Feeling “fit and fine” is all about fitness. Feeling “fit” pertains to health, and “fine” is about the mental state. Fitness has assumed great significance in the present time because the daily routine of most people is devoid of regular and effective exercise. Our forefathers did not need any gyms or health clubs because their lifestyle involved a lot of physical activity. Walking long distances was a matter of routine; many people used bicycles, which gave them enough exercise. Since there were no televisions, playing outdoor games were their idea of recreation. Women laboured through the day on activities like cleaning, grinding, cooking et al, since there were no fancy gadgets. Unpolluted air, open spaces, unadulterated and fresh food added to their fitness and good health. On the contrary, the present generation has to make an extra effort to get the required physical exercise, the lifestyle has necessitated it.
The very appearance of a person displays his fitness. A fit person has a glow on the face and a good posture. Fitness of the body can be of two kinds – “Organic fitness,” generally pertains to a body free of disease and infirmity; in basic terms it means healthy; while “Dynamic fitness” means endurance, flexibility, and strength of the body.
Fitness has an added advantage because the very approach to life changes, resulting in quality life. It brings with it, an optimistic outlook, energetic view and effervescent mind. A fit person can be spotted from a distance because he stands out in a crowd. Need we say more? The advantages of fitness are not unknown and every human being wants to be fit. But most people are on the lookout for easy way out. No wonder most books, newspapers and magazines carry articles on health related issues. The truth is that there are no short cuts to fitness. It is a slow and arduous climb, especially if one is obese and unhealthy.
One major factor, which you know, is your diet. Cutting out the sugar is a good idea, although don’t think you need to cut it out completely. One must have a lot of fruits and vegetables. A well-rounded diet, with fruits, vegetables, pastas and protein, must be combined with your exercise program to shed those extra pounds. When you travel, when you arrive in a new place try to find restaurants that offer some low-fat meals. Go for a baked potato instead of a burger; even fast-food restaurants are offering salads these days, but leave off the thick dressing.
For meals at home, simple and nutritious food is best. Indulgence once in a while is acceptable provided you don’t cheat on your regular meal calories.
As for your exercise programme here are a few things to consider. One, there’s no such thing as spot reducing. You can firm up muscles in your stomach, but you’ll still need to eliminate more fat from your diet and burn more calories overall to lose weight.
Diet + Exercise = The ideal combination.
The combination of regular exercise and diet offer far more flexibility in achieving negative calorie balance and accompanying fat loss than either exercise or diet alone can. In fact, the addition of exercise to a program of weight control may facilitate a more permanent fat loss so it is wiser not to place total reliance on caloric restriction. Dietary reductions and increase in activity should not be made all at once. Make changes gradually and keep your sights on your goal – a trimmer and healthier you.
Exercises help to work out the muscles, joints, cardiovascular system, etc, so that when the time comes, normal work can be done without much strain, even in old age. A fit old man can run faster and catch a bus than a younger person when the time comes. No wonder many commercials have this theme to promote their health products. Physical exercises help in increasing blood circulation, provide the muscles with oxygen through the blood streams. All this contributes to greater physical endurance and helps to accomplish daily tasks without much fatigue.
Exercises are the main means of burning calories thereby keeping obesity in check and create a pleasant feeling of fitness. Even if you may not become conscious of it immediately, exercise brings with it an improvement of posture, appearance and self-image. Exercises help to keep the internal organs toned up and perform to their optimum; this in turn helps keep illness away.
Regular and adequate exercise does not guarantee good health and long life, but they certainly help in both. Most people in western countries and now in India die of heart problems, it accounts for almost 65 percent of deaths over the age of 70, and 40 percent deaths over 60 years of age. Exercises help keep the heart if a fit state and people who exercise regularly are less prone to heart ailments in old age.
The Long-term benefit of exercise is that the body is not allowed to gain weight and movement is relatively easier compared to an obese person, and the muscles retain the ability to flex more thereby providing more vigour to the body. This, by itself, is enough to generate the feel good factor.
