Weight Debate

Different kinds of exercises work different muscle groups, and some exercises work many muscles. You should try to work all of your muscles each week.

Here are some exercises and the kinds of muscles used for each exercise, if you do the exercise correctly:

Sit-ups
Muscles worked – Abdominals.

Push-ups
Muscles worked – Chest, shoulders, arms, abdominals.

Jumping Jacks
Muscles worked – Buttocks, calves (lower leg), inner and outer thigh.

Swimming
Muscles worked – Nearly all major muscles.

Running
Muscles worked – Calves, front/back thigh, abdominals.

Jumping rope
Muscles worked – Shoulders, arms, abdominals, thighs, calves.

Walking
Muscles worked – Arms, abdominals, front and back thigh, calves.

Inline Skating
Muscles worked – Buttocks, inner and outer thigh.

Dancing
Muscles worked – Nearly all major muscles, depending on type of dance.

Squats
Muscles worked – Buttocks, front and back thigh, calves.

Hula Hoop
Muscles worked – Abdominals, lower back.

Always be careful… what is easy for one person might be strenuous for you. Consult your doctor before starting any exercise program.

Got love handles? Got cellulite on your hips?

You may think that doing 1,000 crunches a day, or putting an electrical stimulator over your hips will eventually fry away the fat. But it won’t. Spot reducing doesn’t work!! Your body doesn’t work that way.

Sure, you can build muscle in different locations of your body based on what exercises you do, but there’s no way to “spot reduce” fat.

Usually the face is the first place you lose weight. You didn’t do face crunches, did you? Your body controls where it burns fat, and usually the first place you want to lose it most, is the last place it burns off.

The only way to address target areas is through an overall program that includes both stamina training and resistance training, as well as using a calorie controlled diet. With smaller portioned meals and more physical activity, you will reduce everywhere and make yourself feel better.

Source: Dr. Oz show.

The best exercise for your bones is weight-bearing exercises.

Your bones play many roles in your body. Your bones provide:

• Structure
• Protect organs
• Anchor muscles
• Store calcium

Adequate calcium consumption and weight bearing physical activity early in life builds strong bones, optimizes bone mass, and may reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life.

Weight-bearing exercises are any activity that a person performs that works bones and muscles against gravity.

Some examples of weight-bearing exercises include:

• Basketball
• Carrying a child
• Climbing stairs
• Dancing
• Field Hockey
• Gymnastics
• Hiking
• Jogging
• Jumping rope
• Racquetball
• Running
• Soccer
• Tennis
• Walking
• Weight training, weight lifting

Examples of exercises that are not weight-bearing include swimming and bicycling. Although swimming and bicycling help build and maintain strong muscles and have excellent cardiovascular benefits, they are not the best way to exercise your bones.

Adults should engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week.

Children should engage in at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week.

If you have health problems – such as heart trouble, high blood pressure, diabetes, or obesity – or if you are age 40 or older, check with your doctor before you begin any regular exercise program.

Vigorous physical activity is recommended for improved cardiorespiratory fitness, but moderate physical activity also can have significant health benefits, including a decreased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD).

For people who are inactive, even small increases in physical activity are associated with measurable health benefits.

Moderate physical activity is more readily adopted and maintained than vigorous physical activity.

As research continues to illustrate the links between physical activity and selected health outcomes, people will be able to choose physical activity patterns optimally suited to individual preferences, health risks, and physiologic benefits.

It is recommended to do 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days of the week, and you can break up the 30 minutes of activity by doing 10 minutes of activity three different times of the day.

Some Moderate Activities
You can talk while you do these, but you can’t sing:

• Ballroom and line dancing
• Biking on level ground or with few hills
• Canoeing
• General gardening (raking, trimming shrubs)
• Sports where you catch and throw (baseball, softball, volleyball)
• Tennis (doubles)
• Using your manual wheelchair
• Using hand cyclers – also called ergometers
• Walking briskly
• Water aerobics
• Hiking
• Golf – walking and carrying clubs
• Weight training – general light workout

What scientists, serveral studies, and doctors are saying:

If you want to lose more fat while exercising, you should skip snacking before your workout.

Cyclists who train without eating first, burn more fat than those who eat.

