Most of us focus on the relatively immediate benefits of training:
To get stronger, to have more energy, to manage stress, to improve mood and mental health. And, to feel good about the person we see in the mirror.
And all of that is cool. They’re all worth the focus.
If you’re over 35, you’re likely thinking about the benefits that being active has on aging. Avoiding chronic diseases and getting older gracefully motivates you to move. Instead of stumbling through the years, eyes closed, fingers crossed, and hoping for the best.
What we often neglect to appreciate, because we suck at planning for something that might not happen (or like to think that it won’t happen), are the benefits that training has on the life’s “oh shit” moments.
It could be a fall, an accident, a surgery or an illness. Yep, “oh shit”.
Training and being active is literally like building our fitness savings account. And whether we want to acknowledge this, there’s a chance that one day we need to withdraw from our fitness savings.
The longer your training history is, the better off you will be if “oh shit” happens. You’re more likely to recover faster. Or to even make a full recovery. Especially when compared to those who are in the same situation as you, but untrained, overweight and inactive.
So, give yourself a wink, a nudge-nudge, or a high five each time you add strength and fitness to your savings account.
And if you haven’t started accumulating your savings yet, the next best time is today.