Exercise is vital to achieving and maintaining optimal health and physical fitness. It is also key to helping people to feel better and live longer, more independent and productive lives. Exercise is an important preventive strategy in minimizing the risk of developing many serious conditions and diseases. These include obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, and some types of cancer. A regular exercise plan can also increase mental alertness, reduce stress, improve coordination, help to control appetite, and strengthen muscles and joints. By increasing metabolism, the rate in which the body burns calories, exercise is one vital element in maintaining a healthy weight. It can have a positive impact on body image, self esteem, and mood. Current research is finding that there is also a link between exercise and mood and depression. Regular exercise can help elevate mood and reduce feelings of depression by increasing the body's supply of endorphins, naturally occurring chemicals in the body that increase the feeling of well being.
Exercise is important for people of all ages and has been found to be of benefit in even the oldest adults. The goal is to make exercise a regular part of your life by making it safe, effective, and easy to maintain. It can be difficult to stick to a regular exercise plan, but people who start with something they truly enjoy, such as walking the dog, and build on that can be successful. Other tips include creating an exercise program that the whole family can participate in or one that includes friends who can create a more fun and social atmosphere and serve as support systems. Many successful exercisers enjoy playing a sport, such as golf or softball, and are motivated to build and stick to a comprehensive exercise program that helps them improve in that sport. For example, a golfer or softball player can improve their swing with flexibility exercises and strength training and improve their endurance through aerobic exercises.
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Activity that requires physical or mental exertion, especially when performed to develop or maintain fitness. - (Source - Diseases Database)
The activity of exerting your muscles in various ways to keep fit; "the doctor recommended regular exercise"; "he did some exercising"; "the physical exertion required by his work kept him fit" - (Source - WordNet 2.1)
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