Controlling Weight With Exercise

Transcription

1 Controlling Weight With Exercise Session 4 consists of information regarding your metabolism during and after smoking, tips to boost your metabolism without smoking and tips for exercise while kicking your smoking habit. The Correlations between Smoking and Exercise Decrease in Endurance Smoking decreases cardiovascular endurance by roughly 10 percent. Smoking, in turn, can also make your workout feel a lot more difficult, causing you to become frustrated and quit working out altogether! Cardiac Issues Both smoking and exercise place extra stress on your heart. A smoker who performs vigorous cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise may not be able to get the amount of oxygen he or she needs to the working tissues of the body due to poor circulation from smoking. This causes your heart to beat faster than necessary in an attempt to keep your body supplied with sufficient oxygen. When you smoke and exercise, this can be too much for your heart to handle, and can cause cardiac arrest! Decrease in Gains The prevention of appropriate oxygen replenishment to your tissues (caused by the carbon monoxide in smoking) can decrease your ability to gain muscle! If your muscle tissue is not repaired quickly after a workout, this has negative effects on your ability to build muscle. When you quit smoking, your body will work quickly to reverse the damage you ve done to it. You will notice a positive difference in endurance and post-workout recovery only a week after quitting!

2 Cigarette Smoking and Metabolism Cigarette smoking increases a person's metabolic rate in part by forcing the heart to beat faster. When a cigarette is inhaled, the smoker's heart may beat 10 to 20 times more per minute for a certain period of time. This causes extra stress for the heart, and could lead to heart disease. Think about this: A smoking habit of 20 cigarettes a day puts approximately the same amount of stress on the heart as 90 pounds of extra weight would. When we stop smoking, heart rate slows down somewhat, causing metabolism to dip a bit as well. Using Exercise to Boost Metabolism and Minimize Weight Gain Exercise burns calories and boosts metabolism for up to 24 hours after working out. Nicotine use triggers the release of dopamine in the brain, a neurotransmitter responsible for feelings of happiness and satisfaction. Exercise also releases this same brain chemical, but in a healthy way that allows us to enjoy the pleasant effects of dopamine without risking our health to do it. Exercise breaks down fat and releases it into the bloodstream. This works to curb feelings of hunger. Increasing your level of daily activity provides many benefits including increased energy, reduced blood pressure, and lower cholesterol levels. Tips to Add More Activity to Daily Tasks Take five The next time you feel tense or have the urge to smoke, head out for a brisk 5-minute walk up the street or climb a flight of stairs. Not can this improve your mood, but it gets your heart pumping too. Park at the back of the lot Don't patrol the parking lot looking for the space that is closest to the entrance of the building. Head for the back of the lot and take advantage of the opportunity to add a few more steps to your day. Use the stairs Even if you climb the stairs every other time you need to move from one level to another, you're benefiting your health and helping your waistline. Get your hands dirty Gardening is great for the spirit, and it can burn a lot of calories too.

3 Breathe deep and embrace your yard work Everything from mowing the lawn to raking leaves counts as exercise, and potentially a significant amount at that. Use housework as a tool While this may not be the way you'd prefer to get your exercise, housework is a part of daily life for just about all of us. Make the most of yours by doing your household chores at a strong, steady pace. You'll burn more calories than you might imagine. Types of Activities Swimming Swimming is a low-impact, total body exercise that is not only great for your joints, but also very refreshing. If you don't have a local club that offers public swims, check with area hotels. They often allow non-guests to use their pool/exercise facilities for a small fee. Dancing Whether it's in your living room to your favorite music, or out on the town with your friends, dancing is a fun way to be active. You don't have to be a good dancer to enjoy this form of exercise and burn lots of calories while you're at it. Walking A good pair of walking shoes is the only equipment you need to get started with this form of exercise. Walk the neighborhood on sunny days, or, if the weather is bad, walk a few laps around the circumference of the mall. You can also use a treadmill to get your daily steps in indoors. Bicycling Bicycling is a wonderful way to work your body while enjoying the benefits of being outdoors. Pack a water bottle and a light snack, and head out on your bike to explore your surroundings. Strength Training Strength training is especially important for those who are getting older or are trying to lose weight. This type of exercise builds muscle mass and slows bone loss while boosting metabolic rate. Yoga Yoga improves balance while strengthening the body. It also benefits mood by helping us let go of the stress that we often unconsciously carry along with us day to day.

4 Benefits of Exercise Exercise is an obvious way to help avoid gaining weight after you quit. Studies show that smokers have an easier time quitting when they add exercise to their smoking cessation plan. Other benefits of exercise include: Stress reduction Reduced depression Improved mood Reduced craving for nicotine and an alternative idea for smokers who don't want to use nicotine replacement therapy Improved confidence and motivation Improved physical conditioning and performance (no more huffing and puffing!) Physical Activity Guidelines Here is a guide to help individuals of all fitness levels exercise to their fullest potential. Warming up, stretching and cooling down are important first steps towards decreasing your risk of injury. Warm Up (five to 10 ) Prior to beginning any aerobic, strength or athletic session you should warm up for five to ten. The purpose is to prepare your body, especially your cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems for activity. The key is to begin slowly and gradually increase the intensity. The intensity of your warm up should progress from being very light at the beginning to achieving the low end of your target heart rate range at the completion. Warming up will: Allow your body temperature to increase slightly Loosens muscles and joints Allow your heart and lungs to operate efficiently Reduce the risk of injury Help mental focus to begin your workout Stretching Once you have properly warmed up for at least five, it is important to stretch your major muscle groups, such as your legs, back, chest, shoulders, arms. Stretching can help reduce injuries due to limited range of motion, can help relieve muscle soreness and cramps, can reduce the possibility of low back pain and is generally relaxing. Almost everyone can feel more flexible by stretching at least three times a week.

5 Follow these guidelines for effective stretching: Stretch before and after your workout. Hold stretches for a minimum of seconds Breathe deeply trying to exhale completely as you stretch. Do not bounce or jerk while stretching. Simply relax your muscles and calm your mind. Upper Body Stretches: o Keep your knees slightly bent. o Your feet should be shoulder width apart. o Your upper body should be aligned with your pelvis. Never force a muscle to stretch past its natural limit. As you stretch, you should feel an awareness of the muscle and mild discomfort, but no pain. Cool Down (five to 10 ) You should always end an exercise session with a five to 10 minute cool down to allow your body to recover. This allows your heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature to gradually return to a pre exercise condition. Never stop exercising suddenly. Instead continue moving at a slower pace until your body stops sweating. Stretch for increased flexibility after cool down. Strength Training When working to design your own strength training program, try to include exercises that will work the large muscle groups. Neglecting certain groups can lead to strength imbalances and postural difficulties. Ask a certified personal trainer if you need assistance. With each rep, visualize being one step closer to your wellness goals. Feel the healthy burn in your muscles, not in your chest where nicotine lingers. Strength Training Guidelines: The American College of Sports Medicine recommends the following guidelines for designing a strength training program: Strength train at least two days a week, allowing 48 hours of rest between training sessions. Perform eight to 10 different exercises, involving all major muscle groups. Work large muscle groups first, followed by smaller muscle groups (i.e., when performing upper body exercises, work the chest muscles before the arm muscles. When performing lower body exercises, work the quadriceps before the calf muscles). Intensity should be moderate but challenging and exercises should overload or fatigue the muscle group. Repetitions for each muscle group depend primarily on the goals of the strength training program. o To improve muscular endurance, 8-12 repetitions at a lower weight are recommended. o To improve muscular strength, 4-8 repetitions at a higher weight are appropriate. Perform at least one, but no more than three, sets of each exercise.

6 Tips to Avoid Injury: Warm-up for 5-10 at a low intensity before each strength training session. Perform stretching exercises before and after each exercise session. Perform all exercises in a slow and controlled manner. Maintain proper form at all times. Never sacrifice form for one more repetition. Maintain good posture throughout the movement. Keep knee and elbow joints slightly bent at all times. Never lock out your joints. Use your full range of motion for each exercise. Breathe! Exhale on the exertion, or lifting, phase of the motion. Inhale during the return phase. Increase the amount of weight by no more than five to 10 percent per week. Cool down after each exercise session for five to 10. Exercise at Work When Your Craving Strikes Walk up and down a flight or two of stairs. Sit at your desk and alternate between relaxing and tensing your muscles. Shut your office door or find a private spot where you can do some push-ups or other body weight exercises (such as squats). Try doing standing push-ups against a wall if you don t want to get down on the floor.

7 12-Week Walking Progression Week Warm Up Exercise Cool Down Walk briskly 5 Walk briskly 7 Walk briskly 9 Walk briskly 11 Walk briskly 13 Walk briskly 15 Walk briskly 18 Walk briskly 20 Walk briskly 23 Walk briskly 25 Walk briskly 28 Walk briskly 30 ; stretch ; stretch ; stretch ; stretch ; stretch ; stretch ; stretch ; stretch ; stretch ; stretch ; stretch ; stretch Total Aerobic Minutes Total Time