Why should you work out? Why not just turn on the TV and binge watch a show on Netflix or something? You work hard all day and you deserve to just have the evening to yourself to relax, right? No, actually, you don't deserve that at all - you deserve so much better than that and that's exactly why you need to work out! The reason is your health and future. According to the World Health Organization, "sedentary lifestyles increase all causes of mortality, double the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and obesity, and increase the risks of colon cancer, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, lipid disorders, depression and anxiety." (www.who.int) Just a little bit of physical activity throughout your day can make so much difference for your health and future quality of life. I'm not talking about running a marathon here! Just start off with a little cardiovascular exercise, a simple 20 minute walk around the neighborhood to start. If you can build up to a 30 minute walk that's even better.
You might be thinking, ok but walking isn't going to give me my dream body. Well, of course not! What I can promise you is that it will give you a much better level of health and stamina. I'll give you an example:
I have a group training class which has been going on for a while. There was one client who always said she wanted to join but the timing didn't work for her schedule. Finally, the stars aligned and she was able to join us for group session. To everyone's surprise, she kept up with the others who had been in the group for months. When I asked her what kind of workouts she had been doing she told me she had not worked out at all other than walking regularly. It's something so easy that we all take for granted and it can make such an impact in your life.
Walking is a great way to start making changes to your lifestyle. Start by adding a walk or two to your day. Once you make that a habit, start incorporating some simple strength exercises such as squats, push ups and lunges. Change your diet to include more fruits and vegetables. Try to avoid fried foods and opt for more oven baked meals.
These little changes can make a major difference in the way you look and feel as well as your overall health. Simple enough right? So next time you get home and start setting up for some binge watching, remember that you don't deserve that. Get that body moving because you deserve better!