Listen up! If you think that scrolling through TikTok and complaining about how you should really work out every now and then is a good way to get fit, welcome to the club. You can’t merely show off your six-pack on Instagram or flex your biceps to impress those who walk by. It’s truly about not losing your head in public when your Wi-Fi goes out or getting through those long Zoom sessions. If you can’t stop going to Starbucks, feel sorry about working from home, and realise that sitting is the new smoking, then congratulations—you’ve already made it halfway to understanding why fitness is vital.
So throw on your sweatpants (or don’t, no judgement), and let’s talk about fitness in a way that your crazy, caffeine-fueled brain can understand: brutally honest, a touch too sincere, and a lot less “motivational poster” and a lot more “I see you, fellow mess.”
Exercise: The Necessary Evil That Keeps Your Body From Failing You You’re not the only one who thinks exercise is merely torture that looks like fun. But your body still needs it.
No one is pleased to do burpees or lunges when they wake up. But your heart, lungs, muscles, and even your brain require it like a toddler who is angry. Being fit for health means that your body can do what it needs to do, like chase down the ice cream truck or carry groceries without being out of breath.
Cardio, which is the therapy where you pay to run away from your problems. Strength training: so that when you pick up your dog, it doesn’t turn into a hostage situation.
Flexibility and balance are two life hacks that can help you avoid falling on your face in public and say “I’m too old for this.”
Moment in pop culture: If you think of exercise as a Netflix show, some episodes are horrible, others are great, and you always feel bad after binge-watching.
Why working out is healthier for your brain than half of your applications Your brain wants to move, but it hates being chained at a computer all day like a digital slave.
Here’s a secret: exercising out not only makes your butt look great, but it also releases happy chemicals in your brain because your neurones detest being bored. What are endorphins? Dopamine? Yes, please. Moving makes even the grumpiest person who works from home feel a little better.
Stress relief? Check. It’s like yoga, but without the chanting.
Want to improve your memory and focus? Yes, science says so. Stop falling into doomscrolling spirals and start thinking more clearly and swiftly. Get more sleep? If you don’t want to sleep, you can watch Netflix and then toss and turn for three hours.
By the way, if you can force yourself to move by playing your music incredibly loud, you’re on to something.
The social benefits: using fitness as an excuse not to hang out with people and showing off your protein shake
Working out can be a social nightmare or a weird place to show off, but it can also be a means to meet new people.
Gyms can be terrifying because they are almost always full of equipment and people watching. But for some folks, they’re like clubs where grunts take the place of speech. You can bond in other ways, including by taking group classes, going for runs, or even doing Zoom exercises with people who can’t touch their toes. Accountability buddies are great, but not when they text you at 6 AM. You can show off how fit you are by posting images of yourself at the gym or with a smoothie.
And yes, there is that one guy who is yelling encouraging platitudes like it’s Rocky IV. How does a lot of sweating become a form of social currency? Don’t ask. Simply join the cult.
You don’t have to perform fancy or painful things to get fit. Movement is better than perfection. Want to lift weights, dance like no one is watching, or just walk till your Spotify playlist ends? That’s OK.
Don’t believe the Instagram-perfect trainers who say you can get abs by eating healthy and looking at your phone at 2 p.m. Getting active for true health is hard, private, and yes, sometimes embarrassing.
Walking your dog counts, even if he or she is as lazy as you are.
If you don’t worry about your neighbours, dancing in your living room is a terrific method to get your heart rate up.
Changing things up keeps the “I hate this” feeling at bay (kind of). Truth bomb: It’s not about working out till you die; it’s about getting to know your body before it leaves you.
So you did it. You made it through a wild voyage into the filthy, sweaty, and often terribly embarrassing world of exercise for health. It’s normal to feel a little overwhelmed. Working out won’t turn you into an Instagram model who can do 50 push-ups and run a marathon before breakfast. Nope. It’s about getting your body and mind to work together and quit throwing fits every time you move.
Here’s the truth that no one tells you: getting fit isn’t simply about looking good on the cover of a magazine (though that’s a wonderful bonus). It’s the difference between being able to catch your breath after walking up a few flights of stairs and sounding like Darth Vader after three steps. It’s about getting better sleep, laughing more, and maybe even realising that your mood isn’t stuck in a pit of existential dread every Tuesday afternoon.
And if you’re saying to yourself, “I don’t have time for that,” congratulations, you’re living the American dream in the 21st century. But here’s a secret: you don’t need to spend three hours at a fashionable studio or buy an expensive Peloton to get healthy. Movement is like a snack. Taking your dog for a walk. Dancing like no one is watching, but secretly hope your neighbours are because applause helps. Doing the bare minimum so that your future self doesn’t text you every health morning in a passive-aggressive way.
Don’t worry about having the ideal regimen or counting every calorie you expend. Fitness for health is chaotic, unexpected, and funny when you think about how our ancestors “ran” to stay alive and how hard it is for us to pick up a kettlebell without falling on our faces. Keep going; every little bit helps. And if nothing else works, simply use your caustic wit. Trust me, it’s fantastic for your mental health.
Put on your old workout shoes or whatever you call them and get moving, even if it’s just to the fridge and back. You can do this. Or at least you’re trying, which is a lot more than most people can claim.