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Benefits of Regular Exercise
WHAT IS FITNESS? Fitness is more than just physical fitness and exercise. Total
fitness incorporates the "whole" person being physically, mentally, socially, and
emotionally fit.
PHYSICAL FITNESS: being physically fit implies that your muscles, skeletal
system, heart, and lungs work together efficiently so that you are able to do the most
amount of physical activity with the least amount of effort.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF EXERCISE?
1. Exercise builds lean muscle mass. Larger muscles burn more calories than smaller muscles. This means
more fat will be burned. It also means that you can eat more without gaining weight.
2. Moderate exercise can decrease your appetite. Studies have shown us that light exercise increases
appetite while heavy exercise decrease appetite initially, but within a short time appetite will increase.
Moderate activity is therefore best, because it lowers appetite and decreases your desire to overeat.
3. Exercise helps to reduce stress and depression both of which are common causes of overeating. While
exercising, non-threatening and non-stressfully, endorphins are released which make you fell better.
These natural chemicals diminish depression and relieve stress.
4. Exercise reduces your risk of heart disease. This benefit is increased when the individual eats a low fat,
high complex carbohydrate diet high in magnesium.
5. Regular exercise reduces blood pressure. It also helps when the individual eats a low fat, high complex
carbohydrate diet high in fiber and magnesium.
6. Exercising regularly increases HDL-Cholesterol (the good cholesterol) and diminishes LDLCholesterol (the bad cholesterol). The benefit is increased when in addition to exercise you eat a low
fat, high complex carbohydrate diet high in magnesium.
7. Exercise reduces the risk of diabetes by increasing the use of sugar in a healthy and productive way. It
also helps because weight is lost and muscle mass is increased. Its benefits are most pronounced when
associated with healthy eating.
8. As we exercise regularly, the heart muscle becomes stronger hence it pumps better and more blood is
pumped with each beat of the heart muscle. This means the heart does not have to work so hard and
hence becomes healthier.
9. Regular exercise will decrease your risk of osteoporosis in women. Exercise strengthens bones making
them less likely to break.
10. Exercise can help you sleep better.
11. Regular exercise helps to keep the bowels operating on a regular basis.
12. It also helps to improve circulation and function of weight bearing joints.
13. It can help us to feel fit and it improves the function of the immune system. Therefore, regular exercise
can help to decrease the risk of many different illnesses.
14. You not only feel better but you look better which increases our self-image and self-esteem.
6th Grade PE 101
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Benefits of Regular Physical Activity
In a small group, use the “Benefits of Regular Exercise” homework article and your own
expertise to label this diagram. You want to label and describe the benefits of regular exercise
on the body. Be creative. Be short, yet concise, in your descriptions.
What is the biggest obstacle in your life right now that stands in your way from participating in
regular physical activity?
6th Grade PE 101
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What change can you make in your life to help overcome that obstacle to ensure you
participate in regular physical activity?
Source: http://www.arthursclipart.org/medical/humanbody/organs.gif
6th Grade PE 101
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Benefits of Regular Exercise Questions
Directions: Use the article “Benefits of Regular Exercise” to answer these questions. Answer in COMPLETE
SENTENCES and follow all directions.
1. What is the biggest obstacle in your life right now that stands in your way from participating in regular physical
activity?
2. What change can you make in your life to help overcome that obstacle to ensure you participate in regular physical
activity?
3. In the article, there are 14 Benefits of Regular Exercise. Which 2 do you think are the MOST important and
why? Use 1 sentence for each.
4. Which 2 Benefits do you think are the LEAST important and why? Use 1 sentence for each.
5. Of all the Benefits listed, which one are you the most confident you will maintain for the rest of your life and
why? Answer in complete sentences.
6th Grade PE 101
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