Studies show that our mental health improves dramatically when we exercise.  It makes us feel better about ourselves, it relieves moments of anxiety and frustration, and it increases the body’s production of endorphins, making us happier.

But as important as exercise is for our mental health, it’s fundamental to our physical health.  Our physical health demands it.

Jerry Seinfeld had it all wrong.  In a standup routine of his, Seinfeld got to talking about how our bodies are geared for stasis.  Our knees bend, allowing us to sit down or curl up (if we’re in repose) and our bottoms are cushioned (some more than others), so we have a soft landing when we’re off our feet.

Of course, R&R is important, but just as our knees bend to accommodate sitting, our knees bend to accommodate walking, jogging, running and cycling.  Our butts aren’t some fleshy organ but rather the biggest muscle in the human body (i.e. gluteus maximus).

My point is that our bodies are made to exercise.  All of us want to feel good, and while exercise may be strenuous in the short-term, the long-term effects are tremendous!

Consider:

Anything worked on strengthens over time, and that includes our heart and lungs. Aerobic activity increases the heart’s ability to send blood throughout the body.  And as our heart’s blood pumping capacity improves, the lungs’ air capacity improves.

Aerobic exercise is not the only way to improve lung function, however.  Due to breathing complications that millions of people have (e.g., emphysema, asthma, etc.), aerobic activity increases breathlessness, making this a less-than-ideal form of exercise.  For these people, strength training can help.  Various strength-training routines for the arms and legs have been shown to help people with chronic lung problems better handle daily tasks that require an extra breath or two.

You name the disease, exercise reduces the risk of getting it. From diabetes, to heart disease, osteoporosis to Alzheimer’s disease, the common flu to the common cold, exercise is the body’s best defense from these and so many other diseases as it strengthens our immune system.

When you exercise, you feel better about yourself. Exercise brings a sense of accomplishment.  Accomplishment breeds confidence.  And confidence (not cockiness, but confidence) is a fundamental aspect to every part of your life.  Confidence is what nails that interview.  Confidence is what aces that test.  Confidence is what gets the girl.  In short, confidence is what takes you where you want to go in life.

Now, granted, my laying these things out is nothing new and it’s not telling you anything that you didn’t already know.  But if we all know how great exercise is, and if we all know the innumerable benefits it brings, why aren’t we all doing it?  Why is it that 25 percent of us—1 in 4—do absolutely no physical activity whatsoever?

Too little time?  Too little willpower?  Pish-tosh!

I refuse to believe that people are too busy to exercise.  People have responsibilities with their jobs and families, yes, but even a little exercise yields HUGE dividends.

The American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine both say that as little as 20 minutes of aerobic exercise sustains your life by reducing your risk for disease.  Your average sitcom is longer than that, yet most of us find time in our busy schedules for those!

My intent here is not to guilt you into exercise, but rather inspire you into exercise by highlighting all the benefits it brings.

A decision in life is all about weighing the positives and negatives of doing—or not doing—any one thing.  Well when it comes to exercise, all the weight is on the positive scale.

As the Nike theme says, just do it.  The effects are beyond compare.

Sources
everydayhealth.com
weightloss.about.com
reuters.com