Want To Know More About How To Live For Longer?

Here's something to get you up and moving. When it comes to wanting to live for longer, experts say fitness is more important than what you weigh. According to a recent study of over 14,000 male subjects, those who improved their fitness had a lower risk of dying for any reason (including heart disease). The results held when their weight remained the same, or went up, compared to men whose fitness levels went down over time.

We all know that it's difficult to maintain our weight over the years. This research points out that increased endurance could be a more attainable goal that might just bring some pretty impressive dividends.

Based on this study, weight changes has less of an impact than changes in your fitness level. Researchers suggest, based on the study findings, that you should worry less about changes in your weight and apply yourself more to either achieving weight maintenance or improving your level of fitness.

The research assessed men's fitness levels using treadmill tests. After 11 years, those who either got fitter or maintained their fitness level had a lower chance to have died form heart disease or stroke or in fact any other disease then those who lost physical fitness over the years. Even a little bit helped, and every increase in endurance level brought a lower chance of dying.

The male subjects who didn't stay fit had a greater chance of dying from any cause, no matter what changes occurred in what they weighed. The average age of the men participating in the study was 44 years old, and the subjects were mostly white, middle class people. Nearly all, 90%, of the participants were normal weight, so it's hard to know if the same results would be found in obese men. Normal weight women might see the same benefits.

The latest findings validate earlier work on the benefits to health of being fit. Experts believe that fitness gives a better prediction of death than what we weigh. So putting your effort into maintaining or improving endurance fitness could help you live longer.

If you're significantly obese, you need to work with a fitness pro and create a tailored program so you can get the benefits of workouts without hurting yourself.

If you're thin, don't be fooled and think you're fit because you're small. If you don't do any exercise, you are no more fit than an overweight or obese person. Being inactive is never okay, no matter what the scale says.

Inactivity... comfortably sitting all the time increases your risks of...

- Heart disease

- Stroke

- Colon cancer

- Diabetes

- High blood pressure

- Gaining weight

- Weaker bones, muscles and joints

- Increased chance of falls in older people

- Arthritis pain

- More severe anxiety and depression

- More hospitalizations, visits to the doctor and medications

The best thing of all - being active doesn't need to be strenuous to be good for you. Regular, moderately intense activity is best. This might be a half hour of brisk walking, five or more times each week, which could help you live for longer.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kirsten_Whittaker

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