And so (F)it Begins!

Life will meet you with plenty of tests, obstacles, and challenges. It becomes more and more important these days to consider whether or not you are ready for the challenges which are headed your way.

So what can we do to prepare ourselves for life's greatest challenges? The need for financial security drives most people to make sacrifices that will allow them a lifestyle they want or tolerate. Some go as far as saving money to obsessive extents while forgoing the new car, or the fancy shoes, or the expensive island vacations. They do this so they may retire comfortably thirty years from now and not deal with financial uncertainty. This manifestation of the fear is understandably justifiable.

If the financial outlook of the Gen-Xer's were to be scrutinized, the trends would indicate that the Millennial generation has much to fear. The dollar value of their time is decreasing, partly due to the increase in population density and partly due to automation. On top of that, the buying power of the dollar has diminished. Many young students work more than one job while studying full-time in hopes that one day they won't have to. So many of them, however, rely on their parents' financial safety-netting regardless of their best efforts. Growing up in today's United States can be terrifying. To cope with this the American population by and large does its best to distract itself as soon as each workday is done. But most of the distractions we enjoy are detrimental to us in other ways. As a nation, we have the habit of eating poorly, drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, or engaging in generally unhealthy behaviors all for the sake of not having to think of the gloom outlook of our own futures. My intention is not to get into a diatribe about our country's financial future, but to create a case to focus on another investment of our time. Of course, I am talking about fitness and exercise. As fate would have it, I have recently become the caretaker for my elderly father, who is in decline from Parkinson's disease. For those not familiar with the affliction, it is a neuro-degenerative disease that inhibits the brain from producing dopamine. The result commonly affects the person's ability to command the body. Muscles stiffen, balance vanishes and weakness sets in.

Watching my father deteriorate has been both educational and frustrating. I remember vividly asking him to spend more time exercising well before his diagnosis in 2013. I mentioned the merits of being strong as it allowed for happier, more independent golden years. Exercise would help many prevent or delay other medical afflictions such as heart disease, back pain, or fall-risk. During my attempts at persuasion, my father would gently (maybe involuntarily) resist by rationalizing his apathy toward exercise. He would be quick to count the hours he's committed to his work and claimed he deserved "fun and relaxation." The comments were not meant to offend me or to make any outward criticism toward my chosen career, but it did give a glimpse into the mind of a person who does not see exercise as something enjoyable. Exercise, for my father, was more uncomfortable than working 50+ hours a week.

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Fitness Bankruptcy

Whether other trainers want to admit it or not, there is going to be a point in time in the lives of those who don't make it a habit to exercise when it is too late to start. Many factors go into determining that date: eating habits and body weight, joint health, personal discipline, nervous system health, depression, mental plasticity, the types of relationships we carry, open mindedness, lack of foresight, apathy- to name a few. If I had to guess, based on my own experiences, for someone who has *never* felt fit or active in some sport, that age, on average, seems to be between the mid fifties and early sixties. A little more mental discipline could take that point of no return forward a few years but a serious injury can pull it back a decade just as easily.

It's no secret that people who exercise are healthier. But the benefits of exercise really pay off late in life. Being independent requires a degree of strength. It always amazes me how people tend to stand on the edge of that precipice for years and don't feel compelled to do something about it. Let's examine why some people simply don't exercise.

1. It's Daunting

Now and then I click on a fitness video and consider what the layperson may be thinking when they view it. If the production is well-done, it would be easy to assume the information presented is reliable. The fitness model featured is tight, fast, young, and powerful. Clearly the plan being presented should work for anyone willing to do the work. But that's hardly the case. That becomes even more evident once people start interacting in the comments section. Fitness pros are (and should be) ready to poo-poo on any presentation that may mislead, or worse, injure people. As a beginning fitness enthusiast it becomes intimidating to consider which philosophies to adopt. The fear of injury is real, since so many are eager to outwardly complain about how one workout style injured them. To negotiate the challenge of dipping your toes into the waters of fitness, I recommend you join a friend or hire a professional. You don't have to do it alone. In fact, I recommend you don't try to until you get to know your body better. Over time, you will know when you're ready.

