Fitness Awareness

 Fitness Awareness

Body image is a complex issue in a society where 68.3% of percent of Americans are overweight or obese (according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2008).
Remember, heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. It only takes 150 minutes walking every week to live a longer, happier life.

 Need another thing to get stressed out about? Your stress itself could be making you sick.

"Stress doesn't only make us feel awful emotionally," says Jay Winner, MD, author of Take the Stress Out of Your Life and director of the Stress Management Program for Sansum Clinic in Santa Barbara, Calif. "It can also exacerbate just about any health condition you can think of."

Studies have found many health problems related to stress. Stress seems to worsen or increase the risk of conditions like obesity, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, depression, gastrointestinal problems, and asthma.

Physical Activities

Being physically active can improve your health — today, tomorrow, and in the future. However, most people do not do enough physical activity. People of all types, shapes, sizes, and abilities can benefit from being physically active. The more you do, the greater the health benefits and the better you'll feel. The information and tips below can help you learn ways to add physical activity to your life.

Positive Emotional Effects of Physical Activities

Have you ever noticed that you feel great after going for a run? Do you love working out or playing sports on a regular basis? It turns out that you are not alone, and that exercise may have a big effect on mood and mental well-being. While it might be no surprise that exercise can improve your mood, a good deal of scientific research has been conducted to discover the possible reasons for this.

Some researchers argue that exercise may act as a diversion from negative thoughts, and the mastery of a new skill may be important. There is evidence to indicate that social contact between people who are working out or involved in sports may be an important source of satisfaction as well. Still others think that physical activity causes the brain to release chemicals called endorphins that cause one to feel good after exercising. Most of the researchers looking at exercise and mood compared groups of people who were exercising to those who were not. They then looked to see if those who were exercising felt better in the short term. Some researchers compared exercising to treatments for depression such as antidepressant medications or cognitive-behavioral therapy. The vast majority of studies have shown that there is a significant association between exercise and improved well-being. It has proved more difficult, however, to show that exercise directly causes mental well-being; people who are happier, after all, may simply be more inclined to exercise.

Have you ever noticed that you feel great after going for a run? Do you love working out or playing sports on a regular basis? It turns out that you are not alone, and that exercise may have a big effect on mood and mental well-being. While it might be no surprise that exercise can improve your mood, a good deal of scientific research has been conducted to discover the possible reasons for this.

Some researchers argue that exercise may act as a diversion from negative thoughts, and the mastery of a new skill may be important. There is evidence to indicate that social contact between people who are working out or involved in sports may be an important source of satisfaction as well. Still others think that physical activity causes the brain to release chemicals called endorphins that cause one to feel good after exercising. Most of the researchers looking at exercise and mood compared groups of people who were exercising to those who were not. They then looked to see if those who were exercising felt better in the short term. Some researchers compared exercising to treatments for depression such as antidepressant medications or cognitive-behavioral therapy. The vast majority of studies have shown that there is a significant association between exercise and improved well-being. It has proved more difficult, however, to show that exercise directly causes mental well-being; people who are happier, after all, may simply be more inclined to exercise.

Sources:

https://sites.google.com/site/kaiserwellnesscenter/home/fitness-awareness

http://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/features/10-fixable-stress-related-health-problems

http://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/science-of-happiness/exercise