Over the past decade, the number of people in North America who suffer from obesity or are classified as overweight has rapidly increased. Overweight and obesity are both terms used to classify weight ranges that exceed what is considered normal and healthy for a given height. Both of these terms identify weight ranges that have been shown to increase the likelihood of certain diseases or that are related to other health problems. Lack of exercise has been shown to be a major factor for overweight and obese people. Exercise is defined as a physical activity that requires muscular or cardiovascular effort to be performed to improve health and fitness. An inactive lifestyle is a major contributor to heart disease. Luckily, it's under your control. There are many benefits to maintaining a physically active and positive lifestyle. When a person engages in physical activity, they burn calories at a faster rate than when they are sedentary. The more vigorous the activity, the greater the amount of calories burned. Exercise can help prevent weight gain and maintain weight loss. Statistics show that in 2009-2010, the percentage of adults aged 20 and older classified as overweight, including obesity, was 69.2%. As of 2014, more than two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese. Rates of overweight and obese women are higher for African Americans and Latinos than Caucasians, and for men the rates are higher for Hispanic males than their Caucasian and African American counterparts. A person does not necessarily need to engage in strenuous physical activity to preserve their health by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Simple physical activity... middle of paper... dramatically improves the quality of your life. If you're the type of person who wants to engage in exercise but simply doesn't have the motivation to get out of bed, find a fitness coach to help you get started today. It was my decision to discuss the various benefits of exercise because I believe that exercise makes a huge difference on the quality of my life. Regular exercise increases my energy levels and strengthens my cardiovascular system allowing me to live a more positive and productive lifestyle. Obesity and overweight rates have increased dramatically in America due to lack of physical activity, thus severely increasing unhealthy weight gain. Obese or overweight people have also been observed to show signs of insomnia, anxiety and depression. All of these health problems can be avoided by maintaining a physically active daily routine.