[Ian]

20 Reasons to Exercise Regularly

1. Regular exercise increases your metabolism so that you continually burn more calories every day.

2. Increases your aerobic capacity (fitness level). This gives you the ability to go through your day with less relative energy expenditure. This enables a "fit" person to have more energy at the end of the day and to get more accomplished during the day with less fatigue.

3. Maintains, tones, and strengthens your muscle. Exercise also increases your muscular endurance.

4. Decreases your blood pressure.

5. Increases the oxidation (breakdown and use) of fat.

6. Increases HDL (good) cholesterol.

7. Makes the heart a more efficient pump by increasing stroke volume.

8. Increases hemoglobin concentration in your blood. Hemoglobin is part of the red blood cell that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.

9. Decreases the tendency of the blood to clot in the blood vessels. This is important because small clots traveling in the blood are often the cause of heart attacks and strokes.

10. Increases the strength of the bones.

11. Causes the development of new blood vessels in the heart and other muscles.

12. Enlarges the arteries that supply blood to the heart.

13. Decreases blood levels of triglycerides (fat).

14. Improves control of blood sugar.

15. Improves sleep patterns.

16. Increases the efficiency of the digestive system which may reduce the incidence of colon cancer.

17. Increases the thickness of cartilage in joints which has a protective effect on the joints.

18. Decreases a woman's risk of developing endometriosis by 50%.

19. Increases the amount of blood that flows to the skin making it look and feel healthier.

20. Exercise, in addition to all the physiological and anatomical benefits, just makes you feel GREAT!

[Cyn]

Great post! I need to read this every morning to get myself back into regular workouts.

[NeedtoLose]

Great idea, Cyn. I think I may print it out and hang it up on the refridgerator.

[Eva]

you forgot - better sex life!

[NeedtoLose]

Originally Posted by Eva

you forgot - better sex life!

In another thread I asked if sex is better when you are skinnier. I guess you answered that for us, Eva!

[Eva]

. . . not necessarily when you are skinnier . . . but when you have better endurance

[NeedtoLose]

Originally Posted by Eva

. . . not necessarily when you are skinnier . . . but when you have better endurance

And more flexible???

I noticed that without a belly in the way, you can get much closer! PDT_Love_22