Module 1, Lesson 4

INTRODUCTION TO NUTRITION AND

FITNESS

Introduction:

This module will analyze the principles of correct body mechanics

related to daily activities; perform activities which are valuable in body and
the personality development; recognize the contribution of the physical
fitness to total well-being and rich full life; enjoy the activities that are not
only satisfying but have great carry-over values; participate actively and
enthusiastically in activities that will improve one’s physical fitness and well-
being; develop skills in the use of performing exercises, self-testing and
physical fitness activities; demonstrate an understanding of body
conditioning, organic development and correction of minor postural defects
and to enhance understanding of various activities that are not only
satisfying but have great carry-over values..

Read the discussion and answer the questions/assessment that

follows. Perform the activity and submit via GOOGLE CLASSROOM or
detached the worksheets and submit.

Intended Learning Outcomes: Upon completion of this Module, you must

have to:

1. Comprehended the importance of Nutrition to physical activity and fitness.

2. Identified and understand the benefits of fitness “vis a- vis” to nutrition.

3. Critiqued and compared the well- balanced food intake and its value
towards workload.

4. Created and designed a modified Nutritive food preparation for Sports

training.

5. Evaluated and assessed the value of Nutrition towards fitness

preparation and even to our daily life activities for a very productive
endeavor.
Learning Content:

Introduction to Nutrition and Fitness

1. FITNES
S

Many people strive to be fit. Fitness, after all, is synonymous with

health. Having a high level of overall fitness is linked with a lower risk of
chronic disease, as well as a better ability to manage health issues that do
come up. Better fitness also promotes more functionality and mobility
throughout one’s life span. And in the short term, being active can help your
day-to-day functioning, from better mood to sharper focus to better sleep.
Simply put: Our bodies are meant to move, and they tend to function better
when we’re more fit.

That said, it’s also important to know that there are many different
ways to be fit (think of a ballet dancer versus a bodybuilder or a sprinter
versus a gymnast). And fitness does not have a singular “look.” In fact,
appearance can’t necessarily tell you about someone’s habits, whether
they’re actually physically active, or even whether they’re fit at all.

What It Means to Be Fit?

According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans set forth by

the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), there are five
components of physical fitness:

 Cardiorespiratory Fitness. Your VO2 max is a commonly used measure

of this. It’s your body’s ability to uptake and utilize oxygen (which
feeds all of your tissues), something that is directly related to your
health and quality of life, says Abbie Smith-Ryan, PhD, professor and
director of the Applied Physiology Laboratory at the University of North
Carolina in Chapel Hill.
 Musculoskeletal Fitness. This includes muscle strength, endurance, and
power.
 Flexibility. This is the range of motion of your joints.
 Balance. This is your ability to stay on your feet and steady to avoid
falls.
 Speed. This is how quickly you can move.

A frequently cited peer-reviewed research paper from 1985 defined the

difference between the terms “physical activity” (bodily movement
resulting in energy expenditure), “exercise” (planned and structured
physical activity), and “physical fitness.” The paper defined physical
fitness as a set of attributes that people have or achieve that determines
their ability to carry out daily tasks with vigor and alertness, without
undue fatigue. Cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular endurance,
muscular strength, body composition, and flexibility are components that
can be used to measure fitness, also according to that paper.
 In the real world, fitness translates to function, says Dr. Smith-Ryan. For
example, can you carry your groceries or walk up the stairs without getting
winded? Can you run around the backyard with your kids? Can you climb the
stairs?

Exercise is distinct from fitness because exercise is what you do to

improve your fitness.

Types of Fitness

There are a few main components of fitness, all of which are important for
building a well-rounded exercise routine. Below, you will find the ones
included in the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, which HHS
highlights as the components that should be included in weekly exercise.
(It’s worth noting that many definitions of fitness include other components
as well, such as endurance, muscular endurance, power, speed, balance, and
agility — as mentioned above.)

1. Aerobic (Cardiovascular) Exercise

Aerobic exercise is the foundation of every fitness program — and for

good reason. Also called cardiovascular exercise or cardio, this type of
physical activity increases your heart rate and breathing rate, which
improves your cardiorespiratory fitness, according to the American Heart
Association.

Aerobic exercise includes activities like brisk walking, running, cycling,

swimming, aerobic fitness classes (like kickboxing), tennis, dancing, yard
work, tennis, and jumping rope, per the Physical Activity Guidelines.

2. Strength Training

Strength training is an important way to improve mobility and overall

functioning, particularly as you get older. “As you age, you lose muscle
mass, which can have a significant impact on the quality of life. Strength
exercises build bones and muscle, and more muscle protects your body from
falls and the fractures that can happen in older age,” says Robert Sallis, MD,
a family medicine doctor at Kaiser Permanente in Fontana, California, and
chairman of the Exercise Is Medicine initiative with the American College of
Sports Medicine (ACSM).

According to the ACSM, the definition of strength or resistance training

is exercise that is “designed to improve muscular fitness by exercising a
muscle or a muscle group against external resistance.” Activities that answer
this call include lifting weights, using resistance bands or your body weight,
carrying heavy loads, and even strenuous gardening, per the Physical
Activity Guidelines from HHS.
3. Flexibility and Mobility

Flexibility and mobility are both important components of healthy

movement, according to the International Sports Sciences Association.
However, they are not synonymous. Flexibility refers to the ability of
tendons, muscles, and ligaments to stretch, while mobility refers to the
body’s ability to take a joint through its full range-of-motion.

There is no specific recommendation for the number of minutes you

should do activities that improve flexibility or mobility (such as stretching),
and the health benefits of those activities are not known because of a lack of
research on the topic, according to the Physical Activity Guidelines from HHS.
But the guidelines note that flexibility exercises are important for physical
fitness.

And the guidelines do recommend that older adults incorporate

balance training into their weekly fitness routine. Evidence suggests that
regular exercise that includes balance training can significantly reduce older
adults’ risk of falls, which can cause serious and debilitating injuries, among
other consequences.

