Shed Your Winter Coat
 
For many people, exercise is just like the Olympics--it's an event that only happens about every four years. Although, this winter you may be trying to hide the effects of not exercising under several layers of flannel, corduroy or fleece, you can run, but you can't hide, or, perhaps, more appropriately, "You can hide, but you can't run."
 
The fact is, God created us to move. We were created by God with the intention of building our own shelters, using our arms and legs for travel, and hunting and gathering our food. Yet, in today's society, you can do all of these things and never leave the car or the computer.
 
Unfortunately, not moving is bad. Within 24 to 48 hours of inactivity, your muscles and several major organs literally begin to atrophy and/or malfunction. In addition to small arms, a big waist and a flabby stomach, a lack of exercise plays a major role in many of the symptoms and diseases you suffer from today, or will develop tomorrow.
 
When most people think about getting in shape, they envision painful, boring videos, machines or working out in a gym with tattooed guys named Günter. From that come excuses such as, "I have no energy," or "I have no time."
 
Debunking those myths is easy. First of all, the physical law of energy is: "The more you spend, the more you get." Exercise does not take away energy; it adds it! Second, more energy equals more time. If you have only 12 hours of energy a day, you get significantly less done and get it done much less effectively than someone with 16 or 17 hours of energy a day.
 
But during the winter, cold weather seemingly takes away many outdoor exercise options. The challenge then becomes finding creative ways to burn calories. This will help you to have fun and burn fat simultaneously.
 

By Dr. Ben Lerner, the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Team doctor and New York Times best-selling author of Body by God: The Owner's Manual for Maximized Living. For more information visit him online at thebodybygod.com.


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