FOOTBALL AND FITNESS

Many of us have spent the past couple of months in lockdown and it’s no surprise that the motivation to keep fit has been a bit of a struggle. The closure of parks, gyms, fitness classes, bootcamps and outdoor group sporting activities as well as a limit to activity within your local area and household members has meant we’re left without our favourite ways to keep fit and stay active. But that doesn’t mean we should give up on our fitness goals as there are plenty of ways to keep active and stay safe during social distancing. BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY There are many benefits to including regular activity that extend beyond weight loss including: Maintaining muscular strength and bone health Higher energy levels Reduced risk of chronic disease Improved mood Better sleep It’s also important during isolation/lockdown that we find ways to maintain our activity levels as many of us aren’t getting in as much movement as we typically would. With many of us working from home and with the ...

Physical fitness gets plenty of attention, and for good reason. A healthy body can prevent conditions such as heart diseases and diabetes, and help you maintain independence as you age. Mental fitness is just as important as physical fitness, and shouldn’t be neglected. Including mental dexterity exercises into your daily routine can help you reap the benefits of a sharper mind and a healthier body for years to come. Mental fitness means keeping your brain and emotional health in tip-top shape.  Mind-body connection It’s no surprise that the more you help your body, the more you help your mind. Physical activity increases the flow of oxygen to your brain.If we talk scientifically  it also increases the amount of endorphins, the “feel-good” chemicals, in your brain. Mental exercise is just as beneficial. According to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, certain memory training exercises can increase “fluid intelligence,” the ability to reason and solv...

Fitness is the best discipline training method on earth. If you want to build more discipline into your life, try becoming more fit. If you struggle with being disorganized or unfocused, try working out more, training for a triathlon or doing something physical that has to do with your fitness. You’ll find those experiences are the best discipline training methods on earth. When I’m not working out and in a routine – I find other things are disorganized and messy and unfocused. But when I’m in a solid workout routine – everything falls into place. The beauty of fitness is the simplicity of it. In contrast to all the stuff out there trying to complicate things and telling you all the stuff you need to have to get fit, there’s only two main components to fitness: Diet & Exercise Diet = What You Put In Your Body Exercise = What You Do With Your Body What’s so amazing is that you have complete control over each of those components. Also, you don’t need a gym membership, a new machine o...

There are countless benefits of being fit. Some include:   1.Stronger muscles and bones Muscles respond to the stresses brought by exercise via hypertrophy. The muscles develop new muscles in order to meet the extra demand for power. The bones also become sturdier with exercise. Bones become stronger in response to stress that is loaded unto itself by the muscles attached to it. By exercising, the body ensures that the bones are absorbing calcium from the blood. 2.Prevents muscle loss. As we get older, not only do our bodies build muscle less efficiently, but the muscle we already have breaks down more quickly. This makes regular exercise an integral part of healthy aging. Exercise not only helps us maintain our muscle mass, it can increase it. This ultimately keeps our metabolism high, gives us strength and endurance to complete tasks of everyday life, and helps prevent falls, which can be a life-changing experience for older adults. 3.Decreases your osteoporosis risk.  Fitne...

  Food as energy To be successful as an athlete, your body must be continuously supplied with food energy, called calories. If calorie intake exceeds needs, you’ll gain weight and body fat, which will make you feel heavy, play slower, and increase your risk for injury. If calorie intake does not meet demands, you won’t be able to maintain your muscle mass and speed, and your recovery will be slow and incomplete. The number of calories needed to maintain a certain weight varies greatly among individuals. For example, a 220-pound high school fullback who is still growing would need between 4,000 and 5,000 calories a day in-season. His 45-year-old, 140-pound mom, whose only exercise is cheering loudly during football games, would need less than half her son’s amount of calories. There are four basic reasons why nutrition is important for athletes: As an energy source For building lean muscle mass To achieve ideal body composition To aid in staying healthy and reducing injuries. As a s...