4. Rest and Recovery

Building in rest and recovery days allows time for your body to repair
the natural damage that occurs to muscles during exercise. Exercise, by
definition, puts stress on the muscles and the body. The repairing or healing
of that stress is how you get stronger (and fitter). But you need to give the
body adequate rest after a workout for that recovery process to happen.

Recovery days can include no physical activity at all or they may look
like an active recovery day, which means doing low-intensity, low-impact
forms of exercise, such as walking or gentle yoga. Dr. Sallis generally
recommends doing some activity every day, such as a 10-minute walk
outdoors.

For rest and recovery days, the idea isn’t that you’re immobile on your
couch; it’s just that you’re not pushing yourself to a point where physical
activity feels strenuous or challenging.

Fitness Helps You Manage Chronic Disease

Exercise helps the body function, and that includes managing other
chronic health problems. According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), if you have osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, type 2
diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, dementia, or have had a
stroke or cancer, physical activity can help. Exercise can help decrease pain,
improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control, promote mobility,
improve heart health, lower the risk of other chronic diseases, and play a
role in good mental health.
 If you have a chronic disease and you’re looking to stay active or get
more active, a walking routine is generally a safe place to start. “The vast
majority of people do not need clearance from their doctor to start walking,
unless your physician has told you specifically that they don’t want you
exercising,” says Sallis.

He says he wishes that more people would look at physical activity as a

baseline and that: “You need to get clearance from your doctor not to
exercise,” he says. But if you get excessively short of breath, experience
chest pain, or have any other concerning symptoms, call your doctor.

2. ACTIVITY GUIDELINES

Key Guidelines
Below are the key guidelines included in the Physical Activity Guidelines.
Key Guidelines for Preschool-Aged Children
• Preschool-aged children (ages 3 through 5 years) should be physically
active throughout the dayto enhance growth and development.
• Adult caregivers of preschool-aged children should encourage active play
that includes a variety of activity types.
Key Guidelines for Children and Adolescents
• It is important to provide young people opportunities and encouragement
to participate in physical activities that are appropriate for their age, that are
enjoyable, and that offer variety.
• Children and adolescents ages 6 through 17 years should do 60 minutes (1
hour) or
more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily:
• Aerobic: Most of the 60 minutes or more per day should be either
moderate- or vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity and should include
vigorous-intensity physical activity on at least 3 days a week.
• Muscle-strengthening: As part of their 60 minutes or more of daily physical
activity, children and adolescents should include muscle-strengthening
physical activity on at least 3 days a week.
• Bone-strengthening: As part of their 60 minutes or more of daily physical
activity,
children and adolescents should include bone-strengthening physical activity
on at least 3 days a week.
Key Guidelines for Adults
• Adults should move more and sit less throughout the day. Some physical
activity is better than none. Adults who sit less and do any amount of
moderate-to-vigorous physical activity gain some health benefits.
• For substantial health benefts, adults should do at least 150 minutes (2
hours and 30 minutes) to 300 minutes (5 hours) a week of moderate-
intensity, or 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) to 150 minutes (2 hours
and 30 minutes) a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an
equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous- intensity aerobic activity.
Preferably, aerobic activity should be spread throughout the week.
• Additional health benefts are gained by engaging in physical activity
beyond the
equivalent of 300 minutes (5 hours) of moderate-intensity physical activity a
week.
• Adults should also do muscle-strengthening activities of moderate or
greater intensity and that involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days
a week, as these activities provide additional health benefts.
Key Guidelines for Older Adults
The key guidelines for adults also apply to older adults. In addition, the
following key guidelines are just for older adults:
• As part of their weekly physical activity, older adults should do
multicomponent physical activity that includes balance training as well as
aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities.
• Older adults should determine their level of effort for physical activity
relative to their
level of fitness.
• Older adults with chronic conditions should understand whether and
how their
conditions affect their ability to do regular physical activity safely.
• When older adults cannot do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic
activity a week because of chronic conditions, they should be as physically
active as their abilities and conditions allow.
Key Guidelines for Women During Pregnancy and the Postpartum
Period
• Women should do at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) of
moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week during pregnancy and the
postpartum period. Preferably, aerobic activity shouldbe spread throughout
the week.
• Women who habitually engaged in vigorous-intensity aerobic activity or
who were physically active before pregnancy can continue these activities
during pregnancy and the postpartum period.
• Women who are pregnant should be under the care of a health care
provider who can monitor the progress of the pregnancy. Women who are
pregnant can consult their health care provider about whether or how to
adjust their physical activity during pregnancy and after the baby is born.
Key Guidelines for Adults with Chronic Health Conditions and
Adults with Disabilities
• Adults with chronic conditions or disabilities, who are able, should do at
least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) to 300 minutes (5 hours) a week
of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) to 150 minutes
(2 hours and 30 minutes) a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical
activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity
aerobic activity. Preferably, aerobic activity should be spread throughout the
week.
• Adults with chronic conditions or disabilities, who are able, should also do
muscle- strengthening activities of moderate or greater intensity and that
involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week, as these activities
provide additional health benefits.
• When adults with chronic conditions or disabilities are not able to meet the
above key guidelines, they should engage in regular physical activity
according to their abilities and should avoid inactivity.
• Adults with chronic conditions or symptoms should be under the care of a
health care provider. People with chronic conditions can consult a health care
professional or physical activity specialist about the types and amounts of
activity appropriate for their abilities and chronic conditions.
Key Guidelines for Safe Physical Activity
To do physical activity safely and reduce risk of injuries and other adverse
events, people should:
• Understand the risks, yet be confident that physical activity can be safe for
almost everyone.
• Choose types of physical activity that are appropriate for their current
fitness level and health goals, because some activities are safer than others.
• Increase physical activity gradually over time to meet key guidelines or
health goals. Inactive people should “start low and go slow” by starting with
lower intensity activities and gradually increasing how often and how long
activities are done.
• Protect themselves by using appropriate gear and sports equipment,
choosing safe environments, following rules and policies, and making
sensible choices about when, where, and how to be active.
• Be under the care of a health care provider if they have chronic conditions
or symptoms. People with chronic conditions and symptoms can consult a
health care professional or physical activity specialist about the types and
amounts of activity appropriate for them.

