Cardio: What Is It Good For?

You may know that you have to work out, but it's the doing part that we often struggle with. Excuses are not hard to find. Does this sound familiar: I work too much. I just don't have enough time. I'm always tires. I need someone to teach me.

Well none of these excuses are so insurmountable that we can't find a way to fix them.

There are many incentives to working out. The most important of these, however, is the fact that exercise improves your overall health. It helps both your physical and mental well being to improve.

Here are some top reasons that should motivate you to exercise:

Manage Stress Levels: Exercise causes the brain to release endorphins, which in turn helps you to feel happier and less stressed.

Increase Immune Strength: Your body can fight off colds and other diseases because of exercise. Why? Part of the reason is that exercise causes you to sweat, which in turn helps your body get rid of toxins.

More Control Over Your Weight: It's simple. Exercise helps burn calories, fat, and increases your metabolism.

Strengthen Your Bones: An active lifestyle benefits bone density.

Much Better Sleep At Night: Studies have shown that those who exercise get more REM sleep. This is that deep sleep that you need at night to feel energized in the morning. Your sleep is deeper and you wake up less through the night.

Relieve Back Pain: Increasing muscle strength and endurance  helps to improve flexibility and posture. This leads to stronger back muscles, meaning less back pain.

Fight Depression: Many studies show that exercise promotes positive mental health and reduces symptoms of depression.

Heart Disease Prevention: Lack of physical activity is one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. There is a direct relation between physical inactivity and cardiovascular death.

Keep Your Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Levels Low: Low physical activity increases the risk of hypertension. Regular exercise training seems to be effective in reducing blood pressure. Trying out some different types of exercise fitness equipment may be one way to go (i.e. treadmills or elliptical equipment.). Physical exercise favorably influences blood cholesterol levels by decreasing LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and total cholesterol and increasing HDL cholesterol.

Lower Risk for Type 2 Diabetes: Exercise can promote healthy blood sugar levels in the body. Exercise help your body use up glucose (one form of sugar), which is usually high in those who are overweight and inactive. This could eventually lead to insulin resistance (type 2 diabetes) because your body can no longer properly use the glucose in the body. Read more here: Insulin Resistance

Live Longer: People who are physically active, live longer. Regular physical activity provides benefits to men and women of all ages.