How Often Do You Think About Death?

This picture represents my heroes’ philosophy well. Thank you John Bailiff, Rock Oshlo and (badass) Irv Tremblay.

Alain L.

How often do you think about death? I think about death a lot because I think it sucks we can’t be eternal. And while I can’t change nature, I certainly CAN (and MUST) do something about my health and do what I can to extend my life as much as possible, and even more importantly, improve my quality of life, especially in those later years.

When it comes to my friends and exercise, I have friends of all sorts: from the top athlete to the 350 pounds guy who does zero exercise and everything else in the middle. Having lost one of my best friends at the early age of 49, thanks to a number of unhealthy life choices, coupled with a total lack of exercise, I am silently angry that so many of the people I like so much, do not make an effort to be physically active, for their own benefit and the benefit of their family and friends.

According to the 2008 United States Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee Report, “Very strong scientific evidence based on a wide range of well-conducted studies shows that physically active people have higher levels of health-related fitness, a lower risk profile for developing a number of disabling medical conditions, and lower rates of various chronic diseases than do people who are inactive.”

Over and above the short-term direct benefits of exercising, the long-term positive impact is absolutely unbelievable.

I have thought for a long time that my many years of exercising regularly have transformed by body. I can stop to ride my bike for two months and go ride my bike for 100 km and get through it. Compared this to training the first full summer of my “cycling career” just to be able to complete my first 100 km ride ever.

One of the most fascinating study I have ever read, actually confirmed my intuition that regular exercise over time produces a long-term residual benefit. Published in the journal Frontiers in Physiology, the study confirmed that relatively modest period of regular exercise training (8 months) creates legacy effects over the ensuing 10 years. Imagine. Not only regular exercise brings substantial health benefits, but lasting health benefits.

The study involved 384 sedentary, overweight people between the ages of 40 and 65 years old who had to either remain sedentary or start exercising regularly for eight months. Those who had to exercise were randomly split into the following three groups: low amount of moderate-intensity exercise, low amount of vigorous-intensity exercise, and high amount of vigorous-intensity exercise. Those who exercised in any capacity saw improvements in their aerobic fitness, blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, and waist circumference.

The participants from the study who either remained sedentary during the eight month study or who did a low amount of moderate-intensity exercise were less aerobically fit after ten years than those who did low amount of vigorous-intensity exercise, and high amount of vigorous-intensity exercise. They lost ten percent of their aerobic capacity in the ten years that followed— a rate that was twice as high as those who performed vigorous activity in the original study.

What’s not to like?

There is also plenty of research that proves that people who exercise regularly have a longer life expectancy. Research shows exercise can sharpen memory, improve concentration, boost problem solving ability, and ward off age-related diseases that cause cognitive impairment.

You’re never too young to start boosting your brain: Riding a bike, going for a run, and doing any sort of aerobic exercise may improve thinking skills in adults as young as 20—and those benefits only get better with age, according to new research published in Neurology.

Here’s another reason you don’t want to slack off on your exercise routine as you get older: High levels of fitness in your senior years can help predict your lifespan, a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found.

Researchers had over 6,500 patients with an average age of 75 perform a treadmill stress test, where they ran as hard as they could until exhaustion in order to determine their level of fitness. Researchers tracked the participants for ten years, until they would’ve been about 85. They found that 39 percent of the participants died. And their fitness levels 10 years earlier were predictive of who would survive: Individuals from the most-fit group were more than twice as likely to be alive ten years later compared with the individuals in the least fit group.

I have a beautiful and loving wife, awesome children and grandchildren as well as countless friends. Why would I not want to stay healthy and enjoy a longer time and a better time with them on earth, as this is all within my power?

In layman’s terms, exercising equals (A) less sickness, (B) higher life expectancy, (C) a sharper mind, (D) more energy and (E) more enjoyment of life.

So what’s YOUR argument against exercising?