Answer To Your Fitness Questions" />Physical Activity Reduces The Risk For Obesity
September 11, 2008
The most recent study on obesity gives those people suffering from this “disease” a renewed chance of improving their condition. Research has always showed the importance of physical activity day-to-day and within this study it makes no exception.
More specifically, the new study shows that physical activity actually may reduce the risk of obesity in people with a genetic mutation that predisposes them to high body mass index. Background study information points to a particular gene, known as the obesity and fat mass gene, to be the link between people and high body mass index. These gene mutations happen in about 30 percent of European populations and are directly correlated with a 1.75 kilogram (3.9 lb) increase in body weight.
Within the study, researchers at the University of Maryland studied DNA samples from roughly 704 healthy adults with an average age of 43.6. Fifty percent of men and sixty percent of women were deemed overweight, while 10 percent of men and 20 percent of women were considered obese. Each participant was fitted with “accelerometers” measuring their physical movements over time.
Research found that those participants with the genetic variant were no more likely to be overweight than those without as long as they exercised three to four hours every day (exercise includes moderate activities like brisk walking, gardening, and houscleaning).
”Our results strongly suggest that the increased risk of obesity due to genetic susceptibility can be blunted through physical activity. Some of the genes shown to cause obesity in our modern environment may not have had this effect a few centuries ago when most people’s lives were similar to that of present-day farmers.” Dr. Soren Snitker, lead author of research University of Maryland, said. “These findings truely emphasize the important role of physical activity in public health efforts to combat obesity, particularly in genetically susceptible people.
Can Exercise Be Too Much Of A Good Thing
September 4, 2008
The important question as to whether you may be exercising too much usually refers to those “exercise addicts” who find themselves at higher risk for injury and exhaustion because they push themselves harder than they should. Often times there is a misconception in the fitness world that if twenty repetitions of one exercise are a good thing, then certainly 200 must be that much better. But sometimes, exercise just may not be that much time and effort. In fact, you may be suprised to know that depending on the exercise program, you can actually work out for less time and get bigger results. Adapt to an exercise program that will allow you to burn calories quicker, and in less time that will cause a lower chance to injury and exhaustion.
Another concern for women is that they may feel it is difficult to maintain their desired fitness level around their monthly period. Not all women experience these tendencies, however if you are feeling low energy and you have heavy blood flow, there may be a medical reason behind it all. For example, you may have anemia from all of the blood loss. If you are potentially feeling these symptoms, you may consult your physician. If you are feeling low levels of energy around your period and therefore not really excited about exercising, it’s OK to take a break and give yourself some rest. Don’t stress just becaus you miss a day or two in your workout session.
