Physical Activity - Am I out of shape?
A short list of signs and symptoms help identify your level of fitness.
Besides being overweight, how do you know that you are out of shape and in need of exercise? A good general guide is that you should feel better, not worse, shortly after exercise, and that good feeling should stay with you for several hours.
If you are not in good physical condition you may experience some of these:
- You feel out of breath after walking up a flight of stairs
- Your heart continues to pound for ten minutes after exercise
- You feel exhausted, weak, or shaky after a few minutes of hard work or exercise
- You have frequent muscle tension or tightness
- You have trouble getting to sleep the night after you exercise
- You feel unusually tired the next day after exercising
- You have poor muscle tone (for example, your muscles feel soft)
- You feel tired and run down most of the time
Do you have any of these symptoms of being out of shape?
Do you have any other symptoms that suggest you are out of shape?
If you do, talk with your health professional about ways to take control of your health.
Body weight is categorized according to the body mass index. For details on this please go to: Am I a healthy weight?
Feeling healthy is more than just a physical thing, feeling healthy affects all of your wellbeing.
Have you tried and failed?
Have you ever planned to exercise but somehow never got there? Ever started an exercise program or joined a gym, with every good intention, but found after a few weeks you quit? Does this sound familiar? Probably, it happens to most people at some time.
There are many really great-sounding excuses for not doing enough physical activity:
- I'm too busy
- I tried it and it didn't work
- It's boring
- I look stupid, etc etc..
That's why it's really important to find an activity that you really like and can imagine doing over a long time. Finding a friend to be active with can also be a big help.
Talking to your doctor and other health professionals can help you plan your activity, as well as overcome obstacles that you may have to changing your behaviour.
"I knew I was out of shape. My favourite clothes didn't fit. I knew I had to do something. The doctor told me to walk more. So at first I just made myself walk to the shops or park everyday. Even lacing my shoes was a chore. But after a while I realized I was walking fast. I didn't feel so bogged down. Plus I could wear my good jeans again. I've joined the local walking group now."
- David
