weigt loss

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2009-09-11T00:43:00.000-07:00

Weight loss

Weight loss, in the context of medicine, health or physical fitness, is a reduction of the total body mass, due to a mean loss of fluid, body fat or adipose tissue and/or lean mass, namely bone mineral deposits, muscle, tendon and other connective tissue. It can occur unintentionally due to an underlying disease or can arise from a conscious effort to improve a perceived overweight or obese state.

Unintentional weight loss

Poor management of type 1 diabetes mellitus, also known as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), leads to an excessive amount of glucose and an insufficient amount of insulin in the bloodstream. This triggers the release of triglycerides from adipose (fat) tissue and catabolism (breakdown) of amino acids in muscle tissue. This results in a loss of both fat and lean mass, leading to a significant reduction in total body weight. Note that untreated type 1 diabetes mellitus will usually not produce weight loss, as these patients get acutely ill before they would have had time to lose weight.

Myriad additional scientific considerations are applicable to weight loss: physiological and exercise sciences, nutrition science, behavioral sciences, and other sciences.

One area involves the science of bioenergetics including biochemical and physiological energy production and utilization systems, that is frequently evidence of diabetes, and ketone bodies, acetone particles occurring in body fluids and tissues involved in acidosis, also known as ketosis, somewhat common in severe diabetes.

In addition to weight loss due to a reduction in fat and lean mass, illnesses such as diabetes, certain medications, lack of fluid intake and other factors can trigger fluid loss. And fluid loss in addition to a reduction in fat and lean mass exacerbates the risk for cachexia.

Infections such as HIV may alter metabolism, leading to weight loss.[1]

Hormonal disruptions, such as an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), may also exhibit as weight loss.[2]

Recent research has shown fidgeting to result in significant weight loss. [3]

[edit] Intentional weight loss
Intentional weight loss refers to the loss of total body mass in an effort to improve fitness, health, and/or appearance.

Therapeutic weightloss, in individuals who are overweight or obese, can decrease the likelihood of developing diseases such as diabetes,[4] heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, osteoarthritis,[5] and certain types of cancer.

Attention to diet in particular can be extremely beneficial in reducing the impact of diabetes and other health risks of an expanding waist.

Weight loss occurs when an individual is in a state of negative energy balance. When the body is consuming more energy (i.e. in work and heat) than it is gaining (i.e. from food or other nutritional supplements), it will use stored reserves from fat or muscle, gradually leading to weight loss.[citation needed]

It is not uncommon for some people who are currently at their ideal body weight to seek additional weight loss in order to improve athletic performance, and/or meet required weight classification for participation in a sport. However, others may be driven by achieving a more attractive body image. Consequently, being underweight is associated with health risks such as difficulty fighting off infection, osteoporosis, decreased muscle strength, trouble regulating body temperature and even increased risk of death.[6]

[edit] Therapeutic weight loss techniques
See also: Obesity#Management and Bariatrics
The least intrusive weight loss methods, and those most often recommended by physicians, are adjustments to eating patterns and increased physical activity, generally in the form of exercise. Physicians will usually recommend that their overweight patients combine a reduction of processed[7] and caloric content of the diet with an increase in physical activity.[8]

Other methods of losing weight include use of drugs and supplements that decrease appetite, block fat absorption, or reduce stomach volume. Green tea and hoodia gordonii are often advertised as weight loss supplements. Medicines with herbs such as Fucus vesiculosus are popular.[9] Weight Loss Coaching is rapidly growing in popularity in the United States, with the number of available coaches nearly doubling since 2000. Finally, surgery (i.e. bariatric surgery) may be used in more severe cases to artificially reduce the size of the stomach, thus limiting the intake of food energy.

[edit] Crash dieting
A crash diet refers to willful nutritional restriction (except water) for more than 12 hours. The desired result is to have the body burn fat for energy with the goal of losing a significant amount of weight in a short time. However, the body reacts by preserving fat stores and burning lean muscle tissue, such that this is a poor strategy for intentional weight loss.[citation needed]

Crash dieting is not the same as intermittent fasting, in which the individual periodically abstains from food (e.g., every other day).

