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Everyone knows that regular exercise strengthens muscles and increases endurance. But your heart is also a muscle and benefits from physical activity. It prevents the onset of cardiovascular diseases and reduces symptoms in people with pre-existing heart problems.
Regular physical activity reduces triglycerides and helps increase HDL, the “good” cholesterol. The causes of weight loss also play a vital role in managing metabolic syndrome and lowering LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol). It also decreases the incidence of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension – risk factors for coronary heart disease, osteoporosis, and some types of cancer. Physical activity should be part of a healthy lifestyle free of smoking and a balanced diet.
Exercises benefit the body in many ways: they improve aerobic capacity (the body’s ability to absorb and use oxygen) and increase muscle strength. Both aerobic exercise and resistance training promote good physical condition and benefit the heart and health in general.
The types of exercise:
There are several types of exercises beneficial to the body. Aerobic exercise uses large muscle groups and strength; the heart and lungs work harder to meet the oxygen demand in the muscles. These activities involve repeated and regular movements at a pace intense enough to increase breathing and heart rate. Over time, the heart and other muscles absorb oxygen more efficiently and consume less energy. It improves cardiovascular capacity and reduces heart rate and resting blood pressure. Regular exercise also makes everyday tasks such as playing with children or unloading food from the vehicle less tiring—examples of aerobic exercise: include brisk walking, running, swimming, cycling, and cross-country skiing.
Resistance exercise like weight lifting helps build strength and muscle tone. It usually involves leggings, weights, and special equipment, but you can get a similar result using rubber belts or lifting heavy objects like books. Practicing two to three times a week increases strength and muscle strength. Choose from 8 to 10 different exercises for each muscle group and perform to initiate 8 to 15 repetitions.
As different food groups are part of a balanced diet, varied exercises are essential for a balanced physical activity program, especially if the goal is to lose weight.
Aerobic exercises are more beneficial for the heart because it increases aerobic capacity and calorie burning, which helps in weight loss. However, training increases lean body mass weight, increasing strength and balance, which facilitates the implementation of aerobic exercise.
