Serobic Fitness

Soccer fitness is a curious beast. Until the last few decades, one did not have to have an especially athletic build to make it as a pro soccer player. Now, though, players at the top level - and even some semi-pro soccer players - have strict training regimens, and the physiques to match. It's fair to say that in soccer fitness is now more important than ever, so here are some tips to help you get in the right condition for 90 minutes of action.

First of all, you need to know your soccer position, or at least your style of play, so that you know what to work on the most. Players who operate as soccer wingers will need to be pacy and posses great balance; centre-backs need to work on their aerial abilities, so a jumping skill is an absolute must. Those in the centre of midfield require upper-body strength and an ability to slide in for tackles, while goal-getting strikers need a burst of speed to break free of their marker. Once you know where you should be focusing, you can tailor a soccer fitness regimen to your needs.

That said, there are plenty of important lessons that all soccer players - even goalkeepers - can bear in mind in a bid to stay fit.

First off is basic general aerobic fitness. The pros can cover well in excess of 4.5 miles per game on the field, and although you may not go quite that far, you do need to be ready to go the distance. So, work on aerobics.

Anaerobic fitness is almost as important. This is the 'hardcore' fitness test, and it applies when you're sprinting. So, as well as doing endurance running, do some sprint drills to ensure that you can meet the pace when required.

And, although it doesn't relate precisely to fitness, don't forget some ball work. Practising soccer drills is a great way to break the tedium of running, and if you can combine the two - for example running while dribbling the ball for 50 yards - you'll become a better player, too.

Then, on gameday, always warm up correctly. This is key for fitness as a proper soccer warm-up will decrease the likelihood of injury . To warmup for soccer, start with some basic muscle stretches in all the major groups, and then partake of some sprint drills. Combine these with static turns, especially if you run with the ball a lot, and also do brief runs with a jumping header motion in the middle of them to get your neck ready for action!

Warming down is just as important: not many fans will be able to tell you that, as they've long since left the stadium by the time this takes place. But it's vital that all players at least jog, skip, and stretch. It may be the last thing you want to do after an exhausting (but thrilling) 90 minutes - but you have to if you want to be a fit soccer player long-term. Well, that, and a soccer diet - eat healthily, sleep well, and take on enough carbs before a game to last the distance.

Physical fitness is a set of features a person has in regard to his ability to perform physical activities that require endurance, strength or flexibility and is determined by a combination of regular activity or exercise and genetically inherited ability. It also measures the ability to carry out daily tasks with vigor and without undue fatigue and with sufficient energy to engage in leisure-time pursuits and the vitality to perform at one's fullest capacity.

Physical fitness is achieved by regular physical activity, proper diet and nutrition and proper rest for physical recovery within the parameters allowed by the genome.

Physical fitness is often divided into following types:

Flexibility: Joint rotation, Static stretching and Dynamic Stretching are all the various forms of flexibility exercises used in warm up.

Cardiovascular endurance: Aerobic capacity describes the functional status of the cardio-respiratory system which includes the heart, lungs or blood vessels. It is defined as the maximum volume of oxygen which can be consumed by ones muscles during exercise. The higher a cardio-respiratory endurance level, the more oxygen is transported to exercising muscles and longer exercise can be maintained without exhaustion which means a higher the level of aerobic fitness.

Muscular strength & endurance: Weight training is a form of exercise for developing the strength and size of skeletal muscles which can provide significant functional benefits and improvement in overall health and well-being.

Body Composition: In physical fitness, body composition is used to describe the percentages of fat, bone and muscle in human bodies. The percentage of fat is of most interest because it can be very helpful in judging health in addition to body weight.
An average healthy male's body should have 12~18 percent fat while in females it is 14~ 20 percent fat. Body fat percentage can be measured in several ways. The most common method is by using measurement calipers to measure the thickness of subcutaneous fat in multiple places on the body. Another method is Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA), which uses the resistance of electrical flow through the body to estimate body fat.

Agility: Agility is the ability to change the body's direction efficiently, and this requires a combination of balance, coordination, speed, and strength.

