Most people now of days are concerned with their health and are interested in finding ways to stay fit.
This usually involves trying to reduce risk factors for major diseases and achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.
Fortunately, running is a great way to do both. All while working to increase your longevity.
Most people begin running to get in shape, feel better, and even look better.
Running is an excellent way to stay fit because it is a self-perpetuating cycle of continuous improvement.
Get Started
Once you start running, the benefits will naturally begin to have a positive influence on the quality of your life.
You’ll become increasingly stronger and have more energy throughout your day to get things done.
This will create momentum that will keep you motivated to stay on the road to healthy living.
Obesity, or weighing more than 20 percent of the ideal weight for your height, is a rampant problem in the West.
Obese people often become trapped in a cycle of unhealthy living and usually feel it’s just too hard to change.
Regardless of what has caused the excess weight, the impact will be the same.
Avoid The Risk Factors
An increased risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and other serious metabolic disorders.
However, the opposite is true as well. When you begin to run, you challenge your body to endure more strenuous activity.
By increasing your physical exertion levels, you are increasing the number of calories you will be burning every day.
When you burn more calories, you lose weight.
And when you lose weight, you are more likely to have higher energy levels because you are lighter, stronger and are more motivated to stay active.
Benefits Of Running
One of the most popular reasons people take up running is to lose weight and be healthier.
While that’s great, running has so many other health benefits that are not just physical but also mental.
Of course, running is not easy especially if you are carrying several extras pounds on your body.
Many obese people visualize runners as people who enjoy great health and slender physiques.
Don’t Give Up
But after only a few days of attempting to start a running routine, some lose interest because they are exhausted, they are not seeing any immediate results, and it’s hard.
But don’t give up too soon because running is a long term investment that is completely worth fighting for.
The results will come if you stick with it and stay committed.
You can lose weight through running if you follow a scheduled and consistent plan.
The weight will not magically disappear in a week or a month. So be patient because once you see results, it is much easier to stay with your fitness routine.
While weight loss is one of the most prominent reasons that people turn to running, it is not the only draw.
Decreasing one’s risk for diseases such as heart disease or diabetes is also a very important reason to begin running.
Get a Mighty Heart
The heart is a muscle that is strengthened with exercise like all other muscles of the body.
And when the heart is made stronger, it pumps blood more efficiently, thus reducing your risk for disease.
Another great benefit of running is increased aerobic capacity. This means your lungs are able to provide more oxygen to cells, muscles, and organs.
Basically, if you increase your oxygen uptake, you improve your performance.
In simple terms, you will be able to run without feeling like you’re dying.
Lets dive a little deeper into the amazing health benefits that running provides for your heart and lungs.
A stronger heart means an increased ability to move the blood forcefully through the blood vessels.
One of the causes of heart disease is the weakening and blockage of these vessels.
Running combined with healthy eating reduces your risk for plaque build-up in your arteries, which is a serious precursor to suffering a heart attack.
Take a Deep Breath
The lungs serve the purpose of supplying oxygen to the blood while expelling some toxins.
Like any muscle in the body, the lungs will perform better and more efficiently as they are exercised.
When you first begin running, you may experience shortness of breath or quickly feel exhausted.
This is partly because your lungs are not strong enough to meet the oxygen demands of your muscles.
As the lungs fall behind in their exchange of oxygen, your body’s blood is transporting less of it to the muscles.
When the muscles receive blood that is less oxygenated, they respond poorly.
The fitness that results from running affects the inside and the outside of the body.
Running can make you appear leaner, but it will also strengthen your lungs and heart.
You will make your heart and lungs stronger, which will, in turn, increase the general efficiency of your body.
You will shed unneeded pounds and your body will operate at an optimal level. Another great thing about running, it decreases anxiety, depression, and stress.
You’re Worth It!
As your health increases, your energy levels will rise.
You will feel and look younger, which will ultimately result in living a longer and happier life.
This is why running is a successful way to keep fit and achieve a healthy lifestyle.
In the beginning, it might be hard, but with perseverance, you can change your life for the better and become the best version of yourself.