Weight loss industry

The examples and perspective in this section deal primarily with US and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk page.

There is a substantial market for products which promise to make weight loss easier, quicker, cheaper, more reliable, or less painful. These include books, CDs, cremes, lotions, pills, rings and earrings, body wraps, body belts and other materials, not to mention fitness centers, personal coaches, weight loss groups, and food products and supplements. US residents in 1992 spent an estimated $30 billion a year on all types of diet programs and products, including diet foods and drinks.[10]

Between $33 billion and $55 billion is spent annually on weight loss products and services, including medical procedures and pharmaceuticals, with weight loss centers garnering between 6 percent and 12 percent of total annual expenditure. About 70 percent of Americans' dieting attempts are of a self-help nature. Although often short-lived, these diet fads are a positive trend for this sector as Americans ultimately turn to professionals to help them meet their weight loss goals.[11]

Dieting is the practice of ingesting food in a regulated fashion to achieve or maintain a controlled weight. In most cases the goal is weight loss in those who are overweight or obese, but some athletes aspire to gain weight (usually in the form of muscle) and diets can also be used to maintain a stable body weight.

Diets to promote weight loss are generally divided into four categories: low-fat, low-carbohydrate, low-calorie, and very low calorie.[1] A meta-analysis of six randomized controlled trials found no difference between the main diet types (low calorie, low carbohydrate, and low fat), with a 2–4 kilogram weight loss in all studies.[1] At two years all diet types cause equal weight loss irrespective of the macronutrients emphasized.[2]

Contents [hide]
1 Types of dieting
2 In children and young adults
3 Thermoregulation
4 Physical exercise
5 Fat loss versus muscle loss
6 Energy obtained from food
7 Proper nutrition
8 How the body gets rid of fat
9 Psychological aspects of weight-loss dieting
10 Weight loss groups
10.1 Food diary
10.2 Medications
10.2.1 Diuretics
10.2.2 Stimulants
10.3 Dangers of fasting
10.4 Side effects
11 Low carbohydrate versus low fat
12 Low glycemic index
13 See also
14 References
15 External links

[edit] Types of dieting
There are several kinds of diets:

Weight-loss diets restrict the intake of specific foods, or food in general, to reduce body weight. What works to reduce body weight for one person will not necessarily work for another, due to metabolic differences and lifestyle factors. Also, for a variety of reasons, most people find it difficult to maintain significant weight loss over time. Among individuals that have lost 10% or more of body weight, only 20% are able to maintain that weight loss for a full year.[3]
Athletes participating in professional sports may sometimes undertake weight-gain or weight-loss diets to increase or decrease their body mass to gain advantage in their field.
Individuals who are underweight, such as those recovering from anorexia nervosa or starvation, may adopt weight-gain diets which, unlike those of athletes, have the goal of restoring normal levels of body fat, muscle, and stores of essential nutrients.
Actors, and people participating in similar activities, may pursue weight loss or gain in order to better portray a particular role.

[edit] In children and young adults
Receiving adequate nutrition through a well-balanced diet is crucial during childhood and adolescence. Some diets can deprive the body of necessary nutrients, for instance lipids. In addition, there are some indications that the harmful effects of starvation or extreme dieting during adolescence exceed the expected benefits, sometimes even leading to increased weight gains.[4]

Research shows that putting children on starvation or extreme diets can be harmful. The brain is unable to learn how to correlate taste with nutritional value, which is why such children may consistently overeat later in their life despite adequate nutritional intake. [5]

[edit] Thermoregulation
As endotherms, humans expend energy to maintain their blood temperature at body temperature, which is approximately 37 °C (98.6 °F). This is accomplished by metabolism and blood circulation, by shivering to stay warm, and by sweating to stay cool.[6]

In addition to thermoregulation, humans expend energy keeping the vital organs (especially the lungs, heart and brain) functioning. Except when sleeping, our skeletal muscles are working, typically to maintain upright posture. The average work done just to stay alive is the basal metabolic rate.

