We all know that exercise is good for us, but it can be so hard to find the motivation to get started and stick with it. In this in-depth post, we’ll explore the numerous benefits of exercise, simple ways to work more movement into your daily routine, tips for staying motivated, and how exercise impacts not just your body, but your brain health too.
Why Exercise Matters for Your Overall Health
The advantages of regular physical activity go far beyond weight loss and muscle gain. Here are some of the top reasons why exercise should be a priority:
Improves Heart Health
Getting your heart rate up strengthens your cardiovascular system, lowers blood pressure, improves circulation, and reduces the risk of heart disease. Cardio exercise helps condition your heart and lungs to work more efficiently.
Manages Blood Sugar Levels
Exercise can help your body use insulin more efficiently, which is critical for controlling blood sugar levels. Being active is a key part of managing prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
Strengthens Bones and Muscles
Weight-bearing activities like walking, jogging, strength training with weights or resistance bands, yoga, and Pilates help build stronger bones and preserve bone density as you age. Building muscle also gives your metabolism a boost.
Enhances Mood and Energy
Physical activity stimulates the release of endorphins, chemicals in the brain that enhance mood and produce feelings of euphoria. Regular exercise can help boost energy levels, relieve stress, improve sleep, and elevate your overall sense of well-being.
Supports Immune Function
Moderate exercise mobilizes immune cells throughout the body, so your immune system can detect illnesses earlier. Being active on a regular basis may help you avoid coming down with colds, the flu, and other infections.
Slows Cognitive Decline
An active lifestyle benefits brain health and helps preserve memory and thinking skills as you get older. Aerobic exercise in particular has been shown to stimulate growth of new brain cells. We’ll explore the brain benefits of exercise more later in this article.
Easy Ways to Add More Movement to Your Day
You don’t need to run marathons or spend hours at the gym to reap the rewards of physical activity. Even small amounts of movement throughout your day can add up to big health gains. Here are some simple ways to be more active:
Take the Stairs
Skip the elevator or escalator and take the stairs whenever you can. Doing a few flights first thing in the morning gets your blood pumping and muscles working.
Schedule Walking Meetings
Instead of sitting through your next meeting or phone call, get some steps in by making it a walking meeting. This works for one-on-ones or even larger groups.
Set Reminders to Stand Up
If you work at a desk, set a reminder on your phone or computer to stand up every 30 minutes. Stretch your legs, arms, and back to avoid tension.
Do Air Squats While You Brush Your Teeth
Knock out a few air squats or lunges while you brush your teeth in the morning and evening. This strength exercise engages your leg and glute muscles.
Drink More Water
Staying hydrated gives you more energy to be active. Place a pitcher or bottle of water within arm’s reach to remind yourself to drink up.
Walk or Bike for Short Trips
When running errands within a couple miles of home, opt to walk or bike rather than drive. The fresh air and change of scenery makes the trip go faster.
Do Deskercises
Simple exercises like shoulder rolls, seated marches, and ankle circles keep your body limber as you work. Stand up and do 5-10 reps every hour or so.
Play Active Games with Kids
Join your kids for some backyard soccer, basketball, tag, jump rope, or other age-appropriate games to get your exercise in.
How to Stay Motivated to Exercise
Now that you know all the ways being active benefits your health, how do you make exercise a consistent habit? These strategies can help you get motivated and stick with it:
Focus on How It Makes You Feel
Rather than exercising to change your body or lose weight, focus on how being active makes you feel. Pay attention to the rush of endorphins, uptick in energy, and sense of accomplishment.
Schedule It Like Any Other Appointment
Block out time for exercise on your calendar and treat it as a high priority item you wouldn’t cancel. Plan to exercise at the time of day you have the most energy.
Find an Accountability Partner
Ask a friend, partner, or family member to join you for walks, workouts, or sports. You’ll be more likely to stick with it if someone else is counting on you.
Start Small and Build Up
Don’t expect to run a 5K or lift heavy weights on day one. Start with just 5-10 minutes of activity per day and increase time and intensity gradually. Small steps build habits.
Track Your Progress
Use an app, activity tracker, or journal to record your workouts. Seeing your consistency and achievement provides intrinsic motivation.
Sign Up for Something
Commit to a 5K, cycling event, or intramural sports league a few months out to keep your eyes on the prize. Having an event on the calendar incentivizes training.
Make It Enjoyable
Pick activities you genuinely like doing — walking with a friend, cycling, rowing, martial arts, dance fitness, whatever gets you moving. You’ll look forward to exercise rather than dreading it.
Remember Your “Why”
When motivation lags, reflect on your reasons for exercising. Better health? Keeping up with kids? Sharper mind? A personal challenge? Let your big-picture why power you through.
How Exercise Benefits Your Brain
We all know physical activity is good for the body, but research shows it’s just as important for the brain. Here’s an overview of the cognitive perks of exercise:
Enhances Learning and Focus
Exercise sharpens thinking, learning, and concentration skills by increasing blood and oxygen flow to the brain. Kids who are active tend to perform better academically.
Lifts Mood and Eases Anxiety
The endorphins and neurotransmitters released during exercise help neutralize stress hormones. Being active can relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Delays Onset of Dementia
Regular aerobic exercise significantly reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. It also slows progression in those with mild cognitive impairment.
Grows New Brain Cells
Cardiovascular fitness supports neuroplasticity — the generation of new brain cells and neural connections that underpin learning, memory formation, and cognitive function.
Reduces Age-Related Decline
Older adults who exercise experience less shrinkage in brain regions involved in memory encoding and retrieval. Staying active preserves gray and white matter volume.
Improves Sleep Quality
Being active during the day helps regulate the body’s circadian rhythms and sleep-wake cycles. Getting better sleep in turn sharpens cognitive abilities.
Final Tips to Boost Your Fitness Motivation
Hopefully this overview has convinced you of the many whole-body benefits of exercise. Here are a few final pieces of advice for sticking with an active lifestyle:
- Focus on consistency, not intensity. Several short, moderate workouts per week are better than sporadic intense sessions. Slow and steady activity drives results.
- Find exercises you enjoy. Whether it’s dancing, hiking, martial arts, or playing basketball, do activities that bring you happiness and get results.
- Track visible progress. Rather than stepping on the scale, take body measurements and note fitness milestones like running farther or lifting heavier.
- Schedule workouts in advance. Carve out time on your calendar and guard that time against other obligations creeping in.
- Pair exercise with something you like. Listen to audiobooks or podcasts, catch up with a friend, or binge your favorite show on the treadmill.
- Remind yourself of the benefits. When motivation wanes, reflect on all the ways being active makes you healthier, happier, and mentally sharper.
The more you move, the more benefits you’ll enjoy both physically and mentally. Start incorporating the fitness tips and motivation strategies in this post to boost your activity levels. Your body and brain will thank you!
