We are constantly reminded about the importance of regular exercise because it is good for us not only physically, but mentally, too. Even if you are a regular at your local gym or frequently attend exercise classes at our Islington studio, you may not fully understand the positive effects this activity is having on your wellbeing.
We believe that if more people understood what exercise does for both the body and the mind, more would ensure they get at least the minimum recommended amount of weekly exercise. The release of endorphins is just one positive effect of exercising that increases your mood, meaning that if you attend a session first thing in the morning, you will reap the rewards for the rest of the day.
Metabolism
Muscle cells require lots of energy, meaning that calories are literally burned as you rest. The more muscle you have, the more calories that are burned and turned into energy, resulting in increased metabolism.
The speed of your metabolism determines how quickly calories are burned. This is why bodybuilders can consume as many as 10,000 calories per day in order to meet the demands of sustaining or building muscle mass. Of course, that doesn’t mean you can live on a diet of pizza and fried food – there are good and bad calories – but it does mean that you can increase your calorie intake when combined with exercise.
The older you get, the more important it is to exercise regularly as muscle cells break down with age, thus burning fewer calories and decreasing your body’s metabolism. In order to maintain muscle mass with age, eating a healthy diet with the correct nutrition and exercise is important.
Helps to Prevent against Osteoporosis
Regular exercise helps to build bone density when you are younger, which helps to prevent conditions such as osteoporosis. High impact exercises are great for building bone density, promoting healthy and strong bones in later life.
Promotes Healthy Skin
Regular exercise promotes healthy skin, it’s true! Skin becomes damaged through oxidative stress when antioxidants cannot properly repair skin cells. While highly intense exercise can actually contribute to oxidative stress, moderate exercise can help to increase the body’s resource of antioxidants.
This means that regular sessions will help your skin to look and feel healthier, so, if one of the reasons you might be looking to take part in regular exercise classes in Islington is to feel good about yourself, you can add healthy skin to the list of reasons why you should go for it!
Socialising
Attending regular exercise classes not only improves your physical wellbeing but it also boosts your social skills. Our classes are a brilliant way to meet new people who can motivate you to achieve your own personal targets, and you can motivate them to achieve theirs. It's proven that when you exercise with others, you are more likely to stay motivated and not give up on your fitness goals.
This is why many people choose to bring along a friend or family member to our exercise classes in Islington. We like to see our members enjoying themselves and when our classes are treated as a social event, as opposed to a chore that you feel you have to attend, you will see much better results.
Exercise Helps the Memory
Are you worried that you keep forgetting things all the time? You will be interested to learn that regular exercise helps the hippocampus, the part of the brain that helps to store memories, to grow. This means that regular exercise can help to improve your memory.
When you exercise, the heart beats faster, pumping blood around the body quicker as well as a higher intake of oxygen which also helps the brain. The effects are long-term, as studies have found that regular physical activity can even offset the occurrence of Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia.
Better Sex Life
It’s no secret that regular exercise is going to help improve your sex life, but how exactly? Of course, exercise is going to make you feel better about yourself and, thus, increase your self-confidence, but it runs much deeper than that.
A study found that even just a six-minute walk around the house helped 41 men to reduce symptoms of erectile dysfunction, while another study found that regular exercise contributed to increased libido. For men and women above the age of 40, it is natural that this may decrease with age – high-intensity training can help to reverse those effects, helping you enjoy a much more fulfilling sex life.
Sleep Better
Regular exercise will help you get a better night’s sleep. This is due to the increased body temperature whilst you are exercising – particularly strenuous sessions. This aids the body’s ability to drop its temperature ready for sleep, increasing the chances of uninterrupted slumber.
Another way in which regular exercise can aid a better sleeping pattern is by ensuring that you are fully energised in the morning. As already mentioned, intense exercise energises you throughout the day, which then helps your body get into a routine. If you begin the day feeling groggy, your body is already out of routine which can be helped with regular daily or weekly exercise.
Of course, these are only a few benefits of exercise but the truth is that keeping active can bring a whole host of advantages throughout your life. Are you ready to start your fitness journey?
Bodyjunkies