By Michelle Kulas
www.livestrong.com
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all adults get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week. Going to the gym every day is one way to accomplish this goal. Regular exercise carries many physical and mental health benefits. Do not begin any new exercise program without talking to your doctor first, especially if you have any health conditions or have been sedentary to this point.
Weight Control
Going to the gym every day will help you control your weight. Expending 500 calories per day, or 3,500 calories per week, will help you to lose 1 lb. per week. If you are overweight or obese, losing even a moderate amount of weight, such as 10 percent of your body weight, may reduce your risk of developing serious conditions. Making changes to your diet may help you to lose even more weight. A reasonable goal is to lose up to 2 lbs. per week if you are overweight.
Heart Health
Exercising daily strengthens your heart and allows it to pump more efficiently with less strain. Exercise also lowers your blood pressure, which measures the force on your artery walls each time your heart beats. It may lower your cholesterol and triglyceride levels, allowing blood to flow more smoothly through your arteries. Going to the gym for 30 minutes a day five days per week may lower your risk of developing heart disease or having a stroke, says the CDC, and going for a longer period often can lower your risk even more.
Other Health Benefits
Regular exercise may lower your risk of developing diabetes, metabolic syndrome and some types of cancer, such as colon cancer and breast cancer. Combining aerobic exercise with strength training at the gym helps your muscles, ligaments, joints and tendons remain in good shape, which will make you stronger and more flexible. This is particularly important as you age or face problems such as arthritis. You may lower your risk of falling or fracturing your hip, which may negatively impact your life, especially in your older years.
Mental Health Benefits
Going to the gym every day puts you in contact with people on a regular basis and will enhance your social life as well as the way that you feel about yourself. You may sleep better if you exercise each day; and more sleep means more energy and a more even mood. As you lose weight and get in shape, you will begin to look better. FamilyDoctor.org states that regular exercise helps treat depression. Taking the time to work out every day is doing something nice for yourself, which will make you feel calm and content.