- Physical Activity and Exercise

- Importance of an Active Lifestyle

- Barriers to an Active Lifestyle

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND EXERCISE

What is the recommended level or amount of physical activity to maintain good health?
The general idea of health promotion strategies is to encourage Filipinos to move more. It is recommended
that teenagers engage in physical activity for at least 60 minutes every day. In 2008, the Food and Nutrition
Research Institute (FNRI) reported that 86% of Filipino high school students in Manila fail to achieve to recommend
physical activity level. Moreover, the global study indicated that Filipino teenagers are one of the most sedentary in
the world because they only engage in physical activity for at least 60 minutes on an average of one day per week.
Physical activity involves any bodily movement caused by muscular contractions that result in the
expenditure of energy. It is usually classified according to its purpose such as occupational, transport-related,
household and recreational. Many people believe that one should engage in sports and exercise to be active, which
is misconception. In fact, sports and exercise are just part of the activities that can be classified under recreational
physical activity.
Exercise is planned program of physical activities usually designed to improve physical fitness with purpose of
increasing physical fitness level.
The Filipino Pyramid Activity Guide was developed by the Philippine Association for the Study of Obesity
and Overweight (2000) to encourage Filipinos to become more active. The Physical Activity pyramid shows
that performing more day-to-day activities such as walking and using stairs are the foundation in becoming
physically active.
The Physical Activity Pyramid provides a graphic representation of how physical fitness can be
achieved. Daily activities at the base of the pyramid are low in intensity and should be performed as often
as possible for at least 30minutes.

What are the benefits of becoming active and being physically fit?
Physical Fitness is a condition that allows the body to effectively cope with the demands of daily
activities and still has the energy to enjoy other active leisure activities. Physical fitness is a broad term and
has many components.
The health-related components of fitness
1. Aerobic Capacity. It is the ability of the heart, lungs, and blood vessels to supply oxygen and
nutrients to the working muscles efficiently in order to sustain prolonged rhythmical exercise.
2. Muscular Strength. It is the ability of the muscle to generate the greatest force.
3. Muscular Endurance. It is the ability of the muscle to resist fatigue when performing multiple
repetitions of a submaximal load.
4. Flexibility. It is the ability to move a joint without pain over its entire range of motion. It is affected
by the structure of the joint and the muscles surrounding the joint.
5. Body Composition. It refers to the total make up of the body using the concept of two component
model: the lean body mass and the body fat. It is often reported as the ratio of fat mass with the
overall body mass.

IMPORTANCE OF AN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE

Regular, moderate to high intensity of physical activity, and exercise was proven to improve overall health
and fitness. As such it;
• Improves bone, joint and muscle strength;
• Develops motor control and coordination;
• Helps maintain a healthy body composition;
• Improves the psychological functioning of an individual;
• Increases the efficiency of the lungs and the heart;
• Increases muscle strength and endurance;
• Protects from muscoskeletal problem such as “low back pain”
• Possibly delays the aging process;
• Reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease such as coronary artery disease and stroke;
• Promotes healthy cholesterol level;
• Helps regulate blood pressure;
• Decrease risk of type 2 diabetes;
 • Reduces the risk of breast and colon cancer;
• Improves control over anxiety and depression; and
• Builds self-esteem and social interaction.
The health benefits of regular exercise have been confirmed by hundreds of researchers in past 20
years. Experts agree that regular exercise helps prevent the development of noncommunicable disease
such as hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some forms of cancer.
A sedentary or inactive lifestyle has been considered by the WHO as a significant risk factor in the
development of many communicable disease.

What types of exercise can be performed to derive these health benefits?

An exercise program can consist of several exercises. Exercise are repetitive movements that aim
to improve one or more components of fitness. Exercise are generally classified as aerobic exercise,
resistance exercise, or stretching exercise.
1. Aerobic Exercise. Aerobic exercise involve large muscle groups (e.g., thighs) that perform rhythmic
and continuous movement for a prolonged period of time in order to improve aerobic capacity.
Examples include swimming, biking, running, and dancing.

Running is one of the best

aerobic exercises that require
minimal training and equipment.

2. Resistance Exercise. Resistance exercise require the muscle to contract against an external load
(e.g., barbell) in order to improve muscular strength, muscular endurance, and bone strength.

Resistance Training is highly

recommended to women to improve
bone and muscle strength.

3. Stretching Exercise. Stretching exercises

Increases the elasticity of muscles and tendons
surrounding the joint in order to improve flexibility.

All these exercises are incorporated in the exercise program, which is a detailed plan of work that
the individual has to perform to achieve his/her fitness goals.
 Regular exercise and frequent participation in moderate to high intensity physical activities lead to
changes in the various organs of the body.
The overall effects of regular exercise or training cover range of adaptation depending on the type of
exercise performed.

How important is stretching exercise in improving performance?

Stretching exercises are important in improving range of motion around the joints. It helps an
individual in performing daily task with efficiency. Flexibility training improves the efficiency of
movement. A regular stretching routine will also help correct muscle imbalance and improve
posture.

Are there psychological benefits from exercise?

The effects of training go beyond the biological changes. As much as these biological changes
lead to better health, an individual who regularly trains can experience psychological, emotional,
and even intellectual benefits. Exercise psychologist found strong evidence that regular exercise
improves the mood of an individual and reduces anxiety. Some forms of stretching exercise trigger
relaxation by reducing muscle tightness. Exercise is also claimed to stimulate the release of feel-
good brain chemicals called endorphins.

Some Individuals engage in exercise to release tension

and manage stress.
 BARRIERS TO AN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE
The common barriers to change usually occur when a person is between the Preparation and Action
Stage. Individuals in Pre-contemplation and Contemplation stage can be motivated to adopt a new
behavior by showing the benefits and providing encouragement that change is possible.

BARRIER
I do not have the time
I am always tired
I do not know how
I do not have enough
money
I don’t feel any support
• The barriers in the Preparation Stage are common to people who are adopting a healthy behavior
for the first time.
Preparation Stage
Solution
Prioritize activities and cut back some time from the non-essential
activities to be able to exercise.
Make a physical activity diary and analyze which part of the day you more
energy and schedule your work-out around that period.
Read journals and articles on the best practices as well as ask people who
have been successful at adopting the healthy behavior.
There are numerous exercise regimens that are not expensive such as
running and swimming
Inform family and friends about the new behavior or join a activity club that
has the same interest.

Action Stage
BARRIER Solution
I am not motivated Create a list of pros and cons of the positive behavior that will serve as a
reminder; Focus on changing the behavior instead of the outcome and
write a SMART goal.
I lack willpower Identify what triggers the backslide and be conscious when it happens;
Implement a reward system.
I easily get discouraged Avoid negative self-talk and replace them with encouraging words.
• The barriers in the Action Stage reflects the ability of the individual to sustain the new behavior.
 SUMMARY
Physical Inactivity is one of the major risk factors in developing noncommunicable diseases
such as heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. The importance of engaging in various forms of physical
activity has been the theme of hundreds of studies. It is now clear that following the prescribed amount of
physical activity reduces the risk of premature death. There are several guidelines that were created to
help Filipinos in choosing activities and exercises. These are variety of exercise as well that an individual
can incorporate in his/her exercise program, such aerobic, resistance, and stretching exercises. Each type
of exercise stimulates a different adaptive response that will benefit the psychological and mental well-
being of the individual.