3. TRAINING
Fitness training: Elements of a well-rounded routine
Fitness training balances five elements of good health. Make sure your
routine includes aerobic fitness, strength training, core exercises, balance
training, and flexibility and stretching.
You may only be starting to take the first steps on the road to fitness.
Or you may be excited about exercise and want to improve your results.
Either way, a well-rounded fitness training plan is essential. Add these five
elements to your fitness program to have a balanced routine.
Aerobic fitness
Aerobic activity, also known as cardio or endurance activity, is the core
of most fitness training programs. Aerobic activity or exercise causes you to
breathe faster and more deeply. The breathing boosts how much oxygen is
in the blood. The heart will beat faster, which sends more blood flow to the
muscles and back to the lungs.
The better the aerobic fitness, the more efficiently the heart, lungs and
blood vessels carry oxygen throughout the body. And it will likely be easier to
do routine physical tasks. Aerobic activity includes any physical activity that
uses large muscle groups and raises the heart rate, such as:

 Walking
 Jogging
 Biking
 Swimming
 Dancing
 Water aerobics
 Leaf raking
 Snow shoveling
 Vacuuming
For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services
recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes
of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a combination of moderate and
vigorous activity. The guidelines suggest that you spread out this exercise
during the course of a week. To help with weight loss or staying at a healthy
weight, at least 300 minutes a week is recommended. You can even break
up activity into shorter periods of exercise and aim to move more during the
day. Any amount is better than none at all.
 You also can try high-intensity interval training, also called HIIT. HIIT
involves doing short bursts of intense activity of around 30 seconds. Then
you have recovery periods of lighter activity for around 1 to 2 minutes. So
you can switch between brisk walking and relaxed walking, for example. Or
add bursts of jogging in your brisk walks.
Strength training
Strength training is another key part of a fitness training plan.
Muscular fitness can help you increase bone strength and muscle fitness.
And it can help you stay at a healthy weight or lose weight. It also can
improve your skills in doing everyday activities. Aim to do strength training
of all the major muscle groups at least twice a week.
Most gyms offer many resistance machines, free weights and other
strength training tools. But you don't need to be a gym member or buy
costly equipment to get strength training benefits.
Hand-held weights or homemade weights, such as plastic soft drink
bottles filled with water or sand, may work just as well. Or use low-cost
resistance bands. Your own body weight counts too. Try pushups, pullups,
situps and leg squats.
Core exercises
The muscles in the stomach area, also called abdomen, lower back and
pelvis are known as the core muscles. Core muscles help protect the back
and connect upper and lower body movements. Core strength is a key part
of a well-rounded fitness training program.
Core exercises help train the muscles to support the spine in the back.
And they help to use the upper and lower body muscles more effectively. So
what counts as a core exercise? A core exercise is any exercise that uses the
trunk of the body without support. Some core exercises are bridges, planks,
situps and fitness ball exercises.
Balance training
Balance exercises can help you keep your balance at any age. Older
adults especially may think about regularly doing exercises to keep or
improve balance. This is important because balance tends to worsen with
age. Poor balance can lead to falls and broken bones, called fractures.
Balance exercises can help older adults prevent falls and keep doing things
on their own.
But anyone can be helped by balance training. It can help steady,
called stabilize, the core muscles. Try standing on one leg for longer periods
of time to improve your stability. Activities such as tai chi can boost balance
too.
Flexibility and stretching
Flexibility is an important piece of physical fitness. Aim to have
stretching and flexibility activities in a fitness plan. Stretching exercises can
help increase flexibility. Being more flexible can make it easier for you to do
many everyday activities.
Stretching can also improve the range of motion of the joints. And
stretching may help with better posture. Regular stretching can even help
lessen stress and tension. Think about stretching after you exercise when
muscles are warm and open to stretching. Try to hold your stretches for at
least 30 seconds. If you want to stretch before a workout, warm up first. Walk
or exercise for 5 to 10 minutes before stretching.
Try to stretch each time you exercise. If you don't exercise often, you
might want to stretch at least 2 to 3 times a week after warming up to keep
flexible. Activities such as yoga help you stay flexible too.

Have all the basics

You can make your own fitness training program or ask for help from a
personal trainer. But your complete exercise plan should have many parts.
Aim to have aerobic fitness, strength training, core exercises, balance
training, and flexibility and stretching in your exercise plan. You don't need
to fit each of these elements into every fitness workout. But adding them to
your regular routine can help you to have fitness for life.

