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How do you stay fit? - What is your favourite "get-fit" activity?

Overview

Health and fitness are the basics for quality living. The contributions of fitness to overall mental, spiritual and physical health are many. Quality of life is enhanced when nutrition, exercise, sleep and other elements of health and fitness are addressed and improved upon.

Beginning Fitness Programs

Physical fitness is a general concept and is defined in many ways by different scientists. Physical fitness is discussed in two major categories: health-related physical fitness and motor-performance physical fitness.

A fitness program is a good method for planning, organizing and participating in any activity that promotes health. A particular program may be a highly intricate written plan or a simple mind set that outlines a few basic ideas. Whatever the type, having a clearly defined program can assist in achieving fitness goals and attaining better health.

• Assessing Current Fitness Levels - The first step in setting up any fitness program is to assess what condition the body is currently in. Are there any medical conditions that could limit or prevent certain activities? Are there aches and pains? Does age come into consideration? How much activity has there been in recent months, and how hard have the muscles been used to working? How healthy is the current diet? Is there proper nutritional support for an active lifestyle? Are there dietary restrictions? All health factors involved in undertaking a physical activity should be assessed as part of planning a fitness program.
  
• Medical Checkup - A complete physical from a doctor is recommended before beginning any sort of physical activity, or before making any drastic changes in diet.
  
• Choosing The Type Of Activity - Choosing an activity or activities to be included in the fitness program is the next step. If the program is beginning at ground level with little or no previous activity, then a simple movement, such as walking or beginning yoga may be a practical start. Bike riding, golf, tennis, jogging or some other gentle sport or activity can provide good medium exercise. If a moderate level of fitness is already in place, then running or beginning weight lifting may be logical.
  
• Accessibility - Finding an activity that is immediately available and doable is practicable, because it reduces the chances of procrastination and enhances the positive nature of a new undertaking.

Personal Trainer

Personal training for General Fitness is much more then just looking good. It is about overall health and well being. A healthy workout and healthy diet can improve general appearance and looks from within resulting in healthy glowing skin, hair and nails. It also prevents a series of heart and organ failure.

Diet itself helps to increase calorie burning by boosting metabolism, a process further enhanced while gaining more lean muscle. An aerobic exercise program can burn fat and increase the metabolic rate.

Weight Loss

The number of people who are profoundly over-weight or obese is on the rise. This affects a large number of people in the UK and the world. Health risks arising from obesity include heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, gall bladder disease, and prostate, colon and breast cancer. Obese individuals often suffer both social isolation and institutional discrimination. The market is flooded with weight loss pills and products aimed at this population and sadly some of these items work, often negligibly, but most do not.

The fight against fat is not an easy one, especially for chronically affected people. It is a long, tough battle. There is no question that the development of a new healthy eating and fitness lifestyle is immensely helpful in winning this fight. Personal Trainers interface with a client's physician and/or therapist to construct a program centred around restructuring lifestyle while helping to provide the necessary motivation for its success.

Weight Gain / Body Building

Each person seems to have a good idea of what kind of physique they want. A person can specify if they want to "tone" or to "build" muscle. Generally women want to "tone," while men want to "build". However, toning and building muscle are basically the same physiologic process.

In the context of the body's normal functioning, "muscle tone" simply means that the muscle fibres are being stimulated by the central nervous system. But in common use, the designation "toned" pertains to the appearance of a musculature that is hard, as opposed to flaccid, and noticeable, but not overly so. In this respect a toned body implies a lean body, one low in body fat and showing some muscle definition and shape. By "building" muscle it is usually meant, getting as much muscle as possible up to and including the bodybuilder's look.

Sports Specific Trainer

Sports Specific Trainers can help improve stamina and arm strength for tennis playing or improve strength and core stability providing better balance playing golf, or help improve performance whatever the sport.

Sports specific training is all about developing physical conditions to improve performance and skills at a particular sport.


Injury Recovery

Persons with injuries are often required to supply a written physician's clearance depending on the extent of the injury. Personal fitness trainers are not doctors and (in most cases) are not physical therapists. Certified personal fitness trainers can contribute significantly and uniquely to recovery and rehabilitation efforts. It is necessary the trainer coordinates training and nutritional programs with a doctor, physiatrist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, chiropractor, special nutritional counsellor, and/or alternative medicine healthcare provider(s).
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Pre/Post Natal Trainer

During a pregnancy period a lot of stress is put on the muscle on the lower back due to the heavy weight being carried. Exercise and stretching can be extremely important to increase strength and reinforce the body structure for the extra weight.

During the second trimester (weeks 13-28) the unpleasant symptoms from the first trimester should have settled down and the mother will start to feel a renewed level of energy. The biggest change during this period will be the growth of the 'bump'. As the baby grows the mother should notice a change in her body position and posture. The extra weight occurs at the front of the body, the hip and back joints will take the strain. The posture will shift as the lower back muscles tighten and take an exaggerated curvature. The abdominal muscles will stretch and strain to adapt to the growing baby. During this time it will be extremely beneficial to perform exercises to help strengthen weakened abdominal and pelvic floor muscles, in order to reduce the strain on the lower back.