Physical education or health and physical education are the areas of knowledge that will ultimately drive our success engine. We are physical and spiritual beings. Our mind, body, and spirit are all connected and learning how they work together and how to care for them can save us from unnecessary pain and suffering. Knowing how to take care of our body, mind, and spirit will lead us down the path toward happiness, health, and wealth.
The most powerful tool of influence we have is to model good behaviors. We should be sure we are working on our health and fitness at the same time we preach to others about the value health, fitness, and participation in sports. Each of us will have our own issues, goals, and obstacles to living a healthy lifestyle, but we must strive for excellence in this area. When we live it, we will feel the difference. We will find it much easier to dream, act, achieve, and enjoy.
There are a few areas of health and physical education we will focus on at this time. First, I will discuss the area of fitness. Fitness has to do with stamina, strength, and flexibility. Our objective should be fit enough so that a day of physical activity does not lay us up for a week.
To begin a fitness routine you need to visit your doctor and let him or her know what you want to do. They will give you the practical advice based on your over-all health. In doing this fitness routine you should build in stretching, anaerobic exercise, and aerobic exercise. You most definitely do NOT need to buy expensive gym equipment or memberships at clubs to get started. There are a number of good programs you can do right at home. Having someone who will do this with you and hold you accountable would be a great benefit. Any fitness program you actually do and do consistently will help you in all areas of your life. You will have more energy, will perform better on the job, will feel less stress, and will sleep better. You must take action to achieve those benefits. The motivation to follow through and the building of the routine is most people's down-fall. That is topic of a future article.
The second area is that of athleticism. Athleticism covers things like stamina, coordination, speed, and agility. It encompasses the skills that enable us to do many different physical tasks. It is also the skills that would allow us to participate in team and individual sports for our entire lives. Skiing, swimming, basketball, baseball, softball, cycling, tennis, bowling, and of course golf are several of many sports that can provide a fun and competitive outlet for people of all ages. For those who are not naturally athletic becoming fit and actually participating in athletic activities and exercises can and will improve that athleticism. You can find that competitive outlet and not feel embarrassed about your performance. Just go get in the game.
Nutrition is a broad topic. There are basic principles that you need to understand. First, your body needs basic building blocks for your cells. It must get vitamins and minerals in the correct amount to operate to its maximum abilities. We get those vitamins in minerals from the foods and drinks we consume. The next basic principle is that the fuel for our body is calories. If we consume more calories than our body uses it converts the extra calories to fat. When we consume fewer calories than our body needs we burn excess fat. In each case we can develop serious health conditions if either problem continues for an extended period of time. One other fundamental principle is we must keep our bodies hydrated. Dehydration is an often ignored and a serious problem in America today. Within those foundations there are numerous other nutrition related topics that can be discussed all of which can impact our overall health. There are a number of books that would be highly recommended reading.
The final category would be that of our well-being. It is this area that may well be the most important, yet the most misunderstood and the most difficult to share. Our well-being consists not only of our general health and fitness, but our spiritual well-being as well. It is that spiritual side that has be so over-looked in western medicine. We are spiritual beings anyway you look at it and denying that truth can lead to serious consequences.
The most powerful tool of influence we have is to model good behaviors. We should be sure we are working on our health and fitness at the same time we preach to others about the value health, fitness, and participation in sports. Each of us will have our own issues, goals, and obstacles to living a healthy lifestyle, but we must strive for excellence in this area. When we live it, we will feel the difference. We will find it much easier to dream, act, achieve, and enjoy.
There are a few areas of health and physical education we will focus on at this time. First, I will discuss the area of fitness. Fitness has to do with stamina, strength, and flexibility. Our objective should be fit enough so that a day of physical activity does not lay us up for a week.
To begin a fitness routine you need to visit your doctor and let him or her know what you want to do. They will give you the practical advice based on your over-all health. In doing this fitness routine you should build in stretching, anaerobic exercise, and aerobic exercise. You most definitely do NOT need to buy expensive gym equipment or memberships at clubs to get started. There are a number of good programs you can do right at home. Having someone who will do this with you and hold you accountable would be a great benefit. Any fitness program you actually do and do consistently will help you in all areas of your life. You will have more energy, will perform better on the job, will feel less stress, and will sleep better. You must take action to achieve those benefits. The motivation to follow through and the building of the routine is most people's down-fall. That is topic of a future article.
The second area is that of athleticism. Athleticism covers things like stamina, coordination, speed, and agility. It encompasses the skills that enable us to do many different physical tasks. It is also the skills that would allow us to participate in team and individual sports for our entire lives. Skiing, swimming, basketball, baseball, softball, cycling, tennis, bowling, and of course golf are several of many sports that can provide a fun and competitive outlet for people of all ages. For those who are not naturally athletic becoming fit and actually participating in athletic activities and exercises can and will improve that athleticism. You can find that competitive outlet and not feel embarrassed about your performance. Just go get in the game.
Nutrition is a broad topic. There are basic principles that you need to understand. First, your body needs basic building blocks for your cells. It must get vitamins and minerals in the correct amount to operate to its maximum abilities. We get those vitamins in minerals from the foods and drinks we consume. The next basic principle is that the fuel for our body is calories. If we consume more calories than our body uses it converts the extra calories to fat. When we consume fewer calories than our body needs we burn excess fat. In each case we can develop serious health conditions if either problem continues for an extended period of time. One other fundamental principle is we must keep our bodies hydrated. Dehydration is an often ignored and a serious problem in America today. Within those foundations there are numerous other nutrition related topics that can be discussed all of which can impact our overall health. There are a number of books that would be highly recommended reading.
The final category would be that of our well-being. It is this area that may well be the most important, yet the most misunderstood and the most difficult to share. Our well-being consists not only of our general health and fitness, but our spiritual well-being as well. It is that spiritual side that has be so over-looked in western medicine. We are spiritual beings anyway you look at it and denying that truth can lead to serious consequences.