Physical Fitness

Physical Fitness
Physical fitness is the ability of your body systems to work together efficiently to allow you to be healthy and effectively perform activities of daily living.

Being efficient means being able to do daily activities with the least amount of effort.

A fit person is able to perform schoolwork as well as responsibilities at home and still have enough energy and vigor to enjoy school sports and other leisure activities.

A fit person has the ability to respond to normal life situations such as raking the leaves at homes, stocking shelves at a part time job, or marching in the band at school.

A fit person also has the ability to respond to emergency situations such as running to get help or aiding a friend in distress.

As a child you were probably very active and thought little about improving or maintaining your fitness.

However, most people become less active as they grow older.

Developing a personal plan for regular physical activity can help you keep your activity level high and avoid sedentary living.

The activities you choose can be those that you like doing best and those that are best for you. Getting fit and staying fit can be fun when you choose activities that you enjoy.
Physical Fitness

Fitness benefits of Hiking and Backpacking

Fitness benefits of Hiking and Backpacking
Hiking help increase and maintain fitness levels and contribute to health and well being. One of the great things about hiking is that you can use it to get in shape backpacking.

Hiking and backpacking are fun ways to burn calories, spend times with other people and eat well.

Sunlight offers vitamins D and E, both important for immune functions as well as increased serotonin levels, which elevate mood. Nature has a restorative power and can help alleviate depression.

Contact with nature is correlated with living longer and actual biochemical changes occur in response to trees, plants and animals. As we enjoy the sights and sounds of nature, in addition to learning something about the nature environment, stress levels decrease and endorphins, which also elevate mood, are released.

We experience long term benefits from improving and maintaining physical fitness through hiking and backpacking both on the trail and at home. Moderate physical activity can result in lower healthy care cost and increased work performance.

Regular exercise improves mental healthy, providing a holistic sense of wellness, more positive moods and emotions, better mental clarity and better stress management skills, enabling us to better respond to the demands and joys of life.

This leads to higher self confidence, greater self competence, and better judgment and decision making.
Fitness benefits of Hiking and Backpacking

Exercise for Fun and Fitness

Exercise for Fun and Fitness
Regular exercise and physical activity are vital to your physical emotional health and can bring you fun and fitness at the same time. Having chronic illness and growing older can maker an active lifestyle seem far away. Some people have never been active and others have given up leisure activities because of illness.

Unfortunately, long periods of inactivity in anyone can lead to weakness, stiffness, fatigue, poor appetite, high blood pressure, obesity osteoporosis, constipation, and increased sensitivity to pain, anxiety and depression. These problems occur from chronic illness as well. So, it can be difficult to tell whether it is the illness, inactivity or combination of the two that is responsible for these problems. Although we don’t have cures for many of these illnesses, yet, we do know the cure for inactivity – exercise.

Most people have a sense that exercising and being active is healthier and more satisfying than being inactive, but often have a hard time finding information and support to get started on a more active way of life.

Regular exercise benefits everyone, especially people with chronic health problems. Regular exercise improves levels of strength, energy, and self confidence and less anxiety and depression. Exercise can help maintain a good weight, which takes stress off weight- bearing joints and improves blood pressure, blood sugar and blood fat levels. There is evidence that regular exercise can help to “thin” the blood, or prevent blood clots, which is one of the reasons exercise can be particular benefit to people with heart disease, cerebrovascular disease and peripheral vascular disease.

In addition, strong muscles can help people with arthritis to protect their joints by improving stability and absorbing shock. Regular exercise also can help nourish joints and keep cartilage and bone healthy. Regular exercise has been shown to help people with chronic lung disease, improve endurance, and reduce shortness of breath. Many people with claudication (leg pain from severe arthrosclerosis blockages in the arteries of the lower extremities) can walk farther without leg pain after undertaking a regular exercise program. It also suggested that exercise may even increase life expectancy. Regular exercise is an important part of controlling blood sugar levels, losing weight, and reducing the risks of cardiovascular complications for people with diabetes.
Exercise for Fun and Fitness