As a Master of Success, you take pride in how you look. Just as you commit to diet and brave your way past harmful addictions, you commit to a lifelong exercise schedule. Many health problems and diseases can be alleviated through dedication to a daily exercise regime. Being physically fit, you’ll live longer, reduce your risk of heart disease and colon cancer, lower or control your blood pressure and help to prevent diabetes while promoting healthy bones, muscles and joints. Working out alleviates feelings of depression and anxiety while promoting psychological well being.
There are other incentives to stay active. Most men and women reach their maximum strength levels between ages 20-30. By age 65, individuals who haven’t exercised may lose as much as 50% of their youthful strength. In another fifteen years, at age 80, they may lose another 50% of their strength.
You do want to eat but you have to do less of it. You don’t want to exercise but you have to do more of it. In other words, you have to make time for exercise when you could be doing something better like eating. Exercise can be repetitive and boring. Exercise makes you sweaty and smelly. Frequently, vigorous exercise hurts. To get from unfit to fit, prepare yourself for aches, soreness and discomfort. When you exercise, your body fights back.
Fortunately, our bodies are such physiological marvels, that we don’t require much physical conditioning. We just can’t abuse our bodies for the ninety plus years they house us. Some people can stay overweight and live long healthy lives. Most can’t. Some people can smoke cigarettes and pour in the heavy booze their whole life with little noticeable effect. Most can’t.
Common sense translated through moderation is your guide. You don’t need a lot of food and you don’t need a lot of exercise. You just need some of each. This does not mean that living a moderate lifestyle is easy. It isn’t. Be strong. Fortunately, by following the Action Principles® and the Master Success System, you will be strong. Eat less. Exercise more.
It adds up. At any time of the day, you can do a few calisthenics: push ups, sit ups, crunches, squats, jumping jacks, running in place, trunk twists or toe touches. You can take the stairs. You can do isometrics at your desk. As a Master of Success, fit is who you are.
Any method you choose to get yourself moving is a good choice. It isn’t going to matter a great deal whether you choose to jump rope alone in your apartment or join a fancy health club and work out with a personal trainer. Your muscles won’t know the difference. The hardest part of going to the gym is getting to the gym. Once you are there, your routine should include both cardio and strength work. Your cardio work can be done on the stair machines, cross-training machines, bicycles or treadmills. Your strength work will involve either using free weights or resistance machines.
You exercise your muscles to the point of fatigue and you feel the effects tomorrow. Tomorrow you go back for more of the same. You should plan on exercising three to five days per week, forever. It is tough to stick to a regular exercise schedule forever. You do it anyway. Challenge and adventure are the hallmarks of the master.