Is it any wonder that the number of people who are disabled or killed by obesity-related diseases grows every year? If you're serious about living in Total Health, you must make regular physical activity part of your life. In this chapter, we'll take a look at how your body and mindbenefit from a combination of aerobic, resistance, and passive exercise. You'll also learn insider tips on choosing a health club and working with a personal trainer. WHY EXERCISE IS IMPORTANT The benefits of regular physical activity are astounding. For starters, exer- cise increases your metabolism, which helps you burn fat. Exercise boosts your stamina, strength, and flexibility. It strengthens your bones and im- proves your posture. And it lowers your risk of developing heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and diabetes. Physical activity also increases your self-esteem and confidence. You'll look better, and you'll feel better about the way you look. Exercise reduces stress, improves your mood, and helps you sleep better. New research also suggests that exercise may even stimulate brain cell growth and slow the aging process. Your body needs to move. If you don't use it, losing it is just a matter of time. As you get older, even simple tasks such as climbing stairs will leave your lungs winded and your heart racing. Your joints will stiffen, and your bones will weaken. Injuries will occur more often-with more serious con- sequences. Your range of motion will also suffer. You'll have to watch the way you bend over to pick up the paper. Turning your neck to back your car out of the driveway will be a struggle. If you doubt me, I suggest you spend a day in a retirement community. Talk to people who've learned about the importance of regular exercise the hard way. They'll tell you that no matter how busy you are, it's a lot eas- ier-and a lot less painful-to work with a personal trainer now rather than a chiropractor or physical therapist later. How Regular Exercise Burns Fat Faster After thousands of Total Health consultations, I noticed that some of my patients consistently made faster progress toward their goals. What were these "fast track" patients doing differently? The "secret" was remarkably simple: Patients who lost weight faster-and kept it off-made exercise a reg- ular part of their weekly routine! While it's true that many people who follow the Total Health plan lose weight just by eating protein-rich, favorable-carbohydrate meals, follow- ing a regular exercise program turbocharges your body's ability to burn fat. Here's how. .. First, exercise boosts your metabolism, the complex biochemical process by which food is converted into energy. The lower your metabolic rate, the harder it is for you to burn calories. The faster your metabolic rate, the easier it is to lose weight. More about how to speed up your metabolism in a moment. Second-and more important-your body has a powerful hormonal response to exercise.