Christopher Flores
March 8, 2011
Mr. Haile
1301.155

Exercise for the Body You know exercise is good for you -- but do you know how good? At its most basic, exercise is any type of physical exertion we perform in an effort to improve our health, shape our bodies, and boost performance (Waehner, Web). Adults, men and women, and teens both benefit from exercise and physical activity in many different ways. Exercise should play a key role in everyone’s daily life, not only does it boost self esteem, it also improves mental health and helps prevent depression, heart disease, cardiovascular disease, Type II Diabetes, and, as always, obesity. Most people agree that even though they may not look forward to doing a workout, they tend to …show more content…

After a long day at work, stresses and worries can accumulate inside you. Exercise right after work is the perfect natural therapy that can change your mood drastically. Daily exercise may give you the chance to meet or socialize with others. Just exchanging a friendly smile or greeting as you walk around your neighborhood can help improve your mood. Meeting exercise goals or challenges, even small ones, can boost your self-confidence. Getting in shape can also make you feel better about your appearance. Teens that make exercise and physical activity a habit have a lot going for them, such as, high self-esteem, better grades, and abstinence. Nearly half of American youths aged 12-21 years are not vigorously active on a regular basis (Fitness Benefits for Teens, Web). Teens who exercise a minimum of 60 minutes a day are less likely to have heart disease, obesity, and osteoporosis as adults. Resistance and strength training exercises in teens is very important because it helps bone production and bone growth, which prevents osteoporosis. Many teens deal with skin problems, such as, acne and early signs of aging. Exercise mediates the production of testosterone-related hormones such as DHEA and DHT. “There‘s a lot of indirect evidence that shows that when you exercise your level of stress diminishes. So your adrenal glands are producing less of these male-type hormones that are part of any acne flare-up” (Bouchez, Web). Exercise boosts oxygen to the skin;