The mere mention of exercise can be enough to cause some people to cringe. We just don’t like the thought of getting ourselves worked up into a sweat. There is no good reason for it, or so we think. The end result is a largely sedentary culture in which many people don’t get up and get moving unless they absolutely have to.
The point of this post is not to shame anyone. That notwithstanding, it is common knowledge that a lack of exercise is unhealthy. The human body requires exercise to maintain optimal health. Without it, the body is more susceptible to all sorts of diseases, maladies, and injuries.
How about you? You may fully understand the need to get regular exercise but still find yourself unmotivated. It’s understandable, and we have all been there. Perhaps the four worthwhile reasons discussed below might offer you sufficient motivation to start an exercise program.
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1. Maintain a Healthy Weight
It could be argued that the vast majority of people who start an exercise program as adults do so in order to lose weight. And once the weight is off, they continue exercising to maintain a healthy weight. The validity of this first reason is self-evident; it requires very little exploration.
To the extent that you may need more, understand that excess weight can be unhealthy. It can contribute to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, arthritis pain, and on and on. Getting down to a healthy weight can help you feel better even if you are otherwise healthy. And for the record, Salt Lake City’s Mcycle studio recommends indoor cycling for weight loss.
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2. Getting Better Sleep
Sufficient sleep is as important to human health as getting regular exercise. Guess what? The two are intrinsically linked. Science has shown that people who exercise regularly tend to sleep better as well. The link between exercise and better sleep is partially due to the fact that exercise tires you out. It’s also partly due to exercise helping the body maintain a proper hormonal balance which, in turn, aids sleep.
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3. Maintaining More Flexibility
As we age, our bodies naturally become less flexible. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. Regular exercise keeps everything limber. It keeps the muscles moving and the tendons and ligaments stretched out. Exercise is so important to flexibility that it provides the foundation for physical therapy.
Physical therapists are exercise experts. They know exactly what types of exercises patients need based on what they are trying to accomplish. Physical therapists utilize exercise to help people recover from surgery, help control arthritis pain, and more. If it can help their patients stay flexible, it can do the same for you.
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4. Aging More Gracefully
There is nothing any of us can do to prevent the eventual fate of all human beings. Death comes to us all. But between now and then, regular exercise can help anyone age more gracefully. Exercise keeps the body limber, keeps the heart pumping, and keeps weight in check. All three slow down the natural effects of aging. As an added bonus, regular exercise during a person’s retirement years offers something to stay busy with.
Exercise takes time and requires physical effort. For those two reasons alone, it can be awfully difficult to motivate yourself to spend 30 minutes a day on some sort of workout program. But on average, exercising every day for your entire life will most likely pay off with significant dividends. Starting an exercise program is worth at least thinking about. What do you say? Are you willing to give it a go?