Why get fit?

When you are fit, you are more able to generate force with your body - whether that force is needed to lift weights or your school bag or your little brother. Being strong is useful for all sports as well as for life in general. Life is full of effort. Being strong all around makes everything a little easier, and it is a critical component of team and individual exercise activities.

Increased stamina and more energy overall

Physical fitness training increases your stamina — your ability to keep going during moderate or strenuous activity. Stamina is also known as endurance. Your heart and lungs are able to work longer the more fit you are. You can run farther, dance longer, and keep on playing well past sundown when you have good stamina. Exercise gives you more energy in general to do things you want to do.

Increased flexibility

Flexibility refers to your range of motion around a joint. Touching your toes, reaching a high shelf, and arching your back gracefully are all examples of flexibility. Flexibility is very important to daily life, as well as to mastering the techniques of most sports activities. Many adults lose their flexibility as they grow older. Being flexible when you are young and maintaining it through the years can help you prevent that decline.

Psychological benefits, including better sleep

Exercise is a fabulous way to feel better any day of the week. Is family or school stressing you out? A moderate workout can ease the tension and leave you with an all over good feeling. That's because exercise releases endorphins, special chemicals in the brain that make you feel peaceful and relaxed. When you are fit, you are generally better able to handle life's ups and downs too. You feel more self-confident and strong on the inside when you are strong on the outside. Regular exercise also helps you sleep better, which can really brighten your whole outlook each day.

Social benefits

Participating in sports clubs, group exercise classes, or team sports can be a great way to meet new people and make friends with people with similar interests. If you're fit, your self-confidence will make you less shy.

Muscle-to-fat balance

Regular, moderate exercise is one of the healthiest ways to keep your muscle-to-fat ratio where it should be. While each person has their own unique shape and size, everyone benefits from having a good balance of muscle and fat. It is important to remember that too little or too much fat can be a serious problem, so it is important to maintain a moderate exercise program and a healthy diet to ensure you get all of the nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and fat that you need.

Make a fitness plan

Decide what your fitness goals are and make a plan for achieving them (eg: I want to jog three miles without stopping; I want to be able to do 10 pushups). You are much more likely to achieve your goals if you actually write them down somewhere, and share them with friends or family.

Be sure to set reasonable goals. If you've never exercised much until now, it's not realistic to expect that you'll start exercising every day for an hour. Start with 30 minutes of moderate exercise a few times a week, letting your body recover for a day between exercise sessions. Then, as you get fit, you can add more time and/or more days to your routine. If you're already fit but want to train more, write down your current schedule and see where you can reasonably add more time or days to your workout routine.

It is important to plan ahead for dealing with potential obstacles to your exercise plan. For example, if your parents suddenly ask you to help with something around the house during your exercise time, when and where will you make it up? If you will need assistance getting somewhere or buying equipment for your workouts, make those arrangements in advance. Remember that missing one day or one exercise session won't ruin your training; just get back on schedule as soon as possible.