Duh – “Yes!” The answer to this question seems like a no brainer. So why would I even blog about it? Because there are people out there who beg to differ. They can come up with a million reasons why it’s not a good thing and should be avoided at all costs.
A while ago an older participant in one of my programs quietly confessed, “Exercise isn’t good for me.” I listened carefully and considered his comment, which is quite rare since most participants choose to be in fitness classes. However, in this case, the clients had the option not to participate. Rather than dismiss his comment as an utter untruth, I respected and appreciated his perspective. A list of possible reasons ran through my head: He may be uncomfortable emotionally and physically, afraid of getting hurt, feel self-conscious of his efforts, feel unsuccessful, bored, unchallenged or too challenged. He may have had a bad experience with exercise, similar to someone who is afaid of dogs because of their bark or bite. Whatever his reasoning was at the time, it was defining his experience and attitude. It was preventing him from participating in a program that could only help him, a program that he needed to be in.
The benefits of exercise are discussed constantly. We hear and read about the latest findings in the media. So why is 75% of our population inactive? Perhaps a part of them still clings to the belief that it’s bad, while somewhere another part toys with the notion that it may not be all that bad. I hope the latter to be the case.
Now to answer the question: Exercise is good for you. You’re more likely to do it if it’s appealing, so please at least have fun while you do it!
