Here are two reasons, why you have to be an active person:
- Being weak, relative to being strong = 250% increase in all cause mortality.
- Having a very low Vo2 max (bottom 25% of population) vs. a high Vo2 max (top 2.5% of population) = 400% increase in all cause mortality. [1]
THE END.
Ok, it’s not really the end. I think you know where I’m going with this though.
If you’re strong and fit, you will live a longer life. And not just a longer life – one with more years that are healthy and free from disease. I can’t think of anything that would be a higher priority than that. It makes a sedentary lifestyle hard to fathom.
You have to be an active person. You have to consistently expose yourself to some discomfort. Yes, that requires effort and it’s going to be hard. But, there’s only one thing I will guarantee – you will absolutely regret it later in life if you don’t do it.
It’s why, when it was cold outside and I didn’t feel like working out yesterday, I did the following:
10 minutes of ‘cardio’ @ mod effort (2 mins bike / 6 mins run / 2 mins bike)
Straight into..
3 rounds of:
- 8 Strict pull ups
- 15 Hand release Push-ups
- 30 seconds side plank rotations (R)
- 30 seconds side plank rotations (L)
- 20 goblet squats to box
- 20 halo’s (10 each way)
10 minutes of ‘cardio’ @ mod effort (10 mins run)
A straight 39 mins of work.
I felt so good afterwards. I was proud of myself for getting it done. I got a big lift in energy and mood. And I’m able to rest safe in the knowledge that it’s another small step to a long and healthy life.
If you’re living a sedentary lifestyle right now, this is a call to action. You know it’s not right. You know the trade off you’re making (more time at work, more comfort, more watching TV etc.) isn’t worth it. You know you’ll regret it. Break the cycle. Start doing something a couple of times a week. 10K steps in a day is an absolutely brilliant start.
Notes:
[1] VO2 max is the amount (volume) of oxygen your body uses while exercising as hard as you can. It’s a common tool to understand your fitness level
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