We’ve all been there. Maybe walking up a flight of stairs gets you a little winded. Maybe you catch a glimpse of yourself coming out of the shower and wince. Maybe you’ve taken your kids to a trampoline place, and it’s exhausting just watching them bounce around. But getting in shape feels like an impossible task, something that simply can’t be done.

But the good news is, it can be done. For most people, there’s only one point in which you can’t get healthier, and that’s when you’re dead. Since you’re reading this, that means you’re alive and kicking, and you have the means to turn your health around. Now all you need is the motivation, and that’s what we’re going to talk about today. Read on for 5 reasons you can, and should, adopt a fitness regimen.

1. One of the most common excuses for not working out is, “I’m way too busy.” The irony is that most of the people who say that are up to their ears in stress, and regular exercise is a proven stress reducer. That’s because when you work out, your brain releases the chemical norepinephrine, which moderates stress. So not only will a good workout help the day’s stress disappear, you’ll also feel less stressed overall.
2. When we say you’ll find yourself becoming addicted, we’re not implying you’ll spend 4 hours a day, every day, at the gym. Usually, the first 6 weeks or so you start exercising tends to be the most difficult. Once you get over that hump, you’ll start looking forwards to it, because you’ll notice how good you’re feeling on a regular basis.
3. There’s an old saying with trainers that it takes 4 weeks of exercise for you to start seeing results, 8 weeks for family and friends to see the difference, and 12 weeks for everybody else to notice that there’s something different about you. There’s some truth to that because actually seeing results with your own eyes is a very powerful motivator. Plus, as you start to see changes, you’ll want to push yourself harder in your workouts.
4. Remember earlier we talked about folks being too busy to exercise? Over time, studies have proven that those who exercise on a regular basis are more productive than those who don’t. That’s because working out helps to increase the quality of sleep, boost the brain’s production of endorphins, and enhance brainpower. Exercise also forces you to be more disciplined, and that enhanced discipline spills over into other aspects of your life. As a result, you’ll end up getting more done and feel better about it.
5. Set foot in any gym, and you’ll likely see people grimly pedaling away on an exercycle, or doing push-ups over and over and over. It might look boring to exercise, but it doesn’t have to be. A few ways to inject some fun into your workout is to try trampoline fitness, bike riding or running with friends, or checking out a dance class. Any of these activities are high-energy, a great way to make new friends and a ton of fun.