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Home / Northern Advocate

Build yourself a priceless exercise habit

By Carolyn Hansen
Northern Advocate·
2 Mar, 2018 11:42 PM4 mins to read

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Today, there is a growing emphasis on looking good, feeling good, being well and living longer. None of these things can happen unless you get into great physical shape.

Physical fitness is the key that opens the door. And a proven key to achieving these ideals is strengthening exercise. It is one of the best and healthiest things you can do for yourself.

The negative aspects of a sedentary or no exercise lifestyle are widely publicized. The connection between obesity and diabetes, cancer, heart disease and dozens of other life threatening diseases has been proven by numbers that have been well crunched.

Proper exercise supported with REAL food and great health – (way more than simply "not being sick") are on the same side of the coin, just as no exercise, poor food choices and bad health are on the flip side.

Being strong and fit has a positive impact on day-to-day quality of life as well as overall quality of life. As your strength and endurance is improved all of your physical abilities improve. Vitality and zest for living increases along with self-esteem and self-confidence.

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You will be a happier, saner and more motivated person. Your attitude and outlook on life will be much more positive. You will feel better than you would without exercise and you will look better too.

Getting started and sticking with the new habit such as an exercise program can be challenging – especially the first few weeks. You're likely wondering if you have the will to stick to it for the long haul.

Turning a strengthening exercise program - and all its benefits - into a habit and a permanent part of your life is a matter of sorting out your priorities. Surely being healthy, having loads of energy and disease proofing your body is high on your totem pole of important things in your life?

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This is your "why" and will help keep you going over time, boosting your internal motivation which is something that needs to be built and strengthened alongside the exercise component.

After an initial "break-in" period of about 60 – 90 days, an exercise program does become more enjoyable. In fact, you'll start enjoying "me time" so much that you actually look forward to it and find you no longer need as much willpower to do it. Excuses no longer hold any weight, and you don't allow anything to get in its way of doing it.

Clothes start fit better and you start to see real changes in how you look and feel. You'll feel an excess of energy to do something extra each day in the way of a leisure or fun activity that you have not had the motivation to do for a long time.

When you've reached this stage, your exercise program becomes a priceless habit, something that no amount of money can buy. It is a rewarding and very important part of your life. The benefits FAR outweigh the effort of actually doing it.

Think of it as a special gift that only you are empowered to give yourself. You will become a stronger, leaner, happier, better you. Not only physically, but mentally and emotionally too.

Begin your journey today. It's all there
for you – just reach out, take it and make
it yours.

If you truly want to take command of your life, have loads of energy, vitality and wellness – your muscles, body structures and systems need to be in tip-top condition…strong and resilient throughout the adult years.

The goal is to make sure our "health" span matches our "life span" so an exercise program is not an option so much as it is a necessity of life. It does not make good sense to live your life now so that doctors and drugs are needed later. If you do it right, exercise is the only prescription you'll ever need.

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