Which Is the Best Exercise for You?

Updated on December 31st, 2019
Best Exercise for You

Do you think there are certain types of exercise that are better for weight loss than others? Personally, I believe the bottom line is choosing something you actually like doing and doing it consistently.

But research has been done on people who inherited genes that increase their chance of becoming obese. This research identified the specific types of exercise that are especially effective at combatting genetic effects that contribute to obesity.

This research addressed specific measures of obesity, such as body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage and waist-to-hip ratio. They found that regular jogging was the best type of exercise for managing obesity, according to those five measures.

Additionally, mountain climbing, walking, power walking, certain types of dancing, and long yoga practices also reduce BMI in those individuals genetically predisposed to obesity. Surprisingly, cycling, stretching exercises, swimming, and Dance Dance Revolution did not counteract the genetic effects of obesity.

Women Exercise
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Previous research, which focused only on BMI, revealed that any frequent physical activity blunts the genetic effects of obesity, whereas this new research takes into consideration four other measures of obesity that are more closely linked to metabolic problems.

So unless you are genetically predisposed to obesity, I would still suggest, just get moving and stay active and you will reap the benefits of improved health and weight loss.

Now before you give up your favorite type of exercise, I also read about some surprising benefits of swimming. Swimming workouts are one of the best activities you can do for your body year-round. Swimming workouts provide both physical and mental benefits, and can really improve your overall health in a short amount of time.

Swimming increases blood flow to the brain so you experience increased alertness, better memory, and cognitive function. In fact, one fascinating study showed that just being chest-deep in warm water(1) increased blood flow to cerebral arteries by 14%. That’s not all! Swimming workouts lowered resting blood pressure, improved insulin sensitivity(2) and reduced heart disease and inflammation.

So my take-away from all this remains: choose something you enjoy doing, and do it consistently. There are numerous benefits to all different types of exercise and varying what you do is a good idea since you reap the benefits of each different kind of exercise. There is more to be gained than just weight loss.


About the Author:

Ann Musico

Ann Musico, Holistic Health Coach

Ann Musico is a certified holistic health coach and founder of the Three Dimensional Vitality Website. She is also an author of several books, including Today is Still the Day, a wellness blogger and independent nutritional consultant who has worked with women of all ages over the past 10 years to empower them to exemplify lives of vibrant health and wholeness – spirit, soul and body – in a way that is simple and effective.

Her focus is on nutrition, detox and healthy, long term weight loss because she believes those areas are most often the root cause of so many other problems. She addresses them not only from the physical but from the spirit and soul as well, which are often overlooked.

Website: threedimensionalvitality.com

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