Balance: Equilibrioception or sense of balance is one of the physiological senses which allow humans to walk without falling. When the sense of balance is disrupted, it causes dizziness, disorientation and nausea.

Speed: Some biological factors that can determine a sprinter's potential are muscular strength, adrenaline use and anaerobic respiration capacity

Task-oriented fitness: A person is said to be physically fit for a particular task with a reasonable efficiency, for example, fit for military service.

With the warm months of summer approaching and the long evenings of day-light saving upon us many serious, social and casual golfers will be looking to get out onto the course to enjoy and develop their games.

An area of golfing performance which has taken great strides in the past decade has been physical fitness, and therefore its importance. The evolution- in part- has been brought upon via the emergence of Tiger Woods, who has developed highly effective athletic condition. We have also seen the emergence of fitness programs specific to golf from PGA Tour mobile fitness trailers through to fitness programs at golf schools throughout the world. Many professionals, top amateurs and keen general enthusiast now have personal trainers aiding their golf performance. Although Woods and his management have not divulged into the specifics of his fitness training regime, it is apparent that the world number one has followed solid training principles- which is no secret, as some will see Woods program. No matter your level of golf, you can apply the same principles that have seen the worlds top golfers get the most out of their games.

Strength and Conditioning
The nature of golf requires a ball to be struck distances up to 300 plus meters, in essence this is accomplished through club head speed. This club head speed is generated through a combination of technique and physical capability, and in turn enhanced via way of resistance training.

Your program should start by using a series of compound- multi joint-exercises such as: bench press, shoulder press, close grip pull down, one arm row, underhand pull-ups, push ups, leg press and lunges on top of isolation- single joint- exercises: bicep curls, body weight tricep dips, frontal raises and writs curls. Work in 5 to 6 week phases and change the repetition each phase from 12, 10, 8, 6 and 6. To keep the training progressive and specific to golf, drop the amount of weight and increase the lifting speed in the second phase completing 6 repetitions. Look to do 3 sets per exercise. This is a linear periodisation program which will increase strength and speed i.e. power.

Aerobic Fitness
On average, a golf course will measure around 6000 meters, however by the time you walk from green to tee and follow the route in which the accuracy of your shots determines you will up covering up to and over 10 kilometres per round. Aerobic fitness is important to a golfer so that you are still feeling good towards the end of the round, rather than out of breath, and therefore have the ability to make sensible decisions.

Two or three times per week complete a cardiovascular workout for the duration of 20 to 30 minutes. Look to maintain an intensity of 65 to 80% maximum heart rate (MHR) (220 minus age, e.g. 220 55 years old = 165 MHR), with a focus on quality breathing towards the end of your session- in the nose and out the mouth. Various equipment can be utilised such as bike, cross trainer, rowing machine or stepper, alternately you can achieve great results via jogging, swimming or power walking.

Core
The anatomical parameters for core stability vary, however its purpose is clear, and specific to the golf swing: The core minimises defunct energy between the ground and the desired performance conclusion, and reduces the incidence of lower back injury.

Core training should be completed twice a week, with a set range of 10 to 12. Repetition volume will depend on your level of fitness. It is important to remember that the back muscles are worked equally to the abdominal muscles. Exercises ideally suited to a golfer are: Swiss ball crunches, kneeling on Swiss ball (even to the stage of standing and swinging a golf club), medicine ball rotations, prone hold and back extensions.

Flexibility- Range of Movement
Flexibility is an important variable of fitness specific to golf, with the body requiring a range of movement that it is not usually accustomed to in everyday life.

Complete 20 minutes of static stretching (holding is position for 20 to 30 seconds) after each fitness session, golf practice session and round of golf. Tight hamstrings can cause an imbalance that strains your lower back, so try to stretch this area in every session. Other areas to focus on are the hips, lower and upper back, chest and shoulders.

