The benefits of exercise are insurmountable. It can help improve your mental AND physical health. I understand people who do not exercise because they are ill, or have some physical ailment, chronic pain, or the doctor told them not to. But what about the countless others who there is nothing wrong with, who are too busy or too lazy to get their body moving. I find it incredibly frustrating and upsetting to hear of people like this. They have a body that is free of ailments, fully able to move, but they do not.

I have had back pain for the past 1.5 – 2 years of my life. Before I hurt my back a couple years ago, I was exercised a lot. Perhaps too much. I was just starting to train for a triathlon when I hurt myself in the gym doing a squat. Initially I did not stop exercising, I just kept on going. In the summer I saw with a physiatrist in California, who told me to lay off the exercise for a while. When we got back to Canada my chiropractor said I would be able to start exercising soon, but to just stay where I was (not doing a heck of a lot) until we had sorted myself out. Which I am still trying to do, but remain hopeful that I can get out of this cycle.

People who have no physical ailments have no idea how lucky they are, and most might not realize it until something does happen that they cannot. Hopefully that’s not you.