Overweight and Fit vs. Thin and Sedentary: What the Research Says

Exercise is the Key to Wellness Regardless of Size

Overweight and Fit 
When overweight people incorporate daily movement and exercise into their lives, they are better able to protect themselves from developing a host of cardiovascular diseases. This is because exercise increases oxygen consumption with lowers the risk of developing heart disease or diabetes. Exercise also increases blood circulation, which keeps our vital organs and cells functioning at optimal levels. If you are obese, losing weight alongside adding exercise will still be beneficial in achieving better metabolic health and improved flexibility and mobility. While many studies state that being overweight and metabolically healthy is better than being normal weight and inactive, it still doesn't completely erase the impact of viceral fat on developing heart disease, diabetes, cancer, alzheimers or dementia.

Thin and Sedentary
"Sitting disease" is a new phenomena that has become an alarmingly common trend. The research says that if you sit for long hours at a desk job or long commutes, you can increase your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancers. By aiming to move more during the day, you can improve your health outcomes by parking farther away when you go shopping, taking the stairs instead of the elevator and puttering around the house instead scrolling on your phone. For people who don't need to lose weight, exercise can increase your strength and flexibility, boost mood, elevate energy levels and increase self-confidence. 

Sex and Libido
Exercise has been shown to do wonders in the bedroom. When you increase your core strength, you can improve endurance and stamina during a longer session of sexual activity. In all genders, exercise has been shown to increase performance, heighten arousal and desire, and improve sexual satisfaction. In men, exercising from 90-160 minutes a week has been shown to reduce the risk of developing erectile dysfunction by 20%. In women, exercise is a treatment to sexual dysfunction caused by taking anti-depressants or having a full hysterectomy.

Mental Health Benefits
Finally, when it comes to your mental health, exercise has been shown to decrease stress and cortisol levels, boost mood, increase self-confidence, and lower depression. Adding any movement or activity to your day to day life has a lot of benefits which cannot be overlooked. Doing things you enjoy whether it's a spin class, dancing, playing sports or gardening will keep you happier and healthier.

Bone Health
As we age, we lose bone density as our muscle mass naturally decreases. Weight bearing exercise is important to maintaining muscle so that we can protect our bones and joints from developing arthritis and fractures due to osteoporosis. Strength training can even build bone. We need to consider that bone health is necessary if we want to live a long life and avoid breaking something if we fall. 

Are you ready to incorporate fitness as part of your life?

If you are tired of having low energy, lack of motivation, or decreased self-confidence, the coaches at Rage Fitness are here to help. We can develop a program that will incorporate your limitations and injuries so that you can strengthen those weak areas, while improving your overall health. Even if you don't need to lose weight, exercise is so beneficial to other parts of your life that you should not overlook it as part of a holistic strategy of healthy living. If you are ready to get on the right track, please call 1-825-945-7733 or fill out the online contact form.