Fitness is the state of being healthy and well-developed and, in particular, the capacity to do regular parts of daily activities, sports and other activities without limitation. Typical physical fitness involves proper nutrition, adequate rest, and moderate-to-high intensity physical activity. A healthy body is vital for a healthy mind and a fit spirit. In fact, there are now many health challenges that can be attributed to insufficient levels of physical fitness such as obesity, heart problems, hypertension, stress ulcers, arthritis, diabetes, joint and muscle pains, insomnia, depression, anxiety, lack of concentration, osteoporosis, and cancer.
Muscle strength is an important factor in any kind of fitness program. The more muscles you have, the stronger you will be and that means endurance and durability in many everyday tasks. The more elastic your muscles are, the more easily they can adapt to changes in direction and stretch to accommodate the new movement. These factors affect the rate of growth of muscle fibers, which determine your weight gain or loss.
To maintain or improve your fitness level, regular exercise is necessary to build and repair your muscles, and the larger your muscles become over time, the stronger they become. Aerobic or cardio exercises should be done on a regular basis, preferably three times a week with intervals for a thirty-minute workout. This kind of exercise increases your heart rate and helps you burn fat. Aerobic exercises also improve your flexibility. Stretching is also an important aspect of fitness. By stretching the muscles, you are helping to keep them limber and in good condition.
A combination of aerobic and muscle strength is what makes up functional fitness. Most older people are less physically active and their muscle tone is not as good as it could be. It is important to keep them physically fit so that they can remain at their optimum age and have less chance of getting osteoporosis. Muscular endurance is also important because seniors tend to lose strength much easier than younger people. They can increase muscular strength through resistance training and endurance through cardiovascular exercise.
Fitness has many aspects that impact your overall well being. If you are concerned about your heart health, exercising is important. Not only does it reduce the chance of heart disease and stroke, it improves your overall health. If you are already taking medication for high blood pressure or cholesterol, exercising may lower your drug intake or reduce the side effects. Many physicians also recommend some form of exercise as part of a weight control plan.
Weightlifters, professional athletes, yoga enthusiasts, and other professionals who want to improve their physical performance, can benefit from a program of fitness or exercise. It not only makes you feel better physically, but it also makes you feel better mentally. Your brain works harder than your heart to digest and utilize nutrition and calories. By working out, you are improving your fitness and maintaining your mental fitness.