the importance
It really doesn't matter what it is you like to do. Hiking, weight-lifting, crossfit, yoga, zumba, aerobics, running, jogging, dancing, team-sports, martial arts, gymnastics, cycling, swimming. Just move. Find something you enjoy and move your body.
It is so important. The benefits of getting your blood pumping, your muscles active are so incredible that it should be in everyone's interest to stay active.
Exercise...
- helps to protect against heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure.
- helps protect against certain cancers such as colon cancer and breast cancer.
- prevents diabetes type 2 and metabolic syndrome.
- helps prevent osteoporisis (loss of bone mass)
- reduces risk of falling and breaking bones when older (stronger musclemass and stronger bones).
- imporives cognitive function when older.
- relieves symptoms of depression and anxiety and improves mood.
- helps keeping body weight at a normal level.
- improves sleep.
- improves lung and heart fitness.
So consider this. You do not have time for exercise. You are tired and want to relax when you come home from work. You feel fine. You dont always sleep very well, and you are slightly over weight, or you're not over weight at all, so no need to get fire engines going, right? There is nothing wrong with wanting to relax, but by prioritizing away exercise you will eventually have to prioritize expensive medical care, hospital visits, treatments...
It is the ugly truth, and I just want to be upfront. It doesn't matter what exercise you do, but if you make your body work harder than normal for 30 minutes 2-3 times a week you will instantly start to reduce the risk of illness.
The greatest problem I see is that most people don't realise that their health problems are very often linked with their lifestyle. If you have no core strength, your back and shoulders will suffer. If you have no leg strength, or to much weight, or both, your knees will suffer. If your body never gets used, never gets to work, to move, it will suffer. It will deteriorate. But these symptoms creep up on us gradually. We don't notice our health issues until it's too late. It isn't until we are dignosed with diabetes, poor backs or hips, that we understand that we have been neglecting our health.
We don't see the need to maintain health, as long as we feel fine. Our bodies are amazing though, and will respond quickly when we treat them right. You don't have to be perfect. You don't have to train like an athlete, you don't have to eat perfectly 100% of the time. Eat well during the week, treat yourself on saturday night. Exercise regurlaly, find something you enjoy. Walk and cycle instead of using the car. Walk the stairs. Simple and small changes can be the water drop that makes the difference!
If you don't have time for exercise and healthy eating now, you will most likely have make time for illness and disease later in life.