4. HIGH INTENSITY INTERVAL

TRAINING What is high intensity
interval training?
HIIT involves short bursts of intense exercise alternated with low
intensity recovery periods. Interestingly, it is perhaps the most time-efficient
way to exercise. Typically, a HIIT workout will be 10–30 minutes in duration.
Despite how short the workout is, it can produce health benefits similar to
twice as much moderate-intensity exercise.
The actual activity being performed varies but can include sprinting,
biking, jumping rope, or other bodyweight exercises. For example, a HIIT
workout using a stationary bike could consist of 30 seconds of cycling as fast
as possible with high resistance, followed by several minutes of slow, easy
cycling with low resistance.
This would be considered one “round” or “repetition” of HIIT, and you
would typically complete 4–6 reps in one workout. The specific amount of
time you exercise and recover will vary based on the activity you choose and
how intensely you are exercising.
Regardless of how you implement this strategy, high intensity intervals
should involve short periods of vigorous exercise that make your heart rate
speed up. HIIT not only provides the benefits of longer-duration exercise in a
much shorter amount of time but also may provide some unique health
benefits.
HIIT benefits
A. HIIT can burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time
You can burn calories quickly using HIIT. One study compared the
calories burned during 30 minutes each of HIIT, weight training, running, and
biking. The researchers found that HIIT burned 25–30% more calories than
the other forms of exercise. In this study, a HIIT repetition consisted of 20
seconds of maximal effort followed by 40 seconds of rest. This means the
participants were actually exercising for only one-third of the time that the
running and biking groups were.
Although each workout session was 30 minutes long in this study, it is
common for HIIT workouts to be much shorter than traditional exercise
sessions. This is because HIIT allows you to burn about the same number of
calories but spend less time exercising.
B. Your metabolic rate is higher for hours after HIIT exercise
One of the ways HIIT helps you burn calories actually comes after
you’re done exercising. Several studies have demonstrated HIIT’s impressive
ability to increase your metabolic rate for hours after exercise. Some
researchers have even found that HIIT increases your metabolism after
exercise more so than jogging or weight training. The same study also found
that HIIT could shift the body’s metabolism toward using fat for energy rather
than carbs.
C. HIIT can help you lose fat
Studies have shown that HIIT can help you lose fat. One review looked
at 13 experiments and 424 adults with overweight or obesity. Interestingly, it
found that both HIIT and traditional moderate-intensity exercise can reduce
body fat and waist circumference. A range of other studies also indicate that
HIIT can reduce body fat despite the relatively short time commitment.
However, like other forms of exercise, HIIT may be most effective for fat loss
in people with overweight or obesity.
D. You might gain muscle using HIIT
In addition to helping with fat loss, HIIT could help increase muscle
mass in certain people. However, the gain in muscle mass is primarily in the
muscles being used the most, often those in the trunk and legs. Additionally,
increases in muscle mass are more likely to occur in people who were less
active to begin with. Some research in active people has failed to show
higher muscle mass after HIIT programs. Weight training continues to be the
gold standard form of exercise to increase muscle mass, but high intensity
intervals could support a small amount of muscle growth.
E. HIIT can improve oxygen consumption
Oxygen consumption is your muscles’ ability to use oxygen. Endurance
training is typically used to improve your oxygen consumption. Traditionally,
this consists of long sessions of continuous running or cycling at a steady
rate. However, it appears that HIIT can produce the same benefits in a
shorter amount of time. One study found that participants who performed
20-minute HIIT workouts 4 days per week for 5 weeks improved their oxygen
consumption by 9%.
This was almost identical to the improvement in oxygen consumption
in the other group in the study, who cycled continuously for 40 minutes per
day, 4 days per week. Another study found that 8 weeks of exercising on the
stationary bike using traditional exercise or HIIT increased oxygen
consumption by about 25%. Once again, the total time spent exercising was
much different between groups: 120 minutes per week of traditional exercise
versus only 60 minutes per week of HIIT. Additional studies also demonstrate
that HIIT can improve oxygen consumption.
F. HIIT can reduce heart rate and blood pressure
HIIT may have important health benefits as well. A large amount of
research indicates that it can reduce heart rate and blood pressure in people
with overweight and obesity, populations in which high blood pressure is
common. One study found that 8 weeks of HIIT on a stationary bike
decreased blood pressure as much as traditional, continuous endurance
training in adults with high blood pressure.
In this study, the endurance training group exercised 4 days per week
for 30 minutes per day, and the HIIT group exercised only 3 times per week
for 20 minutes per day. Some researchers have found that HIIT may even
reduce blood pressure more than the frequently recommended moderate-
intensity exercise. However, it appears that high intensity exercise does not
typically change blood pressure in people in the “normal” BMI range who
have normal blood pressure.
G. HIIT can reduce blood sugar
HIIT programs lasting less than 12 weeks can reduce blood sugar. A
summary of
50 studies found that HIIT not only reduces blood sugar but also improves
insulin resistance more than traditional continuous exercise. Based on this
information, it is possible that high intensity exercise is particularly beneficial
for those at risk for type 2 diabetes.
In fact, some experiments specifically in people with type 2 diabetes
have demonstrated the effectiveness of HIIT for improving blood sugar.
However, research in healthy people indicates that HIIT may be able to
improve insulin resistance even more than traditional continuous exercise.
H. HIIT improves aerobic and anaerobic performance
While its health benefits are very important, HIIT also improves
performance in both anaerobic and aerobic activities. Whether you’re an
athlete or a weekend warrior or you just enjoy running around with your kids,
HIIT training will improve your performance during these tasks with just a
few short sessions per week.

How to get started with HIIT

There are many ways to add high intensity intervals to your exercise routine,
so it isn’t hard to get started. To begin, you just need to choose your activity
(running, biking, jumping rope, etc.). Then, you can experiment with different
durations of exercise and recovery, or how long you’re performing intense
exercise and how long you’re recovering.
Tips
The following tips can help you create your own killer HIIT routine:
 Pick a modality you’re familiar with at lower intensity. For example,
don’t go all- out on running if you have not done any jogging lately.
 If you deal with joint pain, begin with a lower impact modality such as
cycling or swimming.
 Take long enough rest periods. You can maintain sufficient intensity for
HIIT only if you take rest periods equal to or longer than your work
periods.
 Keep work periods under 30 seconds. Work periods longer than 30
seconds will be difficult to sustain at the intensity required to count as
HIIT.
 Start with just a few cycles twice per week. HIIT training is very
demanding, especially when doing higher impact modalities. Adequate
recovery between training sessions is a must to avoid injuries.
Examples
Here are a few simple examples of HIIT workouts:
 Using a stationary bike, pedal as hard and fast as possible for 30
seconds. Then, pedal at a slow, easy pace for 2–4 minutes. Repeat this
pattern for 15–30 minutes.
 After jogging to warm up, sprint as fast as you can for 15 seconds.
Then, walk or jog at a slow pace for 1–2 minutes. Repeat this pattern
for 10–20 minutes.
 Perform squat jumps as quickly as possible for 30–90 seconds. Then,
 stand or walk for 30–90 seconds. Repeat this pattern for 10–20
minutes.
While these examples can get you started, you can modify your routine
based on your preferences.
 The bottom line
High intensity interval training is a very efficient way to exercise and
may help you burn more calories than you would with other forms of
exercise. Some of the calories burned as a result of high intensity intervals
come from a higher metabolism, which lasts for hours after exercise. Overall,
HIIT produces many of the same health benefits as other forms of exercise in
a shorter amount of time. These benefits include decreases in body fat, heart
rate, and blood pressure. HIIT may also help lower blood sugar and improve
insulin sensitivity. So, if you’re short on time and want to get active, consider
trying high intensity interval training.
5. BENEFITS OF FITNESS
What are the health benefits of
exercise? Regular exercise and
physical activity may:
 Help you control your weight. Along with diet, exercise plays an important
role in controlling your weight and preventing obesity. To maintain your
weight, the calories you eat and drink must equal the energy you burn. To
lose weight, you must use more calories than you eat and drink.

