An Exercise in Activity
by author Cory Holly, DN
We do it everyday. We sit at school and we sit at work. We sit when we eat, read, watch TV, play
video games or surf the Net.
But sitting for long periods when you’re well is counterproductive to good health. Our joints and
lower back stiffen, circulation is impaired and metabolic waste slowly pools up, causing fatigue
and chronic pain.
Sedentary living adds to our burden of stress. Prolonged inactivity destroys the immune system,
robs the body of vital capacity and greatly reduces human motivation. But when you fight the
urge to do nothing and move your body, something wonderful happens.
Physical activity ventilates adrenalin and cortisol. Instead of retaining these powerful "fight or
flight" hormones inside, which allows them to oxidize and age your brain, you can direct them
into a symphony of motion and vitality. Getting physical keeps you in touch with your inner
athlete, that part of you hiding in your DNA. It’s there, whether you recognize it or not.
If you want to remain lean for life you must follow a program that keeps up your basal metabolic
rate (BMR). Basal metabolism is the minimum amount of energy your body expends to maintain
vital processes like respiration, circulation and digestion. Sitting will sabotage your fat-burning
potential. Your thyroid will adapt by adjusting your internal thermostat and turn you into a fat-
storing machine. So will eating too many carbohydrates.
Inactivity also accelerates loss of lean mass and cardiac function. You lose what you do not
use. After age 20, you start losing vibrant, fat-burning, energy-rich muscle. Strength, stamina
and bone density decrease as blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides increase. Many
adults get heavier as they age and complain of fatigue, chronic pain and stress. It’s not because
they exercise too much and under eat! The simple truth is that our bodies are meant to move.
Until recently, if you didn’t farm, fish, hunt or gather, you didn’t eat. You had to expend calories to
get calories. That’s balance. Today we can simply order in or drive through. Of course our
original diet consisted of organic, unrefined whole food loaded with micronutrients. That’s
quality. Now what we call "food" is chemically produced, genetically engineered, highly refined,
packed with added salt, sugar and fat and extremely low in micronutrients.
Energy is created through the displacement of energy. Protein, food partitioning, spicy food and
physical activity all raise body heat, which helps to oxidize and burn stored body fat. Controlled
exercise and physical activity compensate for the otherwise effortless 21st century lifestyle.
Can You See the Difference?
Most people do not understand what exercise is. Going for a walk isn’t exercise. Neither are
golfing, gardening, hiking, dancing or any sport. These are all examples of physical activity, but
they are not exercise. Here’s the difference, and it’s a major one.
Physical activity refers to any expenditure of energy brought about by bodily movement through
the contraction of skeletal muscles. This includes a complete spectrum of activity, ranging from
very low resting levels to maximum exertion.
For example, walking is therapeutic but it will not prevent the atrophy of muscle observed in men
and women as they age (sarcopenia). It’s also not strenuous enough to release growth
hormone or elevate testosterone. These two powerful hormones decline with age, but they are
needed to prevent muscles from atrophying. Only strenuous activity elevates the levels.
Exercise is a component of physical activity. Exercise develops muscle strength and endurance,
aerobic capacity and flexibility. Exercise combined with an optimum diet and dietary
supplements develops an ideal body composition, greater tolerance to stress and improved
resistance to disease and infection. Together, these are referred to as fitness. It’s recognized
as a functional gauge for health and performance.
Exercise is the means; physical activity is the end. You strengthen and condition your body so
you can use your body in freedom according to its natural design. If you don’t, it falls apart. When
performed correctly and consistently, exercise will give you total physical fitness. But fitness
cannot occur without resistance training, aerobic conditioning and stretching. No single sport or
physical activity provides total physical fitness.
Athletes at every level supplement their sport with additional weight training. Strength training
targets every muscle and keeps your anabolic (promoting tissue growth) drive alive, but you still
need to stretch to retain the flexibility of youth and perform some form of continuous aerobic
activity for your heart, lungs and arteries. Why don’t they just practice and play the game? It’s
because they can gain an extra edge by developing more strength, more flexibility and more
aerobic power. Exercise also prevents injuries.
