Not sure, here are thoughts...
I have been training/lifting for 25 years. The first few were for personal desire to improve at sports. The next few were required by coaches and to maintain a level of size/strength to not get mangled every day in practice. The next five years or so were to get girls. I took a break for about 4 years, traveling a lot, building business, drinking, partying etc and became a slob.
The first day back in the gym I almost never went back. Could not believe how much I had lost. I was weaker than before I had started due to the poor diet/drinking/partying trifecta.
The next few years up till today (I'm 45) I'm not sure the why but these are the guesses. 1) I want something to do between work and going home and almost everything else I desire to do is bad for me and costs more money. 2) The people I work with and associate with in my business are not really from the same background (poor hillbilly redneck) and we don't share the same life experiences and humor as people who grew up lifting/playing competitive sports at a high level 3) Your body is the one thing that you can take with you wherever you go 4) I get a small almost instant respect in meetings with new people, even those with a much higher business status/fame etc. I am much more immediatly accepted than if I were slovenly, in my opinion and it helps (I am not freaky looking, and dress conservatively and look like more of a ex-baller than a body builder )5) This is probably the most important: It makes me feel better about myself, gives me a more confident outlook, and is synergistic with other things I try to accomplish with my life.
Future: At age 45 I believe the additional reason is to slow the process of dying and increase the quality of the years remaining. Their is a very interesting article in newsweek this week about cell reproduction and response to exercise. One intersting thing is that about 1% of our cells die and replace each day with the exception of the brain and certain stem cells. Therefore if you want a new body, wait 100 days and you will have one. It is this process that allows us to grow, re-shape ourselves.
Again, only my opinions based on personal experiences.
Pekkerwood
