When you were a child, your "work" was play. You likely were expected to "go outside and play," participate on a sports team, and run around at recess. No matter what part of the world you grew up in, you were probably encouraged to "get physical" for some portion of the day. In Japan, teachers traditionally led their young students in morning calisthenics; in India, yoga was the first activity of the day; in Norway, brisk indoor exercises helped chase away some of the gloom of polar night (nearly six months of the year with barely any sun!). Parents and teachers knew that fitness was an important part of healthy physical and mental development.
However, before you knew it, you were on your own. As an adult, you began to sleep until the last minute, gulp down coffee and a vitamin tablet in the morning, slouch through the school day or work day, hit the drive-through on your way home and spend evenings on the couch. You started off so well, so what happened?
Sure, you can say that you simply don't have time to exercise or you don't have the money to join a gym or you're just too tired to exercise. You can also say that you don't have time to prepare healthy meals, the money to buy fresh ingredients or the knowledge to put nutritious recipes together. They're all really great excuses, but how do you feel? What have those excuses done for you? More than likely you're sluggish, moody, tired, and just a little grouchy - feelings that often result from poor fitness and nutrition.
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When you stick to a regular exercise program, your body burns calories more efficiently. You naturally increase your metabolism, which will help you increase your muscle mass, burn more calories, and reduce the percentage of fat in your body. Are you ready to get off the couch yet? Everyone should strive to maintain a healthy weight throughout their lives. Regular exercise such as walking, running and aerobics help to keep you healthy and fit without too much effort.
Even though you don't have the time you once did as a child to go out and "play" every day (and people might stop and stare if they catch you on the monkey bars) you should still set aside at least 30 minutes a day for exercise. At minimum, that 30 minutes can ward off everything from weight gain, certain types of breast cancers, Diabetes and the like. If you're a couch potato try a 30 minute walk before dinner when you have the most energy. If you're a type "A" and every minute is accounted for, set your alarm for 30 minutes earlier in the A.M. and take a walk around the block. Make a positive step today to change the course of the rest of your life.
