Back to: Physical Activity
Week 7: Introduction to Physical Activity
Objective:
Familiarize members with the fundamental benefits of regular physical activity and its impact on chronic conditions.
Understanding Physical Activity
Content:
Physical activity is any movement of the body that uses energy. It can be anything from walking to the store, gardening, or even cleaning your house. It encompasses more than just what we traditionally consider “exercise” (which is a subcategory of physical activity). Here’s a quick rundown of some of its types:
- Aerobic Activity: These are activities that get your heart rate up and improve the function of your heart, lungs, and circulatory system. Examples include brisk walking, jogging, and swimming.
- Anaerobic Activity: This focuses on strength and power and includes activities that are done in short bursts of maximum effort. Think of weightlifting, sprinting, or high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
- Flexibility Exercises: These improve the length and elasticity of your muscles, enhancing range of motion. Yoga and stretching fall into this category.
- Balance and Stability: Activities that improve your body’s ability to remain centered, crucial for preventing falls. Pilates and certain yoga poses can help with this.
It’s essential to recognize that while all exercise is physical activity, not all physical activity is considered exercise. Exercise refers to structured, repetitive movements intended specifically to improve health or maintain fitness, such as going for a jog or attending a fitness class.
Action Step:
Reflect on your day-to-day activities. Even if you’re not hitting the gym, you’re likely engaging in some form of physical activity. Take a moment to list down activities you do in a typical day that involve physical movement. This could be walking your dog, doing house chores, gardening, or even climbing stairs. Recognizing these can be an empowering first step to appreciate how active you already are and identify areas where you can incorporate more movement. Share your list in our community forum and see how you compare with fellow members!
Why Physical Activity Matters
Content:
Physical activity, often underrated, serves as the linchpin for numerous physiological benefits that significantly improve our health and well-being. Here’s a deep dive into some of these perks:
- Improved Cardiovascular Health: Physical activity increases the efficiency of the heart. Regular movement helps reduce the risk of heart disease by improving blood circulation, reducing harmful LDL cholesterol, and increasing beneficial HDL cholesterol.
- Strengthened Muscles: Engaging in activities, especially resistance training, enhances muscle strength and endurance. Strong muscles not only enhance our daily tasks but also protect our joints and reduce the risk of injury.
- Enhanced Lung Capacity: Aerobic activities like swimming or running increase our lung’s capacity to draw in more oxygen and expel carbon dioxide more effectively. This improves stamina and reduces fatigue.
- Better Bone Density: Weight-bearing activities, such as walking, jogging, or playing tennis, increase bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis and fractures as we age.
All these physiological benefits synergize to improve overall quality of life, increase longevity, and ward off various diseases.
Action Step:
Reflection and sharing can be powerful tools in our journey towards health. We invite you to think back to a time when you were more physically active. Did you notice better sleep? Perhaps less joint pain or more energy throughout the day? Share your experiences in our community forum. Your story might inspire someone else to take that vital step towards improved health. Plus, it’s a wonderful way to see the tangible benefits of activity beyond just the numbers on a scale!
