10 Great Reasons For Keeping Fit

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Sometimes we need to be reminded of the things in life that we simply take for granted or lose sight of.

Fitness is often overlooked in our hectic, daily lives, until one day you look in the mirror and wonder how you got so out of shape.

There are 2 parts to keeping fit; one is the mental and physical benefits we derive from staying fit, and the other is the proportionately greater health risks if we don’t.

The over-weight and obesity crisis in the western world is continually getting worse. We live in an age where we no longer need to ‘hunt and gather’ and naturally keep our fitness up.

Modern comforts, transportation and poor diets have led to a rise in health problems that are associated with poor fitness.

People who recognize the importance and advantages to keeping fit, not only reduce their chances of developing serious health issues, but they are also rewarded with enormous health benefits.

Here are 10 great reasons for keeping fit:

1.    You Look Terrific!

Ever heard the phrase ‘getting into shape’? Well that’s what keeping fit can do for you. A fitness routine will change your physique and tone up those parts that have become flabby.

The single biggest motivator you have for keeping fit is to see the change in the way you look. Do you remember how good you felt when you dropped a dress size or pulled on a pair of jeans one size smaller?

Family and friends are usually the first to notice a change in your shape, even if you don’t. There’s nothing quite like a compliment about how much weight you’ve lost or how you just “look healthy these days”.

2.    You’re Less Prone to Illness and Disease

The health advantages of keeping fit alone are reason enough to lace up your cross trainers and head out for a power walk or jog.

A good level of fitness keeps your immune system in tip-top condition, meaning you will less likely suffer from minor coughs, colds and infections.

Working-out has a knock-on effect on other areas of your life too, and has been shown to help prevent more serious health conditions such as heart disease, osteoporosis and many types of cancer. You’re also less likely to develop high blood pressure or have a stroke.

Exercising enables a greater flow of oxygen and nutrients to be distributed to your tissues. Your heart and lungs work more efficient, and with less stress.

It is a fact that active people live longer – by at least 3-4 years, but I suspect that it could be even higher. Plus you will also experience a much better quality of life in your older years.

You’ll less likely develop osteoporosis, gallbladder problems or ever become diabetic. Other age related health problems such as dementia and memory loss can be totally avoidable if you exercise regularly when you’re younger.

3.    You’re Less Prone to Injury

As long as you take care not to injure yourself during whatever physical activity you’re doing, exercising will notable keep injuries and aches and pains at bay.

Here’s how keeping fit can help keep you pain free:

You’re less likely to suffer from joint or muscle pain. Exercise keeps your muscles flexible and strong, which provides greater support to your joints and bones. You will less likely pull your hamstring or shoulder muscle when you join in an impromptu game of touch football or softball, when your muscles are more used to bursts of energy.    

Helps with arthritic pain. Arthritis sufferers can actually benefit from less pain and increased mobility when they participate in sports or exercise programs.

Less chance of stress fractures. Stronger legs and arms, in particular, have been shown to help prevent stress fractures (tiny bone breaks). New military recruits were five times more likely to develop stress fractures if they had below average leg strength prior to their 9 weeks basic training, according to a recent study.

Less likely to develop repetitive strain injuries (RSI’s). Repetitive tasks such as typing for long periods or working on a check-out can lead to conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Strong arm and wrists muscles can help protect against this condition.      

Help prevent lower back pain. Nearly all of us experience lower back pain at some point in our lives. For some the condition is almost unbearable. Cardio fitness and strength training, especially for your back and core muscles will strengthen and protect your lower spine from injury.

Numerous studies such as the one conducted by the University of New Mexico reported “the evidence clearly shows that those with higher levels of cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength, and muscular endurance have fewer spinal problems.”

Ease the pain of varicose veins. Varicose veins usually occur in the legs where the valves in the veins stop working correctly allowing pools of blood to build up, distort, swell and appear dark blue under the surface of the skin. They can cause a lot of discomfort in the form of aching, burning, tiredness and pain.

Exercise can help reduce these symptoms because when you become active, your calf muscles contract, causing the pools of blood in your legs to shoot upwards.  

Helps with PMS symptoms. Lower back pain, bloating, headaches and anxiety are common side effects of premenstrual syndrome. Exercising can help with all these symptoms and may even prevent PMS altogether.

More likely to recover faster. If you are unfortunate enough to have a serious accident, having a good level of fitness will not only help you to survive, where weak and frail people may not, but also recover faster.

There was a recent story of a husband and wife who were involved in a serious car crash and suffered multiple injuries and broken bones.

According to their doctor, it was down to their levels of fitness that helped with their injuries and recovery.

“Because of their high level of fitness before the accident and the walking they did during recovery, their prognosis for a full recovery was good” he said. You can read the full story here.

4.    Can Help Control Your Weight

This may sound like stating the obvious, but it is still possible to put on weight and still exercise, if you have a poor diet.

If you eat more calories than you burn off, you will put on weight. So, only as part of a healthy eating plan will exercise help you maintain, or lower your body weight.

However, regular exercise is crucial for keeping the weight off or maintaining your current weight. Exercise burns calories that would otherwise be stored as fat.

As well as a fitness program, you should try incorporating fat burning activities into your normal working day. For example, always take the stairs when you can. Walk or ride a bike instead of driving. Take a brisk walk during your lunch break.

You could even do some jumping jacks or press ups during commercials. Any additional exercise (no matter how small) on top of regular exercise will pay dividends.

Here are some more weight related benefits for exercising and keeping fit:

Maintains a high metabolism. More muscle means more calories burnt and a higher performing metabolism.

Fewer health related problems. Losing weight helps prevent related conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. These are proven medical conditions that result primarily from being over-weight.

