Keeping Up With Health And Fitness

It has been proven that various groups of people require certain amounts of exercise in order to keep physically fit and remain healthy. Therefore, it doesn’t matter how much one exercises daily but what matters is how much exercises one undertakes daily in order to remain healthy and keep fit. It’s interesting to know that different age groups require different amounts of exercise for them to keep fit and remain healthy. An old person would require different amounts of exercise from what teenagers require to kip fit.

Children and adolescents require one or more of moderate or vigorous intensity physical activities at least three days a week. Also, they should incorporate muscle-threatening activities such as rope climbing, sit-ups and tug of war, three days a week. Bone-strengthening activities such as running, skipping and jumping rope are also recommended three days a week. Vigorous activities include bicycle-riding, jumping rope, running and sports such as soccer, basketball and hockey. Hiking, skateboarding, bicycle-riding and brisk-walking are examples of moderate intensity activities.

Adults gain health benefits from two and one half hours a week of moderate physical activities, or one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous physical activity. To increase the health benefits, adults should increase their physical activities to five hours a week moderate-intensity or two and one half hours a week of vigorous physical activity. Brisk-walking, water aerobics, ballroom dancing and general gardening are examples of moderate physical activities. Vigorous intensity activities include cycling, race walking, jogging or running and hiking uphill or with a heavy backpack. It’s recommendable for aerobic activities to be performed in episodes of at least ten minutes. Adults should also incorporate muscle strengthening activities, such as weight training, push-ups, sit-ups and carrying heavy loads or heavy gardening, at least two days a week for better health and keeping fit.

Older adults are advised to follow the guidelines of other adults when it is within their physical capacity to follow them. Otherwise, if they have a chronic condition that prohibits their ability to obey the rules to the guidelines of other adults, they should stick to physical activities that their conditions can allow for example, if they are at risk of falling, they should do exercises that improve or maintain their balance.

Pregnant women are advised to get at least two and one half hours of moderate-intensity physical activities a week during their pregnancy and the time after delivery preferably spread through the week. Women who engage in vigorous physical activities during their pregnancy should seek advice from their doctors on when they should stop engaging in vigorous activities before and after delivery.

Adults with disabilities who are able to carry out moderate physical activities and some vigorous activities should get at least two and one half hours of moderate physical activity a week, or one hour and fifteen minutes of vigorous physical activities a week. They should also incorporate muscle-strengthening activities involving all major muscle groups two or more days a week. For those adults who are not able to carry out either moderate or physical activities should engage in regular physical activity according to their abilities and should avoid inactivity.