Importance of Self-Care through Exercise

Taking care of your body exhibits self-love, self-care and overall physical as well as mental health. Exercising should be a priority for many reasons, such as maintaining a healthy body weight, avoiding certain illnesses such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, etc. According to fitness guru Massy Arias, exercise and fitness can even aid in improving lifestyle changes mentally, physically and spiritually. Her website along with her Instagram profile tell a riveting story about how depression and physical limitations led her to health and fitness.

She offers her expertise in the form of a program called the MA Warrior Challenge that provides meal plans and workouts to those interested in purchasing. The program focuses on forming healthy lifestyle choices through movement and nutrition. Ultimately, the program aims to build lean muscle mass and decrease body fat to achieve a healthy mind and body.

Amongst many other fitness/health endeavors on her profiles, Massy provides recipe ideas, motivational and empowering posts, fitness and nutrition events to attend, links to her fitness clothing line with Fabletics, progress updates with clients and workout videos. Overall, Massy Arias is a very motivational fitness enthusiast who is determined to inspire others through her shortcomings, quoting that “fitness saved her life” after she locked herself inside of her home for almost eight months due to depression.

According to health.gov, physical activity and exercise are the keys to improving the health of the citizens of the Nation. The Top 10 Things to Know About the Second Edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans is a great guide for health professionals and policy makers to recommend to citizens how to improve their health through exercise through evidence-based research. This guide aids in ways to help people understand the benefits of physical activity and how to incorporate it into their regular routine.

Some of the listed activities include the importance of physical activity from age 3 to 17. They recommend that preschool-aged children should remain active daily (preferably 3 hours a day) to enhance growth and development. Ages 6-17 should get at least an hour of moderate to vigorous exercise daily (such as running, walking, playing sports, etc.). For adults, the recommended exercise time is at least 150 to 300 minutes each week of aerobic activity such as brisk walking, fast dancing, etc. Additionally, adults should aim to strengthen their muscles by weight-lifting at least twice a week. The Physical Activity Guidelines also share scientific evidence regarding the health benefits associated with an active life compared to a sedentary one. A sedentary lifestyle has an increased risk for diseases such as high blood pressure and heart disease, whereas engaging in moderate to vigorous activity can offset these risks. Exercise and physical activity can also have more immediate health benefits such as lower anxiety and blood pressure levels, improved quality of sleep and insulin sensitivity.

Overall, physical activity and exercise can benefit all age groups. For youth, exercise can improve cognition, heart and bone health and reduce depression. For adults, exercise can prevent different types of cancer such as kidney, stomach, lung, breast and colon, reduces the risk of dementia, stroke, diabetes, depression, and improves overall quality of life. For older adults, physical activity can reduce the risk of injury after a fall. For pregnant women, it can reduce the risk of postpartum depression, and for all groups, exercise reduces excessive weight gain and helps people to maintain a healthy weight.

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References:

health.gov

The Second Edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans

https://health.gov/paguidelines/second-edition/pdf/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf