Weight loss (Part 3. Exercise), For good health and lifestyle

Weight loss (Part 3. Exercise) 

Standard exercise for general population.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) gathered scientific evidences to establish exercise recommendations for all healthy adults aged 18 to 65 years as follows:

1.    For good health, it is recommended to have an active lifestyle, maintain regular physical activity. 

2.    Aerobic or endurance exercise such as brisk walk for at least 30 minutes a day is recommended, at least for five days each week or vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, like jogging for a minimum of 20 min on three days  each week.

3.    The above exercises don’t include light intensity physical activities of daily living such as taking a bath, dish washing, working on a desk or activities less than 10 minutes duration, like taking out the trash, walking from the parking lot to the office. 

4.    Aerobic exercise such as brisk walk to the moderate intensity which noticeably accelerates the heart rate. This can be short bouts each lasting 10 or more minutes several times then accumulate toward the 30 min minimum. 

5.    Muscle-strengthening activities is recommended to be added 2 days a week. Example of a simple muscle-strengthening activities, such as stair climbing, performing exercises, like sit up, push up etc. 

6.    The more exercise, the more benefit to health (dose-response relation between physical activity and health). Those who aim to get body fitness, reduce risk of chronic diseases, prevent gaining weight or want to lose weight should exercise more than the standard recommendation.

7.    Among those 65 years and older, it is recommended to exercise same as those 18-65 years but with additional exercises that help maintaining body flexibility and balance. 

Aerobic exercise
There are 2 specific characteristics of aerobic exercise

1.    Continuous exertion without stopping. 
Standard aerobic exercise is recommended to be continuous for 30 minutes or longer.

2.    Moderate intensity with noticeably accelerated heart rate and rapid breathing.
Muscle will consume oxygen to produce energy using oxygen-based metabolism. This explain where the word aerobic come from, which means “using oxygen” such as brisk walk, jogging, etc. 

Benefits of aerobic exercise
- Burn calories well for people who want to lose weight
- Maintain good circulatory system 
- Healthy heart  

Muscle or Strength training exercise 

Muscle-Strengthening is simply called “strength training” 
A basic principle requires a specific group of muscle, one group at a time (specificity) to exert heavily (overload) and repeatedly (repetition) to the point of exhaustion. Then give it a break for at least one day to recover (recovery). This strength training may use an aid fitness equipment such as dumbbell, stretching spring with each movement aimed at the full range of motion for that specific muscle, breathing in and out while doing this without holding breath (no breath holding) and try to keep the body in a position where the body is stretched, chest up, shoulders open, back straight and hold the stomach as much as possible (posturing). 
 
A good strength training should begin from training with an experienced trainer to practice the correct exercise posture for a satisfactory result. Research has shown that muscle training can help losing weight, reduce a lot of fat as increased muscle mass is a fat burner for those accumulated fats. The by-product is to strengthen the muscles, easily balance body, support joint-compression force resulting in less joint pain, able to do activities that increase the quality of life such as hiking, climbing, skiing well.