Exercise and Physical Fitness

What are the basics of exercise and physical fitness?

Exercise is anything that gets your body moving. Regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for your health. It has many benefits, including improving your overall health and fitness, and reducing your risk for many chronic (long-term) diseases.

Every physical fitness routine is built on a few simple ideas. These include:

• Make exercise a habit, as your body adapts to the type of activity you do most often. Regular practice will help you improve.
• Build up your activity level slowly to help you continue to get stronger, faster, or more flexible without pushing too hard all at once.
• Challenge yourself by lifting slightly heavier weights, adding a few more minutes to your walk, or increasing your pace.
• Mix up your workouts to keep things interesting and help prevent injuries or burnout.
• Show up regularly, even for short sessions, to help you continue to make progress.

What are the different types of exercise?

There are many different types of exercise. Before you start, check with your health care provider, especially if you have trouble moving, balancing, or worry that exercise might not be safe for you.

A few main types of exercise include:

• Aerobic exercises such as walking, running, or swimming are sometimes referred to as cardio. This is short for cardiovascular exercise. These exercises increase your breathing and heart rate. They keep your heart, lungs, and circulatory system healthy and improve your overall fitness.
• Strength, or resistance training, exercises use weights, resistance bands, or your own body weight to build stronger muscles.
• Balance exercises, such as tai chi or standing on one leg, improve your stability and coordination. They may make it easier for you to walk on uneven surfaces and help prevent falls.
• Flexibility exercises, such as stretching or yoga, help your joints move more easily and improve your posture.

Most people benefit from a combination of these types of exercises. Your provider can help you choose the best type or amount of activity for you based on your fitness level and health.

How can I fit exercise into my day?

Fitting regular exercise into your daily schedule may seem difficult at first. But you can start slowly and break your exercise time into chunks. Even small amounts of exercise can be helpful. You can work your way up to doing the recommended amount of exercise.How much exercise you needdepends on your age and health.

To get started, you don't need fancy equipment, but having the right tools can make it easier and more fun. There are a variety of places where you can exercise and create a routine that fits your lifestyle. This includes:

• At home. Dumbbells, kettlebells, a mat, or resistance bands are versatile and affordable options for strength training and stretching. A treadmill, a stationary bike, or a workout video are a few options for indoor cardio.
• A fitness center, gym, or health club. These places offer equipment, classes, and sometimes personal trainers for guidance and support. Ask if you can try the center before you join, and if staff are available to show you how to use the exercise equipment.
• Outdoors. Try riding a bike, walking your dog, or exploring local parks and trails. Dress for the weather and protect yourself from the sun. If safety is a concern, choose a well-lit neighborhood, a busy park, or even an indoor shopping mall for your walk.

Include activities that strengthen all parts of your body, especially your core, which are the muscles in your abdomen (belly), back, and hips. A strong core helps with balanceand stability and can lower your risk ofback injuries.

If youhaven't exercised in a while, start slowly and talk to your provider if you have health concerns. If you don't feel right, or have any pain, extremeshortness of breath, ordizziness, stop exercising and seek help right away.

How can I stay motivated?

Even with the best intentions, it's easy to fall off track. Here are some ways to keep going:

• Choose activities you enjoy. It's easier to make exercise a regular part of your life if you have fun doing it.
• Exercise safely. Use the proper equipment to preventinjuries, listen to your body, and don't overdo it.
• Give yourself goals. Your goals should be challenging, but realistic. It may be helpful to reward yourself when you reach them. The rewards could be something big, like new workout gear, or something smaller, such as a new water bottle or movie tickets.
• Mix it up. Try a new class, playlist, Podcast, or outdoor route when things get stale.
• Find an accountability partner. Exercise with a friend, join a group challenge, or check in with an online community.
• Use wearable technology. A pedometer or an app like a fitness tracker on your phone or other device can help you track your progress.

