You Improve Your Looks
No amount of exercise can transform Rosie O’Donnell into Cindy Crawford,
but with the right workout program, you can shape a rounder derriere, firm
up your arms, and tone your legs. And that equals the following benefits:You can wow ’em at your high school reunion.Were you the nerd
in high school everyone ignored? Were you the captain of the Latin
club and second tuba in the marching band? Well, get on a fitness pro-
gram and you’llbe the popular one at your next class gathering.You’ll look better in sleeveless shirts.Heck, with toned arms, you may
even land a job on TV or in the movies — á la Jennifer Garner, Sarah
Jessica Parker, and Jennifer Aniston.
You’re more likely to visit a nude beach.Okay, maybe not, but research
does show that exercisers report having more confidence about their
bodies than sedentary people do.You also look and feel younger. In one study, postmenopausal women who
lifted weights twice a week for one year had the strength and bone density
levels of women 15 to 20 years younger.You Gain Psychological Benefits
A truckload of research shows that you have a better sense of well-being, also
known as runner’s high,following a workout. Both aerobic and weight-training
sessions seem to offer this boost, as well as a number of other psychological
benefits:You gain confidence that spills over to the rest of your life.The sense
of accomplishment that comes from being able to run 5 miles or do 10
push-ups just may give you the confidence to make that presentation to
your most important client or to ask that good-looking bank teller out
on a date.
You improve your memory.In a six-month study of previously sedentary
men and women ages 60 to 75, those who walked three times a week
scored 25 percent better on memory and judgment tasks, such as recall-
ing schedules and quickly differentiating between vowels and consonants
and odd and even numbers.You experience less stress.More than 150 studies prove it: Regular exer-
cise makes you less tense and better able to cope with events that might
otherwise transform you into Cruella de Vil or Scrooge.360 Part VIII: The Part of Tens