No job-no matter how physically demanding--can give you total physical fitness or the balance
and symmetry achieved through exercise management. The body will only develop as much as
it needs to complete the task. Once it has adapted, it will never go beyond that standard.
So in the same way you eat, sleep, breathe and work, you can make time for something that can
raise your performance standards, immune function and appearance to a level not possible
without training. And you can do it in five hours or less per week. Don’t expect to keep your
youthful shape without paying the price.
Kids Need Exercise too
Quick, in ten seconds or less, name the number one cause of stress. Smoking? No. Drugs and
alcohol? Guess again. Divorce, aging or public speaking? Wrong. The most common cause of
stress known is INACTIVITY… responsible for more disease and premature death than any
other factor.
That’s right. Lying around like a slug kills people. It destroys the immune system, robs the body
of vital capacity, and removes almost all of our motivation. The simple fact is that our bodies are
meant to move, for without movement, there is no life. Our ability to move, to reproduce and to
grow is what separates us from inanimate objects. No sign of life means no movement. No
heartbeat, no respiration, no brain waves on the electroencephalograph.
Now I know what you sedentary types are thinking. You’re not dead. You get up every morning,
get the kids ready for school, go to work, prepare meals, rush Suzy to the Dentist and Tyler to
soccer practice. You mix with friends, go to movies, you even take the family to the park on the
week-ends. All good stuff, but, and this is a big but, the actual quantity and quality of physical
movement required to keep you in tip-top shape, simply isn’t there. This can easily be verified by
a mirror and a simple fitness test.
Physical activity refers to any expenditure of energy brought about by bodily movement through
the contraction of skeletal muscles. This includes a complete spectrum of activity ranging from
very low resting levels to maximal exertion.
Besides being smaller and somewhat less confused about life, kids differ from adults in two
ways. First, they laugh a lot more than we do. Their primary theme in life is to have fun, to
explore and to play. Secondly, they are far more active than adults, who on a national average,
seldom expend enough physical energy to compensate for their positive calorie intake. But
times have changed. Children are conforming to the role models of their parents, spending less
and less time building forts and chasing gophers. Instead, you might find them in front of a
computer or glued to the TV set.
Not that computers are bad, or that TV is a write-off. They make great baby-sitters, provide
excellent entertainment and can even be educational. But the sad truth is that long hours
perched in front of the monitor or the big screen lends itself to a kind of physical stagnation.
Especially TV. It definitely encourages overeating and the consumption of junk food. Since TV
was introduced into Fiji just three short years ago, there has been a huge increase in the
incidence of eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia. TV and snacking also go hand-in-hand,
just like cigarettes and coffee.
Forgive the analogy, but kids need to be walked and run just like Spike. Without exercise, dogs
gets lazy and fat, and guess what, kids are no different. Today, children are 10lbs. heavier at the
age of 10, than they were 10 years ago. Obesity is a modern plague. It’s much worse than aids,
and far more common. Thousands in the US and Canada are HIV positive, but millions are
dying from heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes. Excess body fat, caused by the synergy
of poor nutrition and inactivity, increases the risk of every disease and leads to an early grave.
The single best measure of a long life span is a trim waist line.
Keeping kids lean, fit and well nourished is a major accomplishment. Their health is more often
a reflection of our own efforts and personal standards, than their genetics. If left to themselves,
toddlers and pre-schoolers will seldom choose vegetables and whole grains. Instead, they will
go for commercial cereals (breakfast candy), noodle soups, pizza pops and sweets. Inadequate
nutrition affects children both mentally and physically. Without optimum amounts of essential
micronutrients, young people become apathetic and lose enthusiasm. Vitamin supplements at
this age of particular importance include: the essential fatty acids (especially omega-3), water
and fat-soluble antioxidants, protein/fruit shakes and some form of friendly bifido-bacteria.
Encourage children to go outside as much as possible. Up to age 3 or 4, the best exercise is
natural movement achieved through running, chasing, digging, climbing and playing at the park.
Teach your child how to ride a bicycle. Introduce roller skates or a skate board. Of course basic
lessons in safety and common sense are mandatory.
