When it comes to exercise, the most important thing is to get your body moving. If you sign up for a spin class and then never go, it does you no good. There are many types of exercise from which to choose and all of them give you energy to one extent or another, no doubt about it. Most exercises fit into one of three categories:

• Aerobic exercise: This type of exercise is the most obvious energy-producer. Plus it's heart-healthy, helps your lungs function more efficiently, and increases overall energy. Aerobic exercise is any type of exercise that gets the heart pumping and promotes the circulation of oxygen through the blood.
• Resistance exercise: Also referred to as strength training, resistance exercise builds muscle mass and boosts your metabolism, which in turn increases energy. Strength training also reduces blood sugar. Muscle mass stores excess blood sugar in the form of glycogen. We lose muscle mass as we age, which means we lose some of our capacity to store glucose. Too much glucose in the blood can lead to diabetes. As you build up muscle, you decrease the amount of glucose in the blood. Muscle also burns more energy when a person is at rest than fat does, so building your muscles will help you burn more calories, maintain a healthy weight, and increase your energy reserves.
• Flexibility exercise: Exercises such as yoga and tai chi are stress relievers -- and we all know that stress is an energy sapper. This type of exercise focuses on stretching and breathing. The practice of yoga helps people to restore their levels of energy, to enhance stamina, relieve anxiety, and reduce fatigue. It gives you a sense of peace, which then allows you to sleep, which in turn gives you energy. Many forms of yoga focus on the art of reviving tired muscles and bringing them back to their energized state. People who are more flexible also sustain fewer injuries.

The best way to increase and maintain energy is to include all three types.

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