You can eat more! O.K. exercising is not an excuse to eat more chocolate cake, but burning an extra 2000 – 3000 calories a week on the cross-trainer or through a weight lifting program, means you can happily indulge in some extra stuffing at Thanksgiving!

5.    Your State of Mind Improves

Exercising makes you feel much calmer, happier and better about yourself. There’s so much evidence to support the notion that after a work-out, your body is flushed with ‘feel good’ endorphins. This feeling is otherwise known as a natural high or runner’s high and can be experienced after any form of exercise, including a cardio or weight training session.

This feeling and a number of other psychological benefits can be enjoyed when you keep fit, including:

Feeling less stressed. Stress manifests itself from a number of situations, but it is hard to believe that being unfit and probably overweight, won’t have an affect on your everyday life in some way. Just being overweight can be stressful. Regular exercise of any nature, especially pilates and yoga, have been shown to relieve stress and tension.

Helps combat depression. Research has shown that regular exercise can substantially reduce the symptoms of mild depression and anxiety. It can also help the condition of clinically depressed men and women. It has been shown that the benefits start after around 4 weeks, with the most significant improvements occurring after 4 months.

Helps channel anger. A vigorous workout such as a kickboxing class can help vent your anger or frustrations instead of yelling at loved ones or work colleagues!

Promotes confidence. Superficial or not, being happy or happier with the way you look is extremely important, and is the basis for building your self-confidence.

Feeling fit and looking healthier has a knock-on effect on how you are perceived by others. A regular exercise program can contribute to higher self-esteem and more confidence.

Without even knowing it, when you exercise regularly, your posture improves; you walk taller and faster, have a spring in your step and you become a more confident person.

These physical and emotional traits naturally attract people to you, which will reinforce your self-confidence.

6.    Regular Exercise will Help you Sleep Better

Fitness can play a big part in the quality of sleep you get each night. Exercising during the day will improve your mood and lower stress and anxiety levels.

Your body will be ready for sleep because it needs to recharge after the physical activity, and you will have less nervous energy keeping you awake.

Research has shown that regular exercise will help you fall asleep faster and for longer than if you didn’t exercise. You are also more likely to benefit from undisturbed sleep, waking up less.

Poor fitness or not exercising at all, can lead to respiratory problems, excess nervous energy and irregular sleeping patterns.

Try not to exercise just before bedtime. Your body needs time to relax and wind down. Late night workouts will keep adrenalin surging round your body for a couple of hours afterwards.

7.    A More Rewarding Home and Work Life

A lack of exercise and poor fitness will make you feel lethargic and more tired even after simple activities like walking up stairs, household chores or playing with the kids.

No matter what job you have, or if you are a stay-at-home mom, incorporating exercise into your daily routine will give you more energy, stamina and improve your concentration.

Here’s how your home and work life can benefit from regular exercise:

You become a good role model for your kids. Children naturally follow their parents lead, so if they grow up with exercise and sport as part of their childhood, they are much more likely to carry that on into their adulthood.

At a time when childhood obesity as at an all time high, encouraging children to exercise is probably one of the most important actions a parent can take. Start by showing them the way.

More time with the grand-kids. As a proud grandparent you want to be able to have the energy to play a game of football with your grand-kids or run alongside them as they learn to ride a bike. I know a 70+ year old grandpa who still does triathlons, so don’t think you won’t be able to do it past a certain age.

Get your pet into shape. Just as children are influenced by their parent’s lifestyles, our favorite pets also reflect their owner’s fitness capabilities. Over half of dogs in the US are overweight because they don’t get enough exercise. Going for longer, more vigorous walks with your dog will help keep them trim and improve the quality of both your lives.

Better job opportunities. Some jobs demand a certain level of fitness, such as fire fighters, a police officer or working the doors of a night club. But even if you apply for jobs such as office based work, your potential employer will look on you more favorably at an interview if they see you take care of yourself and your fitness.  

Improved working conditions. Keeping fit gives you more energy and enthusiasm. You become more creative and are able to adapt to new ideas more readily. You get more respect from your work colleagues and quite often will have an advantage when it comes to a possible promotion.          

8.    More Exercise = Better Sex!

The fitter you are, the more you will enjoy sex. Regular exercise will give you more energy for the bedroom and you will actually look and feel more attractive.

Women who exercise enjoy enhanced arousal, and men are less likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction, especially as they get older.

Sex is also a wonderful way to incorporate even more exercise into your life, and you would be hard pressed to find an activity that was more enjoyable!

9.    Improve Your Social Life

Keeping fit usually means you have to interact with others. This is a perfect opportunity to form new friendships or even relationships with like-minded people.

Gyms are a classic example of this, but so are clubs such as running, cycling and swimming clubs. There are so many sports clubs and activities you can join and they usually have all levels of participants, so there’s no need to feel intimidated about joining. It’s nearly impossible NOT to form friendships by joining a gym or club.

10.   Enjoy Your Retirement More

Retirement doesn’t have to mean you spend your time reading or playing scrabble all day. Fit seniors have a golden opportunity to do the things they love – when everyone else is at work! The golf courses are less crowded, gyms are generally less busy, and swimming pools are kid-splashing free.

If you incorporate regular aerobic and strength training exercise into your life when you’re younger, you will benefit so much more when you hit retirement age.

There’s no reason why you can’t still be very active into your 80’s and beyond if you look after yourself now.

Conclusion

Keeping fit should be part of your everyday life, no matter how small an effort you make. As you’ve just read, the benefits are enormous, whilst the consequences are rather scary. If you make it a regular, enjoyable activity, you won’t even notice you’re doing it.

References:

• The University of New Mexico – The Impact of Strength Training on the Back