What Is Physical Fitness Today

A Different Question For Everybody

What is physical fitness for me?

What is physical fitness for any one person is obviously going to vary considerably. Every person has their own ideas about where they want to be physically and the motivation that is driving them.

I’m also perfectly aware that physical fitness for some people means not changing a thing. If they were to create a PDF of their favorite physical activity, it may just be a picture of somebody sleeping.

It would be great if there were types of exercises that we could complete without even thinking about them.

There should be a simple procedure or test that instantly makes everybody the picture of perfect physical fitness. Designed to deliver what is physical fitness to that particular individual.

I’m still on the lookout for that test.

If you’re perfectly happy with where you are in life both physically and emotionally, that’s great. Kudos to you. I wouldn’t change a thing.

What Is Physical Fitness For Me?

What is physical fitness for me involves many things. Maybe it does for you too.

The thing that got me to focus on my own health recently was a doctor’s appointment a few years ago.

For the first time ever, I got a little warning about my cholesterol. Everybody has an idea about how this works. They look at a blood test and its components. The bad cholesterol was a little high.

This meant that I could go on medication but I didn’t have to. I could work on it with diet and exercises. You can guess what I chose.

Before this time, I tried to stay physically active and take reasonably good care of myself.

Obviously as we get older, things change. Our bodies may need a little work. Mine needed a little more work than others.

This was a moment I redefined what is physical fitness. I got advice from my doctor and spoke to a nutritionist.

I read articles about exercises and foods that help lower high cholesterol. My doctor also recommended I could loose some weight. So, that became part of the project too.

What Is Physical Fitness Started With Food

First I looked for what I called fitness foods. Good stuff to eat to start getting into better shape.

Out of the gate I was introduced to oatmeal because it’s supposed to be good for you. Well, it wasn’t the first time I heard of oatmeal but I was never a big fan. I always enjoyed big breakfasts and oatmeal wasn’t on that list because it didn’t do it for me.

As it turns out, oatmeal is great for you. This food and its components have all types of great things that it does for your body. The big ones for me were the lowering of bad cholesterol and soluble fiber. I didn’t know what soluble meant either. Don’t worry.

Next, I learned about nuts. We all know about nuts. There’s probably some that are closer to you than you would like. But when figuring out what is physical fitness, nuts are amazing.

Things like almonds and walnuts really pass the health test. They are a great source of energy. I really enjoy the benefits of almond butter, you should try it. It’s delicious and it packs a load of protein.

Eating two ounces of nuts a day can lower bad cholesterol by 5% and they have lots of other great benefits for your heart. Can’t stand to eat nuts by themselves? Toss them in yogurt. It makes for a great snack as part of your fitness regimen.

This Is Secret Weapon Stuff

The main course fitness food that I eat more of now is fatty fish like tuna and salmon. This is really good stuff a few times a week. If you find the right recipe, it can be real delicious.

Here’s the cool thing about fatty fish. Eat it as a replacement to meat, you’re removing a source of bad cholesterol from your body right away. Also, the fish deliver omega-3 fats that lower bad cholesterol and get rid of tons of garbage from your bloodstream that could endanger your heart. Yes, that’s the technical terminology.

Finally, I discovered I should eat lots of fresh fruit like apples, strawberries and oranges. This was great news because I was eating all types of this fruit and it turns out, this stuff is loaded with pectin, another type of soluble fiber. Really good stuff.

The Importance Of Exercises

So, I began loading up with the good fitness food, and working on moving away from the bad. Sure, I still have some of the bad from time to time. I’m only human. Pizza is delicious.

Once I had a better understanding of healthy eating, I moved onto the exercises.

Exercising is a big part of what is physical fitness for most people. For me, it is extremely important. By incorporating smart food choices with regular exercise I could reduce the high cholesterol.

This turned out to be really good news. I was already physically active but work had me sitting around too much.

I looked into what exercise would be best for me and it seemed that all exercise would help me to achieve my goal of getting healthy. The real challenge was staying consistent.

All aerobic exercises provide the same kind of benefits. It is the amount of exercise that is done that matters more so than the type. So, there isn’t a big difference from a health standpoint between a brisk walk and jogging. People who exert the same amount of energy receive the same benefits.

To avoid joint problems, you get the same aerobic benefits from bicycling or swimming. This is good to know. I don’t find walking or jogging very exciting.

Finally, as it turns out, weight training combined with aerobic activity, is a great way to get into shape and lower bad cholesterol. The importance of those two things together are the key for me.

The Next Step Forward

It didn’t take long for me to start eating better and devise an exercise routine. So I was now on the path of what is physical fitness. I learned about push ups for upper body strength and mountainside fitness for your core. I was on my way. Even developed my own version of the Brian Lazanik plank.

Because of my progress, it wasn’t difficult to set goals related to my health. Simple goals like keeping up with the kids in our family without running out of breath. I want to be able to participate in sports with friends and live a long time because I don’t want to worry about any serious illness.

What is physical fitness for me are all these things and more.

It can be anything you need it to be…

Maybe you want to lose a few pounds because you feel sluggish. Perhaps you want to go for a walk without getting frustrated because you get winded or complete a few laps in a pool. Maybe you want to feel better about who you see in the mirror or just want to run around outside with your kids because you feel like you’re missing out on something.

There’s the chance you could get through the day without nagging aches and pains because you don’t sleep well or maybe you’re just looking for that fitness motivation to start getting healthy.

Whatever it is you are looking for, I hope you are able to find what you need to get on that path to better overall well being. And hey, if you’re already there, don’t be afraid to share the wealth because we could all use a boost.