Physical Activity and Exercise

Module Overview

• Module focuses on understanding physical activity and exercise
• Aims to help one differentiate between physical activity and exercise
• Focuses on realizing the importance of exercise
• Encourages partaking in physical activities as an alternative

Expectations

• Differentiate physical activity from exercise
• Realize importance of exercise for physical fitness
• Engage in physical activities as an alternative to exercise

Pretest

• Self-assessment true/false statements to gauge understanding

Recap

• Previous lessons covered staying physically fit and understanding how activities help to maintain, lose, or gain weight

Physical Activity and Exercise

• Physical activity and exercise are important for all age groups
• Connecting positive emotions to chosen activities helps in making being physically active a part of someone's lifestyle
• Making physical activity/exercise a habit helps in feeling that it is enjoyable and fun

Physical Activity Defined

• Any movement of the body that requires energy expenditure
• Excludes sitting still or lying down
• Examples include walking to class, using the stairs, mowing, and cleaning
• Provides a way of improving and maintaining physical fitness

Exercise Defined

• A type of physical activity, but not all physical activity is exercise
• Planned, structured, and repetitive

Importance of Physical Activity

• Helps reduce excessive fat accumulation, known as obesity

Obesity

• Defined as excessive fat accumulation that impairs health
• Characterized by a wide range of medical complications

Obesity Contributing Factors

• Genetics
• Lifestyle Choices
• Viruses

Obesity Risk Factors

• Physical activity
• Excess caloric intake
• Low socioeconomic status
• Non-modifiable factors are age, heredity, ethnicity/race, culture, and metabolism

Expert Opinions

• Regular physical activity improves overall health, fitness, and reduces risk for chronic diseases (Center for Disease Control, 2010)
• World Health Association Defines Health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease
• The American Academy of Sport Medicine defines health-related fitness as a set of attributes one already has or works towards; it develops through physical activity

Chronic Diseases

• Conditions impairing daily living, with examples including cancer, heart and Alzheimer’s disease

Benefits of Physical Activity

• Reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, certain cancers, and other chronic health conditions
• Helps with weight control
• Strengthens bones and muscles
• Improves mental health, mood, and energy level
• Enhances quality of life

Exercise Recommendations

• The World Health Organization (WHO) and American Heart Association (AHA) advocate 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity weekly
• Time intervals should be at least 10 minutes or more per session

Aerobic Exercise

• Helps breathing and builds fitness
• Beneficial at moderate intensity
• A brisk walk or steady cycle ride provides benefits

Strength Building

• Muscle strength decreases by up to eight percent per decade after age 30
• Those who reach 80 can lose 40 percent of their muscle strength
• Activities like pilates and physiotherapy help in building muscle

Balance Training

• Improves core strength, which is helpful for all ages and crucial for those at risk of falls
• Tai Chi, dance, and playing bowls help balance

Endurance

• Improved by sustaining an activity for increasing periods
• Example: Progressing from walking 10 minutes to 15 then 20

Flexibility

• Improves quality of life
• Decreases if sitting for long periods
• Stretches, yoga, tai chi and pilates help

Exercise Intensity

• Exercise can be done at different levels of intensity

Moderate Intensity Exercise

• Increases breathing rate and body temperature slightly, and the heart beats faster
• Being able to hold a conversation while breathing a bit faster/harder than normal

Vigorous Intensity Exercise

• High-intensity exercise, such as running, gets you sweaty and out of breath

Warming Up and Cooling Down

• Worth doing when doing moderate or high intensity workouts
• Can include a slower walk or other stretches

Activity

• Examples of the exercises someone can do including: crunches, lunges, jumping jacks, bicycle crunches, squats, mountain climbers, Russian twists, and pushups

Fitness Journey Journal

• Narrative per home activity to complete a fitness journal with the goal of improving hygeine

Wrap-Up: Importance of Healthy Lifestyle

• Healthy lifestyle is essential
• Thinking and cognition improves, anxiety reduces, thinking and judgment skills preserved, and depression and sleep quality are positively impacted
• Physical activity helps maintain cardiovascular and respiratory health
• COVID-19 mainly attacks the respiratory system