Each week I write an Article related to fitness, nutrition and healthy lifestyles. So, what is the big deal anyway? Why should we care about being fit?
Everyone has a good idea of the many health benefits of exercise: controls weight, combats heart disease, prevents high blood pressure, lowers bad cholesterol and can reduce the risk of stroke, type 2 diabetes, depression, certain cancer and arthritis. There are also the non-health related benefits: fitness boosts energy, improves mood, and promotes better sleep. The benefits to exercise are endless. Really though, these are just words on a page until you understand what these benefits mean to you.
This is what being fit means to me:
Being fit means I can keep up with my children. With four little ones running around and pulling me in many different directions from sports, to cycling, skating or rough-housing or simply just packing one or two of them as so many of us moms often do, I am busy. It is important to me to have the energy to keep up with them.
Being fit means being healthy so I can be my best for my family. I have a history of high blood pressure and high cholesterol both of which run in my family as does heart disease and type 2 diabetes. I choose to manage my health and my susceptibility to these hereditary diseases through healthy eating and consistent exercise.
Being fit means I can be a good role model for my children. Kids watch, learn and adopt the habits of their parents. In a society that considers obesity an epidemic it is important to me to set a healthy framework and build great habits for my children at a young age.
Being fit means fitting into my favorite clothes and loving the way I look in them. Of course, somedays my favorite jeans are a little more snug than others. When they are feeling a bit tighter than usual it is a reminder to look at what I have (or haven’t) been doing and buckling down again with healthier eating and exercise.
I know what motivates me to keep active and eat healthy. Consider what is important to you. Find your motivation for fitness by understanding some of the amazing benefits of fitness, and how they relate to you in your life.
