The Many Reasons to Exercise
My local gym recently contacted me to notify me that I had made the list of “Top 100 Scanners” for the year 2021. This recognition signifies that out of the thousands of people who hold gym memberships, I ranked among the 100 people who visited the gym most frequently. This is the third consecutive year (not counting the year 2020, during which time the gym was closed) that I’ve earned the recognition.
I mention this recognition not to boast but to raise an important question: What keeps me going to the gym so often?
It’s not the free T-shirt.
It’s not a narrow focus on burning calories.
It’s not to get ripped.
There’s nothing wrong with appreciating a new T-shirt, incorporating exercise into a weight loss program, or enjoying a muscular build. But the reasons to exercise are so vast that reducing the value of exercise to aesthetics undermines its worth.
The human body has 11 systems that work together to keep it functioning. Let’s look briefly at the ways regular exercise benefits each of these systems:
Circulatory: reduces bad cholesterol; lowers heart rate (in the long term); increases the amount of blood the heart can pump out with each beat; reduces blood pressure; protects against heart attacks, stroke, and diabetes
Dermatologic: promotes the softness and pliability of skin; helps the skin to maintain a more youthful appearance
Digestive: can alleviate constipation and promote healthy digestion at rest; can protect against diverticular disease and colon cancer
Endocrine: helps to lower blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity
Immune: moderate-intensity exercise can protect against some illnesses, especially upper respiratory illness
Muscular: promotes muscle strength, size, and endurance; encourages the body to utilize energy more efficiently, which factors into healthy aging
Nervous: facilitates the development of new brain cells; increases the number of pathways for oxygen, energy, and the removal of waste products from the brain; improves cognitive function; enhances alertness; and reduces stress
Renal / Urinary: diminishes the flow of blood to the kidneys, which helps exercisers to maintain their level of blood pressure; maintains fluid balance; helps to maintain the proper acid-base balance
Reproductive: moderate-intensity endurance exercise can improve sperm quality and reduce erectile dysfunction; and positively impact menstrual cycles, ovulation, and fertility
Respiratory: can improve resting respiratory rate, air flow volume, and lung capacity; increases the body’s capacity to perform work (e.g., to maintain physical activity for longer periods of time)
Skeletal: helps to keep the joints and cartilage healthy; can increase bone density, size, and weight, which strengthens bones; helps to protect bones from injury and to recover from injury
Furthermore, an abundance of data shows that exercise reduces anxiety and depression. Exercise releases serotonin, which improves mood. It also increases norepinephrine, which facilitates focus and attention. Additionally, dopamine levels increase after exercise. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter associated with feelings of reward, motivation, and pleasure.
Bear in mind that many of these benefits require time and continued effort to develop. From a motivational standpoint, it helps to focus on the short-term benefits. For example, a few of the reasons I enjoy exercise are to enjoy some “me” time, listen to my favorite music, enjoy an enhanced sense of productivity, and experience a boost in mood. For others, it might serve as an opportunity to meet up with friends, enjoy nature, play a favorite sport, or experience mindfulness.
Discover what motivates you and what type of exercise suits you best. A health coach can help you to begin an exercise routine or to build on what you’re already doing. Reach out here to get started.
I encourage you to prioritize exercise so that you can experience greater health and quality of life. You’re worth it!
References
Frates, B., Bonnet, J. P., Joseph, R., & Peterson, J. A. (2021). Lifestyle medicine handbook: An introduction to the power of healthy habits (2nd ed.). Healthy Learning.