The Effectiveness of “Light” Exercise Debunked
By Dr. Douglas Menzies
In the most recent report from the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, the idea of
promoting 30 minutes of cumulative exercise a day as an effective
way of controlling weight and improving health was disproved.
First of all, exercise
alone does not seem to do the trick for weight loss or weight control.
Caloric intake and physical activity go hand in hand to control a
person’s weight. Although 30 minutes of moderate exercise--not “light” OR
cumulative--performed daily DOES promote fitness and reduce the risk
of chronic health conditions such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes
and coronary artery disease, most adults require more. They found
that adults need to participate in up to 60 minutes of moderate to
vigorous physical activity on most days to prevent unhealthy weight
gain, while adults who have previously lost weight may need 60-90
minutes of moderate physical activity daily to help avoid regaining
the weight.
Examples of moderate activity are brisk walking or slow jogging; examples of vigorous
activity are running, cycling, hi-intensity aerobics classes, etc.
And what about the kids? They need at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical
activity on most days for the maintenance of good health and fitness
and for healthy weight gain during growth.
Benefits of Moderate vs. Vigorous Exercise: Compared with moderate physical activity,
vigorous physical activity provides greater benefits for physical
fitness and burns more calories per unit of time. (They actually
needed a study to determine that!)
Bottom Line: Our society has become so sedentary due to technological advancements
that we now require even more exercise to compensate for all the
hours of inactivity that pervades our lifestyle. Riding in the car,
sitting behind a desk, using a computer, watching television, NOT
MOVING OUR BODIES...these predispose us to health and weight problems.
The more of the former we do the more of the latter may occur. You
must counterbalance the inactivity by scheduling exercise into the
remainder of the day. If you don’t...you AND your family will pay
the price.
Here at the Beeston Hill Rehabilitation Center, we offer a Medical Fitness Evaluation to
determine your current level of fitness and what amount of exercise
is appropriate and NEEDED for your body to be healthy. Call 778-8888 to
find out more about the Medical Fitness Evaluation
and schedule your appointment today!
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