Over-exercise and food fads could be killing baby boomers
Ric Isaac, author of the book Don’t Diet, and a Perth based authority on exercise physiology, nutrition and anti-aging, has warned ‘baby boomers’ about their potential lethal mix of high heart rate exercise and eating too much of the wrong food at the wrong times.
He says diets don’t work and disapproves of the ‘crash diets’ of TV ‘weight loss’ programs. Many of the fitness and food programs being promoted are often ill conceived, unscientific and doomed from the start.
· Many fitness activities like aerobics, thai-bo etc get the heart rate pumping at the maximum rate which burns fuel from muscles rather than the body’s fat deposits; these lead to less muscle and more exhaustion rather than fitness. Cardiovascular exercises should be undertaken where the heart rate is beating at 70% of maximum. You should be able to talk while exercising.
· Simple regular ‘movement activities and functional strength and flexibility exercises are best; ‘bone building’ exercises using the body’s own resistance which develop lean, dense muscles and which burn fat. They also strengthen tendons and ligaments preventing osteoarthritis – a baby boomers disease and… all the exercises can be done from home!
· Proper exercise releases ‘feel good’ hormones (like Serotonin and endorphins) which decrease depression as well as preventing diabetes by stabilising the blood sugar.
· Walk Don’t Run; walking is often the best fat burning cardio exercise and doesn’t ‘stress’ the body.
· Simple carbohydrates (rice and pasta) raise the blood sugar. Complex carbohydrates and unprocessed foods are best because they provide slow release of energy, rather than short term ‘hits’.
· No large meals at night; have up to eight ‘meals’ a day!
· Not eating can put on weight! Drink more water.
Improving fitness and health doesn’t happen overnight and it takes some discipline, but is about making small sustainable changes to nutrition, movement/exercise, strength and flexibility.
