fitness related details and its components and elements. exercise and its follow ups with precaution and different prevention strategies . different

1. Fitness and Exercise: Health
Benefits, How to Get Started,
and How to Get Better
Fitness translates into function, improving your ability to do everyday activities. And no, you don’t
need to spend hours at the gym to boost your fitness.Peter Stark/Getty Images
Many people strive to be fit. Fitness, after all, is synonymous with health.
Having a high level of overall fitness is linked with a lower risk of chronic disease, as
well as a better ability to manage health issues that do come up. Better fitness also
promotes more functionality and mobility throughout one’s life span.
And in the short term, being active can help your day-to-day functioning, from better
mood to sharper focus to better sleep.
Simply put: Our bodies are meant to move, and they tend to function better when we’re
more fit.
That said, it’s also important to know that there are many different ways to be fit (think of
a ballet dancer versus a bodybuilder or a sprinter versus a gymnast). And fitness does
not have a singular “look.” In fact, appearance can’t necessarily tell you about
someone’s habits, whether they’re actually physically active, or even whether they’re fit
at all.
What It Means to Be Fit
According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans set forth by the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), there are five components of
physical fitness:
 Cardiorespiratory Fitness Your VO2 max is a commonly used measure of this. It’s your
body’s ability to uptake and utilize oxygen (which feeds all of your tissues), something that
is directly related to your health and quality of life, says Abbie Smith-Ryan, PhD, professor
and director of the Applied Physiology Laboratory at the University of North Carolina in
Chapel Hill.
 Musculoskeletal Fitness This includes muscle strength, endurance, and power.
 Flexibility This is the range of motion of your joints.

2.  Balance This is your ability to stay on your feet and steady to avoid falls.
 Speed This is how quickly you can move.
A frequently cited peer-reviewed research paper from 1985 defined the difference
between the terms “physical activity” (bodily movement resulting in energy expenditure),
“exercise” (planned and structured physical activity), and “physical fitness.” The paper
defined physical fitness as a set of attributes that people have or achieve that
determines their ability to carry out daily tasks with vigor and alertness, without undue
fatigue. Cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular endurance, muscular strength, body
composition, and flexibility are components that can be used to measure fitness, also
according to that paper.
In the real world, fitness translates to function, says Dr. Smith-Ryan. For example, can
you carry your groceries or walk up the stairs without getting winded? Can you run
around the backyard with your kids? Can you climb the stairs?
Exercise is distinct from fitness because exercise is what you do to improve your
fitness.
Common Questions & Answers
What is the best way to start exercising?
Start with mini bursts of movement, such as standing up from your desk and walking
around your home/office, walking up your stairs, or taking your dog around the block.
Do I need a personal trainer?
Is working out 30 minutes a day long enough?
How do I know if I’m working out hard enough or if I need to increase the intensity
of my workout?
Should I work out if I’m sick?
Types of Fitness
There are a few main components of fitness, all of which are important for building a
well-rounded exercise routine. Below, you will find the ones included in the Physical
Activity Guidelines for Americans, which HHS highlights as the components that should
be included in weekly exercise. (It’s worth noting that many definitions of fitness include
other components as well, such as endurance, muscular endurance, power, speed,
balance, and agility — as mentioned above.)
Aerobic (Cardiovascular) Exercise
Aerobic exercise is the foundation of every fitness program — and for good reason.
Also called cardiovascular exercise or cardio, this type of physical activity increases

3. your heart rate and breathing rate, which improves your cardiorespiratory fitness,
according to the American Heart Association.
Aerobic exercise includes activities like brisk walking, running, cycling, swimming,
aerobic fitness classes (like kickboxing), tennis, dancing, yard work, tennis, and jumping
rope, per the Physical Activity Guidelines.
Learn More About Aerobic Exercise
MORE IN AEROBIC EXER CISE
Cycling: Health Benefits, How to Get Started, and How to Get Better
Running: What It Is, Health Benefits, How to Get Started, and How to
Get Better
Walking Workouts: Health Benefits, How to Get Started, and How to
Get Better
Swimming: Health Benefits, How to Get Started, and How to Get Better
at It
Strength Training
Strength training is an important way to improve mobility and overall functioning,
particularly as you get older. “As you age, you lose muscle mass, which can have a