 Reduce your risk of heart diseases. Exercise strengthens your heart and
improves your circulation. The increased blood flow raises the oxygen levels
in your body. This helps lower your risk of heart diseases such as high
cholesterol, coronary artery disease, and heart attack. Regular exercise can
also lower your blood pressure and triglyceride levels.

 Help your body manage blood sugar and insulin levels. Exercise can lower
your blood sugar level and help your insulin work better. This can cut down
your risk for metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. And if you already
have one of those diseases, exercise can help you to manage it.

 Help you quit smoking. Exercise may make it easier to quit smoking by
reducing your cravings and withdrawal symptoms. It can also help limit the
weight you might gain when you stop smoking.

 Improve your mental health and mood. During exercise, your body releases
chemicals that can improve your mood and make you feel more relaxed. This
can help you deal with stress and reduce your risk of depression.

 Help keep your thinking, learning, and judgment skills sharp as you age.
Exercise stimulates your body to release proteins and other chemicals that
improve the structure and function of your brain.

 Strengthen your bones and muscles. Regular exercise can help kids and
teens build strong bones. Later in life, it can also slow the loss of bone
density that comes with age. Doing
 muscle-strengthening activities can help you increase or maintain your muscle
mass and strength.

 Reduce your risk of some cancers, including colon, breast , uterine, and lung
cancer.

 Reduce your risk of falls. For older adults, research shows that doing balance
and muscle- strengthening activities in addition to moderate-intensity
aerobic activity can help reduce your risk of falling.

 Improve your sleep. Exercise can help you to fall asleep faster and stay asleep
longer.

 Improve your sexual health. Regular exercise may lower the risk of erectile
dysfunction (ED) in men. For those who already have ED, exercise may help
improve their sexual function. In women, exercise may increase sexual
arousal.

 Increase your chances of living longer. Studies show that physical activity
can reduce your risk of dying early from the leading causes of death, like
heart disease and some cancers.

How can I make exercise a part of my regular routine?

 Make everyday activities more active. Even small changes can help. You can
take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk down the hall to a coworker's
office instead of sending an email. Wash the car yourself. Park further away
from your destination.

 Be active with friends and family. Having a workout partner may make you
more likely to enjoy exercise. You can also plan social activities that involve
exercise. You might also consider joining an exercise group or class, such as
a dance class, hiking club, or volleyball team.

 Keep track of your progress. Keeping a log of your activity or using a fitness
tracker may help you set goals and stay motivated.

 Make exercise more fun. Try listening to music or watching TV while you
exercise. Also, mix things up a little bit - if you stick with just one type of
exercise, you might get bored. Try doing a combination of activities.

 Find activities that you can do even when the weather is bad. You can walk
in a mall, climb stairs, or work out in a gym even if the weather stops you
from exercising outside.
6. NUTRITION VS FITNESS
 It’s no secret that what you eat and how much you exercise have health
benefits beyond weight loss. It’s common to want to make changes to both at
the same time, but
that’s easier said than done. So many people often wonder if eating better or
working
out is the best choice for their health.
Metabolic health refers to how well your body breaks down the blood
sugar and fat you consume. It’s determined by your genes, age, and weight,
among other things. But it’s important, because poor metabolic health is
associated with conditions like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Here, we’ll explain why both nutrition and exercise play an important
role in improving your metabolic health and reducing your health risks.
What are the benefits of a healthy diet and nutrition?
Technically, the word diet simply refers to a pattern of eating and
drinking behavior. But diet has become a dirty word to some people because
of the association of dieting with restricting what we eat to lose weight.
By contrast, nutrition refers to the quality of your food. A simple way to
think about your nutrition is to ask yourself: “Does my food contain nutrients
that nourish my body?” While dieting tends to focus on your short-term
goals, nutrition is a long-term component of your lifestyle.
Nutrition that supports metabolic health can help lower your risk of:
 Heart disease and stroke
 Certain cancers
 Obesity
 Diabetes
 Memory loss
 Premature death
Good nutrition is the goal, and there isn’t one particular plan that’s right
for everyone. That said, certain eating plans, like the Mediterranean diet and
the DASH diet, have been linked to improved health outcomes. The American
Heart Association also released new dietary guidelines in 2021.
Eating plans that benefit metabolic health include the following:
 A wide range of vegetables and fruits
 Healthy fats, like fatty fish, and plant oils, such as olive oil
 More plant-based proteins
 Less red meat
 Fewer than 2,000 mg of sodium per day
 Fewer processed foods
 Little to no alcohol
Overall, the goal is to make healthy eating a lifestyle rather than a
short-term fix. Crash dieting does not result in long-term health benefits. In
fact, weight cycling due to repeat dieting may lead to worse health
outcomes. Instead, it’s better to focus on
nutrition that supports your body’s needs and to choose an eating plan that
works for
you.
What are the benefits of exercise?
Exercise is essential for your metabolic health. Some exercise is better
than none to improve your well-being. However, to improve your metabolic
health, certain types of exercise are more beneficial than others. Two
important types of exercise for optimal metabolic health are resistance and
cardiovascular exercise.
Resistance exercises apply force to your muscle and cause the
muscles to grow in size. Experts recommend resistance training at least
twice per week.
Increased muscle tissue affects:
 Your body’s use of calories through building more lean body tissue
 Your body’s use of important hormones like insulin
 Hormones that control your appetite, like ghrelin
Cardiovascular exercise, or aerobic exercise, raises your heart rate and
your breathing rate. It exercises your heart and lungs while you burn energy.
Experts recommend getting at least 150 minutes of movement each week.
The benefits of aerobic exercise are:
 Lower risk of heart disease
 Improvements in blood pressure and cholesterol levels
 Lower risk of type 2 diabetes
 Weight management
In addition to these health benefits, both resistance and aerobic exercise
improve your longevity.

