Reason #1: Fighting off a bad guy

I am so sick of reading about all of the reasons I should be fit... According to myriad of literature out there, if I stay fit, then I'll be healthier and happier. Wow! No stretch there ey? We already know all of the broad, generic reasons for improving our lives with fitness. We are constantly bombarded with facts about cholesterol, cardiac risks, or the amount of energy we'll have when we're in better physical condition. We see stories about how this person or that person lost hundreds of pounds. We are attacked by infomercials having to do with this work out system, or that piece of home gym equipment or even a little pill or yummy tasty shake that will magically help us reach our goals. But what goals are we talking about here? Does the universe really care whether our cholesterol level is in a better range? Does the world really want me to get into my "skinny girl" jeans? Let's get real and say that the world itself doesn't give a hoot whether or not you are fit. But what the world will do is throw certain situations at you, situations that can make you or break you, based on your level of fitness. So how about we take your current level of fitness and apply it to some real world situations....and get real about why being fit is better than being fat. Afterall, we are already very aware of the benefits of being fit from a health stand point, but sometimes, even the obvious reasons aren't enough to cause us to drink water over soda or to "just say no" to a second helping of dinner.

There is a message on every pack of cigarettes that says "These things will KILL you." But smokers still smoke. Maybe if someone would get real these folks, they would take quitting seriously. If there were notices on packs like, "Cigarettes make your breath stink BAD," or "We know you can't smell it, but your clothes wreak," then smokers could get real about their addiction and make a better attempt to eliminate it from their lives. Because look, those are only the hints that have to do with the odor of smoking! Much of the same rationale can be applied to what we eat and drink. We know that chips and beer will cause us to gain weight, but there we are on a Friday or Saturday night, swilling the lager and absent mindedly eating those tasty deep fried treats. But what if you were presented with a scenario where a higher level of personal fitness could get you out of a serious jam? Would you then drink water instead of soda? Let's find out...

So you get to the mall during the holiday season for some obligatory shopping duties. You hate dealing with the parking space lotto and decide instead to just continue on to the highest level of the parking garage where you are sure to find a space without sending out the Mars Rover first. Being the efficient person that you are, you knock out a great deal of your gift-getting in one fell swoop and end up leaving the mall after the sun has set. This situation renders you walking through a parking garage when most cars are already gone. You're loaded down with bags and, have, consequently, become a sitting duck for a person with bad intentions, no work ethic and a desire to grinch your Christmas and jack your car. If you are in poor physical condition, how long do you think you will able to exert maximum fighting effort after the adrenaline surge has worn off? Taking your current level of fitness into consideration, how much of a fight will you give this person? Will you give the bad guy a run for his money or will you play possum in the hope that he will be nicer to you if you are more compliant? What if said bad guy attempts to shove you into the car, with the intention of taking you to a remote location and killing you? Can you get to and keep up "full on wrestle-mania mode" against this guy for more than a few seconds before you become winded? Remember, fatigue makes cowards out of us all, so how long will it take you to become fatigued? This is my first reason for staying fit. A person with a high level of fitness will be better equipped for fighting off a bad guy. The longer you can "go" at maximum "save your life" type effort, the better your chances to survive. You will be able to, at least, give yourself a chance to get him off of you and run to safety or, at best, really whip his ass into complete and total submission while you stand over him and say, "Boy did you mess with the wrong person today!"

I'm just sayin...