4. significant impact on the quality of life. Strength exercises build bones and muscle, and
more muscle protects your body from falls and the fractures that can happen in older
age,” says Robert Sallis, MD, a family medicine doctor at Kaiser Permanente in
Fontana, California, and chairman of the Exercise Is Medicine initiative with the
American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).
According to the ACSM, the definition of strength or resistance training is exercise that
is “designed to improve muscular fitness by exercising a muscle or a muscle group
against external resistance.” Activities that answer this call include lifting weights, using
resistance bands or your body weight, carrying heavy loads, and even strenuous
gardening, per the Physical Activity Guidelines from HHS.
Learn More About Why Strength Training Is Important and How to Do It
MORE IN STRENGTH TRA INING
The Best Exercises for Stronger Abs and a Stronger Core
The Best At-Home Exercises for a Stronger Back
The Best Exercises for Strengthening Every Muscle in Your Arms
The Best Leg Exercises for Stronger Glutes, Quads, and Hamstrings
Flexibility and Mobility

5. Flexibility and mobility are both important components of healthy movement, according
to the International Sports Sciences Association. However, they are not synonymous.
Flexibility refers to the ability of tendons, muscles, and ligaments to stretch, while
mobility refers to the body’s ability to take a joint through its full range-of-motion.
There is no specific recommendation for the number of minutes you should do activities
that improve flexibility or mobility (such as stretching), and the health benefits of those
activities are not known because of a lack of research on the topic, according to the
Physical Activity Guidelines from HHS. But the guidelines note that flexibility exercises
are important for physical fitness.
And the guidelines do recommend that older adults incorporate balance training into
their weekly fitness routine. Evidence suggests that regular exercise that includes
balance training can significantly reduce older adults’ risk of falls, which can cause
serious and debilitating injuries, among other consequences.
Learn More About How the Different Types of Flexibility Exercises and How to
Become More Flexible
MORE IN FLEXIBILITY AND MOBILITY
Stretching Guide: Types, Benefits, Stretches for Beginners, and More
What Is Somatic Stretching? How It Works, Benefits, and Stretches for
Beginners
7 Mobility Exercises to Boost Your Health and Fitness

6. A 5-Step Stretching Habit That Will Leave You Energized, Relaxed, and
More Mobile
Rest and Recovery
Building in rest and recovery days allows time for your body to repair the natural
damage that occurs to muscles during exercise. Exercise, by definition, puts stress on
the muscles and the body. The repairing or healing of that stress is how you get
stronger (and fitter). But you need to give the body adequate rest after a workout for that
recovery process to happen.
Recovery days can include no physical activity at all or they may look like an active
recovery day, which means doing low-intensity, low-impact forms of exercise, such as
walking or gentle yoga. Dr. Sallis generally recommends doing some activity every day,
such as a 10-minute walk outdoors.
For rest and recovery days, the idea isn’t that you’re immobile on your couch; it’s just
that you’re not pushing yourself to a point where physical activity feels strenuous or
challenging.
Learn More About How to Find the Right Amount of Rest and Recovery for Your
Workout Routine
Health Benefits of Exercise
Improved fitness drastically reduces the risk of chronic diseases that develop over time,
such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even cancer. “The one thing that will help
prevent almost any type of disease is fitness,” says Grayson Wickham, DPT, CSCS,
founder of Movement Vault, a mobility and movement company in New York City.
In 2007, ACSM partnered with the American Medical Association to launch the Exercise
Is Medicine initiative, with the goal of making physical activity assessment part of
routine medical care and providing exercise resources to people of all ability levels.
“The scientifically proven benefits of physical activity remain indisputable, and they can
be as powerful as any pharmaceutical agent in preventing and treating a range of
chronic diseases and medical conditions,” the initiative’s website notes.
Here’s a breakdown of those benefits:
Exercise Boosts Your Mood

