Components of Fitness

There are Five Components of Fitness:

1. Cardio: ability of your heart to sustain physical activity over time
2. Muscular Strength: how much you can lift or move at one time
3. Muscular Endurance: how long your muscles can sustain a contraction or activity
4. Flexibility: how flexible your joints and muscles are
5. Body Composition: % of body fat to lean body mass (bones, muscle, tissue)

To be wholly fit it is important to take into account all five areas of fitness when setting goals or choosing workouts. For example, if Jack regularly runs long distances but does not stretch, strength train, or eat well, he may have a higher level of cardiovascular fitness, but his overall fitness level may be poor.

Try to include all components of fitness for a well-rounded exercise and nutrition plan.

Interval Training

Interval Training involves alternating bursts of high intensity exercises (1-4 minutes) with lower intensity activities (active recovery). For runners, speed training, is a form of interval training.

The benefits of interval training include:

• Increased calorie burn. The high-intensity intervals increase the heart rate and amount of calories burned. Even during active recovery, when you are performing lower intensity exercises, your heart rate remains higher overall and you burn more calories overall.
• Increased muscle fatigue and faster results. The high-intensity intervals fatigue your muscles more rapidly, meaning you have to work harder, even during lower intensity movements. This leads to more rapid results.
• Decreased time. Adding bursts of intensity decreases the amount of time you must work to equal the same results as a longer, moderate-intensity workout.

Weight Loss Tips

If weight loss is your goal, here are some tips to losing weight safely:

• 1-2 pounds per week is considered a safe weight loss goal
• Programs that promise rapid weight loss are often dehydrating and generally unhealthy
• A regular exercise program AND a healthy, moderate diet are both necessary for healthy weight loss
• Cardiovascular exercise is important for calorie burn and weight loss (it is also great for your heart!)
• Strength training increases your lean muscle mass, which increases your metabolism—causing you to burn more calories even while at rest!

Hydration

Staying hydrated throughout the day is very important, particularly when exercising regularly. Dehydration can increase fatigue and soreness, among other things.

Here are some tips for staying hydrated:

• Avoid caffeinated sodas. Caffeine is a diuretic—meaning it actually dehydrates you more.
• If you drink juice, read the label--many juices are only 10-15% juice. Try to stick to the 100% juices.
• Gatorade and sport drinks can replenish lost electrolytes. However, this is really only needed when exercising vigorously for more than an hour.
• If you are thirsty, it means you are already slightly dehydrated.
• Keep a water bottle handy to sip on throughout the day.
• Try to drink at least 6-8 glasses of fluid per day.
• Two cups of water = one pound. Every pound lost during a workout session represents fluids lost. Be sure to replace lost fluids!