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Exercise to Speed Up Weight Loss

What other health benefits will I gain from exercising regularly?

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Regular physical activity produces numerous health benefits other than just weight loss. These include:

• Improved mood and feelings of well-being. Exercise triggers the release of endorphins in the body; these are hormones that give us a natural 'high'. Feeling positive makes it much easier to stick to a weight loss program even on the bad days when you don't seem to be making much progress.
• A reduced risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, heart disease, osteoporosis and arthritis. Exercise also helps build stronger bones, joints and muscles.
• An increase in perceived energy levels. Having more get-up-and-go on a day-to-day basis will make the task of fitting exercise into a busy schedule a lot less daunting.
• Improved flexibility and balance, which also helps improve your posture. A better posture will instantly make you look taller and slimmer.

Exercise is particularly important in that once it becomes a habit (which happens a lot more easily than you may think!) it helps in maintaining a balanced long-term weight. Remember to think of exercise in terms of its health benefits as well as its effectiveness in burning calories. Take heart from the fact that even if you don't seem to be losing weight quickly, every 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity does your body a huge favour.