Let's admit it, we all want
to be fit, or if not fully
fit reach a higher level of
fitness, I know I do so I
guess you do as well. A higher
level of fitness is something
we should all try to aim for,
as there are so many benefits
to a better level of fitness.
The reason there are so many
web sites, books and TV programs
about fitness is that a higher
level of fitness will be of
benefit to you and help you
to lead a healthier lifestyle.
So what are the benefits?
Well one of the major benefits
of a higher level of fitness
is to help you loose weight
and this is particularly true
in the case of excessive body
fat. Putting a fitness program
in place is should help in
loosing weight. Dieting on
its own may work but with
a fitness program in place
the chances are greatly increased.
Being fitter lowers your heart
rate when at rest. This means
your heart doesn't have to
work as hard when you are
resting and being fitter also
helps your body to take up
more oxygen. This is circulated
in your blood to your muscles
and to your brain with the
obvious benefits that fitness
brings.
Fitness also helps to control
or reduce your blood pressure
levels, both diastolic as
well as systolic. This has
recently been particularly
important for me personally
as I have been suffering from
hypertension and have been
given medication by my physician
to help reduce it. A problem
of the medication has been
to lower my heart rate which
has meant less oxygen has
been pumping round my body
to my brain which often left
me forgetful and confused.
My work colleagues still think
I am confused but they laugh
and tell me it is a sign of
old age. I don't really think
they mean it it's just the
usual office joking, but I
have answered them by getting
fit and I have been working
on a fitness regime for several
weeks now and the benefits
are evident. I am no longer
confused, my weight has gone
down and body fat is disappearing.
I feel much healthier and
my hypertension is now under
control. Other benefits are
that a higher fitness level
also helps to lessen the risk
of heart disease and chance
of having a stroke. Again
I have been at risk here as
I used to be a smoker but
I've given that up as well.
It's not easy to raise your
fitness when you smoke, so
cutting that out helps as
well.
There are other benefits to
fitness which you should also
think about. Higher fitness
helps to increase your strength
and stamina and this is especially
important, as we get a little
older.
There are four major areas
we need to look at for a proper
fitness regime.
You need to develop a program
of aerobic exercise to help
develop your fitness. Aerobic
activity is a fitness training
activity which is lengthy
in duration but low in intensity.
This type of activity is exercises
such as walking, biking, swimming
and aerobic classes.
Take up resistance training,
weight lifting to many of
us, but I'm not qualified
enough to discuss this in
any depth. My fitness regime
in this area consists of using
small weights (to begin with)
as anything heavy and I'd
give up on day one.
Take up flexibility exercises.
Yoga is an excellent example,
and finally
You need proper nutrition,
a balanced diet of the proper
foods to develop your levels
of fitness and help to raise
your fitness levels.
Because of these 4 reasons
I suggest you think about
your local gym or a personal
trainer. The experts are trained
all about fitness and can
advise you on what is best
for you. Everyone is different
and the fitness program you
find on the Internet or in
a book may be unsuitable for
you in your quest for higher
fitness. One of the major
hurdles though is motivation.
To raise your fitness you
need to be motivated. You
cannot buy fitness fruit from
the deli and just become fit.
Fitness takes time and you
need to work at it. Just take
it steady at first. I'm 48,
smoked most of my life and
have been overweight for most
of it. I've also suffered
from hypertension and was
thought to be diabetic at
one stage. Now I can jog for
6 miles 3 times a week, I
eat healthily, pump weights
for an hour and walk all day
without any problems. How?
Well I developed a fitness
program, have worked at it,
built it up and keep practicing.
The result. My fitness levels
are now higher than I ever
though possible.
I did it, so now it's your
turn. Good luck.
About The Author
Ric Wiley is an Internet researcher
and author. Check out his
latest web sites at http://www.healthy-best.com
and http://www.first-choice-health.com
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