The Unexpected Benefits of Exercise

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Exercise is often thought of as a chore, something you should do but don't necessarily want to do. But did you know that exercise can actually be beneficial in ways you may not expect? From improved mental clarity and a better mood to an increase in energy levels, the benefits of exercise can be far-reaching. In this blog post, we'll take a closer look at the unexpected benefits of exercise and how it can help you both physically and mentally.

Improved brain function

Exercise has been linked to numerous benefits for your physical health, but did you know that it can also have a positive impact on your brain function? Studies show that engaging in regular physical activity can improve cognitive function, reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and even reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Physical activity encourages your brain to produce a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which helps your brain grow new neurons and strengthen existing connections. By keeping your brain healthy, exercise can help you stay sharp and perform better at work or school. Exercise can also increase your focus and memory, allowing you to recall information more quickly and efficiently. 

In addition, aerobic exercise has been shown to be especially effective in improving executive functioning, which is related to the ability to think abstractly and problem solve. Even better, research suggests that these cognitive benefits are available to people of all ages, so no matter what stage of life you're in, there are still plenty of reasons to stay active!

Increased lifespan

Exercising regularly can have a positive impact on your lifespan. Studies have shown that physical activity helps reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Exercise can also help reduce stress levels, which can further contribute to improving your overall health and increasing your longevity. In addition, regular physical activity has been linked to improving mobility, flexibility, and balance, making it easier for seniors to stay physically active and live longer, healthier lives. Finally, exercise has been proven to increase your body’s production of endorphins, which are hormones that can help improve your mood and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, resulting in an overall healthier lifestyle.

Better sleep

Exercise can play an important role in improving your sleep. Studies show that regular exercise helps to regulate the sleep-wake cycle, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep. Physical activity increases the amount of time you spend in deep sleep, which is when the body repairs itself and memory consolidation takes place. Additionally, exercise can help you deal with stress, which can be a major cause of insomnia. By releasing endorphins, hormones that make you feel good, exercise can help improve your mood and reduce anxiety. This can lead to better quality of sleep and longer sleep duration.

Improved mental health

Regular exercise has been found to provide numerous mental health benefits. It has been associated with improved self-esteem and body image, decreased anxiety, depression, and stress levels, and better emotional regulation. Exercise can also increase feelings of happiness and overall life satisfaction. Additionally, those who participate in physical activity have been found to have better coping skills and resilience in the face of difficult life circumstances. Furthermore, exercise has also been shown to have protective effects against some mental health problems, such as dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. All of these benefits combined point to the fact that exercising regularly is essential for optimal mental health.

Increased energy levels

Exercising has been proven to have many benefits, and one of those is increased energy levels. If you are feeling tired or sluggish, regular exercise can be a great way to help boost your energy levels and improve your overall well being.

When you exercise, your body releases endorphins, which can make you feel energized and more alert. In addition, when you exercise your body is able to take in more oxygen, which can also help you feel more energized and alert.

Regular exercise can also help improve your overall health and fitness level. When you are in better physical shape, your body is able to use energy more efficiently and is better able to cope with the demands of everyday life. With this increased energy, you can become more productive and be better able to complete tasks without feeling as fatigued as before.

Finally, regular exercise can help reduce stress, which can lead to improved energy levels. Stress can drain the body of its energy reserves, so reducing stress through exercise can help keep your energy levels up throughout the day.

Exercise is a great way to boost your energy levels and help improve your overall well being. So if you’re feeling sluggish or exhausted, why not give it a try? You might be surprised at how much better you feel after just a few sessions!

https://www.americansportandfitness.com/blogs/fitness-blog/5-great-oblique-stretches

Maintaining flexibility in your oblique muscles is crucial for optimal core strength, mobility, and overall fitness. The obliques, which are the muscles located on the sides of your abdomen, play a vital role in supporting your spine, enabling trunk rotation, and promoting good posture. Incorporating oblique stretches into your routine can help reduce muscle imbalances, prevent injuries, and improve your athletic performance. In this blog, we'll explore five great oblique stretches that you can easily add to your stretching routine for enhanced flexibility and a more balanced physique.

1. Standing Side Bend Stretch:

The Standing Side Bend Stretch is a simple and effective way to stretch your obliques without any equipment. Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands resting on your hips. Slowly bend to one side, keeping your chest facing forward and your hips stationary. Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds before returning to the starting position and repeating on the other side.

