The Benefits of Being Active
Physical activity is good for your health, but it also has countless other benefits - like making your life more enjoyable.
Physical activity is first and foremost an opportunity to have fun. Use these special moments to relax, forget about work, think about something else and change your mood. Physical activity is good for both your body and your mind, as well as adding years to your life and life to your years!
An active lifestyle has many benefits. Studies show that regular physical activity not only improves the quality of your daily life, but also increases your lifespan by reducing the risk of chronic illness.
Being physically active means you:
- Have more vitality
- Are in better shape
- Have better mental health
- Can manage stress better
- Have more self esteem
Physical activity helps:
- Prevent and better control some risk factors for heart disease: blood cholesterol, diabetes and hypertension
- Improve muscle and bone health (osteoporosis prevention)
- Improve sleep
- Control weight
Physical activity guidelines advise that we need at least 2.5 hours a week of moderate to vigorous aerobic physical activity to achieve health benefits. The guidelines also recommend adding activities that target bones and muscles at least twice a week to help make your bones stronger— activities like running, walking and yoga, where your muscles push against your bones. Furthermore, it has been shown that physical activity is the main factor in keeping weight off. Why invest all this effort if you are just going to gain the weight back? Skate, swim, play ... garden, walk, run ... just move!