It’s no secret that overweight people are being advised by their doctors to lose weight; they’re asked to start an exercise program, go on a diet, and lead a more active lifestyle. Besides the aesthetic appeal factor, the risks of disease are higher when you’re fat. You also find it hard to live comfortably because you’re not fit and healthy. But then, it’s not just those who are overweight or obese who need to exercise; what most people don’t realize is that being slim does not guarantee you a clean bill of health. Exercise is important whether you’re fat or thin, because:

• It boosts mental and physical wellbeing: Exercise is essential not just to burn calories and keep you slim but also to boost your mental health and keep depression and anxiety away. When you work out regularly, you feel good in both body and mind. The sweat cleanses your pores and leaves you looking and feeling healthy, and the hormones that are released when you exercise generate feel-good impulses to your brain and leave you relaxed and free of stress. So even if you’re not overweight or plagued by weight problems, take a walk every day to augment your mental health.
• It prevents disease: Regular exercise keeps you in good health and free of disease. It helps people stave away illnesses like diabetes and heart disease if they are genetically prone to them. It boosts blood circulation, prevents hypertension, reduces cholesterol, and removes the negative effects of a bad diet. Exercise reduces the health risks associated with stress and a hectic lifestyle.
• It keeps you fit: The more you exercise, the fitter you become. So even if you’re not overweight, it pays to exercise because you find that you’re able to walk faster and longer than other people, you don’t huff and puff when you have to climb up a few flights of stairs, and you feel energetic and vivacious throughout the day instead of succumbing to fatigue.

• It prevents middle-age spread: I know people who have managed to stay thin all their lives, but when they hit 35 or 40, the spread around their middle is visibly discernable. Men start to sport a paunch and saggy chests while women find their arms becoming flabbier and their hips become wider. It’s easier to prevent middle-age spread rather than try to control or reduce it after it’s begun. Regular exercise throughout your life helps you stay as slim as you were in your youth even when you start to show signs of aging.

So if you’re not in the habit of exercising and think that it’s enough to watch what you eat in order to stay thin, think again. It’s time you started a sensible workout routine based on your age and lifestyle.

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This article is contributed by Susan White, who regularly writes on the subject of radiology technician schools. She invites your questions, comments at her email address: susan.white33@gmail.com.