A regular exercise program can cause mild weight reduc¬tion, which is greatly enhanced by a weight-reduction diet. Exercise is most helpful in long-term weight-reduction programs. Physical activity requires energy, which is measured in calories. Think of the body as having several factories. If you shut down half of these factories and let the other half work at half the speed, your output would be diminished. This is equivalent to turning down your metabolic rate (metabolic thermostat). If you go on a crash diet, your metabolic thermostat is turned down to get by on less food. Aerobic exercise 20–40 minutes done regularly three to four times weekly can boost your metabolic rate by 20–30%, and this will accelerate the breakdown of fat stores. The body of an obese individual is programmed to form fat and to store it away. In addition, your cells slow down and you burn fewer calories than normal. Cells slow down even more if you are on a severe weight-reduction diet to conserve energy. The more you exercise, the more dependent you become on fat metabolism. Many obese individuals do not overeat, but their metabolic rate is so low that they store fat. Therefore, start exercising first, then a few weeks later start your diet and continue on an exercise program for at least five years to keep the weight down.

Страницы: 1 | 2 | 3