Fitness and Health Benefits | Better Fitness and Exercise

 

What It Means to Be Fit

According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans set forth by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), there are five components of physical fitness:

• Cardiorespiratory Fitness Your VO2 max is a commonly used measure of this. It’s your body’s ability to uptake and utilize oxygen (which feeds all of your tissues), something that is directly related to your health and quality of life, says Abbie Smith-Ryan, PhD, professor and director of the Applied Physiology Laboratory at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
• Musculoskeletal Fitness This includes muscle strength, endurance, and power.
• Flexibility This is the range of motion of your joints.
• Balance This is your ability to stay on your feet and steady to avoid falls.
• Speed This is how quickly you can move.

A frequently cited peer-reviewed research paper from 1985 defined the difference between the terms “physical activity” (bodily movement resulting in energy expenditure), “exercise” (planned and structured physical activity), and “physical fitness.” The paper defined physical fitness as a set of attributes that people have or achieve that determines their ability to carry out daily tasks with vigor and alertness, without undue fatigue. Cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular endurance, muscular strength, body composition, and flexibility are components that can be used to measure fitness, also according to that paper. 

How Much Exercise Do You Need?

Per the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, clocking either 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (such as brisk walking) or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity (such as jogging or running) per week is the lowest amount of exercise that promotes good health. (Doing a combination of moderate and vigorous activity is also okay, as long as you spread it out over at least two days during the week.)

Additionally, do muscle-strengthening activity at least two days a week, targeting all of the major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms), according to the guidelines.

There is currently no recommendation for flexibility or mobility work, according to the HHS. But older adults in particular should incorporate balance training into their weekly physical activity.

Doing more physical activity has been linked to even greater health benefits, particularly up to 300 weekly minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (after which the incremental benefits start to flatten out). And know that these baseline fitness recommendations, while they are enough to promote good long-term health, may not be sufficient to meet certain health or fitness goals. (For example, you will need to exercise for a significantly longer amount of time each week if you want to train for a marathon.)

And know that extreme amounts of exercise may put increased stress on the body and can actually lead to some negative health effects; research has yet to determine what that upper limit might be, but the evidence so far suggests that it is at least several times the current weekly minimum recommendations.

Learn More About How Much Exercise You Actually Need

What to Eat Before, During, and After Exercise

Fueling your body with adequate and healthy foods also plays an important role in exercise. 

Before Your Workout If you’re exercising shortly after you wake up in the morning, listen to your body’s hunger cues, says Jackie Dikos, RDN, a sports dietitian in Westfield, Indiana, and author of Finish Line Fueling. If you ate a heavier or later dinner the night before, you may not need anything. If you have an intense workout ahead of you and are hungry, you may need a small snack.

Eating easy-to-digest carbohydrates, such as a banana or some cereal just prior to a workout, or a combination of carbs and protein (e.g., toast with nut butter) 30 minutes beforehand will fuel you up for the work ahead. If you recently ate a meal, you may be able to skip the snack entirely.

During Your Workout Shorter workouts don’t require mid-exercise fueling, but longer bouts of endurance exercise do. Consume 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrates every hour after the first 60 minutes of exercise, according to recommendations from the International Society of Sports Nutrition. Sports drinks are one option. 

After Your Workout A low- to moderate-intensity workout, such as a 45-minute brisk walk, doesn’t require immediate refueling (particularly if your next meal is not far away), Dikos says. But if you’ve just done a high-intensity workout, or if you know you’re doing another workout later that day or a tough workout the next day, your body will need fuel. Dikos recommends eating half a gram of carbs per pound of body weight, plus 10 to 20 grams of protein.

Learn More About What You Should Eat Before, During, and After Your Workout

Tips for Getting Started and Staying Motivated to Exercise

It can be tough to get into (and stick with) an exercise routine. Here are some tips:

