Exercise: Why You Should Do It

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Article Title: Exercise: Why You Should Do It

Author: Potts

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet

Word Count: 955

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Hundreds of Thousands of Americans spend millions of dollars

each year on diet pills, " magical " exercise devices, and

misrepresented health and fitness products, when in all

actuality a good set of dumbbells and a brisk walk may be all

you need to get in better shape than you've ever been in.

What can you do with nothing but a set of dumbbells, you ask?

Provide resistance to your body's movements - also known as

weight lifting. That's all weight lifting is - resistance. The

terms " weight lifting " and " resistance training " have become

one in the same because they are describing the same activity -

moving your body under more resistance than it normally has to

handle.

In fact, you've just stumbled upon the basic secret of exercise

in general! Whether you are talking about resistance training,

Pilates, Yoga, cardiovascular activities, or any other form of

exercise, all of these programs have one thing in common -

performing more activity than you would get sitting on the

couch. WHY should you exercise, though?

How about defying the aging process for starters? Do you know

that the primary reason why elderly people end up in nursing

homes is because they lose the ability to think and move on

their own? Do you also know that the entire process of thinking

and moving on our own happens because we do it every day? Until

we retire, that is. Once we don't have to go to work anymore,

or deal with scheduling and lifestyle issues, suddenly the only

thing that we have to think about is whether to watch game shows

or soap operas all day long, and the only exercise we get is

deftly flying our fingers over the remote control.

Mush. That's what our brains and bodies turn into when we stop

using them. Think you are still sharp as a tack, and at the

height of your game? Try to say the alphabet backwards in 30

seconds or less.

Yes…. sharp indeed.

What about physically? Think that you can still hold your own

even though you don't really exercise much? Stop reading this

article and drop down on the floor for some correct-form

push-ups. Did you do at least 30 if you are female, or at least

40 if you are male? No? How about 20 or 25? 15? Unless you

pulled off 30 or 40, you are probably at less than the 50

percentile mark for your gender - health conditions

notwithstanding.

Okay, so you've determined that you aren't exactly Olympic

athlete material. So what? You don't even like sports, let

alone being very good at them. That's fine, and there is

nothing wrong with that. So what about fat? Do you like

bodyfat? Do you find it physically appealing? Do you think it's

healthy? If so, we're done speaking. Go on about your business,

and thanks for reading this far.

For everyone else, here is a newsflash: In America today - the

year 2004 - obesity related health conditions account for more

deaths in the United States each year than all known forms of

cancer COMBINED. Heart Disease alone is the number one killer

of American adults, and it is a PREVENTABLE CONDITION!

How about self-esteem? 64% of Americans are overweight. That is

almost two-thirds of the population. If you think that a figure

like that and the skyrocketing sales of prescription

anti-depressants aren't related, you now have a second

opportunity to stop reading this article and continue on with

your day.

Here is the bottom line, folks: Exercise and a reasonable

nutrition program are necessary for ALL people, for their

ENTIRE lives. Note, however, that I said " exercise " , and that I

also said " reasonable nutrition program " . At no point did I say

anything about spending 2 hours per day at the gym, or about

eating nothing but carrots and celery for the rest of your

life. Why? Those practices are just as ineffective at long-term

weight loss as diet pills and late night infomercial products.

Here is what DOES work:

1) Weight/Resistance Training - Weight training for both men

and women has the same effect - it makes your muscles more

metabolically active. In simpler terms, it means your muscles

will burn more calories - even when you are sleeping. Muscle is

the only site on your body where bodyfat is broken down. Weak

muscles = weak metabolism. Weak metabolism = slow calorie

burning.

2) Cardiovascular Training - Contrary to popular belief, this

type of training is meant to help your cardio-respiratory

system function more effectively, and ultimately to last

longer. Does it burn a lot of calories? Sure it does. However,

if you don't combine it with resistance training and supportive

nutrition, you'll likely just burn off water weight and the

muscle tissue that you worked so hard for up in step number 1.

3) Reasonable Nutrition Program - Quality sources of complex

and fibrous carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, and lean

sources of protein. Eat those nutrients in reasonable

proportions frequently throughout your day, and your metabolism

(refer again to #1) will crank up to high, and you'll be burning

more calories on a day to day basis than you ever have before in

your life.

So far we have seen that not only can exercise keep us out of a

nursing home, but it can also keep off excess levels of bodyfat

which will - literally - keep us alive. We haven't even touched

on sports performance, recreational activities, improved energy

levels, ability to focus, or many of the other benefits of a

regular exercise program.

Personally, I'd be happy with just staying out of a nursing

home, and staying alive long enough to look good in a bathing

suit. What about you?

About The Author: Potts is the owner and creator of

Fitness Destinations. 's experience in the health and

fitness industry includes one on one personal training in many

different environments, maintenance of several health-related

websites, and authoring of many fitness-related products for

consumers and fitness professionals.

http://www.fitnessdestinations.com/journal.html

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