HowTo Play Fitness Goals

Now, let’s look at fitness goals in more detail. Most people begin an exercise program with some goal in mind. Before you begin, think about what results you want to achieve then tune your exercise program toward those goals. Here are the main fitness goals people have, and some methods used to attain the goals.

Always be sure you are ready to partake in an exercise program. Consult your physician.

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Losing weight The key to losing weight is to burn more calories than consumed. If your goal is to lose weight, your program should emphasize aerobic activities such as walking, jogging, stair climbing or cycling to burn more calories. Many people partake in “pedometer” walking programs.

Increasing Muscle Strength The key to increasing muscle strength is participating in resistance training programs. If the goal is building muscle strength, the program should include lifting weights (free weights, home gyms, weight benches).

Increasing Cardiovascular Fitness The key to increasing cardiovascular fitness is participating in exercise or sports that increase the heart rate for a sustained period of time. Such programs should emphasize aerobic exercises and sports (biking, swimming and aerobics).

Reducing Body Fat
The key to reducing body fat is to increase muscle and decrease body fat. If the goal is to reduce body fat, the program should include body building or sculpting and diet / nutrition supplements and maintenance.

Achieving Overall Health and Fitness and Preventing Illness and Injury Achieving overall fitness combines aerobic, resistance training, and stretching exercises to achieve a healthier heart, stronger bones, greater muscular strength and endurance, and better flexibility. If overall fitness is the goal, the program should include a combination of exercise programs from all of these categories and be supplemented with yoga or stretching.

In the next section, we’ll look at some important safety issues.

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