2. It Hurts

Going from sedentary to fit is a painful process. Besides the basic soreness that we all experience from time to time after a good workout, may of us experience muscle pulls, cramps, scrapes, cuts and more. Granted the more experienced you are the easier it is to have a pain-free workout, but even something as mild as a jog can put people out for days if they've never done it before. Pain can be perceived differently depending on context. "Any athlete knows that certain kinds of pain can be exquisitely pleasurable. The burn of lifting weights, for instance, would be excruciating if it were a symptom of terminal illness. But because it is associated with health and fitness, most people find it enjoyable. Here we see that cognition and emotion are not separate. The way we think about experience can completely determine how we feel about it."

-Sam Harris from Waking Up

To get to the level of fitness in which pain is desirable takes more than commitment. It takes training, the formation of habits, and an intimate understanding of your body. Imagine how hard it is to explain to a 65 year-old woman, who is 45 pounds overweight, who's never lifted a day in her life, that the soreness she experiences in her legs the day after her workout is not only OK, it's, to some degree, commendable.

A good personal trainer will try to put pain in context. Too much is not good. None may be ok but it isn't a requirement. A little discomfort can be symptomatic of the body's adaptive process. To know what's what, people should find a trainer that's willing to progress them slowly- one who can paint a picture of the milestones to come.

3. It takes too much time This is a lie. We tell ourselves there is no time for exercise but those of us who do this regularly know with no shadow of doubt, that exercising regularly increases our personal productivity. Not only does exercise increase our stamina, it helps us maintain a regular sleep cycle and motivates us to plan our nutrition in advance. For those who don't yet exercise but want to save time, I urge you to try "meal-prepping" twice a week. If your food is done for you before you get hungry, you will save time, money, and you will be nurturing your body with what it needs as opposed to what you want (in most cases). Of course, this is only true if you have a mild understanding of what sort of nutrition is healthy, which many people don't even though they think they do. Besides, a small investment of time now adds years or decades to your life later. So can we all just cut the BS on the time thing? 4. It's expensive Gym memberships can be expensive. Personal training sessions are expensive. But exercise, in itself is free. No one is charging you for each breath you take. You have access to parks and open spaces. Anyone who is physically capable can run for free. Confident swimmers can jump into the ocean. If space is a constraint, you may find you have enough space for squats and push-ups. YouTube is full of free exercise routines. The only real excuse is if the person is in dire need of coaching. But there is a cliche in fitness that is *actually* true: "Pay now, or pay later in medical expenses."

It is an undeniable truth. Exercise is preventative healthcare. The benefits permeate almost every aspect of life: Joint health, strength, balance, coordination, accident prevention, sleep quality, sexual health, reproductive health, immune support, weight management, brain health, anxiety management, productivity, confidence, movement quality, pain... and so one. A very strong argument can be made that the most expensive thing you can do, both financially and emotionally, is to choose to not exercise.

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Is there any excuse?

There are only so many hours in a day. There are only so many years in a lifetime. We sell our lives for a paycheck but we don't get to buy any of that time back. The only way we can have more time in this life is by exercising and treating our body with respect. Neglect is the M.O. in our society. The fitness landscape may be better in California than other states, but as whole we have a long way to go. If you love life- if you intend to enjoy all that is left of it, the absolute best way to do that is to commit time to keeping your body fit and strong. Acknowledge that there are fitness professionals out there who have dedicated their careers to knowing more than you do about how to be healthy and strong. They are at your service and you should use them!

If you don't currently exercise, start now and let FIT begin!!

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"The only way to it is to step into the river of tears and the sorrows of your life. The things that everyone is avoiding with everything from drugs to drink to sex and gadgets and whatever else you can distract yourself with, all of it is designed for you to never stop going and moving and, for god sakes, not feel the abyss. Don’t allow yourself to feel the abandonment and pain that you’ve suffered. And I’ve done it; I’m through it. I’m sure there will be things that happen again, but I realized that by letting myself fall into it completely, that it’s not to be feared. Death is not to be feared."

-Jim Carrey (on how to avoid the unknowing of self)

Between you and me, it sounds like this guy needs a workout! He's not wrong, though.

-PJ Hradilek