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fItness guIdelInes
EXERCISE AND FITNESS GUIDELINES
No single fitness program is suitable for all. All fitness programs should be designed by fitness professionals who
are trained to tailor the program to the individual goals and fitness levels of each client. The following information on
exercise intensity, duration, and frequency is based on averages and is included here only as a guideline for use by fitness
professionals. Programs should be altered for comfort and safety when necessary.
EXERCISE AND HEALTH
It is not a secret that lack of exercise is increasingly becoming a major health issue. Obesity is on the rise, and being
overweight can contribute to an increased risk in heart attack, diabetes, high blood pressure and other life threatening
illnesses.
Most people do not get enough activity during the day to make up for the time they spend at their desks, driving their
cars or sitting in front of their televisions. We have learned that exercising is not simply something we must do to look
good and have a great body. Exercise is a requirement for health, and overall wellness, not to mention it can help you feel
great!
The good news is that we are seeing more and more research that indicates we don’t have to exercise intensely to see
the benefits. Sure, it is great if you can workout for 30-40 minutes at a time, five days a week. But it is not essential.
Shorter bouts of exercise can have a great effect (especially if you are just starting out), and a little bit of exercise at a
time is much better than none at all.
And what is really exciting is that research indicates that whether you are young or old, people who workout at light to
moderate intensities may have an easier time sticking to their exercise programs than those people who work out harder
and more often.
So, you do not need to be an athlete or a fitness “die-hard” to benefit from exercise… you just need to get started,
exercise at levels that are comfortable and enjoyable to you and stick with it!
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