Good health implies that the body is free of disease while being fit implies having a body that is flexible, can maintain balance, and is capable of aerobic and muscular endurance. Both of these conditions complement one another, so when you work on the one you automatically improve the other. Being physically fit automatically benefits good general health. The most basic action of walking for as little as twenty minutes a day can lead to big rewards in terms of a body that is fit and healthy. Health and fitness are about what kind of lifestyle you live.
Maintaining a physically fit and healthy body pays back in terms of large dividends. Take the example of the brain. An organ that needs oxygen-loaded blood to flourish. It is hard to believe that the mundane act of putting one foot in front of the other, can offer such huge rewards. According to a 2012 study in Annals of Internal Medicine, walking on a regular basis improves memory skills in senior citizens, in addition to cutting down the risk factor of stroke by almost sixty percent.
How does physical fitness benefit you?
It is now a proven fact that maintaining a physically fit body improves the immune system, which in turn can cut down on the duration of an illness or prevent it altogether. This is especially important given the COVID-19 pandemic we are all living through. Maintaining some form of systematic physical activity is a great way to alleviate anxiety and stress and get that “good feeling” sensation and a sense of achievement. According to one study people who stay sedentary for four hours or more a day have an 80% greater risk of dying from heart disease. So working towards a healthy body yields a great payoff. Other benefits of physical activity are:
- It helps to maintain blood pressure.
- It helps you to live longer.
- Prevents or minimizes the effects of osteoporosis
- This leads to greater energy levels
- Better quality of sleep
- Improvement in blood circulation
- Improvement in mood and positive outlook on life
- Helps to maintain weight
Physical Fitness Tips
Before embarking on a physical fitness program, make a plan.
The first step should be to decide what are health and fitness goals? Next, keep in mind that things don’t always go as planned, so be prepared to be flexible. If you are mentally prepared for setbacks, then the chances of not being motivated decrease exponentially. It is like when you fall down, you just get back up, dust yourself, and keep moving forward. It is the same when you are trying to improve health and fitness. Should you slack off for a few days, just pick up where you left and move on, without wasting time or stressing about what you didn’t do.
Mix up your activities to avoid getting bored.
For example, plan a hike with friends over the weekend or a game of tennis, or just go for a bike ride through the park. Sticking to a rigid routine of even the best health and fitness apps, or physical wellness exercises can become jaded very quickly.
Develop a support group.
While sometimes it is easier to maintain a routine on your own, other times it good to have a little competition with a co-worker or family member. Following health and fitness YouTubers is another way to mix up your activities.
Sticking to a routine of a healthy diet.
It may get to be much at times and there are times when you just want the things you love. This is not a problem; everyone deserves a reward for being good. However, remember to be smart about it, and not overdo it. So go ahead and enjoy that chocolate bar or that piece of cake you love, just remember to maintain a balance.
Build a comfortable bedtime routine.
Hard as it is to believe, sleep will actually help your health and fitness goals! Not getting proper rest will actually put you at risk of exhaustion. Develop a sleep schedule that you are comfortable with and stick to it. Recovery time is vital to maintaining a healthy and fitness lifestyle.
Diet for Good Health and Fitness
In this day and age where the only way to manage a busy schedule is by multitasking, your diet can take a severe blow if you don’t plan meals. To ensure that you are getting the best nutrition to maintain a healthy lifestyle, earmark a health and fitness store near you. Set aside a time for food shopping on a weekly basis, or have regular food deliveries made. Either way when you have a stock of healthy fruits and vegetables, like tomatoes (for healthy heart), blueberries (to fight against cholesterol), salmon (to maintain weight), nuts, and pumpkin seeds (for memory), the chances of binging on unhealthy foods diminishes.
Stock up on high fiber foods.
Fiber is an essential nutrient, but unfortunately, the western diet has minimal amounts of it. It gives you that feeling full sensation, in addition, to improve digestion and keeping constipation at bay. The American Heart Association found in one of their studies that subjects eating 30 grams of fiber, lost weight successfully and improved their heart health. So be sure to add plenty of high-fiber foods to your diet.
Eat healthy and nutritious convenience foods after work.
Seeing out convenience foods is a common practice after a long, hard day at work. Sadly, such foods tend to be unhealthy. To avoid such rookie mistakes, have some quick and easy recipes handy. Turning out nutritious salads, or egg, feta cheese, and vegetable meals can take less than ten minutes. If all else fails screen restaurants near you that offer healthy diet options. Most restaurants nowadays have some healthy options like grilled fish, chili, or salads.
Physical fitness wellness and lifestyle are something you have to work at.
It is a matter of making a little effort and adapting to some lifestyle changes. For example, a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found eating while enjoying computer games led to people eating more snacks shortly after the meal compared to people who were not gaming. Hence, make it a point to take time out to enjoy your food, without any other distractions.
Physical Wellness for Seniors
There are four basic areas that are important when it comes to the physical well-being of people over fifty.
Endurance
Also known as aerobic activities, helps to enhance the performance of your heart, circulatory system, and lungs. Such exercises can delay the onset or even prevent diseases common in this age group. These include diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers. Activities that can promote heart rate include swimming, doing yard work, dancing, riding a bike, brisk walking, etc. Many of these activities are ideally suited to enjoying with your grandchildren.
Muscle strength
Strong muscles help with balance and minimize falls. They also allow you to remain independent longer, by allowing you to carry out the daily chores more easily like carrying groceries, doing laundry, and climbing stairs. The simplest way to strength train is by starting to lift light weights and slowly increase the load. Doing arm curls, making use of a resistance band, and doing wall push-up are some other methods used to build muscle strength.
Balance exercise
One of the most common problems the elderly face is that of falls. For this, balance exercises are a must. A large number of exercises designed to build strength in the lower body also help with balance. Balance exercises for health and wellness include standing on one foot, standing up from a sitting position, and heel-to-toe walk.
Flexibility fitness
Finally, as we age, our muscles tend to stiffen, and for this flexibility for fitness is a must. Increased mobility so you can reach down and pick something or look over the shoulder without pain is something you need to work on. Various stretching exercises can help with this.
No exercise program should be carried out without proper guidance from your doctor. Following simple rules like starting slow and then building up, staying hydrated, and stopping at the slightest discomfort will maintain your fitness and health in golden years.
It is an unfortunate statement of fact that establishing a route on how to improve health-related fitness is difficult. Chances are that if you want to enhance your health and fitness, more than likely that you will end in failure.
According to Bodybuilding.com, 75% of the individuals who make health and fitness their New Year’s goal, give up before seeing any results. The main reason for this is that they lack the support and network to maintain the motivational levels needed to continue with the program. This is why it is important to work out a health and fitness program that suits your lifestyle. Follow health and fitness influencers for emotional support and while you may slack at the start, just start up again as soon as possible.
