Why Young People Should Be Fit

[Anonymous]

Too many young people have a dangerous thought pattern. They think, "I look thin and beautiful. I don't need to eat fruits and vegetables or exercise. I can eat junk food all day and still look great." This type of thinking is dangerous, because the person assumes thinness equates to healthiness. First of all, being thin and being healthy ARE NOT the same thing! You can be thin, yet kill your body's cells at the same time. As you age, your body is not going to have same rate of recovery anymore, and as a result, you show noticeable signs of aging. Second of all, just because you are thin and attractive now does not mean you will keep your looks by your 30s. Many people get fatter in their 30s, because their metabolic rate is slowing down. An unhealthy lifestyle of junk food and very little physical activity will just age the body faster.

If you are overweight in your teens or twenties, then that is the perfect time to set good lifestyle habits for the rest of your life. Young people are still learning and developing, so it's important to lock good habits into the development stage. Young people have a relatively fast metabolism, so it will be very easy to lose weight more quickly at this life stage than at later life stages.

If you look like you already have a fit body but live a very sedentary lifestyle, then you should include some physical activity into your everyday life to improve your heart health and build strong muscles. You should also maximize the number of whole grains, vegetables, and fruits, and minimize the number of artificial ingredients. This does not mean that you should go vegan. Veganism intrinsically isn't healthy. You can consume hydrogenated oil and excessive amounts of sugar (both are vegan) and become fat and sick.

Also, animal products tend to be more calorically dense than plant products, whereas many whole fruits and vegetables take up a lot of volume but not many calories. Eating a few hard-boiled eggs is more economically efficient and physically feasible than eating pounds and pounds of beans. In this myTake, I talk about the meaning of meat. In this myTake, I talk about why veganism is NOT intrinsically healthy. Eating a balanced diet and having a regular physical activity routine will make your body thank you in later years.

[Anonymous]

This is something I've been telling my friend for years. When we were in High School, I was overweight and she was really skinny. When I was about 19, I decided to change my lifestyle. It was hard at times hanging out with her because while she was thin, she ate junk food. She would try to encourage me to eat junk as well. I tried to encourage her to eat healthier because she wouldn't always stay thin. She'd tell me that I was wrong because her parents are thin.

I lost the weight, and I've kept it off. I eat healthy and I exercise. It's ten years since I changed my habits. She still eats crap, and she has slowly started to gain weight. For the first time ever, I am actually thinner than her. She was always a stick until about two years ago. I celebrated my 30th birthday last month, she celebrated hers in May. Now she claims that it doesn't matter if she gains weight because her face is pretty, so it doesn't matter. She is actually a very pretty girl, and I am the plain friend. She doesn't care about her health apparently.

I still keep encouraging her to change her eating habits and life-style, but she won't. She says a pretty face triumphs the body any day, and she has a boyfriend so even if she loses her looks, it won't matter because he loves her and he'll never dump her. She doesn't seem to get that it's unhealthy. She just sees weight loss as being attractive. Sometimes I think she still has the mindset of an 18 year old and not a 30 year old.

[Anonymous]

Cliffs:
-Being skinny fat is not being healthy.
-Young people like most people think getting a good body is easy and just require 6 months max of going to the gym.
-Young people rely on their fast metabolism in their youth. Drink like sailors, eat junk food and as their metabolism slows down they don't change their lifestyle.
-They get fat and now want to start exercising.
-Realize it not so easy as it seems and get frustrated when they see they can't lose the weight as fast as they could.
-Give up and come up with some BS excuse like my schedule is too busy for me to exercise or just accept its part of life to fat.
-BRB become obese in their 40's
-Develope chronic metabolic diseases in their 30's and 40's
-BRB poor health in their 50's and 60's
-Most likely will die from a heart attack at home or in a hospital bed

[myTake Owner]

What's BRB?

[Opinion Owner]

Be right back -BRB

[Anthony150]

I think a lot of people take their youth for granted and don't realize how much potential they have to be strong and healthy. I think it's important to note that muscles don't necessarily define "fit". I try my best to have a healthy diet and manage to get exercise in. Most of the exercise I do is cardio and I don't have a noticeable amount of muscle. If you look at distance runners, many of them are in great shape, but not many have a muscular physique.

Overall, I agree with what you said though. Young people should make the initiative to create a healthy lifestyle before they get older and it becomes much harder.

[myTake Owner]

Biking is a good cardio and strength-training tool. People always think that the repetitive movements on a bike are only good for cardio exercises, but I think they are referring to exercise bikes. On a real bike with lots of hills, biking can build stronger muscles. True story: I got stronger just by biking. If that's not muscle, I don't know what is.

[SuperNovaRoyalty]

I have lots of upper body strength but not much leg strength. I have actual arm muscles that bulge and everything. Not excessively of course- I don't have testosterone pounding inside me LOL. I also have abs, a faintly visible 6 pk. Got any ideas of exercises I could do?

[DivaMonae]

I love yoga but I really need to join a gym I just need to work with some equipment and machinery. As for all of the info about what we should eat you're spot on. I have to record what I eat and watch my in take it's doctors orders due to some of my medications.

[Spermdumster666]

Any young person who is obese needs to be sent to fat camp.

[myTake Owner]

Fat camp is basically an exercise program. Exercise is a relatively small portion of weight loss. The foremost important thing of weight loss is a change in diet. Eating a healthy diet shouldn't be so difficult. You just have to go to the Dollar Tree store and buy some long-grain white rice, assorted dried beans, and some bags of frozen vegetables. Maybe if chicken and eggs are on sale on a larger supermarket, then you may pick up some eggs or a whole chicken too.