• Break It Up Fitness professionals have changed their tune on this over the years. The current Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans says that everything counts toward those weekly activity targets (as long as the intensity is high enough). You can take a 5-minute walk up the block, climb the stairs in your home a few times, or stand up from your desk and do a set of squats. “More recent data shows that there are health benefits to accumulating activity. Those short ‘exercise snacks’ add up,” says Sallis.
• Increase Slowly Jumping into a busy and intense exercise routine can set you up for mental and physical burnout — and it puts you at risk of injury, too. Sallis recommends beginning where you are comfortable (in terms of distance if you are walking or jogging, or in terms of weights if you are strength training) and slowly increasing the duration and intensity over a period of weeks or months. Getting on an exercise program (look at apps or small group training) or finding a personal trainer can help with this progression.
• Do ‘Non’-Exercise Exercise Do you count playing with your kids in the backyard, cleaning the house, doing yard work, dancing in your kitchen, and taking the dog out as exercise? You should — because they can all count toward your movement quota, says Sallis. Look at those everyday activities as opportunities to help you get fit and keep moving.
• Schedule It Exercise is as important as any other activity. And while small bouts are good, you’ll also probably get to a point where you want to do longer durations. And that’s where looking at your schedule, finding a time that works during your day, and adding it to your calendar (as a “nonnegotiable” meeting) will help, says Smith-Ryan.
• Consider HIIT High-intensity interval training (HIIT) can be great for beginners, including those who are sedentary or are overweight or obese. “In our lab, we have almost 100 percent compliance with interval training. HIIT is really easy to buy into and stick with,” Smith-Ryan says. HIIT calls for a shorter duration of exercise than traditional workouts (with the same benefits), resulting in less time commitment and fewer injuries overall, she explains. (Plus, it can be done without equipment, in your home.) Even though it is “high-intensity,” you’ll move at a pace that’s appropriate for your fitness level, and you’ll only do short bouts of the more strenuous type of movement at a time. Recruiting a personal trainer to help you structure a HIIT workout can be a great help.
• Phone a Friend Working out with a friend can stoke your motivation, prompt you to try new activities, and keep you consistent, says the CDC. Time to buddy up!

Learn More About How to Find and Stick to an Exercise Routine

What You Should Know About Home Gym Equipment

Exercising at home means you get to skip the commute to the gym, and you won’t have to wait for someone else to finish up on the machine you want to use. You get to work out whenever it fits into your schedule.

One positive outcome of the pandemic is that there are now so many more online resources for exercise programs, says Smith-Ryan. Many of those programs require no equipment at all and can be easily done with a small amount of floor space.

If you are just starting out, she says that simple body-weight exercises (squats, lunges, pushups) can help build muscle during resistance training. Consider investing in a yoga or exercise mat, so that you can easily do floor exercises. After that, consider collecting resistance bands or a set of dumbbells to up the intensity of strength training.

What you choose will depend on your preferences, budget, and the space available in your home. For instance, a set of resistance bands is cheap and can be stored easily. But know that you can get in a good sweat session without a lot of equipment and without having to spend a lot of money.

Resources We Love

Favorite Orgs for Essential Exercise Info

American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)

The ACSM is a professional society that certifies personal trainers and sports medicine specialists around the globe. The organization publishes evidence-based position stands about key fitness and sports medicine topics. It also publishes scholarly journals with leading research in the field.

American Council on Exercise (ACE)

ACE is a nonprofit exercise professional and health coach certification organization. In addition to certifications, the group offers continuing education for fitness professionals. ACE partners with various community groups across the country to help make more physical activity opportunities available to everyone, and the group also engages in advocacy to advance policies that reduce the barriers that prevent people from being physically active.

National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)

NASM certifies personal trainers across the country. The organization also offers continuing education workshops for personal trainers, on topics ranging from nutrition to weight loss to behavior change skills.

American Heart Association (AHA)

The AHA is one of the largest and oldest organizations in the United States that is dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke and promoting healthy living. The nonprofit funds scientific research and publishes several scientific journals, including Circulation, Stroke, Circulation Research, and others. The group also publishes health information for everyday consumers and connects individuals with support networks in their communities.

Favorite Exercise Blogs and Online Fitness Communities

Girls Gone Strong

This is an online community that publishes content about women’s health, wellness, nutrition, and training — and connects women, moms, and moms-to-be with the coaches and trainers who can answer their questions via the group’s Facebook page.

Nerd Fitness

This online fitness community was designed for “underdogs, misfits, and mutants” who have tried to make healthier lifestyle choices in the past but failed, according to the site. The community offers in-person events, private coaching communities, and blog posts on topics ranging from nutrition to workout motivation to mental health.

Strength Running

This is a blog created to help educate runners about how to train in healthy ways and avoid injury. It was founded and is run by Jason Fitzgerald, a marathoner and a running coach certified by USA Track and Field. He also hosts the Strength Running podcast, which you can access on the site.

