We often think that fitness is very trendy and all the pop and Hollywood stars are getting in on the act of yoga, pilates and spinning. But the truth is that exercise has been a part of many people's daily routine for many thousands of years. Aristotle was one of the people who helped define the standards of fitness some two and a half thousand years ago. There are many reasons why you should exercise as it affects our body's health in several ways.

When you increase you physical activity you're heart needs to work much harder than when you're sitting about. When this happens, you blood flow increases and you're issues become flooded with fresh oxygen. It also helps to remove waste products at a cellular level.

When you exercise the lungs are forced into drawing more oxygen into your body and tissues which helps to keep your heart going. When you exhale the carbon dioxide is also removed, carbon dioxide is actually a waste product caused by some reactions on a biochemical level.

Simply by doing some moderate exercise on a regular basis you'll be able to increase HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein) cholesterol; don't worry, this is the sort of cholesterol you want. Blood sugar levels can also be regulated much easier and fat which you have stored on your body can be converted into sugars which in turn is used to provide you with energy whilst you are working out. This of course is one of the reasons that overweight people are advised to exercise.

Of course all these health benefits are very well and good but one of the main motivators people use for exercising is that the want a better looking body. This might be that they want to slim down or they want to increase their muscle mass. Lots of people have areas which they really hate about themselves. It might be a large bottom, flabby abs or they might want a generally healthy glow about them. Side benefits of exercising include having much better strength, stamina and balance, along with a more positive mental attitude.

You will find that there are different types of exercise depending on what you want to be able to achieve. By doing aerobics you'll increase you're lung capacity and burn calories, whilst weight lifting increases you're muscle tone and mass. Stretching exercises such as yoga and pilates will help with flexibility and balance. Some people choose just to use one form of exercise however for an overall health benefit it's recommended that you do some stretching, cardio and weights.