What frugality, peak oil and preparedness have in common

Besides water, food and shelter, written in gold way up on the list of our most important basic needs are health and physical fitness. But in this cushy era, a time when everything needed sits on a grocery shelf or at a take-out window, we are hard pressed to find reasons to work toward our ultimate potential for fitness, both mental and physical.
   I mean, who besides a Navy Seal faces general requirements to meet certain standards in the 500-yard swim, 2-minute timed push-ups, 2-minute timed curl-ups, pull-ups and a 1.5 mile run. Still, considering that exercise boosts job performance, trains our brains, lowers health care costs and slows the progress of many diseases, as well as builds psychological resilience, you'd think we'd all get moving. Why, according to Money Magazine, buying running shoes is one of the 50 Smartest Things to Do with Your Money! Since there are myriad reasons to whip ourselves into shape, it doesn't take too much of a stretch to imagine the impact of fitness on these scenarios:

• A catastrophic event wipes out all resources for water, food and electricity for 48 hours at the least, THAT'S THE DAY we're gonna wish we had exercised regularly.
• Peak oil ends the era of cheap gas and we're required to get everywhere under our own power, THAT'S THE DAY we're gonna wish we had exercised regularly.
• All the credit cards are maxed out, bankruptcy sounds like a good idea, words like "downsizing" start being thrown around and that dream job is in jeopardy, or the doc throws down the "change or die" ultimatum, THAT'S THE DAY we're gonna wish we had exercised regularly.
• The realization sinks in that a sweet little baby--a precocious child who looks up to us for everything that's important--silently watches and intuitively learns from our every move, daily developing skills that will see him/her through to the future, THAT'S THE DAY we're gonna wish we had exercised regularly.  

   We have a loved one in the hospital. Nothing like spending a few days/nights visiting at the hospital to remind me of the importance of staying healthy. Fortunately, this close-to-home scenario is destined for the best possible outcome. THIS IS THE DAY you'll find me smiling as I take the stairs on my way in and out of the hospital.