Aspects Of Physical Fitness

Aspects of Physical Fitness

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1. Aerobic Capacity (Cardiovascular/respiratory capacity) 2. Body Composition (Ratio of body fat to lean body mass) 3. Muscle Strength 4. Muscle endurance

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5. Muscle flexibility Basic Foodstuffs Almost all foods are of plant or animal origin, although there are exceptions. Almost every form of life has been used as food, either for nutritive or ritual purposes, by one or more human societies at some time in the past. •

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Basic foods from plant sources: o Cereals o Fruit o Legumes o Nuts and seeds o Spices and Herbs o Vegetables o Seaweed o Fungus Basic foods from animal sources:

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Dairy products, dairy substitutes, and eggs Meat and poultry Seafood and fish

Miscellaneous foodstuff: o Leavening agents o MSG o Oil and fat o Salt o Sweeteners o Yeast Extracts

6 Basic Nutrients The 6 basic nutrients we need for organ development, growth, cell reproduction and a proper metabolism are split up between the 3 basic macronutrients we need for energy - carbohydrates, proteins and fats and the 3 basic micronutrients for our metabolism - vitamins, minerals and water. Carbohydrates are the bodies’ main source of energy. These macro nutrients are necessary for digestion and assimilation of foods. Fiber is a carbohydrate that consists of very large molecules. We should get our carbohydrates from unprocessed foods like whole grains, seeds, nuts, peas, brown rice, fruits and vegetables.

Fats consist of fatty acids and hydrogen and oxygen atoms. They have a very high caloric value. Fatty acids are needed for cell production. Proteins are broken down into amino acids by the body. They are also considered to be the building material for muscles, blood, internal organs and skin. Vitamins are nutrients needed in small quantities but essential for many body functions and the metabolism of nutrients. Mineral nutrients are constituents of muscles, blood, bones, teeth and soft tissue. Water is essential in transporting nutrients via the blood and other bodily fluids. Top Three Types of Exercise Exercise is an important component in staying healthy when you have arthritis. Moderate physical activity on a regular basis help decrease fatigue, strengthen muscles and bones, increase flexibility and stamina, and improve your general sense of well-being. Joint flexibility is especially important when you have arthritis because stiff joints means inability to do daily tasks, such as buttoning a shirt or starting

the car. You should commit yourself to regular exercise that includes three types of activity: flexibility (stretching, range-ofmotion) exercises, strengthening (resistance) exercises, and cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise. That may sound like a lot, but if you incorporate it into your daily routine, you’ll find it gets easier to do without even thinking about it. Before you begin any exercise, you should consult your physician to see if the exercise is appropriate for you. You may even want to see a physical therapist for an assessment of your specific exercise and joint protection needs. They will help you learn how to get started, how to modify exercises so they don’t damage your joints and how to set reasonable goals for yourself. Learn the importance of setting goals and use our helpful worksheet to plan your exercise. Also, keep in mind that only a medical professional should determine what sort of activity to do during a flare. When a joint is warm, painful and swollen, rest will help reduce the joint’s inflammation. Your doctor or physical therapist also may suggest gentle range-of-motion exercises to help maintain joint movement.

Flexibility (Stretching, Range-ofMotion) Exercises These gentle stretching exercises should be done every day and are the most important of all your exercises. Flexibility exercises can help you protect your joints by reducing the risk of joint injury, help you warm-up for more strenuous exercise by getting your body moving, and help you relax and release tension from your body. These can be done on land or in water such as a pool, hot tub or warm bath. These exercises can be particularly useful for easing those stiff joints in the morning. Good range-of-motion exercises include tai chi and yoga. Work up to 15 minutes of flexibility exercises a day. Once you can do 15 continuous minutes, you should be able to add strengthening and aerobic exercises to your routine. Strengthening (Resistance) Exercises When you have arthritis, you need strong muscles to lessen the stress on your joints. Strengthening exercises can help build your muscles so they can absorb shock and protect your joints from injury, as well as help you get around better. These exercises use weight or resistance to make your muscles work harder thereby helping them gets stronger.

There are two types of strengthening exercises: isometric and isotonic. Isometric exercises are good for people with arthritis because they work by tightening the muscles without moving the joint. It is easy to target the muscles around the joints with isometric exercises, and that reduces stress on your joints. Isotonic exercises strengthen the muscles by moving the joint; for example, straightening your knee while sitting in a chair is an isotonic exercise that helps strengthen your thigh muscle. These exercises can also benefit people with arthritis because they can be made easier when you have an inflamed joint or you can make them more difficult when you are feeling better by adding weights or repetitions. Strengthening exercises should be done every other day after warming up with some flexibility exercises. Cardiovascular (Aerobic) Exercises Cardiovascular (aerobic or endurance) exercise is any physical activity that uses the large muscles of the body in rhythmic, continuous motions. This includes walking, dancing, swimming and bicycling, among others. The purpose of these exercises is to make your heart, lungs, blood vessels and muscles work more efficiently. They also

can result in improved endurance, stronger bones, improved sleep, controlled weight and reduced stress, depression and anxiety. Try to include aerobic activity in your fitness program three to four times each week, with a goal of working in your target heart rate for 30 minutes each session. You can work up to this goal slowly, starting with as little as 5 minutes and increasing as you get stronger and are able. If you’ve tried exercising before, but were unsuccessful, don’t make a mistake by trying the same way this time. Do something new. Pick activities you can easily work into your day or find a buddy to exercise with. Sometimes this makes the exercise more a natural part of your day or gives you someone to encourage you when you need it. You can also join an exercise group. Check your local Arthritis Foundation office to learn about exercise programs in your area.

Calorie (plural calories) 1. a non-SI unit of energy, widely used in chemistry and physics, being the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1°C

Physical signs of lack of Fitness Lack of physical activity is a major public health concern. Poor fitness and low cardio respiratory levels have been connected to heart disease and hypertension. Now a new study finds low cardio respiratory fitness is also a risk factor for stroke. Cardio respiratory fitness level is measured by the maximum oxygen consumption during physical activity. Investigators from the Research Institute of Public Health and the Kuopio Research Institute of Exercise Medicine in Finland //conducted the current study focusing on fitness level and the risk of stroke in men. The research included more than 2,000 men who had not suffered a stroke as of the start of the study. The participants had their fitness level determined by having their maximum oxygen level measured during exercise. The men were followed for 11 years. During this time, 110 of the men suffered a stroke. Researchers report the unfit men were more likely to suffer a stroke than the fit men. They also found after adjusting

for other risk factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, diabetes, cholesterol levels and blood pressure levels the association between cardio fitness level and stroke still existed. In fact, researchers say low cardio respiratory fitness was as comparable a risk factor for stroke as high blood pressure, obesity and smoking. Study authors conclude a low cardio respiratory fitness level puts a person at increased risk for a stroke. In fact, since the study found a low fitness level to be one of strongest predictors of a person suffering a stroke, researchers feel it should be used in the evaluation of a person’s risk for a future stroke