2. Seated Russian Twist Stretch:

The Seated Russian Twist Stretch is a dynamic stretch that targets both your internal and external obliques. Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Lean back slightly and place your hands on your chest or behind your head. Gently twist your torso to one side, feeling the stretch in your obliques. Hold for 15-30 seconds before repeating on the other side.

3. Mermaid Stretch:

The Mermaid Stretch is a yoga-inspired stretch that effectively targets your obliques and provides a gentle stretch for your lower back. Sit on the floor with your legs folded to one side and your weight resting on your hip. Extend your opposite arm overhead and slowly bend your torso towards your folded legs, reaching your fingertips towards your toes. Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds before switching sides.

4. Side Plank with Hip Dip Stretch:

The Side Plank with Hip Dip Stretch is an advanced oblique stretch that combines elements of both strength and flexibility. Begin in a side plank position with your forearm on the ground and your body in a straight line from head to toe. Slowly lower your hips towards the floor, feeling the stretch in your obliques, and then raise them back to the starting position. Hold the stretch for a few seconds before repeating on the other side.

5. Lying Spinal Twist Stretch:

The Lying Spinal Twist Stretch is a relaxing stretch that targets your obliques and lower back. Lie on your back with your arms extended to the sides and your knees bent. Gently drop your knees to one side, keeping your shoulders on the ground, and turn your head in the opposite direction. Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds before switching sides.

Incorporating oblique stretches into your fitness routine is essential for maintaining flexibility, reducing the risk of injury, and improving overall athletic performance. The five stretches outlined in this blog post are an excellent starting point for targeting this often-overlooked muscle group. Remember to listen to your body and perform these stretches with proper form and control to reap the full benefits.

ARE YOU SQUATTING PROPERLY?  

https://www.americansportandfitness.com/blogs/fitness-blog/what-is-proper-squat-formActive

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 You might have heard about the significance of form in exercise from many trainers, experts, or fitness lovers. If you are new to fitness and workouts, you must have wondered why all these people talk about form so much. The form is undoubtedly important whenever you exercise, whether it be a body-weight exercise, a gym exercise, or even a run.

If you are not doing those exercises with proper form, you won’t get the best results. Apart from that, there are chances of hurting yourself due to the wrong form being used doing an exercise.

In this article, we will learn about squat exercises, its benefits, and the proper form of doing the squat. 

Squat

Let’s begin with understanding the exercise first. Many of you who have already done this exercise might know its importance. For new people, squatting is the basic body-weight exercise that helps train your entire legs and strengthens them. There are several variations of this exercise; some require equipment, whereas others can be done anywhere without equipment. Beginners should always start with basic squats, i.e., body-weight squats, and gradually upgrade with weights and other variations. It is recommended that you ask the trainer or an expert about the proper form of doing the exercises you are planning. Try asking an ASFA certified personal trainer. 

Significant Benefits of Squat

1. They Help You to Lift Heavy Things Safely

Squats will give you the strength to lift heavy objects safely. The correct way to lift things is by using your lower body and not your back. By doing this you reduce the risk of lower back injury. 

2. They are Time Efficient

With proper form, squats tone your lower body muscles quicker than other exercises you may do. In addition, you’ll experience faster and more efficient toning with squat variations. 

3. They Can Prevent Injuries

Squats strengthen ligaments, stabilizer muscles, and connective tissues and can prevent related injuries. The proper form of squat is also useful in improving knee stability. 

4. They Are Functional Fitness

Functional exercises help our body to perform daily activities more easily. Being one of the best functional exercises, squats promote mobility, balance, and flexibility with real-world benefits. 

5. They Require No Fancy Equipment

There are dozens of squat variations which you can perform using some equipment. But you can do the old-fashioned squat anytime, anywhere, and without equipment.

Basics of Proper Squat Form

• Make sure your feet are a little wider than hip-width and your toes are facing front while you stand.
• Drive your hips back while slightly bending at your knees and ankles. Press your knees slightly open.
• Keep your toes and heels on the ground, shoulders back, and chest up while you squat.
• Strive to hold your thighs parallel, i.e., knees should be bent to an angle of 90-degree.
• Strengthen your legs and press into your heels to get back to an upright standing position. 

How to Do a Squat Correctly?

Step 1:

Stand straight and place your feet apart, a bit wider than your hips. You can stretch your arms in front of you for balance.

