I talked the other day about trying to get my heart rate, with aerobic exercise, up to a fat burning level. It occurred to me that even if I can’t do that, aerobic exercise still has plenty of benefits.
Detox
One of the major waste eliminations systems of the body is the skin. Sweating is a good way to excrete things the body doesn’t need. Aerobic exercise probably gets rid of a significant amount of toxins from your body.
Lymphatic Cleansing
The lymphatic system relies on body movement to keep lymph flowing. So exercise helps flush out the lymph vessels, which carry toxins away. The lymphatic system also carries nutrients to the cells, and is a big part of the body’s immune system. It’s good to keep it functioning properly with regular exercise.
Muscle Building
Aerobic exercise may not build as much muscle as weight lifting, but it does build some. When you build up your muscles, they burn more calories, not just when you’re exercising, but all the time.
Cardio Pulmonary Health
Aerobic exercise helps strengthen your heart and lungs, which improves your stamina. It also lowers cholesterol and regulates blood pressure.
Bone Density
Regular weight bearing exercise can increase bone density or prevent further bone loss. “Weight bearing” means putting increased stress on your bones. Most aerobic exercises do this, but cycling and swimming do not (though, they are still beneficial!).
Insulin Resistance
Aerobic exercise can improve insulin resistance. It increases insulin sensitivity and helps your body process glucose better. It also helps to prevent diabetes.
Depression
Regular aerobic exercise helps alleviate mild depression.
I’m keeping all of the above in mind to motivate me to exercise. Mostly I would like to be able to walk across the parking lot at work without feeling out of breath. Yes, really! How embarrassing! I think muscle building exercises might help more with fat loss, but aerobic exercise makes me feel healthy, so I’m definitely including it too.
Bye for now. ~Me
