Recent scientific research has found that exercise can reduce the risk of serious illness such as heart disease, dementia, stroke, certain types of cancers, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, depression, obesity and high blood pressure.
In knowing this, many people, nevertheless, use excuses for not exercising. The common ones being – too busy, no motivation, it’s boring, no energy, don’t know how to. Those who use these excuses may benefit from the following thought experiment:
Imagine you can see into your future and you find yourself suffering from a serious and painful illness in your old age which may have been prevented had you lived a healthier lifestyle. What would your older self say to you about these excuses you are using now?
Some people may be lucky enough not to get a serious disease despite living an unhealthy lifestyle, but is it worth taking risks on one’s health? For people who are not used to exercising regularly, it may require a lot of motivation and willpower to change their lifestyle habits. But it is worth the effort. As well as reducing their risk of serious illness, there is another very good reason to have a lifestyle of exercising regularly - it improves their quality of life in so many ways, if done properly. Research shows that physical activity can boost self-esteem, mood, sleep quality and energy. The same can be said of a healthy diet.