Waiting Until the Last Minute to Get in Shape?
Are You Waiting Until the Last Minute to Get in Shape?
Waiting until the last minute to get in shape is analogous to letting your roof leak until it has caused serious damage. When you allow the problem to continue on, it develops into a bigger, more expensive problem. The first sign of a leaky roof is usually a physical sign – discoloration or bubbling of the ceiling paint then water on the floor. Next comes more serious problems like damage to your drywall, flooring, frame of the house, and eventually mold.
Physical signs of damage also occur with your body – weight gain, getting out of breath easily, and fatigue. If you neglect to take action at this point, the damage can escalate into REALLY serious problems. Next comes deterioration of your frame in the form of pressure on your joints, stress on your heart, and other nasty things. Common progressions look like this:
- Poor diet + sedentary lifestyle = Weight gain
- Weight gain >>> High blood pressure
- High blood pressure >>> Type 2 diabetes
- Lack of weight bearing exercise >>> Poor bone density >>> Osteoporosis
- 1 pound of extra body weight = 4 pounds of pressure on the knee joint
- Excessive pressure on knee >>> Joint replacement
For this article, I focused primarily on exercise and nutrition, but if we look beyond that at overall health, many consequences of neglect exist there too. If you don’t do hearing and vision check-ups, you may not be able to stop the progression of something that was totally treatable. If you don’t brush your teeth, floss, or visit a dentist regularly, your teeth will eventually fall out or need to be pulled. Deterioration of your body may not happen all at once, but it will eventually happen none the less.
Be Proactive with Your Health
You get the idea, the take home here is: do not wait until the last minute to get in shape! Take the initiative and be proactive about your health. Don’t try to correct a problem that should have been addressed BEFORE it became serious. I see a lot of people attempting to change their physical appearance in terms of weight loss, usually one or two months out from a family or class reunion. Remember, if the problem didn’t develop in a month or two, it most likely won’t be repaired in a month or two. It’s that simple. Live life to the optimum!
Melissa
OptimumCondition.com
(619) 252-4993
Empowering people through fitness, education, and coaching
