Most of us are always on the lookout for something that promises a good return on investment. When we hear that word investment we generally think of financial investments, after all we are taught from an early age that we must work hard to make money then put it away for a rainy day when we are not longer able to work for a living.
But you would think we would take the same or even greater amount of care, concern and forward planning for something way more important than money – our health? No-one can say that they are not aware of the importance of doing enough physical activity to protect health and wellness.
But for six out of ten adults in our world today it is easier not to bother. And it sure is easy to keep putting it off, at least for today or even next week, or at least until you (choose one) go on holiday, the kids go off to school or you get that new job.
But as the years (and decades) slip by your body isn’t just suspended in time waiting for you to get moving. It is getting weaker by the day. It is surprising that many people view exercise as an “optional” extra. Maybe they are not aware of just what happens to the human body without it or maybe they just don’t care.
Our muscles make up 50 percent of our body weight and if not used and kept strong, shrink and become weak and flabby. As the muscles weaken the bones they are attached to become weaker as well, joints deteriorate and become stiff, painful and easily injured without strong muscles to support them. The heart and lung system lose their ability to function properly and cannot effectively pump blood around the body.
Every part of the body weakens including the brain, blood vessels, immune system, and the metabolism (the body’s engine). Without the stimulation from “growth and repair” hormones many cell and tissues are not repaired or renewed and instead decay and degenerate. The human body in its weakened state becomes prone to disease and injury.
People who don’t exercise have a hard time using blood glucose and often become overweight adding up to 5 pounds of body fat each year. This excess fat mainly goes on (and inside) the abdominal area causing a dangerous increased risk of killer diseases that stalk the unhealthy. These diseases are called “lifestyle diseases” because of the sedentary and inactive lifestyles that cause them.
It has been hammered into people they really do need to exercise if they wish to stay healthy. But are they listening. They continue to play Russian roulette and think they will be “lucky” and get away with it. But the truth is that the risk is you have a 95 percent chance of contracting a chronic lifestyle disease when you allow your body to weaken and decay.
The choice you have in our sedentary and inactive world is a “do it or die” one. You have to spend time, money and some effort with a proper exercise program to protect your health and your future. It is certainly more important than any financial investment you could ever make.
Sure it is inconvenient to have to go to the gym for two or three 30-40 minute sessions a week. But surely that is better than being dead 24 hours a day. How inconvenient would that be? How would that scenario mess up your plans?
Forget financial investments and start treating your health as an investment. One that you will find is worth its weight in gold. Physical strength and fitness is a cash-free investment that will pay off handsomely in the quality and quantity of your one and only life. There are no down side risks only a high return on investment.
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