Run For Your Life

Topping the list of things I’ve never understood are people who enjoy fitness. I have never felt a runner’s high, lifting bliss, or any other euphoric rush from exercise, which makes it all the more strange that I invest so much time and money into it. To name a few things that have drained my bank account: weights, benches, fitness apps, protein powder… and that doesn’t even scratch the surface. I have a room in my house set aside as a gym. At one point, we considered making it a playroom for the kids, but the thought of someday having a six-pack was just too compelling.

And it’s not just weightlifting. Every morning, I run my girls to school—and I mean that literally. I load them into a stroller and run them up a hill roughly the elevation of Everest to the local elementary school. Who does that?

Here’s the deal: I hate exercise, but there’s a reason I do it. And it’s the same reason it’s one of the health priorities that gives Functional 5 Health its name. Next to poor diet, sedentariness may be the greatest killer of our generation. Studies suggest that just having a desk job can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease by 34%. But there is hope. Converting 30 minutes of sitting into light-intensity physical activity (e.g., a brisk walk) lowers that risk significantly.

At the end of the day, my hatred for exercise is no match for my desire to be alive when my kids have kids—and not just alive, but also healthy. Make no mistake, fitness is an investment. As with most things in life, it’s important to have a diverse portfolio of investments. Exercise is not the end-all, be-all, but it is a crucial cog in the wheel of longevity. Future you will thank you for making it a priority.