Which is more important for my health and longevity: diet or

exercise?
This is a tricky question to answer based on the current scientific
studies. Ideally, studies would look at the relationship between diet and
health independent of exercise. Or study the relationship between exercise
and health while excluding diet. But robust data like this does not exist. This
is because it’s difficult to control for — or eliminate — other lifestyle factors
that can affect the results.
Experts believe improving your dietary habits alone can improve your
longevity. This is because research supports a connection between poor diet
and health outcomes. On the other hand, there is evidence that consistent
exercise can improve longevity regardless of weight change. This study
wasn’t designed to compare the impact of diet on longevity with that of
exercise, but it’s still helpful. This is because most weight loss requires a
change in nutrition, so it’s assumed that there were no changes in nutrition.
 At the end of the day, diet and exercise both have independent
benefits on metabolic health. And research suggests the best way to improve
longevity is with multiple lifestyle changes. These include exercise, nutrition,
weight management, and limiting alcohol and smoking. What’s most
important is deciding the lifestyle change you are willing to make. Start with
that change, stick with it, and gradually add more changes.
7. FOOD IS OUR MEDICINE
Can Food Act as Medicine? All You Need to Know
What you choose to eat has profound effects on your overall health.
Research shows that dietary habits influence disease risk. While
certain foods may trigger chronic health conditions, others offer strong
medicinal and protective qualities. Thus, many people argue that food is
medicine.
Yet, diet alone cannot and should not replace medicine in all
circumstances. Although many illnesses can be prevented, treated, or even
cured by dietary and lifestyle changes, many others cannot.
Vitamins and minerals
Although your body only needs small amounts of vitamins and
minerals, they’re vital for your health. However, Western diets — high in
processed foods and low in whole foods like fresh produce — are typically
deficient in vitamins and minerals. Such deficiencies can substantially
increase your risk of disease.
For example, insufficient intakes of vitamin C, vitamin D, and folate
may harm your heart, cause immune dysfunction, and increase your risk of
certain cancers, respectively.
Beneficial plant compounds
Nutritious foods, including vegetables, fruits, beans, and grains, boast
numerous beneficial compounds, such as antioxidants. Antioxidants protect
cells from damage that may otherwise lead to disease. In fact, studies
demonstrate that people whose diets are rich in polyphenol antioxidants
have lower rates of depression, diabetes, dementia, and heart disease.
Fiber
Fiber is an essential part of a healthy diet. It not only promotes proper
digestion and elimination but also feeds the beneficial bacteria in your gut.
Thus, high-fiber foods like vegetables, beans, grains, and fruits help protect
against disease, decrease inflammation, and boost your immune system. On
the other hand, low-fiber diets are associated with an increased risk of
illnesses, including colon cancer and stroke.
Protein and healthy fats
 The protein and fat in whole, nutritious foods play various critical roles
in your body. Amino acids — the building blocks of protein — aid immune
function, muscle
synthesis, metabolism, and growth, while fats provide fuel and help absorb
nutrients. Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in foods like fatty fish, help
regulate inflammation and are linked to improved heart and immune health.
A healthy diet can decrease disease risk
Notably, nutritious foods may decrease your risk of disease — while
the opposite is true for highly processed foods.
Unhealthy food choices can increase disease risk
Unhealthy diets high in sugary drinks, fast food, and refined grains are
a main contributor to conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.
These processed foods harm your gut bacteria and promote insulin
resistance, chronic inflammation, and overall disease risk.
A study in over 100,000 people found that every 10% increase in ultra-
processed food intake resulted in a 12% increase in cancer risk. Additionally,
a study on worldwide mortality and disease showed that in 2017, 11 million
deaths and 255 million disability- adjusted life years (DALYs) were likely due
to poor diet. DALYs measure the burden of disease, with one unit
representing the loss of one year of full health.
Nutritious diets protect against disease
On the other hand, research indicates that diets abundant in plant
foods and low in processed products strengthen your health. For instance,
the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in healthy fats, whole grains, and
vegetables, is linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, neurodegenerative
conditions, diabetes, certain cancers, and obesity.
Other eating patterns shown to safeguard against disease include
plant-based, whole-food-based, and paleo diets. In fact, some diets may
reverse certain conditions. For example, plant-based diets have been found
to reverse coronary artery disease while very-low-carb lifestyles may help
eliminate type 2 diabetes in some people. What’s more, nutritious eating
patterns like the Mediterranean diet are tied to better self-reported quality of
life and lower rates of depression than typical Western diets — and may even
boost your longevity. Such findings prove that robust diets indeed function
as preventative medicine.
Can food treat disease?
While some dietary choices can either prevent or increase your disease
risk, not all diseases can be prevented or treated through diet alone.
Many other factors affect your health and disease risk
Disease risk is quite complex. Although a poor diet can cause or
contribute to illnesses, many other factors need to be considered. Genetics,
stress, pollution, age, infections, occupational hazards, and lifestyle
choices — such as lack of exercise,
smoking, and alcohol use — also have an effect. Food cannot compensate for
poor lifestyle choices, genetic disposition, or other factors related to disease
development.
Food should not be used as a replacement for medicine
Though shifting to a healthier dietary pattern can indeed prevent
disease, it’s critical to understand that food cannot and should not replace
pharmaceutical drugs. Medicine was developed to save lives and treat
diseases. While it may be overprescribed or used as an easy fix for dietary
and lifestyle problems, it’s oftentimes invaluable. As healing does not hinge
solely on diet or lifestyle, choosing to forgo a potentially life-saving medical
treatment to focus on diet alone can be dangerous or even fatal.
Beware of false advertising
While scientific evidence shows that food can aid various health
conditions, anecdotal claims of curing or treating diseases through extreme
dieting, supplements, or other methods are often false.
For example, diets advertised to cure cancer or other serious
conditions are typically not backed by research and often prohibitively
expensive.
Eschewing conventional treatments like chemotherapy for alternative,
