sports. A dead-on jump shot or wicked tennis serve carries you only so far.
Regular exercise gives you the stamina and agility to outlast your opponents
on the court or on the field.At the same time, you can help find a cure for leukemia, multiple sclerosis, or
breast cancer. Nationwide, hundreds of athletic events raise money for impor-
tant medical research. You can run, walk, bike, swim, even snowshoe — all in
the name of having fun and saving lives.And don’t forget that, when you compete, you get cool stuff. Run a 10K or
ride in a bike-a-thon, and you score all sorts of unique t-shirts, caps, water
bottles, sweat bands, and socks that you won’t find at Gap or Target. These
items lend you an air of mystique and athleticism, plus they’re pretty useful.
Not bad for a $15 or $20 entry fee.You Have Fun
When you discover an activity you love, whether it’s step aerobics or indoor
rock-climbing, you stop thinking of exercise as drudgery and look forward to
lacing up your athletic shoes. Exercise is like recess was in grade school — a
time to stop being serious and just get out there and play.You also have infinitely more travel options. Instead of taking yet another
cruise or bus tour or parking yourself at the craps tables in Vegas, you can
bicycle in Vermont, kayak in Alaska, or hike the Grand Canyon. And back on
the home front, instead of sequestering yourself indoors for four months this
winter and piling on the sweaters to hide extra poundage, you can snowshoe,
ski, snowboard, skate — invigorating activities that can prevent winter weight
gain and give you an edge for snowball fights with the neighborhood kids.You Enjoy Life More
Sure, this is kind of a catch-all category, but the bottom line is that life is more
fun when you’re fit. Check out these additional benefits to working out:You’re more creative.In one study, subjects who did aerobic exercise
scored higher on creative thinking tests than did subjects who watched
a video. That’s not surprising: Many people come up with their best
ideas while on the run.
You can catch up on your reading.Does your living room resemble a
newspaper recycling facility? Are you burdened with guilt for not even
opening the 14 magazines you subscribe to? Kill two birds with one
stone by reading on the stationary bike or the stair-climber.364 Part VIII: The Part of Tens