Carbohydrates usually give muscles energy, that’s why athletes eat large amounts of food in advance of their event, but scientists say by not eating before you exercise, your body doesn’t have many carbohydrates in reserve, so this forces your body to burn fat instead.

In a group study it did show that the group who didn’t eat before exercising did not perform as well in their workout activity, but even though the group performed worse, they did burn a higher proportion of fat to carbohydrates than the group that ate.

Peter Hespel, a professor of exercise physiology at the University of Leuven in Belgium, recommends people do this kind of training before breakfast, since eating carbohydrates interrupts the process of metabolizing fat for about six hours afterward. But he also acknowledges the method isn’t for everyone and that aside from the pain of struggling through an exercise session while hungry, there are other potential pitfalls. He says, “When you postpone breakfast to exercise, it is possible you might eat more afterwards. People exercising (without eating) need to respect all the normal strategies of weight control like not overeating.”

Other experts don’t agree, they say that even though people may burn more fat this way, it is mostly fat within the muscles that you will lose and it will not make a big difference to those who are trying to lose weight.

Andrew Greenberg, director of the Obesity and Metabolism Laboratory at Tufts University says, “When you exercise (without eating), fat is broken down more quickly in the muscle. You may enhance how you burn the fat in the muscles, but it doesn’t affect your overall body fat,” and he said, “more intense exercise may prompt the body to burn more fatty acids in other regions of the body, but that a lot of training would be required to see a big difference.”

But Ron Maughan, a professor of sport, exercise and health sciences at Loughborough University in Britain says, “Science is finally catching up with what smart runners have always known. If you have a long, hard run without breakfast once a week, that hard run will train you to burn fat. And for the rest of the week, have plenty of carbohydrates so you can train hard.” But he also said, “That might help you get very good at burning fat, but you won’t be very good at whatever exercise it is you’re doing. Without enough fuel, you won’t get the intensity of training you need to get improvements.”

Dr. Alexis Chiang Colvin, who is a sports medicine expert at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, and she has worked with professional football and hockey teams, says “I think it’s actually a pretty bad idea. If your blood sugar is low, you could wind up getting dizzy and you might not be able to exercise as well as if you were well-nourished.” She recommends eating something small like a banana before training. She also warned the strategy might make people more prone to injury and that eating was important so the body would have enough nutrients to recover from a bout of exercise.

Daniel Kobbina, who is a personal trainer, and he also runs a martial arts school in London, says “If you train on an empty stomach, you’ll see that six-pack a lot sooner.” He says the method requires discipline – but it works.

Would you like to be more physically active, but have excuses not to be, or maybe your are not sure if you can be more active than you are?

Well, you don’t have to run or do push-ups to get the benefits of being physically active – and you can have fun and feel good doing it.

Use your imagination or try some of these suggestions if you are able to:

• Dance to music – Dancing on your feet is a good weight-bearing exercise. Dancing while seated lets you move your arms and legs to music while taking the weight off your feet. This may be a good choice if you cannot stand on your feet for a long time.
• Swimming and water workouts – puts less stress on your joints because you do not have to lift or push your own weight.
• Walk outdoors.
• Be active with friends.
• Go ice skating or roller skating.
• Play golf.
• Do some gardening or yard work like mowing the lawn or raking leaves.
• Wash the car.
• Do some housework.
• Sit less.
• Walk more while doing your errands.
• Park further away from the grocery store or mall.
• Walk to each end of the mall when you go shopping.
• March in place during TV commercials.
• Take a bicycle ride
• Take 2 to 3 minute walking breaks at work a few times a day.
• Put away the TV remote control and get up to change the channel.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator but make sure it is safe.
• Stand or walk, rather than sit while talking on the phone.
• Play with your kids, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, etc.
• Walk to your coworker’s office instead of using the phone or emailing.
• A shopping trip can be exercise – it is a chance to walk and carry your bags.
• Get off the bus or subway one stop early and walk the rest of the way but be sure the area is safe.

Any physical activity is better than none, start where you can and gradually increase the amount of physical activity you do.

It is recommended to do 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days of the week. And don’t worry if that sounds like a lot to you, because it doesn’t have to be done all at once. You can break up the 30 minutes of activity by doing 10 minutes of activity three different times of the day. A few minutes of activity here and there can really add up.

Remember that physical activity does not have to be hard or boring to be good for you. Anything that gets you moving around, even for only a few minutes a day, is a healthy start to getting more fit.

