Barlaan 1

JuliaGrace Barlaan

Colin Hickey

ENG l11-115

April 14, 2017

Weighed Down by Inactiveness

School classes, desk jobs, doing homework, anything that involves constant sitting down

are all examples of being stagnant. We need exercise. Unfortunately within the last decade, there

has been a steady increase in weight gain and disease growth. We have become too focused on

improving our metal development, but what about our physical development? Why do people

neglect to exercise when it is an essential part in our daily lives?

What is exercise? It is physical activity of the human body. Usually when people think of

exercise, they think of people sweating and working their hardest to burn of extra fat or build up

muscle, but not all exercise is like this. True, that this type of exercising is beneficial in its own

way, but it is not needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Vigorous aerobic activities are best for

improving the fitness of your heart and lungs. These include brisk walking, running, swimming,

skiing, bicycling and jumping rope. But even low-intensity activities, when done for as little as

30 minutes a day, will improve your health. So grab a rake and till the garden, or scrub the

kitchen floor. You might even borrow your neighbor's poodle and go for a stroll, or dance!

(Johnson). So not all exercise has to be a chore, they can be worked into everyday life and

exercising improves on many problems in life (Pescatello).

First of all, it improves behavior issues. In recent years, there has been a cut back on

physical activity such as PE in school system; therefore, kids and teens are no longer forced to be

active. Instead, they are encouraged to focus more on mental learning. Since then, it has had a
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drastic impact on the mental capacity of children and teens. There have been increases of

behavior issues such as depression, self-worth, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and

constant mood changes. Physical activity or exercise has improved these problems and even

creates better focus and intellectual growth. There have also been less disruptive behavior, better

motivational skills and social activities, and increase in attention span (Wyatt).

Another major benefit is that exercise improves body structure. When exercising, the

body increases oxygen intake;

therefore, providing better blood

circulation throughout the rest of the

body. This improves a multitude of

things, one of which is better brain

function. As is seen in fig.1, we can

do and learn more when we

exercise. Another improvement

would be a rise in body temperature

and improvement in the immune

system. Both of these examples

(Fig.1)

keep us well and a physically fit person ("Focus On The Invisible Benefits Of Exercise., "This

Is Your Brain on Exercise.").

Exercising can also improve issues in pregnancy. Many researchers have related a

sedentary lifestyle to difficult childbirth. Even though intense workout can potentially be harmful

to a pregnant woman, exercises such as swimming, aerobics, and walking are proved to be

beneficial in an easier pregnancy. The body adapts quicker to the pains and struggles of
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pregnancy by providing better blood flow and circulation. Light exercise can also strengthen the

immune system so that it not only benefits the mother, it protects the baby as well (Berk).

Last of all, exercising forces us to change our eating and hydrating habits. If one is

starting out on an intense workout, it is important to stay properly hydrated and have a proper

meal. Intense exercise can put a huge amount strain on the body. Then exercise can potentially

be a harm instead of a help. Our body adjusts to what it should be when we exercise, so why not

adjust our eating habits. Our diet does not have to be a sacrifice of many of our favorite foods.

We just need lower the amount of sugar, sodium, and chemicals in our diet which could make a

drastic difference in weight. Doing this also encourages our body to keep working toward a

better lifestyle. If our bodies are our motors, why are we treating it as if it were trash? Would we

fill an expensive car with cheap gas? No!! Therefore, in order for our bodies to work properly

when we exercise then we need to eat a well-balanced meal and drink 2.7 liters or close to 3

quarts of water a day! (Wyatt, How Much Water Should You Drink Per Day?)

So why do people not exercise when we benefit so much from being active? Well as

Doctor Sanjay Gupta clearly pointed out, we simply do not want to exercise. Even though we are

born active and even very energetic, we lose our motivation as soon as we reach a new transition

in life. Then, we use this transition as an excuse to avoid exercise. Transitions such as college,

too busy with a job or homework, or even marriage. Even from personal experience, I too have

struggled to be more active. Before I exercised, I would have lack of motivation, trouble

focusing on homework, even constant snacking. I would get constant aches, fatigue, and

fluctuation in weight, and hives if Im over stressed too. As soon as I exercised, many of these

problems went away. Exercise may not be fun to most people and also is hard to stay disciplined

to it, but it keeps us healthy and on our feet ready for another day.
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Works Cited

Berk, Bonnie. "Recommending Exercise during and After Pregnancy: What the Evidence Says."

International Journal of Childbirth Education, vol. 19, no. 2, 2004, pp. 18-22, ProQuest

Central,

http://ezproxy.cpcc.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/212867765?accounti

d=10008.

"Focus On The Invisible Benefits Of Exercise." Carolyn Hansen Fitness. N.p., 28 Feb. 2015.

Web. 14 Apr. 2017. <http://carolynhansenfitness.com/articles/focus-on-the-invisible-

benefits-of-exercise/>.

Gupta, M.D. Sanjay. "Fit Nation." Time. Time Inc., 17 Jan. 2008. Web. 11 Apr. 2017.

<http://content.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1703763_1703764_1715499,00

.html>.

"How Much Water Should You Drink Per Day?" Authority Nutrition. N.p., 18 Aug. 2016. Web.

14 Apr. 2017. <https://authoritynutrition.com/how-much-water-should-you-drink-per-day/>.

Pescatello, Linda S. "Exercising for Health." The Western journal of medicine, vol. 174, no. 2,

2001, pp. 114, ProQuest Central,

http://ezproxy.cpcc.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1781824072?account

id=10008.

Teddi, D. Johnson. "Exercising Your Way to Better Health." The Nation's Health, vol. 37, no. 4,

2007, pp. 17, ProQuest Central,

http://ezproxy.cpcc.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/198468674?accounti

d=10008.
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"This Is Your Brain on Exercise." Men's Health. N.p., 26 Nov. 2013. Web. 14 Apr. 2017.

<http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/this-is-your-brain-on-exercise>.

Wyatt, Jill. "Feeding and Exercising Young Minds." Perspectives in Public Health, vol. 136, no.

3, 2016, pp. 119-120, ProQuest Central; ProQuest Environmental Science Collection,

http://ezproxy.cpcc.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1790499409?account

id=10008.