What Is Physical Activity & Fitness? | Taking Charge of Your Wellbeing (2024)

FAQs

What is physical fitness and wellbeing? ›

Physical fitness is a state of health and well-being and, more specifically, the ability to perform aspects of sports, occupations, and daily activities. Physical fitness is generally achieved through proper nutrition, moderate-vigorous physical exercise, and sufficient rest along with a formal recovery plan.

Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Being physically active can improve your brain health, help manage weight, reduce the risk of disease, strengthen bones and muscles, and improve your ability to do everyday activities.

Physical well-being is practicing self-care for the needs of your body. This includes physical activity, balanced nutrition, getting adequate sleep, and avoiding harmful behaviors.

What is physical activity? WHO defines physical activity as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure. Physical activity refers to all movement including during leisure time, for transport to get to and from places, or as part of a person's work.

Examples include brisk walking, jogging, swimming, and biking. Strength, or resistance training, exercises make your muscles stronger. Some examples are lifting weights and using a resistance band. Balance exercises can make it easier to walk on uneven surfaces and help prevent falls.

Fitness is very important for good health. Besides feeling better mentally, exercising can help protect you from heart disease, stroke, obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure; and it can make you look younger, increase and maintain bone density, improve the quality of your life, and may keep you from getting sick.

Exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood and by improving self-esteem and cognitive function. Exercise has also been found to alleviate symptoms such as low self-esteem and social withdrawal.

Physical well-being is much more than good health. It is the direct result of lifestyle choices and our behaviors around sleep, diet, physical activity, hygiene, and relaxation that achieve or derail optimal functioning.

They're known as the Five Ways to Wellbeing and they are: Take Notice, Connect, Keep Learning, Give to Others and Be Active. Evidence shows that improvements in your physical health can help improve your mental health. Try to find an activity that you enjoy such as walking, swimming, cycling or dancing.

What are the five 5 aspects of physical wellbeing? ›

Overall physical wellness involves balancing your physical activity, the foods you eat, getting adequate sleep, and noticing your body's warning signs. Read the following statements and answer how much each statement reflects you. I get 6-8 hours of sleep each night.

Physical activity is any body movement that works your muscles and requires more energy than resting. Walking, running, dancing, swimming, yoga, and gardening are a few examples of physical activity.

The three main types of physical activity are aerobic, muscle strengthening, and bone strengthening. Balance and flexibility activities are also beneficial. Aerobic activity is the type that benefits your heart and lungs the most.

Fitness is very important for good health. Besides feeling better mentally, exercising can help protect you from heart disease, stroke, obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure; and it can make you look younger, increase and maintain bone density, improve the quality of your life, and may keep you from getting sick.

Physical fitness refers to the ability of your body systems to work together efficiently to allow you to be healthy and perform activities of daily living. Being efficient means doing daily activities with the least effort possible.

Think of you and your overall well-being as a three-legged stool. The seat represents you and the legs represent your physical, mental and emotional health. Physical health is the general well-being of your body: sleeping 7-9 hours each night, eating balanced meals and snacks and being active.