Physical activity and exercise are important for maintaining good health and reducing the risk of diseases. There are five components of physical fitness: cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition. Engaging in regular physical activity can provide health benefits like reducing the risk of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes, as well as improving mood, quality of life, and physical fitness. Making time for moderate physical activity most days of the week is key to achieving a healthy lifestyle with good nutrition.

1. WHY EXERCISE?

2. Is physical activity part of your life?
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.

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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

9. Health benefits
•Reduces risk of obesity
• Reduces risk of serious diseases
• Helps control blood pressure
• Improves cholesterol levels

10. 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

11. Physical fitness benefits
Builds your endurance.
Increases your strength.
Enhances your flexibility.
Reduces frequency and severity of injuries.
Increases your fitness level.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. Tips for getting started
The key to a lifetime of fitness is consistency.
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.

15. Youth– Physical activity
Limit inactivity:
• Watching television
• Computer use
• Playing video games
Make family time an activity time.

16. 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.

17. References
USDA’s Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals
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