So, as a fitness enthusiast, I always encourage my friends, family, and clients to strive to become more physically active and fit. Many of them ask me why I am so dedicated to fitness. Besides the fact that exercise and the right diet completely transformed my body and life for the better, there are several, scientifically based reasons to become more active.
Researchers now know that it's usually more dangerous to not stay active, no matter how old you are. And you don't need to buy special clothes or belong to a gym to become more physical. Most people don't get enough physical activity. Here are some reasons why they should:
1. Lack of physical activity and not eating the right foods, taken together, are the second greatest inherent cause of death in the United States. (Smoking is the number one cause.)
2. Physical exercise can help people feel right and enjoy life more. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins, which are known as the "feel good" hormones because they do just that. Just give it a try-do a 30 minute-long walk or other type of physical activity you enjoy and I can assure you that you will feel more energetic and optimistic than you did before.
3. Regular exercise can halt or put off some diseases like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. It can also perk up your mood as I mentioned before, and can help people suffering from depression.
4. Being active can help people stay independent and able to keep doing things like getting around or dressing themselves as they get older.
So how do you get started to get yourself in better shape? Well first and foremost, always consult with your doctor or healthcare provider before starting an exercise program. Below are some other guidelines to help get you started:
1. Get at least 30 minutes of moderate activity on most or all days of the week. With time, increase your intensity so as to challenge yourself and help make your heart and muscles stronger. If you are a very busy person (as most of us are) You don't have to be active for 30 minutes all at once. Ten minutes of endurance activity at a time is fine. Just make sure those 10-minute sessions add up to at least a total of 30 minutes most days. As you increase intensity, you can also increase the amount of time you spend doing exercise.
2. How hard do you need to exercise? The right level of effort is described this way: If you can talk while exercising without any trouble at all, you're not working hard enough. If you can't talk at all, it's way too hard. Shoot for somewhere in-between. And again, as you get stronger and build your endurance, you can push yourself a bit harder.
3. Keep using your muscles. When muscles aren't used, they waste away at any age; this is know as muscle "atrophy". How important is it to have "enough" muscle? Extremely important. Muscles step-up your metabolism, allowing you to burn off more calories during the day when your body is at rest. Using your muscles also make your bones stronger helping ward off osteoporosis (a condition where bones become more brittle and porous and are more prone to breaking).
4. Do things to help your balance. Good balance is a major asset at any age, but especially as we get older since we are more prone to falls.
5. Stretch. Stretching can help keep you flexible and will be able to move more freely. Stretch when your muscles have warmed up and never stretch so far that it hurts.
Now this is by no means a "complete" list, but it's a quick guide that I hope will encourage all of you to be more active. Remember that taking care of your health is something that you owe not only to yourself, but also to your kids, family and friends that only want the best for you. Don't wait another day-today is the perfect day to get started.
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Next, get the entire list of 20 "Blueprints" I created that allowed me to dramatically transform my body and win the 1998 Body For Life contest. Imagine finally getting the body you've always wanted! Only available at Harry's Blog
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