Exercise, Weight Loss, Physical Fitness and Nutrition

By Jayaram V

Exercise is an important aspect of physical and mental health. Regular exercise helps you build a strong body, develop disease resistance, gain muscle strength, manage your weight and feel good about yourself. Whatever may be your age or occupation, regular exercise is the best option if you want to deal with problems like stress, over weight, high blood pressure, obesity or keep yourself in good shape. Although people are generally aware of the importance of doing regular exercise, many behave and live as if they are an exception and do not need to do any exercise. Obesity has become a major health problem in many countries. According to a survey conducted in 2003-2004 by National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) about 66% of U.S. adults between the age groups of 20 and 74 years were either overweight or obese. Studies indicate that this  figure has been growing steadily since 1976. While obesity is caused by many factors such as pressures of modern life, sedentary life styles and unhealthy food habits, exercise can help many  deal with it successfully. Regular exercise is known to:

Types of Exercise

Exercises are basically of two types: aerobic exercises and anaerobic exercises or strength exercises. They are also known as dynamic and static exercises respectively. Strength exercises build muscle mass so that the body will become strong, healthy and fit. Besides making the body strong and powerful, they are also helpful in controlling and managing the fat and cholesterol levels in the body. Aerobic exercises are meant to burn the fat present in the body and reduce its weight by improving its metabolism through improved oxygen consumption. Both types of exercises subject the human body to certain amount of stress, but it is a beneficial stress good for the body in the long-term.

Strength training consists of pulling, pushing and stretching exercises, in which weights are used such as dumbbells, pulleys and other equipment. Of them, pushing exercises strengthen the front muscles of the various parts of your body, especially your hands, shoulders, neck, chest, arms and legs, where as pulling exercises strengthen the back muscles of each of them. Stretching exercises make the body supple and prepare it well for doing both aerobic and anaerobic exercises with some ease. They are also very helpful in toning the body and relaxing it. The ancient yoga exercises are a kind of stretching exercises only, meant to enhance breathing and blood circulation to certain parts of the body in a systematic and regulated way.

Aerobic exercises increase the heartbeat through bursts of increased physical activity. They increase your body metabolism and minimize the chances of your body storing excess amounts of fat. When your heartbeat is raised to a certain level, depending upon your body type, for a sustained period of time, your heart begins to pump more blood to various parts of your body. The increased blood circulation causes the body to breath in more oxygen to purify the blood flowing in your vein. This results in the consumption of more blood sugar, fewer fat deposits and fewer impurities in your blood vessels and your body. Some important aerobic exercises are cycling, brisk walking, jogging, pedaling, rowing, dancing, swimming, climbing steps, jumping and playing games like tennis, racquet and basketball. These exercises increase your heartbeat and blood circulation and improve your overall physical and mental fitness. Your skin also becomes smoother and you look younger than your regular age.

Practice Cross Training

It is now an established fact that to maximize the benefits of exercise one should do both aerobic and anaerobic exercises. It is also one of the best strategies for weight reduction on a long-term basis. Combining both aerobic and anaerobic exercises into an exercise program is known as cross training. The best way to practice it is by doing them on alternate days, that is by doing aerobic exercises one day and anaerobic exercises the following day, and give the body proper rest occasionally. Anaerobic exercises increase muscle mass, while aerobic exercises burn the fat present in the body. As you do both types of exercises on a regular basis, over a long period of time, your body will become stronger by developing muscle mass and losing excess fat. You will lose weight, in a healthy and lasting manner, without losing your strength or stamina. This is the best way to maintain your health and stay strong and fit with minimum side effects.

Don't Overdo

When you do anaerobic exercises such as weight training for a sustained period of time, the stress generated while doing the exercises induces the release of certain chemicals into your body. Your body needs to purge the chemicals to regain its balance and return to its normal state. So trainers usually recommend doing weight-training exercises on alternate days or with a gap of even two or three days in between, unless they are training some one who wants to be a weightlifter or a bodybuilder. Aerobic exercises have the tendency to burn the fat in your body. When no fat is available, they tend to burn the muscle mass also. If you overdo aerobic exercises, you will develop a lean body that may not be strong enough or possess enough stamina. So it is not a good idea to do aerobic exercises for long periods of time, unless you are aiming to become a long distance runner or a super model. The intensity with which you do aerobic exercises is also important because it has a direct bearing upon your heart. Find out from your personal physician at what intensity you can do the aerobic exercises. Depending upon your goals and stamina levels, you can do high intensity low duration or low intensity high duration aerobics or vary them alternatively for maximum results.

