Youthful fitness
Being youthful means having a fit body. There cannot be two ways about this. an overweight and unfit person can never remain youthful. We all know the importance of remaining active and energetic, hundreds of books have been written on this subject. An active life coupled with regular exercise regimen is the key to fit body.
The very appearance of a person displays his fitness. A fit person has a glow on the face and good posture. Fitness of the body can be of two kinds- Organic fitness, generally pertains to a body free of disease and infirmity; in basic terms it means healthy; while "dynamic fitness' means endurance, flexibility and strength of the body.
The awareness about physical fitness has grown in leaps and bounds. If you look out of your window any morning or early evening, you are likely to spot a jogger or a walker. The magazine on your coffee table is likely to have a jogger or a fitness enthusiast on its cover. TV commercials promoting any kind of product, from soap to hardware, may also feature the jogger. Concern over fitness has become a global preoccupation, and the reasons are not hard to find. The physically fit have stronger hearts and leaner bodies; numerous studies have shown that those who work at becoming fit feel better both physically and mentally.
Amongst the many benefits of a steady and regular exercise regimen, improves efficiency of the heart, lungs and muscles as well as improved posture, rank high. An important aspect of physical fitness is the effect it has on the way we feel about ourselves. A straight back, a spring in the walk and an alert, energetic expression are some of the fallouts of the improved self-esteem that comes along with a fit and energetic body. A uncoordinated movements is hardly someone who is going to nurture a high self-esteem.
Fitness has an added advantage because the very approach to life changes, resulting in quality life. It brings with it, an optimistic outlook, energetic view and effervescent mind. A fit person can be spotted from a distance because he stand out in a crowd. Need we say more? The advantages of fitness are not unknown and every human being wants to be fit. But most people are on the lookout for an easy way out. No wonder the markets are flooded with books, newspapers and magazines that carry fitness; remember the saying- no pain no gain, it is the ultimate truth as far as fitness is concerned. It is a slow and arduous climb, especially if one is obese and unhealthy.
What exactly is fitness?
Physical fitness is to the human body what fine-tuning is to an engine. It enables us to perform up to our potential. Fitness can be described as a condition that helps us look, feel and do our best. More specially, it is: The ability to perform daily tasks vigorously and alertly, with energy left over for enjoying leisure-time activities and meeting emergency demands. It is the ability to endure, to bear up, to withstand stress, to carry on in circumstances where an unfit person could not continue, and is a major basis for good health and well-being.
Physical fitness involves the performance of the heart and lungs, and the muscles of the body. and, since what we do with our bodies also affects what we can do with our minds, fitness influences to some degree qualities such as mental alertness and emotional stability. As you undertake your fitness program, it's important to remember that fitness is an individual quality that varies from person to person. It is influenced by age, sex, heredity, personal habits, exercise and eating practices. You can't do anything about the first three factors. However, it is within your power to change and improve the others, where needed.
Around the mid forties the natural ageing process begins to show itself more obviously, especially if you are unfit, overstressed, or overweight. This is time when many peoples are actually at their best, emotionally and psychologically, but health risks are increasing. For example, about one in ten people in their middle age suffer from problems of peptic ulcer or hypertension. The risk of heart disease, another stress related problem, also increases at this time of life, At this point fitness takes on special meaning because one needs to halt the degeneration of the physical self.
Quite simply, a sedentary lifestyle shortens your life span. In fact, it's twice as likely to kill you as high cholesterol level. It gives that old saying "use it orose it". A whole new meaning, don't you think? when you engage in regular physical activity, every sell in your body reaps the benefits. Exercise lowers your heart rate and blood pressure, strengthens your arteries and bones, speeds your reflexes, boosts your brain power, gives you a euphoric feeling of well being and peps up your entire life. Exercise is addictive, it gives a high no drug or drink can beat. And the best part is that the high is totally harmless.
But what does the fitness revolution mean to the older individual who may never have been an athlete and who seldom engages is strenuous physical activity? a study conducted on the attitudes of the older generation towards physical activity and fitness revealed the following facts.
The very appearance of a person displays his fitness. A fit person has a glow on the face and good posture. Fitness of the body can be of two kinds- Organic fitness, generally pertains to a body free of disease and infirmity; in basic terms it means healthy; while "dynamic fitness' means endurance, flexibility and strength of the body.
