When thinking of exercise, there are usually two responses: Dread or “Let’s Go!” I have learned that most who are in the “dread” category, only need a short bridge to join the other team. Our body thrives on movement. We were built to move. The lifestyles of so many have become sedentary. Sitting at a desk all day or on a couch for hours is detrimental to our health. As they say, “sitting is the new smoking.” A sedentary lifestyle can lead to heart conditions, type 2 diabetes as well as some cancers. Just getting up for 5 minutes each hour to move around does MORE for your health than sitting all day at your desk and then going to a 1 ½ hour workout at the gym! Isn’t that amazing? One of those 5 minutes could be squats or bicep curls! Or hopping on a rebounder. Or just taking a walk around the office building or down to your mailbox! The important thing is to move for 5 minutes each hour. Once you have adopted this new habit you can then begin some weight resistant training. No matter what your age or fitness level, you can begin SOMEWHERE. We know now that weight resistant exercise, such as HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) are the most beneficial to your health. They challenge us with a little cardio, then some resistant training. Recent studies show that we really only need 3 or 4 of these sessions per week. They are short, just 15-20 minutes in length. Isn’t that GREAT news? Especially for team “dread”! If you have not begun an exercise routine, it is best to check in with your doctor first. It might also be helpful to get some guidance from a trainer. It is important to know that you can begin with just as much as you can do. No need for perfection or for completing an entire workout the first time. Each time you do another one, you will be able to do it a bit easier and a bit longer. Before you know it you will be well on your way! Your ENTIRE body and ALL its systems will be functioning in a much healthier way. Health begets health.
The primary role of adipose tissue, aka FAT, is to store excess energy as lipids. It is the main source of non-essential fatty acids when the body is demanding energy…. Such as fasting or exercise. Isn’t that good news! As we shift to building more muscle, our body utilizes our sugar stores and burns more fat. This is true for up to 24 hours after you stop the weight resistant exercise! Studies have also shown that there are negative returns to our health when we “overexercise.” Especially when we need healing, too much exercise works against us. Extreme exercise puts us into “fight or flight” mode. When we are in a healthy place with no health concerns or weight to lose, this does pose a concern. Our body readjusts after the 60-minute spin class or the 10-mile run. But if we are trying to heal, this type of regular exercise can be counterproductive. We are better off, in this case, with the 3 shorter HIIT workouts a week. The reason HIIT workouts are so good for us is that they elevate our heart rate for just a bit, then we RECOVER, then we take it back up again. It is this ability for our heart rate to recover quickly (HRV) which is a good measure of our health.
Benefits of Resistance Training
Physical and Cognitive Improvement
Better movement, confidence and cognitive abilities.
Insulin Resistance & Diabetes
Reduces visceral fat, HbA1c levels and boosts insulin sensitivity. This is SO important. This allows the body to USE blood glucose more effectively thereby reducing your overall blood sugar
Cardiovascular Health:
Lowers blood pressure, LDL levels and increases the good HDL cholesterol.
Reduces your resting blood pressure.
Bone Health:
As we put pressure on our body and therefore our bones, our body will “lay down” more bone. This is good as we age.
Pain Management:
Eases discomfort associated with arthritis and fibromyalgia.
Anti-Aging Effects:
Reverses specific aging factors in our skeletal muscles.
As always, I hope this information is helpful. Please reach out with any questions!
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