Diet Without Exercise Is A Waste Of Your Time

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Diet Without Exercise Is A Waste Of Your Time


In our body, nutrition and physical activity go hand in hand. If you diet without exercise you are wasting your time in the long run. Exercise promotes fitness along four standard lines: flexibility, strength, muscle endurance, and cardiovascular endurance. Remember, diet alone cannot bring about these physical developments. However, bad diet can affect the course of these fitness standards even if you follow the best exercise plan. Pair together a healthy diet and lots of exercise to stay as healthy as possible.

It is not possible to unanimously answer the question of the exact amount or duration of daily exercise that is required to keep the health at its best. A standard recommendation is that at least 20 minutes of such exercise be taken at least 3 times a week that produces cardiovascular endurance. Another recommendation is that 3500 calories must be spent in a week by any sort of physical activity. This is supposed to benefit heart health. It is best to speak to your doctor to find something that works for you.

Stored energy nutrients like glucose and fatty acids, along with a few amino acids, are released into the blood during exercise in order to provide energy for the activity. Thus, the body responds to exercise by adjusting its fuel metabolism again demonstrating why you should not diet without exercise.

Dietary approaches to controlling high blood pressure are now acknowledging the role of exercise in keeping blood pressure from running high. Besides reduced intake of sodium, weight loss, and limited alcohol consumption, increased physical activity combined with a low-fat diet (rich in fruit and vegetables) has been found to play a key role in controlling hypertension. Foods that are limited for the purpose of lowering blood pressure without medication include sweets and beverages containing sugar, red meat, and fats.

Proteins are used to build muscle in the body, especially in the resting hours after the exercise or physical activity. Research reveals that athletes retain more protein and use more of it as fuel. According to the American Detitic Association, 1 gram protein per kilogram of body weight is recommended for sedantary (non-exercising) people. For athletes, the amount of protein required is higher. It should be remembered that athletes also need higher quatities of carbohydrates. If they don't take enough carbs, their body protein will be used as fuel during the exercise and little protein will be left for muscle-building after the exercise.

There has been increasing evidence that weight-bearing exercises like walking, dancing, jogging, sports, etc., are very effective in maintaining bone health. Swimming, too, has been recommended for bone health. On the other hand, eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia have been found to damage bone strength. So diet without exercise cannot work a healthy skeleton. Proper intake of caclium and other vitamins and minerals required for bones must accompany the adequate amount of exercise to provide optimum bone health. Together with exercise, diet can keep your body working smoothly for your entire life.

 

Source: FreeArticles.com