Do you exercise BECAUSE you are healthy, or are you HEALTHY because you exercise?

[Bricealan]

This is a 'chicken vs Egg" question. I started exercise in grade school, and am able to continue, hopefully, for the rest of my existence. Kind of a circular question. Any thoughts?

I have always exercised, and am able to continue because of it.

I was out of shape and overweight and exercise helped me get healthier

A combination of Genetics, healthy habits, healthy eating AND exercise to stay that way

[Screenwriter]

Exercise is one part of being healthy. It isn't the sole parameter. But maintaining physical strength, balance and flexibility to perform daily activities and sports you enjoy is part of overall health.

A proper diet and weight maintenance are two other factors and paying attention to medical factors that affect your health. It's pretty simple.

[Bricealan]

Your reply is EXACTLY what, I feel about my YOGA program!!! I am a faithful practitioner, and will probably restart Pilotes on one of the REFORMERS in my yoga studio.
My instructors focus on those three: Strength, Balance, AND Flexibility, and you and I are in agreement about those three things for fitness. I intend to ADD more Cardio-Vascular, conditioning.

[Screenwriter]

I'd like to add that I do a lot of physical tasks like gardening and painting and general home maintenance, like sweeping my porch and the street most mornings, and some biking and weight lifting.

I think having activities that incorporate exercise, just walking your dog or taking a walk once a day.. anything like that, is great. You can fall off of exercise if you have to GO somewhere to do it. When the work is around your home and you need to do it regularly, it makes exercising easy.

[dustybiker]

I’m healthier because I’ve been fit long term.
Being fit saved me when in a really bad accident.

[Bricealan]

Good for you, Dusty! Glad you survived the accident

[dustybiker]

Thank you. That is sweet.

[dustybiker]

Thanks for mho

[Bricealan]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[Aerissa_Jade]

I hate exercise, it feels like a chore, like cleaning the house or going to work. Instead, I knew I would never be able to do that. Going to the gym (beyond the nearest one being 50 miles away) was not going to work for me.

My work even offers a free onsite gym with a trainer, but for me to exercise I had to find exercise worthy things that are also fun.

Things like Hiking, skiing, riding, atv, or horseback, swimming. Dancing, I love to dance... I learned pole dancing, that is a great at home exercise, turn on some music and use the pole I have at home.

Ofc can't forget the best exercise of all... a good love making routine. That one really gets the heart pumping.

There is definitely a genetic factor though. I know a few people who look perfect, everyone thinks they are hot and attractive, but yet on the inside they are terrible. Extremely high cholesterol and high blood pressure and other things.

Health is more than just looks, someone can be healthy on the inside and not have the perfect BMI too.

I suspect because I try to do things that are fun and also burn calories and not eat disgustingly unhealthy foods, that it makes me more healthy. I do have health issues but not related to this.

[Bricealan]

@Aerissa_jade Thank you for your in-depth response

[jorfan3]

I think it is both. Now that I'm almost 30, I've gotten distracted by work and other things. Also, my bone's hardening (less flexibility with age, I did gymnastics) and a lower metabolism with age, I will say it is harder to KEEP UP with athletics and staying healthy. Once you start being healthy, DO NOT STOP. Don't take a break for any longer than a week (if not a few days). Even if it means lighter exercise to recover, like walking. You never realize how much "inertia" your body has until you stop working out.

[exitseven]

I have thought of this. I used to love to workout. I would stay at the gym and always wanted to do "just one more set". Now that I am older i have aches and pains in places I never knew I had. I still workout but it is not as much fun as it used to be. I guess my physical body dictates how much I can tolerate these days. I can exercise more when I am healthy.

[ArtemisSilver]

A lot of people are too ill to exercise for reasons other than obesity and their weight is just a secondary system. Also disability leads to poverty, which leads to less access to healthy foods and obesity tends to follow.

A lot of these people need in home nursing and dietary care for a long time before they can consider getting active again.

So basically, it's a use it or lose it and hope to God you don't get crippled somehow.

[Adaeva]

I believe it is both but 70% you exercise because you are healthy and 30% you are healthy because you exercise.

[Bricealan]

Probably a good estimate of the percentages that DO because they can: and those that CAN because they DO. You must be an athlete?

[Adaeva]

I'm very good at figure skating. I have competed in some minor events but not at the national level.

[Msputiton]

I exercise because i have no choice in that decision.🤣

But the healthiness and i like how my body looks will keep me exercising after it is no longer a requirement to train and practice

[LiamJHayden]

Great question. I am definitely more healthy due to working out, but if I were not somewhat healthy beforehand I would not have been able to work out.

[Twalli]

I can exercise if I see a goal beyond getting in shape. That was fine when I did tae kwon do, but since COVID-19 I have not been able to continue.

[Anonymous]

I try to exercise to stay in good health. But I'm fairly healthy because God wills it. I'll be healthy as long as he says so, which i hope is for a while lol.