Fairly fit within a few weeks continue…

Improving your oxygen intake

Many people misunderstand the term 'aerobic exercise'. They think it means 'movement in air.' Well, that would be more like ballet, wouldn't it? The term aerobic means literally 'movement with air'. Doing one hour of strenuous aerobic exercises without focusing on your breathing would mean little more than knifing a jersey at high speed. The wondrous effect of aerobic exercise and correct breathing is an increased oxygen intake, coupled with improved circulation, conveying the oxygen more effectively throughout your body.

Aerobics need not be strenuous to be effective. Experts say an hour's walking is as beneficial as a half an hour of strenuous aerobics. In fact, they say what really mailers, is not the intensity, but the duration and the regularity with which you exercise. Which makes it more achievable, don't you think? It makes sense, because the body burns fat during low-impact aerobics (such as walking), whereas it prefers using your glycogen (blood sugar) as energy when you are doing high- impact aerobics. Perhaps that is why many runners (running being high-impact) still look flabby and carry a little fat around the waist, hips and thighs, whereas the majority of serious walkers and cyclists (their exercise being low-impact) have firm, lean upper legs and hips.

• Walk for an hour 4 times a week. Ideally no more than 48 hours should pass between walking sessions - in other words, ideally you should walk at least every second day. Since walking in parks, on beaches and in the suburbs is no longer safe, join Run/Walk for Life, or become involved in a hobby or interest that entails walking: join a bird watching group or start playing golf. Alternatively you could walk on a treadmill or health walker while watching television, which would serve the double purpose of preventing boredom and providing exercise.

• Dance your heart out. Join a dance group or take a pair of earphones and a couple of feet-tapping music CDs and dance in the privacy of your own home. About 45 minutes of pleasurable movement every second day, while focussing on your breathing, will improve your weight loss efforts, your health as well as your general state of mind.

Stretch and tone exercises are fabulous to get you into shape, even during your fat- loss period. Done correctly, you will be astonished at how they improve your bodyshape within weeks.

• Yoga is a most effective way of reaching many goals, not only weight loss. Under the guidance of a good yoga teacher you will become focussed on your mental and creative capabilities, your personal survival and your spiritual growth and stress management. You will also be amazed at how your body responds to it. Your tone, posture and suppleness will improve within weeks. Combined, these benefits influence your commitment and determination and will enable you to reach your normal weight infinitely more easily and effectively.

• Again, let a personal trainer help you with stretch and tone exercises. Building fabulous lean thighs and firm upper arms requires a respectable amount of knowledge, something which most of us lack when it comes to anatomy.

• House- and garden work. Go ahead and laugh, but try it all the same. You will be amazed at how many muscles are used for mopping the floor, making beds and washing the bath. What's more, the boost your self-worth experiences once you've cleaned up the kitchen, mopped the floor and polished the wall tiles, is hard to explain but very real. Just try it and see what I mean. Especially if you don't have to do It! Then, somehow it takes on a different level of enjoyment. The same goes for raking up the leaves in the garden. The burning sensation in your upper arms will be proof that this is serious stretch-and- tone business. One more thing: do it often, about 4 times a week for 30 minutes at a time.

Improving your time management

Here's the golden opportunity for you to bail out. You say you don't have the time. Then fine, stay as you are. But if you want to shed that unwanted fat, you'll have to make the time. Time for yourself. It all depends on how strongly you desire a lean and healthy body. If you want it enough, you will find more than enough minutes in a day to spend exclusively on yourself,

Your minimum fitness plan should take no more 6 hours per week, if you do it properly. Going about your business wearing light weights doesn't count, because it doesn't take up any of your time. The 6 hours should be made up as follows: 4 x 1 hour for walking or dancing or any aerobic activity and a further 2 hours for either 4 x 30 minute stretch and tone activity or yoga. That is a total of 6 hours in a week of 168 hours! Think you can find the time? I bet you can.