Cross Training
Boxing provides golfers with a workout that has many benefits specific for their sport. Boxing requires the use of a fast hip movement, fast hands and development of co-ordination through neurally complex movements; all qualities of a good golf swing. The golf swing is an unnatural movement for the body, and the increased athletic benefits gained from boxing will enhance the ability to learn and process effective golf swing techniques.

Boxing is highly used as a cross training discipline by female world number one Annika Sorenstam.

Warm Up
This is an area of misconception for many golfers. Many see static stretching (which is ideally completed at the end of round or session to relax muscles and aid recovery) as the main form of golf warm up, whereas in fact dynamic stretching is what will get the body ready for activity. Dynamic stretching is a continuos range of movement at moderate to fast speeds, with your MHR rising up to 60-70%. Arm circles, shoulder rotations, calve raises and walking lunges are all forms of dynamic stretching. Jump rope is also an ideal form of warm up. Static stretches can be used to compliment a warm up, however not be done exclusively.

Use these basic principles to design your golf specific exercise program. To take your game a step further seek advice and guidance from a personal trainer who has a golf specific back ground.

In today society, people are looking more into improving their quality of life and many are getting more concerned with their body health conditioning and status. However, a lot of people still had the wrong interpretation for Health and Fitness definition and often regard healthy alone to comprise of one being physically fit.

Health is defined as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity" (WHO 1994).

Fitness, on the other hand has a more specific definition, which is defined as the ability to perform a certain task. Taking for instance, is one physically fit to climb a flight of twelve story stairs without stopping, or is one physically fit enough to run a half marathon within a certain time constraint? These usually involve aerobic fitness, which is a measure of how well your blood transports oxygen around the body, and how well your muscles utilize the oxygen.

Thus, one can be healthy but may not be physically fit enough to perform the above task. In order to be physically fit to perform a certain task, the body needs to undergo progressive training and overloading to condition the body for the task; this usually involves undergoing a specific training program.

On the other hand, one can be physically very fit but not totally healthy. Why do we say so, elite athletes are always associated with being physically very fit. However most of the time, they do experience some form of sports injuries due to their extensive training, thus, they are not considered to be totally healthy.

When we talk about improving the quality of life, we often look for being both healthy and fit. To achieve health and fitness, proper and systematic exercise regime and nutrition diet is a must.

Taichi has been proven scientifically to provide practitioners with both health and fitness benefits, given proper systematic training methods and procedure. Taichi provides a very good form of workout for the mind and body relaxation and also helps in improving the 3 body energy system (anaerobic alactic, anaerobic lactic & aerobic).

Fitness equipment can be split into 2 basic areas, first there is aerobic or cardio fitness equipment which is designed to give you a fitness workout to burn off calories & loose weight. Secondly there is strength/muscular fitness equipment which is designed to tone, or increase in size, your bodies muscles.

Most fitness equipment that you would expect to find in your local gym or fitness centre can now be purchased for home use depending upon the space you have available & the type of fitness equipment you require.

For aerobic fitness equipment you should consider a treadmill, an exercise bike or a rowing machine.

Treadmills are popular because you can walk, jog or run on them making them an ideal piece of fitness equipment for the beginner right through to professional athletes, being suitable for all levels of fitness. Make sure you choose one with a wide belt that is long enough for your stride. If you jog or run a lot then you should consider a model with cushioning between the belt and treadmill bed to lesson the impact on your joints.

Basic models are powered by the user but you should choose one with a motor to vary the speed, the faster you like to run the higher the motor speed you should choose. New treadmills will set you back approximately $299 for a self powered one up to over $5000 for a motorised commercial style one.

Exercise bikes are a popular item of fitness equipment especially for home use, with numerous types available. Apart from the standard upright exercise bike some models now offer upper body work outs as well. The latest designs have recumbent seats which support your lower back & leave your hands & arms free to use weights for upper body exercise. Cost $229 or less to $2599.

Rowing Machines are a very useful piece of fitness equipment particularly for those with knee problems who feel they are not up to running or cycling because of their problem. They come in many different designs from lightweight foldaway to heavier more rigid designs. New equipment should set you back $239 to $1900.