Step 2:

Gently pull your shoulders back and subtly lift your chest while standing up straight. While exhaling, try to tighten your deep abdominal muscles, which keep your spine and pelvis stable.

Step 3:

Keep your upper body as straight as possible while bending your knees as if you were sitting in an invisible chair behind you. You can allow your torso to tilt naturally while you squat, but don't collapse your chest or shoulders forward. Your knees shouldn’t go too far forward.

Step 4:

Straighten your legs, and return to the starting position. Be careful and avoid locking your knees when you return to a standing position. Instead, maintain your heels on the floor while you squat.

Step 5:

Repeat the above steps for two to three sets of 10 to 15 reps. 

Voice: Should Aerobic Exercise be a Primary Strategy for Weight Loss?
By Nicholas Broskey, Ph.D., and Leanne Redman, Ph.D.

The health benefits of aerobic exercise cannot be over emphasized in preventing cardiometabolic diseases. Exercise interventions are also commonly proposed to help lose weight and seem efficacious for weight loss maintenance. In the U.S., 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per day for five days per week (150 minutes total per week) is recommended for health benefits and possibly improved weight control. To support weight loss efforts, the recommended dose increases to 200 to 300 minutes per week for individuals with overweight/obesity. However, when exercise interventions are prescribed without reductions in caloric intake, they often result in less weight loss than expected. Thus, the use of exercise alone as an effective strategy for weight loss can be challenged.

Total daily energy expenditure, the number of calories burned in a day, increases in proportion to the dose of exercise. However, it has been proposed that the contribution of exercise to total daily energy expenditure may have limits. The constrained total energy expenditure model posits that increases in energy expenditure due to exercise eventually plateau, due to decreases in other components of daily energy expenditure. The extent to which the energy deficit induced by exercise is counteracted by the body defending against weight loss is not well understood.

The Examination of Mechanisms of Exercise-induced Weight Compensation (E-MECHANIC) study was designed to identify mechanisms responsible for unsuccessful weight loss with increased exercise energy expenditure. Overweight, sedentary individuals were randomized to either an aerobic exercise group or a healthy living control group with no exercise intervention for 24 weeks. The main findings were the exercise-induced weight loss was significantly less than expected. This indicates a compensation in the form of increased energy intake or a decrease in energy expenditure in other components of daily energy expenditure.

In our recent study published in the October 2021 issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise®, we conducted an ancillary to E-MECHANIC in 42 subjects. This study investigated what is changing in the other components of daily energy expenditure that may result in unsuccessful weight loss. This novel study combined the gold standard for daily energy expenditure, the doubly labeled water method, with a 24-hour measurement in a whole-room respiratory chamber.

Individuals randomized to an exercise dose recommended for weight loss (20 kcal per kilogram of weight per week) only lost half of the expected amount of weight. They had a slight increase in total daily energy expenditure due to the exercise. However, they also had a reduction in 24-hour energy expenditure concomitant with an increase in sedentary time in the respirator chamber. Thereby, the net contribution of exercise to daily energy expenditure was small. Exercise at this dose does not promote weight loss in all people as energy burned in exercise may be compensated by overall energy conservation. Personal trainers, coaches and those professionals prescribing exercise for weight loss should also incorporate dietary caloric restriction. Additional work is needed to determine whether improved exercise efficiency, including cellular adaptations, may explain the constrained energy expenditure model in humans and why some individuals may be protected from exercise-induced weight loss.

About the authors:
Nicholas Broskey, Ph.D., has a background in exercise physiology and metabolism. He is an assistant professor in the department of kinesiology at East Carolina University, an affiliated faculty member with the East Carolina Diabetes and Obesity Institute, and a member of ACSM. Dr. Broskey’s research integrates whole body physiology with both cellular and sub-cellular metabolism. Particularly, he is interested in how exercise interventions can help ameliorate conditions of metabolic disease through changes in skeletal muscle bioenergetics.

Leanne Redman, Ph.D., is a professor in the Division of Clinical Sciences at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Dr. Redman’s research focuses on understanding the role of metabolism in body weight regulation. Her work studies body weight changes in the context of weight loss, weight gain and in response to exercise, surgery, pregnancy and pharmacotherapy.

Viewpoints presented in SMB commentaries reflect opinions of the authors and do not necessarily represent positions or policies of ACSM. Active Voice authors who have received financial or other considerations from a commercial entity associated with their topic must disclose such relationships at the time they accept an invitation to write for SMB.