[edit] Physical exercise
Physical exercise is an important complement to dieting in securing weight loss. Aerobic exercise is also an important part of maintaining normal good health, especially the muscular strength of the heart.

Though the energy for muscle activity is primarily derived from the glycogen stored in the body, continued activity results in an increased use of the fatty acids as well. After the available glycogen stores are exhausted, fatty acids alone are used [7]. It is often recommended that muscle activity be maintained for 20 minutes or more for increased usage of fatty acids.

The energy burnt during physical exercise has only a limited effect on weight loss, since an hour of aerobic exercise for a man in reasonable physical shape would burn about 2 megajoules (500 kilocalories), which is equivalent to only 60 grams (2 oz) of fat.

Both aerobic and anaerobic exercise would increase the basal metabolic rate (BMR) for some time after exercising. This leads to an additional caloric loss.

[edit] Fat loss versus muscle loss
Weight loss typically involves the loss of fat, water and muscle. Overweight people, or people suffering from obesity, typically aim to reduce the percentage of body fat. Additionally, as muscle tissue is denser than fat, fat loss results in increased loss of body volume compared with muscle loss. Reducing even 10% body fat can therefore have a dramatic effect on a person's body shape. To determine the proportion of weight loss that is due to decreased fat tissue, various methods of measuring body fat percentage have been developed.

Muscle loss during weight loss can be restricted by regularly lifting weights (or doing push-ups and other strength-oriented calisthenics) and by maintaining sufficient protein intake. Those on low-carbohydrate diets, and those doing particularly strenuous exercise, may wish to increase their protein intake. According to the National Academy of Sciences, the Dietary Reference Intake for protein is "0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight for adults."

Excessive protein intake, may cause liver and kidney problems and may be a risk factor for heart disease.[8]. There is no conclusive evidence that moderately high protein diets in healthy individuals are dangerous, it has only been shown that these diets are dangerous in individuals who already have kidney and liver problems.

[edit] Energy obtained from food
The energy intake from food is limited by the efficiency of digestion and the efficiency of utilization. The efficiency of digestion is largely dependent on the type of food being eaten, while efficiency of utilization is affected by individual factors, including body weight and hormones.

The effects of chewing, especially in elderly people, have been shown to affect the intake of micronutrients. However, there was no significant effect on the intake of macronutrients, such as sugars, fats, and proteins[9].

[edit] Proper nutrition
Food provides nutrients from six broad classes: proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, dietary minerals, and water. Carbohydrates are metabolized to provide energy. Proteins provide amino acids, which are required for cell construction, especially for the construction of muscle cells. Essential fatty acids are required for brain and cell membrane construction. Vitamins and trace minerals help maintain proper electrolyte balance and are required for many metabolic processes. Dietary fiber is another food component which influences health even though it is not actually absorbed into the body.

Any diet that fails to meet minimum nutritional requirements can threaten general health (and physical fitness in particular). If a person is not well enough to be active, weight loss and good quality of life will be unlikely.

The National Academy of Sciences and the World Health Organization publish guidelines for dietary intakes of all known essential nutrients.

Sometimes dieters will ingest excessive amounts of vitamin and mineral supplements. While this is usually harmless, some nutrients are dangerous. Men (and women who don't menstruate) need to be wary of iron poisoning. Retinol (oil-soluble vitamin A) is toxic in large doses. As a general rule, most people can get the nutrition they need from foods. In any event, a multivitamin taken once a day will suffice for the majority of the population.

Weight-loss diets which manipulate the proportion of macronutrients (low-fat, low-carbohydrate, etc.) have not been found to be more effective than diets which maintain a typical mix of foods with smaller portions and perhaps some substitutions (e.g. low-fat milk, or less salad dressing).[10] Extreme diets may, in some cases, lead to malnutrition.

