Draft

Over the years exercise has been evolving and changing people’s daily lives. Unfortunately only 23% of the American population is meeting the recommended 150 minutes per week exercise time. Americans should be reaching the recommended time, due to the health, and emotional benefits that come from exercise. Some benefits that are shown through exercise are short term and long term and consist of, health, emotional, and physical effects. In general being able to reach the recommended goal will promote a healthier lifestyle.
To begin with, exercise has scientifically proven benefits in one’s overall health system. One health benefit is the ability to improve your glucose metabolism. Glucose is a simple sugar that is contained in pretty much everything we consume, so having a better metabolism for this simple sugar will allow your body to function and feel healthier. Robert Gerszten of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, discovered a molecule in the human body named BAIBA. They managed to identify this molecule from a test they did on mice. They saw that when mice burned more calories, BAIBA molecule levels would rise. The reason why this BAIBA molecule is so important is because having a higher BAIBA concentration would result in less fat gain and better glucose/insulin metabolism. They saw a correlation between mice and humans so the results were the same on both sides. They concluded their research by determining that the more calories you burn the more BAIBA gets secreted in our bodies. They also stated that “BAIBA could be a target for drugs that treat diabetes and other metabolic disorders, the authors say”. So in the next few years we could see doctors actually prescribing paiettinets with exercise plans in order to restore their BAIBA levels. So by American reaching the recommended weekly exercise time we will be automatically also reaching a higher BAIBA level as well.
Not only will your body biologically benefit from exercise but also emotionally as well. Stress and other emotional problems are normal for humans to have especially when times get difficult. But it’s important knowing how to control these emotional problems and not allow them to affect your mental and physical health. In an article by The American Journal of Nursing, states that “Depression causes the United States as much as 83 billion annually”. Depression is a common problem in the United states and hurts millions of people yearly. One of the biggest problems behind depression is that people who suffer from it don’t reach out for help or know how to control it. The article refers to a study done to a varied age group, who participated in an aerobic exercise plan for 4-16 weeks, after the program they had lower depression levels. Exercise is a way to escape from stress moments and really focus on yourself and use your energy into something beneficial. Weekly exercise can reduce stress levels and allow your mind and body to feel refreshed, thus allowing you to handle stressful moments better. The article also states that exercise is a cheaper and more effective way to battle depression. It compares exercise with other treatments done in the past, and shows us that exercise surpasses the other treatments. In conclusion by reaching the recommended weekly exercise time you will be reducing your overall stress levels and will make you stronger mentally. Which can allow you to really improve your mental health, which overall leads to a healthier body.
There’s many reasons why Americans isolate themselves from physical activity and more often than not these are the people who need it the most. In an article by Verywell Fit stated that many may argue that one of the biggest reasons why Americans struggle to endure in any exercise activity is because they think it’s too hard and exhausting. But according to Very Well Fit “Any exercise may feel hard at first, especially if you’re just getting started”. It’s no secret that exercise is an activity that will make you move and get out of your comfort zone, but at the end of the day it’s what makes it so special and beneficial for your body. Everyone has a different style of exercise and levels of conditioning so finding what pushes your body and makes you happy is crucial. Others may also argue that exercise is too expensive and they can’t afford a gym membership. But there’s so many ways to workout out without a proper gym. For example by going on walks daily, or runs can make a huge difference on how you feel. You can also try bodyweight exercises, or even playing a sport. Lastly one of the biggest reasons why Americans aren’t prioritizing exercise is time management. Many people think that exercise will take up too much time in their day and that they can’t fit it in their schedule. But by exercising for 30 minutes a day, you will be surpassing the recommended weekly exercise time. Overall I think exercise is oversimplified and it’s all a mind trick. By focusing some time in your day to exercise, your body will thank you and you will feel the difference.