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Fitness for a Healthy Heart

Being physically fit enhances the quality and the length of our lives, but most of us can't seem to find time. To make it work for you - it must become a top priority. Health is a very precious gift and deciding to stay fit is a way of protecting that gift. With as little as 20 minutes of exercising 3 times a week you can become more physically fit and if you combine this with incorporating extra activity into your daily routines you will be well on your way to a healthy lifestyle! Remember that it is a good idea to see your healthcare professional before starting any exercise program, particularly if you have a chronic medical condition, have a family history of heart disease, or are a smoker.

What is Fitness?

Fitness is a combination of body composition, muscular performance, and cardiovascular fitness with the later being one of the most important components. Improving cardiovascular increases your supply of oxygen and energy to your body. It also decreases your risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and othe life threatening diseases. Cardiovascular fitness can lead to prolonged endurance and will help you perform to your best abilities. When a heart is well conditioned, it is like any other muscle - it becomes stronger and more efficient. A normal heart beats at approximately 70 beats per minute at rest, but a conditioned heart can beat as few as 40 beats per minute. As you can see a healthy heart has to work half as much to get the same amount of oxygen to your body. Aerobic (means with oxygen) exercise which involves steady constant motion of the muscles increases the body's demand for oxygen. In this manner aerobic exercise works your heart muscle making it bigger and stronger. Examples of aerobic exercises are walking, running, swimming, and cycling. While you want the exercise to be intensive you don't want to overdo it. The best way to monitor the amount of work you are doing is to measure your heart beat. A target heart range (THR) for you is 60-75% of 220 minus your age. When exercising take your heart beat frequently and increase your exercise to reach your target heart range, but if you start to exceed it, slow down. At the beginning aim for the low end of your target heart range and as you become more fit, gradually work into the higher range. Exercising for 20-30 minutes three times a week will help you to become more fit.

Make Fitness a Priority

Physically exercise should be given the same importance as any important event. Regardless of what exercise you choose, 20-30 minutes 3 times a week should be religously placed into your schedule. Tips to fit exercise into your schedule are:

Walk on your lunch hour or coffee break
Change social activites from getting a drink to getting together for a softball game, bicycle ride, or a walk.
Do a business exercise session rather than a business lunch
Pedal your way to fitness and enjoy the scenery and the company of family or friends.

Sneak Excercise into Your Daily Routine

To increase your physical activity doesn't always mean going to the gym. Try putting it into your daily routine. If you do this, your are more likely to keep doing it because you don't have to go out of your way to exercise. Some tips to improve your physical activity:

Park your car at the far end of the aisle and walk. We battle for the closet parking places, but in reality those who get ones far away are getting the biggest prize.
At the malls, try entering the mall away from your destination you wish to visit or make a habit of walking the mall before you begin shopping (its a good way to check out who is having sales).
Take stairs whenever possible - particularly if you are going four floors or less. Even if you work on the 60th floor, try climbing a few flights and then taking the elevator just shy of your floor and walk the rest of the way.
Hand deliver messages rather than using the phone, interoffice or e-mail.
Wash your own car on good days instead of the car wash.
Take your dog for a walk
Don't use the remote control, get up and change the T.V. channel.

A fun way of encouragement for you and your co-workers is to have contests with your co-workers on the most creativity ways of sneaking activity into a daily routine.

Suggestions? Feedback? We'd love to hear from you.

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