The Importance of Exercise To Your Health  

Exercise is a very important part of a person’s daily life.  Exercise keeps our bodies working in peak condition even when our minds are not.  Daily exercise is essential for optimal cardiovascular health and a long life. 

Moms are bad about recognizing the importance of exercise.  In the grand scheme of things, exercise falls low on our list of priorities.  We try to eat right, but we forget about the other half of the healthy life equation. 

Any and all physical activity is beneficial in some way.  Even ten minutes of activity three times a day adds up over time.  So, when half an hour or forty-five minutes is not in your schedule, three or four ten minute sessions might be doable. 

Our brains continue to be strong as we age.  It’s the other muscles that have the problem.  As much as a pound of muscle a year is lost after age forty.  Resistance training rebuilds muscle mass to fight back against the persistence of time.   

Muscle burns more calories than fat.  With small children in tow, busy moms need all the muscle they can manage.  Muscle mass keeps the metabolism high and the body burning calories even during sleep.  That’s what a busy multi-tasking mom needs—exercising in her sleep. How efficient is that? 

Exercise, particularly aerobic activity, increases blood flow.  As the heart works more efficiently through regular exercise, more blood, and therefore more oxygen is delivered to the tissues of the body.  Increased oxygen to the brain can increase awareness and focus. 

Increased circulation also increased energy.  As a busy mom, energy can be in short supply when it comes to all that we have to accomplish on a daily basis.  Regular exercise releases endorphins.   

As a result of this release of endorphins, the body experiences a state of “eustress”.  This is like a state of euphoria.  We are better able to deal with situations in our life because we are achieving a better outlook because of exercise.   

Hectic schedules produce signs of wear and tear on the body.  We are more susceptible to illness because our immune system is compromised.  Exercise promotes a healthy body and mind as well as decreasing obesity.  Even a ten percent reduction in body weight can take a person from the brink of borderline diabetic to the normal range.   

Exercise reduces the level of stress in our lives.  Multi-tasking is easier with a clear head.  You don’t end up making silly mistakes due to a fuzzy head. Ever end up at the soccer game with your daughter in her tutu because you dropped her brother off at ballet practice by mistake?   

Healthy eating habits are only half of the solution.  Incorporate exercise into your daily routine, even if it is only twenty minutes each day.