gain-inactivity-causes-obesity.html
[3] https://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/exercise-depression
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5068479/
[5] https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/exercise-is-an-all-natural-treatment-to-fight-depression
[6] https://www.apa.org/monitor/2011/12/exercise
[7] https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/prevent-falls-and-fractures
[8] https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007165.htm
[9] https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/the-many-ways-exercise-helps-your-heart
[10] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28053920
[11] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21944303
[12] https://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/type-2-diabetes/type-2-diabetes-prevention
[13] https://journals.lww.com/acsm-csmr/Fulltext/2009/07000/Exercise_in_the_Treatment_and_Prevention_of.6.aspx
[14] https://www.pnas.org/content/108/10/4135.abstract
[15] https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/04/16/younger-skin-through-exercise/
[16] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28087891
[17] https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/7664/e55ed3437f29f8114f3ee0138b7ccf9cd568.pdf
[18] https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2018.00052/full
[19] https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320264.php
[20] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/constipation-causes-and-prevention-tips
[21] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27823704
[22] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12531177/
[23] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25982537
[24] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25727080