The hidden benefits of exercising are many, but the main benefit seems to be the ability of the mind to cope up with stress. A fit person laughs more easily and enjoys the very business of living. It is a natural outcome of being fit because it you exercise well, you sleep well, and if you sleep well you remain devoid of stress and fatigue.
Exercise strengthens your heart and trains it to use oxygen more efficiently. As your heart grows stronger, it can pump more blood through your body, which helps your body function. Regular exercise can help keep your arteries more elastic, and build up muscles and bones at the same time. It also keeps you flexible so you can do all the activities you like. Because your muscles need energy to function while exercising, you’ll burn calories, which helps you lose weight, lose body fat and gain lean muscles. Exercise can also help speed up you metabolism.
Regular exercise has been shown to decrease the risk of heart disease. It is also known to prevent cancer, obesity, increase flexibility and range of motion, improve mood and stamina, and give an injection of overall energy. In fact, aerobic exercise can also improve your mental health and ability to think, as well as perform and be creative. And if you exercise regularly, it serves as a good model for children: They are more likely to make exercise a habit it they see you doing it. Experts report that by increasing your fitness level even by minimal amounts, you are actually adding years to your life-no matter when you start or what you look like.
Physical activity builds healthy bones, muscles and joints, and reduces the risk of colon cancer. Physical activity also brings psychological benefits. For example, it reduces feelings of depression and anxiety, improves mood and promotes a sense of well-being
Exercise is not just for Olympic hopefuls or supermodels. In fact, you’re never too unfit, too young or too old to get started. Regardless of your age, gender or role in life, you can benefit from regular physical activity. If you’re committed, exercise in combination with a sensible diet can help provide an overall sense of well-being and can even help prevent chronic illness, disability and premature death.
Increased efficiency of heart and lungs
Reduced cholesterol level
Increased muscle strength
Reduced blood pressure
Reduced risk of major illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease
Weight loss
More energy
Less stress
Improved quality of sleep
Improved ability to cope with stress
Increased mental acuity
Weight loss
Toned muscles
Improved posture
Improved self-image
Increased opportunities to make new friends
Increased opportunities to share an activity with friends or family members
Increased productivity
Increased physical capabilities
Less frequent injuries
Improved immunity to minor illnesses
Exercises can broadly be classified into two main categories, i.e., isometric and dynamic. Isometric exercises are those, when there is muscle activity without much body movement. Examples of these are weight lifting, rowing, etc. Dynamic exercises are those in which muscle movement is achieved through body movement. Playing a game of hockey, football and running are examples of dynamic exercises. Dynamic exercises improve general physical fitness and these are the exercises to be resorted to. The most common types of dynamic exercises are aerobics, running, sports and a variety of indoor exercises.
Anyone can get fitter or a fit person can continue to remain fit. Neither a late start nor a low starting point will completely deny the benefits of physical fitness. Indeed, a low base offers most individuals a greater potential for improvement. You may never run four-or-five-minute a mile, but what matters is coming close to your own body’s potential. The long-term health hazards of not exercising exceed the short-term risks associated with a planned fitness program. But before starting a fitness program, you should be sensible and satisfy yourself that although out of condition and unfit, the exercise will not cause you undue distress.
There is no set time that has been or can be laid out for exercises. The time is one that is convenient to the person himself. The only restriction is that one should not exercise when ill or till an hour after meal. Early morning is considered best as this is the time when the air is fresh, the dust levels are low and if you are in a city, the sound levels are also low.
Studies have suggested the body functions more efficiently at different times of the day. Some reports, for instance, have shown that the body’s processes are slowest in the morning. Others have found that in the afternoon, strength and aerobic capacity are greatest, suggesting that it might be best to exercise at this time. However, there are two basic principles to exercise that are even more important: If you’re both consistent and patient with your training, you’ll reap the benefits.
