No matter your age or gender, physical activity is essential for your health. Generally, people who exercise regularly get a massive return for all their efforts. Working out and staying active can seem like an intimidating and hectic task, especially if you have a busy schedule.
But, after reading all the reasons to stay fit (reasons why you need to stay fit), you’ll be tempted to join and meet your weekly physical activity requirements. So, what are the top reasons to stay fit?
- Staying Active Helps Prevent Obesity
- Staying Fit Helps Avoid Health Issues
- Staying Fit Can Make You More Fertile
- Staying Fit Can Help You Live Longer
- Fit People Look Younger
- Staying Active May Boost Immune System
- Staying Fit Helps Avoid Depression and Anxiety
- Staying Fit Helps Keep Bones Healthy
- When You Are Fit, You Get Better Sleep
- When You Are Fit, You Are More Likely to Be Happy
Read on to find out more: 12 Reasons Staying Fit Is Challenging (And how to fix them).
Table of Contents
Why Is It Important To Stay Active And Be Fit All The Time?
Your health and fitness are the most significant aspects of your life, and the quality of your life is dependent on them. However, there is a lot more to maintaining healthy than most people realize.
Being aware of all the things that degrade your life is critical to remaining fit and healthy. Everything from mental health to nutritional health contributes to your overall well-being.
According to the American Heart Association, too much sitting and inactivity can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Another study revealed that adults who watch more than 4 hours of television a day have an 80% higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
Importance of Physical Activity
Regular physical activity is helpful for every individual. If we start counting its benefits, the list will go on and on. In short, regular exercise can help with the following things:
- Improves fitness
- Helps children grow strong bones and muscles
- Controls weight and prevents obesity
- Minimizes anxiety and depression symptoms
- Lowers chances of acquiring health disorders
- Maintains a good shape
- Assists in the treatment of chronic conditions like heart disease
Perform at least 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity or 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, or a combination of both, recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It is better to spread out your physical activity throughout the week.
10 Reasons to Stay Fit
You ask why do we need to stay fit. We give the ten reasons to stay healthy that are the most beneficial for your health. Let’s have a look at them and discuss them in detail:
1- Staying Active Helps Prevent Obesity
Obesity is becoming a significant health issue even in developing countries. This increases our risk of many chronic diseases. Exercising can help you avoid gaining weight and keep it off. The science is simple, physical activity causes calories to burn and prevents obesity.
Several studies showed that regular exercise helps lose weight and keeps the extra pounds (kg) off.
The more intense the activity, the more calories you burn. You should go to the gym regularly but do not put too much pressure on yourself if you are not able to devote a significant amount of time to working out every day. Even a little bit is better than nothing.
See also: Weight Loss Vs. Fat Loss: What are the differences?
2- Staying Fit Helps Avoid Health Issues
People with sedentary lifestyles and little physical activity can have negative effects on their health. It is linked to an increased risk of some types of cancer, a variety of chronic diseases, and mental health problems.
Exercising regularly keeps your metabolism high and helps your body function better. So you can avoid getting health issues.
About 80 percent of strokes could have been prevented with a healthy diet and physical activity, according to the National Stroke Association.
Staying active and exercising is an excellent way to lower blood pressure and lose excess weight because inactivity was associated with a 20 percent increased risk of stroke, found a study by the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Experts from Harvard recommend a moderate-intensity workout at least five days a week to reap the benefits.
3- Staying Fit Can Make You More Fertile
Yes, staying fit is also linked to your ability to produce good sperm and eggs. The research took place at Harvard University on physical activity and fertility. It discovered that men who exercised daily had higher sperm levels than those who didn’t exercise.
Therefore, the gym is the place to go if you want a fertile future with plenty of children. Regular exercise contributes to increasing your libido. When you exercise, the brain secretes endorphins stimulating the release of sex hormones.
According to an Emory University study, increased physical activity is associated with better sexual function in men under 40.
The study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine evaluated the link between physical activity and erectile function in healthy and young men ages 18 to 40.
The men who exercised more appeared to experience a protective benefit against erectile dysfunction, said Wayland Hsiao, co-author and assistant professor of urology at the Emory School of Medicine.
