5 Reasons to Make Your Health and Fitness a Priority in 2011

Photo Credit: Gym_4_by_TiLa

Let’s face it ladies…we want to get fit, look great, and feel good, but when push comes to shove, our dreams and intentions of getting there often get stuck at the bottom of the pile.  2011 is the year to ditch the guilt, abandon the excuses and make your own fitness routine a priority. 

Here are 5 compelling reasons why it is okay to put your fitness first. 

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1]            It is like a breath of fresh air:   Exercise oxygenates the blood, increases mental acuity and physical health.  One of the quickest ways to change your state and elevate your mood is deep breathing.  That’s why regular exercise is so critical to maintaining a sense of balance and well-being. 

2]            Cheap insurance policy:   Health care costs are skyrocketing.  Blue Shield of California just announced a 33% to 59 % increase to policy holders in 2011.  Can you afford to be sick?   A fitness routine will increase your immunity and raise your baseline level of health. 

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3]            Food prices aren’t going anywhere but up:  I am half joking and half serious about this one.  Have you been to the grocery store lately?  It seems that two bags of the most basic food items total $100.  With inflation set to unleash in 2011, who knows what lies ahead.   Cutting down a little on the food intake will help at the check-out counter.  

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4]            Because you need a break today:   Whether you are a working woman or stay at home mom, I bet your life moves at a frantic pace as you race from one activity to the next.   You need an interlude, a break between the sets, a time out.  Exercise is the ideal interlude. 

Photo Credit: The_Happy_Couple_by_vexedmind

5]            Marital (or Relationship) Stimulus Package:  The results of exercise are like a personal stimulus package minus the $14 Trillion debt.   The state of your union will improve when you are more energetic and feel better about your body. 

If these reasons aren’t enough to convince you, I offer this disturbing visual in hopes of taking you to that tipping point in which the pain of ignoring the state of your own health outweighs the pain of a fitness routine.  Close your eyes and imagine how you will look and feel (adding two pounds a year) in 5 years, 10 years, and 20 years from now?  Is it a pretty picture?  How will you look and feel?  What fun will you miss because of the additional weight?  

The bottom line is that there is no magic pill, potion or diet that is going to save you from yourself.  Only planning, commitment and hard work can produce the results.  Make it a priority because the quality of your life, relationships and bank account depend on it.  You’ll feel much better you feel knowing that you are taking care of you. 

I have a new venture…writing for technorati.com and this article, written by me was  first published as 5 Reasons to Make Your Health and Fitness a Priority in 2011. on Technorati.