Listen To Your Body

Many of us need formal exercise on a daily basis because we lead sedentary lifestyles.  I recently visited my dad and asked if he was keeping up with the exercise routine I gave him last December.  I had added the exercises to his routine to help improve overall strength.  However, he told me he discontinued the program because he was often in pain.  This got me thinking…

My dad is 73 years old and walk/jogs between two to five miles six days a week and for over 30 years he has used the “ab wheel” for core training several times a week.  He lives on seven acres and is very active.  He maintains the property including disking an almond orchard, knocking almonds, chopping wood for winter months, maintaining his tractors and cars, mowing the lawn, and almost all house maintenance.  He also bikes during the summer months when he has time.  He overloads his body on a daily basis by bending and lifting; pushing, pulling, lunging, and does not need more exercise! 

My dad was most likely overtraining when he added the additional exercises.  Once he discontinued the exercises his aches and pains started to subside.  Too much exercise can be just as detrimental to one’s body as too little exercise.  Whether your daily activities are your “exercise” or you must schedule formal exercise into your day it is important to gradually increase duration, intensity, and vary your activity.  Listen to your body…if you experience serious or chronic pain after you exercise, cut back accordingly, but do not worry about light muscular soreness associated with working previously unused muscle groups.

 

                                                  My dad and my 20 year old son

Metabolism

Many people blame weight gain or lack of weight loss on their metabolism.  Is metabolism really to blame?  First, let’s examine what metabolism is and how it is affected positively and negatively by our actions.

Metabolism is all the chemical and physical processes within the body.  We cannot perform these processes without calories (energy).  Resting metabolic rate (RMR) employs the efforts of the brain, spinal cord, glandular systems, organs, muscles, digestion, circulation, and reproduction – every function of the body to maintain life at rest.  RMR accounts for 60-70% of all calorie-burning processes (Kinucan & Kravitz, n.d.).  We need to consume additional calories to provide energy for all other activities.

The more you weigh the more energy (calories) you need to maintain your weight; the less you weigh the fewer calories needed to maintain your weight.  If you lose weight you will lower your metabolic rate.  This means you will need fewer calories to maintain your RMR and your new weight.  Our metabolism also decreases with age due to loss of muscle – strength training will help slow down this process.  Be aware - some medications may increase RMR while others will decrease RMR. 

“Physical activity accounts for 15-30% of daily calorie burn depending on an individual’s activity level, which includes structured exercise as well as non-structured activity such as shivering and fidgeting.  The final component, called thermic effect of food, is the energy required for the digestion, absorption, transport, metabolism and storage of consumed food. It accounts for approximately 10% of daily calorie burn” (Kinucan & Kravitz, n.d.).

Below is a formula I like to use to calculate resting metabolic rate (RMR):

Women: 

661 + (4.38 x wt. in lbs.) = _____  + (4.38 x ht. in inches) = _____ - (4.7 x age) = RMR

 

Men:

67 + (6.24 x wt. in lbs.) = _____ + (12.7 x ht. in inches) = _____ - (6.9 x age) = RMR

 

Now that you have your RMR you will need to determine how active you are to calculate how many additional calories you should consume.  Most people tend to overestimate their daily activity.  Do you exercise one hour, two to three times per week only to find yourself sitting during the other hours of the day?  I suggest you use the “sedentary” multiplier so you do not overestimate the number of calories you need per day.  For example:  I perform one hour of cardiovascular exercise per day and I use the “moderately active” multiplier.  I have performed an hour of cardiovascular exercise daily for the past 30 years and my body has become accustomed to the activity (I would easily gain weight if I stopped my daily exercise).  I also perform strength training and additional walking with clients 2-4 days per week, but I still consider myself moderately active.  There have been times in my career I’ve had to teach 10-17 group fitness classes per week in which case I would consider myself “very active.”

Activity Multiplier:  Multiply your BMR caloric number with the appropriate activity multiplier to approximate the number of calories you need to maintain your weight.

Sedentary …………………………………………………………………….. x 1.15

Light Activity (normal, everyday activity) ……………………………… x  1.3

Moderately Active (exercise 3-4 times per week) ……………………..  x 1.4

Very Active (exercise more than 4 times per week) ………………….  x  1.6

Extremely Active (exercise 6-7 times per week) ………………………  x  1.8

 

                     Approximate number or calories to maintain weight:  ________

 

If you are trying to lose weight it is recommended to create a 500 calorie daily deficit to lose one pound per week.  I recommend you decrease your caloric intake by 250 calories and increase the number of calories you burn through exercise by 250 calories.