Waking up earlier and going to bed later are not options with long-lasting potential. Do it by all means if you want to, but it is usually a better idea to utilise your daytime hours more selfishly and practically. Timesaving strategies may include walking on a treadmill while watching television or while listening to study tapes. Using your lunch hour for your own good instead of doing something for the boss is an enriching option. Delegating chores in the house is an excellent timesaving idea for you and a self-improvement idea for your family.

Just do it. You will be fairly fit within weeks, at which time you may decide to increase your fitness level and then join a gym for more intense and structured workouts, or keep it at the level you find comfortable. Regardless of the option you choose, believe me when I say that being fairly fit and active is one of the most effective ways to manage your health and weight permanently. And that includes your mental and emotional health and weight as well! As for your looks and especially your skin tone, those will improve as your fitness level improves. And finally, being constantly involved with activities to improve your fitness is a sure way to manage stress, getting rid of unwanted high blood sugar levels, to improve your sleeping patterns, and to manage your appetite naturally. That's true. Regular physical activity is a natural appetite suppressant. And oh yes, mood booster. It puts the twinkle back into your eyes!

Performance enhancement in perspective

There are countless nutritional products aimed at the sportsperson, which claim to have some performance-enhancing ability. These substances, called `ergogenic aids', theoretically improve performance to a point above that obtainable through a good training programme. Athletes are very susceptible to any claims for even the slightest improvement in performance, as fractions of a second could mean the difference between winning or losing.

Many ergogenic aids are basically expensive forms of proteins, minerals and vitamins. Their effectiveness is often unproven, based on folklore and reliant on the ignorance of the consumer (for example, substances such as Royal Jelly and wheat germ oil). On the other hand, some performance-enhancing principles are based on reputable scientific evidence that have been shown to improve performance in the laboratory (such as carbohydrate supercompensation - see overleaf).

However, it is interesting that even in cases where the supplement or _special diet has no physical basis, an athlete can sometimes gain purely psychological benefit from consuming something he or she believes in.

Proteins and amino acids

Although certain athletes may need an increased amount of protein, taking excessive amounts in the form of powdered or liquid supplements is unnecessary. Despite the claims of manufacturers, large quantities of protein will have no beneficial effects on muscle growth, strength or on performance. Any excess will simply be used as an energy source or stored as fat. In addition, kidney function may be hampered and dehydration caused as a result of taking in too much protein.

The supplements currently in vogue - especially among body builders and weight lifters - are amino acids, the 'building blocks' of proteins. The theory is that certain amino acids stimulate growth hormones. The increase however is slight and has no practical effect. Amino acids are not 'fat burners' or detoxifiers as has been claimed. Although tablets taken for this purpose are extremely expensive, the amount of amino acids in them is very small. In fact, a single egg contains far more than that found in seven or more amino acid tablets!

Vitamins and minerals

As mentioned earlier in this chapter, supplementing vitamins and minerals has no performance-enhancing properties in an athlete whose normal diet is not deficient. The effects of taking megadoses of certain vitamins may even impair performance.

Manufacturers and quasi-nutritionists have given certain substances vitamin status, although they are not scientifically classified as vitamins. For example, pangamic acid (otherwise known as vitamin B15) supposedly prevents various diseases, slows the ageing process and improves physical performance. None of these claims has been substantiated. Laetrile or vitamin B17 is a source of cyanide and has been banned. Other `pseudovitamins' are orotic acid (vitamin B13), bioflavenoids and vitamin B-T (or carnitine), all of which do not function as vitamins.

Carbohydrate loading

`Carbo-loading' is a phrase which has passed into common use. It has been proved scientifically that carbohydrate loading (otherwise known as carbohydrate supercompensation) is one of the practices which is effective in improving performance. It may be explained in the following way: Exercise which lasts for longer than 60-90 minutes is dependent on the amount of glucose available. Glycogen (glucose) stores in the muscle and liver are small, so enlarging them allows an athlete to continue exercising at a higher intensity for longer. A carbohydrate-loading programme increases the amount of muscle glycogen stored before you need to use it.

The best method of doing this is to gradually reduce the amount of training you do during the six days preceding an event and, during the final three days, eat a diet that is high in carbohydrate (500-600 grams per day). The extra glycogen stored in this way allows the athlete to continue exercising for longer.