[edit] How the body gets rid of fat
All body processes require energy to run properly. When the body is expending more energy than it is taking in (e.g. when exercising), the body's cells rely on internally stored energy sources, like complex carbohydrates and fats, for energy. The first source the body turns to is glycogen (by glycogenolysis). Glycogen is a complex carbohydrate, where 65% of it is stored in skeletal muscles and the rest in the liver (totaling about 2000 kcal in the whole body). It is created from the excess of ingested macronutrients, mainly carbohydrates. When those sources are nearly depleted, the body begins lipolysis, the mobilization and catabolism of fat stores for energy. In this process, fats, obtained from adipose tissue, or fat cells, are broken down into glycerol and fatty acids, which can be used to make energy. The primary by-products of metabolism are carbon dioxide and water; carbon dioxide is expelled through the respiratory system.

Fats are also secreted by the sebaceous glands (in the skin).

[edit] Psychological aspects of weight-loss dieting
Diets affect the "energy in" component of the energy balance by limiting or altering the distribution of foods. Techniques that affect the appetite can limit energy intake by affecting the desire to overeat.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy has been effective in producing long term weight loss [11]. Judith S. Beck has been one of the most prominent practitioners and writers to bring this method to a popular audience.

Consumption of low-energy, fiber-rich foods, such as non-starchy vegetables, is effective in obtaining satiation (the feeling of "fullness"). Exercise is also useful in controlling appetite as is drinking water and sleeping.

The use of drugs to control appetite is also common. Stimulants are often taken as a means to suppress hunger in people who are dieting. Ephedrine (through facilitating the release of adrenaline and noradrenaline) stimulates the alpha(1)-adrenoreceptor subtype, which is known to act as an anorectic. L-Phenylalanine, an amino acid found in whey protein powders also has the ability to suppress appetite by increasing the hormone cholecystokinin (CCK) which sends a satiety signal to the brain.

[edit] Weight loss groups
There exist both profit-oriented and non-profit weight loss organizations who assist people in their weight loss efforts. An example of the former is Weight Watchers; examples of the latter include Overeaters Anonymous, as well as a multitude of non-branded support groups run by local churches, hospitals, and like-minded individuals.

These organizations' customs and practices differ widely. Some groups are modelled on twelve-step programs, while others are quite informal. Some groups advocate certain prepared foods or special menus, while others train dieters to make healthy choices from restaurant menus and while grocery-shopping and cooking.

Most groups leverage the power of group meetings to provide counseling, emotional support, problem-solving, and useful information.

[edit] Food diary
A July 2008 study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, showed dieters who keep a daily food diary (or diet journal) of what they eat lose twice as much weight as those who do not. The researchers concluded, "It seems that the simple act of writing down what you eat encourages people to consume fewer calories."[12] Diet journaling software and websites have become popular to help people track calorie consumption, calorie burning, weight loss goals, and nutritional balance.

[edit] Medications
Certain medications can be prescribed to assist in weight loss. The most recent prescription weight loss medication released is Acomplia (generic name Rimonabant), manufactured by Sanofi Aventis. Used to treat obesity in persons with a BMI ( body mass index) of 30 or above as well as for smoking cessation treatments, Acomplia is still pending FDA approval for use in the United States. Other weight loss medications, like amphetamines, are dangerous and are now banned for casual weight loss. Some supplements, including those containing vitamins and minerals, may not be effective for losing weight.

[edit] Diuretics
Diuretics induce weight loss through the excretion of water. These medication or herbs will reduce the amount that a body weighs, but will have no effect on an individual's body fat. Diuretics can thicken the blood, cause cramping, kidney and liver damage. There was even a report of a woman who died of swelling in her brain after she drank a large amount of water over a short period of time, while being on a special water diet.[13]

[edit] Stimulants
Stimulants such as ephedrine, green tea, hoodia gordonii(mechanism unknown), or synephrine work to increase the basal metabolic rate and reduce appetite.[citation needed]

[edit] Dangers of fasting
Main article: Fasting
Lengthy fasting can be dangerous due to the risk of malnutrition and should be carried out under medical supervision. During prolonged fasting or very low calorie diets the reduction of blood glucose, the preferred energy source of the brain, causes the body to deplete its glycogen stores. Once glycogen is depleted the body begins to fuel the brain using ketones, while also metabolize body protein (including but not limited to skeletal muscle) to be used to synthesize sugars for use as energy by the rest of the body. Most experts believe that a prolonged fast can lead to muscle wasting although some dispute this. The use of short-term fasting, or various forms of intermittent fasting have been used as a form of dieting to circumvent this issue.

