Drum roll please, .... yes, you guessed it, the answer is exercise of course.
All of those conditions I described: loss of muscle tissue, loss of flexibility, loss of strength, loss of energy, and increase in body fat - they can all be avoided, and reversed if necessary, through exercise. No doubt that diet plays a major factor in your overall health and fitness, but for now let's concentrate on exercising.
The great thing about exercise it that there are so many different ways to do it that you will never get bored. Walking, jogging, playing tennis, basketball, baseball, soccer, swimming, gymnastics, calisthenics, weight lifting, yoga, pilates, etc. I mean, there must be thousands of ways to get the daily activity you need in order to be fit.
When I think about the ideal state of health I imagine a disease free, pain free, strong, flexible body that can run and jump and swim and do whatever it feels like doing without limitations or restrictions. That's the ideal I pursue for myself and for my clients and wish for all of you.
Where to start? For those of you that are inactive, start by going for a walk. Nothing too strenuous, but something that gets you out of the house and keeps you moving. From there, there are literally endless possibilities. So let's go. Get out there and start moving.
Next time I am going to talk about the specific health benefits of aerobic exercise; and believe me -- there are many.
Peace
Dave
Showing posts with label flexibility. Show all posts
Showing posts with label flexibility. Show all posts
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
A real eye opener...
Hello again, I'm sorry that I haven't written in a while. I had the great pleasure of joining 31 of my friends on a golf trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Apart from the weather, 50 degrees and rain everyday, it was a great trip. I have been going on this trip on and off for 15 years and it's something that I look forward to all year.
The one thing that I have noticed over the past few years is that not a lot has really changed over the past 15 years -- at least not for the better. My golf game certainly hasn't improved all that much; and our routine, although much quieter, has remained pretty much the same. There is one thing though that has changed in a big way. Now, I don't know if the game of golf attracts a certain type of person or if certain types of people are attracted to golf. Probably a little of both but let me get to the point.
The one thing that has changed is the shape of the average golfer. 15 years ago most of us on the trip were in reasonably good shape -- at least for golfers. Now? Well let's just say that waist sizes have dramatically increased while chests, arms and legs seem to have shrunk. Picture if you will, middle-aged men with skinny legs, sunken chests and big bellies. Not a pretty picture, I can assure you, especially when this group sits in the sauna after a round of golf. What happened???
Unfortunately, this question is all too easy to answer and this sunken chest - bloated belly condition doesn't just affect golfers. You see, as we age we lose about 1 to 2 per cent of our muscle every year. Live long enough and you could lose 50% of your muscle mass. This is bad enough but compound that with the addition of body fat, which is very, very easy to do and you have the picture I described above. Ugly, I know.
Coupled with the loss of muscle is a loss of strength, and flexibility and therefore the ability to complete everyday tasks with ease. Bone density also decreases as we age, so now we are weaker and more susceptible to injury. Our metabolisms slow, making it easier to gain fat; and some research suggests that the health of our organs is tied to the amount of muscle we have.
Next time you are out at the mall or at a restaurant take a look around. You will no doubt see too many examples of what I am talking about. That's the bad news. The good news is that you can avoid or if necessary reverse all of these conditions. Stay posted and next week we will begin exploring exactly what you need to do in order to avoid looking like pot-bellied stick with arms.
Peace
Coffee Black
The one thing that I have noticed over the past few years is that not a lot has really changed over the past 15 years -- at least not for the better. My golf game certainly hasn't improved all that much; and our routine, although much quieter, has remained pretty much the same. There is one thing though that has changed in a big way. Now, I don't know if the game of golf attracts a certain type of person or if certain types of people are attracted to golf. Probably a little of both but let me get to the point.
The one thing that has changed is the shape of the average golfer. 15 years ago most of us on the trip were in reasonably good shape -- at least for golfers. Now? Well let's just say that waist sizes have dramatically increased while chests, arms and legs seem to have shrunk. Picture if you will, middle-aged men with skinny legs, sunken chests and big bellies. Not a pretty picture, I can assure you, especially when this group sits in the sauna after a round of golf. What happened???
Unfortunately, this question is all too easy to answer and this sunken chest - bloated belly condition doesn't just affect golfers. You see, as we age we lose about 1 to 2 per cent of our muscle every year. Live long enough and you could lose 50% of your muscle mass. This is bad enough but compound that with the addition of body fat, which is very, very easy to do and you have the picture I described above. Ugly, I know.
Coupled with the loss of muscle is a loss of strength, and flexibility and therefore the ability to complete everyday tasks with ease. Bone density also decreases as we age, so now we are weaker and more susceptible to injury. Our metabolisms slow, making it easier to gain fat; and some research suggests that the health of our organs is tied to the amount of muscle we have.
Next time you are out at the mall or at a restaurant take a look around. You will no doubt see too many examples of what I am talking about. That's the bad news. The good news is that you can avoid or if necessary reverse all of these conditions. Stay posted and next week we will begin exploring exactly what you need to do in order to avoid looking like pot-bellied stick with arms.
Peace
Coffee Black
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