Everyone knows exercising is important and they should do it. Study after study has confirmed the value of regular exercise. There’s no debate. People should exercise regularly and eat healthy. So why do nearly 75% of Americans not exercise regularly?
It’s easy to pin the problem on the common excuses. Ask any fitness professional what the most common excuses are:
“I’m too busy.” Everyone is busy. We live in a busy world. There’s pressure for your time and you’re pushed and shoved in a lot of different directions. There’s no shortage of things you have to do.
“I can’t get to the gym regularly.” Making it to the gym to work out is the hardest thing in the world. There are more important things to do. There’s always more work to do or kids that need to go to sports or something around the house that has to get done.
“It’s too hard.” Working out is too hard. It hurts. Something is going to get strained or pulled or tweaked. You’re don’t understand how to work out and everyone makes fun of beginners. You’ve tried to start an exercise program before and you quit when it got hard.
“I didn’t see results.” You’ve started and stopped a workout routine several times. Each time you quit because you didn’t see results. If you would have seen results you might have stuck with it. You get discouraged easily anyway and you didn’t see a reason to keep going.
Some people are able to work through the excuses and actually make fitness a consistent part of their life. They take adversity head on and make the most of it. They are able to change their lives despite the hardship. Health and fitness can improve a person’s quality of life no matter what the condition or situation.
Health. Some people have experienced health problems such as diabetes and heart trouble. They know what’s in store for them if they don’t improve their health. Rather than continuing to suffer, they exercise, eat healthy and monitor their weight. They become more fit over time and reduce their health problems. Problem areas become their motivation.
Aging. Aging is a fact of life. Some people want to age more gracefully than others. Staying fit is great way to reduce the effects of aging. At 50 years of age, a fit person looks, feels and acts a lot different than an obese person. A fit person is far more productive and carries a much higher level of self esteem at any age. Some people make fitness a priority to slow the aging process and enjoy every day more.
Chronic Pain. About 20 percent of Americans live with chronic pain. Back pain is the most common. Arthritis and joint trauma are also common. Exercise is one of the few natural methods available to help control chronic pain. Movement is an essential part of keeping inflammation down and the body pain free. Some people use exercise to free themselves from chronic pain.