Cold weather exercise helps you burn more fat
Every year, thousands of folks join in the Hypothermic Half Marathon, a frigid, multi-city run in Canada. Although it’s virtual this year, in 2016, more than 500 folks in Winnipeg endured -52 degree temperatures (with wind chill figured in) for the fun (?) and glory of doing it. Fortunately, according to a study by researchers from Laurentian University (located in Sudbury, Ontario, natch!), you don’t have to endure such extreme exposure to reap the benefits of cold-weather exercise. They took moderately fit, overweight participants, ages 18 to 30, and had one group do two sessions of high-intensity exercise in 32 degree temperatures. Another group did the same in 70 degree temperatures. The cool group burned 358 percent more fat (measured by lipid oxygenation) than those working out in a basically neutral room temperature.
So if winter weather is making you reluctant to get your exercise outside, think again (as long as your doc says it is OK for your heart). Bundle up and head outdoors. If you do intervals of intense activity, you may burn as much fat in 30 minutes as you would in 90-plus minutes on a mild April afternoon! Plus, getting out of the house, immersed in nature at a local park, interacting with the world even at a distance (and with a mask) is not just good for you physically, it will boost your mood and help you sleep better. And after that, you can finish getting your 10,000 steps or equivalent on an indoor stationary bike or treadmill.
Want to keep muscle as you lose weight? Exercise is essential
You’ve heard over and over that the key to losing weight is reducing food intake, not exercise. And exercise plus control of portion size is what’s needed to keep weight off once you lose it. Well, that’s technically true. But healthful weight loss isn’t just about numbers. You want the reward for all your hard work to be looking good and feeling strong — and that means you want to maintain and even build muscle as you shed excess pounds.
A new study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise looked at the results of a six-month weight loss program for postmenopausal women. It reveals that if you combine a protein-rich diet with exercise, you can maintain and build muscle strength while you lose weight. But if you just opt for a high-protein diet without exercise, you will lose strength as you shed pounds.
So it’s essential that any weight loss program be paired with 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity five or more days a week. That should include two weekly 20-minute resistance exercise sessions. We also recommend you balance protein intake with healthy carbs like 100 percent whole grains and fiber-rich veggies and fruits.
Weight loss is not won by the speedy but by the consistent, committed and controlled. To shed one to two pounds a week, reduce your calorie intake by 300-500 a day as you increase your exercise routine. And don’t let increased exercise fool you into thinking you can eat anything you want — it’s still necessary to reduce your calorie intake.
Guard against falls if living alone or lacking social interaction
In the U.S., 27 percent of adults 60 and older live alone — more than in any other country. A Pew Research Center survey of 130 nations found that globally only 16 percent of older folks live solo.
Given how many older folks live alone — and the increase in isolation this past year — researchers from University College in London would not find it surprising that 25 percent of Americans who are 65 and older fall each year or that every 11 seconds an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall and every 19 minutes an older adult dies from one.
Their recent study, published in Scientific Reports, found those 50 and older who live alone have an 18 percent greater risk of reporting a fall and older people with the least social contact have a 24 percent increased risk of a fall compared to those who have the most social interaction.
What accounts for the correlation between being alone and isolated and falling? Theories include the fact that you become less focused when you’re not interacting with others; that loneliness can cause depression, which can increase carelessness; and that you may become more sedentary if you live alone, weakening your muscles and reducing balance.
So here you have another reason why it’s essential to interact with the world daily — through online courses, video and audio chats, and volunteering. The emotional rewards are enormous, and you may reduce your risk of a bone-busting fall that will damage the quality of your life or even shorten it.
Exercise snacking
In March 2019, Hot Springs, Arkansas, hosted the “First Ever World’s Shortest Zero K St. Patrick’s Day Race.” The 299-foot-long course was one foot shorter than the notorious Wacky Florida Keys Cow Key Channel Bridge Run that stretches 300 feet!
They might be on to something. Turns out exercise snacking can be a great solution to the health woes that come from sitting for extended periods of time. Prolonged sitting not only makes your glutes saggy, hips stiff, lower back sore and your mood gloomy, it increases your risk for cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and blood clots in the legs.
So what does it take to get your desk-work done, survive a commute or binge watch a program and still dodge health damage from sitting?
You can get a treadmill desk with a computer mounted on the front like Dr. Mike and stroll your way through your workday or “The Crown.” But if that isn’t your cuppa tea, a great way to fit physical activity into your day is to get it in short bursts of activity, aka exercise snacks, such as doing lunges or jumps for 60 seconds. Studies out of the University of British Columbia show that enjoying five bursts of intense activity daily, for 20 to 60 seconds each, effectively counters the health hazards of over-sitting. Combine that with 30-40 minutes of activity as many days a week as possible, and watch your numbers (weight, LDL cholesterol and blood pressure) go down and your energy and mood soar!
Vegans need to protect bone health
Gwyneth Paltrow was a vegan for many years and still enjoys vegan fare, although these days she doesn’t rule out any one food (well, probably burgers and fries). And that may be a good thing since she was diagnosed with osteopenia in 2010, alerting her to her risk for brittle bone disease (osteoporosis).
A new study has found that, compared to meateaters, vegans with lower calcium and protein intake have a 43 percent higher risk of bone fractures, especially of the hips, legs and vertebrae. The solution is to make sure that you eat foods — and take supplements, if recommended — that provide ample calcium and vitamin D. The combination of the two nutrients was found in a recent meta-analysis to be protective against fractures.
Foods that provide calcium include broccoli, kale and Chinese cabbage and the soft, edible bones in canned sardines and canned salmon, and there’s added calcium in some cereals, juices, soy drinks and tofu. As for calcium citrate supplements, most people only get around half of the 1,200 mg they need daily, so take a 600 mg supplement (or more, if prescribed). In addition, we recommend you take 2,000 IU a day of vitamin D3 and get a blood test to check your D levels. You want a reading of 50-80 ng/ml.
Those steps, along with regular exercise, can help prevent osteoporosis. We suggest resistance exercises and 20 jumps morning and night — if your doc agrees. And if a bone scan indicates you have osteoporosis, discuss medication risks and benefits with your doctor.
Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of “The Dr. Oz Show,” and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic. To live your healthiest, tune into “The Dr. Oz Show” or visit www.sharecare.com.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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