Please attach a typed 1/2 page to 1 page Word document (double spaced) that contains the following information:

1. What fitness activities are you currently participating in?
2. After reading chapter 2, what did you discover that you were NOT doing correctly (keep the FITT principles in mind).
3. What fitness Myths did you believe?  (if none – explain how you learned about proper fitness principles)

Don’t have time to exercise? Well here is an article with some good ideas for finding little ways to exercise during a busy day (eh hem, or life). http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=43497

Why do you need to work out?

There are many reasons why it is important to work out but I will focus on the main reasons.

To Delay Death – This may sound morbid but all of us will die. There is no escaping it. . . the death statistics are 100%. The goal is to have the highest quality of life for the longest period of time. By living a healthy and safe lifestyle in a healthy environment we can increase are chances of extending our lifespans and our abilities to be mobile and active through the entirety of our lives. A healthy lifestyle should include exercise to experience the highest level of physical health.

To Avoid Disease & Lower the Risks of Health Problems – To have a high quality of life we ,obviously, would like to avoid diseases. Engaging in many forms of physical activity can have a direct correlation to deterring certain diseases and health problems such as coronary heart disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes, strokes, heart attacks, osteoporosis, lower back problems, cholesterol level problems and even stress.

To Feel Good About Yourself – Exercise can have a positive effect on your mental outlook and your emotional well-being. When engaging in cardiovascular exercise, chemicals called endorphins are released in the body that create a “feel good” mood and can help to make a person feel less stressed and more relaxed. Exercise can help you sleep better and can even be helpful in treating mild to moderate depression and other mental disorders.

To Control Weight – Exercise can help to “burn” unneeded/excess calories. Excess calories are stored in our bodies as fat cells. In order to take off a pound of fat, your body has to burn 3,500 calories more than the number of calories you are consuming. Aerobic exercise can be used to increase metabolism and burn calories to help reduce weight over time. Even after an aerobic workout session your metabolism stays elevated for several hours, burning more calories. Aerobic exercise also suppresses appetite, so you aren’t as tempted to eat.

Exercise Basics.

Benefits of Exercising, Regularly…

Medical Questionaire

This is for YOUR INFORMATION ONLY – you do not have to turn this in, it is NOT graded… but it is to help you understand if you are MEDICALLY ready to participate in exercise activities.

Please Read and Answer the following questions:

The Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q) Being physically active is very safe for most people. Some people, however, should check with their doctors before they increase their current level of activity. The PAR-Q has been designed to identify the small number of adults for whom physical activity may be inappropriate or those who should have medical advice concerning the type of activity most suitable for them.

Answer yes or no to the following questions:

1. Has your doctor ever said that you have a heart condition and that you should only do physical activity recommended by a doctor?
2. Do you feel pain in your chest when you do physical activity?
3. In the past month, have you had chest pain when you were not doing physical activity?
4. Do you lose your balance because of dizziness or do you ever lose consciousness?
5. Do you have a bone or joint problem that could be made worse by a change in your physical activity?
6. Is your doctor currently prescribing drugs (for example, water pills) for your blood pressure or heart condition?
7. Do you know of any other reason why you should not do physical activity?

If you answered yes: If you answered yes to one or more questions, are older than age 40 and have been inactive or are concerned about your health, consult a physician before taking a fitness test or substantially increasing your physical activity. You should ask for a medical clearance along with information about specific exercise limitations you may have.

In most cases, you will still be able to do any type of activity you want as long as you adhere to some guidelines.

If you answered no: If you answered no to all the PAR-Q questions, you can be reasonably sure that you can exercise safely and have low risk of having any medical complications from exercise. It is still important to start slowing and increase gradually. It may also be helpful to have a fitness assessment with a personal trainer or coach in order to determine where to begin.

When to delay the start of an exercise program:

• If you are not feeling well because of a temporary illness, such as a cold or a fever, wait until you feel better to begin exercising.
• If you are or may be pregnant, talk with your doctor before you start becoming more active.