7. Regular exercise has been shown to be a buffer against depression and
anxiety, according to research. What’s more, other studies show that exercise can help
manage the symptoms of depression and help treat it, notes a scientific article. Exercise
may help reduce inflammation, something that has been shown to be increased in
people with depression; it’s also possible that physical activity promotes favorable
changes in the brain, too, say the researchers.
Learn More About the Ways That Being Fit Boosts Energy and Mood
Exercise Is Good for Sleep
Habitual exercise can help you get more restful sleep at night. Of 34 studies included in
a systematic review, 29 found that exercise improved sleep quality and was associated
with longer bouts of slumber. It may help set your body clock (so that you are alert and
sleepy at appropriate times), create chemical changes in the brain that favor sleep, and,
as past research indicates, can ease presleep anxiety that may otherwise keep you up.
It’s worth noting, however, that high-intensity exercise done too close to bedtime (within
about an hour or two) can make it more difficult for some people to sleep and should be
done earlier in the day.
Learn More About the Intimate Relationship Between Fitness and Sleep
Exercise Promotes Long-Term Health
Exercise has been shown to improve brain and bone health, preserve muscle mass (so
that you’re not frail as you age), boost your sex life, improve gastrointestinal function,
and reduce the risk of many diseases, including cancer and stroke. Research involving
more than 116,000 adults also showed that getting the recommended 150 to 300
minutes of physical activity per week decreased the risk of death from any cause by 19
percent.
Learn More About the Amazing Ways Being Fit Boosts Your Health
Fitness Helps You Manage Chronic Disease
Exercise helps the body function, and that includes managing other chronic health
problems. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), if you
have osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s
disease, dementia, or have had a stroke or cancer, physical activity can help. Exercise
can help decrease pain, improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control, promote
mobility, improve heart health, lower the risk of other chronic diseases, and play a role
in good mental health.

8. If you have a chronic disease and you’re looking to stay active or get more active, a
walking routine is generally a safe place to start. “The vast majority of people do not
need clearance from their doctor to start walking, unless your physician has told you
specifically that they don’t want you exercising,” says Sallis.
He says he wishes that more people would look at physical activity as a baseline and
that: “You need to get clearance from your doctor not to exercise,” he says.
But if you get excessively short of breath, experience chest pain, or have any other
concerning symptoms, call your doctor.
Learn More About Why Being Fit Helps With Chronic Disease Management
How Much Exercise Do You Need?
Per the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans from the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services, clocking either 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity
(such as brisk walking) or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity (such as
jogging or running) per week is the lowest amount of exercise that promotes good
health. (Doing a combination of moderate and vigorous activity is also okay, as long as
you spread it out over at least two days during the week.)
Additionally, do muscle-strengthening activity at least two days a week, targeting all of
the major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms),
according to the guidelines.
There is currently no recommendation for flexibility or mobility work, according to the
HHS. But older adults in particular should incorporate balance training into their weekly
physical activity.
Doing more physical activity has been linked to even greater health benefits, particularly
up to 300 weekly minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (after which the incremental
benefits start to flatten out). And know that these baseline fitness recommendations,
while they are enough to promote good long-term health, may not be sufficient to meet
certain health or fitness goals. (For example, you will need to exercise for a significantly
longer amount of time each week if you want to train for a marathon.)
And know that extreme amounts of exercise may put increased stress on the body and
can actually lead to some negative health effects; research has yet to determine what
that upper limit might be, but the evidence so far suggests that it is at least several
times the current weekly minimum recommendations.
Learn More About How Much Exercise You Actually Need
What to Eat Before, During, and After Exercise

9. Fueling your body with adequate and healthy foods also plays an important role in
exercise.
Before Your Workout If you’re exercising shortly after you wake up in the morning,
listen to your body’s hunger cues, says Jackie Dikos, RDN, a sports dietitian in
Westfield, Indiana, and author of Finish Line Fueling. If you ate a heavier or later dinner
the night before, you may not need anything. If you have an intense workout ahead of
you and are hungry, you may need a small snack.
Eating easy-to-digest carbohydrates, such as a banana or some cereal just prior to a
workout, or a combination of carbs and protein (e.g., toast with nut butter) 30 minutes
beforehand will fuel you up for the work ahead. If you recently ate a meal, you may be
able to skip the snack entirely.
During Your Workout Shorter workouts don’t require mid-exercise fueling, but longer
bouts of endurance exercise do. Consume 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrates every hour
after the first 60 minutes of exercise, according to recommendations from
the International Society of Sports Nutrition. Sports drinks are one option.
After Your Workout A low- to moderate-intensity workout, such as a 45-minute brisk
walk, doesn’t require immediate refueling (particularly if your next meal is not far away),
Dikos says. But if you’ve just done a high-intensity workout, or if you know you’re doing
another workout later that day or a tough workout the next day, your body will need fuel.
Dikos recommends eating half a gram of carbs per pound of body weight, plus 10 to 20
grams of protein.
Learn More About What You Should Eat Before, During, and After Your Workout
Tips for Getting Started and Staying Motivated
to Exercise
It can be tough to get into (and stick with) an exercise routine. Here are some tips:
 Break It Up Fitness professionals have changed their tune on this over the years. The
current Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans says that everything counts toward
those weekly activity targets (as long as the intensity is high enough). You can take a 5-
minute walk up the block, climb the stairs in your home a few times, or stand up from your
desk and do a set of squats. “More recent data shows that there are health benefits to
accumulating activity. Those short ‘exercise snacks’ add up,” says Sallis.
 Increase Slowly Jumping into a busy and intense exercise routine can set you up for
mental and physical burnout — and it puts you at risk of injury, too. Sallis recommends
beginning where you are comfortable (in terms of distance if you are walking or jogging, or
in terms of weights if you are strength training) and slowly increasing the duration and

