Staying Fit and Healthy

1
Staying Fit and Healthy

• Julia Walsh
• Director of Sport Studies and Physical Education
• Paudie Roche
• Mardyke Arena
• Strength and Conditioning Coach

2
Why engage in a fitness programme?

• Health benefits
• The joy of physical engagement
• Medical necessity
• Social reasons
• Specific short term motivations
• Preparation for engagement in other forms of
  sport

3
Benefits of Regular Physical Activity

• Exercise improves your mood
• Exercise combats chronic diseases
• Reduces the risk of developing diabetes
• Reduces the risk of dying prematurely from heart
  disease
• Reduces risk of developing high blood pressure
• Reduces the risk of developing colon cancer
• Exercise helps you manage your weight
• Exercise helps build and maintain healthy bones,
  muscles and joints
• Exercise strengthens your heart and lungs
• Exercise promotes better sleep
• Exercise can be gasp Fun!

4
How exercise influences the mind and emotional
well being

• Physiological Explanations
• Increases in cerebral blood flow
• Changes in brain transmitters
• Increases in maximal oxygen consumption and
  delivery of oxygen to cerebral tissues.
• Reduction in muscle tension.
• Structural changes in the brain
• Psychological Explanations
• Enhanced feeling of control
• Feeling of competency and self-efficacy
• Positive social interactions
• Improved self-concept and self-esteem
• Opportunities for fun and enjoyment

5
Stages of Change

• Exercise engagement

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Starting an exercise programme

• Choose activities you enjoy.
• Physical activity can be accumulated by through a
  variety of activities, not just running.
• Record your progress.
• Use feedback mechanisms pedometers, heart-rate
  monitors, take your heart-rate.
• Reward yourself

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Selecting an Activity

• What type of physical activity suits you?
• Do you like to work out by yourself or with
  others?

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Guidelines for Healthy Adults lt65yrs

• Do moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day,
  five days a week
• or
• Do vigorously intense cardio 20 minutes a day , 3
  days a week
• and
• Do 8 to 10 strength-training exercises, 8 to 12
  repetitions of each exercise twice a week.
• Tips for meeting the guidelines
• Do it in short bouts minimum bout is 10 minutes
• Mix it up combine moderate and intense exercise
• Set your schedule
• The gym isnt necessary
• Make it a family affair

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Guidelines for Healthy Adults gt65yrs

• Do moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day,
  five days a week
• or
• Do vigorously intense cardio 20 minutes a day , 3
  days a week
• and
• Do eight to 10 strength-training exercises, 10 to
  15 repetitions of each exercise twice to three
  times a week.
• and
• If you are of risk of falling, perform balance
  exercises.
• and
• Have a physical activity plan.
• Key points to guidelines for older adults
• Start and get help if you need it.
• Functional health
• Strength training prevents loss of muscle mass
  and bone
• If you can exceed the minimum requirements do it!
• Flexibility stretch every day

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Inverse relationship between duration and
intensity
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How to correctly weigh yourself....
                                                  
                                                  
  
 I can't believe I was doing it wrong all these
years !
 I can't believe I was doing it wrong all these
years !
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Frequently asked questions

• Do I really need to have a medical check-up?
• I was a good athlete in my younger days, can I
  turn back the clock twenty years and perform at
  that level again?
• I dont really like running is there any other
  type of activity that I can do to improve my
  fitness.
• How do I measure intensity?
• Last time I used the gym I made great progress
  for 3 months and then strength gains reduced.
  Then I gave up, what did I do wrong?
• If I start a strength programme will I become
  muscle bound?
• How can I accomplish 10,000 steps a day!
• In my job I travel a lot and this makes it very
  difficult for me to engage in a fitness routine.
  Is there any other alternative.
• What is functional fitness?
• What is core stability and should I engage in
  this activity?
• How important is stretching? When do I stretch?