Fundamentals of Fitness and Your Weight Loss Goals
Physical fitness is an important part of any long-term goal to improve your health and promote weight loss. Physical activity is defined as: bodily movement that is produced by the contraction of skeletal muscle that increases energy expenditure. Expending excess energy is what encourages your body to use energy that's stored in the form of fat, as fuel.
Regular Exercise
Regular exercise promotes:
- Improved cardio-respiratory function
- Improved metabolism
- Better control of blood fats
- Better control of body fats
- Improved psychological and emotional well-being
- Improved oxygen delivery/metabolic processes
Exercise will also help you:
- Build strength and endurance
- Improve movement in joints and muscles
- Gain more energy
- Cope with stress
- Improve your ability to fall asleep quickly
- Tone your muscles
- Achieve your ideal body weight
- Increase your capacity for physical work
- Increase muscle strength
- Lower your blood pressure
- Reduce your risk of diabetes
- Increase your HDL level (good cholesterol)
Components of Exercise
The three components of an effective exercise program include:
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Warm-Up
This phase should include stretching and flexibility exercises, as well as cardio-respiratory activities that can help prevent injuries and increase blood flow.
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Aerobic Phase
This phase will challenge your body's oxygen delivery system and strengthen your heart and respiratory system. This phase should include 20-to-60 minutes of continuous or intermittent aerobic exercise. This phase may be complemented by resistance (weight training) activities, recreational games, or both.
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Cool-Down
The cool down phase helps you return your heart rate and blood pressure to their normal values. Cooling down reduces dizziness, high blood pressure and body heat.
Recommendations for weekly fitness routines:
Aerobic Activity
Aerobic activities include non-weightbearing exercises such as walking, cycling and water aerobics. Your goal should be to include aerobic exercise in your fitness routine at least five days a week, or even daily, as your doctor indicates. The activity should last 40-to-60 minutes a day or can be broken up into two sessions of 20-30 minutes each.
Strength Training
Begin your training with very light weights. If you have never lifted weights before, be sure to consult a professional for some instruction so that you avoid injury. We recommend one or two sets of 12-15 repetitions, 2-3 days a week to begin with. An instructor can provide you with a schedule that increases as your strength increases.
Flexibility Training
E
very fitness routine should include stretching to exercise the major muscle and tendon groups of your body. Incorporate stretching into your routine at least 2-to-3 days a week, dedicating 10-to-30 seconds to each stretching exercise.
Exercise Tips
- Exercise with others
- Add variety to your exercise program
- Recruit support of family and friends
- Establish regularity of workouts
- Use exercise logs to record achievements
Other Easy Ways to Increase Your Physical Activity
- At work, or when shopping, park your car far away and walk
- Take stairs instead of elevators
- Do household chores or use fewer labor-saving devices, like remote controls. Get up and move!
- Walk during lunch breaks or find charity walks in your community
- Get exercise when you're taking care of your baby, toddler, or children
