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You've probably read a bunch of articles about the benefits of exercise, or watched several videos in YouTube to guide you in your 20 minute workout just before you go to work but you're still here and clicked this article looking for something new that might help you to be encouraged and stick with an exercise routine. Don't worry, we got you covered!

Most people are aware that they should exercise — and yet for some reason, most don't do it. Adopting a methodical approach can help you succeed. In attaining your goal in losing your weight, aside from determination, consistency is a great factor. Hence, the importance of setting a realistic goals and a workout plan to guide you along the way.

The Why's of Exercise

Making exercise as part of your daily routine is easier said than done. A lot of people I know, cannot stick with their work out. They started so eager at first but was not able to continue it. There are many factors that contribute as to why a person don't exercise nearly enough like work, stress, lack of time and lack of motivation. That is why it is important to know and ask yourself in the first place why you want to embark to the road of fitness.

Understanding your motivation — your primary purpose for starting a fitness routine — will help you to be inspired and determind to stick up with your plan  when unexpected obstacles cause you to think about quitting.

Figure out which of the many reasons to exercise is vital to you. Then always keep it in your mind the very reason why you started your fitness journey whenever you think of quitting.

7 Physical and Physiological Benefits of Exercise

Here are some reasons that might motivate you to get started. Just reading this list will motivate you to never blow off a gym session again or your daily workout.

Even a Little Exercise Might Make Us Happier

Our activity affects our mental health. Working out leads to changes in your brain, such as increased blood flow and the creation of new neural pathways. Hormones such as endorphins, serotonin, dopamine, and testosterone are also released in response to increased physical activity.

Studies by US Department of Health have shown that 30 to 60 minutes of exercise, 3 to 5 times per week will give you significant mental health benefits.

Another study by The University of Vermont found that just 20 minutes of exercise a day can boost someone's mood for up to 12 hours. So next time you're feeling down, go for a 20 minute run or gym session and reap the rewards for the next 11 hours. It is a better solution than drinking alcohol or chasing artificial highs that come with crashes, right?

According to Wendy Suzuki, a professor of Neural Science and Psychology in the Center for Neural Science at New York University, simply moving your body, has immediate, long-lasting and protective benefits for your brain.

Regular Exercise May Keep Your Body 30 Years ‘Younger'

The muscles of older men and women who have exercised for decades are indistinguishable in many ways from those of healthy 25-year-olds, according to an uplifting new study of a group of active septuagenarians.

These men and women also had much higher aerobic capacities than most people their age, the study showed, making them biologically about 30 years younger than their chronological ages, the study's authors concluded.

Working Out Affects Our Memory

In a study done at the University of British Columbia, researchers found that regular aerobic exercise, the kind that gets your heart and your sweat glands pumping, appears to boost the size of the hippocampus, the brain area involved in verbal memory and learning.

According to Michelle Voss, a neuroscientist at the University of Iowa, described the findings as “intriguing.”

“The brain regions involved here are also the regions that are thought to play a big role in the deterioration of memory with ageing. […] It would be really exciting to see this type of experiment in older adults,” she said.

Exercise Slows the Aging Process

Exercise doesn't just make you feel younger—it may actually turn off the aging process in your chromosomes. It has to do with telomeres, the caps at the end of chromosomes that control aging. Telomeres become shorter as you get older, and longer telomeres are associated with longevity. Recent studies have found a link between regular exercise and the lengthening of the telomeres, suggesting that exercise can slow the clock so you live longer. “Though exercise won't guarantee you a long life, it can greatly improve your odds,” says Frisch.

It May Lengthen Your Lifespan

Becoming active slashes death risk. The greatest longevity benefits were seen among individuals who had high physical activity levels at the start of the study and increased them even more with time.

Alexander Mok, a doctoral researcher at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom said that these highly active people were 42% less likely to die prematurely from any cause. Mok and colleagues conclude: “These results are encouraging, not least for middle-aged and older adults with existing cardiovascular disease and cancer, who can still gain substantial longevity benefits by becoming more active, lending further support to the broad public health benefits of physical activity.”

He also added that it is never too late to start exercising, as becoming more active may lengthen lifespan “regardless of past activity levels.”

Exercise Relieves Stress

A long outdoor run in the forest or scenic hike can distract you from anxiety and worries. But there may be a physiological reason exercise lowers stress levels.

According to studies, the endorphin release prompted by a workout has a relaxing effect and reduces anxiety. Also, more meditative forms of exercise, such as yoga or Tai Chi, encourage mindfulness along with moving your body. Staying in the moment so you focus on your breathing and heart rate make it a lot harder to mentally freak out about a stressful work project or that fight you had last night with a friend.

Exercise Boosts Your Mood

You've heard of runner's high, and that blissful mood boost can happen during any sweat-inducing cardio workout. It seems to come down to endorphins: the body chemicals your system cranks out when you're active.

