(Shape Pavlou,Constrantine and Zak 142) Exercise increases the body’s capacity to utilize greater amounts of oxygen, which is very important to their overall health. This is especially beneficial to dieters since greater amounts of oxygen allow for a greater expenditure of stored fat, and fat stored in cells inhibits oxygen uptake to obese people. (Pavlou, Constantine and Zak 142) Exercise also helps slow down the process of aging. Two of the symptoms of aging are changes of body composition and in the persons ability to exercise. Sometimes the changes occur over a period of years and they may not notice them until the problem becomes very obvious. Their body weight will change a considerable amount. Between the ages of thirty and seventy they will gain, on the average between one-half and one pound per year. If they were typical Americans they can expect to weigh forty pounds more at seventy than they did at thirty and the majority of this weight gain is fat. They are gaining this weight because they are exercising less; they consume too many calories in relation to the amount of calories that they burn. (Katch and Katch 24) As people grow older they have a decreased need for calories because their body’s Physiological functions are changing and slowing down. These changes include reduced M Wing 3muscular strength, due to the loss of muscle mass. It is possible to counteract this loss of muscle by engaging in physical activity, which will delay muscle loss that accompanies aging. Aging will also affect person’s bones. As they get older, osteoporosis, or loss of bone mass, increased bone porosity and a decrease in the thickness of the bone cortex makes them Susceptible to various bone diseases as well as to breaks and strains. Individuals who engage in some program of regular exercise show a reduced loss of bone mass. (Katch and Katch 24) Aging also wears down the neurological syste...
