Why Should You Be Physically Active And Maintain Physical Fitness?

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Why should you be physically active and maintain proper nutrition? Because physical health is determined by a combination of controllable and uncontrollable factors. It is crucial that all the possible methods are taken to remain healthy. Physical fitness and nutrition are two of the most important methods anyone at any age can execute to reach/maintain their health goal. In this essay, I will go over both. The denotative meaning of physical fitness is “the ability of the body to carry out daily physical activities without getting out of breath, sore, or overly tired” (Lesson 16). Physical fitness can be achieved by first devising a fitness program. In order to do so the resting heart rate (RHR) and target heart rate (THR) must first be determined. …show more content…

“Nutrition is the science/study of ways in which the body uses food. It is also the study of how and why we make food choices” (Lesson 18). Nutrients are substances in food that provide energy for body tissues and are necessary for life and growth. There are six classes of nutrients: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water. Carbohydrates are a class of energy-giving nutrients that include sugars, starches, and fiber. Carbohydrates can be simple (donuts, chocolate, french fries, and gummy bears) or complex (bread, pasta, broccoli, oatmeal, and bananas). Fats are a class of energy-giving nutrients and are the main form in which energy is stored in the body. Fats can be good or bad for you and are either saturated (meats, butter, dairy) or unsaturated (vegetable oils). Proteins are nutrients made up of amino acids, which are needed to build/ repair body structures and to regulate processes in the body. There are incomplete proteins (fruits, vegetables, oats, bread, and rice) and complete (meat and dairy) versions of proteins. Water is an essential class of nutrients that keeps you alive and is necessary for almost every bodily function. Our bodies are made of approximately 60% percent water and because exercise makes you lose water through sweating it is important to drink at least 8 glasses a day. Minerals are a class of nutrients needed for certain body processes such as enzyme activity and bone …show more content…

The guidelines include suggestions such as more nutrients/fewer calories, how to balance food/physical activity and how much should be eaten . Well known examples are the MyPyramid or MyPlate diagrams used nationally throughout schools. In the MyPyramid tool the food groups are organized by the nutrients the food contains and in the MyPlate diagram the foods are organized by the portion sizes that should be

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