Swimming is excellent, although most public pools are too heavily chlorinated. Dance lessons
and gymnastics teach coordination and emphasize stretching. Martial Arts have fine programs
for children. As your son or daughter grows up and stronger, expose them to a wide variety of
sports. Not all kids get into organized sports but, all kids should exercise daily. It’s no different
and no less essential, than learning how to wipe your rear end.
I started weight-training at age 12. Contrary to popular belief, weightlifting does not stunt a
child's growth. With proper instruction and education, it builds discipline and supports
underlying organ and skeletal development. Overcoming strength limitations in the gym teaches
patience and improves self-confidence. It was my original love for team sports which sparked
my interest in weight-training and then sports nutrition.
Young kids should concentrate on exercise technique, not on how big they can get. The bones
of a young person are less dense than those of an adult, so heavy weights should be avoided.
Also, children lack specialized anaerobic enzymes needed for muscle recovery after intense,
hard workouts. They should train with less intensity and not push to “all out” maximum failure
(although some kids mature much faster than others and possess definite genetic advantages).
Finally, in this scenario, “what is good for the gosling, is good for the goose and the gander”. For
every reason a child should keep active and fit, the same applies to adults. If a child lives in a
health conscious environment, there is a good chance that the child will be influenced in a
positive way. Our thoughts must be directed towards a constructive and worthwhile end.
As parents, we are responsible for the welfare of our children and must guide them with the
utmost of care and understanding. Children learn what they live and live what they learn. Their
lives are a testimony to our commitment, and what more can any parent ask for, than to see
their own children and grandchildren grow up in excellent health and achieve a rich and fulfilling
lifestyle.
Cory Holly specializes in clinical sports nutrition, product formulation and lectures across
Canada on topics related to health and human performance. For more information, visit
Cory at www.coryholly.com
by author Cory Holly, DN
We do it everyday. We sit at school and we sit at work. We sit when we eat, read, watch TV, play
video games or surf the Net.
But sitting for long periods when you’re well is counterproductive to good health. Our joints and
lower back stiffen, circulation is impaired and metabolic waste slowly pools up, causing fatigue
and chronic pain.
Sedentary living adds to our burden of stress. Prolonged inactivity destroys the immune system,
robs the body of vital capacity and greatly reduces human motivation. But when you fight the
urge to do nothing and move your body, something wonderful happens.
Physical activity ventilates adrenalin and cortisol. Instead of retaining these powerful "fight or
flight" hormones inside, which allows them to oxidize and age your brain, you can direct them
into a symphony of motion and vitality. Getting physical keeps you in touch with your inner
athlete, that part of you hiding in your DNA. It’s there, whether you recognize it or not.
If you want to remain lean for life you must follow a program that keeps up your basal metabolic
rate (BMR). Basal metabolism is the minimum amount of energy your body expends to maintain
vital processes like respiration, circulation and digestion. Sitting will sabotage your fat-burning
potential. Your thyroid will adapt by adjusting your internal thermostat and turn you into a fat-
storing machine. So will eating too many carbohydrates.
Inactivity also accelerates loss of lean mass and cardiac function. You lose what you do not
use. After age 20, you start losing vibrant, fat-burning, energy-rich muscle. Strength, stamina
and bone density decrease as blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides increase. Many
adults get heavier as they age and complain of fatigue, chronic pain and stress. It’s not because
they exercise too much and under eat! The simple truth is that our bodies are meant to move.
Until recently, if you didn’t farm, fish, hunt or gather, you didn’t eat. You had to expend calories to
get calories. That’s balance. Today we can simply order in or drive through. Of course our
original diet consisted of organic, unrefined whole food loaded with micronutrients. That’s
quality. Now what we call "food" is chemically produced, genetically engineered, highly refined,
packed with added salt, sugar and fat and extremely low in micronutrients.
Energy is created through the displacement of energy. Protein, food partitioning, spicy food and
physical activity all raise body heat, which helps to oxidize and burn stored body fat. Controlled
exercise and physical activity compensate for the otherwise effortless 21st century lifestyle.
Can You See the Difference?
Most people do not understand what exercise is. Going for a walk isn’t exercise. Neither are
golfing, gardening, hiking, dancing or any sport. These are all examples of physical activity, but
they are not exercise. Here’s the difference, and it’s a major one.
