Why is fitness such a talked about topic? There’s no mystery to it right? Just simply exercise and watch what you eat and you will have the body and confidence you desire.

Well, if it were that easy then you wouldn’t see millions of books and magazines explaining how to get the best body now, there wouldn’t be television programs showcasing the importance of health and fitness. According to Marketdata Enterprises, a company that specializes in tracking niche markets, Americans spend a little more than $60 billion a year on fitness-oriented items, that’s anything from gym memberships to drinking reduce fat items. There are a lot of things you could spend $60 billion on, and I feel protein shakes don’t make the top of the list. There are a few reasons for this and why it is important to take fitness seriously.

It’s not easy. It’s that simple. When it comes to fitness, figuring out what you need for your body and how to ensure you are at your optimal performance at all times is a tricky thing if you don’t know what to look for. There are more than 600 muscles in the human body, which make up 35-40 percent of your body’s weight. All these muscles are moving in different directions, all with different functions, all needing different things. To walk into a gym and know how to properly work all these muscles the correct way without the assistance of anyone would be a nearly impossible task.

Insert personal training. These people are designed to understand your body for you, taking away any guess work you may have, while at the same time making sure you do the safest workout with the best results. Would you question a master chef about how to cook food or a doctor on how to check a pulse? Similarly, personal trainers are there for the benefit of the public to ensure you get the confidence and look you desire. As long as you are honest with them about your habits — key word being honest — these personal trainers can map out a plan for you that will benefit you wholly. How?

There are many benefits to physical activity. The Mayo Clinic narrowed down the benefits into seven key sections. First being exercise controls weight, second being exercise combats and controls health conditions and disease, third is exercise improves your mood, fourth is that exercise boosts your energy, fifth is that exercise promotes for better sleep, sixth is that exercise increases the enjoyment in your sex life and lastly exercise can be fun adding to overall enjoyment in your life. Of the seven things just mentioned, which one would you say harms your life or doesn’t improve it in any way, shape or form? After you get out of your argumentative mode, you will realize that the answer is none of them. Exercise simply improves the quality of your life.

So the next time, you are feeling down, or not confident, or that significant other is just in a bad and grumpy mood, tell yourself or your close one to go exercise. There are plenty of gyms in your surrounding area with qualified individuals that can get yourself or your close one started on the right path. All you got to do is get up!

David Isaac is the general manager of the Redmond Ridge Athletic Club.