Many people often wonder how exercise, something that can feel tiring and essentially
involves the hard use of your body, can possibly help you look and feel younger.
If you are a little bit reluctant to get involved in an exercise regimen because
you think it will leave you feeling more tired than before, take a look at some
of the results from a study that was conducted over a span of thirty years.
The Original Experiment
To test the effects of weightlessness on the diet and fitness of astronauts, five
twenty year old men were placed on bed rest for twenty days. Their movement was
very limited and in this short span of time they experienced loss in the ability
of work they were able to do. Also, a decrease in their cardiovascular fitness was
also noticed. It took them two months of intense exercise and training to bring
them back to their original capacity.
The Follow-Up
Thirty years later, the researchers who ran the first experiment tracked down the
original five men, now in their fifties. This time, the men in question were measured
in terms of their cardiovascular fitness and their general aerobic capability; the
results of this measurement suggested a strong correlation between their current
state and the state they were in after twenty days of bed rest while they were in
their twenties. Then, they underwent specifically designed training that was tailored
to meet their needs, and within six months of moderate aerobic exercise, all five
men were restored to the original level of fitness that they had started in, thirty
years prior.
Conclusions
Though the fact that the men in question were all healthy to begin with, and had
not suffered any debilitating illness in the thirty years between the two measurements
should be kept in mind, there is a clear connection between bed rest and lack of
cardiovascular health and between health and fitness. The men in this study produced
some fascinating results when they showed that a level of youthful vigor could be
retained and even regained with regular exercise.
What Does This Mean For Me?
The important thing to remember is that it is never too late to get started. Start
small and you'll find that your endurance will increase day to day. There are many
different programs of exercise that you can engage in, and with a little bit of
tailoring and thinking, you'll be able to find the one that keeps you feeling great!
Be patient and think constantly about how the exercise is helping you, and you'll
soon start seeing some very impressive results!