It seems like everywhere you turn health and physical fitness is increasingly put in the spotlight. But for those of us who are not so physically active we might find ourselves scratching our heads saying “Why is physical fitness so important”. Well the answer is actually pretty simple. It improves the quality of our lives and it increases how long we actually live. These should seem like reason enough to consider making physical fitness a real part of our lives.

You ever wake up in the morning after getting a solid 8 hours but still feel exhausted? A lot of us actually feel fatigued despite the fact that we sit behind a desk all day and return home to sit on our couch. Well exercise can actually be the cure for this. Getting at least a 30 mins of exercise a day can make a big difference not only in your health but in how you feel. Exercise can  give you more energy in your day-to-day life  and can actually be a cure for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. 

It doesn’t take much to realize why physical fitness is so important. If you want to live longer and enjoy more of the life you’re living start treating your body right and give it what it wants… exercise!

There are many angles and goals of physical fitness. However, there are five components of fitness that create a well rounded and truly “fit” person. If you concentrate on these five aspects you will find that your overall health and wellness improves. While focusing on one and not the others can provide benefits, your fitness potential isn’t truly realized until you are addressing all five.

The first of the five components of fitness is one that has often received the most attention, cardiovascular endurance. Exercise, particularly for women, has centered around cardio health for a long time. This refers to how well your heart and lungs work together to provide oxygen to the body, particularly during workouts.

The second in the five components of fitness is muscular endurance. This refers to how long your muscles can do a repeated action before tiring. Things that require repetitive movement like cycling and running are both cardio and muscular endurance activities.

Muscular strength is next in the five components of fitness. It’s obvious that this refers to the ability of the muscles to lift, pull, or maintain control over weight. Things like strength training provide good gains in muscular strength.

Often overlooked is the fourth in the five components of fitness, stretching or flexibility. Flexibility keeps the muscles loose and can prevent injury. Things like regular stretching, yoga, an pilates are good tools to use when trying to improve flexibility.

Last in the five components of fitness is body composition or the ratio of fat within the body. This is a good indicator of overall physical health and can also determine the risk of other diseases. By keeping your body fat within an acceptable range, you can ensure optimum health.

The five components of fitness are each unique and each provide you with health benefits beyond measure. By addressing all five aspects of fitness you ensure you are taking care of your body in a well rounded manner.

We all know that physical fitness is good for us. We know that it reduces stress, increases cardiovascular health, reduces the symptoms of depression and anxiety, and makes us look good. But we all have our own reasons for wanting to be healthy. The importance of physical fitness in my life could be completely different from the significance or priority it holds in yours. How we view our own physical fitness also has a lot to do with how committed we are to it.

For me, the importance of physical fitness has a lot to do with my sanity. Exercising makes me happy. Literally. If I go a week without working out I get cranky and moody without even realizing it. Occasionally work and personal life causes these short hiatuses to happen and when they do everyone around me notices. I’ve been caught off guard a few times wondering “what is wrong with me?” only to realize my workouts had fallen by the wayside. For me, even a 20 minute run in the neighborhood or two of the Ten Minute Trainer workouts put be back to contentment.

The importance of physical fitness to many others is their immediate health. For some of these people they have experienced a sudden and dramatic wake up call. Perhaps a negative doctors report or a heart attack has shaken these people into reality, giving them reason to make their physical fitness a priority.

Some of us get fit purely for looks. If this is your only motivation for the importance of physical fitness, you may want to reprioritize. I am guilty of liking how I look when I work out. However, as a sole motivation for getting fit, this one is the least likely to lead to lasting health. For some reason, people who lose weight only to look good or fit in a certain pair of pants are less likely to keep the weight off. While there’s nothing wrong with wanting to look good, there are far deeper reasons for wanting better health.

What is the importance of physical fitness for you? Perhaps you enjoy pushing past your limitations and extreme programs like P90X allow you to do this. Maybe you like the social aspects of it and love being able to talk about physical fitness with others. There are many reasons for people to stay fit. What’s yours?

Not quite a child and not quite an adult, teens have their own fitness and health concerns. With childhood and adult obesity at all time highs, there is no doubt that teens are struggling as well. Physical fitness for teens should be a priority for parents everywhere. For the teens who aren’t involved in sports or activities, this is especially true.

Physical fitness for teens really isn’t all that different from adult physical fitness. As a matter of fact, most teens could use the same fitness programs as you or I. The question is, would they be interested in them?

Finding a fitness program that a teen will enjoy is the tricky part. Just like adults, these people have already established certain likes and dislikes. Some may enjoy dance while others would prefer to strength train and lift weights. For each teen, the potential preferences are as wide as yours and mine.

Physical fitness for teens who enjoy hot music and dance, things like Turbo Jam and Hip Hop Abs may be appealing. This is particularly true with teen girls. These workouts give them the opportunity to get down and let loose without feeling embarrassed or self conscious like they might in gym class.

For boys or even girls who aren’t into dance, the more strength training focused ChaLEAN Extreme could be a good fit. This program works to develop muscles and definition. For overweight teens this is perfect because, as Chalene Johnson says: “Muscle burns fat!”

Some teens will be as resistant to physical fitness as they are to brussel sprouts. Shoot, some teens are resistant to anything that isn’t their idea. Perhaps allowing them to choose a program will help them take ownership of it. Ask them what they would like to do to stay fit. Be prepared to join in if that’s what it takes.

Physical fitness for teens doesn’t have to be all that different from your own physical fitness. Because they may still be growing, however, be cautious of encouraging overly restrictive dieting. Also, if your teen is interested in supplements, you may want them to speak with their physician first.

Ask anyone what the benefits of physical fitness are and they will likely rattle off things like: weight loss, muscle tone, better cardiovascular health, or a flatter tummy. We all know that the benefits of physical fitness are far reaching and do everything from making us look good to making our bodies run more efficiently. However, we often forget one of the best benefits of physical fitness: It feels great to be fit!

Getting fit is often plagued by muscle aches and shin splints. You may be haunted by a lack of motivation or a lack of time. Despite all of the ways working out makes you feel bad, there are several ways in which it makes you feel good.

Once you have made fitness a regular part of your life, you can enjoy the release that it gives you. One of my favorite benefits of physical fitness is how I can have a long hard day, one where I am on the verge of madness and stressed beyond belief (they don’t happen often). But, in the midst of this stress and frustration, I can get a workout in and walk away feeling many times better.

Something is in the sweat that when it leaves our bodies it takes the days stresses and headaches with it. Scientists might not have found this liquid stress, but I am certain it is there.

Another great but often overlooked benefits of physical fitness is the confidence it brings with it. If you have ever struggled with your weight or a negative self image, you know how it can affect your attitude. Just like being unhappy with how you look can make you feel bad about everything, being satisfied with your body can cast a rosy glow on things.

Lastly, when you are committed to physical fitness it gives you a new hobby that may, if you are not careful, develop into an extremely healthy addiction. You know you are hooked on the benefits of physical fitness when you begin actually craving a workout. This is a great cycle to get stuck in and one that will only further improve your health and your attitude.

The benefits of physical fitness are far more than aesthetic. Of course we all want to look good. But when all is said and done, the mental benefits are nearly as important in our day to day lives.