I don’t consider myself to be a fitness expert by any stretch of the imagination. I’ve spent years telling myself I need to start going to the gym but I never do. That’s just one of those “I know it’s right but I don’t want to do it” things in life. Now that I am starting to feel my age, I regret my lack of physical activity.
But it turns out there is some good news for people like me after all. No, sitting at a desk all day is not suddenly healthy. But that’s close. New research published earlier this year shows that any kind of physical activity, of any amount, improves your health risks. In other words, it’s better to get up and walk around for five minutes every hour than to sit there and be mad at yourself for not spending an hour at the gym.
Just knowing that has already changed my life. I find I am getting up and moving around more often than I used to. That’s a great improvement in my life.
When I was younger I used to go clubbing. My friends have a hard time seeing me dancing the night away but I received quite a few compliments in those days. Dancing is great physical activity and it helps you stay healthy. But it’s also expensive. You have to pay for nice clothes, cover charges at the clubs, parking for the valets, and more. And you stay up late, too.
I finally reached a point in my life where I needed to get up early in the morning. And then I got married. Dancing is the last thing I do any more. Or to put it another way, I hung up my dancing shoes years ago.
While I miss the fun I had at the clubs, I realize there are other ways I can be physically active and enjoy life. And I can be flexible with my activity, too. Maybe I can’t go hiking in the day but if I want to get out and have some fun in the evening, that’s an option. Maybe that means a quiet walk by the riverside. Or it could mean working out in the home gym.
Turns out that research also shows you can be physically active late at night, too. Late night activity won’t disrupt your sleep.
We have a home gym I bought a few years ago. I never use it any more because I was always tired after work. I didn’t want to stay up late working out because I thought it would disrupt my sleep. Now I know better.
I may not become a workout monster but I’ll spend more time doing some exercise close to bedtime. I’ll have to take a shower but it will be worth it. And I’m sure my wife will appreciate my efforts.