Why Exercise

WHY EXERCISE?

Is Physical Activity a Part of Your Life?

A healthy lifestyle combines good nutrition and physical fitness.

It is a balance that improves the quality of life and decreases your risk of

health problems.

If regular physical activity is not already a habit, it is time to make

a change.

Is physical activity part of your life?

Physical Activity

Exercise

Physical Fitness

Physical activity is something you do that involves movement and expends

energy.

Exercise is a physical activity that is planned or structured. It is movements

that are designed to make your body stronger.

Physical fitness is something you acquire. It is a measure of your body’s

ability to perform physical activities and exercises.

Components

of

physical fitness:

The five components of physical fitness work together to

create a healthy balance.

•Cardiorespiratory endurance or cardiovascular

conditioning

•Muscular strength

•Muscular endurance

•Flexibility

•Body composition

Cardio respiratory

endurance

Walking, jogging, swimming, cycling,

and aerobic exercises increase cardio

respiratory endurance.

Cardiorespiratory endurance or cardiovascular conditioning is the ability to

do moderate to vigorous activity over a period of time. It shows how well

your heart and lungs work together to supply oxygen to your body during

exertion.

Cardiorespiratory endurance activities also burn fat while building

muscle.

Aerobic exercise and activities like walking, jogging, swimming and cycling

increase cardiorespiratory endurance.

Muscular Strength

Muscular strength is the greatest amount of force a muscle can exert when

flexed.

It improves your metabolism, muscle tone and appearance.

Muscular strength also helps you perform daily activities.

Lifting weights is the most effective way to increase muscular strength.

Stretching

Flexibility is the elasticity of a muscle.

It plays an important role in performing daily activities and minimizes

your risk of injury.

It also aids in muscle relaxation.

Routine stretching is the only way to improve flexibility.

What can physical

activity do for you?

Physical activity has both a direct and indirect impact on your life. It

provides:

Improved health

Improved physical fitness

Improved well-being

Maintenance of a healthy body weight

Health benefits

•Reduces risk of obesity

• Reduces risk of serious diseases

• Helps control blood pressure

• Improves cholesterol levels

Health Benefits

Physical activity:

•Reduces your risk of becoming obese by helping you achieve and

maintain a healthy weight.

•Reduces your risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, certain cancers and

•diabetes.

•Helps control blood pressure.

•Improves blood cholesterol level

•Helps build healthy bones, muscles,

and joints

• Improves immunity

• Boosts energy

Physical fitness benefits

Builds your endurance.

Increases your strength.

Enhances your flexibility.

Reduces frequency and severity of injuries.

Increases your fitness level.

Well-being benefits

Enhances your emotional well-being.

Reduces stress, tension, anxiety and depression.

Improves the quality of your sleep.

Increases your mental capacity, improves your productivity.

Improves your self-esteem.

Improves your quality of life.

Reduces health care costs.

Schedule time

for physical activity

Knowing how important fitness is to your health does not

automatically make it easy to incorporate physical activity into

your life. There are 1,440 minutes in every day. MyPyramid

recommends you get moderate to vigorous physical activity most

days of the week.

30 minutes to reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and some

cancers.

60 minutes to prevent weight gain in adulthood.

60 to 90 minutes teamed with a low-calorie diet to lose weight and

keep it off.

Tips for getting started

Here are some tips to help you get started:

Talk to your doctor if you have health concerns.

Choose activities you enjoy.

Recruit a partner for support and encouragement.

Set realistic goals.

Listen to your body—a little soreness is normal, pain is not.

The key to a lifetime of fitness is consistency.

Youth– Physical activity

Limit inactivity:

• Watching television

• Computer use

• Playing video games

Make family time an activity time.

Good nutrition + physical

fitness = healthy lifestyle

It is important to make physical activity a part of your daily routine.

A healthy lifestyle is a combination of good nutrition and physical fitness.

Remember, fitness is a life-long commitment of time and effort.

USDA’s Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals

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References