PERRY BUCHANAN: Thankful for the benefits of fitness

In case you haven’t noticed, the holiday season is here and along with it comes “weight gain season” since we all have ample opportunities to over-indulge during this time. This is also the time of year when our exercise programs get off track and we start pushing our fitness goals into the New Year. Losing weight is certainly a benefit that can be obtained through exercise, but it is just one of many benefits. When you start having trouble sticking with your workouts and motivation is lacking, keep in mind the many other health benefits you can achieve with exercise.

Open any magazine or spend a few minutes watching TV and you’re likely to learn of a new drug created to treat one of dozens of chronic diseases. They all have their own special acronym and seem to be talking directly to you. But research suggests that another form of medicine is highly effective at preventing chronic disease. That “medicine” is exercise. The following are just a few of the countless payoffs of exercise.

Aging and quality of life: A 15-year Harvard study on 13,535 women found that if women were active at midlife, their odds for exceptional health at age 70 was significantly better. Another study showed that the higher exercise group had half as many cases of bone fractures. This is very encouraging, as falls are a major concern as we age, especially among older women. I’m fortunate to be able to observe first-hand from the older men and women (quite a few over 90) who work out at PT Gym, exercise is truly the anti-aging weapon. These older members aren’t just doing chair aerobics and other typical geriatric exercise. They are lifting weights and performing a variety of intense cardio activities. Exercise is a key factor in aging successfully. Strength training improves balance and flexibility and increases muscle and bone mass. Inactivity, on the other hand, worsens almost all diseases and conditions that lead to physical disability.

Arthritis: Exercise can alleviate the pain of arthritis by reducing stiffness and increasing flexibility and muscle strength.

Osteoporosis: Most of us realize the muscle strengthening effects of exercise, but it is just as important for strengthening our bones.

Cancer: People who are overweight or unfit face a higher risk of cancer several recent studies show. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine indicates that those with the highest body mass indexes run the highest risk of death from most types of cancer.

Heart disease: According to the American College of Sports Medicine, the leading health-related cause of death for men and women is cardiovascular disease, claiming 600,000 lives a year. Exercise improves artery function, blood flow and strengthens the heart muscle.

Diabetes: Nearly 26 million adults and children in the United States have diabetes. Along with poor nutritional habits, physical inactivity is a leading risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes. Exercise reduces this risk by lowering triglyceride levels and reducing abdominal fat.

Mental decline: Exercise has a visible effect on the brain. A recent study found that the incidence of cognitive impairment was reduced after two years of regular physical activity, compared to a control group with no exercise. Regular exercise can increase blood circulation and slow the rate of brain tissue loss.

Stroke: More than two dozen international studies have confirmed that the more physically fit a person is, the lower their risk of stroke. An analysis of the studies calculated that highly active people had a 27 percent lower risk of suffering or dying from a stroke than those who got little or no exercise.

Obesity: An estimated 63 percent of all adults in the United States are overweight or obese. The effects of carrying excess weight include high blood pressure, diabetes, joint pain, heart disease and other problems. Even without losing weight, obese individuals can reduce their risk for chronic disease by exercising.

During Thanksgiving, while taking time to be thankful, be grateful for all the benefits that can be obtained through exercise. I want to also thank The Albany Herald and you, the reader, for giving me the opportunity to express my thoughts and views on exercise and fitness. Happy Thanksgiving!

Perry Buchanan, owner of PT Gym, is certified as an exercise physiologist through the American College of Sports Medicine, and fitness nutrition specialist through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Email him at [email protected]. Follow @ptgym on Twitter.