Bev's BLOB Blog

When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.

- Harriet Beecher Stowe

You can gain the benefits of exercise without pain. In fact, over-exercising can be very dangerous, especially for a person with an undetected heart condition. Trained athletes can work at 85 percent of their maximum heart rate, but if you don't fit in this category don't try this level. If you want fast improvement, exercise LONGER, not HARDER.

Balance is the key to a safe workout program. If you have a couple of heavy workout days, counteract with a light day. Listen to your body. If you are fatigued, have sore muscles, and dread your workout for the day, you are over doing it. Most health experts agree to start an exercise program slowly and increase the frequency, intensity, and time over several weeks or months.

Another form of over-exercising is the repeating of the same activity too often. Switching exercises on a daily basis allows the stressed muscles to recover while different sets of muscles are being used. This is especially important if you are over 40. Muscles cannot repair themselves as quickly after this age.

For most of us, it's not a question of too much exercise but too little. Daily moderate activity for 30 minutes will give health benefits without pain. A vigorous activity level may benefit us in longevity and obtaining higher body fitness, but this level of exercise should only be started with the approval of a physician and with an appropriate training program.

Elizabeth Thornberry

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance (lipid). The body needs it for the functioning of the cell membranes, the insulation of nerves, and the production of certain hormones. The liver uses it to make bile that aids in digestion. There are two types: dietary and blood cholesterol.

Dietary cholesterol is found only in animal products, such as meat and dairy. Blood cholesterol is produced by the liver and from the foods you eat. Your liver makes about 80 percent of your blood cholesterol, and about 20 percent comes from your daily food intake.

In order for cholesterol to be carried in the blood, your body coats the cholesterol with proteins, resulting in a combination of substances called lipoproteins. Low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) contain lots of cholesterol. High-density lipoproteins (HDLs) contain mostly protein. HDL is called good cholesterol because it sweeps away cholesterol deposits from artery walls. High levels of HDLs lower the risk of heart disease.

Regular exercise produces a more favorable ratio of HDL to total blood cholesterol. Aerobic activity will increase HDLs. It will also help to lower blood triglycerides, a type of dietary fat that increases the risk of coronary heart disease.

Elizabeth Thornberry

Habits are hard to form and even more difficult to break. If you are in the routine of: waking up and immediately having a cigarette, a cup of coffee, and eggs benedict; then it will be a challenge to: get up, have a big glass of water, eat a half of bagel with jelly and put on your jogging shoes.

Routines are very powerful in our lives, and the transition from bad habits to healthy habits isn’t easy, so cut yourself a little bit of slack. The key is picking yourself up and brushing yourself off when you go back to old habits, and starting again fresh right then and there, instead of waiting until next Monday. It is said that it takes 21 days to make a habit, but I believe it takes much longer to break one.

Joanne Bednar

- Theodore Roosevelt

• Set realistic goals--the key to losing weight is by doing so gradually. A realistic goal is one to two pounds per week.
• Listen to your body--don't eat in the car or when watching television. We don't listen to our body when it tells us it's full. Cut back on those "biggie" food sizes.
• Get physical--a brisk walk 30 minutes a day will help you lose the weight and keep it off.
• Cut back on fat and increase your intake of fruits and vegetables--this is a nutrition "need-to-do."

Lindsay Edwards

It's a little controversial, but it may work for you. Some experts tout the approach of eating according to "the rules" 80 percent of the time, and letting yourself eat as you please the remaining 20 percent. Loosely translated, that may mean being strict with yourself during the week, but letting yourself indulge on weekends.

Is it a good idea? That depends. Some people find it helps to know they can indulge every so often. They can easily say no to chocolate cake on Thursday if they know they're free to have dessert on Saturday.

On the other hand, some nutritionists look askance at the 80-20 method. Their concern: It may lead you to regard foods, and behaviors, as "good" and "bad," instead of taking a consistent, moderate approach to eating.

"Let him that would move the world, first move himself." - Socrates

Perhaps you've heard that doing slower exercise (50-60% of max) will help to burn off more fat than intense exercise. This is true as far as physiology is concerned. When we are not exercising intensely, our body burns fat as the main source of energy. As we begin to exercise harder and harder the amount of fat we burn decreases and the amount of glucose (carbohydrates) we burn increases. When you are exercising anaerobically, or about your target heart rate, you are not burning any fat at all.

BUT DON'T LET THIS FOOL YOU. You will still burn way more calories by exercising at higher levels than you will at lower levels. After an intense exercise session your body has to recover and replenish the glucose you just used up. Therefore, you will burn fat like crazy post-exercise as your body works to recover. When it comes to fat loss, it is still more beneficial to work in the high-aerobic range of your target heart rate zone......say, 70-85% of max.

Joanne Bednar