Should Fitness Matter To You

Do you believe that exercise has nothing to do with weight loss? A recent national magazine thinks this way. It was concluded that the athlete or non-athlete consumes more food when they engage in more exercise. That may be true, but to think exercise can make a person fat is irresponsible. Exercise is an important factor for anyone looking to lose weight.

Many factors play a role in weight lose. Exercise is one and diet is the other. A rule of thumb has always been to burn more calories than you take in. Other circumstances apply here as well like genetics. Yet still there is no better formula for successful weight control than watching how many calories you eat and how much you cardio exercise yo do.

Exercise plays an important role in controlling childhood obesity, diabetes and heart disease. So to suggest that exercise makes you gain weight is irresponsible. Exercise may also help stem certain cancers. Physical activity helps us maintain proper weight, increases our strength and stamina, and makes are bones stronger. This is especially important if you are a senior. With out some form of exercise as we age, one can be looking at osteoporosis and being more susceptible to broken bones as a result from falls.

Today, calories are not only abundant in our foods but are readily available for consumption. Frozen dinners packed with added fat and salt, tempting sugary cereal, over-processed and genetically altered foods all contribute to upending our normal food pyramid. Often these foods are less expensive to buy which may translate to the poorer populations more likely we'll feel the effects of these unhealthy food choices.

Let's face it. Americans have it easy. Shopping malls have escalators and elevators. Our society is built around the automobile. Unless you live in a major city where you can walk to your grocery store, movie theatre, or restaurant. With a suburban lifestyle Americans will spend more time driving to these places than their urban counterparts.

As a nation we should choose to become healthier. Healthy minds and bodies makes for a better productive workforce. Exercising keeps are weight in check, improves are stamina and endurance and makes us physically stronger. Exercise makes one sleep better, combats deep depression and may relieve our need for medications.

So what can you do as a family? Get out and take family walks or bike rides. Support your child in a sports program. Take the stairs and not the escalators when at the mall. Go on family vacations where lots of physical activities are readily available.

Regular exercise in life does matter. Healthy living makes sense. Having to make good lifestyle choices is more important than ever and it's never too late to start changing the way you live. You get one life. Make the right choices and you'll go through it with more stamina, more strength and less stress. Sounds like winning formula.

Keep the mind fresh and alert with exercise. A stability ball in place of your office chair will tone your abdominal muscles fast. This super exercise band helps tense muscles relaxed.