Top 10: Reasons to Want to be Healthy

Everyone has spurts of wanting to be healthy.  But often, our reasons for it can be focused on the short-term and centered around looking good.  The truth is there are a lot of great long-term reasons to want to be healthy…all of which have nothing to do with how we look.  Here are some of my personal favorite reasons for being healthy and why I believe staying that way will pay off:

1. To Feel Young and Energetic. When we are young, it is easier to ‘get over’ little sleep, too much bad food and a few skipped days of exercise.  As we get older, it gets harder for our bodies to bounce back.  Having a lifestyle that is full of activity and a healthy diet keeps you moving, feeling energetic and feeling young, at every age.
2. To Ward Off Disease and Health Problems. When we abuse or don’t take care of our bodies, it can manifest in disease and health problems as we get older.  Taking good care of yourself can help you to ward off diseases such as diabetes and heart problems, giving you an overall better quality of life.
3. To Be Pain and Injury Free. Being active and maintaining an exercise regimen keeps your body strong, lowering your risk of injuries to your joints and chronic pain as you age.  Further, incorporating strength training keeps our bones strong, warding off osteoporosis and arthritis, while stretching keeps your body flexible and limber, preventing sprains and muscle damage.
4. To Travel and See the World. Personally, I love to travel and hope to continue seeing the world, even when I’m 80!  Being mobile and healthy makes it a lot easier to fly, walk, get on and off trains and deal with some of the small inconveniences that go along with travel.  That said, the rewards of seeing the world make it all worth it!
5. To Have Low Medical Bills. Chances are, the healthier you are the less likely you will have to go to the Doctor’s office, even for the minor things. This tends to be exponentially true as we get older.  Our habits today truly impact how we will feel and look 20 years from now.
6. To Dance the Night Away. I love to dance and the idea of dancing the night away when I’m 75 or 80 makes me smile.
7. To Feel Good about Yourself. Taking care of ourselves allows us to have a healthy mental state just as much as a healthy physical state.  Being healthy often means feeling good, both inside and out, which helps our self-confidence and self-esteem.
8. To Do Things You Love. Age should never be an excuse or stop us from doing the things we love.  Taking care of ourselves allows us to continue the activities that we enjoy and that keep us young!
9. To Play with Children and Grandchildren. At almost 35, I still have yet to have children.  But, when I do I want to be able to play with them just as if I was 25.  Further, if and when grandchildren come into the picture, I’d like to enjoy playing with them as well.
10. It is Natural Prevention. If we take care of our bodies, we’ll never need to resort to quick fixes that are unhealthy, costly or dangerous, to make us better.  Staying healthy is the best form of prevention in the process of aging.