Favorite Exercise Apps

Sweat

This app offers a variety of yoga, power training, weight training, high-intensity, post-pregnancy, and other workouts led by female personal trainers. The app lets you track your workouts and connect with other members of the online community. Monthly and annual subscription options are available, as well as additional meal-planning add-ons.

Strava

This app lets you track runs and cycling rides in the same place, recording distance, elevation, time, personal records, and more. Use the interactive online maps to plot out routes ahead of time. And use the app’s sharing features to connect with other athletes in your community. Basic tracking features are available for free.

1. Physical Health Components:

   • Cardiovascular Fitness: Cardiovascular fitness, also known as aerobic fitness, relates to the efficiency of your cardiovascular system (heart and lungs) in supplying oxygen to your body during sustained physical activity. Activities like running, swimming, cycling, and brisk walking improve cardiovascular fitness.

   • Muscular Strength: Muscular strength is the ability of your muscles to exert maximal force against resistance. Developing muscular strength involves resistance training exercises such as weightlifting, calisthenics, or using resistance bands.

   • Muscular Endurance: Muscular endurance is the ability of your muscles to perform repetitive contractions over an extended period without fatigue. Endurance training involves high-repetition, low-resistance exercises and is essential for tasks that require prolonged muscle use.

   • Flexibility: Flexibility pertains to the range of motion in your joints and muscles. Stretching exercises, yoga, and Pilates help improve flexibility, which is crucial for maintaining proper posture, preventing injuries, and enhancing mobility.

   • Body Composition: Body composition refers to the proportion of fat, muscle, bone, and other tissues in your body. Maintaining a healthy body composition involves managing body fat percentage while preserving lean muscle mass. It's assessed using tools like body mass index (BMI), skinfold measurements, or more accurate methods like dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA).

2. Mental Health and Emotional Well-being:

   • Stress Management: Physical activity is a potent stress reliever. Regular exercise triggers the release of endorphins, which are natural mood elevators, and helps reduce stress hormones.

   • Mental Resilience: Fitness also contributes to mental resilience. Facing physical challenges and setting and achieving fitness goals can boost self-confidence and mental toughness.

   • Improved Cognitive Function: Exercise has been linked to improved cognitive function, including memory, concentration, and problem-solving abilities.

   • Enhanced Sleep: Regular physical activity can improve sleep quality and help alleviate insomnia and other sleep-related issues.

3. Quality of Life:

   • Longevity: Being physically fit is associated with a longer life expectancy. Engaging in regular exercise and maintaining a healthy body composition reduces the risk of chronic diseases.

   • Independence: Physical fitness plays a pivotal role in maintaining independence as you age. It helps with activities of daily living and reduces the risk of falls and injuries.

   • Social Benefits: Participating in group fitness activities fosters social interaction and can lead to the formation of supportive communities.

   • Well-being and Happiness: Exercise triggers the release of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, contributing to a sense of well-being and happiness.

4. Holistic Approach:

   • Nutrition: Proper nutrition complements physical fitness. A balanced diet ensures you have the energy and nutrients needed for exercise, recovery, and overall health.

   • Rest and Recovery: Adequate rest and recovery are essential for preventing overtraining and promoting muscle repair and growth. Quality sleep is a critical aspect of recovery.

   • Hydration: Staying properly hydrated is vital for performance and overall health. Dehydration can impair physical and mental function.

5. Personalized Fitness:

   • Fitness is a highly individualized journey. Goals, preferences, and abilities vary among individuals. Therefore, personalized fitness plans tailored to one's unique needs and objectives are more effective.

6. Professional Guidance:

   • Consulting with fitness professionals, such as personal trainers, physical therapists, or nutritionists, can help individuals design and implement effective fitness programs and ensure they are exercising safely.

7. Lifelong Commitment:

   • Fitness is not a destination; it's a lifelong commitment. As you age and your circumstances change, your fitness routine may need to be adjusted to meet your evolving needs and goals.

In summary, physical fitness is a multifaceted concept encompassing not only physical health components but also mental well-being and overall quality of life. It involves a holistic approach that includes exercise, nutrition, rest, and personalized planning. Maintaining physical fitness can lead to improved health, increased longevity, and a higher quality of life.