What Does Being "Healthy" Mean to You?

As trainers, we see people in all shapes and sizes.  Each client comes to us with different goals, different abilities, and different attitudes.  Some feel they are "healthy" but just need to lose a few pounds; others feel as if they are the furthest thing from "healthy".  Many clients define "healthy" as strictly an outward appearance (i.e., slim body, toned muscles).  What is your definition of "healthy"?  And, most importantly, how do you stack up to your definition?

If you look up the word "healthy" in the dictionary, this is one of the definitions:  possessing or enjoying good health, or a sound and vigorous mentality.  The World Health Organization (WHO) defined health in its broader sense in 1946 as "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity".  However different organizations define the word, people must begin to look at being "healthy" as more than just an outward appearance and the absence of disease.

Our mere outward appearance can be very deceiving.  Just because a person is "slim and trim" doesn't mean they are healthy.  Body fat percentages can run high in this body type.  How, you ask?  It's possible for a "slim and trim" person to have higher percentages of visceral fat (located around the organs) versus subcutaneous fat (located just below the skin).  Visceral fat is harder to see by the naked eye and contributes to "belly fat".  Therefore outward appearances neglect to show hidden dangers.

Other factors contributing to overall health are blood pressure (refer back to our blog, High Blood Pressure), high triglycerides and cholesterol, hormone imbalance, adrenal fatigue, atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)...this list goes on!!  It is very important to "know your numbers".  You should know what your blood pressure is and what your lipid profile (cholesterol and triglycerides) looks like.  Those of you who exercise on a regular basis, do you know your numbers?  If not, you are neglecting an important piece to the puzzle of "health".

With a new year fast approaching, maybe it's time for you to take a step back and look at your puzzle of health.  Do all the pieces fit together?  Is the border (outward appearance) intact but still missing a few pieces?  Take control of your health and find those missing pieces.  Schedule your annual exam with your health care practitioner and look at contributing factors mentioned in this blog.  Schedule an appointment with a fitness professional and learn how you can not only improve your outward appearance but also tune up what's hiding beneath the skin.  Finally, schedule an appointment with a nutrition specialist and look at the fuel you are putting in your body.  When all of the pieces of your puzzle fit together, your body becomes a well-oiled, fine-tuned machine.  Our bodies are built to perform...it's time for you to start with a tune-up!!!

What's the Best Way to Lose Belly Fat?

Belly fat...not just the layer that hangs over your belt (i.e., muffin top)...is the fat that lies deep within the abdominal cavity and surrounds internal organs.  This is also known as visceral fat and has been associated with increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.  Where fat is deposited in your body is just as important as how much fat you carry.

In a recent study by Duke University, researchers found aerobic exercise to be much more effective at reducing belly fat as compared to resistance training or a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance training.  Duke researchers also found that aerobic exercise did a better job than resistance training at improving fasting insulin resistance, and reducing liver enzymes and fasting triglyceride levels. All are known risk factors for diabetes and heart disease.

Although resistance training is important to improve strength and increase lean body mass (i.e., muscle), aerobic exercise burned 67% more calories than resistance training in this study.  Now if you look at the study design, you'll see the participants were given a fairly strenuous training program in both aerobic and resistance training protocols.  However, lead researcher Cris Slentz, PhD, exercise physiologist, believes similar results can be achieved with a more moderate intensity training protocol.  Lower intensity levels or durations will still burn calories; it just may take a little longer to achieve the same results as posted in this study.

What does this mean for you?  Cardiovascular activity is vital to keep the heart and lungs functioning at their peak performance levels.  It also is important, as proved in this study, for fat loss.  According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), you should be participating in moderate-intensity cardiovascular activity 30 minutes a day, five days a week.  However, this guideline is for the average HEALTHY adult to maintain health and reduce the risk for chronic disease.  Those who are striving for weight loss may need to participate in 60-90 minutes of cardio activity.

How much cardio training do you do?  Is it effective?  Check out our previous blog on exercise intensity to learn more about how judge how hard you are working out.  In the meantime, strive to meet the minimum guidelines of 30 minutes a day, five days a week for cardio activity.  Work with one of our trainers here at PROMATx Health Club to help reduce belly fat and improve your health.

Get off the couch, get out from behind the computer, put down the smart phone...get active and get healthy today!!

Duke University Medical Center. "Aerobic exercise bests resistance training at burning belly fat." ScienceDaily, 31 Aug. 2011. Web. 12 Sep. 2011.