Moderate exercise at the weekend

inordinate: far more than is usual or expected

racquetball: a game played especially in the US by two or four players on a court with four walls, using rackets and a small hollow rubber ball

skiing: the sport or activity of moving over snow on skis

dissipate: to gradually become or make something become weaker until it disappears

stiff: difficult to bend or move

calisthenics: physical exercises intended to develop a strong and attractive body

pull-up: an exercise in which you hold onto a high bar above your head and pull yourself up towards it

athlete: DJ[ˋæθli:t]

    Ask anyone who does exercise consistently. Little by little, your resting pulse rate will go down as your heart and oxygen processing system becomes more efficient. As you increase your body's ability to do more demanding things, you will find your normal activities much more comfortable and pleasant. You will have more afternoon energy, and the fatigue you have felt that's made you "too tired" to exercise in the past will be replaced by an energy that will invigorate everything you do.

    問問任何一位持之以恆運動的人，有關經常運動對他們的影響。漸漸地，當你的心臟和氧氣運作系統變得更加高效，你的靜止心率就會逐步下降。隨著你提升身體承受更高強度活動的能力，日常生活會變得更加輕鬆愉快。你在下午會感到更多精力，而曾經讓你覺得「太累」而無法運動的疲勞，也會被充沛的活力所取代，讓你每一項活動都充滿動力。

invigorate: to make somebody feel healthy and full of energy

Be proactive is about taking responsibility for our lives. This is the first habit because every other habit depends on our ability to act proactively rather than reactively—to make things happen rather than waiting for them to happen.

profoundly: ​in a way that has a very great effect on somebody/something

    Consistent exercise enhances our oxygen processing system through a series of remarkable adaptations that occur in our cardiovascular, respiratory, and even cellular systems.

Cardiovascular adaptations

When you regularly engage in aerobic activities like running, cycling, or swimming, your heart becomes a more efficient pump. Over time, its muscle fibers strengthen, leading to an increased stroke volume --- meaning your heart can eject more blood with each beat. With a more efficient heart, oxygen-rich blood is delivered more effectively to the muscles and organs that need it. This process is reflected in an improved VO2 max (the measure of how much oxygen your body can utilize during exercise), which is a key indicator of cardiovascular fitness.

Respiratory adaptations

Your lungs and respiratory muscles (like the diaphragm and intercostals) also benefit from consistent exercise. Although the physical size of your lungs may not change dramatically in healthy adults, the efficiency of oxygen exchange in the alveoli improves. Respiratory muscles become stronger, helping you breathe more deeply and effectively. This enhanced ventilation ensures that the oxygen you inhale is better transferred into your bloodstream, where it can be distributed to the tissues that need it most.

Cellular and metabolic adaptations

Beyond the heart and lungs, regular exercise triggers adaptations at the cellular level. One of the most significant changes is the increased number of mitochondria in your muscle cells. These mitochondria become more adapt at using oxygen to produce adenosine triphosphate, Additionally, exercise promotes the development of a denser network of capillaries within muscle tissues, ensuring that oxygen is delivered promptly and efficiently. Increased levels of myoglobin, a muscle protein that stores oxygen, also contribute to these improvements by facilitating oxygen transport within the muscle cells.

Stephen R. Covey "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People"

Online Dictionaries Used:

hk.dictionary.search.yahoo.com

www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com

Translated and explained by Microsoft Copilot and Edited