I have been posting lately about different adventures that have been going on. I will still continue to do that, as they come up. Now, it is time to take on a new subject: Exercise for the Health of It! Time to discuss all that exercise can do for us, and why we need to do this. We all know reasons why exercise is good: It can decrease our blood pressure; decrease our risks of heart disease; decrease our chance of developing diabetes; help prevent osteoporosis; improve our mood overall, decreasing our anxiety and potential for depression, just to name a few. So if we all know that, they why are we not all doing it? What else is there that needs to set a trigger to get us motivated to do exercise? This answer is as individual as the individual, and only we, on our own, can figure that out. Time to make a list of our goals. What is it we want to accomplish? What do we want out of life? What more is there to experience that we have not already done? What if…I did things differently? What if…I were to go back in time, and change things that I know would be better now? What if…we constantly ask ourselves this all the time…what if? Clearly, we cannot go back in time and change things, we can only go forward. But, we can make a difference in our lives from this point on. The only time it is too late is when we are not here anymore. So, what are you going to do about it? What are your desires? Your needs? Your talents? How can you use all of these three components, as author Matthew Kelly writes: “How do YOU become the best version of YOU that YOU can be?”
Here are a bunch of us from yesterday’s Lake Kampeska Triathlon. Most of us are all members of the Watertown Area Run Club as well. What are we trying to achieve? I can speak for sure for me: I am trying to be as healthy and active as I can so as to enjoy as much of life as I can, for as long as I can. I want to spend time with my family. When the time comes that I am no longer here, I want to confidently say “I lived my life to the fullest, and I have no regrets!”. Will you be able to say that? If not, what are you going to do about it? Time to “Exercise for the Health of It”.
Sarah and I have a great time competing in all of these different events. That is how we started dating…by running together. We were in the same medical school class, but starting going out our second year. I saw her running on her own a few times, so then later, when I would go run, I made sure I would run by the house she was living in. She noticed! We started out by running together…and the rest is history! I may be the one having the consecutive running streak going, but she is my rock…my reason for doing all of this…my everything! I won’t even begin to imagine what life would be without her. If I was not a runner, our lives would be totally different, and we would probably never have been together. I will always be appreciative of running just for that!
There are many different reasons of how exercise can be healthy. Here is a good summary.
This is what this series is going to encompass. Even though there are a lot of things on this picture, this does not cover all of the reasons exercise is good, and why you should “Exercise for the Health of It”…but it is a good start. One main reason to keep in mind as we go on this current journey is the following:
You are saving your life! Don’t let anyone tell you anything different. Some day, ones who for whatever reason may be critical of what we do, will figure it out. They will realize they should have made some changes. They will be asking themselves, “What if” I had done things differently? Why didn’t I “Exercise for the Health of It”? Remember…no regrets. Do something about it now! And if you are, then keep doing what you are doing…for you! Invariably, this will be a benefit to all of those around you who are important, because you will get to spend more time with them. Is that not what life is about?
Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3208
