May is National Fitness and Sports Month. Started by the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition in 1983, this advocacy month aims to encourage Americans to adopt healthy lifestyles.
May is not only National Fitness and Sports Month, but it’s also a great month to get moving!
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This month celebrates not only exercise and participation in sports, but also highlights the important benefits of physical activity, such as reducing the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and some types of cancer.
Exercise can also help reduce stress, improve mood, and strengthen your bones and muscles. With spring in full force and summer just around the corner, it’s a perfect time to get outside and explore your city.
The benefits of physical activity
Going for a walk or bike ride, trying rock climbing, or even swimming in a local pool are great ways to incorporate physical activity into your lifestyle. Find easily accessible parks or trails near you to get outside.
Enjoy a fun, safe and healthy summer by making physical activity a part of your daily routine.
Here is a list of some of the physical and mental health benefits that accrue from getting more physical activity:
Some of the specific health benefits of physical activity include:
- Keeps your mind off cigarettes if you are trying to quit smoking
- Helps control your appetite
- Helps you lose weight if you are overweight or maintain a healthy weight
- It gives you more energy and stamina
- lowers blood pressure
- Increases “good” HDL cholesterol
- Reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke
- Helps control blood sugar by improving the way the body uses insulin
Reducing stress and anxiety
The mental health benefits of regular physical activity can improve quality of life and relieve stress, tension, anxiety and depression.
You may notice a “feel good” feeling immediately after exercise, and you may also notice an improvement in your general well-being over time as physical activity becomes a regular part of your life.
This can be especially important as we transition into our earlier daily routine.
Physical activity can improve your mood and help you think more clearly, release stress, help calm you, improve the quality of your sleep, and help you feel better about your appearance.
The focus of today’s column is primarily on some of the benefits of becoming more physically active as adults so that they don’t overlook the same need for children.
Thanks to ODPHP for so much content provided for this column
Additional Resources
Everyone needs physical activity to stay healthy. But it can be hard to find time in your busy routine. The Move Your Way® tools from the US Department of Health’s Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) provide tips that make it easy to become more active.
Small changes can add up to big health benefits!
Access the following ODPHP resource for fact sheets as well as videos about the physical activity needs of adults as well as children and teens at: health.gov.
Physical activity can make your daily life better. Read the fact sheet about physical activity for adults at health.gov.
It’s important to get a mix of types of activities as you age. Read the fact sheet about different types of activities for seniors at health.gov.
Information about parks and recreation services in Lyon County can be accessed at:
cms.leoncountyfl.gov.
Mark A. Mahoney, Ph.D. He has been a registered dietitian/dietitian for over 35 years and completed his graduate studies in Nutrition and Public Health at Columbia University. He can be contacted at [email protected].
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