A well balanced fitness program should include three components of exercise: cardiovascular, strengthening and flexibility. It doesn’t matter how or when you fit exercise into your busy lifestyle, as long as you do activities that benefit you in these ways.
| Exercise Category | Benefits | Examples |
| Cardiovascular/Aerobic Exercise | It helps your heart and lungs function better, controls blood cholesterol levels and blood pressure. It relieves stress and improves efficiency. | Treadmill Walking, running Cross trainer Stepper Rowing machine Cycling Aerobic classes Swimming |
| Strengthening Exercise | Shapes and tones your muscles. Helps you burn kilojoules/energy while at rest. Strengthens bones, reducing the risk of osteoporosis. | Machine weights Free weights Push-ups/ pull-ups Resistance bands Sit-ups Squats Lunges |
| Flexibility Exercise | Provides relief from stiffness and stress. Keeps muscles loose, reducing risk of injury. | Yoga based Pilates based All stretching exercises |
If you are unsure what exercises you should be doing, speak to staff at your local Fitness Australia recognised fitness centre. They can assess your needs and tailor a safe and effective program just for you.
Body mass
Body mass index (BMI) is a simple calculation used to estimate the weight range in men and women over 18 years. It is an excellent starting point when planning your exercise program, as it shows how far off a desirable weight you are.
To calculate your BMI, take your weight in kilograms and divide it by your height in m2. For a 78 kilogram male who is 1.78 metres tall, his BMI is: 78 / 3.1684 = 24.62.
| BMI Categories for Men and Women | |
| Underweight | less than 18.5 |
| Normal weight | 18.5-24.9 |
| Overweight | 25-29.9 |
| Obesity | 30 or more |
For people who undertake strenuous exercise regularly, or who do weight training, their overall muscle weight can interfere with the accuracy of their BMI. Other exceptions are pregnant women, people with anorexia nervosa, and those who are significantly obese.
However, as a general rule, the BMI is the most commonly used indicator of a healthy weight.
Burning fat
Combining an exercise program with a sensible diet is the fastest, easiest and safest way to lose weight.
To give you an idea of how many kilojoules you burn through exercise, take a look at the chart below.
| Low 17 kj per minute | Moderate 30 kj per minute | High 42 kj per minute |
| Canoeing Stationary bike Golf, social Horse-riding Ice Skating Stretch Class Skate Boarding Table Tennis Tennis, doubles Walking | Aquarobics Basketball Group Cycling Class Football Rowing machine Squash Swimming Jogging Weight-training | Boxing Cycling Group Weight Class Skipping Step Machine Squad Swimming Running |
Note: Programs can be run at varying intensities.
Exercise helps burn body fat and maintain a healthy weight. Whether you join a gym or join a friend to exercise, you can burn kilojoules as well as enjoy the exercise that you are doing. As a guide, 1 calorie is equivalent to 4.2 kilojoules and you will be able to use this to determine how many kilojoules you have burned.