Physical activity refers to any expenditure of energy brought about by bodily movement through
the contraction of skeletal muscles. This includes a complete spectrum of activity, ranging from
very low resting levels to maximum exertion.
For example, walking is therapeutic but it will not prevent the atrophy of muscle observed in men
and women as they age (sarcopenia). It’s also not strenuous enough to release growth
hormone or elevate testosterone. These two powerful hormones decline with age, but they are
needed to prevent muscles from atrophying. Only strenuous activity elevates the levels.
Exercise is a component of physical activity. Exercise develops muscle strength and endurance,
aerobic capacity and flexibility. Exercise combined with an optimum diet and dietary
supplements develops an ideal body composition, greater tolerance to stress and improved
resistance to disease and infection. Together, these are referred to as fitness. It’s recognized
as a functional gauge for health and performance.
Exercise is the means; physical activity is the end. You strengthen and condition your body so
you can use your body in freedom according to its natural design. If you don’t, it falls apart. When
performed correctly and consistently, exercise will give you total physical fitness. But fitness
cannot occur without resistance training, aerobic conditioning and stretching. No single sport or
physical activity provides total physical fitness.
Athletes at every level supplement their sport with additional weight training. Strength training
targets every muscle and keeps your anabolic (promoting tissue growth) drive alive, but you still
need to stretch to retain the flexibility of youth and perform some form of continuous aerobic
activity for your heart, lungs and arteries. Why don’t they just practice and play the game? It’s
because they can gain an extra edge by developing more strength, more flexibility and more
aerobic power. Exercise also prevents injuries.
No job-no matter how physically demanding--can give you total physical fitness or the balance
and symmetry achieved through exercise management. The body will only develop as much as
it needs to complete the task. Once it has adapted, it will never go beyond that standard.
So in the same way you eat, sleep, breathe and work, you can make time for something that can
raise your performance standards, immune function and appearance to a level not possible
without training. And you can do it in five hours or less per week. Don’t expect to keep your
youthful shape without paying the price.
Kids Need Exercise too
Quick, in ten seconds or less, name the number one cause of stress. Smoking? No. Drugs and
alcohol? Guess again. Divorce, aging or public speaking? Wrong. The most common cause of
stress known is INACTIVITY… responsible for more disease and premature death than any
other factor.
That’s right. Lying around like a slug kills people. It destroys the immune system, robs the body
of vital capacity, and removes almost all of our motivation. The simple fact is that our bodies are
meant to move, for without movement, there is no life. Our ability to move, to reproduce and to
grow is what separates us from inanimate objects. No sign of life means no movement. No
heartbeat, no respiration, no brain waves on the electroencephalograph.
Now I know what you sedentary types are thinking. You’re not dead. You get up every morning,
get the kids ready for school, go to work, prepare meals, rush Suzy to the Dentist and Tyler to
soccer practice. You mix with friends, go to movies, you even take the family to the park on the
week-ends. All good stuff, but, and this is a big but, the actual quantity and quality of physical
movement required to keep you in tip-top shape, simply isn’t there. This can easily be verified by
a mirror and a simple fitness test.
Physical activity refers to any expenditure of energy brought about by bodily movement through
the contraction of skeletal muscles. This includes a complete spectrum of activity ranging from
very low resting levels to maximal exertion.
- Exercise is a component of physical activity but,
it’s distinguishing characteristic is that it’s structured and specifically planned
to develop and maintain total physical fitness.
Besides being smaller and somewhat less confused about life, kids differ from adults in two
ways. First, they laugh a lot more than we do. Their primary theme in life is to have fun, to
explore and to play. Secondly, they are far more active than adults, who on a national average,
seldom expend enough physical energy to compensate for their positive calorie intake. But
times have changed. Children are conforming to the role models of their parents, spending less
and less time building forts and chasing gophers. Instead, you might find them in front of a
computer or glued to the TV set.
Not that computers are bad, or that TV is a write-off. They make great baby-sitters, provide
excellent entertainment and can even be educational. But the sad truth is that long hours
perched in front of the monitor or the big screen lends itself to a kind of physical stagnation.