Pollution is heavier in the afternoon, which may affect your breathing. So running, cycling and other outdoor activities done in the early morning or after the evening rush hour may be better. The hot afternoon sun may also be a factor that makes early morning or evening exercise a better choice. So if exercising at night works best because you work full-time, it would be just right for you.
All exercise clothing should be loose-fitting to permit freedom of movement, and should make the wearer feel comfortable and self-assured. As a general rule, you should wear light clothes than temperatures might indicate. Exercise generates body heat. Light-colour clothing that reflects the sun’s rays is cooler in the summer, and dark clothes are warmer in winter. When the weather is very cold, it’s better to wear several layers of light clothing than one or two heavy layers. The extra layers help trap heat, and it’s easy to shed one of them if you become too warm.
In cold weather, and in hot, sunny weather, it’s a good idea to wear something on your head. Wool caps are recommended for winter wears, and some form of tennis or sailor’s hat that provides shade and can be soaked in water is good for summer. Never wear rubberised or plastic clothing. Such garments interfere with the evaporation of perspiration and can cause body temperature to rise to dangerous levels.
There are a couple of things you should consider as you embark upon your fitness journey: what are you goals, what are your likes, and how can you best equip yourself to meet your goals?
People exercise for many reasons: to lose weight, to tone their bodies, for their overall health and prevention of serious diseases, for the social aspect of interacting with others or to get out and explore the world. Fitness raises self-esteem and pride in oneself, so a lot of people strive for fitness to achieve these targets. And to meet those goals, you should be able to say what you’re hoping to get out of exercise; that way, you’ll be more likely to stick to your plan.
The best part about exercise is that you can get it in so many ways. Just think about the activities you enjoy, and figure out how you can incorporate them into a workout routine. If you’re unfamiliar with the variety of activities you can do, ask the trainers at your gym or friends who have been active longer than you have, for some ideas. One thing to keep in mind: just because your friend likes an activity doesn’t mean it is for you. So, take your time to see what’s out there and what you’d like to try. You have so many options; why not try them all until you find the exercise plan that suits you best.
Physical fitness is most easily understood by examining its various components, or “parts.” There are basically the following components:
Cardio respiratory endurance – It is the ability to deliver oxygen and nutrients to tissues, and to remove wastes, over sustained periods of time. Long runs and swims are among the methods employed in measuring this component.
Muscular strength – The ability of a muscle to exert force for a brief period of time. Upper-body strength, for example, can be measured by various weight-lifting exercises.
Muscular endurance – It is the ability of a muscle, or a group of muscles, to sustain repeated contractions or to continue applying force against a fixed object. Push-ups are often used to test endurance of arm and shoulder muscles.
Flexibility – It is the ability to move joints and use muscles through their full range of motion. The sit-and-reach test is a good measure of flexibility of the lower back and backs of the upper legs.
Body composition – It is often considered a component of fitness. It refers to the makeup of the body in terms of lean mass (muscle, bone, vital tissue and organs) and fat mass. An optimal ratio of fat to lean mass is an indication of fitness, and the right types of exercise will help you decrease body fat and increase or maintain muscle mass.
The term cardiovascular system refers to your heart and blood vessels, which carry oxygen and other nutrients throughout your body. The heart is actually a muscle, and like any other muscle, you can strengthen it with exercise.
If you’re breathing hard and can feel your heart beating (and you don’t stop), you’re doing cardio. Walking, hiking, running, jogging and cycling are some popular examples. Variety is the spice of life. It’s easy to tire of the same workout week after week, so it is a good idea to vary it. Besides, varying your workout helps develop and strengthen different muscles and keeps you motivated.
Technically, cardiovascular exercise is any activity that:
Uses large muscle groups (such as your legs).
Is rhythmic (you repeat the same basic movements).
Is aerobic (you take in and use more oxygen than usual).
Is sustained (you do it for several minutes at a time).
Exercise can help to reduce or eliminate some of these risk factors:
High blood pressure – Regular exercise is associated with lower blood pressure.
Cigarette smoking – Smokers who exercise vigorously and regularly are more likely to cut down or stop smoking.