Have fun trying different activities you really enjoy.

These slow stretches help prevent back injuries and make your muscles more flexible.

Hold each position for 20 seconds and repeat 3 times. Good to do before you start your job everyday.

It doesn’t take much time to improve the strength and flexibility of your back. In just 10 minutes a day, you can perform a few exercises, which can prevent a lifetime of low back pain!

The exercise below strengthens your stomach muscles:
Lie on your back with both knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Slowly raise your head and shoulders off the floor, keeping your hands across your chest. Work up to 30 repetitions.

The exercise below strengthens your low back:
Lie on your back with both knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
With arms lying at your sides, tighten stomach muscles, squeeze buttocks, and slowly raise your hips into the air. Hold for 5 seconds and and then slowly bring the buttocks back to the floor.
Repeat 20 times.

The exercise below strengthens your back and leg muscles:
Stand with your back against a wall and your feet slightly apart. Slide into a half-sit. Hold as long as you can; slide back up. Repeat 5 times.

Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise also stretches and strengthens the muscles that support your low back, which combined with healthy eating can also help you maintain your ideal weight. If you’re overweight, the extra pounds add to the strain on your low back. Aerobic exercise like walking, can help you lose weight.

Proper Rest
The best position for resting the back muscles is lying on your back on your living room floor with a pillow under your knees and a rolled up towel under your neck. You can also lie on your side in the fetal position – bend the knees to reduce strain on the low back and put a pillow between your knees, and under your head and neck to keep them level.

Note:
Remember to always be careful… what is easy for one person might be strenuous for you. Consult your doctor before starting any exercise program.

Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do to stay healthy!!

You don’t have to be an athlete to benefit from regular physical activity. Even modest amounts of physical activity can improve your health. Start with small, specific goals, such as walking 10 minutes a day, 3 days a week, and build up slowly from there.

What Does Regular Physical Activity Do???

• Increases your chances of living longer!!
• Helps you control your weight.
• Reduces your risks for cardiovascular disease.
• Reduces your risks for type 2 diabetes.
• Reduces your risks for metabolic syndrome – a group of risk factors linked to overweight and obesity.
• Reduces your risks for some cancers.
• Strengthens your bones and muscles.
• Improves your mental health and mood.
• Improves your ability to do daily activities.
• Prevent falls among older adults.

Try these activities to add more movement to your daily life:

• Take the stairs instead of taking the elevator. Make sure that the stairs are well lit.
• Get off the bus one stop early if you are in an area safe for walking.
• Park your car farther away from the entrances to stores, movie theaters, or your home.
• Take a short walk around the block with your family, friends, or coworkers.
• In bad weather, walk around in a mall.
• Rake the leaves or wash your car.
• Visit museums, the zoo, or an aquarium. You and your family can walk for hours and not realize it.
• Take a walk after dinner instead of watching TV.

As you become more fit, slowly increase your pace, the length of time you are active, and how often you are active.

Remember to:

Start slowly - Your body needs time to get used to your new activity.

Warm up - Warm-ups get your body ready for action.

• Shrug your shoulders,
• Tap your toes,
• Swing your arms,
  OR
• March in place

You should spend a few minutes warming up for any physical activity, even walking. Walk slowly for the first few minutes.

Cool down - Slow down little by little. If you have been walking fast, walk slowly or stretch for a few minutes to cool down. Cooling down may protect your heart, relax your muscles, and keep you from getting hurt.

Check with your doctor before starting a vigorous physical activity program if you are a man over the age of 40, a woman over the age of 50, or if you have any chronic health problems.

For your health and safety, and for the health of your baby, you should not do certain physical activities while you are pregnant. Talk to your doctor about all physical activities that you should avoid during your pregnancy. Some physical activities to avoid are: (incomplete list)

• Avoid being active outside during hot weather.
• Avoid steam rooms, hot tubs, and saunas.
• Avoid physical activities, such as certain yoga poses, that call for you to lie flat on your back after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
• Avoid contact sports and activities that may cause injury, such as football and boxing, and horseback riding.
• Avoid activities that make you jump or change directions quickly, such as tennis or basketball. During pregnancy, your joints loosen and you are more likely to hurt yourself when doing these activities.
• Avoid activities that can result in a fall, such as in-line skating or downhill skiing.