Are You Fit?

Fitness refers to ability of the body to function with vigor, efficiency, and alertness. Nutrition refers to the nourishing of our body in our ability to keep it healthy and functioning effectively by providing it with all the necessary food, vitamins, and minerals so that we continue to thrive in our daily life processes. But do we know if we are really fit? How do we tell? Here are a few things to consider.

First, you might want to look at your exercise habits. If there aren’t any exercise routines to examine – no fitness. Everyone, no matter what their age, benefits from exercise. It keeps our bodies conditioned, our mental sharpness working optimally, and thanks to the physical aspect, we get a boost to our cardio health, extra calorie burn, and more oxygen to those cells! Exercises that demand total body involvement are the best for maintaining and improving your level of fitness most effectively. Running, swimming, jogging, dancing, cycling, and very brisk walking are some of the more popular total body involvement exercises.

Secondly, what are the stress levels in your life? Do work in an environment with high levels of stress? Is your personal life a source of comfort or does it add to your stress levels? Do you engage in some form of stress-relieving activity? The mere definition of fitness refers to the body’s ability to manage physical stresses. Stress is the number one contributor to heart attacks and strokes. And, unfortunately, stress is overwhelming for many adults (and children) today. As a society, we often schedule every moment of our free time leaving no time for quiet reflection, or time to deal with life’s unexpected emergencies. However, in order to be truly fit, we must find ways to rid ourselves of built up stress.

Lastly, do you take in more calories than your body needs? Are you supplementing your vitamins and minerals to make sure you are getting your recommended daily allowances? If you’re not making the most basic of efforts to take care of your nutritional needs, you aren’t a fit individual. You may not look sick, you may not have any noticeable symptoms of ill-health, but you’re not the fit and toned individual you could be.

These are just a few things to consider in your overall examination. Are there some changes that you can incorporate into your lifestyle? As always, it is recommended to partner with your primary care physician and/or a health and fitness coach for a more detailed assessment and a plan of action to become more healthy and fit.

– Wishing you continued success in your fitness journey!