Let’s face it, for many of us gyms closing as part of this year’s Covid-19 restrictions has led to our fitness discipline slipping a bit. But a Scottish-based online gym is ready to get you back on track to achieve your goals.
With a focus on health and wellbeing, the GO Gym team knows that exercise doesn’t just make you look good but you feel better too.
They have worked with people of all ages and abilities – including people with chronic illnesses such as cancer, diabetes and fibromyalgia – the results have highlighted the positive impact of exercise.
Although the benefits are too many to count – including improving your overall appearance, keeping you focussed, burning more calories at rest as well as reducing risk of injury – the GO Gym team has created this list of five that you are likely to see as you get fitter:
Improved sleep
This might seem counter-intuitive when you are trying to get moving, but the fact is that a consistent exercise routine can help improve the quality of your sleep.
Our body uses the time we are unconscious to recharge and heal, so getting a good sleep is key for maintaining good health. This is particularly useful for people with conditions such as cancer, diabetes, fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis, as well as helping with mental health.
Keeping blood pressure under control
High blood pressure can be a contributing factor in a number of serious, and sometimes deadly, illnesses including issues like heart disease. It also creates complications for people with diabetes.
Exercise strengthens the heart, allowing it to pump blood around our bodies with less effort and therefore with lower pressure.
Helping with joints and flexibility
If you have conditions like MS or fibromyalgia, some days you can face a lot of pain, particularly in your joints and muscles. While you may not be able to exercise much on these days, an exercise plan for the pain-free/lower pain days can help reduce the intensity of the pain when it comes by easing muscle and joint stiffness.
The weight loss that can come with exercise can also lessen the impact on joints such as hips and knees.
Improving your mood
Physical benefits aside, exercise can make you feel better. The NHS cites exercise as good for people with mild to moderate depression for precisely this reason and mental health charity mind explains that the exercise releases “feel good” hormones.
Exercise can often give you something to focus on that isn’t the stresses and worries of life – counting reps, following an instructor or taking in your surroundings can be a welcome distraction.
Making you stronger
This one might seem a bit odd or obvious, but the reasons might not. As you exercise you gain strength in different parts of your body. This can help you recover from illnesses or injuries quicker (or not suffer from them as severely), prevent falls and even help avoid bone fractures and breaks.
For people with chronic illnesses, this can help them avoid long periods of inactivity due to prolonged injuries.
Whether you have a chronic illness or not, the evidence shows that exercise can have a number of positive effects on a person’s body and mind.
To kick-start your fitness journey, visit GO Gym to learn about the different membership packages or follow them on Facebook: @GoGymOfficial
