It’s that time of the year when folks all over the place are resolving to make better life choices. Many will find a new job, ask for a raise, try to quit smoking, drinking, or doing other drugs, but the most common goal of all is to get into better shape.
So you got some running shoes and a gym membership. You get halfway through February, the new season of House of Cards comes out and you get derailed. Oh well, right? It was fun while it lasted. But hold on! What happens when you stop exercising?
Your endurance rapidly declines.
If you never exercise, the impacts on your endurance from not exercising aren’t that great. But for someone who works out a lot, stopping a fitness regimen has a major impact on your endurance and energy almost immediately.
Your heart health declines.
Physical exercise is the best way to keep a healthy cardiovascular system. After a month of not exercising, things like high blood pressure will return in force.
Your blood transports oxygen less efficiently.
Your V02 Max is your maximum capacity to carry oxygen in your blood. The first major measurable change is your VO2 max. Without routine exercise, and an increase in your VO2 Max, your ability to oxygenate your blood decreases rapidly.“There are studies indicating a decline of 7 to 10% of VO2 after 12 days of sudden inactivity, 14 to 15% after 50 days, and 16 to 18% after 80 days,” says Andreas Bergdahl, an assistant professor in cardiovascular physiology at Montreal’s Concordia University. “Maximal values for cardiac output, stroke volume [the amount of blood pumped out of the heart during each contraction] and ability of mitochondria to extract oxygen each decline along the same lines while the heart rate increases.”
Your muscles and joints weaken.
After only 2 weeks of immobilization, your muscles start to atrophy and your joints weaken as well. You lose muscle mass as well as strength.
Your positive mood disappears.
Routine exercise improves your mood by releasing endorphins. When you stop exercising, those mood-regulating hormones are no longer released in the same way.
According to the CDC, “Regular physical activity can help keep your thinking, learning, and judgment skills sharp as you age. It can also reduce your risk of depression and may help you sleep better. Research has shown that doing aerobic or a mix of aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities 3 to 5 times a week for 30 to 60 minutes can give you these mental health benefits. Some scientific evidence has also shown that even lower levels of physical activity can be beneficial.”
Source: My Natural Way of Life
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