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• Elevated resting heart rate • Decreased cardiac reserve • Venous thromboembolism (dangerous blood clots)

With that being said, the above are symptoms of extreme sedentary lifestyles. No one’s saying you have to lift weights every day or run 45 miles a week. Simplymoving around, stretching, going for walks, or playing sports regularly is enough. Remember—there are multiple aspects of fitness. Try and pick something you enjoy doing to stay active. The Department of Health and Human Services recommends 60 minutes per day of daily physical activity, whether it’s aerobic, muscle building, or bone strengthening. WHICH ISMORE ESSENTIAL TO FITNESS—DIETOR EXERCISE? For true fitness, defined as the ability to complete a physical task, exercise takes a slight lead. On the other hand, one could argue that your diet has a larger impact on health. In reality, they’re equally as important. Let’s say you have a specific athletic goal, such as winning the state championship. Training for your sport is obviously more important thanwhat you eat. Someone who has an impeccable diet but has never played a sport will usually lose to someone with elite experience (but who enjoys ice creamand pizza every once in a while). What if you compare two people with the same experience, same work ethic, and the same talent level? Athlete A fuels their training with lean proteins, healthy carbs, and plenty of water. Athlete B drinks lots of pop, continues to rely on fast food, and whatever else they feel like eating.

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Connecting Fitness and Nutrition