How Exercise Helps Every Part of Your Body

I don’t exercise regularly, but I try to work out at least once a week. I’ve noticed that on those days there is a dramatic improvement in my mood and my work. Tasks that would take me close to an hour to finish get done in half the time. I’m starting to think that exercise might be a great way to prepare for an important project or presentation as well.

Thanks for the comments. It is to true @Tara that any movement is better than none. Parking further away, taking a lunchtime stroll, taking stairs instead of an elevator or escalator - all of these count towards the recommended 10,000 steps a day which is what experts agree is needed to be healthy. @Catherine, I, too find yoga to be relaxing and stress reducing. Feels so good to be able to really stretch!

What role does goal-setting play in success where increasing physical activity is concerned? Does having a manageable goal to work toward increase the likelihood that someone will stick with their program once the initial excitement has worn off? I think it's important to recognize that making even small changes--parking the car farther away, or always taking the stairs at work--can have beneficial exercise benefits over time, especially if they become habit.

The exercise that I find to be the most relaxing and stress-reducing is yoga. Not only does yoga involve guided meditation and a focus on mindfulness, it also incorporates muscle strengthening, cardio, flexibility and conditioning. All people, whether you are a beginner or an expert athlete can benefit from yoga. It's changed my life.

Exercise really does reduce stress — I couldn't agree more. When I'm feeling anxious, a brisk walk helps me decompress. When I get back to my desk, I'm able to work much more efficiently. In the long term, of course, reducing my stress reduces my risk of heart attack and stroke, so it's a double effective strategy.

While I agree with most of the article, I have to say that it omits a key piece of advice: exercise doesn't have to be an event! I disagree with the idea that exercise means "making time" in your week. Exercise should be an organic experience. Integrate it into your life so it becomes a part of who you are. Walk and bike whenever you can. Don't drive unless you have to! Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Find an engaging hobby with a physical component. I think people are much less likely to give up on an active lifestyle if they get their exercise in an organic way.

Thanks for the comments. @Jacob it is tough to have a sedentary job. The way to combat it is to get up for at least a few minutes every hour. Walk around a bit. Stretch. Get a nice cold cup of water and you will go back to your desk and refreshed for the next period of time. @Lydia that's a great idea to walk during your lunch hour if you are in a place where you can do that. Any type of exercise is better than none. You just have to figure out what works for you. Some people use a balance ball as their "desk chair". Others use the standing desk concept. Find what works best for you.

Are there are particular exercises to help with maladies that are more common for office work? Things that help compensate for prolonged sitting, computer use, dreary lighting? Prior to my current position, I did not work in an office and find that being at my desk all day leaves me with a whole new brand of aches and pains.

This is a great article. Daily exercise is very important if you have a desk job whether you work from a home office or in a traditional office setting. On most days I eat lunch at my desk just so I can use most of my lunch hour walking. This doesn't just help to control my weight, it helps me to release stress and focus on the rest of the day.

Thanks for the comments. @William I am sure that there are statistics to show the savings when a company has all healthy workers. Exercise is so important in our daily lives. Keeps us fit, helps us to keep our weight in check, keeps blood pressure at good levels - and it's a win-win for both the employee and the employer. @Lorri so sorry to hear about your brush with death. So scary. Glad to see that you are on the mend and thanks for sharing your story to let everyone know the part that exercise takes in our lives.

What kind of statistics are there that show how much a worker's health saves a company money? Among lower insurance premiums, fewer sick days and higher productivity, employers should take exercise and nutrition into account when they create benefit packages for workers. So many businesses have gym memberships or gyms right at the workplace to help keep workers fit. Add in some gamification with prizes, and you've got an office fitness competition.

Exercise is so valuable. I wish more companies incentivized exercise with on-site gyms or similar amenities. The benefits would be considerable: happier employees, lower health-care costs and less employee turnover and absenteeism.

Exercise really does have benefits for every part of the body. I never realized how much, until I was unable to perform even the most meager amount of exercise. (I had a two-month stay on a ventilator and a serious brush with death.) I became depressed, anxious and the insomnia was unreal. With the help of a physical therapist, a strong will and of course the exercise, I was able to build myself back up. Now I'm relatively healthy, and not terribly physically impaired, but it's only due to the exercise. It helped to elevate my mood, which gave me the motivation to keep going, even if I could only walk 1/4 mile in 30 minutes at the time.

I completely agree that exercise is beneficial for your health and many parts of your body. However, it is not always as effective on problem areas. For example, many women who have had children struggle with the stomach area. I have tried countless exercise routines, workouts, programs, etc. and to no avail, that baby fat still exists.

@Abbey thanks for your comment and the questions. I don't think that there really is a magic number. Maybe getting 10000 steps in every day would be a good goal to strive for. I know it's tough for me to do that because my position is sedentary. But I would think that striving for that is about all you need - well, except for maybe a few sessions a week with some light weights. The bottom line is that each of us is different so we have to find the exercise routine that works for our health and lifestyle.

It's common knowledge that exercise is essential to overall health happiness. However, many people aren't sure what exercises to do and how often. Are there certain types of exercise that are more beneficial than others? Is there a magic number as far as how many minutes you should work out per week? It seems like every time I read something, the ideas are different. How do I sort through all of the various recommendations to do what's best for me?