Exercise: the importance of being fit

Being fit improves your health.

Staying in shape throughout life offers many advantages, for example:

• It lowers the risk of certain conditions, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and some types of cancer.
• It allows you to manage your weight.
• Helps you sleep better.
• Prevents or relieves stress, depression, and back problems.
• Increases your energy level.

To maintain these benefits, you need to keep exercising. Your main goal should be to commit to being fit for the rest of your life. The following are some suggestions:

• Create a fitness plan that you can stick to.
• Choose activities that you enjoy.
• Don’t overdo it, especially when you’re just starting out.
• Gradually increase your activity time until you get at least 30 minutes of exercise most days.

Moderate And Vigorous Physical Activity

Try to get 150 minutes or more of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise a week. Or try 75 minutes or more per week of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity. You can also combine both.

• Moderate intensity activity. It means that the heart beats faster and you can talk while exercising. Some examples are dancing, gardening, and brisk walking.
• Vigorous intensity activity. It means your heart beats faster and you have a hard time saying complete sentences while exercising. Some examples are running, swimming laps, and hiking uphill.

Try to distribute the exercises throughout the week. Also, do moderate-intensity or higher-intensity muscle-strengthening exercises 2 days a week.

Some Advantages of Being Fit

People who are physically fit:

• They are more mentally sharp and more productive.
• They have the more physical and mental energy.
• They handle stress better.
• They sleep better.
• They improve your overall health.
• They reduce the possibility of injury.

Check Your Health First

It’s a good idea to talk with your health care provider before starting a new exercise program. This is especially important if you answer “yes” to any of the following questions:

• Has a provider ever told you that you have heart problems?
• Have you ever had chest pains?
• Do you have frequent fainting spells or dizziness?
• Has a health care provider ever told you that your blood pressure is too high?
• Has a health care provider ever told you that you have a bone or joint problem that could be made worse by exercise?
• Do you take any prescription medications for problems like diabetes or asthma?

Will I Lose Weight?

Many of us would like to lose weight or avoid gaining it. Being more active every day and building muscle mass can help. This is how it’s done:

• Staying active burns calories. You’ll expend twice as many calories just walking slowly compared to sitting still.
• Muscles burn more calories than fat. So, the more muscle mass you gain from physical activity, the more calories you’ll burn.
• If you increase your muscle mass, you will consume more calories even when you are not active.
• Being active helps you keep more muscle mass as you age. More muscle means that it will be easier for you to control your weight.

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