FITNESS - Top 10 Reasons Why Gyming is Healthy

Article by sakshi bhalla

In times when people are more concerned about Facebook activity than physical activity, junk food chains and obesity seem to be ruling the game. So much so, that obesity by itself has been deemed an epidemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), killing nearly 2.8 million people every year (according to WHO). Initially considered to be limited to rich and well developed economies, it has now become just as rampant in the developing world too. Add to that, the increasingly mechanical lifestyles driven from one end to the other by technology. The increased campaigning for health, while it has enlightened a few, most stay out of its ambit. Keeping all of this in mind, we bring to you the Top 10 reasons Why Gyming is Good for Health, to motivate you to get off that couch you are so comfortably settled in, and achieve a good physical and mental shape (if not the John Abraham-esque physicality!).

10. Activity

It will not be wrong to say that we are a generation of couch potatoes who can happily go on flipping channels on the television and websites on the computer all day long. Add a can of coke and cheesy pizza, and some of us might just achieve nirvana. As fantastical as it may sound, a sedentary lifestyle is just grossly unhealthy, for your physical as well as mental well being. A nice session of gyming gives one a taste of the much needed activity during the day, making us move those muscles, we didn’t even know existed – all, to balance out the level of inactivity during the day. A given benefit is the increased blood circulation which enables healthy organ function and promotes growth of cell renewal – which will make you feel healthy too!

9. Strength

Gyming regularly, adds to muscle mass and strength, by subjecting them to closely controlled movement and activity, mostly targeting one muscle group at a time. It also goes on to add to muscle endurance. Muscle size increases too, due to Hypertrophic Adaptation (which is basically an increase in the size of the cell due to change in its environment, which here, happens due to movement of the said muscle). And as much as we would want it to be otherwise, this does remain the only (healthy) way to achieve that muscular look. Strong muscles not just make you look and feel better, but also give greater functional strength and more energy.

8. New Company

At any age or stage in life, we rarely ever tend to go out and meet new people and interact with them, unless they’re in some kind of professional association with us. Breaking this convention is gyming.  It makes you step out of the humdrum of your routine and leads you to interact with possibly like minded people who may be there for the same purpose as you are, which just goes on to make the whole process more engaging, more efficient and more fun. This further acts as a stress buster.

7. Healthy Cardiovascular System

From what medical experts predict, cardiovascular disorders, already on the rise with people as young as twenty five years of age succumbing to them, are set to increase manifold over the course of the next twenty years. Add to that, the very recently published research by a group of Swedish scientists suggests that being just four pounds (or 1.8 Kg) overweight can increase your heart risk by twenty percent – suggesting that it was never more important to hit the gym and start working out, full throttle. An increased heart rate (especially so, in the case of a cardiovascular workout, or just cardio) can lead to innumerable health benefits like better recovery ability, better hormonal profile etc. besides just a healthy heart. All this goes on to toss odds like obesity, blood pressure problems, increased cholesterol and sometimes even diabetes out of the window.

6. Metabolism

That you burn calories during a workout is common knowledge. But what’s better news is that you continue burning calories after a workout of moderate to high intensity, get this, without even trying. Here’s presenting the divine concept of the Afterburn. The rate of metabolism of the body increases by several times during a workout. And this stays till much after the workout itself. The best afterburn happens after a long, strenuous weight training workout (when compared to cardio). So you continue burning more calories even without really trying, with the effects sometimes lasting even overnight! Sounds like a good deal to make, doesn’t it?

5. Discipline

We find ourselves, too many times, putting things (like exercising, for example) off, being too laid back, lazing around, gorging and binging on whatever we may feel like etc. – all, instances of being undisciplined, sometimes, despite not even wanting to. The one stop cure to all this is regular exercise. Indulging in a regular activity, like gyming, induces self discipline and self control, reducing the chances of such behavior. So next time, you’ll be sure to be a little thoughtful about adding extra cheese on your pizza.

4. Smooth functioning body

Exercising is essential for overall health. This is a tenet that has reinforced itself on us time and time again. Think about our grandparents who come from a time when cars were few and far, when fun implied a good two-three hours of playtime outside, when the alternative to walking was cycling… And look how healthy they’ve been, going nice and strong at eighty years of age. It’s hard to go back to that time, but it’s relatively easier now to attain or at least work towards that level of health, with the easy access to gyms today. A little bit of effort today will go on to keep all those joints and muscles in place for when you grow old.

3. Weight loss

It is only when our body reaches a certain level of intensity during a workout, does the glycogen start getting oxidized. To put it in simpler, layman terms – you need to exercise for a given duration of time, nonstop, for the fat to get burned. And disappointing as it may be, this does not happen even if your job has you running up and down staircases or walking a lot, because of the lack of consistency and intensity. Enter gyming. It is where you focus single-mindedly on your workout for the period that you do workout for. Plus, with trainer, you have someone guiding your every move. And this is what actually helps.

2. Guilt Free Eating

How heart rending it is, to not add a little butter on top of the popcorn, to not eat that last slice of pizza, to not add cream to your coffee! And if you do, do any one of these things, then the guilt that takes over is absolutely insurmountable. The quick-fix to this is a regular gyming practice. Since you’ll be burning away most of what you’ll eat during the day (and possibly more),you will no longer have to feel sorry or guilty for that dash of chocolate syrup in your coffee, or butter on your popcorn, or extra cheese on the pizza, or…

1. Endorphins

This is the one, single reason behind our ability to perceive happiness, comfort, wellness and love. And, their production undergoes a boost when you exercise. Think about how great you felt, when you were younger and played in parks. ‘Runner’s High’ is one of the well known outcomes of a moderate to high intensity workout and is said to occur when the body is at the threshold of endorphin release. So, once out of gym, you are bound to feel stress free, relaxed, satisfied and remarkably happy with yourself. You start feeling fit too, even if it is just the first day of your workout, which just adds on to the endorphin magic!