All of us want to get better at exercising, but nearly all of us hate doing it. We have this incredible fantasy of being in shape, running for miles, busting out pull-ups easily, and yet we constantly make excuses about why we can’t work out, me included. There is never enough time, we’re exhausted after school and work, we have homework and cooking to do, but in reality, we’re just a little bit lazy.

 

            It's understood that exercise is healthy, but that is such common knowledge that we hardly even pay attention to it. Exercise takes effort, so we need more than just, "it's good for you." I, being one of these people who needs some more motivation, will provide some information that could help you decide to work those muscles more.

 

            There are several types of exercise that one can do, including aerobic and strength-training. Strength-training, such as weightlifting or push-ups, obviously builds bigger muscles, but it also does much more than that. Building stronger muscles also gymnastics exercisesstrengthens your tendons and ligaments, increases bone density, and makes your energy supply more efficient so that it takes less energy to do things. Just by building muscle, you are also building your bones! These side effects of strength-training are very beneficial to the aging process as they keep us younger, healthier, and less likely to get diseases.

 

            Aerobic exercise is not my favorite type of exercise to do, but it could be the most important. Aerobic exercise doesn’t just keep us in better shape, it has benefits right down to our very cells! It increases the number of important parts of our cells that give us energy, so we have more energy in our bodies. It also increases our blood, oxygen, and sugar supply that is given to our precious skeletal cells, and no one wants to have weak bones. Just as important as our bones is our heart, and aerobic exercise does in fact increase the amount of oxygen that is given to our heart, protecting us from one of the most common diseases in the nation, which is heart disease. Aerobic exercise also strengthens our heart so that we can pump more blood throughout our bodies, which can lead to a longer and happier heart life.

 

            Children should get at least 60 minutes of aerobic exercise every single day, and it's obvious with how restless they are if they sit for more than thirty seconds. Why should adults, or even teenagers, be treated any differently? We have the potential to expend much more energy than we give ourselves credit for. It is now recommended that adults should get 60 minutes of exercise at least 6 days out of the week, and really, how could that harm us? The benefits of exercise go deep down in our bodies and do more than make our appearance better. Exercising has no negative side, and the more information you know about it, the more likely you are to do it! Learn a little more about the benefits, pick an exercise that you enjoy, and start making your muscles, bones, and heart happy!