Staying Fit & Healthy
Staying Fit & Healthy
Staying healthy can be challenging and fun. Physical fitness can be described as a condition that helps you look, feel and do your best. Learn about the components of fitness and how to improve them, set yourself a goal and see how far you can take your own level of fitness. While you’re at it, why not try to encourage your friends, teachers, parents or siblings to get healthy too? Help others live longer, be happier and have fun!
Components of Fitness
- Cardiorespiratory Endurance
The ability to deliver oxygen and nutrients to tissues (e.g Muscles, organs) and to remove wastes over a period of time - Muscular Endurance
The ability of a muscle (or group of muscles) to generate force over several repetitions or to continue maintaining that force over a period of time. - Muscular Strength
The ability of a muscle to generate a force for a short period of time - Body Composition
The ability to move joints and use muscles through their full range of motion. - Flexibility
The ability to move joints and use muscles through their full range of motion.
How Much Activity?
The Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines state that children aged 5-11 should participate in 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day.
Maximum Heart Rate
220-(your age) = maximum Heart Heart
Keep your heart health by getting your heart rate going and train it by staying within certain zones. Remember: your heart is a muscle with proper training, it can get stronger over time.
Be S.M.A.R.T About Your Fitness Goals
Specific
Make your goals as specific as possible (e.g, “I want to be able to do 20 sit ups in 60 seconds by May 15th 2012″)
Measurable
Pick a goal that will allow you to measure your progress over time (e.g “At first i could do 10 sit ups, but now i can do 15″)
Attainable
Be sure to challenge yourself, don’t set the bar too low (e.g, “12 sit ups is too easy of a goal, i will make it 20!”)
Realistic
Challenge yourself but don’t set yourself up for failure. (e.g, “1000 sit ups in 60 seconds is impossible, i’ll go with 20″)
Time
Set a deadline for your goal and try to achieve it! (e.g, i want to do this by May 15th”)