10. intensity over a period of weeks or months. Getting on an exercise program (look at apps
or small group training) or finding a personal trainer can help with this progression.
 Do ‘Non’-Exercise Exercise Do you count playing with your kids in the backyard,
cleaning the house, doing yard work, dancing in your kitchen, and taking the dog out as
exercise? You should — because they can all count toward your movement quota, says
Sallis. Look at those everyday activities as opportunities to help you get fit and keep
moving.
 Schedule It Exercise is as important as any other activity. And while small bouts are
good, you’ll also probably get to a point where you want to do longer durations. And that’s
where looking at your schedule, finding a time that works during your day, and adding it to
your calendar (as a “nonnegotiable” meeting) will help, says Smith-Ryan.
 Consider HIIT High-intensity interval training (HIIT) can be great for beginners, including
those who are sedentary or are overweight or obese. “In our lab, we have almost 100
percent compliance with interval training. HIIT is really easy to buy into and stick with,”
Smith-Ryan says. HIIT calls for a shorter duration of exercise than traditional workouts
(with the same benefits), resulting in less time commitment and fewer injuries overall, she
explains. (Plus, it can be done without equipment, in your home.) Even though it is “high-
intensity,” you’ll move at a pace that’s appropriate for your fitness level, and you’ll only do
short bouts of the more strenuous type of movement at a time. Recruiting a personal
trainer to help you structure a HIIT workout can be a great help.
 Phone a Friend Working out with a friend can stoke your motivation, prompt you to try
new activities, and keep you consistent, says the CDC. Time to buddy up!
Learn More About How to Find and Stick to an Exercise Routine
What You Should Know About Home Gym
Equipment
Exercising at home means you get to skip the commute to the gym, and you won’t have
to wait for someone else to finish up on the machine you want to use. You get to work
out whenever it fits into your schedule.
One positive outcome of the pandemic is that there are now so many more online
resources for exercise programs, says Smith-Ryan. Many of those programs require no
equipment at all and can be easily done with a small amount of floor space.
If you are just starting out, she says that simple body-weight exercises (squats, lunges,
pushups) can help build muscle during resistance training. Consider investing in a yoga
or exercise mat, so that you can easily do floor exercises. After that, consider collecting
resistance bands or a set of dumbbells to up the intensity of strength training.
What you choose will depend on your preferences, budget, and the space available in
your home. For instance, a set of resistance bands is cheap and can be stored easily.

11. But know that you can get in a good sweat session without a lot of equipment and
without having to spend a lot of money.
Learn More About Buying an Exercise Bike and These 5 Other Home Gym Picks
Resources We Love
Favorite Orgs for Essential Exercise Info
American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
The ACSM is a professional society that certifies personal trainers and sports medicine
specialists around the globe. The organization publishes evidence-based position
stands about key fitness and sports medicine topics. It also publishes scholarly journals
with leading research in the field.
American Council on Exercise (ACE)
ACE is a nonprofit exercise professional and health coach certification organization. In
addition to certifications, the group offers continuing education for fitness professionals.
ACE partners with various community groups across the country to help make more
physical activity opportunities available to everyone, and the group also engages in
advocacy to advance policies that reduce the barriers that prevent people from being
physically active.
National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)
NASM certifies personal trainers across the country. The organization also offers
continuing education workshops for personal trainers, on topics ranging from nutrition to
weight loss to behavior change skills.
American Heart Association (AHA)
The AHA is one of the largest and oldest organizations in the United States that is
dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke and promoting healthy living. The
nonprofit funds scientific research and publishes several scientific journals,
including Circulation, Stroke, Circulation Research, and others. The group also
publishes health information for everyday consumers and connects individuals with
support networks in their communities.
Favorite Exercise Blogs and Online Fitness Communities
Girls Gone Strong