Carbohydrates, fluids and sodium during exercise

It has been proved that supplying the body with carbohydrate during endurance-type exercise has a glycogen sparing effect which allows an athlete to exercise for longer. Many studies have been done in attempts to find a solution that will allow the maximum amount of water to be absorbed, while at the same time providing an optimal amount of carbohydrate. So far, it seems that a form of carbohydrate known as 'glucose polymers' has the best absorption rate. These are chains of glucose molecules linked together. A solution containing about 10 per cent carbohydrate in the form of glucose polymers supplies the most glucose to the body during exercise, and at the same time provides sufficient water replacement. (It is important to remember that a carbohydrate solution is only of benefit during prolonged exercise.)

Adding sodium to replacement fluids increases the concentration of the fluid. It was initially thought that this would hamper the absorption of the fluid, but the most recent findings suggest that the addition of a very small amount of salt (1-2 grams per litre) is in fact necessary for absorption.

Alcohol

Not surprisingly, it has been proved that alcohol has no beneficial effect on exercise. In reality alcohol is a depressant that slows reaction time, impairs muscle reflexes and disturbs coordination. In addition, it causes dehydration which interferes with fluid balance and has a negative effect on performance.

Caffeine

Some athletes use caffeine as a stimulant and to increase the amount of free fatty acids in the blood. Theoretically, more fat is then available to be used for energy, resulting in glycogen sparing (see above). However, an excessive amount of caffeine is necessary to produce this effect and, apart from the fact that a very high concentration of it in the urine can disqualify a competitive athlete, there are several other disadvantages to using caffeine in this way. The main one is that it has a diuretic effect, which results in increased fluid losses and a greater risk of dehydration. In addition, overconsumption of caffeine can result in headaches and nausea and it is therefore not advisable to use large doses of this stimulant in an attempt to enhance performance.

Other imposters

Royal jelly, wheat germ oil, ginseng, extracts of various herbs and numerous other products have all at one time or another been touted as performance-enhancers. The truth is, however, that the only possible effect most of these substances could have would be a psychological one.

What kind of carbohydrate? continue...

Protein

The amount of protein needed by athletes is a controversial subject which has been debated for many years. Traditionally, weightlifters and athletes in other 'power' sports have believed that consuming vast quantities of protein will enhance muscle development. On the other hand, scientists have generally maintained that the protein needs of all athletes can be met by the same recommended daily allowances (RDA) as those for sedentary individuals.

Many research studies over the past decade have not resolved the controversy. However, as a very small amount of protein is used for energy during endurance sports, certain researchers now believe that the RDA of 0,8 grams per kilogram body mass per day might be insufficient for those who are involved in endurance-type exercise. Some (but not all) studies also seem to indicate that exercise which needs a good deal of strength (such as weight-lifting) may increase protein requirements. At the same time, there is no evidence that excessive amounts of protein (such as the 2-2,5 grams per kilogram body mass, per day commonly consumed by power trainers) will have any added benefit.

How much protein does an athlete in fact require? While there are no definite recommendations, studies have suggested this may be between 1 and 1,5 grams per kilogram body mass per day or 12 to 15%of the total energy intake. But before you reach for that protein _supplement, it must be emphasised that protein deficiencies among athletes are extremely rare. For example, a diet consisting of 14 300 kilojoules (3 400 calories), 14 % of which is derived from protein, provides about 119 grams of protein. An athlete who weighs 80 kg will therefore consume about 1,5^-grams of protein per kilogram per day. This diet is thus quite capable of supplying the increased protein requirements of strenuous physical activity.

Vitamins

Vitamins play an important role in regulating and assisting the breaking down of macronutrients for energy production and muscular contraction, as well as the formation of red blood cells. All of these functions are essential in exercise performance. Two questions are usually asked when looking at the vitamin-exercise connection:

• Does exercise affect vitamin requirements?
• Does vitamin supplementation improve exercise performance?

