21 Jul Back to Basics – Fitness
As we continue to peel back the layers of the thoughts, messaging, and confusion around wellness topics, this week, we’ll place a spotlight on our core beliefs about fitness.
What is fitness? The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) shares:
Fitness is synonymous with health, our physical condition and even our ability to complete the tasks required for our ongoing survival (and perpetuation of the species).
It makes sense. So now, let’s ask ourselves, how do we feel? Do we feel fit to move in the ways we want to be moving? What are some of the things that we are doing to strengthen and keep ourselves mobile and agile?
NASM also shares:
Regular physical activity, even in small amounts, can help prevent, treat, and sometimes even alleviate some of the most common chronic conditions we encounter, including high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, stroke, obesity, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, depression, and some cancers.
So, how much should we aim to move our bodies? Great question.
Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardiorespiratory exercise, 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity, or a combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity exercise per week. The weekly recommendation for resistance training is 2 or more days per week with exercises for all the major muscle groups (minimum of 1 set of 8-12 repetitions for each muscle group). Flexibility and neuromotor exercises (balance, agility, coordination) are also recommended at least twice per week.
And that’s the gist of fitness. As Sarah says, “Motion is lotion.” Let’s keep moving to provide our bodies with synovial joint fluid that we need to move it, move it.
by Victoria Emmitt RD
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