12. This is an online community that publishes content about women’s health, wellness,
nutrition, and training — and connects women, moms, and moms-to-be with the
coaches and trainers who can answer their questions via the group’s Facebook page.
Nerd Fitness
This online fitness community was designed for “underdogs, misfits, and mutants” who
have tried to make healthier lifestyle choices in the past but failed, according to the site.
The community offers in-person events, private coaching communities, and blog posts
on topics ranging from nutrition to workout motivation to mental health.
Strength Running
This is a blog created to help educate runners about how to train in healthy ways and
avoid injury. It was founded and is run by Jason Fitzgerald, a marathoner and a running
coach certified by USA Track and Field. He also hosts the Strength Running podcast,
which you can access on the site.
Favorite Exercise Apps
Sweat
This app offers a variety of yoga, power training, weight training, high-intensity, post-
pregnancy, and other workouts led by female personal trainers. The app lets you track
your workouts and connect with other members of the online community. Monthly and
annual subscription options are available, as well as additional meal-planning add-ons.
Strava
This app lets you track runs and cycling rides in the same place, recording distance,
elevation, time, personal records, and more. Use the interactive online maps to plot out
routes ahead of time. And use the app’s sharing features to connect with other athletes
in your community. Basic tracking features are available for free.
Exercise & Fitness
Exercising regularly, every day if possible, is the single most important thing you can do for your
health. In the short term, exercise helps to control appetite, boost mood, and improve sleep. In
the long term, it reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, dementia, depression, and
many cancers.
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Why is exercise so important for seniors?
Whether you were once much more physically active or have never been one to exercise
regularly, now is a great time to start an exercise and fitness regimen. Getting and staying in
shape is just as important for seniors as it is for younger people.
Why is exercise important for older people? Getting your heart rate up and challenging your
muscles benefits virtually every system in your body and improves your physical and mental
health in myriad ways. Physical activity helps maintain a healthy blood pressure, keeps harmful
plaque from building up in your arteries, reduces inflammation, improves blood sugar levels,
strengthens bones, and helps stave off depression. In addition, a regular exercise program can
make your sex life better, lead to better quality sleep, reduce your risk of some cancers, and is
linked to longer life.
Many older adults hesitate to get moving because they’re unfamiliar with the types of
exercise and fitness that are effective and safe, and aren’t sure how much exercise they need to
do. The good news is that any kind of movement is better than being sedentary, so there’s
nothing wrong with starting small and working your way up to longer workouts. Your goal
should be no less than 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity per week, but if you can’t start
at that level, work up to it (and then past it). While there are many dedicated forms of exercise
and fitness for adults, you also want to stay physically active throughout the day by taking the
stairs, doing yard work, and playing with your grandkids.

15. When it comes to exercise and fitness for seniors, most can begin without consulting a doctor—
but there are exceptions. If you have a major health condition like diabetes, high blood pressure,
heart or lung disease, osteoprosis or a neurological disease, definitely talk to your doctor first.
People with mobility issues such as poor balance or arthritis should also get advice from their
doctor.
You might also be interested in...
Starting to Exercise: 10 easy workouts to help you get
fit, firm, and flexible
What can improve your mood, boost your ability to fend off infection, and lower your risk for
heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and colon cancer? The answer is regular exercise. It
may seem too good to be true, but it's not. Hundreds of studies demonstrate that exercise helps
you feel better and live longer. Starting to Exercise answers many important questions about
physical activity. It will also help guide you through starting and maintaining an exercise
program that suits your abilities and lifestyle.

