Why should I workout so hard?

There's the real question when it comes to your fitness:  Why should I workout so hard?   Do I have to workout all the time to be in shape?  Why is it so hard to lose weight?

Those questions are varied but come down to the same thing:  It takes consistent work to change your body.  Most people consider that work hard because it's more difficult than doing nothing, or because their lives are busy and they find adding in more activities difficult, or any other of a slew of reasons.

The workouts themselves don't have to be extreme.  If your goal is to look like a pro athlete, with solid muscles and great definition, then yes you absolutely have to workout hard.  You also have to watch your nutrition at least 85% of the time to be super clean and healthy.   If your goal is simply to be a healthy weight and body fat percentage, to maintain your physical health, then you just have to be consistent and move your body moderately at least 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week.  You also have to work at your nutrition as well, because you can't out-train bad nutrition (the easier your workouts, the more strict you have to be with your intake because you're not burning as many calories).

The real reason for working out consistently and hard is for your long term health.  Tony Horton says, "If you take care of your body now, it will take care of you when you're older."   That's truth, and we can see it as people age.  Those who have kept themselves mobile are able to move around more freely, their joints and muscles hold up better, and their mental/cognitive abilities are better longer.

So what's the best plan for me?  The answer to that lies within you: It's the one you will come back to over and over again, at least 5 days per week, that gets your heart rate up to the 70% of your max range for that time.  If that means doing Insanity, or P90X, or Crossfit, or Zumba, or martial arts, then do that.  We have to look around and see what works for each of us.  If you hate it, you won't come back to it.  If you find something you love, you'll want to do it, and 30 minutes will fly by.

Find a reason that is important to you, down to the core of your being, long term.  Know that you need to keep in shape for that reason; make it a must instead of a should.   When someone must do something, they will.

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