How to Achieve 'Anytime Fitness'

Modern life demands that all individuals should stay fit in order to keep up with the sometimes wild pace of daily life. Fitness refers to a person's capacity to adapt favorably and release stress brought about by changing conditions. If you're physically fit, then your mind or body will handle the pressure much more easily. As you can see, fitness is not only about physical strength but mental stability as well.

Image via WikipediaIn many ways, fitness is synonymous with health. We all want good health, and to achieve such state, a person must stay fit. Good health and fitness are interrelated. When a person is fit, then that person is considered healthy; and if a person is healthy, his or her fitness level is usually pretty good.

Often people disregard the importance of fitness. They overlook their responsibility to their bodies, themselves, and their loved ones to stay fit at all times. Life offers a lot of pleasure and joy to be experienced while we are here; but if you're always ill you can't enjoy these pleasures to their fullest. Remember - illness and dysfunction is not a natural state!

Is "anytime fitness" (or constant fitness) possible? It is, but you must focus on the positive in order to see opportunities to increase your fitness in your daily life. By doing so, you will not only be more fit and healthy, but will improve your life overall, look fresher, and be less stressed. For example, if your car breaks down, see if you are close enough to home that you can walk. (I used to do this all the time in college, when I had a very old and unreliable car.) The extra exercise will not only contribute to your overall fitness, but will most likely lift your spirits enough that, by the time you get home, you will have relieved any stress you were feeling about the car when you started out. Talk about making lemonade!

Think of every situation as an opportunity to stay fit - this is key to keeping fit without having to constantly "work" at it. You can make the most out of your independence, have peace of mind, and be more confident in your ability to handle any situation.

Training for fitness focuses primarily on the different groups of muscles, ultimately resulting in muscular fitness, aerobic fitness, and increased stability and flexibility. There are other factors to consider before deciding to do a physical activity, like your physical capability. Do check with your doctor before performing any activity that requires physical strength.

There are many types of aerobic exercise. You can try running, dancing, swimming, or even cycling. You will probably want to limit your aerobic exercise to about 30-40 minutes per day (more than this can get tiring and put too much of a strain on your body, especially if you aren't that fit to start with). (See previous posts on this blog for more ideas for fun aerobic exercise.)

Image via WikipediaIn order for your muscles to build endurance and strength, you will also need to focus on your muscular fitness. You can better enhance your muscular fitness if you do some strength training, which will increase the mass of your lean muscles, and strengthen your bones, as well as improve your metabolism. Also related to your muscle strength are balance and stability. For this, do exercises that help strengthen your core and trunk area.

And you will also need to work on your flexibility. You should do some exercise every day that stretches your muscles and moves your joint through their full range of motion. Tai Chi, Pilates, and Yoga are some great forms of exercise for increasing your flexibility (as well as some of the other aspects of fitness listed above).

Keeping fit doesn't have to always be a chore - if you keep an eye out for opportunities to get some exercise on a daily basis, and supplement that with a few fun workout routines, you will find yourself becoming more fit in no time.