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Why do you work out?

There is an endless list of reasons to work out, and they’re all valid.

For me, it’s all about my niece.

My Story

Growing up, I loved sports. When I was young, I played basketball every day. Once I hit high school, it was all about football.

When my niece was born, I was a college football player. I was in great physical shape and had more energy than I knew what to do with.

During that time, we would play for hours on end. I had more than enough energy and patience to play whatever game she could dream up.

At some point, things changed. I stopped playing football, and my motivation to work out disappeared overnight.

Despite not working out, I didn’t notice much difference at first. Sure, I gained a couple of pounds, but nothing dramatic.

Then, one day, the truth hit me like a ton of bricks: I was terribly out of shape.

I used to play for hours with my niece, but now I needed a break after 10–15 minutes. The look of disappointment when I told her uncle couldn’t play now because he needed a break is something I will never forget.

My niece’s disappointed look was also one of the best things that ever happened to me. I was only 28 then and not nearly ready to feel as old as I did. That look motivated me to get off my butt and back into the gym.

Now, several years later, I work out 4–5 days per week. I’m not quite in the shape I was when I was an athlete. But I’m in good enough shape to play with my niece and any future kids, which is good enough for me.

Three Great Reasons to Work Out

My reason for working out is deeply personal. Yours is almost certainly different.

If you don’t have a reason, here are three great reasons to consider.

Longevity

Living a healthy lifestyle has long been known to increase your life expectancy.

According to the CDC, regular exercise reduces your risk of heart disease, which is regularly ranked among the leading causes of death.

It also lowers your risk for the following types of cancers:

• Bladder
• Breast
• Colon (proximal and distal)
• Endometrium
• Esophagus (adenocarcinoma)
• Kidney
• Lung
• Stomach (cardia and non-cardia adenocarcinoma)

Energy

Many people think of exercise as something that takes a lot of energy. However, in the long run, it can have the opposite effect.

Regular exercise has been shown to increase your energy levels, especially when combined with a healthy diet.

Increased energy can be used on the things that matter to you, like playing with your kids, for example.

Quality of life as you age

Getting old can be scary. As we age, we are at an increased risk of injury and often reduced mobility.

Exercise According to the CDC, keeps your bones strong as you age and reduce your risk of falls.

Final Thoughts

Reaping the benefits of exercise might sound difficult, but it doesn’t have to be.

The CDC’s physical activity guidelines make two interesting points:

1. Only a few lifestyle choices have as large an impact on your health as physical activity. People who are physically active for about 150 minutes a week have a 33% lower risk of all-cause mortality than those who are physically inactive.
2. You don’t have to do high amounts of activity or vigorous-intensity activity to reduce your risk of premature death. Benefits start to accumulate with any amount of moderate- or vigorous-intensity physical activity.

150 minutes per week is an average of around 21 minutes per day. We can all do 21 minutes of moderate activity per day, such as brisk walking.