Side effects
Dieting, especially extreme food-intake reduction and rapid weight loss, can have the following side effects:

Prolonged hunger
Depression
Reduced sex drive
Fatigue
Irritability
Fainting
Sinus problems (especially post-nasal drip)
Muscle atrophy
Rashes
Acidosis
Bloodshot eyes
Gallbladder disease
Seizures
Malnutrition, possibly leading to death
Subsequent weight gain

[edit] Low carbohydrate versus low fat
Main article: Medical research related to low-carbohydrate diets
Many studies have focused on diets that reduce calories via a low-carbohydrate (Atkins diet, Scarsdale diet, Zone diet) diet versus a low-fat diet (LEARN diet, Ornish diet). The Nurses' Health Study, an observational cohort study, found that low carbohydrate diets based on vegetable sources of fat and protein are associated with less coronary heart disease.[14]

A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials by the international Cochrane Collaboration in 2002 concluded[15] that fat-restricted diets are no better than calorie restricted diets in achieving long term weight loss in overweight or obese people. A more recent meta-analysis that included randomized controlled trials published after the Cochrane review[16][17][18] found that "low-carbohydrate, non-energy-restricted diets appear to be at least as effective as low-fat, energy-restricted diets in inducing weight loss for up to 1 year. However, potential favorable changes in triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol values should be weighed against potential unfavorable changes in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol values when low-carbohydrate diets to induce weight loss are considered."[19]

The Women's Health Initiative Randomized Controlled Dietary Modification Trial[20] found that a diet of total fat to 20% of energy and increasing consumption of vegetables and fruit to at least 5 servings daily and grains to at least 6 servings daily resulted in:

no reduction in cardiovascular disease[21]
an insignificant reduction in invasive breast cancer[22]
no reductions in colorectal cancer[23]
Additional recent randomized controlled trials have found that:

A comparison of Atkins, Zone diet, Ornish diet, and LEARN diet in premenopausal women found the greatest benefit from the Atkins diet.[24]
The choice of diet for a specific person may be influenced by measuring the individual's insulin secretion:
In young adults "Reducing glycemic [carbohydrate] load may be especially important to achieve weight loss among individuals with high insulin secretion."[25] This is consistent with prior studies of diabetic patients in which low carbohydrate diets were more beneficial.[26][27]
The American Diabetes Association released for the first time a recommendation (in its January 2008 Clinical Practice Recommendations) for a low carbohydrate diet to reduce weight for those with or at risk of Type 2 diabetes.[28]

[edit] Low glycemic index
"The glycemic index (GI) factor is a ranking of foods based on their overall effect on blood sugar levels. The diet based around this research is called the Low GI diet. Low glycemic index foods, such as lentils, provide a slower, more consistent source of glucose to the bloodstream, thereby stimulating less insulin release than high glycemic index foods, such as white bread."[29][30]

The glycemic load is "the mathematical product of the glycemic index and the carbohydrate amount".[31]

In a randomized controlled trial that compared four diets that varied in carbohydrate amount and glycemic index found complicated results[32]:

Diet 1 and 2 were high carbohydrate (55% of total energy intake)
Diet 1 was high-glycemic index
Diet 2 was low-glycemic index
Diet 3 and 4 were high protein (25% of total energy intake)
Diet 3 was high-glycemic index
Diet 4 was low-glycemic index
Diets 2 and 3 lost the most weight and fat mass; however, low density lipoprotein fell in Diet 2 and rose in Diet 3. Thus the authors concluded that the high-carbohydrate, low-glycemic index diet was the most favorable.

A meta-analysis by the Cochrane Collaboration concluded that low glycemic index or low glycemic load diets led to more weight loss and better lipid profiles. However, the Cochrane Collaboration grouped low glycemic index and low glycemic load diets together and did not try to separate the effects of the load versus the index.[29]

Physical exercise
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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"Workout" redirects here. For the television series, see Work Out.
"Exercise" redirects here. For other uses, see Exercise (disambiguation).

