Health & Fitness Facts

We all know we’re supposed to maintain a healthy lifestyle. From eating correctly and drinking two litres of water a day, to being active and exercising on a regular basis. A lot of the time, the aspects that keep us from living an exemplary life are somewhat warranted. Busy schedules are a major stumbling block. Where does one possibly find the time? Another hindrance is food. We all love food, and, in most cases, the truly delicious food is unhealthy and fattening. 

Life is short and very busy most of the time, and so, you’re not alone in just wanting to have an enjoyable time while living it. Unfortunately, to most people, eating healthily and exercising regularly doesn’t seem like much fun. 

The truth is, exercising and eating healthily can, in actual fact, be highly enjoyable. It can also be a bonding experience. A healthy meal plan will force one to cook, which can be a very social activity. Have you ever tried to switch off the outside world and cook a meal from start to finish with your loved one? Do it for a week straight and you’ll find that it affects your overall happiness and connection with that person in a very positive way. Ever heard of runner’s high? It’s a feeling of euphoria and lessened anxiety that one experiences through intense exercise. 

Considering this, let’s look at some health and fitness facts that will hopefully inspire you to make the change and get healthy. 

Quick facts: 

- One needs to burn around 3,500 calories to lose 1 pound of fat. To put this into perspective: A cyclist riding at medium effort level burns 650 calories per hour.

- The average human being can store around 500 grams of glycogen.

- A healthy eating plan isn’t more expensive than a fast food diet. Think of the health care costs you may face in the future.

- You should never make losing weight your priority above being healthy. Sometimes the two don’t always correspond.

- Even though a product may say “whole grain” on the packaging, it doesn’t mean that it’s healthy! Instead of focusing on the nutritional information, look at the ingredients.

- As opposed to focusing on dieting without relapse, focus on a healthy eating plan and reward yourself once a week with a cheat meal.

- Regular physical exercise can help you sleep better.

- According to the National Weight Control Registry, only 10% of people are successful through losing weight by dieting alone.

- The American Council on Exercise found that only 25% of adults are physically active.

- It just takes 10 minutes a day. Intense exercise for 600 seconds a say will up hour heart rate and maintain fitness.

- A terrific way of lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol is by doing an aerobic activity for 40 min, three times a week.

- A simple change to improve and maintain heart health? Start walking.

- Even just a little physical activity every week is better than none.

- Most people are safe doing physical exercise that requires moderate effort.

- The human body has more than 650 muscles.

In-depth facts about fitness

Regular exercise eliminates stress

Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise, says that regular exercise produces a relaxation response that serves as a highly positive distraction from the pressures that come with everyday life. What it does is release endorphins, which are “stress killers” and help you to sleep better.  

It also improves your mood. A good exercise session can leave you with a sense of accomplishment and a feeling of optimism. It’s basically meditation in motion and can help to lower anxiety. 

Aerobic exercise may prevent dementia

According to the British Journal of Sports medicine, aerobic exercise increases hippocampal (the organ in our brain that is associated with memory) volume in older women with probable mild cognitive impairment. They have found that exercise is indeed a promising strategy for combating cognitive decline by improving brain structure and function. 

This was found by assigning 86 random elderly women with probable MCI to a six-month, weekly exercise plan. 

What is MCI?

Mild cognitive impairment - the stage between the expected cognitive decline of normal aging and the more serious decline of dementia. 

So, there you have it, some health and fitness facts that’ll hopefully inspire you to pursue a more active lifestyle. At Digme Fitness, we help you set your sights high, to help you achieve more than you ever expected. Our mix of fantastic workouts offer something to everyone. Don’t wait, make the change today.