Getting the Most Out of Your Exercise

(adapted from an article by Ralph E.Carson in the ASBP journal Vol 24, 2009)

You might well ask why we are deluged with recommendations that exercise is important for weight management. The key concept is weight management, which refers to metabolism and maintenance. For decades there were very few published reports on maintenance, if for no other reason there were never enough subjects to carry out a meaningful study. With the evolution of the National Weight Control Registry, their compilation of successful dieters across the USA has provided a large pool of successful long term losers from which to make observations and draw conclusions. It has become clear that the number one predictor of keeping weight off is exercising an average of 2,800 extra calories per week. This allows for about a 400 calorie/day buffer of intake so one does not have to exist on a pseudo-starvation diet. Being active during the weight loss stage has allowed the muscles to increase their surface receptors for burning extra calories. The starving fat cells have been transformed into super storage vehicles, but now must compete with muscles for any extra calories.

Also the increase in calorie expenditure contributed by exercise helps offset the metabolic drop that has occurred during the course of calorie restriction. Exercise has a profound effect in improving insulin resistance which can be a major deterrent to breaking down stored fat and controlling appetite.
The technique that can break us through a plateau is strength training, since a pound of muscle can add an additional 35 to 75 calorie burning potential per day. Also turning up the intensity actually targets the intrabdominal fat, which is considered the most detrimental in terms of chronic disease resulting from inflammation.

Also we have to think about our moods. Mood plays a major part in determining, not only our behaviour, but what and how much we eat as well. Many of the antidepressants prescribed actually add to the problem of sustaining a healthy weight. Exercise has time and again proven to be as good as the antidepressant, and, if nothing else, to complement antidepressants by making them more effective. Exercise has been demonstrated to stimulate the release of the calming neurotransmitter serotonin and extend the time of attachment to receptors in the emotional area of the brain.

Thus with exercise we release stress.

If you had one muscle to concentrate on other than the heart it would be the abdomen. The core muscles are the most important when it comes to athletic performance, appearance, posture and good health. They stabilize the spine.

Exercise therefore is crucial to weight maintenance; without it on a regular basis; we will regain our weight loss. It is crucial for enhanced mood and control of urges to eat. It also allows us to move better to move safely and have better balance.

Everyone has plenty of time to find 30 minutes 6 times a week. The difficulty is in making this an important priority for your health. We can choose to do, or we can choose not to do it, it is as simple as that. It's surprising to me the number of patient s who have stationary cycles, elliptical, or treadmills in front of a TV, yet will option to watch the TV program sitting on a couch rather than watch the same program while being active.

You can do it. Just keep trying. Never give up.

Dr Doug