Health and Fitness
Fitness means different things to different people and Health has something for everyone, whether you’re just getting started with a workout routine or have been training since before TikTok was a thing. There is no denying how important health is. Yet, less than 5% of adults participate in 30 minutes of physical activity each day. Walking, lifting weights, doing chores — it can be in any form. Regardless of what you do, regular exercise and physical activity are the paths to health and well-being. Exercise burns fat, builds muscle, lowers cholesterol, eases stress and anxiety, and lets us sleep restfully.
Traditionally, experts have defined five key components of physical fitness:
- Body composition (the relative proportion of fat and fat-free tissue in the body)
- Cardiorespiratory or aerobic fitness
- Flexibility
- Muscular strength
- Muscular endurance
But you can’t discount the impact of nutrition, sleep, and mental and emotional health on fitness either, says Jeffrey E. Oken, MD, deputy chief of staff at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital in Hines, Illinois.
EXERCISE AND WEIGHT LOSS
As we all know, you have to burn more calories than you eat and drink to lose weight. For weight loss, it really matters that you cut back on the calories that you eat and drink. That matters most for taking the pounds off, according to the CDC.
Start with just a few minutes of exercise at a time. Any exercise is better than none, and that helps your body slowly get used to being active.
Your goal is to work up to at least half an hour most days of the week to get the full benefits from exercise.
You can do anything that makes your heart and lungs work harder, such as walking, biking, jogging, swimming, fitness classes, or cross-country skiing. Mowing your lawn, going out dancing, playing with your kids — it all counts if it revs your heart.
If you don’t exercise and you’re a man over 45, a woman over 55, or have a medical condition, ask your doctor if you should avoid any types of activities.
Moreover, you can find simple exercise methods on https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/guide/fitness-how-tos as well.
IT’S MORE THAN AESTHETICS
Health and fitness are about more than the way
you look, the food you eat, or the weight you lift at the gym. They’re about:
- the way you feel.
- your quality of life.
- the focus you have at work.
- your ability to move.
- your psychological state.
When you’re truly healthy, you are in a better mood and can physically do more. You can do things like walking your dog, going hiking, or paddleboarding. Not being able to do these things can drastically impact your experiences and limit your quality of life.
CONSISTENCY
Sure, people get results with extreme dieting or partaking in workout challenges. However, the percentage of people who follow those plans exactly is tiny. These challenges are often completed in a short period and are accompanied by strict guidelines of success and failure, both of
which are not good for your physical or emotional health.
When you set extreme goals, you’re more likely to feel defeated if you “mess up.” When the expectations aren’t as intense, you are more likely to stay consistent and enjoy your journey. You don’t put that pressure on yourself to be perfect. If you eat something “bad” or skip a workout, you wake up the next day and get right back on track because now it’s just part of your lifestyle. This approach is much more attainable and leads to more consistency long term.
HOW TO BOOST YOUR METABOLISM WITH EXERCISE
Your next workout could set you up for a speedier metabolism.
Your metabolism includes all the things your body does to turn food into energy and keep you going. Some people have a faster metabolism than others.
Some things that affect whether your metabolism is speedy or sluggish include things you don’t control, like your age, sex, and genes. Sometimes a sluggish thyroid could decrease your metabolism. But once you find out that it is normal, speeding it up is up to you. Focus on what does make a difference: exercise.
Muscle cells need a lot of energy, which means they burn a lot of calories. They burn more calories than fat cells, even when you’re not exercising. So the time you spend working out reaps benefits long after you stop sweating.
Exercise becomes even more important as you get older. You naturally lose muscle mass with age, which slows down your metabolism. Working out can stop that slide.
How to incorporate healthy habits easily?
- Find exercises you enjoy
2. Be patient and consistent when it comes to reaching your goal
3. Don’t give up the foods you love
4. Don’t compete with anyone
5. Try new things
In short, begin with small and achievable goals. Have a healthy diet and a minimum of eight hours of sleep. Be consistent with your plans and see what wonders it does for you.
