Diet
What you should also keep in mind when setting your goal of improving your fitness is that it's not just you that you're improving, it's also your diet. Diet is a large part of improving your physical abilities. You may run for an hour every day but if you're loading yourself with fast food, all of that is going to count for nothing.
Your body requires nutrients to properly function (and a balance at that). It uses 3 different types of nutrients to function; carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Each of which has a specific use in the body and will be more specific for different types of training.
Carbohydrates are the primary source of fuel in your body. They're the sugars that keep you going throughout the day and the main nutrient you should be eating. If you're low on carbohydrates your sugar levels will begin to drop, and you'll begin to feel tired. Your body will also start using stored carbs or fats for fuel if your levels are low. This is what someone who is trying to decrease their fat level wants; to have their body start consuming stored fat for energy, removing it from the body.
Carbohydrates are also associated with the Glycolysis energy system, because it's almost a blend of the ATP-PC system. It can last for short amounts of time using burst energy, or last for a couple minutes, boarderlining Cellular respiration.
Fats can be two things, either itself, or stored carbohydrates the body put aside for later use. It's used primarily as a secondary source of energy after carbohydrates when the body needs extra energy to get through the day or perform tasks. Exercise wise, it's associated with Cellular respiration because this energy system lasts for longer amounts of time, during which your carb supplies will most likely be depleated, and your body will turn to fats.
Protein are the "last resort" source of energy although they're also a very important nutrient. The body will not use proteins as a source of energy for either the ATP-PC system or Glycolysis. It can be used for Cellular respiration, only if the body desperately needs energy. Since protein cannot be stored by the body and leaves the body as waste, it will canniablize on protein inside the body if the situation calls for it. You won't be performing any exercise that will call for this unless you're running a form of marathon and you're very low on energy.
Your body requires nutrients to properly function (and a balance at that). It uses 3 different types of nutrients to function; carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Each of which has a specific use in the body and will be more specific for different types of training.
Carbohydrates are the primary source of fuel in your body. They're the sugars that keep you going throughout the day and the main nutrient you should be eating. If you're low on carbohydrates your sugar levels will begin to drop, and you'll begin to feel tired. Your body will also start using stored carbs or fats for fuel if your levels are low. This is what someone who is trying to decrease their fat level wants; to have their body start consuming stored fat for energy, removing it from the body.
Carbohydrates are also associated with the Glycolysis energy system, because it's almost a blend of the ATP-PC system. It can last for short amounts of time using burst energy, or last for a couple minutes, boarderlining Cellular respiration.
Fats can be two things, either itself, or stored carbohydrates the body put aside for later use. It's used primarily as a secondary source of energy after carbohydrates when the body needs extra energy to get through the day or perform tasks. Exercise wise, it's associated with Cellular respiration because this energy system lasts for longer amounts of time, during which your carb supplies will most likely be depleated, and your body will turn to fats.
Protein are the "last resort" source of energy although they're also a very important nutrient. The body will not use proteins as a source of energy for either the ATP-PC system or Glycolysis. It can be used for Cellular respiration, only if the body desperately needs energy. Since protein cannot be stored by the body and leaves the body as waste, it will canniablize on protein inside the body if the situation calls for it. You won't be performing any exercise that will call for this unless you're running a form of marathon and you're very low on energy.