New Ways of Thinking - 7. Physical Activity

The Medically Supervised Weight Loss Program through KATC Bariatric program does not require physical activity – in other words, you can participate and not exercise, but they do teach the benefits of regular exercise.  My observation was that those who exercised the most also lost the most weight.

Studies show that people who lose weight by dieting alone gain most of the weight back after less than a year, however people who increase their physical activity in addition to cutting calories are more likely to maintain their weight loss long-term.  This finding is especially true for people who have lost very large amounts of weight through medically monitored weight loss programs.

Health Benefits:

• Decrease appetites – vigorous activity causes the brain to release a natural appetite suppressant
• Increases resting metabolic rate – muscle mass burns calories, so your body burns more calories all day long
• Improves oxygen uptake –
• Reduces blood pressure – thereby reducing the risk of disease like heart attack, stroke, alzheimers, etc
• Reduces blood sugar/ Reduces Triglycerides/ Reduces LDL/ Increases HDL – reduces risk of diabetes
• Slows bone loss – helps to prevent osteoporosis
• Reduces stress & Improves mood – exercise releases endorphins which help alleviate anxiety and depression
• Improves sleep
• Improves self-esteem and overall satisfaction with life in general

 

Exercise Planning: F.I.T.T.

It is essential to have a plan for both exercise and activity.  Our bodies like to do what’s easiest, so if we don’t plan carefully, we end up not going to the gym and sitting on the sofa instead of walking.

Use the F.I.T. tool to plan and monitor your exercise:

F – Frequency.	How often – the Public Health Canada guideline recommends 150 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic physical exercise per week, in bouts of 10 minutes or more.  The more active you are, the greater the health benefits.
I – Intensity.	The level of exertion is important.  In order to have the maximum health benefit, the activity must be aerobic.  You get the best weight loss benefit from ‘brisk’ to  exercise.  Try the Talk Test.  You should be able to breathe comfortably, deeply, and rhythmically at all times during the activity.  You should be able to carry on a conversation.  If you’re breathing so hard that you can’t easily talk, your activity is too intense.  On the other hand, if you can comfortably sing, you should be working a little harder.
T – Time.	How long is the active session?  To get an aerobic benefit, the session must be at least 10 minutes.
T – Type	The type of exercise is important.  Our smart bodies adapt fairly quickly to new demands, so changing up the exercise type ensures that new muscles are constantly being developed and worked out.

The most effective exercise is weight-bearing and uses our biggest muscles, our legs.  It’s best to select low-impact exercise like walking, cycling – especially to start out.    Aerobic activity uses mostly fats and carbohydrates for energy sources, so it does burn calories.  It also can prevent the loss of lean muscle mass, which can result from dieting.  Most importantly, aerobic exercise can boost your metabolism for hours or even days after each session.

 

Since nearly the beginning of the medically supervised weight loss program, I have completed 30 minutes of moderate-to-brisk aerobic exercise 6 days out of every week.  Mostly, it’s been walking or biking, but sometimes active yard work like lawn mowing, stump pulling, or moving wheelbarrow loads of mulch.  I really didn’t like exercise at the very beginning because it was hard and didn’t feel very nice.  My body adapted quickly and the breathing and movement became easier.  Now that it has become routine, I still have to plan it, but it is definitely less of a burden.

My personal advice – make like the Nike commercial and ‘Just Do It’.