Fight The Body's Natural Instinct 

An ideal exercise format should combine the advantages of both aerobic and anaerobic exercises, separated by adequate periods of rest. It is also important to vary frequently the types of exercise and the time at which they are done. This will prevent your body from anticipating your energy requirements and adjusting your metabolic rate in advance. The human body has a tendency to store some energy for future use as a part of the survival mechanism built into it by nature. This is why nutritionists do not consider dieting as the best means for weight loss. When you reduce your food intake, your body perceives a threat and goes into survival mode. It reduces your metabolic rate in order to make the best use of the available energy. It does the same when you do regular exercise and also reduce your calorie intake. The best way to deal with the survival instinct of your body is to break its habitual responses to your energy consumption and prevent it from adjusting its metabolic rate in anticipation of the energy requirements of your exercise routine. You can do it by alternating your exercise format, doing different exercises from to time and also varying the weights and the intensity of your exercises.

Take Care Of Your Nutrition

Food is an important aspect of exercising. Food is required for various physiological and biological functions of the body. It is also important for keeping the body's immune system in good shape. The human brain also needs lots of energy. A major portion of the blood pumped by your heart goes to your brain to keep it mentally alert and functional. As you begin doing exercises and as your muscle mass increases, your body requires more food to keep them intact and also support their growth. One should not therefore starve one's body under any circumstances. It is also not healthy to do any form of exercise, either aerobic or anaerobic, on an empty stomach. To do so could be injurious to your health as your brain and other parts of your body may not get adequate amounts of blood sugar. 

The ideal food for exercise should be nutritious and contain high levels of protein but low amounts of fat and carbohydrates. The body requires protein to build new muscles and repair the existing ones, using the amino acids present in your food. The amino acids are the building blocks of protein, from which your body builds and maintains its muscles.  Your need for protein is acute when you push yourself into an active state and increase the energy requirements of your body, doing anaerobic exercises using different weights. 

So whether you do aerobic exercises or anaerobic exercises and whether you are a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian, your food should contain adequate quantities of proteins, besides other ingredients such as vitamins and minerals. You should eat healthy food that is rich in proteins, minerals and vitamins but has little fat and carbohydrates. If you eat carbohydrates in excess, you may not realize the full benefits of doing exercise because whatever energy that is spent in doing exercise will be compensated by the calories coming from the carbohydrates in your food. As a result the fat deposits in your body remain untouched. So to maximize the benefits of your exercise it is important to limit the amount of carbohydrates in your food. In short, to make your exercise effective, eat nutritious food that is in harmony with your exercise goals.

Seek Expert Help

The human body is a complicated system, with many processes and organs that are interdependent. Exercise has a direct bearing upon the functioning of the heart and other vital organs of the body. It also subjects various parts of your body, especially your muscles and joints, to extra pressure. Not all human beings are made alike and not all of them take the pressures of active life alike. They respond differently to the same types of exercise. Some people may have specific health issues which will make certain types of exercises unsuitable for them. In some the metabolic rate may not respond as expected to increased physical activity. In some the excess weight may be due to problems such as hormonal imbalance, in which case exercise may not be the right solution. In some certain health issues may be latent or unknown. 

So before you begin rigorous exercise on a regular basis, you should invariably consult a qualified physician for advise. Once you obtain permission from your physician,  consider the option to join a gym and hire a personal trainer. A gym provides an ideal setting to exercise regularly. A trainer will acquaint you with various types of exercises that are suitable for you, what types of equipment you can use and the correct way of doing exercises for achieving maximum effectiveness. He or she can also assist you in choosing the right goals and the right combination of diet and  exercises according to your body conditions and weight management needs. A personal trainer will cost you money. But it is money worth spending at least for a few months initially till you become acquainted with the pros and cons of various types of exercise. A trainer can push you to the limits and help you break your old sedentary habits by building your health and stamina and by providing you with very useful information on nutrition and physical fitness that will make you feel responsible for your health.

Change Your Mindset

In this modern age where families are falling apart, old people are left to fend themselves and health costs are skyrocketing, the importance of health and regular exercise cannot be undermined. People have to keep themselves physically and mentally fit and healthy through regular physical exercise. Weight loss is not the only reason why we should exercise. There are many benefits accruing out of regular exercise including disease control and longevity. There are also some psychological benefits. Exercise improves your physique and makes you feel good about yourself. It helps you cope with the day-to-day stress. It gives you a sense of control over yourself, a feeling that will eventually seep into other areas of your life and make you accomplish things you were not expecting to do before. 

Many people do not get into the habit of doing physical exercise because they either take their health for granted or become so comfortable with their sedentary lives that they do not want to put their bodies to work. If you fall into this category, you can change your habitual thinking about exercise by focusing on its positive benefits and by practicing visualization in which you envision yourself leading an active and healthy life through regular exercise. Take that one step forward. Make a commitment to start doing regular physical exercise today. Visit your nearby gym. Talk to a physical trainer. Consult your personal physician. Improve the quality of your life by starting an exercise routine that will stay with you for the rest of your life. Take that one step and change your life forever.