Fitness equipment for strength/muscular work comes as individual pieces, such as dumbbells, weight benches, leg or abdominal equipment or for a total body workout you could try a home gym which should set you back between $399 to just under $4000 depending upon the space you have available and your budget.

For the best results you should choose at least one piece of fitness equipment from both the cardio fitness equipment & the strength fitness equipment, with a home gym being the recommended piece of equipment for the strength work. Make sure you choose fitness equipment that you know you will enjoy using & not something that will end up stuck in the garage.

Modern life demands that all individuals should stay fit in order to keep up with the wild pace. Fitness refers to a person's capacity to adapt favorably and take stress brought about by changing conditions. In this kind of situation, if you're physically fit, then your mind or body will not be disturbed in any way. As you can see, fitness is not only about physical strength but of mental stability as well.

In many ways, fitness is synonymous to health. Modern living requires good health and to achieve such state, a person must stay fit. Good health and fitness are interrelated. When a person is fit, then that person is considered healthy; and if a person is healthy, his or her fitness level naturally goes up.

But if fitness only pertains to health it's inadequate. Have you heard about the Evolution Theory? It states that only the fit of all species can survive and pass their genes. So fitness is not entirely about health; you should also suit the environment that you live, anytime and anywhere. Therefore, a person should be able to adapt to any environment in order to survive, together with proper fitness exercises.

Oftentimes, people disregard the importance of fitness. They overlook their responsibility to stay fit at all times. Perhaps they don't know the benefits of 'anytime fitness'. Life holds a lot of pleasure for individuals; but if you're always ill you can't enjoy such pleasures of life.

Is fitness anytime possible? Well, of course it is; just look on the positive and bright things in life. You will surely improve your life, look fresher, don't fear any form of infection, and no worries if your car broke down; at least you get to walk an extra few blocks before reaching your home.

Think of every situation as an opportunity to stay fit and this is the key to fitness anytime. You can make the most out of your independence, have peace of mind, and you're quite confident that you can handle everything.

Training for fitness focuses primarily on the different groups of muscles of every human being; this results to muscular fitness, aerobic fitness, and increases stability and flexibility. There are other factors to consider before deciding to do a physical activity, like your physical capability. Do check with your doctor before performing any activity that requires physical strength.

Aerobic exercises are of different kinds. You can do running, dancing, swimming, or even cycling. Make sure that you limit your exercise to about 30-40 minutes every day.

In order for your muscles to exude endurance and strength, focus more on muscular fitness. You can better enhance your muscular fitness if you do some strength training; this will result to an increase in mass of your lean muscles.

Related to your muscle strength's core are balance and stability. Do exercises that can help in making your muscles tough, especially for your trunk area.

With fitness training, you can also achieve flexibility. By doing exercise like pulling and stretching, your muscles can function in its widest possible range. You can try tai chi or yoga, they are great stretching exercises.

Another important factor is eating a well-balanced diet. With all these factors present, you can totally experience fitness anytime and anywhere.

There are a lot of health aids out there that can get your life moving back, going in a right direction, such as books, supplements, nutritionists, gyms, health food stores, clubs, and more. Health clubs are forms of health aids if you can afford them.

Elliptical Fitness Equipment, the wonders it can and will do for You. I know because I use it, at least 3 times a week! Elliptical fitness equipment is swarming the nation as more and more people are realizing the real health benefits of elliptical equipment.

Elliptical Fitness equipment, also called Elliptical trainers have become one of the most notable cardiovascular workout machines in the world. They provide low impact for every muscle in the body because it uses arm and leg movements at the same time.

And, if you've ever used a Gazelle, you'll see the benefits of hand placement on the moveable bars increases arm reach,creating more movement. Most home fitness trainers strengthen upper and lower body, although some offer just lower body exercise. Elliptical fitness equipment works all the muscles at the same time.

Elliptical Fitness Advice

For many years, medical professionals and fitness experts have been advising clients to use exercise equipment, whether at the gym, or home, to improve overall physical health well-being. Elliptical fitness equipment(at the gym or health club) and those used for home fitness, imitates walking, running, while producing almost no consequences to your joints.

