12 More Reasons to Move

by: AndreaDow
Total views: 614
Word Count: 463

Sunday, April 22nd (Happy Earth Day...remember to tune into Discovery Channel's Planet Earth series tonight!)

12 Great reasons to get off the couch and move!

1. Working out helps you lose weight, burn calories, boost your metabolism and prevent bone and muscle loss that can happen as a result of dieting alone.

2. You can decrease your risk of colon cancer by 40 to 50%.

3. Regular exercise helps improve your sleep. One study showed those who walked six blocks a day had 1/3 less problems with insomnia compared to habitual couch dwellers.

4. Looking for an easy way to reduce your risk of breast cancer? Postmenopausal women that take a brisk walk for 1-2 hours per week can cut their breast cancer risk by close to 20%! For those with a breast cancer diagnosis, walking 3-5 hours a week may reduce the risk of dying by 50%.

5. Feeling blue? Thirty minutes of aerobic activity 3-5 times per week has been shown to cut symptoms of mild to moderate depression in half. Several studies have shown exrcise to be as effective as drugs in treating depressive disorders. Always consult with a medical professional to determine your best course of action.

6. Want to live longer? Take a walk for 30 minutes 5 times a week and you can increase your lifespan by 1.5 years! Looking to add even more years to your life? Jog instead of walk and you could add 4 years to your life expectancy. These results come from the 2005 Archives of Internal Medicine.

7. Want better sex? Working out boosts your sex life by improving your self esteem and strengthening your cardiovascular system.

8. Walking just 30-50 minutes a day can cut your risk of developing heart disease in half. While you are at it, consume a low-fat diet and reduce your chance of developing diabetes by 58%.

9. Cut your risks of catching a cold with aerobic exercise five days a week.

10. Want more energy? Regular exercisers have much more energy than nonexercisers. The energy boost you get from your workout is so strong that researchers equate it to the effects of stimulant drugs.

11. Work out with weights to help reduce your risk of osteoporosis.

12. Last, but not least, reverse the age-related loss of brain tissue that begins around age 40. Just 15 minutes a day for 3 days a week can cut the risk of Alzheimer's and dementia by 30 to 40%.

Who ever said there was no magic bullet? I think wearing tennis shoes every day comes pretty darn close....

Rating: 5.00