by Stanley W. Shura

Created on: June 22, 2010   Last Updated: July 19, 2010

We all know that there are benefits to harvest, and kudos to earn, by getting into something approximating physical fitness.  We also know that there are health risks and societal and productivity negatives associated with too sedentary a lifestyle.  We know that as animals, we humans must pay attention to maintaining our own health, and do the work necessary to help our bodies work best for us. The cardiovascular, muscular, metabolic and respiratory health restored, retained or improved has long been known among healthcare, nutrition and fitness experts, and has carved some considerable real estate in the minds, in print and broadcast media, and at the water coolers throughout popular culture over the past generation or two.

We know that regular endurance training does wonders for heart health and is an integral part of maintaining a healthy weight and BMI.  Strength training is a must if you wish to improve athletic performance (or your physical/work output in general), and aside from the caloric burn derived *during* such a workout, your resting metabolism and heartrate are greatly augmented as well.  Flexibility and or stretching types of exercise and workout, including but not limited to yoga, pilates, calisthetics and isometrics, improve range of motion, help prevent injury, and have been the most lauded for sheer serenity and "feel good" benefits like reducing stress, breathing "better" and just plain feeling younger.

All three types of exercise are important for over-all health.  All physical activity has the aforementioned benefits and varying proportions.  And, as scientific research is bringing to bear and public awareness more and more, all forms of exercise can be of great benefit in reducing stress, forging more and tighter social and interpersonal relationships, and even has positive effects on neurological and psychological health.

Now, of course, wouldn't the holy grail be that you would happen to be the type of person who truly enjoys this activity?  If you are, God bless and more power to ya!  For the rest of us "couch potatoes", Blackberry obsessives, and/or Facebook (and Helium!) addicts, I guess we'll just have to wait until Eli Lilly or Oprah Winphrey or some anonymous tweet gone viral informs the world of some magic way to "get to that state".  Until then, we're just gonna have to find the work/play solution for ourselves.

There is absolutely nothing wrong, of course, with enjoying

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