unproven diets can worsen diseases or lead to death.
Foods with powerful medicinal properties
Transitioning to a diet based on whole foods can improve your health
in countless ways. Foods that offer particularly powerful benefits include:
Berries. Numerous studies have found that nutrients and plant compounds
in berries combat disease. In fact, diets rich in berries may protect against
chronic conditions, including certain cancers.
Cruciferous vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and kale
contain a wide array of antioxidants. High intake of these vegetables may
decrease your risk of heart disease and promote longevity.
Fatty fish. Salmon, sardines, and other fatty fish fight inflammation due to
their high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which also protect against heart
disease.
Mushrooms. Compounds in mushrooms, types of which include maitake and
reishi, have been shown to boost your immune system, heart, and brain.
Spices. Turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, and other spices are packed with
beneficial plant compounds. For example, studies note that turmeric helps
treat arthritis and metabolic syndrome.
Herbs. Herbs like parsley, oregano, rosemary, and sage not only provide
natural flavor to dishes but also boast many health-promoting compounds.
Green tea. Green tea has been thoroughly researched for its impressive
benefits, which may include reduced inflammation and lower disease risk.
Nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil, honey, seaweed, and fermented
foods are just a few of the many other foods studied for their medicinal
properties.
Simply transitioning to a diet rich in whole foods like fruits and vegetables is
the simplest way to reap the medicinal benefits of food.
8. NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Why is Physical Activity & Nutrition Important?
Weight loss may be the first thing that comes to mind when you hear
words like exercise, physical activity, nutrition, diet, and healthy eating, but
there’s much more to it. A lifestyle that consists of physical activity and
proper nutrition is important to your overall quality of life, more than just the
benefit of weight loss. The truth is that physical activity and nutrition are
essential to a healthy body and a healthy mind.
Why Physical Activity is Important
Physical activity and exercise are crucial for your body. There are
many physical as well as psychological and emotional benefits that come
with daily physical activity. Not only will exercise help you maintain a healthy
weight, or even decrease excess weight, you will have more energy, improve
your mood, and feel better when you are consistently active.
Engaging in regular physical activity and exercise has many benefits to
your body and can help protect you from many diseases such as:
 Heart disease, leading to heart attack or stroke
 High blood pressure
 Diabetes
 Obesity
 Back pain
 Osteoporosis (bone loss)
Physical activity improves mental health conditions, including
 Depression
 Anxiety
 Stress
 Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Trauma
 Higher Self-Esteem
There are other surprising benefits that exercise provides:
 Sharper Memory
 Improved Concertation
  Better Sleep
 More Energy
 Stronger Resilience to Cope
 Better Immune System
If physical activity isn’t already part of your daily routine, it could feel
overwhelming trying to fit this into your day, so start with small changes.
Start by exercising for 15 to 30 minutes five days a week, until you can work
yourself up to an hour or more of physical activity per day.
Here’s some ways to start incorporating physical activity into your day:
 Take a brisk walk after meals, for 10-20 minutes
 Take your dog for a walk in the morning and evening
 Walk to the store or other places within reasonable walking distance
instead of driving
 Go on a bike ride, hike, or swim
 If you have kids, play games with them outside
 Be active in your home by keeping up with household chores (e.g.,
sweeping, mopping, and scrubbing are great ways to be active)
 If you’re feeling ready to make big changes, start jogging, join a gym,
or play a
structured sport, such as joining a local baseball team
Remember, with physical activity, start small and try things you can
easily incorporate into your life. You'll have better success sooner and stick
with it longer. As you’ve mastered new activities, like taking walks, increase
your distance and speed. Then overtime, add more vigorous exercises more
frequently, like jogging and running.
Why Nutrition is Important
Good nutrition is just as important as exercise for your overall health.
By Improving your diet, you will enjoy increased energy levels, a stronger
immune system, and generally feel well more often. A nutritious and
balanced diet of lean proteins, carbs, and good fats can help you eliminate
extra weight and reduce your risk of many diseases such as:
 Heart Disease, leading to heart attack or stroke
 Cancer
 Diabetes
 Obesity
 High Blood Pressure
 Kidney Stones
 Osteoporosis (bone loss)
Good nutrition can also help improve mental health problems, such as
depression,
bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, ADHD, and Alzheimer’s disease. plan your
meal.
A proper diet should be low in saturated and trans fats,
cholesterol, and sodium
 Examples of fats to avoid are trans fats and saturated fats contained in
fried foods, fast foods, packaged foods, baked goods, sweets, and anything
cooked in lard, cream, and vegetable oil. Similarly, foods with high
cholesterol should be limited and only eaten in moderation. Examples of
high-cholesterol foods are egg yolks, red meat, processed meats like bacon,
and sweets such as cakes, pies, and cookies.
Lastly, there’s sodium (salt), which naturally occurs in all foods, but
there are some foods you should avoid overeating: canned and packaged
meats (lunch meat, bacon, ham), frozen meals like burritos and pizza, and
canned foods like chili and beans or vegetables with salt added.
Avoiding foods high in fat, cholesterol, and sodium will greatly improve
your wellbeing and help you feel better physically and mentally.
A well-rounded diet should include lean proteins, carbs, and good
fats
For lean proteins, try quinoa, natural nut butters, oatmeal, black
beans, and white meat chicken. Protein is essential to your healthy diet, as it
fills you up, keeps you energized, and eaten in moderation helps you shed
extra weight.
Good nutrition also includes whole carbs, such as vegetables, fruit,
potatoes, nuts, and whole grains, like brown rice and quinoa. Finally, make
sure your healthy diet includes good fats. Food containing good fats are
avocados, olives, olive oil, unsalted nuts and seeds, and fish.
Another important aspect of good nutrition is calcium, which keeps
your teeth and bones strong. Dairy products such as milk, cheese, and
yogurt are a great source of calcium.
Try lower-fat options to keep your overall fat intake down. Dark green
vegetables like broccoli are also rich with calcium. There are also fortified
foods available, which means that the makers of these foods have purposely
increased the nutrition levels through vitamins and minerals. Examples of
fortified foods include some soy products, breads, and cereals.

