Each week we are bombarded with
infomercials, new studies, and hyped up trends in exercise. The conflicting messages (often
accompanying a sales pitch) convolute a simple idea- that anyone can improve
their fitness through effort and a little knowledge. This column will provide a starting point to beginning a sensible
exercise program, and later examine some of the trends, studies and options we
hear so much about.
In order to get a grasp of what we
need to do, lets look at what makes up the “fitness” we seek. At City Fitness, we believe a complete
fitness program must include emphasis on the following four areas:
cardiovascular capacity, strength training, flexibility and nutrition. Working towards change in these four areas
will bring about positive changes in a host of health markers, from bodyfat %
to triglyceride levels, bone density to basic ability to run, lift, hike or
play. Ignoring any of these components
will dramatically lessen the overall benefit, as there is a synergy to a
well-rounded program.
Cardiovascular exercise (“cardio”)
is simply working to elevate and maintain the heart rate, creating an increased
demand for oxygen. The benefits of
cardio are well documented, including heart health, controlling blood pressure,
and increased lung capacity. This is
also what most people consider “calorie burning”, although strength training
plays a crucial role in that as well.
Typically exercises such as running, biking or cardio machines come to
mind, although circuit training, swimming, jumping rope and a number of other
options can provide excellent cardiovascular training.
Strength training is crucial in
maintaining and increasing the ability to perform day-to-day tasks, as well as
promoting bone density and boosting the metabolism. In active athletic populations, muscle acts to protect the
joints in vigorous activity. In older
people, strength training is crucial in promoting bone density, as well as
maintaining functional ability. Muscle
mass protects bones in the event of a fall, and plays a large role in the
bodies ability to recover from chronic illness.
Building muscle is also responsible
for the aesthetic changes that are often sought. Definition or “tone” are achieved through a combination of muscle
building and leanness. Muscle is also
metabolically active tissue, therefore helping raise the metabolism and
promotes calorie burning. In order to
be effective, strength training should progressively introduce heavier weights
and more challenging movements. That
is; the body adapts when it is challenged, and needs constant stimulus to
continually progress.
Our third pillar is
flexibility. Often people confuse the
need for basic range of motion and joint mobility with advanced yoga poses
bordering on contortionism. In reality,
basic flexibility allows us to move with ease, protects against injury, and
makes us feel better. As fitness
professionals, we see a strong correlation between time spent sitting at a desk
and back pain in our clients. Students
and even children are more sedentary than ever, and the lack of activity
directly affects the ability to move comfortably. Rather than face a lifetime of limited activity, discomfort and
possible need for surgery, spend fifteen minutes a day working on flexibility.
Finally, we come to the often most
confusing aspect of fitness: nutrition.
Fad diets come and go, doctors change their minds, and the public is
left scratching their heads. We get
told (and sold) so many different things, its no wonder many people have no
plan when it comes to nutrition. In
fact, there are some ground rules for nutrition that are relatively simple, and
a few changes can make a profound effect.
Nutrition should be based around
real, unprocessed foods. Each meal
should have a balance of lean protein, carbohydrates and fat, and should leave
you satisfied but not overly full.
Carbs should come from colorful vegetables, and starch should be kept to
a minimum. Replacing breads, pasta,
rice or potatoes with a more nutritious choice can have a dramatic effect. Fat is also an essential part of a healthy
diet, but should come from specific sources, not fried foods or additives. Unsaturated fats, especially those higher in
Omega 3 fatty acids are preferable.
Examples include flax seeds, walnuts and coldwater fish (salmon, halibut
and sardines).
Three basic skills are vital to
empower you to reap the health and fitness benefits of good nutrition. First is the ability to read labels and
understand what to look for, and what to avoid. The drawback is, most people are shocked to realize how much
sugar, saturated fat, and sodium are added to seemingly healthy choices. Understanding this is essential in taking
charge of what you ingest. Inevitably,
this will steer you away from processed and fast foods.
The second skill is learning to
prepare your own healthy meals and plan ahead. To do this is to take responsibility for your nutrition, remove
excuses and set yourself up for success.
Basic meal planning for the week ahead allows you to shop
accordingly Not every meal has to be
planned ahead of course, but often the more forethought, the better the
results. This also helps to avoid
making bad last minute choices. Coming
home tired from a stressful day at work without a healthy option is one of the
major pitfalls to avoid.
Now that we have an idea of how to
choose food, and plan it out, we come to portion control. The final piece of the puzzle is often a
challenge in a society where over-consumption is not just rampant, but
culturally accepted. Once we
understand how much food we actually need, it’s easy to see how common
overeating is. A good meal should leave
you satisfied, but comfortable and not “stuffed”. It takes a while to realize that the feeling of “not hungry” is
different than full.
Hopefully this provides a
reasonable starting point for those interested in taking charge of their
fitness. The four components we’ve
discussed (cardio, strength, flexibility and nutrition) all play an important
role in overall well being.
At City Fitness, we believe that even a basic approach to
exercise and nutrition can have profound benefits, and encourage everyone to
make this a part of their life.
Sometimes the amount of information on fitness can be overwhelming, but
like most things, its best to start simple.