16. READ MORE
What are the best types of exercise?
While there are endless forms of exercise, experts categorize physical activity into four broad
types based on what each calls upon your body to do and how the movement benefits you.
Aerobic exercise is marked by an increased heart rate. Although most aerobic exercises require
you to move your whole body, the main focus is on your heart and lungs (Aerobic exercise is
often called “cardio” because it challenges and benefits your cardiovascular system). Activities
like walking, swimming, dancing and cycling, if done at sufficient intensity, get you breathing
faster and your heart working harder. Aerobic exercises burn fat, improve your mood, reduce
inflammation and lower blood sugar.
Strength training, sometimes called resistance training, should be performed two to three times a
week. Squats, lunges, push-ups and the exercises performed on resistance machines or using
weights or bands help maintain and even build muscle mass and strength. Strength training also
helps prevent falls, keep bones strong, lower blood sugar levels, and improve balance. Do a
combination of both isometric and isotonic exercises. Isometric exercises, such as doing planks
and holding leg lifts, are done without movement. They are great for maintaining strength and
improving stability. Isotonic exercises require you to bear weight throughout a range of motion.
Bicep curls, bench presses and sit-ups are all forms of isotonic exercise.
Stretching exercises keep your muscles and tendons flexible, preserve your posture, and improve
mobility, especially as you age. Stretching can be done every day.
Balance exercises call on the various systems that help you stay upright and oriented, such as
those of the inner ear, vision and muscles and joints. Tai chi and yoga are great forms of balance
exercises that can help you avoid falls and stay independent well into your senior years.
You might also be interested in...

17. Body Weight Exercise
The health and fitness experts at Harvard Medical School perfected workout routines that use
your own body weight to strengthen your whole body — routines that offer a wealth of better
health and more pep in your step. They’re all in the Body-Weight Exercise Special Health
Report, along with step-by-step directions and how-to photos. You can do these feel-younger
exercises at home and adjust them to your fitness level. And there’s positively no equipment
necessary to get great results.
Body Weight Exercise
The health and fitness experts at Harvard Medical School perfected workout routines that use
your own body weight to strengthen your whole body — routines that offer a wealth of better
health and more pep in your step. They’re all in the Body-Weight Exercise Special Health
Report, along with step-by-step directions and how-to photos. You can do these feel-younger
exercises at home and adjust them to your fitness level. And there’s positively no equipment
necessary to get great results.
Other Product Information
About this ReportExcerptCustomer Reviews

18. As we get older, we start to realize we’re not a strong as we used to be … or as flexible. And we
admit that we don’t have as much pep as we used to have, either. And we wonder: What’s the
best yet safest way I can get back in shape — and improve my overall health? Good news: The
health and fitness experts at Harvard Medical School have the answer you’re looking for: The
start-slow-and-easy workout routines that use your own body weight to strengthen your whole
body — routines that offer a wealth of better health and more pep in your step.
They’re all in Harvard’s Special Health Report Body-Weight Exercise, along with easy-to-
follow directions and how-to photos. And more good news: you can easily do these feel-younger
exercises at home and adjust them to your fitness level. And there’s positively no equipment
necessary to get great results.
You’ll notice certain changes when you start one of these body-weight routines — like having
more energy, being able to lift things more easily, seeing some definition in your muscles, and
maybe even losing some pounds or inches.
And then there are the changes that you can’t see—like stronger bones, lower blood pressure,
and your body’s improved ability to manage blood sugar. Even short workouts will help you
build whole-body fitness … improve your balance … enhance your mobility … and more.
Step-by-step, the routines in the Body-Weight Exercise Special Health Report guide you to a
healthier, younger body. For example, you’ll discover:
 How to strengthen your hip muscles to help prevent knee pain and make walking easier.
 The easy-on-the-joints cardio interval workout that builds endurance as it strengthens your core.
 The lunge exercise that will help keep you strong and agile, making it easier to pick things up
from the floor.
 The squat exercise that helps improve your balance, stability, posture, and power.
 How to make it easier to twist and bend sideways with our 1-2-3-4 exercise.
 The small ab-engaging movement that helps support your lower back.
 The core-strengthening exercise you can do sitting down!
 And much more!
PLUS: You’ll get a bonus balance workout to protect you from injuries … a quick 3-minute
interval workout to help give you a quick energy boost … stretches to help loosen muscles and
joints … and a motivational Special Section to help you keep your fitness routines going strong.
And if you are concerned about a health condition like arthritis, diabetes or heart disease, you’ll
be glad to know that our health experts share special tips and advice to help you reap health
benefits safely.
You might also be interested in…

