We've all had those days when you know you should work out, but you have absolutely no motivation to do so.
2016-07-02
It may encourage you to hear that exercise really is super good for you. There's a mountain of research backing up its many benefits.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend at least 2.5 hours of moderate cardio activity or 1.25 hours of vigorous cardio activity every week, plus two days of strength training.
You can work up to that goal by starting small, though.
To motivate you to get moving, here are 21 research-based benefits of exercise:
For women, including those taking antidepressants, exercise has been shown to increase sexual arousal.
People who exercise vigorously were found to also have higher levels of mood-boosting vitamin D — probably because they spend more time out in the sun.
Working out has been associated with a more effective cardiovascular system and a lower risk of heart disease. Even low-impact exercise like yoga has shown these effects.
Regular exercise has been found to increase immunity, though scientists aren't sure how this works yet. It could rid your airway of bacteria that lead to colds, or make your body produce more antibodies that fight sickness.
Staying fit is associated with a longer life. People who are active for seven hours a week are 40% less likely to die young than those who exercise for 30 minutes or less.
Being active is even associated with a reduced risk of some cancers. One-third of all cancers in the US are linked to diet and exercise, according to the American Cancer Society.
Exercise energizes you with endorphins right when you finish, and it's associated with long-term increases in happiness, too. Are you ready to start reaping these benefits?
Rebecca was an Executive Editor for Business Insider's news division, overseeing the Science, Speed news, Weekend news, LA news, Visual Features, and Voices of Color desks. She worked across teams to assign, coordinate, and edit breaking news, explainers, features, analysis, and investigations. She also developed guides, trainings, and coaching opportunities for the newsroom to get better every day.Rebecca started as a reporter on Tech Insider's science section in 2015, covering everything from solar energy and rocket launches to Zika, before moving to the news team during the summer of 2016 at the height of the presidential election and then running weekend coverage for 2 years. She's previously worked with the Politics, Military & Defense, and Video teams, and served as an editorial liaison with the product team that powers the CMS.She received her Master's degree from the Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program at New York University, as well as a BS in Biology and a BA in Journalism from the University of Minnesota. Rebecca has also written for Popular Science, Scientific American, Scienceline, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and the Minnesota Daily.ExpertiseBreaking news, legal analysis, criminal justice, police misconduct, public health, abortion, space, energy, visual features, extreme weather, White House history, voting rights, executive actionsPopular articlesJust don't call it 'climate change': What Republicans in Dallas can teach us about saving the planetWhat Buzz Aldrin was thinking when he left the moonHow the 25th Amendment works to remove a sitting presidentHurricane categories tell only part of the storyTRUMP'S FIRST 100 DAYS: Here's how they compare with Obama's, Bush's, and Clinton's