Fitness equipment training included in your workout can go a long way towards achieving your fitness goals. Elliptical fitness is hugely popular, and with it a flow of elliptical equipment to buy. I have noticed for myself, more calories are burned than using a treadmill. Elliptical Fitness equipment does not have to fancy and super expensive.

While some types of exercise equipment or aerobic fitness equipment (cardiovascular equipment that is), aren't seen as for muscle building,they remain identified as aerobic fitness equipment or cardiovascular equipment. Fitness equipment reviews will help you do your homework and find the best one for you. Elliptical Fitness equipment is a low impact choice that also provides a full body workout.

The following is suggested in health articles noted by health experts, and remember also, consistency and a developed routine. You should exercise at least three times a week, and it is better if you to exercise daily on a cardiovascular machine. Elliptical machines are growing as a popular home fitness answer to a need for a more convenient way to exercise. Hey, use them too during your workday, I do! Lunch time is a great way to up and away from the complacent desk and out to the blood pumping atmosphere of exercise and motivation.

Elliptical fitness equipment is available in a wide price range, from a couple of hundred dollars up to several thousand. If you're going to go out and invest in elliptical fitness equipment, then you ought to at least know what it is. Elliptical fitness equipment is manufactured by many companies like Nordic, Eclipse, Life, ProForm, Precor, and are available for prices ranging from as much as $500 and up to $10,000 or more.

Invest in a few pieces of trusty elliptical fitness equipment and you'll never have to go to the gym again. Well, that's what someone said, anyway. I like to hit the gym as well, just in case you lack fitness weight training equipment at home. Good luck and happy workout!

As well as offering great defensive training, boxing, mixed martial arts, boxing kung fu and so on offer great opportunities for aerobic work outs.

Boxing and marital arts offer superb body co-ordination and evasion training as you have to practice moving your body so as not to get hit just as much as you seek to hit your target. Because of this aerobic factor, boxing, for example, has moved beyond the youth boxing clubs and is now a more common feature of some health clubs.

Boxing practice is a great way to burn fat and develop lean muscle mass, especially nowadays when so many of us are inclined to overeat. When someone eats too much the excess calories are stored as fat. In order to convert the fat to energy it is necessary to engage in some form of physical activity. Boxing is an excellent solution. It is so much more enjoyable than jogging or simply working out in a gym, and you also get an opportunity to take out your stress on the punch-bag!

As part of your boxing routine you should also include skipping and medicine ball practice for further aerobic and strength building work.

How many days a week should you train? Twice or three times a week is sufficient for ordinary purposes of improving overall health, weight regulation and aerobic fitness. Taking up boxing as a method of weight control is a pretty straightforward procedure. All you need is time, a desire to improve and the persistence to see it through two or three times a week. Do that and you will obtain some good results.

While it is true that a lot of boxing practice actually involves equipment training more than punching, some form of sparring practice is recommended in order to get the full benefit out of your boxing training. For this reason a gym that features boxing workouts, or a dojo where you can practice mixed martial arts, boxing kung fu or something similar, are ideal for this sort of training.

However, if for some reason you are unable to attend a gym or sign up to a dojo, you can easily practice most aspects of a boxing regime at home. You can easily set up a punch-bag. Hitting a heavy bag will still a very beneficial part of your aerobic workout.

What you would most likely be missing out on by not attending a gym would be the chance to spar with a partner. One of the great benefits of having a sparring partner is that it makes you focus. You also have to deal with a higher level of unpredictability as your partner throws a variety of punches that come at you at different velocities and trajectories and from different angles.

But, even without the benefits of a sparring partner, boxing training, whether undertaken by yourself at home, or in a gym, offers an excellent method of improving your strength, stamina, co-ordination and aerobic condition, while at the same time helping you to shed excess body fat.