19. Strength and Power Training for All Ages
Studies attest that strength training, as well as aerobic exercise, can help you manage and
sometimes prevent conditions as varied as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and osteoporosis. It
can also protect vitality, make everyday tasks more manageable, and help you maintain a healthy
weight. Strength and Power Training for All Ages helps you take strength training to the next
level by developing a program that's right for you.
READ MORE
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23. MORGAN SHAPIRO | STAY UPDATED WITH NASM!
With the start of the New Year, many of us have made resolutions to improve our health and
fitness. While having specific health and fitness goals in mind is excellent, people often go to
extremes to accomplish these goals. They try the newest fad diet or workout trend and often end
up exhausting both their mental and physical energy.
This usually leads to either quitting altogether or reaching these goals and being unable to
maintain them, ultimately resulting in burnout, failure, or injury. Because of this, I propose you
ditch the extreme unrealistic goals and aim to change your lifestyle.
When you start to view health and fitness as a lifestyle rather than a part-time hobby or 30-day
challenge, you develop behaviors that will improve many areas of your life.
Living a healthy lifestyle can inspire creativity and teach you discipline, adaptability, and
balance.This will not only leave you looking and feeling better, but you will show up as a better
version of yourself for the people in your life that truly matter.
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.
SETTING AN EXAMPLE

24. When you choose to live a healthy lifestyle, you
not only do yourself a favor, but you set an excellent example for all of those
around you. Your friends, family, and children are impacted by the healthy
choices you make and will often feel inspired to make a change in their own
lives.
The result of this is better relationships, lower
risk of disease, and an overall healthier and happier world. By simply making
healthier choices, you can have a rippling impact on all of those around you.
Be the person to start the change.
You can also set a great example by becoming a Lifestlye Coach through NASM!
YOU LEARN EXACT BEHAVIOR CHANGE
I find that “diets” or “workout challenges” only
last so long. It is unrealistic to be going at 100 MPH all the time. We are all
human. Life happens, stress comes and goes, and schedules can get thrown off.
When we choose to live a healthy lifestyle, we learn to accept these things and
ADAPT.
You learn to enjoy life when you are on vacation
and away from your gym and kitchen because you have developed the habits and
skills to live a healthy lifestyle no matter where you are. By always
practicing moderation and balance, you allow yourself to indulge without going
overboard. If you don't have access to a gym one week, you get in the habit of
traveling with your resistant bands, creating a bodyweight circuit, or using
nearby benches and stairs to get a workout in. You learn to adapt instead of
self-destructing when your routine gets thrown off.
CONSISTENCY

25. 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 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,

26. 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.
Here are a few tips to start making health and
fitness a lifestyle today:
1. FIND EXERCISE YOU ENJOY
This is important when it comes to staying consistent with your workouts. If you are continually
doing exercises you don't enjoy, and they leave you feeling drained physically and emotionally,
it’s only going to last so long. You are better off finding exercises that make you feel good, and
you can stick to long term, even if it's not the most intense. Consistent low-intensity exercise will
always triumph inconsistent high-intensity exercise.
2. BE PATIENT WHEN IT COMES TO REACHING
YOUR PHYSICAL GOALS
Remember, results take time. Be easy on yourself.
Nothing good comes easy. Learn to fall in love with the process and the person
you become throughout the journey.
3. DON’T GIVE UP THE FOODS YOU LOVE
I'm a firm believer in never giving up the foods
you love. Find a way to make your favorite foods healthier. If pizza is your
favorite food, don't give it up. This will leave you feeling deprived. Get
creative and use clean ingredients to make your healthy version.
4. DON’T COMPETE WITH ANYONE

27. This is your life and your journey. No two people
are the same, so you should never compare yourself to others. As long as you
wake up every day and try to be better than you were yesterday, you are on the
right track.
5. TRY NEW THINGS
Step out of your comfort zone. Try a new fitness class with a friend and explore different foods.
Grocery shopping based on what's in season is an easy way to begin experimenting with different
foods and exposing yourself to a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. If you have never meal
prepped before, try it out! Stepping out of your comfort zone and switching things up will keep
things interesting and help you stay motivated and inspired to make this way of living a
permanent lifestyle.
Exercise: 7 benefits of regular physical activity
You know exercise is good for you, but do you know how good? From boosting
your mood to improving your sex life, find out how exercise can improve your
life.
By Mayo Clinic Staff
Want to feel better, have more energy and even add years to your life? Just exercise.
The health benefits of regular exercise and physical activity are hard to ignore.
Everyone benefits from exercise, no matter their age, sex or physical ability.
Need more convincing to get moving? Check out these seven ways that exercise can
lead to a happier, healthier you.
1. Exercise controls weight
Exercise can help prevent excess weight gain or help you keep off lost weight. When
you take part in physical activity, you burn calories. The more intense the activity, the
more calories you burn.
Regular trips to the gym are great, but don't worry if you can't find a large chunk of time
to exercise every day. Any amount of activity is better than none. To gain the benefits of
exercise, just get more active throughout your day. For example, take the stairs instead
of the elevator or rev up your household chores. Consistency is key.
2. Exercise combats health conditions and diseases

