Fitness

Fitness is an essential part of health and well-being, and whilst I specialise in 'nutrition' ; a vital component of fitness in itself, I recognise, and encourage my clients to recognise that total fitness is the goal, and that diet is only a part of a much bigger health and well-being picture. Physical fitness consists of cardiovascular fitness, muscular endurance, muscular strength, flexibility and motor skills, and the development of physical fitness and total fitness (more on this later) is fundamental to anyone who is looking to improve their health, whatever their starting point (no matter how unfit a person may think they are). Total Fitness training is something I advocate and personally integrate into all of my programmes.

Total Fitness

• Physical Fitness
• Medical Fitness
• Mental and Emotional Fitness
• Nutritional Fitness
• Social Fitness
• Spiritual Fitness

Total Fitness should be the aim of anyone looking to improve their health and well-being, and it is available to everyone regardless of shape, size, age or any other factor. Total fitness is about feeling good about yourself and living a fulfilled and rewarding life.

• Physical fitness is about achieving a balance of the five components, muscular strength, muscular endurance, cardio-respiratory, flexibility and motor skills. The balance of these components aim to give an individual an 'improved quality of life'
• Medical fitness is to do with what goes on inside the body. It's about the various systems and parts of the body being able to function to their full capacity without the need of medicines or drugs. At any time you may have an illness or disease negatively affecting your medical fitness. Diet, physical fitness and lifestyle improvements can all help to support your medical fitness at any time in life.
  
• Mental and emotional fitness refers to your 'state of mind', your ability to think clearly and constructively, and to deal mentally or emotionally with all aspects of life. Life may throw problems or dilemmas at you, your feelings may be challenged by work, rest or play situations. We should strive to manage mental challenges and our feelings positively and regular physical activity can play a part in improving our ability to handle stress
  
• Nutritional fitness is important because the body is like a machine, and like any other machine it needs fuel to function well. The body needs a balance of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, phyonutrients and water simply to function. It is important to establish regular healthy eating patterns in order to ensure adequate supply of nutrients to sustain physical activity, health and bodily functions
  
• Social fitness is about estabilshing and maintaining relationships, and being able to interact with other people
  
• Spiritual fitness is the awareness of your belief systems, that may evolve from family, cultural, social, religious perspectives and the ability to manage these to make positive decisions for self, others and society.

Summary of Health Benefits of Regular Physical Activity

• Reduces the risk of Coronary Heart Disease
• Improved posture, fewer aches and pains
• Weight management and control
• Reduces the risk of osteoporosis, bone-thinning disease
• Helps to relieve stress and anxiety
• Improves confidence and self-esteem
• Strengthens ligaments, tendons, connective tissue, bones and joints making them more stable and less prone to injury
• Increases and maintains the strength and endurance of the muscles

If you’d like to know more contact me