Start small when trying to improve your diet and nutrition

Just like with exercise, it can feel overwhelming to make so many
changes to your diet all at once, so start small by making healthy habits a
part of your daily routine, such as eliminating a couple bad foods or
swapping a couple of foods for healthier options. Instead of a bag of chips,
try eating carrots sticks. You’ll still get that crunchy snacking satisfaction,
without all the fat. Making small changes will help you have success sooner
and encourage you to keep trying and adding new healthy foods in your diet.
 When most people think about physical activity and nutrition they
think about weight loss, but now you know there’s many more reasons why
it’s important to be physically active and eat healthy.
 If you have concerns about your health, talk with your doctor. We have
doctors who can help you at Orchard Hospital’s Medical Specialty Center—
Your Everyday Health Care Clinic—offering walk-in care or appointments.

Summary:
Many people strive to be fit. Fitness, after all, is synonymous with
health. Having a high level of overall fitness is linked with a lower risk of
chronic disease, as well as a better ability to manage health issues that do
come up. Better fitness also promotes more functionality and mobility
throughout one’s life span. And in the short term, being active can help your
day-to-day functioning, from better mood to sharper focus to better sleep.
Fitness training balances five elements of good health. Make sure your
routine includes aerobic fitness, strength training, core exercises, balance
training, and flexibility and stretching.
HIIT involves short bursts of intense exercise alternated with low
intensity recovery periods. Interestingly, it is perhaps the most time-efficient
way to exercise. Typically, a HIIT workout will be 10–30 minutes in duration.
Despite how short the workout is, it can produce health benefits similar to
twice as much moderate-intensity exercise.
We have all heard it many times before - regular exercise is good for
you, and it can help you lose weight. But if you are like many Americans, you
are busy, you have a sedentary job, and you haven't yet changed your
exercise habits. The good news is that it's never too late to start. You can
start slowly, and find ways to fit more physical activity into your life. To get
the most benefit, you should try to get the recommended amount of exercise
for your age. If you can do it, the payoff is that you will feel better, help
prevent or control many diseases, and likely even live longer.
At the end of the day, diet and exercise both have independent
benefits on metabolic health. And research suggests the best way to improve
longevity is with multiple lifestyle changes. These include exercise, nutrition,
weight management, and limiting alcohol and smoking. What’s most
important is deciding the lifestyle change you are willing to make. Start with
that change, stick with it, and gradually add more changes.
Weight loss may be the first thing that comes to mind when you hear
words like exercise, physical activity, nutrition, diet, and healthy eating, but
there’s much more to it. A lifestyle that consists of physical activity and
proper nutrition is important to your overall quality of life, more than just the
benefit of weight loss. The truth is that physical activity and nutrition are
essential to a healthy body and a healthy mind.
Research shows that dietary habits influence disease risk. While
certain foods may trigger chronic health conditions, others offer strong
medicinal and protective qualities. Thus, many people argue that food is
medicine.
Assessment: (worksheets)
Name: _ Course/Yr./Sec: Date submitted:

Answer the following questions:

1. Describe in not less than 3 sentences the different Types of Fitness. (5
points each correct answer)

2. Identify and describe in not less than 3 sentences the different Fitness
Training. (5 points each correct answer)
3. In not less than 100 words, write an essay on how High Interval
Intensity Training contribute to low intensity recovery periods?

Your essay is 50 points and shall be evaluated using these criteria:

Content 25
pts. Organization of ideas
15
pts.
Language facility 10 pts.
-

TO DO: (Enrichment)

Make your own high interval intensity training program good for one month
with recordings of your implementation within the duration of the Second
Semester this will serve as your output for this module.
References:
American Heart Association. (2021). How much physical activity do you need?

Casas, R., et al. (2018). Nutrition and Cardiovascular Health. International Journal of
Molecular Sciences.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/7050-aerobic-exercise. Retrieved February
13, 2023.

https://stretchcoach.com/articles/circuittraining/#:~:text=Circuit%20training%20cons
ists%20of%20a,%2C%20chin%2Dups%20and%20lunges. Retrieved February 14, 2023.

https://www.sharecare.com/health/cardiovascular-training/what-is-non-aerobic-
exercise#:~:text=Non%20aerobic%20exercise%20is%20exercise,climbing%20a%20flight%2 0of
%20stairs. Retrieved February 14, 2023.

https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/what-is-anaerobic-
exercise#:~:text=Anaerobic%20exercise%20is%20similar%20to,exercise%20offers%20many
%20health%20benefits. Retrieved February 14, 2023.

Killroy, D. “Studies in Fitness.” Fitness Online. Retrieved February 13, 2023, from
https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-start-lifting-weights#before-you-begin.

Rivera, Aquino A. (2005). Todays Physical Education. Revised Edition.

Mayfield Publishing Company, Mountain View, California
Stokes, Roberta, Et al. (2009). Fitness the New Wave. Revised Edition. Hunter Textbooks
Inc. 823 Reynolda Road, Winston Salem, North Carolina, USA

---End of Module 1, Lesson 4—