2. Resistance or strength training includes the use of weights, your own body weight and machines support for joints and vertebrae that keep your body stable and working properly. Bone density also increases as a result of load bearing activities. If you are strength training as you lose weight, your body prioritizes muscle tissue and burns more body fat. By protecting muscle mass as you lose weight, you are more likely to reach your weight loss goals and to maintain them. It's good to include both types for overall fitness, strength, maintenance of weight and health.

Warming up and cooling down: The purpose of a warm-up is to prepare the body, especially the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems for the exercise session. The cool-down ensures that venous return to the heart is maintained after significant amounts of blood have been going to the working muscles during training. The length of the warm-up and cool-down periods depends on the type of activity, the level of intensity and your age and fitness level. In general, the warm-up and cool-down phases should last approximately five to ten minutes each. If you have less time available to work out than usual the cut the time for the workout, ensuring sufficient time for both the warm-up and cool-down. Muscles which are not regularly stretched are at risk of becoming shorter and less 'elastic'. This reduces the range of movement at the joint and increases the risk of injury from tears and pulls. Regular stretching can help to improve mobility reduce tension and stiffness, can help to prevent and relieved lower back disorders and can aid muscles tone.

Remember effective goal setting is a must; otherwise you will lose your momentum and purpose. Rome wasn’t built in a day, so start small and gradually increase the time you spend on the activity or the intensity.

It’s never too late to start. Everyone can benefit from exercise. You are never too old or too unfit to start doing something. In fact the greatest increase in health benefit is experienced by inactive people who start to take regular moderate physical activity. Your health risks will decrease as soon as you start to do more! Check with your doctor about the best form of activity for you if you've not been active for some time or you suffer from health problems Next month, let’s put the healthy eating balance and activity together to look at obesity and weight management.

Julianne Granleese is a UK-registered dietitian and fitness instructor. She can be reached at jgranleese@yahoo.co.uk

Top tips to get more active in your daily life:
• Clean the house with vigour
• Wash your car by hand (yes you can do it even if you are in Bahrain!)
• Climb the stairs briskly
• Use the stairs, not the lift or escalator
• Go for a brisk walk at lunchtime
• Play with the kids
• Why not invest in a pedometer to help with motivation?

Quiz: How active are you?
Answer (a), (b), (c) or (d) to the following questions to see if you’re active enough to be in good health.

How many times a week do you do some form of physical activity, such as walking, gardening, housework, swimming etc?
a) Never
b) Once or twice a week
c) 3-4 times a week
d) 5 or more times a week

Think of a typical day and add up all the minutes you spend being active. Then click on the answer that’s nearest your daily total.
a) Less than 10 minutes
b) 10-20 minutes
c) 20-30 minutes
d) 30 minutes or more

How do you feel physically, during and immediately after activity?
a) Don’t do any physical activity
b) Not out of breath or sweaty at all
c) Breathing easily, but slightly faster than normal
d) Breathing faster than normal and sweating, but can still talk quite easily

Mainly (a)’s
You’re putting your health at risk by being inactive. Any activity is better than nothing, so aim to be more active in your daily life, if you can. Start slowly and gradually build up to being more active over a few weeks. You really will feel the benefits.

Mainly (b)’s
You’re already doing some activity on some days of the week. Good for you! To gain health benefits you only need to build up on this. You can do your activity in 10-minute bursts, aiming to reach a total of 30 minutes, or ideally up to 60 minutes on most days of the week.

Mainly (c)’s
You’re almost there! Aim to be active for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week, and remember that you should feel slightly warmer and slightly out of breath.

Mainly (d)’s
Well done! If you feel slightly warmer and out of breath when being active, you’re already doing enough activity to gain health benefits. If you’re happy with your current level of fitness, keep at it! If you’re aiming to improve your fitness or have better control of your weight, aim to work a bit harder at your current activities. Aim for being active for up to 60 minutes a day if possible. Seek out the help of a personal trainer or fitness instructor at your local gym/leisure centre.

(Adapted from a leaflet produced by NHS Health Scotland)