Diabetes – People at their ideal weight are much less likely to develop diabetes. Exercise may also decrease a diabetic’s insulin requirements. Exercise can help people lose excess fat or stay at a reasonable weight.
Low levels of HDL – Low levels of HDL (one of the cholesterol-carrying proteins in the blood) have been linked to an increased risk of coronary artery disease. Recent studies have shown that regular physical activity significantly increases HDL levels, and thus reduces your risk.
Moderate to severe coronary heart disease that causes chest pain from inimical activity.
A recent heart attack. A three-month waiting period is considered standard before moderate; medically supervised exercise programme can begin.
Severe heart valve defects and heart beat irregularities.
A greatly enlarged heart and certain type of congenital heart disease.
Uncontrolled diabetes where you blood sugar levels fluctuate constantly.
High blood pressure not controlled by medication.
Any infectious disease during its acute stage.
If you have a heart condition or you’ve had a stroke, and the doctor recommended only medically supervised physical activity.
During or right after you exercise, if you often have pains or pressure in the left or mid-chest area, left neck, shoulder or arm.
You’ve developed chest pain within the last month.
If you tend to lose consciousness or fall over due to dizziness, or you feel extremely breathless after mild exertion.
If your doctor has recommended that you take medicine for your blood pressure, heart condition or for stroke.
If your doctor says you have bone, joint or muscle problems that could be made worse by the proposed physical activity.
If your medical condition or other physical reason not mentioned here that might need special attention in an exercise program, i.e. insulin-dependent diabetes.
If you are middle-aged or older, haven’t been physically active, and plan a relatively vigorous exercise programme.
If none of these is true for you, you can start on a gradual, sensible programme of increased activity tailored to your needs. If you feel any of the physical symptoms listed above when you start your exercise programme, contact your doctor right away. If one or more of the above affect you, an exercise-stress test may be used to help plan an exercise programme.
All agree that physical activity is related to fat loss and sustained weight control. The difference between overweight and normal weight is not solely a product of caloric intake. It is also a result of physical activity levels. Sedentary lifestyle is a prime cause of chronic obesity. Exercise not only control weight, but also regular exercise promotes numerous health benefits and is a significant factor in improving your overall health and fitness levels.
One is the belief that housework or “running around the office” constitutes exercise. People are often fatigued at the end of the day and think that this is evidence of an active life. However, for most people that tired feeling comes from mental not physical exertion. Another myth is the belief that certain exercises can burn fat from specific parts of the body. “Spot reduction” simply cannot take place. Specific, localised exercises are great for improving muscle tone but they do not reduce fat.
Mobilization of fat during selective exercise is not restricted to the underlying fatty tissue of that body part. The fat on top of the muscle belongs to the whole body and fat stores will only be burned if the total energy expenditure is greater than energy input. While all physical activity is beneficial, cardiovascular or aerobic exercise is most effective in promoting weight loss and sustained weight control.
There are some facts that one must know before one begins any kind of exercise regimen. The process of warming up, stretching, loosening of the muscles and finally the cooling down after the exercise is a very important. Failing to observe these rules can actually land you in deep trouble and muscle injury.
Before you begin bicycling, walking or running, whether indoors or outside, do some deep massage to your whole knee area. That means above and below, front and back of the knee. Then some deep massage your lower back and ankle areas. Begin your workout slowly. Use good posture and technique. As your body warms up, let your pace rise with it. When it seems that you are ready to really pick up your pace, stop and do some stretching. Then get back to the pace you had just before you stopped.
Do whatever workout you had planned but before the end gradually, bringing your pace down. When you finish your workout it is the best time for a relaxing set of stretches. Lie down on a padded floor mat and put your legs up against a wall for a few minutes, taking this time to relax and recoup. For weight lifting routines, an aerobic workout such as 15-20 minutes on an exercise bike before lifting. Start slowly and pick-up the pace gradually so that at the end of 20 minutes, you are riding pretty seriously.
