The 411 on Fitness

Being physically active offers MANY benefits like:
- helping to control weight (both loss & maintenance);
- reducing stress & improving mood;
- improving sleep quality;
- improving longevity & quality of life;
- strengthening bones, joints, & muscles (often helping with arthritis);
- reducing your risk of heart disease, diabetes, & some cancers; etc.

For general wellness, experts recommend around 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days. When used for weight loss or maintenance, many people will need to increase duration (amount of time), frequency (how often), or intensity (how hard they're working).

A well-rounded fitness routine includes 3 parts:
- cardio-- activities that make you breathe harder & your heart beat faster;
- weight or resistance training-- activities that challenge & strengthen your muscles;
- flexibility-- activities that help stretch muscles & improve balance.


For more detailed info, check out:
- Centers for Disease Control's The Benefits of Physical Activity
- NIDDK's Weight-Control Information Network's Physical Activity & Weight Control
- ChooseMyPlate's Physical Activity.