Each bout of exercise has the power to improve our body both physically and psychologically. We have a tendency with exercise, however, to judge if it’s actually working by what the bathroom scale reads. Weight loss only tells half of the story. There are many areas that regular exercise improves when it comes to our body. Many of which are not visible to the naked eye. Here are just a few of those strength training and cardio benefits.
Strength Training Benefits
- Building muscle mass can increase metabolism by 15 percent. So, if you’re looking to rev up a slow metabolism and stay functional as you age, you need to be strength training at least a few times each week.
- It will prevent sarcopenia – which is the loss of muscle mass as you age – you can lose up to 10 percent or more of your muscle per decade after age 50.
- Resistance training plays a role in disease prevention, as with type 2 diabetes.
- Improves the way the body moves, resulting in better balance and less falls as you age (you can reduce your risk for falling by 40 percent).
- Preserves the loss of muscle mass during weight loss (Donnelly et al., 2003).
- Will offset bone loss as you age. Women can expect to lose one percent of their bone mass after age 35 (and this increases following menopause). Read Strong Women, Strong Bones for more information on the bone loss.
Cardiovascular Exercise Benefits
- Aerobic exercise improves your mood by decreasing stress and anxiety levels. Read The Inner Runner by Jason Karp, Phd and Exercise for Mood and Anxiety by Michael Otto, Phd and Jasper Smits, PhD for more on this topic.
- Regular cardio exercise, like jogging, hiking, jump roping, “loads” the bones of the lower extremity, in turn, making them stronger.
- Makes your heart stronger. Reduces your resting heart rate enabling your body to deliver oxygen more efficiently to your working muscles.
- The American College of Sports Medicine states that higher levels of cardiovascular fitness is associated with approximately a 50 percent reduction in risk of disease.
There are many reasons to continue strength training and doing cardio exercise on a regular basis. We looked at just the tip of the iceberg here today.
Reference
Donnelly, J.E., Jakicic, J.M., Pronk, N., Smith, B.K., Kirk, E.P., Jacobsen, D.J., Washburn, R. (2003). “Is Resistance Training Effective for Weight Management?” Evidence-Based Preventive Medicine. 1(1): 21-29.
Try Jefit: Just Named Best Online Strength Training Workout
Jefit was recently named best online strength training workout for 2021 in an article published by Healthline. The app comes equipped with a customizable workout planner and training log. The app has ability to track data, offer audio cues, and features to share workouts with friends. Take advantage of Jefit’s exercise database for your strength workouts. Visit our members-only Facebook group. Connect with like-minded people, share tips, and advice to help get closer to reaching your fitness goals. Try one of the new interval-based workouts and add it to your weekly training schedule. Stay strong with Jefit.
