As the comedian Emo Phillips once remarked, ӗhen it comes to my health, I like to think of my body as a temple. Or at least a relatively well managed Presbyterian youth centre.ӠSome people, though, are not that well-managed and look distinctly run down.
It does not take that much effort to get a bit of exercise into your life. There is no need to do a Basil Fawlty and complain about a bit of knee pain as soon as someone mentions the E word. There are loads of people out there jogging happily while wearing ligament knee supports.
Fitness should be a major social issue for this country. At the moment the NHS spends ñ million a day on the treatment of diabetes and if something is not done about public health that figure is going to grow.
Fitness does not have an end
A lot of people join gyms, or do a bit of jogging and swimming and because they donִ get immediately fit they give up. Fitness is a work in progress. Like the Forth Bridge it needs to be constantly worked at if it is to benefit your body.
Like any process you should start slowly. So instead of getting the lift or the escalator at work or at the shopping centre take the stairs. If you can park a bit further away from work or get off the bus a few stops early you can start your body moving.
It is said that we have to stick to something for 21 days before it becomes a habit so whatever you decide to do stick with it for at least 3 weeks.
Look for other forms of exercise
If the thought of getting on a treadmill or pumping iron fills you with dread donִ panic because there are so many different and fun, yes fun, ways of keeping fit these days.
The current craze is Zumba, an exercise programme that incorporates Latin American dance, martial arts as well as squats and lunges. It is fun to do and there are classes up and down the country. Exercise is always more fun when you do it with other people.
But there are other forms of dance you can do to get fit from Belly Dancing to Pole Dancing. It beats pounding the pavement and as it has a social dimension you are more likely to go back and do it again.
Just get moving
Housework can also be a good workout for your body and should help you burn off a few calories. The key to exercising is to get your mindset into moving about rather than slobbing on the sofa.
So if you thought that exercise was all sweat and first aid kits think again. Fitness can be fun and before long you֬l have a body like a cathedral.