Why Exercise?

Regular exercise can stave off almost every disease or health condition out there, as this nice article describes.  Most people know this already, and evidence continues to pour in about the benefits of exercise.  Yet as this articles mentions, if all this is true, why are most people not exercising?

In studying this issue, the first thing to understand is that "exercise" did not exist for our Stone Age ancestors.  Most activity was motivated by the procurement of food and other resources.  It is only in the modern world, where physical activity is largely unnecessary for making a living, that people must pursue exercise for its own sake. 

What motivates people to exercise?  When looking at my own personal motivations, I think it is mostly out of habit - I have always exercised, and so I just continue along as usual.  Probably a high percentage of those who have been exercising consistently will be exercising five years from now.  This is not to say that some people don't start exercising and stay with it, it is just to point out that it's easier to maintain a habit than to start a new one. 

It is always a curious phenomenon if you go to a commercial gym in the winter months.  In November and December, the place is virtually empty.  But once January and the New Year's resolutions hit, you can barely get in the parking lot.  Six weeks later, in about mid-February, things return to normal.

Certainly, many of these people have good intentions - it is a shame this happens every year.  I think most of it is due to people biting off more than they can chew.  It would be better for someone to start exercising just 1 or 2 days a week than to suddenly go to 4 or 5 days; the potential for overtraining and burnout should always be considered in a new program.

If this idea about habits is true, then making physical education mandatory for all students K-12 is a relatively simple one.  What good is a great mind if it's housed in an ill body?  It may seem a stretch to some, but I would also like to see colleges and universities make physical education mandatory as well. 

The trickier part is getting someone to exercise who never has, or has sporadically.  What could get someone to start exercising?  I have read many pieces about redesigning neighborhoods and cities to make them walker-friendly, as to encourage daily activity.  I do not know if any of this works; however, redesigning all the cities and neighborhoods would have mammoth costs with uncertain benefits. 

I think another main avenue for enticing people to exercise is play.  As this terrific website discusses, play is a part of our evolutionary heritage.  Though play is traditionally the realm of children, the lack of play in modern adults is mostly due to societal influences, not our natural inclinations.  I wonder if commercial gyms would have a higher retention rate if they used fitness games instead of their normal assortment of machines and treadmills.

Thse two methods, mandatory PE and more play, seem like a good start to me.  If anyone out there has other ideas, please feel free to comment.