The Harvard School of Public Health puts the importance of regular exercise in its place when it reports that "next to not smoking, getting regular physical activity is arguably the best thing you can do for your health." Combined with a balanced diet, exercise can help reduce the risks of several chronic diseases, including complications from overweight and obesity. A nutritious diet can help improve your body's condition, reduce your risk for disease and enhance body image. Fitness and nutrition both significantly improve quality of life, resulting in better overall health.
Benefits
Weight control is usually the first benefit considered when looking at fitness and nutrition, but the American Dietetic Association (ADA) also lists benefits in muscle strength and stress management in addition to the reduction of risks of chronic conditions. An adequate nutrition plan paired with regular exercise also benefits your bone health, which prevents the development of osteoporosis or brittle bones. In addition, eating well and exercising regularly can result in a healthy weight, which can boost self image and mood.
Risks of Poor Fitness and Nutrition
Poor fitness and nutrition choices can contribute to increased calorie intake and decreased calorie usage, which result in higher weight gain. Excessive weight gain leads to overweight or obesity, which carry a number of chronic disease risks and complications, including type 2 diabetes, certain cancers and heart disease. In addition, the ADA points out that poor nutrition can result in specific nutrient deficiencies, including deficiencies in iron, folate and calcium. A deficiency in one of these nutrients can lead to various health challenges, including reproductive problems and bone disease, such as osteoporosis and osteomalacia.
Specific Needs for Women
According to the ADA, active women need approximately 1,800 to 2,200 calories per day, but sedentary women need fewer calories. You should focus on consuming adequate iron, due to blood loss during menstruation; you can obtain iron from meats, green leafy vegetables and iron-fortified cereals. In addition, you should also be sure to get adequate folate. The ADA recommends a folate-containing supplement for women of childbearing age. Finally, calcium is essential to help prevent the development of osteoporosis. Regular consumption of lean dairy products or calcium-fortified foods can help provide sufficient amounts.
The Harvard School of Public Health recommends that women get 150 minutes of physical activity per week. You can break down this total into as little as 10-minute segments of moderate to vigorous exercise to realize the benefits.
Pregnancy, Fitness and Nutrition
In addition to increased folate needs, pregnant women are encouraged by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to continue exercising. Unless you have a medical condition that prevents you from exercising, you can begin or continue moderate activity while pregnant. The CDC does caution that you should avoid activities that involve lying on your back or that could put you at risk of falling.
The nutrients you need while pregnant are the same, but you need to consume them in higher amounts in order to provide for the fetus as well. You should consult your physician about certain foods to limit while pregnant.
Body Image, Fitness and Nutrition
You may find yourself comparing your weight and body shape to women who grace the covers of magazines, but the ADA cautions against developing an unrealistic perspective of health. The resulting poor self-esteem and body image could put you at risk of developing extreme exercise or nutrition habits. The signs of extreme behavior include excessive exercise, restrictive or picky eating, and sometimes social separation. It is important to develop an accurate and accepting perspective of health, and to live in an environment that supports your efforts for living a healthy lifestyle.
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