Exercise for Older Adults

Exercise and physical activity are good for just about everyone, including older adults. There are four main types and each type is different. Doing them all will give you more benefits.:

• Endurance, or aerobic, activities increase your breathing and heart rate. Brisk walking or jogging, dancing, swimming, and biking are examples.
• Strength exercises make your muscles stronger. Lifting weights or using a resistance band can build strength.
• Balance exercises help prevent falls
• Flexibility exercises stretch your muscles and can help your body stay limber

If you have not been active, you can start slowly and work up to your goal. How much exercise you need depends on your age and health. Check with your health care provider on what is right for you.

NIH: National Institute on Aging

Fistulas

A fistula is an abnormal connection between two parts inside of the body. Fistulas may develop between different organs, such as between the esophagus and the windpipe or the bowel and the vagina. They can also develop between two blood vessels, such as between an artery and a vein or between two arteries.

Some people are born with a fistula. Other common causes of fistulas include:

• Complications from surgery
• Injury
• Infection
• Diseases, such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis

Treatment depends on the cause of the fistula, where it is, and how bad it is. Some fistulas will close on their own. In some cases, you may need antibiotics and/or surgery.

Growth Disorders

Does your child seem much shorter - or much taller - than other kids his or her age? It could be normal. Some children may be small for their age but still be developing normally. Some children are short or tall because their parents are.

But some children have growth disorders. Growth disorders are problems that prevent children from developing normal height, weight, sexual maturity or other features.

Very slow or very fast growth can sometimes signal a gland problem or disease.

The pituitary gland makes growth hormone, which stimulates the growth of bone and other tissues. Children who have too little of it may be very short. Treatment with growth hormone can stimulate growth.

People can also have too much growth hormone. Usually the cause is a pituitary gland tumor, which is not cancer. Too much growth hormone can cause gigantism in children, where their bones and their body grow too much. In adults, it can cause acromegaly, which makes the hands, feet and face larger than normal. Possible treatments include surgery to remove the tumor, medicines, and radiation therapy.

Healthy Aging

People in the U.S. are living longer, and the number of older adults in the population is growing. As we age, our minds and bodies change. Having a healthy lifestyle can help you deal with those changes. It may also prevent some health problems and help you to make the most of your life.

A healthy lifestyle for older adults includes:

• Healthy eating. As you age, your dietary needs may change. You may need fewer calories, but you still need to get enough nutrients. A healthy eating plan includes
  • Eating foods that give you lots of nutrients without a lot of extra calories. This includes fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, low-fat dairy, nuts, and seeds.
  • Avoiding empty calories, such as foods like chips, candy, baked goods, soda, and alcohol
  • Eating foods that are low in cholesterol and fat
  • Drinking enough liquids, so you don't get dehydrated
• Regular physical activity. Being physically active may help you maintain a healthy weight and avoid chronic health problems. If you have not been active, you can start slowly and work up to your goal. How much exercise you need depends on your age and health. Check with your health care provider on what is right for you.
• Staying at a healthy weight. Being either overweight or underweight can lead to health problems. Ask your health care professional what a healthy weight for you may be. Healthy eating and exercise can help you get to that weight.
• Keeping your mind active. Lots of activities can keep your mind active and improve your memory, including learning new skills, reading, and playing games.
• Making your mental health a priority. Work on improving your mental health, for example by practicing mediation, relaxation techniques, or gratitude. Know the warning signs of a problem and ask for help if you are struggling.
• Participating in activities that you enjoy. People who are involved in hobbies and social and leisure activities may be at lower risk for some health problems. Doing things that you enjoy may help you feel happier and improve your thinking abilities.
• Playing an active role in your health care. Make sure that you get regular checkups and the health screenings that you need. You should know which medicines you are taking, why you need them, and how to take them properly.
• Not smoking. If you are a smoker, quitting is one of the most important things that you can do for your health. It can lower your risk of several different types of cancer, certain lung diseases, and heart disease.
• Taking steps to prevent falls. Older adults have a higher risk of falling. They are also more likely to fracture (break) a bone when they fall. Getting regular eye checkups, getting regular physical activity, and making your house safer can lower your risk of falling.

Following these tips can help you to stay healthy as you age. Even if you have never done them before, it's never too late to start taking care of your health. If you have questions about these lifestyle changes or need help figuring out how to make them, ask your health care provider.