Fitness is the term used to describe the physical condition of an individual. An individual is considered to be fit when he or she is capable of performing all the required daily physical tasks along with tasks that require the body to work hard. A fit person is likely to have an increased stamina when compared to another person of similar build who is unfit. Fitness is a result of exercise which helps to build muscle mass, tone existing muscle and improve the efficiency of respiratory and cardiac systems. Nutrition and oxygen is transported through the body in our blood. During the process of metabolism, some of the oxygen is replaced by carbon dioxide. This process speeds up when the body is under physical strain. When the muscles are worked repeatedly they tend to become stronger and their tone tends to improve. This means that the same muscle has to exert less effort to produce the same amount of movement. This is the situation where a person may be considered to be fit.

Running

A simple and effective method of exercising is running for fitness. Running is an extremely easy task to organize and only requires a good pair of shoes for equipment. Many people also find the process of running to be liberating and relaxing which is an added bonus for the wellbeing of the individual. Running could be started gradually with the work load being increased with every subsequent run. A device known as a pedometer may be used to measure the running performance of the individual. This is useful when the individual wishes to measure speed, distance and other parameters of the run. When a person is running, he or she is physically exerting the body. This exertion is what creates the link between running and fitness. Running requires the body to speed up its rate of metabolism. This burns excess calories and also helps to reduce the amount of body fat on an individual as the exercise is repeated over a period of time.