Standing out of the seat a few times while pedalling during the ride will help stretch some muscles and get the upper body involved. We guarantee you that you will have your best lifting workouts ever! After lifting, do some gentle stretching on a padded floor mat and if you have the time, a few minutes on a treadmill or exercise bike will help flush the garbage out of your muscles. The basics of warming-up and cooling-down are lifelong rules that will keep you from undue muscle strain. Remember that the heart is a muscle too and that it is protected by this warm-up and cool down rules.
Stretching helps lengthen the working areas of the muscle, allowing for greater work capacity. So as long as your flexibility is balanced and you are stretching intelligently, the more flexible you are the better. The same goes with strength. So long as you have developed strength over a long period of time and have strength in all areas of your body, you can’t be too strong. Stretching should be a lifelong habit rather than just something you do in conjunction with a workout.
In preparation for most sports, some prefer to get massage their muscles before they begin, then after a bit of their workout, stop to stretch and continue with the activity. Your goal should be to have good flexibility and symmetry top to bottom, and front to back. There are specific stretches for specific activities. Stretching in one muscle has an effect on the muscles around it. So, put some thought into how and why you are stretching. Stretching as it relates to lifestyle will help us retain and increase our range of motion, making us more capable of doing many activities throughout our lives.
These exercises are very necessary before undertaking up strenuous exercises or sport activity, which demand a lot of stress and endurance for prolonged periods.
Head circling – Stand erect with both feet comfortably apart. Place hands on the hips. Pull down chin and look down, circle or rotate the head in one direction 10 times, and then again 10 times in the opposite direction.
Arm circling – Stand erect with legs comfortably apart and hands on both sides. Raise the hands from the front upwards, and bring them down to the sides again from the rear without bending the elbows. Do this 10 times in one direction and then in the other direction.
Trunk twisting – Stand erect with legs comfortably apart and hands at the side. Turn from the trunk upwards to the left and then to the right without lifting the feet off the ground. Repeat the whole exercise 10 times each side.
Knee clasping – Stand erect with legs comfortably apart and hands to the side. Lift one knee bent to the chest. Clasp the knee with both hands and pull towards the chest with pressure. Repeat this 10 times with each knee.
Toe touch – Stand erect with legs comfortably apart. Bend forward without bending the legs to touch the toes with the fingers, and then return to upright position again. Repeat this ten times.
The kinds of exercises you choose must depend on your physical ability as well as your preferences. The most important rule is to choose activities that you enjoy and that are accessible and feasible for you to do regularly. You also should consider whether you want to make your exercise routine during personal time in which you can be alone with your thoughts or a more social activity. Some people find that exercising with others, provide them with support and encouragement and it can even be fun!
Before you begin an exercise programme, you should have a physical examination. If you are over the age of forty, your doctor will probably want to do a stress electrocardiogram to determine how much activity your heart can handle. If you have not exercised regularly for some time, begin slowly with low-impact exercise and gradually increase your activity. If you experience any adverse side effects, such as dizziness, cramps, or chest pain, stop exercising and consult your physician.
There are two types of exercise that perform different functions. Aerobic exercise is sustained activity involving the major muscle groups, such as swimming, running, or brisk walking. The heart and respiratory rate increase, and more oxygen is circulated through the body. This kind of exercise strengthens your cardiovascular system and increases your overall strength and stamina. The goal of aerobic exercise is for your pulse to reach a training rate that is appropriate for your age. You must stay at the rate for twenty minutes, and exercise three times a week, in order to reap the benefits of aerobic exercise.
You’ve probably heard of “low-impact,” or anaerobic, exercise. This means that you are not exercising vigorously or long enough to reach and maintain your training heart rate. It does not mean, however, that low-impact exercise is useless. It improves your muscle strength and flexibility and can still be a good outlet for negative feelings that you might have bottled up.
1. Isotonics require that your muscles contract against a resistant object with movement, such as in weight lifting.
2. Isometrics requires that your muscles contract against resistance, without movement. Instead of building muscle mass, as in isotonics, isometric exercises simply increase strength without building bulk.
