The world seems to divide into four types of people where fitness is concerned – Fitness Addicts – and I’m sure you know at least one of those, I do – who can drive you to despair with their enthusiasm when what you really want to do is go shopping or lie on the sofa eating cookies. At the other end of the spectrum is the Couch Potato, who doesn’t do any exercise because, they think, they don’t have enough time, they have young kids, they can’t be bothered, they really, really hate the idea of exercise. Or they think they’re too old to start. If you’re healthy you can start. Period.
In the middle you have the Sporadic Exerciser who every New Year makes a new resolution to take up the gym/pilates/running and sees it through for a month or so before giving up and going back to being a Couch Potato, at least for a while.
And then you have the ……… and I haven’t thought of the name yet, who goes to the gym or exercises on a regular basis because they know that being fit is a way to stay younger, sexier, healthier, look so much better and be more active, and without the ability to be active what are we? Use it, or lose it, as they say.
It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you do something (and walking the dog, even up a small mountain four times a week, doesn’t count as I’ve been informed recently). What matters is that you up your heart rate and tone your muscles on a regular basis.
It doesn’t matter what you wear to the gym, or to work out at home. It doesn’t matter if you flit between Pilates and running and the Powerplate and resistance training. And you don’t have to join a gym, you can work out at home with very little kit, or in front of your tv.
The fact is that the moment you realise how different you look and feel once you start exercising you’ll want to keep going. Don’t let it go. Your body is all you have to work with and you only get one chance.
Next Week: 7 Essentials: The Minimum Kit for Working Out at Home.
