You may reduce your risk of breast cancer.Although the evidence isn’t
conclusive, research suggests that physically active women are less
prone to breast cancer than women who don’t work out.
You lower your risk of coronary heart disease, the number -one killer
in America.People who don’t exercise are as likely to develop heart dis-
ease as people who smoke. Exercise can also reduce your cholesterol
count, particularly your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, although if you’re
genetically prone to high cholesterol, exercise alone may not keep your
count in a healthy range.You’re less likely to have a stroke. Burning more than 1,000 calories
per week through exercise (say, walking four hours a week) is associated
with decreased stroke risk. Burning between 2,000 and 3,000 calories
per week may lower your risk even more.There’s a financial benefit to exercise, too. Sure, you have to invest in athletic
shoes, a gym membership, and whatever gizmos you need for your favorite
activity, but think of all you’ll save on doctor’s bills and prescription medica-
tions by staying healthy. You even save the country money. Perhaps reducing
the national debt isn’t your major priority in life, but exercising regularly
can be a patriotic gesture: Obesity-related diseases cost the nation $100 billion
a year.You Can Control Your Weight
Sure, you can lose weight simply by dieting, but much of that weight will be
muscle, not fat. Weight training prevents your muscles from wasting away as
you slim down, and aerobic exercise is the most efficient way to burn calories.
Check out the other weight-control benefits of exercise:You rev up your metabolism. No pill, powder, or herb can do it, but
weight training can. For every pound of muscle you pack on, your body
burns an extra 30 to 50 calories per day — not a huge figure, but perhaps
enough to help prevent weight gain as you age. Make that 10 pounds of
muscle, and you’re talking about an extra 300 to 500 calories per day!You can eat more without gaining weight.When you burn an extra
2,000 calories a week on the stair-climber, you can afford to try the fresh
peach cobbler or the extra helping of Thanksgiving stuffing.
You’re likely to keep the weight off.Most people who lose weight gain
it back within one to three years, but that’s because they don’t exercise.
Among those who succeed at keeping the pounds off, more than 95 per-
cent work out regularly.Chapter 24: Ten Great Reasons to Break a Sweat 359