Although many of us base our fitness on weight and body mass index (BMI), new research from the “Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study” indicates that it’s not as important as making overall fitness changes. So if you want to reduce the risk of serious health problems, then put your focus back on fitness.
We can easily get wrapped up in numbers. Personally, I have never been one to say that I want to weigh a certain amount. For me it has been about fitting in a certain size. When I focus less on the number and more on the clothing I want to wear, it just seems to motivate me better.
Well this new study finds that when fitness changes are made (either starting up a fitness program or improving on one), your risk of death is lowered. Even if you reduce your BMI, being less fit increased your risk of death. So according to this study the risk of death has absolutely nothing to do with your BMI.
This is something to keep in the back of your mind as you begin to reflect on your health habits from the past year and look forward to some new changes. Instead of writing down a number, a certain amount that you want to weigh or a BMI number that you want to reach…keep the focus on improving your fitness level.
This could be quite freeing for some people. For others it might seem impossible because they feel like they need to have a number as a goal. Yet how often do the majority of us who make these resolutions or goals find ourselves getting discouraged by the end of January because it seems like “progress” isn’t being made.
Yet the real progress lies in the fact that we are becoming more fit, not that we have reached a certain number. I think that is much more motivating and makes sticking to exercise easier.
Related Articles:
Walking Can Reduce Chance of Having a Stroke
Start Now to Make Changes for the New Year
Be Flexible during the Busy Holiday Season
Photo by frhuynh in freerangestock