A sedentary lifestyle substantially increases the risk of
certain illnesses. The risk of developing elevated triglycerides and cholesterol levels is increased as is the probability
of developing high blood pressure and obesity. These increase the risks for heart disease, diabetes, stroke and some forms
of cancer. The brittle bones of osteoporosis are more common in sedentary individuals and conditions such as arthritis may
be more debilitating due to the increased stiffness and joint pain associated with inactivity. There is
a loss in bodily flexibility and the muscles are not as strong as they need to be to help protect joints and reduce the risk
of everyday injuries and accidents. In an inactive person the tendency of the body to lose lean body mass as the years advance
is more pronounced than in a physically active individual, as is the associated increase in body fat. Weight gain is almost
certain unless caloric intake is significantly reduced, which is highly unlikely in the current environment of large portions
and a tendency to eat many high fat, high calorie snacks. A sedentary lifestyle reduces a person’s problem solving ability,
speed of thinking, short and long-term memory, reaction time, as well as increasing risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Last but certainly not least, an inactive person gives up a major tool for reducing stress as well as a tool for preventing
or ameliorating mild forms of depression.
Reduced energy and vitality
Inactivity
robs a person of much of the joie de vivre (joy of living). In addition to increased risk for serious illness, a sedentary
lifestyle saps an individual’s energy. A sedentary individual loses muscle mass which leads to a
decrease in metabolism and a propensity to gain weight. The brain of a sedentary individual works less efficiently than it
would if the same individual were more active. Flexibility and muscle strength are reduced and activities of daily life become
more difficult. Everyday stresses become more overwhelming as the body is subjected to frequent bursts of the hormones associated
with the fight or flight response without the advantage of the regular exercise (a flight response of sorts) which helps soothe
muscle tension, feelings of stress and mild depression. Without regular exercise sleep may be disrupted, eating for emotional
reasons may increase, and the use of substances such as drugs or alcohol may also intensify. An individual undergoing these
experiences often interprets these changes as a sign of aging even if they are chronologically middle-aged or younger. The physical changes
resulting from inactivity are demoralizing, frustrating and limiting not only to the sedentary individual but also for their
family. Inactivity results in a person tiring more easily than if that person was physically active. An
inactive individual is more likely to gain weight which often leads to feeling less attractive and less self-confident. It
is a chore to make it through daily responsibilities and a couch or comforting snacks or beverages may become the highlight
of the day. In fact, many of the liabilities often associated with aging are actually the result of not giving the body opportunities
for the activity it needs.
Difficulty in maintaining a reasonable weight
A
sedentary lifestyle results in the loss of an opportunity to burn calories, and the loss of lean body mass, which results
in a lowered metabolic rate because lean body tissue is more metabolically active. It becomes a major challenge if weight
gain is to be prevented. Even an extra hundred calories a day in excess of what the body needs to perform vital functions
will result in the gaining of ten pounds in a year. Individuals are born with a certain number of fat cells which is partly
determined by their genes. As weight is gained these fat cells expand to their capacity for fat storage. If enough weight
is gained, additional fat cells are created by the body. Once the additional fat cells are formed future weight loss will
result in the reduction of the size of the fat cells but not in their number. The greater the number of fat cells the harder
it is to lose weight and maintain weight losses. While genetics may predispose an individual to gain weight or affect the speed
with which weight may be lost, lifestyle choices play a MAJOR role in what happens to an individual. No, not everyone can
(or should) attain the (tall!) slender, toned bodies idealized by the popular media. However, everyone has the choice to be
more active. Exercise is essential to weight management.
Physical health improvement
In contrast to the bleak outlook confronting sedentary individuals, even modest increases in physical activity
have a positive influence on health and vitality. A minimum of 20 or 30 minutes of moderate activity a day, broken down into
two or three sessions if necessary in the beginning, most days of the week, will result in health benefits. This minimal amount
of exercise not only promotes better health but also can aid in efforts to maintain weight. In short, even a brisk walk or
two on most days of the week has benefits.