Vitamin requirements depend on the energy source of the working muscle. Exercise has been shown to increase the need for vitamin C and riboflavin (vitamin B2). However, it has also been proved that supplementation fails to increase the ability of athletes to train. Low thiamine (vitamin B1) intakes show no measurable effect on performance. Vitamin deficiencies in sportsmen and women are very uncommon and any increased demand for vitamins is usually met simply by the increased overall energy intake of the athlete. Studies of the effects of vitamin supplementation on performance have consistently found that there is no improvement in performance in athletes who have a balanced diet with an adequate vitamin intake. However, special care must be taken by those athletes who consume less than 5 000 kJ (1 200 cal) per day to ensure that their diets contain enough in the way of vitamins. This low energy intake is more common among female endurance athletes and ballet dancers.

Minerals

Like vitamins, minerals play an essential role in various exercise- related functions. The most important macrominerals and trace elements in an athlete's diet are sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and iron.

Sodium and potassium, which are usually referred to as 'electrolytes', play a major role in the amount of fluid in the body. Trivial amounts of both are lost in sweat, but even those athletes who sweat excessively rarely need to supplement their diets with either salt (sodium chloride) or potassium. The average diet contains 3 to 4 times more salt than necessary and simply by eating sufficient fresh fruit and vegetables, our potassium requirements are easily met. Magnesium deficiency is rare in athletes, partly due to the fact that it occurs in many foods and partly because sweat losses are very small. Magnesium does play an important role in the formation of glycogen, the storage form of carbohydrate in muscles and the liver.

Iron plays a major role in relation to exercise. The lack of it is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world and the most important in relation to runners, especially female runners. Energy intakes of less than 5 000 kJ (1 200 cal) are not enough to supply the amount of iron which a female sportswoman needs. Iron supplementation may then be necessary.

Water

Water can also be referred to as a nutrient as it is so essential to life. One of its many functions in exercise is that of heat regulation. The amount of water needed during an exercise event depends mainly on the duration and intensity of the exercise and the body weight of the athlete. As a general guide, 500 ml per hour is thought to cover most athletes' requirements.

A Healthy Body

Look at your health; and if you have it, praise God, and value it next to a good conscience; for health is the second blessing that we mortals are capable of; a blessing that money cannot buy.-----Isaak Walton

Health is a gift. It is precious. No amount of money can replace a strong, healthy body that functions at its optimum. We are constantly in awe of the body's miraculous ability to strive for balance: how it sends out signals in order to obtain the vital nutrients it needs and warning signs when things are out of kilter.

In the past 10 years we have become increasingly aware of the importance of food - not only as a source of fuel and energy, but also as a means to good health and excellent immunity.

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If you are like us, you will also become fascinated with what foods are, how they work n the body and what effects they have. Growing up in a country like New Zealand has been a huge privilege. It is a sanctuary in so many respects. A country like this has a great emphasis on clean, green living and leading an active, outdoor lifestyle. Yet, despite this, as a nation we are less physical and more overweight than we ever have been, according to health reports.

However, when you undertake to find out which foods you should eat in your diet or which form of exercise you should do, you may find that it is often difficult to know what is best. We are constantly bombarded with the latest health findings, new ways to do things or the best things to take. But how do you know what to believe when it comes to advertising? How can you decipher what is hype and what is reality? The truth is it's incredibly difficult. And the only way you will ever really know what is best for you and your family is to investigate it for yourself.

Wouldn't it be great if 'health and nutrition' was a standard subject in schools? If children grasped the fundamentals of health, knew what different foods offer and understood the importance of moving and staying fit, what a powerful tool they would have for life.

Although we are not professional nutritionists, over the years we have begun our own, more serious investigations, studying lots of literature as well as speaking with many qualified consultants, doctors and health practitioners. Our conclusion is that the topics of nutrition and exercise are not black and white. The body is far too complex and intricate for questions to ever have a standard answer — everyone is different and every one of you will be affected by foods and exercise in a different way.

Rather than following some strict regime or plan, we believe that it is more important to understand the basic fundamentals of healthy living. Therefore, when it comes to giving you insights or advice in this book, we have tried to steer away from the hype and give you helpful information about health, which enables you to make better and more informed decisions. As you become more educated, you can make up your own mind and incorporate new habits into your lifestyle.

