With long commutes, work-related stress, sedentary jobs and unhealthy eating habits, the modern lifestyle are taking a toll on both the mental and physical health of people. Obesity is a growing problem and it is estimated that cardiovascular disease will be the cause of over 40 per cent deaths in India by 2020, making the country the heart disease capital of the world.   

That’s one of the reasons why fitness is more important today than ever before. Keeping fit prevents the onset of many lifestyle-related diseases that are becoming increasingly common in modern times. Fitness also makes people happier, more productive and helps manage stress better, proving to be an effective counter to the pressures of daily modern living. However, despite knowing all this many of us fall off the fitness wagon.

I believe being fit in this time and age is more a necessity than an option. Here are my top 5 reasons why you need to make your resolutions #NOFAIL:

• Keeps chronic diseases at bay

Fitness prevents a raft of chronic diseases like cardiovascular illnesses, diabetes and cancer. It can also help control the intensity of asthma attacks, while mild exercises prevent back pain and arthritis. In essence, fitness improves your overall quality of life by safeguarding you from debilitating diseases. This is a major benefit at a time of rising healthcare costs.

• Boosts your productivity

The point of fitness is not just how you look, but also how you feel. Beyond things like slimming down or bulking up, the real purpose of fitness is to support yourself in day-to-day activities. Being fit will ensure that you don’t run out of energy while pursuing day-to-day activities and perform each task with the same focus and concentration as the last.

• Fitness keeps your mood upbeat

Ever noticed how life seemed a lot better after a round of intense workout? That’s because exercising releases feel-good chemicals in your body called endorphins. Workouts have been proven to reduce feelings of anxiety and depression and boost mood. With as much as 36% of Indians possibly affected by depression at some point in their lives, exercise is a great way to fight this widespread menace.

• Help fight stress

Theories differ as to why fitness keeps stress at bay, but the link between fitness and stress management is undeniable. Studies suggest that exercise helps reduce fatigue and improves concentration, which in turn helps manage stress. Fitness—especially yoga—has a profound impact on breathing, which helps reduce anxiety and keeps the mind calm and relaxed.

• Makes old age less painful

Growing old brings with it, a number of health problems, which fit people tend to avoid because of their fitness regime. For instance, back pain is a common problem among elders that can be prevented by adopting the right posture—something exercise can help with. Falling because of weak bones is another old age problem which can be prevented by regular exercise.

How to incorporate fitness into your daily life

When it comes to fitness, there is no shortness of good intent, with everyone agreeing to the need of getting fit. It is the execution which is the problem, usually because of legitimate reasons like people being too busy to fit exercise into their daily schedule or being exhausted to hit the gym after a day’s work

However, it isn’t really difficult to incorporate fitness into your daily life. The trick is to start with a change in mindset.

It’s important to understand the benefits of keeping fit. Once that happens, incorporating 40 minutes to an hour of exercise per day shouldn’t be that difficult.

I’ve always believed that company is important—being around people who are into fitness as well will keep you motivated. Keep your fitness goals simple and create realistic, short-term targets. Keep those fitness resolutions, even if you need to take them again.