There are countless health benefits of exercising regularly and maintaining a nutritious diet. These include improved emotional state, better cognition, and fit physique. Frequent workouts and a well-balanced diet are also attributed to increasing your lifespan.
The importance of Working Out Four Days a Week:
Any amount of movement is a positive initiative, which helps towards improving your overall wellbeing. However, according to research published in The Journal of Physiology, exercising four times a week is the optimum amount of activity to maintain a healthy heart.
The study divided 102 people above the age of 60, who have had a physically active lifestyle, into different groups according to how often they exercised. These groups included participants, who exercised less than two days, two to three times, four to five times, and six to seven days weekly.
The research concluded that working out two to three days a week is sufficient to curtail the arteries’ stiffening. However, exercising four to five a week kept the blood vessels young, reducing the risk of heart diseases.
Unfortunately, according to a survey, only one in twelve Britons managed to do at least one 30-minute workout a day. To achieve your health and fitness goals, you need to work out for an optimum number of days.
Exercising a minimum of thrice a week can help you reach your targets in a reasonable amount of time. However, four days a week is ideal since it motivates your body to evolve by responding to a stimulus. When your body tries to surpass the physical baseline stimulus, it adapts to become healthier, leaner, and stronger.
Finally, it is imperative to tailor your fitness plan according to your body and your health objectives. Since everyone has a different metabolic rate, each person responds differently to a specific workout. If you do what is best suited for your body, you will have a more productive exercise regime.
Following are the advantages of eating healthy and working out four times a week
Weight Loss
The most reliable and effective way to lose weight is to exercise and eat a well-balanced diet. Regular training increases your metabolic rate, which causes your body to burn calories more effectively. Meanwhile, if you replace processed, sugary foods with fruits, nuts, and vegetables in your diet, you will reduce your calorie intake. Consequently, your body will burn more calories than ingesting every day, resulting in weight loss.
You may be motivated towards shedding weight the right way without any fad diets or shortcuts. In that case, you need professional guidance from fitness experts such as the competent coaches of Castle Gym Nottingham. They can devise a specialized workout and eating routine that can help you achieve your ideal weight.
Reduced Risk of Heart Diseases
There are various factors at play regarding your heart health, but exercise and diet are the primary ones. Being physically active boosts the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or “good” cholesterol and reduces the unhealthy triglycerides in your bloodstream. As a result, your blood flows smoothly, decreasing the risk of heart diseases.
Furthermore, a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes can control hypertension. Omitting trans fats found in fatty meats and full-fat dairy products can also reduce the levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad” cholesterol. High LDLs can lead to a buildup within the blood vessel walls, causing a stroke or a heart attack.
Boosts Brain Health and Memory
Exercise is not only beneficial for your physical wellbeing but also your mental health. It enhances your brain function and protects your memory.
Strenuous activities increase your heart rate, thereby promoting the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain. Consequently, it improves your thinking skills and makes you more alert. Even ten minutes of a brisk walk can be advantageous for your mental health.
Moreover, working out can also reduce the risk of cognitive decline as you get older. It causes the hippocampus, part of the brain responsible for memory and learning, to grow in size, thus, improving older people’s intellectual function.
A healthy diet can also help maintain short- and long-term brain function. According to research, oily fish with omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidant-rich berries, and vitamin and minerals from nuts and green vegetables inhibits cognitive decline and dementia.
Enhances Sleep Quality
Frequent physical activity can improve your sleep quality significantly. It helps you relax and fall asleep faster, so you do not waste any time tossing around in bed. Moreover, you can also enjoy a deeper, uninterrupted sleep as long as you do not work out too close to bedtime.
Swimming is a great activity to reduce stress and help you unwind, which encourages better sleep. Therefore, choose a gym that offers swimming facilities, such as the David Lloyd Gym Nottingham, if you struggle with sleeplessness at night.
Moreover, a diet high in processed carbohydrates, sugar, and saturated fats can cause interrupted slumber, leaving you feeling tired and mentally drained in the morning. Excessive consumption of alcohol and caffeine, especially in the evening, can also harm your sleep quality.
On the other hand, plants, food groups rich in unsaturated fats such as fish, avocadoes, and nuts are excellent for a sound sleep. Moreover, a plant-based diet enriched with fiber is also beneficial for restful sleep.
Better Mood
Working out helps improve your mood by releasing endorphins that make you feel happier. Moreover, exercise promotes brain sensitivity to neurotransmitters and hormones, including dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. These chemicals create a positive emotional state and repress feelings of depression. Physical activity also encourages relaxation and reduces anxiety.
Similarly, a nutritious diet makes you feel more energetic as your body is receiving all the nutrients to function correctly. Therefore, you also experience a lift in your mood since you can achieve your daily goals without feeling lethargic. On the contrary, refined carbohydrates found in white bread and soft drinks can trigger dementia symptoms and fatigue.
Final thoughts
There are numerous advantages of eating healthy and working out for an optimal amount of time every week. The combined effort improves your heart and brain health and helps you sleep better at night. It also allows you to lose weight and promotes a good mood.