Why is exercise important?

Regardless of how cleanly you eat, no healthy lifestyle is complete without exercise. Moving your body every day and finding time within your week for dedicated workouts or low-intensity exercise is essential for your energy levels and many of your body’s processes.

Why is exercise important?

• It helps with fat loss and muscle gain: Countless studies have proven the beneficial effects of combining high-intensity aerobic exercise (like HIIT) with resistance training. These two types of exercise maximise fat loss while maintaining muscle mass, which is essential for a healthy and strong life, even after your weight loss journey.
• It boosts energy levels: It’s been shown that regular exercise reduces feelings of fatigue and increases energy levels. If you feel like lying down on the couch and ‘relaxing’ after a tiring day, just be aware that even a short amount of activity will revitalise your body by delivering some much needed oxygen and energy-producing nutrients to your muscles.
• It reduces your risk of chronic illnesses: Physical inactivity can lead to a multitude of chronic diseases, so whatever kind of exercise you decide to try is sure to put you in good stead for the future. Studies have shown that exercise improves cardiovascular fitness and insulin sensitivity, and decreases blood pressure, to name a few benefits.
• It reduces your appetite and junk-food temptations: It might surprise you to learn that exercise can actually curb your hunger, not increase it. Physical movement stabilises blood sugars by using stored calories in the form of glucose and fat, which then helps reduce the frequency and severity of hunger sensations. Many people also find that daily exercise leads them to make better food choices throughout the day: you’ll surely be less likely to choose junk food after putting in some effort to a good workout beforehand.
• It improves your mental health and sleep: One of the treatments doctors recommend most to alleviate symptoms of mental health illnesses is exercise and for good reason. Physical activity stimulates the release of chemicals in the brain that regulate anxiety and stress while flooding your body with happy endorphin hormones. Exercise has also been proven to aid with good sleep and reduce feelings of depression by increasing the brain’s sensitivity to the hormones norepinephrine and serotonin.

Regardless of whether you’re already a fitness fanatic, or if you’re just starting out, there are ways to exercise that suit everybody. From low-impact workouts on the floor at home to swimming, taking long runs, or joining Pilates classes, you’re sure to find something you can get passionate about.

The Fast 800 Programme offers a wide range of fun exercise classes to try out, guided by our dedicated team of trainers. To help keep you motivated in a new fitness routine, we often host Exercise Challenges for our community.

Coming up for members of The Fast 800 in this new year is our 5-day challenge designed to reignite your love for movement. You’ll receive brand new workouts every day, motivation from your health coach team, and community support from others just like you. All you need to do is bring yourself and a water bottle, and we’ll see you on the exercise mat!