4- Staying Fit Can Help You Live Longer
There is a lot of research that ties remaining healthy with living a longer life. Many of us want to have a long, happy, and healthy life. It is why this is one of the most evident advantages of staying fit. And is one of the primary reasons why most people strive to exercise and eat a balanced diet.
Resistance exercise and lower-intensity muscular conditioning workouts, including yoga, are linked with a lower risk of diabetes in women, found a study issued in the journal PLOS Medicine.
Exercise helps you build and maintain your muscle mass, which will ultimately keep your metabolism high, give you strength and endurance to complete tasks of everyday life, including climbing stairs, playing with your grandchildren, and carrying groceries.
See also: Best Ways To Keep Your Skin Tight After Losing 70 Pounds.
5- Fit People Look Younger
Eating unhealthy foods and not participating in physical activity will not only cause weight gain but skin issues as well. Eliminating junk food from your diet can have a significant impact on the appearance of your skin and hair. The point is that limiting your intake of unhealthy foods can help to cleanse your skin.
You also won’t need to spend money on a lot of chemicals containing skincare. So, eliminate blemishes and spots, and get smooth, glowing skin just by staying fit.
Also, exercise will make you energetic and improve self-confidence in the workplace, helping you take on leadership roles and perform better in every aspect of your life, increasing overall happiness, productivity, and focus.
A 2.5-hour weekly work schedule replaced by mandatory physical activity for a year leads to increased work productivity, found a study.
6- Staying Active May Boost the Immune System
Fit people do not get affected by diseases more than regular people. Yes, it is a proven fact. Staying healthy not only keeps diseases at bay but also naturally boosts immunity.
This is not only beneficial because you are less likely to become ill, but it also allows you to live life to the fullest. Feeling healthy is crucial because it allows you to handle life more effectively.
Exercise improves blood flow, leaving you feeling more awake, focused, alert, and productive in the short term. But when you exercise regularly, the benefits are even bigger, including keeping dementia at bay along with other cognitive declines that often come with age.
7- Staying Fit Help Avoid Depression and Anxiety
Exercise releases serotonin and dopamine, also known as ‘happy hormones. These hormones help you in getting rid of the symptoms of mental problems like depression and anxiety.
About 14 percent of people exercise as a way to relieve stress, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA).
So, the next time you are feeling alone, sad, or depressed, just go for a walk and notice the changes in your mood.
See also: 11 Reasons Strength Training Is Known As The Fountain Of Youth.
8- Staying Fit Helps Keep Bones Healthy
Studies have found that fit people have great bone health and bone mineral density. Considering problems like osteoporosis and arthritis are common, we all must strive to stay fit.
Drink milk and take calcium medicines regularly to make sure that you are leading a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
Weight-bearing and resistance workouts are the best to keep your bones healthy and strong, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
- Weight-bearing exercises include running, walking, hiking, jogging, playing tennis, yoga, and dancing.
- Resistance exercises, including weight lifting, can also help strengthen your bones.
- Swimming and bicycling are not the best way to exercise your bones; they can help build and maintain strong muscles.
9- When You Are Fit, You Get Better Sleep
Are you someone who has trouble falling asleep? Regular physical activity can help you fall asleep faster, improve your sleep quality, and sleep longer. Just make sure you don’t work out too.
Exercising will greatly improve your sleep, according to the National Sleep Foundation. The more intense your workout, the better your sleep. In general, sitting less is strongly associated with better health and sleep.
Close to bedtime, or you’ll be too energized to sleep. Also, keep your devices like laptops or your smartphone away from you. You might be attracted to scroll through your social media feedback, and that can keep you awake and strain your eyes.
10- When You Are Fit, You Are More Likely to Be Happy
Exercising and staying fit can be joyful. As a result, you can relax, enjoy the outdoors, or simply indulge in activities that make you happy. You can also enjoy the pleasure of connecting with family and friends through physical activity.
Find a physical activity that you enjoy and do it. If you are new to exercise. Then, try something new or do something fun with your friends or family.
In addition, you will meet new people like you with shared goals, enhancing your social life and keeping you motivated on your health and fitness journey.
The Takeaway
Staying fit is all about caring for your health and your loved ones as well. If you want to enjoy the pleasure of life, it is important to focus on your health. Several diseases mainly affect unhealthy people. Why not take the initiative and start living a healthy lifestyle?
You have plenty of reasons to start working out now. We hope you found the answer to why we need to stay fit.
