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Regular exercise is good for your health. What just flashed through your mind right now? Many of us simply equate the exercise lexicon to ‘jogging’ or ‘lifting weights’. While they could also fall under the fitness routine, they account for just a minute aspect in the world of fitness.

Do you know that most people do not really exercise correctly? When we say correctly, we mean doing the exercise or training routine appropriate for your body type. One of the best hints for physical fitness is understanding your body type and your areas of strength and weakness; this would help you to plan the programs that would best suit your personality.

Before we move to the various types and benefits of exercises, let’s take a brief look at the three common body types.


Ectomorphs: These are basically skinny people, they have a high metabolism and it’s almost impossible for them to increase body mass (bulk up or get fatter) no matter how much they eat.

Mesomorphs: This comprises people who have that natural athletic look, they just always look fit without even working out most times (you know those of them na). It’s very easy for them to burn any fat they gain.

Endomorphs: These are the people you would regard as fat. It seems really hard for them to burn that annoying fat. Sometimes, you even eat very little and still seem to get fatter.



These are the basic body types, and no one is purely one. We are a combination of two or even the three, with some traits being more predominant for some people (some skinny people really have a more mesomorphic trait).

Basically, for you to burn fat, build muscle, get that toned and perfect figure, you need to know your body type and how to manage it well.

Exercising has many benefits, including improving your overall health and fitness, and reducing your risk for many chronic diseases. There are many different types of exercise; it is important that you pick the right types for you. Most people benefit from a combination of them:

• Endurance, or aerobic, activities increase your breathing and heart rate. They keep your heart, lungs, and circulatory system healthy and improve your overall fitness. Examples include brisk walking, jogging, swimming, and biking.
• Strength, or resistance training, exercises make your muscles stronger. Some examples are lifting weights and using a resistance band.
• Balance exercises can make it easier to walk on uneven surfaces and help prevent falls. To improve your balance, try tai chi or exercises like standing on one leg.
• Flexibility exercises stretch your muscles and can help your body stay limber. Yoga and doing various stretches can make you more flexible.

Fitting regular exercise into your daily schedule may seem difficult at first. But you can start slowly, and break your exercise time into chunks. Even doing ten minutes at a time is fine. You can work your way up to doing the recommended amount of exercise. The rate of exercise you need depends on your age and health.

Other things that you can do to make the most of your workouts include

• Choosing activities that work all the different parts of the body, including your core (muscles around your back, abdomen, and pelvis). Good core strength improves balance and stability and helps to prevent lower back injury.
• Choosing activities that you enjoy. It’s easier to make exercise a regular part of your life if you have fun doing it.
• Exercising safely with proper equipment, to prevent injuries. Also, listen to your body and don’t overdo it.
• Giving yourself goals. The goals should challenge you, but also be realistic. It’s also helpful to reward yourself when you reach your goals. The rewards could be something big, like new workout gear, or something smaller, such as making yourself a nice health meal and fruit smoothie.

Keep exercising and be healthy.

From your nurse who cares

-KING