The awareness about physical fitness has grown in leaps and bounds. If you look out of your window any morning or early evening, you are likely to spot a jogger or a walker. The magazine on your coffee table is likely to have a jogger or a fitness enthusiast on its cover. TV commercials promoting any kind of product, from soap to hardware, may also feature the jogger. Concern over fitness has become a global preoccupation, and the reasons are not hard to find. The physically fit have stronger hearts and leaner bodies; numerous studies have shown that those who work at becoming fit feel better both physically and mentally.
Amongst the many benefits of a steady and regular exercise regimen, improves efficiency of the heart, lungs and muscles as well as improved posture, rank high. An important aspect of physical fitness is the effect it has on the way we feel about ourselves. A straight back, a spring in the walk and an alert, energetic expression are some of the fallouts of the improved self-esteem that comes along with a fit and energetic body. A uncoordinated movements is hardly someone who is going to nurture a high self-esteem.
Fitness has an added advantage because the very approach to life changes, resulting in quality life. It brings with it, an optimistic outlook, energetic view and effervescent mind. A fit person can be spotted from a distance because he stand out in a crowd. Need we say more? The advantages of fitness are not unknown and every human being wants to be fit. But most people are on the lookout for an easy way out. No wonder the markets are flooded with books, newspapers and magazines that carry fitness; remember the saying- no pain no gain, it is the ultimate truth as far as fitness is concerned. It is a slow and arduous climb, especially if one is obese and unhealthy.
What exactly is fitness?
Physical fitness is to the human body what fine-tuning is to an engine. It enables us to perform up to our potential. Fitness can be described as a condition that helps us look, feel and do our best. More specially, it is: The ability to perform daily tasks vigorously and alertly, with energy left over for enjoying leisure-time activities and meeting emergency demands. It is the ability to endure, to bear up, to withstand stress, to carry on in circumstances where an unfit person could not continue, and is a major basis for good health and well-being.
Physical fitness involves the performance of the heart and lungs, and the muscles of the body. and, since what we do with our bodies also affects what we can do with our minds, fitness influences to some degree qualities such as mental alertness and emotional stability. As you undertake your fitness program, it's important to remember that fitness is an individual quality that varies from person to person. It is influenced by age, sex, heredity, personal habits, exercise and eating practices. You can't do anything about the first three factors. However, it is within your power to change and improve the others, where needed.
Around the mid forties the natural ageing process begins to show itself more obviously, especially if you are unfit, overstressed, or overweight. This is time when many peoples are actually at their best, emotionally and psychologically, but health risks are increasing. For example, about one in ten people in their middle age suffer from problems of peptic ulcer or hypertension. The risk of heart disease, another stress related problem, also increases at this time of life, At this point fitness takes on special meaning because one needs to halt the degeneration of the physical self.
Quite simply, a sedentary lifestyle shortens your life span. In fact, it's twice as likely to kill you as high cholesterol level. It gives that old saying "use it orose it". A whole new meaning, don't you think? when you engage in regular physical activity, every sell in your body reaps the benefits. Exercise lowers your heart rate and blood pressure, strengthens your arteries and bones, speeds your reflexes, boosts your brain power, gives you a euphoric feeling of well being and peps up your entire life. Exercise is addictive, it gives a high no drug or drink can beat. And the best part is that the high is totally harmless.
But what does the fitness revolution mean to the older individual who may never have been an athlete and who seldom engages is strenuous physical activity? a study conducted on the attitudes of the older generation towards physical activity and fitness revealed the following facts.
- It is believed that the need for physical activity decreases and may actually disappear as individuals age.
- There is a tendency to exaggerate the risks involved in vigorous physical activity after middle age.
- The benefits of light, occasional activity are highly overrated.
- Older individuals underrate their own abilities and capacities.
The risks of physical activity for the ageing
A sudden run at full tilt to the limit of physical endurance would be a risky endeavor for someone past middle age. But a brisk walk or easy jog until one begins to tire then slowing to walk until rested before resuming the faster pace, definitely entails little or no risk.
Leading doctors contend that the risk of dying while exercising is extremely remote, minimum risk can be realized by beginning an activity programme at a low, easy, level and increasing it gradually to a more strenuous level. It is also advisable to have a physical examination before making any major change in the level of physical activity. Any sign of chest pain or unusual dizziness is an indication that the activity should be stopped immediately.
The physical examinations are required more for the sedentary individuals than the ones who are physically active. Studies support the connection between inactivity and heart disease as well as other problems like obesity.
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