This topic should be a no-brainer. Everyone knows that you have to exercise to be healthy. People also know that smoking causes cancer, but that doesn't mean they are going to do the healthy thing and stop. There is always an excuse not to exercise, just like the excuses not to smoke: "I am just too busy", "My life is just too crazy right now", "I'll do it tomorrow", and my favorite "I'm just not going to, because I don't want to". In the words of motivational speaker Jim Rohn "You can't hire someone else to do your push-ups for you"; this is an important concept for a generation where we are used to having everything done for us. There is another expression that goes "If you don't use it, you lose it" and this is all too true when it comes to the human body. Like any other machine, if it is not properly taken care of, it WILL breakdown sooner than normal.
I'm not going to elaborate any further on this, we all know what to do, so let's just cut to the chase:
Exercise Tips:
1. 3 times a week is the minimum, 4 times a week is optimum, more than 4 is negligible for increased results. Think of it like this: 3 times a week gives you X results; 4 times a week gives you 2X results; and more than 4 gives you 2.12X. So if time is a factor, but you want the most out of your exercise, shoot for 4 times per week.
2. Each time should be between 30-45 minutes. These times could be increased as your endurance increases, but not much more. Your body can only take so much breakdown, and you want to allow for maximum recovery for the following day.
3. Use weights: If you've never picked up a weight before, now is the time. Resistance training makes your muscles grow, it gives them purpose, and thus prevents premature atrophy, or muscle loss. It also slows down bone density loss because the pulling of the muscle against the bone forces the bone to lay down more calcium, keeping it strong. Has your doctor told you that you have osteoporosis? Pick up some weights, build some muscle, and your bones will bounce back faster than any pill you would take. Now I HAVE to address this statement I've heard so many times from girls I've lost count: "I don't want to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger". Trust me, you won't. Have you seen all the girls in the magazines that you look at and say in your head "I wish I looked like her", well I guarantee you they work out with weights at least 3 times a week. Muscle gives us shape and form. Want to look like a body builder? Take steroids and you will, otherwise, with enough time, you will look exactly how you want to look!
4. Pregnant women need exercise too: I know some people who did not exercise during pregnancy and some who did and here were there experiences. The ones who did exercise had easy labors and the ones that did not had difficult labors. Why is this? Because the conditioned, exercised women's muscles were strong enough to help with pushing out the baby, whereas the non conditioned mothers had weak muscles and had extensive pain during and after.
5. Alternate cardio and weight training: Don't overdue your workout. You WILL burnout and will fall off the wagon before you even get on it. Remember to let your body recover, so use the allotted time for either cardio, or weights.
6. Keep your heart rate at a fairly low rate to lose fat: In the simplest way I can explain this is with the "I Love Lucy" example: Lucy and Ethel are working at a chocolate wrapping line. While the line is slow they have time to wrap and package the chocolate. When they speed up the line, they cannot keep up and are hiding the chocolate in their shirts, mouths, aprons etc. What's the point? When your heart rate is at a lower rate, the body has time to go to the fat, break the fat, transport the fat to the muscles, and use the fat for energy. When the heart rate is too high, the body doesn't have time to do all that so it just takes from its closest energy source, you muscles! So if you want to lose weight, find out the fat burning heart rate for your age and keep it there for your entire workout.
7. Lastly, drink a lot of water while exercising. You lose a lot of water while exercising through sweat and body processes so keep it hydrated and you will get the maximum benefit from your workout.
This could be a book if I kept going but I am always available if you have any other questions. Use these tips to taylor to your needs and you will get what you put into it!
In Good Health,
Dr. Ara
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