Feeling "fit and fine" is all about fitness. Feeling fit pertains to health and fine is about mental state. Fitness has an added advantage because the very approach to life changes, resulting in quality life. It brings with it an optimistic outlook, energetic and effervescent mind. A fit person can be spotted from a distance because he stands out in a crowd. More specifically fitness can be defined as " The ability to perform daily tasks vigorously and alertly, with energy left over for enjoying leisure time activities and meeting emergency demands".

The combination of regular exercise and diet offer far more flexibility in achieving negative calorie balance and accompanying fat loss than either exercise or diet alone can. In fact, the addition of exercise to a program of weight control may facilitate a more permanent fat loss so it is wiser not to place total reliance on caloric restriction.

Some of the benefits of physical activity is healthy bones, muscles and joints and reduces the risk of colon cancer. Physical activity also brings psychological benefits. Example it reduces feeling of depression and anxiety and improves mood and promotes sense of well-being.

Some of the benefits of increased activity are :

a) improve health b) increased efficiency of heart and lungs c) reduced cholesterol levels d) increased muscle strength e) reduced blood pressure f) reduced risk of major illnesses such diabetes and heart diseases g) weight loss h) more energy i) less stress j) improved quality of sleep k) improved ability to cope with stress l) increased mental acuity  m) improved self image n) toned muscles o) Improved immunity to illnesses.

Types of exercises : Exercise can be broadly classified as two main categories. They are isometric and dynamic. Isometric exercise are those, where there is muscle activity without any body movement. Dynamic exercises are those in which muscle movement is achieved though body movement. Dynamic exercises improve physical fitness and these are the exercises to be resorted to. The most common types of dynamic exercises are aerobics, running and variety of indoor sports.

Breathing Techniques : The importance of correct breathing has been recoginised since beginning of history. The shaman, the wise men and witch doctors of ancient times used breathing techniques to induce trances or to improve performance and correct breathing was and still is considered to be vital for good health, in eastern medicine. It is also thought to be essential if one is to progress to the higher levels of skills in meditational and martial arts and in the achievement of the asanas or postures taken up during Tai Chi and yoga exercise. Today, it is generally recognised that correct breathing has an important role to play in particular in helping to reduce levels of strss as well as its signs and symptoms.

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