Aerobics – Myth vs. FACT

I loved this article from my Doctor,  Dr. Alan Christianson in Scottsdale.  I will be sharing health articles from time to time because it is totally connected to feeling good about yourself, therefore having good self-esteem. Enjoy it and tell me what you think about it.

Aerobic means ‘with oxygen’.  Animals are chemically distinct from plants in that we burn our fuel with oxygen and liberate a lot more energy than chemical pathways that don’t use oxygen.  This gives us power to think and move.  Your brain uses 20% of your energy.  I’m sure you can think of someone who might be using closer to 5%, but really, most brains use 20%.

What does it mean when you are tired and sluggish during the day?  Chemically it means you are not able to generate ATP (your cell’s energy) within your cells at the rate at which you’re burning it. Your body wants to rest and slow down.  How do you get better at producing ATP?  You incrementally challenge your system and let your body adapt.  Your body is amazing at adaption.  Whatever we ask of it, it will accommodate. The most efficient way to challenge your energy production pathways is through aerobic exercise.  Run, walk fast, bike, swim, work out on an aerobic machine, anything – just move a little faster for a little longer than you normally do. If this is tiring, rest up a day and try it again. It’ll get easier, I promise.  You’ll go farther and faster plus be able to shorten the rest periods between aerobic exercises.  And, non-exercise tasks will also get easier.  Your brain will be sharper, you’ll move easier and be less tired during the day.

Think you’re tired because you’re old? It’s not true. The only type of AGEing that really slows you down is if you Aren’t Getting Exercise.

Just a few weeks ago an article in the British Journal of Sports Medicine showed that regular exercise could delay the effects of aging by 12 years!  Senior athletes maintain 90% of their capacity into their 80′s and beyond.  In their sports they are universally superior to sedentary 30-year-old office workers.

Before going out for that jog, here are a few myths I hope to put to rest:

Myth:  I’m too tired; exercising will use up all my energy.
Fact: Give yourself a chance and advance slowly.  You’ll be more energetic for having done some aerobic work.  And, within a short time, you’ll actually come to enjoy it! Commit to getting dressed and out the door to do at least 5 minutes each day.  That’s not too tough.  If you’re still not into it after those 5 minutes, throw in the towel.  But 9 times out of 10 you’ll get into the flow and have fun.

Myth: Lower intensity workouts burn more fat.
Fact:  No, they don’t.  It’s true you burn a slightly higher percentage of calories from fat at low intensity, say 6% vs. 5% at high intensity, but you burn so fewer calories it’s not helpful. For example, say at low intensity you burn 200 calories which 6% are from fat, this equals 12 fat calories burned. For the same amount of time at a high intensity you’re burning 500 calories!  So, even though you may only burn 5% from fat, that’s 25 fat calories!

Myth: If I go to the gym and train hard every day I’ll lose weight.
Fact:  Maybe, but weight loss does take counting calories… calories from HEALTHY foods that is! You know that 500 calories you burned in the high intensity workout above? Without discipline you can blow that at the Starbucks on the way home.

Myth: 20 minutes 2-3 times per week is enough exercise.
Fact:  Well, it’s enough to start or help you get into the swing of exercising, but you’ll get more benefits and gain more energy if you move towards exercising most days of the week at 45-60 minutes each time for an average of 6 hours per week.

Myth: I don’t have that kind of time. Why bother?
Fact:  The average American adult watches TV 29-34 hours per week! If you can’t reduce that time by a few hours, set up a treadmill or exercise bike in front of the TV and have at it.

Myth: I don’t need aerobics as much since I lift weights.
Fact:  Strength training is great, but its maximum benefits for longevity, weight loss and health occur with one session per body part per week. Some papers have suggested even just 1 set may provide this. Aerobics are a wiser expenditure of most of your exercise time.

Myth: I need a sports drink for exercise.
Fact:  If you’re going at it hard for over 90 minutes, OK, otherwise drink water and save the calories for something better.

So get out and generate some ATP, you’ll feel great!

Dr. Alan Christianson, NMD, is founder and President of Integrative Health Clinic in Scottsdale, AZ.  Integrative Health offers a fresh approach to living well by using a novel formula for science-based natural medicine.  The team of physicians discovers the cause of each patient’s troubling symptoms and protects their long-term health and quality of life.

Dr. Christianson’s primary focus is diagnosing hidden cases of thyroid disease and assisting those already diagnosed to resolve hypothyroid symptoms including weight gain, fatigue and hair loss.

Currently, he is co-authoring ‘The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Thyroid’, for Penguin publishers, due for publication in mid-2011.

He can be reached at 480.657.0003 or www.IntegrativeHealthCare.com

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