Cardiovascular fitness

Refers to the ability of heart muscles, lungs and the entire circulatory system to work

harmoniously in delivery of adequate blood and oxygen to all the body tissues. To

realize this fitness, physical exercises are paramount. Physical exercises help to

reduce body weight while strengthening body muscles including heart muscles. This

will make the body more resilient and able to tolerate stress. These exercises help

reduce cardiotoxic form of cholesterol known as Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL),

hence maintaining normal blood circulation and blood pressure and thus minimizing

chances of cardiovascular diseases like stroke. To achieve this, I will dedicate 30

minutes for cardiac exercise each day by doing aerobics or taking a walk up a steep

hill early in the morning or in the evening.

Strength and Muscle Endurance Fitness

Muscular Endurance and strength comprises of such elements as, Body composition,

Cardiovascular Endurance, Muscular strength which is muscular capacity to exert

utmost resistance and flexibility. This fitness helps to enhance lean body mass and

boost strength. With improved resting metabolism, I will be protected from low back

pain and joint pains as well as muscular injuries. This will be coupled with abridged

danger of osteoporosis in addition to maintaining normal blood pressure and High

Density Lipoprotein levels which are cardio protective. They include performing

minute number of repetitive activities till fatigue but allowing sufficient time to rest

in between the exercises which allows recovery and finally to boost resistance as the
capability to engender force is increased.

Flexibility exercises

Are very essential for my fitness plan. They consist of movements which help to

increase the elasticity of my muscles. These exercises elongate the connecting tissue

attached to a muscle. They enhance my body posture and can be beneficial if I have

back injuries. They also reduce painful muscles and provide relaxation. Correct

stretching principles include static stretching which involves controlled elongation of

muscles to the furthest comfortable point without pain. It is important to warm-up

before stretching. This helps in blood circulation. Stretching prior to an exercise and

after an exercise decreases the likelihood of injuries during exercise and improves

muscle dynamism. Bouncing movements should be avoided. Muscles are stretched

best when they relatively warm.

Preparing for Physical Activity

I should consider the duration of time, frequency, Intensity and type of exercise. (I

will use a physical activity readiness questionnaire (PAR-Q) to determine if we need

to consult a doctor for further examination before we engage in exercises. Warm-ups

prepare the body for physical exercise whereas cool-downs assist the body to recover

from a strenuous activity. Exercising no less than three days a week and choosing

diverse activities would make it more thrilling to keep fit. Fitness clubs have the right
environments where trained professionals can tailor personal exercise programs. In

areas where there is extreme weather it is advisable to consider mall-walking as an

exercise. We are of different ages, sexes and our health status varies. Therefore the

choice of a certain exercise activity will depend largely whether or not I am taking

any medication, my health status and availability of equipment. However I should

star with less tiring exercise before entering more vigorous activities.

This table indicates the day, type and time for different activities. It represents a full
week’s activities.

Goals and how it will improve physical and mental health

My goal is to improve my health and fitness is to try my best to stay consistent with

my exercise and meal plan. Being consistent in any plan is very important because it

allows you not to be so strict with yourself and teaches you how to do things in

moderation. I always find that if I jump into any meal plan or exercise plan too

quickly, I never follow through with it. Therefore, my goal is to maintain a healthy

lifestyle, and I can do this by consistently eating healthier and exercising more

regularly. But the first thing that I need to do is develop the habit of a healthy

lifestyle slowly so that I can get used to the pace and keep up with it. I plan to do this

by having short exercise sessions and occasionally adding in a few longer sessions.

This plan offers many opportunities as it can help me to improve my mental health,

my well-being and my fitness. However, there is a risk that I can become bored with

the exercise that I do or even become lazy. It is also hard for me to eat according to a

diet because I find it difficult to stick. The main threat for me is that my days at

school are so busy and attend extra lessons and extra murals, so by the time I get

home I am generally too tired to exercise, or I do not have enough time to do a lot of

exercises.

The Success of Self-Set Goals at the Beginning of the Program

At the beginning of this program, I made sure to set goals that were challenging but
at the same time, were not unattainable. I managed to complete my exercise

program and will continue to record my exercise because I get extra motivated when

I see and feel progress in my mind and body. I would do long and challenging

sessions that were longer than an hour, but then the next day, I would do something

with a low intensity that was not too difficult. I did this so that I would not get

exhausted from all my workouts, and it seemed to have played off because I was able

to finish the program and I did not get tired of doing it.