Regardless of how many new concepts, varied diets or popular fads appear, it seems there are some basic principles that have provided the mainstay for decades. Generally speaking, most nutrition and health experts agree that we should:

1. increase our intake of complex carbohydrates (see page 89);
2. choose wholegrain breads and cereals over refined processed ones;
3. reduce fat intake (an emphasis on less saturated and trans fats (see page 97); reduce our sugar intake;
4. moderate our salt intake;
5. drink plenty of clean water;
6. supplement wisely (see page 115);
7. exercise regularly (see page 126);
8. include exercise that raises our heart rate for at least 20 minutes at least three times a week; include weight-bearing and strength-enhancing exercise at least three times a week; rejuvenate our mental and physical health with good sleep.

When we look at the list, taking care of ourselves does not seem too complicated. How is it, then, that people don't have the time. Ready-made, pre-packed, frozen or takeaway foods are a quick option that get rid of the hunger pangs, but do not take into account what real nutrition is all about. We are told that convenience foods are not good for us, so why do we keep buying them and sustaining the demand? Because it's, well, convenient!

In the same way, exercise is a chore for many people, not a pleasurable part of self-care. Some may prefer to stay in bed an extra hour rather than get up and be active, or to drive straight home after work rather than take the detour past the gym or the swimming pool. How can people be encouraged to change their habits and lifestyle to include regular exercise, and most of all to do it with pleasure?

Knowledge is a powerful thing - it can change your life. Science is continually evolving, and as our diet evolves, so does all the information associated with it. The information we offer in this chapter will enable you to make more informed and educated choices that will affect your life every day, and your health in the future.

Eating Smart For Your Workout

Eating a small meal two to three hours before a workout is ideal. Two to three hours is how long it takes for a meal to reach your muscles, but it's not always practical. Not substituting exercise for eating is important; you can accommodate both. Keep reading to get some ideas for scheduling your meals to boost your workout productivity. And be sure to read through Chapter 23 for more specifics on when and what to eat before you exercise.

Early birds

If the only time that you can sneak in a workout is first thing in the morning, try to eat something before you start. Your body needs fuel constantly, and your carbohydrate stores have most likely been tapped out in the six to seven hours since your last meal. Without eating, you'll feel sluggish and weak. Exercise should make you feel good. It takes only 20 minutes for a piece of fruit to give you the energy that you need to make your workout work for you.

Lunch-hour or after-work crunches

Split your lunch: eat half a few hours before the workout and finish the rest when you get back to your desk. If you exercise after work, say about 5:30 p.m. or 6:00 p.m., plan a minimeal - perhaps a small bowl of cereal, a piece of whole-grain bread with just a dab of PB&J, or a cup of lowfat yogurt at 3:00 or 3:30 p.m. in the afternoon.

When you're doing extra exercise - a charity bike ride or a minimarathon fun run, or a long hike, for example - and stay at it for more than an hour, you need to refuel during the event. The human body can store only about an hour's worth of carbohydrate; it's in the muscles in the form of glycogen. (See Chapter 8 for further explanation of metabolism.) So if you want to finish the race without dragging yourself over the finish line, you need to eat or drink some form of carbohydrate. A sports drink is one option. A small energy bar works, too.

After an especially long workout, you need to refuel to restore your energy. A small high-carbohydrate, moderate-protein, and lowfat meal is best. Reach for fruit, lowfat yogurt, whole-wheat crackers, or bread.

Energy bars come in all kinds of formulations from the calorie, and sugarpacked cereal bars to the protein-dense energy bars. For a meal replacement, be sure that the bar contains at least 10 grams of protein. If you exercise for more than an hour and need a bar to refuel, carbohydrate-heavy ones are best.

Going far the (Calorie) Burn

The more you weight, the more calories you burn. It's a simple matter of physics: Moving a heavier mass takes more energy than moving a lighter one. In people terms, a 250-pound person burns twice as many calories while walking the same distance as someone who weighs only 125 pounds.

