What exactly does 'fit'
mean?
Different authorities
have differing opinions on what makes someone 'fit'. The bottom
line is this: if you're physically fit, you can do your chosen
form of exercise without ending up completely exhausted. To do
this you need: strength, endurance, speed,
flexibility,
Exercising & workouts
Exercising the right way ensures workouts
provide maximum benefit - whether you exercise at home or
in the gym. With motivation, you'll see a healthier you.
Did you know you can overtrain!
Compare your pulse when you wake up to your normal resting
pulse rate. If your pulse rate is 10+ beats more than
usual, you may be suffering from overtraining. Especially
if coupled with signs of fatigue and a lack of enthusiasm
for working out. For getting into
shape, fitness equipment can make the difference. From
treadmills to rowers or dumbbells, your use of the right
fitness equipment can help you to achieve real
results.
Fit me up, then!
If you've decided to get fit, don't keep putting it off:
procrastination is deadly. Then again, a little thought is
needed first, rather than going at it hell for leather. People
who go straight in without any knowledge or the right gear can earn some
serious chafing and blisters, making them more likely to
give up. Most trainers suggest that you should start
gradually and build up from there. If you're completely
unfit or have had any illness or ongoing health problem,
consult your doctor before starting an exercise regime.
Exercise can improve many health conditions, but check
first, in case you have something that needs temporary
rest. Make sure you're wearing the right clothing and have
the correct safety equipment if required. Pick a form of
exercise that you can do frequently and will enjoy. You
can also mix up the types of exercise that you do, for all
round body conditioning. Remember that getting fit
can take several weeks or months. It's easy to get
frustrated or give up, but hang in there. You should see
some obvious results within six to eight weeks.
A simple plan
The first phase: get your body used to
frequent moderate levels of activity for the first four to six
weeks. Your exercise should include stretching and a warm up,
continuous aerobic activity, some toning exercises, and a warm
down afterwards. To see benefits you need to do enough to
increase your heart rate (to between 60 and 70% of its maximum)
and make you breathe deeper.
Improvers: increase your levels of activity slightly
every couple of weeks. Your body is adapting to the exercise,
so you need to push it slightly harder to keep getting results.
Increase the length of your exercise sessions, or the intensity
of them.
Maintenance: after about six months, the average
person has reached a level of fitness that they're happy with,
and decides to stick with their current level of exercise to
maintain their fitness. If you're training for sport or
competitions, you will probably need to push yourself for
longer.
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