Fitness

Press, 26 August 1980, Page 21

Fitness

Physical fitness complements a balanced diet in maintaining good health. It does not involve a great deal of time to achieve,. but is necessary for the full enjoyment of living. Research by the Royal Canadian Air Force has shown that a physically-fit person is able to withstand fatigue longer than the unfit, is better equipped to tolerate physical stress and has a stronger and more efa ficient heart. Moreover, there is a relationship between fitness and both mental alertness and the absence of nervous tension.

Muscle tone is important to die way a person looks and feels, and it has been clearly established that the most effective way of taking off weight and keeping it off is through a programme combining exercise and

diet. . \ ; A balanced set of exercises performed regularly and with vigour caters for the whole body, increasing the tone, strength, and endurance of muscles, and their flexibility. Considerable benefit can be gained by just 10 minutes exercise each day, along with the use of simple activities for exercise, such as lifting a chair to move it,- rubbing down vigorously after a shower and welcoming opportunities for a brisk walk.

The human body functions best well below its. acquired capability, so a physical capacity welh above that needed" for normal daily tasks gives a greater reserve of energyfor leisure time activities.

Along with relaxation and a healthy diet, fitness is an important ingredient in the achievement of optimum, total well-being.