How important is exercise? Just how important is exercise for weight loss and your overall health? Despite what you may have heard lately about exercise – you know, exercise does not help you lose weight – I am here to tell you that exercise is enormously important.

Regular exercise does aid weight loss, if you know how to use it properly. But it is important to have realistic expectations. Even if you exercise regularly, do not expect to lose 10 pounds in 5 days. How import is exercise if your goal is to drop some pounds? True, it is not as important as following a good diet, but even the best diet in the world might not be enough to lose weight. To successfully lose weight, you need to know how to eat healthy and you need to a good exercise program.

To answer the How important is exercise? question, let’s get into this subject a little deeper.

Think of your car for a moment If nutrition is the fuel, exercise is the engine maintenance. You can put in the highest octane gas, but if your spark plugs are dead, you are going nowhere. That’s why, even if we were talking about nutrition, we need to understand why exercise is important. Let’s look at some of the obvious benefits of exercise.

Increased muscle Regular exercise builds muscle. Fit muscles usually look better because they have tone, and let’s not forget about strength and endurance. Two people can weigh the same, but be very different in physique, body structure and energy levels. The more muscular of the two can eat more and utilize the fuel (calories) more efficiently In turn, this often leads to weight loss.

Reduced fat stores People who do not exercise and attempt to lose weight will invariably burn muscle tissue rather than fat. Studies have shown that active people use up stored fat for energy instead of muscle tissue.

Increased energy level Regular exercise causes the brain to release natural substances called endorphins. Endorphins are directly linked to increased energy levels, elevated moods and a general feeling of well-being. [via]