Physical Fitness and Health Presented by: Created by: Brianne Kraai

Exercise The CDC recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of exercise per week in order to be healthy In order to achieve the maximum health benefits from exercise you should be incorporating all 3 types of physical activity into your fitness plan 150 or more minutes of moderate aerobic exercise 2 or more days with strength exercises 2 or more days with flexibility activities

Aerobic Aerobic exercise is anything that requires movement of most the body while also increasing the heart rate, oxygen intake and body temperature. Moderate aerobic activity should be difficult, but not painful. You should be able to carry out a conversation. Examples: walking, jogging, running, swimming, biking, boxing, dancing, stairs, etc.

Benefits of Aerobic Activity Improved mental health Improved stamina Stronger heart and lungs Increase in red blood cells Weight loss Stronger immune system Improved muscle health Reduced risk of diseases and health conditions

Strength Strength exercise is any type of exercise the builds muscle strength and mass. Also known as anaerobic exercise One should do 8-10 strengthening exercises for 2-3 days a week 2-3 sets of around 8-12 reps Examples: Free weights, cable machines, body weight exercises, resistance bands, ankle weights, etc.

Benefits of Strengthening Activity Increased bone, muscle, tendon, and ligament strength Improved balance Increased endurance Improved cardiac function Elevated LDL “good cholesterol” Decreased chance of injury and falls Decreased chance of osteoporosis

Flexibility Flexibility exercises are moves that help improve one’s range of motion of muscles and joints One should do flexibility exercise at least 8-10 exercises 2-3 days a week, but everyday is best Hold each move for 10-30 seconds for maximum benefit Best to stretch once the body is heated (warm up/cool down) Examples: Stretching, yoga, or Pilates

Benefits of Flexibility Exercise Improved balance and coordination Increase ease of other types of exercise Reduce soreness Reduce tension in muscles Improve range of motion

Inactivity We all know that being active is important…but many people still are reluctant to exercise. Many people think that they are too old, they will harm themselves, it will make a past injury more severe, they need to have access to a gym, or that it is too hard Being inactive is very risky More hospitalizations Loss of movement More medications Increased risk of injury and disease

Exercise for Weight Loss Never let your body plateau. Change it by following the following principal: Get “FITT” Frequency Intensity Time Type Weight Training AND Cardio One or the other is not enough. More muscle allows for higher calorie burn. One pound of fat burns 2 calories a day versus 6 calories a day with muscle

Exercise for Weight Loss Fuel up accordingly Eating some carbs prior to your workout helps to improve your performance in the gym. Caffeine has also shown to increase your calorie burn if consumed 1 hour prior to your workout. Cleaning Eating All the workouts in the world will not help if you are consuming the same amount of calories burned. Key is cutting out added sugars and sticking with lean protein, healthy fats, whole grains, and fruits and veggies.

Making Exercise a Habit Workout with someone – making it a time to also be social may help you be accountable and look forward to your workout together Schedule your workouts Don’t overwhelm yourself – set small achievable goals Log your steps Stick it out – it usually takes about 2 weeks to form a habit

Want some support in getting more active?

Exercise Classes Pine Creek Grand Rapids Cardio Drumming – Thursdays 5:15-6:00pm Grand Rapids Yoga – Wednesdays 4:30-5:30pm

Fitness Assessment Gain free access to the NHBP Fitness Centers in Grand Rapids or Pine Creek! Schedule a fitness assessment with a Health Educator Grand Rapids: Brianne Parrish at 616.514.3652 Pine Creek: Shelby Gibson at 269.729.4422