Exercise Tips by Nelson Vergel

The important thing to remember is that when done correctly, exercise can have the following proven benefits that go beyond just looking good:

•     Improved muscle function and strength.

•     Reduced trunk (belly) fat

•     Increased muscle mass

•     Decreased LDL (bad cholesterol).

•     Decreased triglycerides. Muscle hypertrophy (enlargement) induced by resistance training, may decrease triglycerides in those with high levels.

•     Improved mood and decreased stress.

•     Increase bone density in men and women.

•     Improved aerobic function and lung capacity.

Getting Started

There are some things to consider before you start an exercise program. Get your blood pressure, heart rate, weight, body dimensions, fasting cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar measured. Your doctor should be able to advise you if you are capable of exercising without health risks.

If you feel too tired and weak, start by walking every day to your best ability. Walking can increase your energy levels so you can start a more intensive exercise program as you feel better. Use a cheap pedometer to measure your daily steps; try to reach 10,000 steps a day since that amount has been associated with good cardiovascular health and fat loss.

There are two types of exercise: resistance (weight) training and cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise. Resistance training uses weights to induce muscle growth. Cardiovascular exercise improves your body’s aerobic capacity (the way it uses oxygen). It also increases your metabolism so that you can burn fat, lower your bad cholesterol and triglycerides, and lower your blood sugar.

Do low-impact aerobic exercise for 20-40 minutes, three to four times a week. Exercises like walking fast, bike riding (stationary or the two-wheeler), stair-stepping, and using an elliptical trainer or treadmill are all effective.  Switching between different exercises can help keep your interest going.  Be careful about aerobic exercise if you are losing weight involuntarily if you are overly tired or recovering from illness.

Recommendations

Train with weights and machines three times a week for no more than one hour. Starting with machines is the safest way until you get familiar with the exercises. As you feel more confident and strong, bring in free weight exercise (hopefully with the help of a workout buddy). As you get stronger, increase your weights in every exercise. Exercise one body part per week, and do three exercises per body part. One light warm-up set and two heavier sets of eight to ten repetitions to momentary muscle failure (until you cannot do another rep) are enough for each exercise. If you do not have access to a gym, do push-ups on the floor and squats holding books or large bottles full of water at home. As long as you are “resisting” your own body weight, you are doing resistance exercise. 

Important Things to Remember

•      Learn how to do each exercise correctly.  Concentrate on using strict form to get the most out of each exercise and to prevent injuries.

•      Make sure your muscles are warm before targeting them with more challenging weights. Warm them up with a light, high-repetition exercise set.

•      Don’t use your body to add momentum; cheating this way takes work away from the targeted muscles. Use a deliberate speed to increase the effectiveness of the movement.

•      Use a full range of motion on all exercises. Feel the muscle stretch at the bottom and go for a momentary peak contraction at the top. Don’t go too fast!

•      Warm-up before you work out and stretch afterward to prevent injury. Briefly stretch the major muscle groups before your training. This helps flexibi