We have to admit 5 years ago when we set-up our personal training studio we were reluctant to speak out too much. The fact is after decades in the industry of fitness one eventually gets the urge to purge to the public at large.
A massive misunderstanding about exercise is how it is different from activity and even sport which we addressed here: https://wefit.ca/2018/02/10/the-big-clarification. An even less known fact of modern living can be summed up in the following simple statement:
* “Not exercising is as unhealthy as smoking”
We in modern living have no demands to maintain basic muscle mass. This means we suffer lack of stamina, endurance then eventually flexibility and balance as well. We are seeing the weakening of society hitting at earlier and earlier ages.
We may live a little longer on whole (though not as much as many assume) but quality of life declines and suffering increases relative to lack of exercise. The level of medical intervention required to deal with debilitation and frailty has risen dramatically.
Staying active isn’t exercising but it is needed to maintain basic health – you won’t remain active or active at any reasonable level with escalated weakening. And remember just because some folks still get ill even if they exercise regularly it is no different than some people who smoke make it to a ripe old age. These are very low percentage situations. On whole if you don’t exercise to avoid weakening you will suffer the same level of deterioration and disease as a smoker…no we are not kidding.
It’s just a plain old fact of modern life, ignored or not the human body is either seriously stimulated to stay strong or it weakens and weakness is always the beginning of illness.
The take home? Forget the debate, ignore any hype and just exercise and do it at regular intervals. You live in the modern world where you wash your body, brush your teeth, try to rest properly and hopefully eat some fresh food. Now let go of the excuses and let it sink all the way in – not exercising regularly makes us sick.
Be well, be strong,
Andrew and Tierney
* We are specifically referring to daily cigarette smoking.
wefit.ca 
Good article. And you’re right, increased mortality stats are in large part the result of much lower death rates during birth (infants and mothers) and the near elimination of massive killers like tuberculosis. Worst is the fact that we have gotten better at keeping people alive in latter years but as far as prolonging the actual healthy years, we may have gone backwards (health span vs life span). I’m not convinced that exercise will actually increase lifespan but I have no doubt that proper exercise will increase health span provided it is not over done. Too much may be as bad as too little. Keep up the great work!