Aerobic training exercises are any activities which increase your heart rate by movement of the body. This includes walking, running, cycling, cross-country skiing, swimming, and interval training with weights. Aerobic exercise strengthens the cardiovascular system which is the heart, arteries, and veins.

Aerobic exercise also increases the efficiency of the respiratory system by improving the oxygen / CO2 exchange ability of the lungs. As a result, an aerobically fit individual can work longer, more vigorously, and achieve a quicker recovery. By working out longer and at a higher intensity, you will burn more calories for a longer period. This type of training leads to more weight loss in a shorter length of time.

What factors affect aerobic training? Frequency, duration and intensity directly influence an aerobic workout. Frequency refers to how often you perform aerobic activity. Duration refers to the time spent at each session. Intensity refers to the percentage of your maximum heart rate at which you work.

How often should I train? How hard? For how long? Most experts believe that 3-5 times per week for a period of 20-60 minutes at 60-90% of your age-specific maximal heart rate.

How do I determine my target heart rate? The general formula for the average person is to start with 220 minus your age, then multiply that number X 60% to get the lower-end of the target range and multiply it X 90% to get the maximum. For example, a 30-year-old would calculate his target zone using the above formula: 220-30=190. 190 x .6 = 114 and 190 x .9 = 171. This person would try to keep his or her heart rate between 114 (low end) and 171 (high end) beats per minute.

Don't worry if you don't have a Heart Rate Monitor, the Borg scale of Perceived Exertion is another way of determining how hard you are working. Using your own subjective Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) on a scale of 6-20 or a scale of 0-10, you determine how hard you "feel" you are working.

Original Borg Scale

6

7- Very, very light

8

9 - Very light

10

11 - Fairly light

12

13 - Somewhat hard

14

15 - Hard

16

17 - Very hard

18

19 - Very, very hard

20 -* Maximal

Revised Borg Scale

0 - Nothing at all

0.5 - Very, very weak

1 - Very weak

2 - Weak

3 - Moderate

4 - Somewhat strong

5 - Strong

6

7 - Very strong

8

9 - Very, very strong

10 - * Maximal

The "Talk Test" is another good way of establishing how hard you are working, if you find it difficult to say a few words, you are probably working out anaerobically. For a good indication of aerobic exercise, you should be able to say a few words, catch your breath, and then carry on talking. If you are talking all the way through your workout, it's a good bet that you're not working hard enough.

Add aerobic exercise to your training regimen and watch the pounds drop off quickly. These tips are just a portion of an eight-week class that I teach online called 'The Answer's Right Under Your Nose'. To find out more about it, go to the 'Personal Coaching' on my website.

There are plenty of free fitness programs to choose from but you do need to plan your workout carefully to have something that suits you. Your program will determine how quickly and effectively you can reach your goals.

The most important thing is that it should be as simple and as fun as possible, while being well suited to your fitness levels and preferences and of course your time schedule is crucial.

You can pick out different fitness programs to include in your workout routine either online or by watching DVDs. It is a good idea to have some different and not do exactly the same exercise day after day. You want to be sure you are not working only a few muscle groups. You can either do a special workout routine for a few weeks and then change to another free fitness program.
Choose a time to exercise that suits your schedule and then follow it. with this schedule you should not be constantly changing. It is best to go for the same time every day, but do not over do it even 2 times a week can be enough.

Most people prefer to work out first thing in the morning. It is a great way to wake up. But if this does not suit you, go for later in the day, but always wait at least 2 hours after eating. It is hard to do a fitness program in the morning.

A good fitness exercise program will last for about 30-45 minutes. You can include 10-15 minutes of stretching and warm-up exercises, followed by 15-25 minutes of fitness exercise program and 5 minutes of cool-down.

As an example the aerobic fitness exercise program could be done on home gym equipment such as a treadmill or exercise cycle or you could run or cycle outdoors.You do not even need equipment, there are several great free fitness programs that you can use. If you like dance or just walking, do it. Step aerobics is another option. Alternatively, the stairs in your house or apartment block can be very effective aerobic exercise equipment without spending a dime.

