Regular exercise and physical activity are extremely important and beneficial for long-term health and well-being. If you need motivation to start an exercise program or need inspiration to keep an exercise program going, just think of these benefits. It wouldn’t hurt to cut them out and hang them on your fridge – it just might help you stick to that diet too.
Benefits of Regular Exercise
•    Reduce the risk of premature death
•    Reduce the risk of developing and/or dying from heart disease
•    Reduce high blood pressure or the risk of developing high blood pressure
•    Reduce high cholesterol or the risk of developing high cholesterol
•    Reduce the risk of developing colon cancer and breast cancer
•    Reduce the risk of developing diabetes
•    Reduce or maintain body weight or body fat
•    Build and maintain healthy muscles, bones, and joints
•    Reduce depression and anxiety
•    Improve psychological well-being
•    Enhanced work, recreation and sport performance
Benefits of Aerobic Exercise
•    Increased maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max)
•    Improvement in cardiovascular/cardiorespiratory function (heart and lungs)
•    Increased maximal cardiac output (amount of blood pumped every minute)
•    Increased maximal stroke volume (amount of blood pumped with each beat)
•    Increased blood volume and ability to carry oxygen
•    Reduced workload on the heart (myocardial oxygen consumption)
•    Increased blood supply to muscles and ability to use oxygen
•    Lower heart rate and blood pressure at any level of submaximal exercise
•    Increased threshold for lactic acid accumulation
•    Lower resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure in people with high blood pressure
•    Increased HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol)
•    Decreased blood triglycerides
•    Reduced body fat and improved weight control
•    Improved glucose tolerance and reduced insulin resistance
Benefits of Strength Training
•    Increased muscular strength
•    Increased strength of tendons and ligaments
•    Potentially improves flexibility (range of motion of joints)
•    Reduced body fat and increased lean body mass (muscle mass)
•    Potentially decreases resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure
•    Positive changes in blood choles-terol
•    Improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity
•    Improved strength, balance and functional ability in older adults