[Spermdumster666]

and deep fry them all lol

[rgb008]

There is no excuse to be overweight.
I was almost like 200lbs and lost over 50lbs so far and still losing. Anyone can do it.

[myTake Owner]

You know, weight loss should not be the emphasis. The important thing to emphasize is muscle over fat. There is nothing wrong with having a lot of muscle. Unfortunately, too many women think to themselves that bulking up with a lot of muscle is bad and unfeminine. Forget about gender roles. I think men, women, and children should do some kind of strength-training. If a gym isn't available, then people can do bodyweight exercises, stretching, and a lot of cycling in the neighborhood. Diet is also important too. Having a lot of muscle means you have to consume more calories in food, and it has to be nutritious food that your body can use readily.

[rgb008]

Well when you're over weight, you need to get the extra fat off initially so it should be the focus. The extra weight has horrible effects on the body as you know.
I believe weight loss should be the emphasis in the beginning and as you reach a more healthy weight with less extra fat, then focus on building muscle.

[myTake Owner]

I don't think you can control whether you are building muscle or not. Sometimes, you may be walking great distances briskly because you have to get to one location to another, and then, you wake up with sore muscles due to all the walking. Sometimes, you have to ride a bike to go to the store because your car is messed up. Then, you rest because your muscles are sore. Now, the resting period builds muscle. I'm just saying that losing fat weight by diet alone and exercising are not mutually exclusive activities.

[DivaMonae]

Please speak for yourself. I'm actually overweight at the moment no one can tell but still. It's due to all of the medications that I'm put on because of a health condition.

I would personally say that that is in fact an excuse but nonetheless I always work it back off.

[Library]

I'm young and fit. I also eat a balanced diet and I have a regular physical activity routine. You must be so proud of me <3

[peachblossomluck]

Your health is an investment. Start when you're young:)

[RedVulcan]

OR
Eat less as you grow older. Shouldn't be that hard.

[myTake Owner]

Eating less of crappy food just means your body is not receiving enough nutrients. You will starve. You are better off with eating more portions of healthy food that is rich in nutrients and fiber. Exercise and muscle building are very important in building a strong body for later years.

[RedVulcan]

Well, I thought eating healthy was a given. As for body strength how much do u need it in said later years?

[BaileyisDarcy]

Your body begins to deteriorate.

The weaker you are the faster you deteriorate.

[RedVulcan]

@BaileyisDarcy Guess that makes sense.

[Paul09]

Every single person, young , and old should be fit and healthy. Your body is a temple, take care of it as if it was one.

[cipher42]

Orrrr we could just do what we want with our bodies since it's ours and not anybody else's?

[Touchmehxx]

@cipher42 you are so much like me

[Paul09]

@cipher42 Or do that, trash your temple. As you wish, your life. You want to ruin your body, I'm for that too. Natural selection.

[Touchmehxx]

Just because someone isn't 100% fit and healthy and maybe lets it slip sometimes doesn't mean it's trashed

[cipher42]

@Paul09: Can you maybe get off your high horse? What even defines "fit"? Fun fact: a lot of athletes we tend to consider at the peak of health are actually wrecking their body because of the strain they put on it. Another fun fact: It's actually been shown that extra body fat can help people get through sicknesses more easily. So it's not even like it's that clear cut what's fit and what's not.

[Paul09]

@cipher42 Wow, relax, you don't want to be fit and healthy, then don't be.. I never said to be a athlete. I'm just saying, best right , and move a little. Respect your body. But if you don't want that's your choice.

[cipher42]

@Paul09: there we go. See, my issue is that your original post is basically telling other people what they need to do with themselves based on your personal values. That's not something I can abide in basically any situation.

[Paul09]

@cipher42 Its more of a scientic perspective. You take care of your body, your body takes care of you. You dont think its common sense?

[cipher42]

@Paul09: I understand the concept. As I said, my issue is with telling other people how they should live their lives. Plus also kind of with painting people who don't fit that particular ideal as abnormal or undesirable.

[iCroissant]

What if we can't afford a gym and live in a 100 Sq foot college dorm with 2 roommates?

[myTake Owner]

I never went to the gym. It's possible to be fit without a gym. You just have to maintain a very active lifestyle in your normal routine. The best way to add physical activity in your normal routine is to do housework manually. You save money on energy, and at the same time, you spend your own energy on your body to do the work.

[iCroissant]

Ok, cool. But my dorm room is 100 Sq foot :P not a lot of housework to be done.

[myTake Owner]

In college, you still have to move from building to building. You should:

- ALWAYS take the stairs
- ALWAYS sprint to class
- Biking is a good way to travel long distances

[nog6422]

Everyone should ideally be fit, not just young people.

[COCOCHANEL]

well i take leisurely walks

[Anonymous]

You don't need to work out for stay fit. I never work out and i'm skinny, it's all about the food you eat.

[myTake Owner]

You are very young too. If you keep eating crappy junk food and don't exercise, then you are just putting extra on your body for later years to come.

[Opinion Owner]

Who said I was eating junk food? i eat healthy food and in reasonable proportion.

[myTake Owner]

You still need to build muscle mass. Your muscle mass will decrease in your later years. So, you should work on strength training to keep your muscles strong and gain more muscle, so that in later life, you can still stand upright, tall, and have good posture.

[Opinion Owner]

I don't have any muscle even if I'm young. Heels exist for getting taller. I've also much important things to do than work out.

[BaileyisDarcy]

Much more important things than being healthy?

[Opinion Owner]

@BaileyisDarcy Yea like searching a job.