The beaches have emptied, the weather is getting colder, the layers are starting to come out of the closet – yes, the transition from Summer to Fall is in full swing. It is the time of year when we trade unforgiving Speedos and bikinis for the less revealing jeans and sweaters.

In the days of caves and long-toothed tigers, this would be the time of year when we start to pack on the pounds to protect ourselves from the chill of winter. In today’s beauty-obsessed society, however, the weight gain usually results from not having to show off as much skin as in previous months. The gym, which was once a thriving Mecca of Greek gods and sylph-like sirens has slowly metamorphosed into a dusty old ghost town frequented only by those die-hard fitness enthusiasts.

The good news for those still making the pilgrimage to the gym is that there are shorter waits to hop on machines. The bad news, however, is that those who have opted for the 40 oz. bicep curl will end up playing catch up in a few months’ time as they realize that the wintertime habits must quickly be expunged if future trips to Black’s Beach are going to be a possibility. But for those of you who need a bit more intrinsic motivation to maintain your muscle, here are four of the top main health benefits to sticking with your workout program. And no, they don’t include the acquisition of that much-desired Apollo’s Belt.

The heart is the most important muscle in the body, but, because we can’t see it in the mirror, it tends to be overlooked. As a result of this negligence, cardiovascular disease (CVD) has become the greatest killer of men and women in the United States. CVD typically involves the clogging of arteries due to excessive ingestion of fat which minimizes blood flow and can lead to heart attacks and other potentially fatal incidences. According to researchers, CVD can be prevented through a variety of methods including regular physical activity, consuming a heart-healthy diet, quitting smoking, stress reduction and a relatively lean body type. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), a leader in science-based fitness research and education, recommends 20-60 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise 3-5 days per week to improve and/or maintain heart health. For those time-crunched folks, researchers have also determined that physical activity spread throughout the day produces the same results as one continuous exercise bout. That means that a quick 10-minute jog before work, a 30-minute strength training session during lunch and a vigorous 15-minute after dinner walk most days of the week is sufficient to experience significant health benefits.

Unless you’ve been traversing the Alps for the past 10 years, you know that obesity has become a huge problem in the U.S. The numbers are startling, as more than 65 percent of the population is considered overweight while 31 percent is obese.

The implications of being overweight or obese go a lot further than physical appearance. The Centers for Disease Control says that carrying extra poundage can increase your risk of hypertension, abnormal cholesterol, respiratory disease, stroke, death and more. Experts say that those who are overweight or obese should begin thinking about health and a nutritious diet, and regular exercise, as opposed to yearning for the body of a magazine cover model. It is proven that those who start out in search of improved health and wellness have a far greater success rate than those who solely wish to augment their physical appearance. The amazing thing, though, is that when you make a concerted effort to improve body composition, you start to feel good. When you feel good, you hold yourself with greater confidence and people take notice. It is then that improved physical appearance becomes a positive side effect of regular exercise and a healthy diet. According to ACSM, weight loss or improved body composition can be achieved through a cumulative 200-300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity over the course of 5-7 days a week. Considering a 7-day week is 168 hours long, the recommended 5 hours-worth of exercise a week shouldn’t be hard to find.

Many fitness enthusiasts often seem more energetic and centered than their non-exercising counterparts, and they will most likely state that they feel great after a workout. These feelings of improved psychological state are actually gaining in scientific support, as researchers have begun to look into the psychological aspects of regular exercise – such as stress reduction, improved mood, greater self-esteem, and reduced anxiety and depression. For example, researchers have found promising evidence for exercise as a successful antidepressant. These studies show that a regular fitness program can have the same effects on a person battling depression as prescription medication. These results were found across the board and were not limited to a specific gender, age group, ethnicity, etc. Studies of exercise and stress have found that those who participate in regular fitness programs are often more capable of handling stressful situations than sedentary individuals.

While many forms of cancer may result from genetics or other non-preventable circumstance, research has found promising evidence for exercise as potential ammunition against certain forms of this deadly disease. Several studies have shown a connection between decreased prevalence of colon, breast, lung and multiple myeloma cancers and those who exercise regularly. For example, one report found that physically active men and women have a 30 to 40 percent reduction in colon cancer risk as opposed to non exercisers. Similarly, active women show a 20 to 40 percent decrease in risk of developing breast cancer than sedentary women.

These are just a few of the many examples of the positive health benefits of sound nutrition and regular moderate-intensity exercise. Often, the emphasis of heading to the gym is placed on the more superficial aspects of humanity than the less obvious – but more significant – physical and psychological advantages. The fact of the matter is that fitness is not a fad for health nuts. It needs to be a necessary component of each person’s regular weekly routine in order to maintain great health and to feel better about oneself. And the great thing is, fitness doesn’t have to consist of pushing around heavy weights or running for hours on end. Fitness can mean taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Fitness means parking further away from your destination. Fitness can mean going for a Sunday walk with a loved one. Fitness means fortifying your body against potential ills and living a happy and fulfilling life for as long as you have breath in your lungs.