“Endorphins are like natural opiates,” says Eric Sternlicht, PhD, associate professor of kinesiology at Chapman University.

Some evidence shows that gym sessions can trigger changes in other neurotransmitters linked to pleasurable feelings, such as dopamine. And the confidence kick you get helps you feel happier too.

The 5 Most Effective Exercises for Weight Loss and Fitness

Now that you're motivated to start on your work out plan, it is now the time to put things in action. Here are the most popular exercises for weight loss. Find what suits your schedule and work on it.

High Intensity Interval Training

To max out the benefits of your workout, intensity is the key. HIIT i.e. High Intensity Interval Training involves short intervals of exercise at almost your maximum effort, followed by longer recovery periods. The secret to HIIT is in how hard you work during your intense intervals. The result? Your body's fat-burning potential shoots up and the pounds melt away. High-intensity exercise increases the release of growth hormones, which mobilize fat to be used as fuel.

So your 20-minute workout ends up burning more calories throughout the day than a long, easy jog around the block. Robin, instructor at Soul to Sole Academy suggests, “HIIT forces your muscles to work harder, burn more fuel, perform better. It's a smart strategy to help you lose weight fast.”

Strength Training

It's a misconception that doing weights bulks you up, it in fact also helps you slim down and revs up your metabolism permanently. So head to the  weight room, and when you feel like quitting, ask yourself why you started. The secret to shedding pounds is actually to build muscles. Go on, workout with weights. Another option is circuit training, which involves moving quickly from one exercise to the next, and burns 30% more calories than a typical weight workout. It blasts fat and sculpts muscle, burning up to 10 calories a minute.

Walking

Did you know that if you include 30 minutes of brisk walking to your daily routine you could burn about 150 calories a day? When you want to shed serious weight, walking doesn't even cross your mind. Well, it should. Walking is the easiest weight loss exercise, and low intensity of course. If you're a beginner, start by walking 3 days per week for at least 20 minutes and then gradually increase the frequency and duration of your walks until you are walking 30-60 minutes per day and six times a week. Now put on your walking shoes, turn on the music and walk off your weight.

Zumba

If the gym isn't your thing, then just dance! Zumba is a feel-good way to improve your fitness and an effective way of incorporating exercise into your daily routine. Zumba is all about loosening up and burning calories. No wonder, it has been found to help relieve stress, increase energy and improve strength. It incorporates vigourous exercise and high intensity movement which helps sculpt the body.

Sanaa, the founder of Sole to Soul Academy remarks, “Shake, shake, shrink- that's our motto. Before you know it, you'll be losing tons of calories  and yet, your energy levels will be soaring! In the midst of squats, twists, multiple dance routines and upbeat music, you'll actually have fun.”

Swimming

Swimming workouts burn fat, trim inches and help you get stronger, fitter and healthier than ever. Swimming vigorously can burn up to 500-700 calories an hour, whether you do a breaststroke or freestyle. It's a highly effective form of exercise for weight loss and toning. Swimming engages all of the major muscle groups, from your abdominals and back muscles to your arms, legs, hips and glutes. It can be your sole form of fitness but can effectively compliment other exercises like walking and running as well.

The Workout Plan

We can agree that indeed, exercise is easier said than done. That eager spirit on your first day or second day to achieve your ‘body goals' might not be there on the next day. Here comes the part that you need to put your hearts in. It is important to stay motivated until it becomes your habit, you should not just think for the short-term. Your ultimate goal should be to exercise for your life. Without a workout plan, your attempt to your fitness journey might not be successful; therefore it is important to have one. Also getting in shape is a lot easier if you have a guide.

Creating a program that suits your body type, lifestyle and schedule is essential. According to Brad Schoenfeld, an assistant professor of exercise science and director of the Human Performance Laboratory at Lehman College in New York, “If you're walking around the gym unsure of what to do, then chances are you won't get the most of out of your time there.”

Those who fail to plan, plan to fail, said Dr. Schoenfeld, paraphrasing a famous quote.

Most people dread the thought of workout. But if you find something that you find enjoyable while doing your exercise then it is highly probable that you you'll love working out and quitting will never be an option. Research suggests it's more likely to last. “We know that when people do activities that they enjoy, they're more likely to stick with them,” said Ms. Johnson of the Mayo Clinic.

Some ideas that you may find enjoyable are the following: trying out the 7-Minute Workout, joining a running club, signing up for CrossFit, playing a team sport you enjoyed as a child, or participating in Zumba.

The ok routine you keep is far better than the perfect routine you give up on.

Whatever reason you have in your mind on why you want to start a fitness routine, what is important is the determination and consistency because the benefits are for long term. Study suggests that 10 years after an exercise, benefits persist. Your body will thank you for what you are doing right now.

We may, in part, be building a physiological reserve, Dr. Kraus says. Raise aerobic capacity or improve insulin sensitivity with exercise, and even as those measures decline later with inactivity and age, we will be better off than if we had never worked out.