Welcome New Yoga Teacher - Alisha Crowell, RYT

Mountain Fitness & Wellness Center welcomes Alisha Crowell to its team of registered yoga teachers. Alisha specializes in Ashtanga Vinyasa (flow) yoga and will be teaching afternoon, morning and weekend classes starting March 31, 2008. Alisha's loving energy and contagious smile will keep you coming back for more!

Benefits of Exercise

Someone recently asked me what the the benefits are of regular exercise. I was somewhat taken aback by the question since as an industry professional I see the benefits spattered all over the news almost daily. That said, are we hearing it? I suspect not given the increasing rates of obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

So in case you missed this information on the nightly news here are a few benefits of exercise:

Health Benefits of Exercise

• Reduce risk of heart disease
  Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. In fact, regular exercise helps your entire cardiovascular system — the circulation of blood through your heart and blood vessels — work more efficiently. Big deal? You bet! When your heart and lungs work more efficiently, you'll have more energy to do the things you enjoy.
  
• Reduce risk of Type 2 Diabetes
  Type II Diabetes is associated with obesity. When you exercise, you burn calories. The more intensely you exercise, the more calories you burn — and the easier it is to keep your weight under control.
  Lower cholesterol, LDLs; raise HDLs
  
• Regular exercise can help you prevent — or manage — high blood pressure. Your cholesterol will benefit, too. Regular exercise boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good," cholesterol while decreasing low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad," cholesterol. This one-two punch keeps your blood flowing smoothly by lowering the buildup of plaques in your arteries.
  
• Reduce risk of Osteoporosis – may reverse symptoms of Osteopenia
  Exercise – specifically weight training has been shown to increase bone density and prevent osteoporosis.
  
• Exercise can improve your mood
  Exercise stimulates various brain chemicals, which may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed than you were before you worked out. You'll also look better and feel better when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem. Exercise even reduces feelings of depression and anxiety.
  
• Increased Self-Esteem
  Gaining control of your body size and weight through fitness is an amazing way to increase self-esteem. You look better and feel more confident, which empowers you in everything you do. You will find that the self-discipline required and learned through regular exercise spills over into other areas of your life and you will be better able to make other necessary and desireable changes.
  
• Increase Mental Focus
  Did you know that the latest research shows that exercise helps keep the brain sharp well into old age? Anything that involves mental acuity (focus and concentration) is improved. You also stand a much better chance of avoiding such diseases as Alzheimer's and senility.
  

Benefits of Strength Training

• Increased muscular strength
  
• Increased strength of tendons and ligaments
  
• Potentially improves flexibility (range of motion of joints)
  
• Reduced body fat and increased lean body mass (muscle mass)
  
• Potentially decreases resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure
  
• Positive changes in blood cholesterol
  
• Improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity
  
• Improved strength, balance, and functional ability in older adults
  

Benefits of Aerobic Exercise

• Increased maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max)
  
• Improvement in cardivascular/cardiorespiratory function (heart and lungs)
  
• Increased maximal cardiac output (amount of blood pumped every minute)
  
• Increased maximal stroke volume (amount of blood pumped with each beat)
  
• Increased blood volume and ability to carry oxygen
  
• Reduced workload on the heart (myocardial oxygen consumption) for any given submaximal exercise intensity
  
• Increased blood supply to muscles and ability to use oxygen
  
• Lower heart rate and blood pressure at any level of submaximal exercise
  
• Increased threshold for lactic acid accumulation
  
• Lower resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure in people with high blood pressure
  
• Increased HDL Cholesterol (the good cholesterol)
  
• Decreased blood triglycerides
  
• Reduced body fat and improved weight control
  
• Improved glucose tolerance and reduced insulin resistance