More from Dr. Woliner

[Guest guest]

Docs:

Some more health tips from Dr. Woliner.

Lyndon McGill, D.C.

EvolvHealth Wellness Advisory Council Member

Salem, Oregon

www.SalemSpineClinic.com

www.EvolvingDaily.com

Forget Endless Workouts – When Less Is More

The headline for the latest study from the European Society of

Cardiology looked to be more of the same. Joggers, it said, tend

to live longer. Up to 6.2 years longer for men.

I prepared myself for yet another article celebrating the virtues

of endless hours of aerobic exercise. But I was in for a surprise.

That’s not what the study found at all.

In fact, using data from a huge study, Danish researchers

discovered that less exercise produced the greatest

benefit. Charting their results – hours of jogging vs. life

expectancy – yielded a hill.

At the bottom left were people who didn’t jog at all. At the

bottom right were people who jogged a lot – “exercise addicts.” In

the middle, at the high point of the curve, were people who jogged

just 1 to 2-1/2 hours per week.1

That’s right. As little as one hour of jogging a week – at a

slow or average pace – yielded the greatest benefit.

Marathoners actually did far worse.

Breaking the exercise up into two or three sessions produced the

greatest benefit. And the researchers said feeling just a little

breathless is best – you shouldn’t be gasping for breath.

So you’re talking about 20 minutes of very moderate exercise 3

times a week. And besides increasing your chances of living

longer, you may also see these benefits:

Improved circulation and heart function

Less trouble with blood sugar

Healthier levels of cholesterol and other blood fats

Stronger bones

Better lung function

Plus, aerobic exercise is the best way to burn belly fat.2

This study looked only at jogging, but basketball, tennis,

handball, and many other sports should provide a similar benefit.

Add in a little resistance training, and you have a near-perfect

workout schedule… one you can complete in just 20 minutes a day.

Why resistance training? Because aerobic exercise isn’t enough.

It doesn’t build muscle mass. But resistance training does. And

here’s why that’s important…

As you get older, your muscles begin to break down. Every year,

you have a little less muscle than the year before. But – in spite

of what some may say – it isn’t inevitable. You can

build muscle, no matter what your age. In fact, you can build

muscle even well into your 70s, 80s and beyond.3

Studies prove that resistance training helps you put back the

muscle that age normally takes away. You can work out with

weights, “rubber bands” or even use your own body weight.

When you do, you build muscle. Muscle that helps you stay strong,

stable and confident. And that means you can remain independent

longer.

You can think of it this way: Aerobic exercise increases your

chances for a longer life… resistance training increases your

chances of enjoying those years to the fullest.

Finally, a little bonus myth busting… with a result I think

you’ll like.

Look at any workout chart, and it’ll tell you how many calories

you burn per hour performing various activities. But those charts

aren’t quite accurate.

There’s something called “the Afterburn Effect.”

While it sounds a bit mysterious, it’s really very simple. When

you stop an activity, your body doesn’t return immediately to

normal. It continues to burn extra calories – sometimes for quite

a few hours – after you’re done.4

For instance, a 200-pound man burns about 255 calories an hour

walking at 2 mph. When he stops, his body will continue burning

extra calories for several hours.

That same man would burn about 455 calories an hour playing

softball. And when he stopped, he’d continue to burn extra

calories for several hours. But he’d burn them at a higher rate –

and for longer – than he would for walking.

The more intense the workout, the more calories burned… and the

bigger the Afterburn Effect.

Of course, you should always talk to your doctor before you start

any workout program. But, as you can see, you don’t have to be a

marathoner to be fit and healthy. In fact, when it comes to

exercise, sometimes less is more.

Yours in continued good health,

Dr Woliner, M.D.

1 “Undertaking regular jogging increases the life expectancy of

men by 6.2 years and women by 5.6 years,” European Society of

Cardiology. May 3, 2012.

2 “Aerobic exercise bests resistance training at burning belly

fat, Duke University Medical Center. Aug 25, 2011.

3 Mayer, F., et al, “The intensity and effects of strength

training in the elderly,” Dtsch Arztebl Int. May 2011; 108(21):

359-364.

4 Vella, C.A. and Kravitz, L., “Exercise After-Burn: Research

Update,” University of New Mexico.