Sunday, June 29, 2008 Paquiao: Creeping obesity By Calixto S. Paquiao fitness & you
WHEN we are young, the muscles in our body are long and lean with very little fat.
As we get older and become less active, however, fat can invade the muscles making them short and fat.
In fact, muscles can become saturated with fat that they can’t hold anywhere.
That’s why you will notice that when you hold and touch your arm you feel it’s so soft and it’s sagging. It’s like you have the arm of an 80-year-old person.
You have lost muscle tone and firmness, unlike before when you were still young. So, where do the muscles go, you might asked.
Actually, the muscle is still there but because of lack of exercise it shrinks and becomes smaller. That’s the reason why you have that sagging arms.
Fat accumulates, yes. So, when the muscle has finally wasted away we realize that we are getting fatter. This is called “creeping obesity” because it creeps on you and you don’t even know it!
How can you reverse creeping obesity? You can reverse it through exercise and diet. Exercise especially with weights will cause your muscles to develop, get toned and increase in firmness.
Not only that. As the muscles get leaner, your metabolism speeds up and you burn more calories.
How can it speed up your metabolism? Let me explain. Since you have lost muscle and fats, you have also lost you calorie-burning power. A lot of us go on diet to help us lose weight. But did you know that dieting without exercise doesn’t work?
It causes you to lose the fat that is right under the skin and does nothing to the fat that has replaced the muscle. Also, if you go on dieting without exercising, your muscle and your metabolism will slow down causing the accumulation of more fat and sagging of the muscle:
FAT-BURNING EXERCISES
What is the best fat burning exercise? It was found out by health expert that exercises that vigorously work both your arms and legs are better fat burner that exercises (like running or walking that involve only your legs).
Stationary rowing and stationary bicycles also rate high as an effective exercise activity to burn fat.
When it comes from low to moderated exercise, like walking or stationary cycling, the longer you do it, the more fat you burn. Find exercises you enjoy and work best for you and then it with a full commitment so that you can see good results.
(Coach Paquiao Wellness and Fitness Center, 2nd Floor JY Square Discovery Mall, Salinas Drive, Lahug, Cebu City/ 234-2811)
