1 . Like every gym class I have ever taken, I felt like the odd one out. Opening the door and glancing around the room, I seemed to be the only girl struggling. Everyone else, in their fitted tank tops and leggings, not a hair out of place, looked as if they belonged. I on the other hand, with my curly hair now wildly unleashed, oversized shirt, wondered why I had ever bothered to subject myself to a gym class.

Earlier that year, with a healthy dose of encouragement from my family, I decided to give fitness a real shot. I showed up to my university gym for spin class with my stomach in a bundle of nerves. The first time I tried to stand on the bike pedals, I felt my legs shake and immediately sat down. All the muscles I hadn’t used before creaked as they suddenly engaged in rapid movement. It wasn’t until the third class, when I smoothly transitioned to standing up on the bike, that I started to gain some confidence.

Eventually, as my comfort on the bike grew, I became less focused on how I looked and the exact movements my legs and arms were to engage in and more focused on looking inward. I had never considered myself athletic. But now, rather than agonize (感到痛苦) over my weight, I started to reflect in amazement at my body’s ability to lift groceries, move apartments and all the other countless tasks it did to keep my life moving forward.

Somewhere between being yelled at to squat lower, jump higher and push harder, gym class made me realize that while I was wrong about many things when it came to fitness, I was right about one important thing: What truly matters is showing up, not what you wear or your fitness abilities. Because once you show up, the rest gets easier, one sweaty adventure at a time.

Every sport has its own specific health benefits. Swimming, for example, is an excellent physical activity as nearly all muscles    1    (use) when you swim. As a result, it provides a terrific full-body workout, improving balance, muscle strength and    2    (flexible).

Sport, as well as being a physical activity,     3    (have) a mental aspect too. It can help define who you are and who you can become. Sport builds character and promotes the development of a number of qualities that are essential for a successful and fulfilling life. Included here    4    (be) three qualities worthy of a special consideration. Firstly, sport requires self-discipline, without    5    there will always be the temptation to simply give up. Secondly, sport will encourage you to maintain a positive and    6    (balance) outlook. Everyone has    7    (them) ups and downs and, therefore, a big part of life means having to deal with success and failure.    8    (engage) in competitive sport will help you understand that winning a competition does not make you superior    9    everyone else. Finally, sport will help you understand the importance of teamwork. It will show you that you often need to rely on others for your success and, similarly,    10    you also have a responsibility to contribute to the success of others.

The world of sport is a fairground of exciting opportunities where you can discover who you really are. Time. I think, to lace up your sports shoes and go play!

6 . Good health and fitness are important to us.     1     However, just a few minutes of exercise a day can actually improve one's health. Whether it's a simple five-minute walk or a long hike in the woods, exercise can be good for you in many ways. Here are some tips to help you get fit and healthy.

    2     Short-term goals are easy to achieve. Long-term goals will take you out of your comfort zone. For a short-term goal, you should drink one green drink every day. A long-term goal would be to train for a 5K run or an even more difficult task.

Get support from other people. Reaching out to others who share similar goals will help you reach your goals faster. Join a Weight Watchers group or a local walk or running club in your area.     3     Find an online weight loss forum(论坛) for support.

Work out while you're doing something else. Any activity that requires you to move your body is considered a workout.     4     Walk around in the room while you're watching TV. You can also run on the treadmill(跑步机) while reading some news.

    5     Eight glasses of water a day will keep you healthy and help you take off weight. Always carry a water-filled bottle on hand if you run outdoors. Choose a balanced meal when ordering takeout or dining out. You can choose what kinds of food you eat. When you dine out or get takeout, choose healthy food. If you're out having beef, choose vegetables or a salad on your side instead of fries or mashed potatoes.

7 . How To Make Exercise A Habit That Sticks

Maybe you can relate to this: You are determined to get more exercise. And you do—for a while. But a few days or weeks into a new routine, your good intentions fall apart.     1     We asked Katy Milkman, a professor at the Wharton School of Business who studies human decision-making. She gave us six tips to help people develop better, longer-lasting exercise habits.

    2    

There’s no magic number of days it takes to build a new habit, but the key to habits is repetition. So, give it a month, and research suggests that this can help you build a new routine. Moreover, if you can get that repetition going while you have high motivation, you’re much more likely to have a behavior change that lasts.

Make it social.

    3     The same goes for working out. If you compare your exercise habits with neighbors or co-workers, you may be more motivated to go to the gym. Or schedule your exercise with a friend. You’ll be more likely to show up.

Let flexibility be your friend.

The people who worked out at the same time every day, they did actually form a more lasting habit around exercising at that time. But here’s the hidden disadvantage:     4     Milkman says, “We actually found that it would be more effective if people built a more flexible routine.”

Set goals—but don’t let them trap you.

Make sure your exercise objective is achievable and ambitious.     5     Milkman explains, The risk of target is that if they’re tough, and then you don’t make it, you will go crazy and actually be worse off. So give yourself chance to start over if you miss a trip to the gym.