In our youth, exercise and activity is largely about how we look and our appearance. Scary things like illness and dysfunction are simply too remote a possibility to fuel our desire to become and stay active. But, as we get past our early thirties, suddenly there is a realization our body is not indestructible as the wear and tear of life starts to show and begins to impact on us in ways not experienced earlier in life.

An exercise program usually takes a back seat when our responsibilities in life increase such as career and taking care of a family yet we can experience higher stress levels with our hectic schedules. Although we would benefit greatly from an exercise program at this point in our life it is often viewed as something that takes up too much precious time. The problem is though, when you de-prioritize exercise the negative impact on your body can reach further and far beyond what you ever imagined.

In fact every part of your life can become endangered if you fail to provide your body with the right activity and can have the following effects:

Weakens your immune system - lack of vigorous activity can slow the cleansing of the body of toxins and waste which over time can weaken the immune system. An increase in blood flow associated with vigorous activity helps to circulate antibodies along with killer blood cells to detect and fight diseases such as cancer.

Slows your metabolism - (our metabolic engine) after age 35, we lose lean muscle tissue from our body at the rate of 300 - 500 grams per year. And, since muscle tissue is where the most calories are burnt for energy every little bit you lose drops fat burning and increases the likelihood of you becoming overweight. Strength training exercise is the only way to stop this happening and rebuilding lost muscle tissue will increase your metabolic rate (the rate your body burns fuel) and help you lose body fat.

Being inactive increases the risk of heart disease or attack ? Without proper exercise the heart which is a muscle can become scrawny, weak and unfit. Strength training exercise keeps the heart strong and healthy.

You really only have two options: (1) make immediate plans to start a properly structured exercise program and get the most out of every day and your life, or (2) remain inactive and, a some point, your health is going to decline and all that time you said you didn't have to exercise will be taken up fighting illness or disease.

The decision is pretty easy to make don't you think? Just a little bit of time maybe 2 ? 3 hours per week could protect you from disease, give you more energy, give you renewed strength, endurance, stamina, vigor and vitality. That's a damn fine deal in any ones books.

Make sure you seek the help of a fitness professional to teach you your proper exercise program so you can get the most benefit from it. For strength training exercise to work it needs to be performed at the right intensity, duration, frequency, needs be monitored and the program changed regularly.

We all only get one shot on this merry-go-round so we may as well take good care of the only body we will ever get so it takes us the full distance on this road of life.