Fitness Articles

Benefits of being fit - Feb 2005

THE BENEFITS OF BEING FIT

So what are the benefits to you keeping fit?
Why should you bother to read this, why subject yourself to the disciplines of exercise and food control.

LONGER LIFE

The majority of smokers in Europe die of heart-attacks or cancers. The other side of the coin is that those of us who do not smoke are highly unlikely to die of lung cancer, and those of us who keep fit are more likely to reach a ripe old age with strong hearts and less risk of suffering cancers. Of special interest to those of you who think you cannot stop smoking, a study found that fit smokers (ones that took regular exercise) were less likely to die than less fit smokers.

QUALITY OF LIFE

Nobody wants to live longer, let alone be ‘old', if they are not enjoying life in the first place. If it means pain from Arthritis, Osteoporosis, Viral illnesses and so on, then what, you may wonder, is the advantage of a longer life? I would agree. However, by keeping fit and eating healthily you dramatically increase your chances of escaping such painful afflictions. Quality of life involves happiness, Self-confidence and good health. Fitness will increase your chance of enjoying all three.

SELF-MOTIVATION

Most people hate the thought of taking exercise, despite the knowledge that it is good for them. But many of these same folk, including me, still manage to keep fit because we know the penalties of lapsing into a sedentary, or semi-sedentary existence. Thinking about the benefits of keeping fit should be enough to provide the self-motivation needed to take regular exercise and eat correctly. But you need to keep reminding yourself of the benefits each time your natural laziness, or busy schedule, tempts you to give exercise a miss or to unwrap another chocolate bar.

GO FOR FRESH

Hundreds of studies show that those who eat the most fruits and vegetables are healthier and leaner than those who eat little of nature's ultimate diet food.