By Terry Watson
sus·tain·a·ble
səˈstānəb(ə)l/
adjective
fit·ness
ˈfitnəs/
noun
sus·tain·a·ble
səˈstānəb(ə)l/
adjective
- able to be maintained at a certain rate or level.
fit·ness
ˈfitnəs/
noun
- the condition of being physically fit and healthy.
synonyms:good health, strength, robustness, vigor, athleticism, toughness, physical fitness, muscularity- the quality of being suitable to fulfill a particular role or task.
synonyms:suitability, capability, competence, ability, aptitude;
- the quality of being suitable to fulfill a particular role or task.
What's the state of your health? How do you look? How do you feel? How is your energy level? How is your skin? Do you sleep well at night? These are all questions that you can ask yourself to evaluate your physical health. These questions boil down to the one main question: Am I physically able to do the things I want to do each day? If your answer is yes, then you are either in a state of wellness or your daily tasks require very little effort (like watching TV). For those that are inactive and have no desire to live a vibrant, active life, this blog is not for you. Let's focus on helping those who want to be healthier and more active.
If you look at the definition of the word Fitness (above), you'll see that there is a strong correlation between being healthy and being physically fit. Synonyms for fitness include strength, muscularity, vigor and athleticism. Interesting! So to call yourself fit would mean that you possess one or all of these qualities. Many people around the world would say that they had all of them when they were in middle school or high school but, it all changed as they grew older. Why the change? Why have many adults become the exact opposite, physically, from that of their youth?
The life of many teens looks a bit like this:
The average adult does NOT deviate from this routine, with the exception of one "key" area. Can you guess which one? Yes, #2! We do all of the same things as we did as teens except maintain the same level of activity. You may be thinking to yourself "I workout 3-5 days per week for an hour! So why did I gain weight?" Or "Why do I feel so tired and terrible all of the time?" These are great questions. Active teens spend hours and hours in physical activity each day for generally 7 days per week. Of course, this includes the usual horseplay and goofing off at all hours of the day whether at school or home, plus athletics or other activities. And the fact that many are walking or riding their bikes everywhere until they get their license doesn't hurt either. As adults, we don't have the whole day to be active because of the commitments of job, home, family, organizations, etc. that tend to occupy all of the time we have. That leaves us with maybe 30-60 minutes per day that we can devote to activity.
Because we don't MOVE our bodies physically all day long, like we once did, our activity has to be intentional, but specific. We also need to really consider changing the foods that we eat in order to help our body respond in a positive way. After all, we are engaging in less than 6% of the activity of our youth! (The topic of proper eating habits will be discussed in a later blog.)
We are all uniquely made and need to find what works for our own bodies. One size doesn't fit all when it comes to proper fitness. Whatever method of exercise you choose (and there are many), it has to be sustainable. In other words, can you maintain this activity for the rest of your life and remain physically capable to do your daily tasks with considerable ease?
This brings me to the "sustainable" part of fitness. Whatever you decide to do, just know that if you stick with it, your body will improve and you'll realize some God-given abilities that you didn't know you possessed. In order to stick with something for a long time, it has to make sense to you. You have to be able to "wrap your brain around it". There are several parts of your daily life that are sustainable habits, like brushing your teeth or taking a shower or eating dinner. Since you only have 30-60 minutes per day to exercise; stick with that time-frame. Don't exceed it, until physical activity becomes a sustainable habit. When exercise becomes a regular part of your life, it may take precedent over other things like entertainment or something in your schedule that may seem trivial. Know your physical limitations and start slow. Go for a walk every single day for a month and build a habit. Pick a time and guard that time as important and take care of YOU for a change. In the next blog, I'll be sharing in more detail what a sustainable exercise program might look like for you. Stay tuned!
If you look at the definition of the word Fitness (above), you'll see that there is a strong correlation between being healthy and being physically fit. Synonyms for fitness include strength, muscularity, vigor and athleticism. Interesting! So to call yourself fit would mean that you possess one or all of these qualities. Many people around the world would say that they had all of them when they were in middle school or high school but, it all changed as they grew older. Why the change? Why have many adults become the exact opposite, physically, from that of their youth?
The life of many teens looks a bit like this:
- eat whatever they want
- chase each other around all afternoon and evening doing various activities and sports
- get very little sleep
- get up to do it all again the next day, with INCREDIBLE energy!
The average adult does NOT deviate from this routine, with the exception of one "key" area. Can you guess which one? Yes, #2! We do all of the same things as we did as teens except maintain the same level of activity. You may be thinking to yourself "I workout 3-5 days per week for an hour! So why did I gain weight?" Or "Why do I feel so tired and terrible all of the time?" These are great questions. Active teens spend hours and hours in physical activity each day for generally 7 days per week. Of course, this includes the usual horseplay and goofing off at all hours of the day whether at school or home, plus athletics or other activities. And the fact that many are walking or riding their bikes everywhere until they get their license doesn't hurt either. As adults, we don't have the whole day to be active because of the commitments of job, home, family, organizations, etc. that tend to occupy all of the time we have. That leaves us with maybe 30-60 minutes per day that we can devote to activity.
Because we don't MOVE our bodies physically all day long, like we once did, our activity has to be intentional, but specific. We also need to really consider changing the foods that we eat in order to help our body respond in a positive way. After all, we are engaging in less than 6% of the activity of our youth! (The topic of proper eating habits will be discussed in a later blog.)
We are all uniquely made and need to find what works for our own bodies. One size doesn't fit all when it comes to proper fitness. Whatever method of exercise you choose (and there are many), it has to be sustainable. In other words, can you maintain this activity for the rest of your life and remain physically capable to do your daily tasks with considerable ease?
This brings me to the "sustainable" part of fitness. Whatever you decide to do, just know that if you stick with it, your body will improve and you'll realize some God-given abilities that you didn't know you possessed. In order to stick with something for a long time, it has to make sense to you. You have to be able to "wrap your brain around it". There are several parts of your daily life that are sustainable habits, like brushing your teeth or taking a shower or eating dinner. Since you only have 30-60 minutes per day to exercise; stick with that time-frame. Don't exceed it, until physical activity becomes a sustainable habit. When exercise becomes a regular part of your life, it may take precedent over other things like entertainment or something in your schedule that may seem trivial. Know your physical limitations and start slow. Go for a walk every single day for a month and build a habit. Pick a time and guard that time as important and take care of YOU for a change. In the next blog, I'll be sharing in more detail what a sustainable exercise program might look like for you. Stay tuned!
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