Good news – you can increase your metabolism!  As we age we lose muscle which decreases metabolism.  You can have the biggest impact on your metabolism by scheduling time to exercise (cardiovascular and strength training) and by moving more throughout the day.  A simple, inexpensive pedometer can help you be aware of your daily movement and encourage you to move more.  Other more sophisticated gadgets include FitBit and Body Media’s GoWearFit.  Whether you go low-tech or high-tech the objective is to move more and balance calorie intake with calorie expenditures.     

 Energy and persistence conquer all things. -Benjamin Franklin

References:

Kinucan, P. & Kravitz, L. (n.d.). Controversies in metabolism. Retrieved from:

     www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/metabolismcontroversy.html

Don't Be Afraid of Carbs!

Have you ever tried to lose weight by eliminating or reducing carbohydrates?  It usually works short term because you are consuming fewer calories and losing water weight.  Each gram of carbohydrate holds onto approximately 3-4 grams of water.  Reducing your carbohydrate intake WILL cause weight loss, but it’s mostly water and temporary!  It is extremely difficult for most people to sustain a low-carbohydrate diet long term. 

Many people are confused by carbohydrates and believe protein is the miracle micronutrient.  However, our bodies NEED carbohydrates in a higher quantity than either protein or fat.  When exercising at high intensities the body uses glucose (the breakdown of carbohydrates) as its primary energy source.  It is important to consume the right type of carbohydrates and the proper number of servings for health and fitness.

Vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains should be our main carbohydrate source.  They are all forms of complex carbohydrates.  Carbohydrates are the preferred energy source for our body and brain.  It is recommended children, adolescents, and adults consume a minimum of 130 grams of carbohydrates per day (Schlenker & Roth, 2011, p.50).

We should limit simple carbohydrates (e.g., crackers, cookies, cakes, etc.) because they rapidly elevate blood glucose which causes the pancreas to work hard to stabilize blood sugar levels.  Simple carbohydrates also provide minimal nutrients and are often the cause of weight gain. 

Eat complex carbohydrates and limit simple carbohydrates!  Complex carbohydrates are high in fiber and nutrients.  Including whole grain products, legumes, vegetables, and fruits in our diet helps stabilize blood sugar levels while providing fiber and nutrients.  However, it is still important to be aware of portion size.  A serving of carbohydrates is considered to be approximately 80-100 calories (that’s not many calories).  Most women only need about 4 – 6 servings of carbohydrates.  Remember, vegetables, legumes, fruits, and dairy also contain carbohydrates and will help you receive the minimum 130 grams recommended per day. 

If you are eating more than 4 – 6 servings a day and/or consuming a large amount of your calories in the form of simple carbohydrates, try swapping a complex carbohydrate for a simple carbohydrate.  For example; if you eat sugary cereal you can try to eat a lower sugar cereal or old-fashioned rolled oats.  You don’t have to change every meal – just start with one.  Your body and brain will thank you with more energy and brain power!

References:

Schlenker, E.D. & Roth, S.L. (2011). Williams’ essentials of nutrition and diet therapy (tenth edition). St. Louis,

     MO: Mosby Elsevier

Avoid Losing Muscle with Age!

I remember walking to the library after school with my best friend before we had cars.  We walked fast because we thought it would help us maintain our walking speed when we got older (which would be our thirties)!  Well, in a sense we were right because as we age we lose muscle.  Muscle loss begins to occur around 25 years of age, but is more noticeable around the sixth decade of life if one has not exercised to maintain lean muscle. 

Many older adults find activities of daily living more difficult due to loss of muscle; including climbing stairs, putting items away in a cupboard, getting down on the floor to clean, etc.  Muscle doesn’t turn to fat as some people think, but it shrinks.  If you look at a steak, the muscle and fat are two different types of tissue – the fat cannot convert to muscle and the muscle cannot convert to fat.  The only way to remove the fat is to cut it away – we can cut it away (abdominoplasty) or suck it out (liposuction).   Think of your muscle and fat cells as balloons. 

Strength training will increase the size of muscle cells and fat cells will shrink.  However, if you stop strength training or have never strength trained fat cells have the ability to expand.  Remember muscle is more compact than fat and takes up less space.   Fat is fluffy and takes up 18% more space than muscle.  You may know people who mention they’re the same weight they were ten years ago but they look fluffier.  This is because they have lost lean muscle and increased the size of their fat cells.   

You can slow down the aging process by increasing or maintaining lean muscle through strength training two to three times per week!  It is important to work all of the major muscle groups to limit muscle imbalances.  It is NEVER too late to begin strength training – START TODAY!

 

     The one unchangeable certainty is that nothing is certain or unchangeable.
~John F. Kennedy~