10,000 steps

Rather than time your walks, you can count your steps. The goal is 10,000 steps, which translates closely to the recommendations made by the Surgeon General to engage in at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. A simple $20 to $30 pedometer attached to your belt can do the counting for you.

Wear a pedometer for a few days to get a sense of how many steps your normal routine takes. (Most inactive people take only 2,000 to 4,000 steps a day.) When you know how many steps you normally take, add about 500 extra steps for a few days, then add 500 more, and so on. Moderately active people take 5,000 to 7,000 and active people reach the 10,000-step mark, or about 5 miles. To help with your weight-loss plan, you'll need to move up to a minimum of 12,000 to 15,000 steps a day (or 45 minutes) - and ideally 20,000 steps or about 1 hour.

As you step up your count, you'll find that you'll need to add walking to your day in order to make your target. Check out the following ways to work more walking into your day:

1. Take the stairs instead of the elevator
2. Park in the farthest spot in the lot
3. Walk with the dog
4. Walk to the bus stop with the children
5. Dance
6. Park the golf cart and walk the course
7. Cruise around the shopping mall three times before starting to shop
8. Pace the long corridors of the airport while waiting for a flight, and stay off the moving sidewalks
9. Give up e-mail or phone calls and walk to your coworkers' desks

Activity During 20 minutes	Body Weight of 134 Pounds	Body Weight of 183 Pounds
Aerobic dance	128 Calories	170 Calories
Ballroom dance	64 Calories	84 Calories
Basketball	172 Calories	220 Calories
Canoeing	54 Calories	74 Calories
Cleaning	76 Calories	102 Calories
Cross-country skiing	148 Calories	198 Calories
Cycling	80 Calories	106 Calories
Football	164 Calories	220 Calories
Jumping Rope	204 Calories	272 Calories
Mopping Floors	76 Calories	102 Calories
Mowing (push mower)	138 Calories	186 Calories
Racquetball	220 Calories	296 Calories
Raking	66 Calories	90 Calories
Running (9minutes/mile)	240 Calories	320 Calories
Scrubbing floors	134 Calories	180 Calories
Snowshoeing	206 Calories	276 Calories
Squash	262 Calories	352 Calories
Stacking wood	110 Calories	146 Calories
Swimming	200 Calories	268 Calories
Tennis	136 Calories	180 Calories
Volleyball	62 Calories	84 Calories
walking	100 Calories	134 Calories

Strength or resistance training, such as lifting weights or working out on exercise equipment, builds muscle. This type of exercise isn't just for body builders. Building muscle offers several benefits:

1. Your body develops definition and firmness.
2. You burn more calories.
3. Bones strengthen, which helps protect against osteoporosis.
4. Balance improves significantly.
5. The pain from arthritis decreases, and your range of motion improves.
6. Your spirits are boosted.

Activities that don't burn calories

Unfortunately, some activities just don't burn as many calories as others. If the types of activities listed comprise the extent of your exercise habits, it's time to get into gear and get moving!

• Jumping to conclusions
• Running off at the mouth
• Catching your breath
• Standing on ceremony
• Toeing the line
• Jogging your memory
• Hitting the books
• Raking in the bucks
• Sweeping it under the rug
• Playing the field
• Marching to the beat of a different drummer
• Skipping a beat
• Exercising caution r' Swinging on a star
• Social climbing
• Running scared
• Jumping for joy

If you're new to exercise, you don't have to run to the gym; simply walking may be enough for you to increase your muscle mass. When you can walk easily for 60 minutes at a brisk pace, having followed the plan outlined in Table, you may need and want to push for more of a workout. Adding resistance training is a good way to go.

The following outlines a suggested program for weight training. Get the help of a personal trainer or gym instructor to build a routine for you that you can do at home with hand-held weights or do at the gym on the machines.

Recommended Program for Weight Training

Frequency: 3 days a week

Resistance: Use a weight that you can lift comfortably

Repetitions: 12 to 15 in 30 seconds (The last lift should be difficult.)

Stations: Work 8 to 12 muscle groups

Total time: 20 to 30 minutes