Many of us think we don't really need to work out because we're already in relatively good shape. You're going through life, day after day, week after week, month after month, and you're putting on just a couple of ounces a month. No big deal, right?
Nothing to worry about. Spread that out over two or five or ten years. You start putting on a couple ounces a month in your early 20s. Not enough to notice, at least at first. But by the time you're 35, it starts showing. Suddenly, it's a problem! And then most of us want it gone overnight. You have to realize that you didn't get out of shape overnight, and you're not going to get back into shape overnight. You need to give yourself a good amount of time to undo those years of letting yourself go. Most people don't stick with a program long enough to be able to honestly say it failed. They just quit in the honeymoon phase“
Many factors put weight on, some that we don't even recognize. High levels of stress induce cortisol, a hormone that promotes weight gain. Poor nutritional habits. Too much drinking. If you've had children. If you suffered a serious injury and you've been off your feet for a while. All of these things can lead to low fitness levels, weight gain, and everything that comes along with it. Say you have just a couple of these factors – an injury, or poor nutritional habits every now and again, or an active social life where you're drinking two or three nights a week and staying out late, or a very stressful job.
Guess what, the weight is coming. And the more of these factors you add, the faster it's coming. You don't notice it right away. You're not sitting at your desk at5 o'clock in the afternoon and thinking, “Wow, I just put on two inches around my waist in the last hour!” That's ridiculous. No, it's really subtle, and it's going to sneak up on you. By the time you notice it, it's too late. You already have a problem. One of the easiest things in the world to do is get out of shape. It happens all by itself.
Even if you're eating correctly and you have a low level of stress but you still don't work out, age will put weight on you. As your body gets a little older your metabolism decreases, you need to work a little harder just to stay in the same shape you used to be. If you're going to stay in shape as you age, it's mandatory that you work out. All of us are going to age, so this is true for all of us.