3. Calisthenics are stretching exercises, such as sit-ups, toe-touches, and knee-bends. They help increase flexibility and joint mobility.
Strength is fundamental for fitness. Even if you are not going to he an Olympic athlete loss of strength leads to back problems and increased risk of injuries, diminishes coordination, reduces endurance and promotes fatigue. Body contours change and you begin to feel old before your time. Muscular strength can be regained at any age.
It is never too late – Once you regain strength, it can be sustained with far less effort you took to acquire it. You cannot increase the number of muscle fibres as these are fixed at birth but you can increase their activation levels and muscle bulk.
“Aerobic” means exercising with oxygen. It comprises all activities that cause the heart and lungs to process oxygen at a steady rate over a sustained period of time. It involves exercising large muscle groups for a continuous period and is the most effective way of increasing calorie loss. Oxygen consumption is directly related to the amount of energy being expended, hence the more aerobic the activity, the more calories that will be burned. It is simply exercise that makes the muscles work hard, but not too hard that the heart and lungs cannot keep up with the oxygen demand. For this reason, aerobic exercise must be performed continuously and steadily, allowing for an increased heart rate to be sustained for an extended period.
To reap maximum benefit from aerobic exercise, you have to be working within your training zone, that is, any continuous activity that pushes your heart rate up to between 60% and 90% of the maximum rate for your age.
Aerobic exercise need not be hard and tough exercise; in fact it is not advisable to push yourself too hard, although you do need to make some physical effort to derive any benefit. Aim to build up the level of activity gradually. Once you start to become aerobically fit, you will find your exercise sessions less tiring and your normal day far less exhausting in general. You should aim for between 20 and 60 minutes on three to five days of the week for optimum fitness. This should be done at between 60% and 90% of your normal maximum heart rate.
There are three main criteria that must be fulfilled for aerobic exercise to be complete.
1. The exercises must involve large muscle groups of the body, i.e. the legs in continuous rhythmic motion.
2. The exercises must be continuous for a minimum of twenty to thirty minutes at least thrice a week.
3. It must be vigorous and strenuous for the whole body.
There are two types of aerobic exercises, low-impact and high-impact aerobic exercises. Both involve similar kinds of exercises, but high-impact aerobics classes provide better cardiovascular exercise. A workout of 30 and 50 minutes designed to work on various parts of the body is the most beneficial type of calorie burner.
Jogging/running on the sport, jumping up and down, upper body work using dumbbells and bars, waist twists, lower body work, including squatting, leg and calf raises, star jumps, lunges, kicks, sit ups and bottom crunches.
The aim is to keep on the move for most of the time. Music is an integral part of any aerobics session; it helps to motivate, keep up or vary the pace and makes the workout more lively and enjoyable. You can, of course, play your own choice of music with a rhythm to match, at home.
Rope jumping or skipping is one of the best aerobic exercises. It is a very vigorous form of exercise, which raises heart beat rate, builds strength, improves balance and coordination, and increases endurance. The clothes should be loose and comfortable, the floor should not be hard and the area should be well ventilated, preferable an open area if possible. “ Skipping produces the greatest fitness in the least possible time”. 10 minutes of skipping is equal to 30 minutes on the road.
Aerobic dancing works out more strenuous than most exercises. When it is performed to the beat of music, it becomes enjoyable, more enjoyable if done in a group. Becoming a member of a group or a club can be a good motivator. Classrooms, open areas, locker rooms and such areas encourage interaction with like-minded people with similar goals and can act as a very good motivator. Organised forums have many other facilities to monitor progress, such as counsellors, who recommend the type of exercise, diet and other related issues.
An aerobic exercise is necessary for utilising fat for energy and improving overall fitness levels. It is also essential for improving cardiovascular and respiratory efficiency i.e. the functioning of the heart and lungs. The type of aerobic activity you choose should be based upon your personal preferences and your physical limitations. You could also try mixing it up and select two to three different forms of aerobic exercises.