Weight
management
Exercise burns calories, it may also decrease appetite and can elevate metabolic
rate which continues to be elevated in the hours following exercise. When an individual is following a weight loss program
exercise may help preserve lean body mass. Most importantly, exercise is vital in maintaining weight loss once it has been
achieved.
Improvements in mood
Exercise helps an individual
to relax, improves sleep, reduces muscular tension and reduces depression. That glow of relaxation after a workout is restorative.
Research shows that one of the best things a person can do when depressed is to force themsleves to exercise. The mood elevation
effect is immediate.
Improvements in self confidence
One of
the reasons many individuals do not attempt an exercise program is because they feel they are not very athletic or coordinated.
Once a graduated exercise program is begun these same individuals discover that they are indeed able to work out successfully,
that they can become stronger and have more stamina, that they can improve their muscle tone and make improvements in how
they feel emotionally. These revelations are very empowering. It is this increased sense of self confidence
and improved sense of well-being that eventually becomes the sustaining force in staying with an exercise program.
Reduction
in risk for illness
Exercise reduces your chances of developing and dying of illnesses
such as heart disease. It does this by lowering risk factors such as triglyceride and overall cholesterol levels, while improving
the level of HDL, the “good” cholesterol which is thought to reduce the risk of heart disease. Exercise, especially
weight bearing exercise and strength training, helps to maintain or increase bone mass resulting in a reduced risk for osteoarthritis
and associated fractures. Exercise also improves the ability to lower resting blood pressure rates for hours after an exercise
session is over. In addition, moderate exercise may significantly reduce the risk of developing type II
diabetes. Arthritics who exercise often experience more strength and flexibility in the involved joints
as well as a reduction in the amount of pain medicine needed. Exercise, furthermore, may delay or prevent the development
of arthritis in other joints. Regular walking of over a mile a day has been shown to reduce the risk of stroke significantly.
Exercise reduces the risk for some cancers, especially breast and colon cancer, as well.
Increase
in energy
Individuals who do not exercise often complain of being too tired to work out.
Ironically exercise improves the body’s capacity to work so that a person who exercises on a regular basis actually
has more energy, and greater strength and endurance for daily activities. As a consequence an individual feels better and
begins to enjoy their life more. Surprisingly this is one of the first things noticed after one begins to work out on a regular
basis—usually within a few weeks of beginning to exercise.
Activities of daily
life performed more easily
A physically fit individual is stronger, healthier and more
energetic than a sedentary individual. They are able to solve problems more readily, deal with stress more effectively, think
faster and remember things more efficiently. Thus the activities of daily life can be performed with less effort but frequently
in a more effective manner than if the individual is sedentary.
Gain without
pain
You can make significant gains without pain. A sedentary individual frequently
feels stiff, tense, and achy—especially in the neck, shoulders and lower back areas. Since the addition of even modest
amounts of physical activity, 20 minutes of walking for example, may result in a reduction of these complaints, it is NOT
necessary to engage in exercise so strenuous that one pain is relinquished only to be replaced by another! In fact, to jump
right into an extremely strenuous exercise program from a very sedentary lifestyle is a formula for failure. Benefits cannot
be achieved if exercise makes a person miserable or excessively intrudes on daily life. In fact, a person quickly learns to
recognize the slight soreness that comes from challenging the body. This soreness is not the same as pain and resolves in
a day or so. As physical condition improves, an individual may eventually want to work individual muscles until they are exhausted
but this feeling of exhaustion is very short-lived and is associated with muscle strengthening. It is not the same as sharp
or enduring pain which can mean the presence of injury. While it is very tempting to enthusiastically embrace the idea of exercising
full speed ahead, such an approach often results in abandonment of the program, a sense that one is not “very athletic,”
and a dislike for future exercise attempts. In the long run it is better to think through and formulate a plan that is flexible,
with variety and options that allow it to become part of your routine thereby increasing your probability of success. If you
lapse and return to more sedentary habits you always have the option to begin again. Lapses can even be seen as useful if
examination of what went wrong is treated as a learning experience, and used to make the next exercise program more suitable
for you.