Summers over and falls here. The mornings are getting cooler, but it usually warms up pretty good throughout the day.

The vacations are all finished, swimming and boating at the lake are mostly over and school is back in session.

With the change in schedules from summer being over usually means things like exercise programs take a back seat.

Yes, I know that after work or school you want to take advantage of the dwindling nice weather, but be careful not to abandon what really matters, your health.

Hobbies are necessary to have. Having fun is recommended to stay sane! But how are you going to enjoy your hobbies if your sick or injured?

Working out helps prevent sickness, diseases and work related injuries. Exercise also increases your energy level not decreases it. If your tired after work, don’t skip your workout and go home and sit on your coach or get on your computer, go exercise! Guaranteed, you will have more energy after your workout than if you skipped it and went home.

When it comes to health, the saying, “use it or lose it” is totally true. There is no such thing as maintenance when it comes to your body and your health. Everyday your alive you “use up” your body once second at a time, one day at a time, one week at a time, one month at and time and do not slow down the destructive force “catabolism” then your life will not be as productive and enjoyable as it should be.

Catabolism is opposite of last weeks topic, anabolism. Anabolism is when your body is in a state of growth and prosperity but catabolism is when your body is in a state of destruction and regression.

Of coarse we cannot stop the aging process of normal life, but we can slow it down and even achieve a level of health and fitness that you may not have had even when you were in your late teens, early twenties.

I am 34 years old and I’m entering the Natural Mr. USA Bodybuilding contest this November against other contestants in their late teens. Late teens and early twenties are supposed to be the prime years of athletic ability, and recuperation ability. That is “physically true”, but smart training can compete and even out do genetics and youth if you just do it.

If you’ve been exercising for years then keep it up. There’s never a time to stop exercising. Once you stop, you will start getting worse the second you stop. If you’ve never exercised in your life then start. It’s never to late to start exercising and eating nutritious food.

The body building competitor at last years Mr./Ms. Natural Iowa that was the leanest most muscular was a 50 year old woman that started only two years earlier! It’s never too late to increase your health. It starts increasing one second after you start exercising and eating nutrients. Don’t wait any longer to start, start over, or keep going! Everyone can do it one second at a time.

Remember the basics work for everybody all the time! Send questions to IRON DREAMS 2 Fitness, 1118 S. 17th, Centerville, IA 52544 or email askjamieandshawna@hotmail.com.