Regular exercise is one of the best things you can do to lose weight, improve your mood, and sleep better. Many people find it easier to meet their workout goals at the gym, a facility where they can use specialized equipment and have the support of other members.
Weight Loss
Most people think of working out at the gym when it comes to weight loss. It’s a great way to burn calories and build muscle, but there are other reasons. For one thing, the gym provides a place to meet like-minded people. When you workout with a friend or partner, it can motivate you to continue going to the gym.
Plus, exercise is a natural mood booster, which can help you overcome depression, anxiety, stress, and other mental health issues. It also improves sleep and increases concentration, making focusing on work or school easier. When you’re feeling good, you’ll have a better outlook on life and be more likely to take care of your body. These intangible benefits contribute to the value of a gym membership and could help you live longer.
Cardiovascular Health
Cardiovascular health relates to the heart and blood vessels that move oxygen-rich blood around your body. It encompasses conditions like coronary heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and elevated cholesterol. While some heart and blood vessel diseases may be inherited, many can be prevented by leading a healthy lifestyle, such as exercising regularly.
Visiting your local gym often offers you access to a variety of different exercise machines and programs to support your cardiovascular fitness goals. Some gyms in San Jose even host a variety of classes like spinning, yoga, and CrossFit. These can be hugely motivating and help you build a supportive community.
While going to the gym is often associated with many people sweating, talking on their phones, and occasionally chopping you up with their oversized earphones, it’s essential to know that there are plenty of benefits of working out at a fitness center beyond just social distancing.
Muscle Tone
Many people go to the gym with the hope of toning their muscles. While getting lean may be an outcome of this, the more likely benefit is the strengthening and building of larger and more defined muscle tissue. Muscle tone is the passive partial contraction of skeletal muscles and is regulated by the central nervous system (CNS). It is measured using EMG and includes a component that results from the activation of motor units and is detectable via electromyography. It is also a component that can’t be detected by EMG and is passive and viscoelastic. Children with hypertonia often present as stiff in all or one limb and have difficulty relaxing their muscles, leading to joint, posture, balance, and orthopedic concerns. Regular gym visits help to improve muscle tone and are essential for maintaining a balanced body.
Strengthening
The huffing and puffing from all that cardio can improve your lung capacity, allowing more oxygen into your body. The more oxygen you have in your bloodstream, the more energy you will feel throughout the day. All exercise boosts your metabolism, which helps you burn calories even when you’re at rest. However, muscle-strengthening exercises also have an extra benefit: They help you preserve or build muscle mass, which is important for bone and joint health, especially as you age.
The HHS physical activity guidelines recommend that adults complete two total-body strength workouts per week and 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity. Regular visits can keep you motivated and closer to your fitness goals, whether you take advantage of your gym’s classes or stick with the cardio equipment.
Flexibility
Flexibility refers to the ability of a joint or group of joints to move through an unrestricted, pain-free range of motion. Flexibility varies from person to person and can be increased by exercise, particularly stretching.
Although the flexibility component of fitness has been included in some national health-related fitness test batteries, relationships between flexibility and specific health outcomes have yet to be as clearly established as with other fitness components, such as cardiovascular endurance. Some studies have shown that more flexible people are less likely to experience back pain, report lower levels of depression and anxiety, and have improved balance.
Stress Relief
If you want to keep your body healthy and ward off diseases like diabetes, cancer, arthritis, and heart disease, exercise is the key. But did you know that exercising regularly can also boost your mental health?
When stressed, your body reacts with physical symptoms like a tightening chest and pounding pulse. These symptoms can cause more stress, creating a vicious cycle between your mind and body. But, regular exercise can increase your tolerance to mental discomfort, lessen the effects of stressful situations, and help you feel calm.
Working out also tires out your body, making getting a good night’s sleep easier, which helps you focus and think more clearly. And the socializing that happens when you go to the gym—meeting friends, hanging out with co-workers, and taking classes—can also boost your mood. That, in turn, can help you be more effective at work or school.
