He physical exercise generates metabolic changes in the body in favor of health. However, no matter how proven the benefits of staying physically active are, many people find it difficult to adopt the habit of training regularly.
Added to that, the immediacy that today’s society demands leads many to embark on intense exercise routines and restrictive diets in search of losing weight or improving the image of themselves that they see in the mirror.
There are no statistics, but without fear of being wrong, experts consulted by Infobae agreed that “the main reason why people start training is because they want to look better”. “Many start because they want to lose weight, but the reality is that exercise is not always related to weight loss,” said the nephrologist and cardiologist. Gabriel Lapman (MN 119.066), founder of the Argentine Society of Lifestyle Medicine (Samev) and author of the book More shoes less pills.
And after recognizing that “yes, exercise is related to muscle gain,” he pointed out: “Physical exercise may reduce body fat, but by increasing muscle mass, in conclusion, this does not translate into weight loss and many people They become disillusioned.”
This “resultist” view of training, with goals that are often too high, leads to frustration and the abandonment of such a healthy practice that no one should ever walk away from.
When consulted about this, the Venezuelan personal trainer based in Argentina and known among celebrities as “the fitness czar,” Ronald Medinanoted that “people start training for a variety of reasons; “Many seek to lose weight or control their body weight, others want to increase their strength and physical endurance, while some are driven by the desire to improve their physical appearance, toning muscles and reducing body fat.”
The Physical Education teacher and graduate in High Performance Sports Claudia Lescano recognized in dialogue with this medium: “More and more people who approach training for a health goal“, a hormonal imbalance that is expressed by thyroid dysfunction, insulin resistance, fatty liver, lack of testosterone, menopause, high cholesterol, and they do it driven by the fear of having to take medications for life.”
And although he agreed that aesthetic issues always appear, and people look for “a flat tummy, legs without cellulite and with well-defined muscles, marked arms, etc.,” he stressed that “There are many who do it for prevention“They are generally informed people who know the benefits of a systematic and regular practice.”
It is on the fine line between setting achievable goals and understanding exercise as another tool to achieve general well-being, where, according to specialists, the balance that leads people to put on their sneakers and never take them off again usually lies. . And that’s when the focus is healththat the long-awaited aesthetic results will arrive.
At this point, for Medina, “mental and emotional health also play an important role when starting a physical activity today, since exercise is known for its ability to reduce stress, anxiety and depression, and improve the general mood.”
– Lescano: When a person sees the results in their body, will hardly leave to do what is happening. I call this adherence to training plan. We achieve as trainers that our trainer does it not only for their aesthetics but for health and that is wonderful.
– Medina: When people start to feel better, in addition to looking better, several positive changes occur. One of the most obvious is the increased self-esteem and confidence in themselves, since feeling physically good translates into a better personal perception.
Additionally, people also often experience an increase in their energy and vitality levels, allowing them to be more productive and active in their daily lives. Sleep quality improves significantly, as exercise helps regulate sleep patterns, resulting in a more restful rest. There is also a strengthening the immune systemwhich helps the body fight diseases.
And no less important, exercise can help reduce chronic pain, improve flexibility and joint mobility, which contributes to a general well-being.
Regarding the aforementioned adherence to training, understood as those reasons that encourage people to continue, for Lescano, “the first place goes to the result, reach the goalwhatever it is.” “And then, feeling good, having energy to do everything I want, having a balanced metabolism“, a more attentive brain, more lubricated joints and seeing that the muscles respond, that there is enough air to climb that staircase that used to exhaust us, or to reach all the balls in the soccer game with friends,” he listed.
But beyond the personal sensations that each person may experience when exercising continuously, for Medina, adherence to physical activity depends on several external factors.
“First, establishing clear and achievable goals It is crucial, since having specific goals motivates people to continue with their exercise routine,” he said, while noting that “variety in training is also important; Changing routines and trying new activities keeps things interesting and prevents boredom.”
“Integrating exercise as part of the daily routine facilitates long-term adherence, just as finding physical activities that are fun and enjoyable increases the likelihood of continuing to do them,” he added. Finally, “keep track of progress and adjusting goals can help maintain focus and motivation.”
About what pushes people away of the exercise habit, for Lescano the key is not prioritizing. “On the contrary, just as people worry about family or work, find the moment to dedicate themselves and their well-being is something that is often difficult and makes consistency in training difficult,” considered the fitness specialist.
In agreement with his colleague, the Venezuelan trainer maintained that “there are several factors that can make it difficult to adopt exercise as a regular habit, among them, lack of time It is one of the most common barriers; “Many people have busy schedules and don’t prioritize exercise in their daily routine.”
“Also, lack of motivation or boredom “with exercise routines can make people abandon their efforts,” he continued. Lack of knowledge about how to exercise properly or not seeing results can be discouraging and lead to demotivation. “Injuries or health problems can also disrupt the consistency of exercise.”
Finally, he mentioned that “fear of judgment or insecurity in gym environments can also prevent some people from feeling comfortable exercising in public.”
Regarding the ending, Lapman emphasized that “today he knows that muscle is a very important factor for longevity; “It is a powerful anti-aging agent and that should be more than enough reason for everyone to decide to start exercising.”
And understanding that staying physically active is one of the pillars for good overall health, the specialist emphasized that you should always be accompanied by others. habit changes to enhance results.
“Yes or yes feeding must be modified; It is ideal to choose more real foods and avoid ultra-processed foods, excess sugars, saturated fats and trans fats,” he recommended in the first instance at this point.
He then highlighted that “the rest It is key, it is always restorative, but even more so when you exercise.” And to quality sleep, he advised adding “meditation or other tools to reduce stress, and the elimination of toxic habits such as smoking and alcoholism.”
“Another important thing is that many people are slowly becoming informed about the benefits of supplements when doing sports – highlighted the expert -. Adding, for example, a protein with chelated minerals, magnesium, omega 3 is an ideal complement both for better post-exercise recovery and to promote a better state of health in general.”
Finally, Lapman highlighted that “physical exercise is associated with increased generation of endorphins (NdR: one of the so-called well-being hormones), which improve the response to stress, anxiety, depression and, in addition, recent studies have shown that they improve gut microbiota and consequently our intestine, which for some time has been known to house 80% of the immune system and is considered the second brain.”
“On a psychological level, exercise is associated with a clearer mind and greater feeling of well-being and this has been proven to happen due to the type of activation it generates at the level of the endocannabinoid system and at the level of the dopaminergic and serotonergic system,” concluded Lapman regarding the scientific support that weighs in favor of a practice that at this time should have more followers than at the time. beginning of this note.