Especially TV. It definitely encourages overeating and the consumption of junk food. Since TV
was introduced into Fiji just three short years ago, there has been a huge increase in the
incidence of eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia. TV and snacking also go hand-in-hand,
just like cigarettes and coffee.
Forgive the analogy, but kids need to be walked and run just like Spike. Without exercise, dogs
gets lazy and fat, and guess what, kids are no different. Today, children are 10lbs. heavier at the
age of 10, than they were 10 years ago. Obesity is a modern plague. It’s much worse than aids,
and far more common. Thousands in the US and Canada are HIV positive, but millions are
dying from heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes. Excess body fat, caused by the synergy
of poor nutrition and inactivity, increases the risk of every disease and leads to an early grave.
The single best measure of a long life span is a trim waist line.
Keeping kids lean, fit and well nourished is a major accomplishment. Their health is more often
a reflection of our own efforts and personal standards, than their genetics. If left to themselves,
toddlers and pre-schoolers will seldom choose vegetables and whole grains. Instead, they will
go for commercial cereals (breakfast candy), noodle soups, pizza pops and sweets. Inadequate
nutrition affects children both mentally and physically. Without optimum amounts of essential
micronutrients, young people become apathetic and lose enthusiasm. Vitamin supplements at
this age of particular importance include: the essential fatty acids (especially omega-3), water
and fat-soluble antioxidants, protein/fruit shakes and some form of friendly bifido-bacteria.
Encourage children to go outside as much as possible. Up to age 3 or 4, the best exercise is
natural movement achieved through running, chasing, digging, climbing and playing at the park.
Teach your child how to ride a bicycle. Introduce roller skates or a skate board. Of course basic
lessons in safety and common sense are mandatory.
Swimming is excellent, although most public pools are too heavily chlorinated. Dance lessons
and gymnastics teach coordination and emphasize stretching. Martial Arts have fine programs
for children. As your son or daughter grows up and stronger, expose them to a wide variety of
sports. Not all kids get into organized sports but, all kids should exercise daily. It’s no different
and no less essential, than learning how to wipe your rear end.
I started weight-training at age 12. Contrary to popular belief, weightlifting does not stunt a
child's growth. With proper instruction and education, it builds discipline and supports
underlying organ and skeletal development. Overcoming strength limitations in the gym teaches
patience and improves self-confidence. It was my original love for team sports which sparked
my interest in weight-training and then sports nutrition.
Young kids should concentrate on exercise technique, not on how big they can get. The bones
of a young person are less dense than those of an adult, so heavy weights should be avoided.
Also, children lack specialized anaerobic enzymes needed for muscle recovery after intense,
hard workouts. They should train with less intensity and not push to “all out” maximum failure
(although some kids mature much faster than others and possess definite genetic advantages).
Finally, in this scenario, “what is good for the gosling, is good for the goose and the gander”. For
every reason a child should keep active and fit, the same applies to adults. If a child lives in a
health conscious environment, there is a good chance that the child will be influenced in a
positive way. Our thoughts must be directed towards a constructive and worthwhile end.
As parents, we are responsible for the welfare of our children and must guide them with the
utmost of care and understanding. Children learn what they live and live what they learn. Their
lives are a testimony to our commitment, and what more can any parent ask for, than to see
their own children and grandchildren grow up in excellent health and achieve a rich and fulfilling
lifestyle.
Cory Holly specializes in clinical sports nutrition, product formulation and lectures across
Canada on topics related to health and human performance. For more information, visit
Cory at www.coryholly.com
| Most people do not understand what exercise is. Going for a walk isn’t exercise. Neither are golfing, gardening, hiking, dancing or any sport. These are all examples of physical activity, but they are not exercise. |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
______________________________________________________________
| In ten seconds or less, name the number one cause of stress. Smoking? No. Drugs and alcohol? Guess again. Divorce, aging or public speaking? Wrong. The most common cause of stress known is INACTIVITY… responsible for more disease and premature death than any other factor. That’s right. Lying around like a slug kills people. It destroys the immune system, robs the body of vital capacity, and removes almost all of our motivation. |
