Benefits of Physical activities

The average calories spent per hour by a 150-pound person are listed below. (A lighter person burns fewer calories; a heavier person burns more.) Since exact calorie figures are not available for most activities, the figures below are averaged from several sources and show the relative vigor of the activities.
Activity Calories burned
Bicycling 6 mp 240 cals./hr.
Bicycling 12 mph 410 cals./hr.
Cross-country skiing 700 cals./hr.
Jogging 5 1/2 mph 740 cals./hr.
Jogging 7 mph 920 cals./hr.
Jumping rope 750 cals./hr.
Running in place 650 cals./hr.
Running 10 mph 1280 cals./hr.
Swimming 25 yds/min. 275 cals./hr.
Swimming 50 yds/min. 500 cals./hr.
Tennis-singles 400 cals./hr.
Walking 2 mph 240 cals./hr.
Walking 3 mph 320 cals./hr.
Walking 41/2 mph 440 cals./hr.

The calories spent in a particular activity vary in proportion to one’s body weight. For example, a 100-pound person burns 1/3 fewer calories, so you would multiply the number of calories by 0.7. For a 200-pound person, multiply by 1.3.
Working harder or faster for a given activity will only slightly increase the calories spent. A better way to burn up more calories is to increase the time spent on your activity.
Working better
Regular physical activity —
· helps you to be more productive at work
· increases your capacity for physical work
· builds stamina for other physical activities
· increases muscle strength
· helps your heart and lungs work more efficiently
Consider the benefits of a well-conditioned heart:
In 1 minute with 45 to 50 beats, the heart of a well-conditioned person pumps the same amount of blood as an inactive person’s heart pumps in 70 to 75 beats. Compared to the well-conditioned heart, the average heart pumps up to 36,000 more times per day, 13 million more times per year.
Feeling, looking, and working better — all these benefits from regular physical activity can help you enjoy your life more fully.

Can regular physical activity reduce my chances of getting a heart attack?

Yes! Physical inactivity is a risk factor for heart disease. Overall, heart disease is almost twice as likely to develop in inactive people than in those who are more active. Regular physical activity (even mild to moderate intensity) can help reduce your risk of heart disease. In fact, burning calories through physical activity may help you lose weight or stay at your desirable weight — which also helps lower your risk of heart disease. The best exercises to strengthen your heart and lungs are the aerobic ones like brisk walking, jogging, cycling and swimming.
Coronary artery disease is the major cause of heart disease and heart attack in America. It develops when fatty deposits build up on the inner walls of the blood vessels feeding the heart (coronary arteries) forming plaques. Eventually one or more of the major coronary arteries may become blocked, usually when a plaque breaks and a blood clot is formed in the artery’s narrowed passageway. The result is a heart attack.
We know that there are several factors that can increase your risk for developing coronary artery disease — and thus the chances for a heart attack. Fortunately, many of these risk factors can be reduced or eliminated.

The Benefits of Daily Physical Activity
· Reduces the risk of heart disease by improving blood circulation throughout
the body.
· Keeps weight under control.
· Improves blood cholesterol levels.
· Prevents and reduces high blood pressure.
· Prevents bone loss.
· Boosts energy level.
· Helps manage stress.
· Releases tension.
· Improves the ability to fall asleep quickly and sleep well.
· Improves self-image.
· Counters anxiety and depression and increases enthusiasm and optimism.
· Increases muscle strength, giving greater capacity for other physical
activities.
· Provides a way to share an activity with family and friends.
· Establishes good heart-healthy habits in children and counters the
conditions (obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, poor
lifestyle habits, etc.) that lead to heart attack and stroke later in life.
· In older people, it helps delay or prevent chronic illnesses and diseases
associated with aging and maintains quality of life and independence longer.