For those considering starting exercise, try looking beyond weight loss for motivation. No matter how much you weigh, there are always benefits to exercise.
Exercise changes how much fat we have as a ratio to how much lean muscle tissue we have, but this doesn’t always cause big changes on the scales.
Here are five ways exercise improves our health, no matter how much we weigh.
1. Better Cardiorespiratory Fitness
Cardiorespiratory fitness is a measure of how far and hard you can run without needing to stop, or how many stairs you can climb without being out of breath. Running for longer, or climbing more stairs, means you have a higher absolute cardiorespiratory fitness, which cannot be improved with weight loss alone.
Having a high body mass index (BMI) may reduce the absolute intensity you can exercise but it doesn’t mean it is less effective.
You may be able to jog between every third lamppost, for example, but not run consistently for 1 kilometer. While it may seem the periodic jogging is not as impressive, it’s all relative to your baseline and any exercise is better than none.
2. Lowered Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke
Exercise reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke, even in those with a chronic disease such as diabetes, irrespective of body fatness.
3. Reducing the ‘Bad’ Fat
Exercise improves our body’s ability to use energy. We store large amounts of energy as fat, which is quite hard to break down, as it costs a lot of oxygen compared to “cheaper” fuels for the body to use like glucose.
4. Mental Health Benefits
Research has consistently shown that people who exercise (regardless of body size and shape) have better mental health and lower levels of stress, depression, and emotional problems.
It does this via blood flow to the brain, increased release of endorphins that make us feel happy, and by helping to moderate the brain’s response to stress.
5. Preventing Weight Gain
While exercise may not help us lose a lot of weight on the scales, it’s a good way to keep weight off and prevent weight regain.
Regular exercise continues to encourage the body to use stored fuels and remodel tissues (such as muscle) to grow healthier and stronger.