The key here is to choose something that you enjoy and if you do not know yet see if you find a free fitness program that is good for you. Also, do not forget to check with your doctor that your program is suitable for your level of health and fitness, if you are fit it does not matter.

Variation is important for emotional reasons too. Do what is fun for you, even if sometimes you do not have fun which is normal in my opinion. So if you like cycling, you may want to cycle outdoors in good weather or indoors when it rains. To increase the variety, a few times a week you could do some muscle building training, instead of other training excercises like walking or cycling.

Finally choose the fitness programs you like best. Free fitness programs that you tailor to your own lifestyle should increase your energy levels and put you in a better shape and you just feeling better.

Can a person be both fit and fat? With a national obesity rate of nearly 30 percent, this is a question that needs to be answered. People do not seem to be actively looking for ways to be thin, and just because a person is thin does not mean they are fit either. So who, really, has a healthy and fit body and how can we get there from where we are?

First of all, most people think you have to hit the gym in order to be the healthiest you can be, and this is just not true. Although exercise does nothing but enhance your health, fitness is not the only answer. It is not always about how you look. It is not always about how you eat. Just like everything else, having a healthy and fit body has many components.

Here are 7 Tips to know, once and for all, if you have a healthy and fit body!

Healthy and Fit Body Tips #1: Proper Nutrition
Providing your body with the right food and liquid is the most important component to your health. If you struggling with weight loss and the inability to get yourself fit, start with a change in your diet. Eating right does not mean eating less. A soy-based meal replacement once a day works for me, along with a few targeted supplements you can not find in food.

Even people who exercise all the time can not be totally fit if they grab a bag of potato chips over an apple. No matter what you look like on the outside, your inside is what matters the most. If your body is not getting right nutrition, you can not expect it to look and feel good. You are what you eat. Never forget that.

Healthy and Fit Body Tips #2: Muscle Mass
Our bodies require a certain percentage of muscle to stay healthy and meet the tasks of daily living. This varies per individual, but after the age of 30, our bodies lose muscle mass each year. The key to restoring this is resistance exercise to keep muscle mass. To age gracefully by being fit, keep your muscle mass percentage high.

Healthy and Fit Body Tips #3: Body Fat
This your total body weight that is composed of fat. 10 percent to 14 percent is considered good for men, and 14 percent to 18 percent is considered good for women. Being too far below it and above it both have health risks. Unless you're a weight-dependent athlete or a fitness model, you should strive to fall into your category.

Healthy and Fit Body Tips #4: Aerobic Endurance
I bet you do not think about how well your body transports oxygen, right? From shoveling snow to running a marathon, aerobic activity is a good indicator of good aerobic fitness. Your cardiovascular goal for fitness is simple. Get your heart rate up and hold it, then bring it down without becoming short of breath.

Healthy and Fit Body Tips #5: Strength
How much force can your muscles generate? Your body needs to be able to move stuff, and you, around. Mass protects your body, strength moves it and keeps it from falling over. Strength training requires short bouts of high-intensity outputs, much different from aerobic activity. Strength training slows the aging process, so the stronger you are, the slower you age.

Healthy and Fit Body Tips #6: Balance
Life is no fun if you're always toppling over. Your ability to maintain control of your center of gravity is important for obvious reasons. To stay in balance your body uses smaller muscles to help keep your joints tracking properly. A person with good balance has less chance of incurring an injury. The next time you see an exercise ball, use it!

Healthy and Fit Body Tips #7: Flexibility
Your ability to move your body freely through a full range of motion does not require an advanced class of yoga. Simply start stretching your muscles more because they contract during exercise and the daily rigors of living. Keeping your muscles supple gives you a buffer against being injured and is an indicator of overall fitness. It will also help you age with less complications.

As you can easily tell, there are many components that are of equal importance in order to have a healthy and fit body. It is not just the way a person looks on the outside but rather a combination of many factors. You have the ability to change your body for the better just as easily as McDonalds can change it for the worse. The difference is developing the mindset of a person who chooses healthy over unhealthy.