28. Worried about heart disease? Hoping to prevent high blood pressure? No matter what
your current weight is, being active boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol,
the "good" cholesterol, and it decreases unhealthy triglycerides. This one-two punch
keeps your blood flowing smoothly, which lowers your risk of heart and blood vessel,
called cardiovascular, diseases.
Regular exercise helps prevent or manage many health problems and concerns,
including:
 Stroke.
 Metabolic syndrome.
 High blood pressure.
 Type 2 diabetes.
 Depression.
 Anxiety.
 Many types of cancer.
 Arthritis.
 Falls.
It also can help improve cognitive function and helps lower the risk of death from all
causes.
3. Exercise improves mood
Need an emotional lift? Or need to lower stress after a stressful day? A gym session or
brisk walk can help. Physical activity stimulates many brain chemicals that may leave
you feeling happier, more relaxed and less anxious.
You also may feel better about your appearance and yourself when you exercise
regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem.
4. Exercise boosts energy
Winded by grocery shopping or household chores? Regular physical activity can
improve your muscle strength and boost your endurance.
Exercise sends oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and helps your cardiovascular
system work more efficiently. And when your heart and lung health improve, you have
more energy to tackle daily chores.
5. Exercise promotes better sleep
Struggling to snooze? Regular physical activity can help you fall asleep faster, get better
sleep and deepen your sleep. Just don't exercise too close to bedtime, or you may be
too energized to go to sleep.
6. Exercise puts the spark back into your sex life

29. Do you feel too tired or too out of shape to enjoy physical intimacy? Regular physical
activity can improve energy levels and give you more confidence about your physical
appearance, which may boost your sex life.
But there's even more to it than that. Regular physical activity may enhance arousal for
women. And men who exercise regularly are less likely to have problems with erectile
dysfunction than are men who don't exercise.
7. Exercise can be fun — and social!
Exercise and physical activity can be fun. They give you a chance to unwind, enjoy the
outdoors or simply do activities that make you happy. Physical activity also can help you
connect with family or friends in a fun social setting.
So take a dance class, hit the hiking trails or join a soccer team. Find a physical activity
you enjoy, and just do it. Bored? Try something new, or do something with friends or
family.
Exercise to feel better and have fun
Exercise and physical activity are great ways to feel better, boost your health and have
fun. For most healthy adults, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
recommends these exercise guidelines:
 Aerobic activity. Get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity. Or get at
least 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week. You also can get an equal
combination of moderate and vigorous activity. Aim to spread out this exercise over
a few days or more in a week.
For even more health benefits, the guidelines suggest getting 300 minutes a week or
more of moderate aerobic activity. Exercising this much may help with weight loss or
keeping off lost weight. But even small amounts of physical activity can be helpful.
Being active for short periods of time during the day can add up and have health
benefits.
 Strength training. Do strength training exercises for all major muscle groups at
least two times a week. One set of each exercise is enough for health and fitness
benefits. Use a weight or resistance level heavy enough to tire your muscles after
about 12 to 15 repetitions.
Moderate aerobic exercise includes activities such as brisk walking, biking, swimming
and mowing the lawn.
Vigorous aerobic exercise includes activities such as running, swimming laps, heavy
yardwork and aerobic dancing.
You can do strength training by using weight machines or free weights, your own body
weight, heavy bags, or resistance bands. You also can use resistance paddles in the
water or do activities such as rock climbing.

30. If you want to lose weight, keep off lost weight or meet specific fitness goals, you may
need to exercise more.
Remember to check with a health care professional before starting a new exercise
program, especially if you have any concerns about your fitness or haven't exercised for
a long time. Also check with a health care professional if you have chronic health
problems, such as heart disease, diabetes or arthritis.