U.S. Marine emerging from the swim portion of a triathlon.Physical exercise is any bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health. It is performed for many different reasons. These include strengthening muscles and the cardiovascular system, honing athletic skills, weight loss or maintenance and for enjoyment. Frequent and regular physical exercise boosts the immune system, and helps prevent the "diseases of affluence" such as heart disease, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and obesity.[1][2] It also improves mental health and helps prevent depression. Childhood obesity is a growing global[citation needed] concern and physical exercise may help decrease the effects of childhood obesity in developed countries.

Contents [hide]
1 Types of exercise
2 Categories of physical exercise
3 Exercise benefits
4 Common misconceptions
4.1 Targeted fat reduction
4.2 Muscle and fat tissue
5 Excessive exercise
6 Exercise trends
7 Nutrition and recovery
8 Exercise and brain function
9 Effect on the immune system
10 Breathing
11 History
12 See also
13 References
14 Sources
15 Further reading

Types of exercise
Exercises are generally grouped into three types depending on the overall effect they have on the human body:

Flexibility exercises, such as stretching, improve the range of motion of muscles and joints.[3]
Aerobic exercises, such as cycling, swimming, walking, rowing, running, hiking or playing tennis, focus on increasing cardiovascular endurance.[4]
Anaerobic exercises, such as weight training, functional training or sprinting, increase short-term muscle strength.[5]

Categories of physical exercise
Aerobic exercise
Anaerobic exercise
Strength training
Agility training
Sometimes the terms 'dynamic' and 'static' are used. 'Dynamic' exercises such as steady running, tend to produce a lowering of the diastolic blood pressure during exercise, due to the improved blood flow. Conversely, static exercise (such as weight-lifting) can cause the systolic pressure to rise significantly (during the exercise).

Exercise benefits

A common elliptical training machine.Physical exercise is important for maintaining physical fitness and can contribute positively to maintaining a healthy weight, building and maintaining healthy bone density, muscle strength, and joint mobility, promoting physiological well-being, reducing surgical risks, and strengthening the immune system.

Exercise also reduces levels of cortisol, thereby benefiting health. Cortisol is a stress hormone that builds fat in the abdominal region, making weight loss difficult. Cortisol causes many health problems, both physical and mental.[6]

Frequent and regular aerobic exercise has been shown to help prevent or treat serious and life-threatening chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, insomnia, and depression.[7] Strength training appears to have continuous energy-burning effects that persist for about 24 hours after the training, though they do not offer the same cardiovascular benefits as aerobic exercises do.

There is conflicting evidence as to whether vigorous exercise (more than 70% of VO2 Max) is more or less beneficial than moderate exercise (40 to 70% of VO2 Max). Some studies have shown that vigorous exercise executed by healthy individuals can effectively increase opioid peptides (a.k.a. endorphins, naturally occurring opioids that in conjunction with other neurotransmitters are responsible for exercise-induced euphoria and have been shown to be addictive), positively influence hormone production (i.e., increase testosterone and growth hormone),[8] benefits that are not as fully realized with moderate exercise.

Exercise has been shown to improve cognitive functioning via improvement of hippocampus-dependent spatial learning, and enhancement of synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis.[9] In addition, physical activity has been shown to be neuroprotective in many neurodegenerative and neuromuscular diseases.[10] For instance, it reduces the risk of developing dementia.[11] Furthermore, anecdotal evidence suggests that frequent exercise may reverse alcohol-induced brain damage.[12]

Physical activity is thought to have other beneficial effects related to cognition as it increases levels of nerve growth factors, which support the survival and growth of a number of neuronal cells.[13]

Both aerobic and anaerobic exercise also work to increase the mechanical efficiency of the heart by increasing cardiac volume (aerobic exercise), or myocardial thickness (strength training). Such changes are generally beneficial and healthy if they occur in response to exercise.

Not everyone benefits equally from exercise. There is tremendous variation in individual response to training: where most people will see a moderate increase in endurance from aerobic exercise, some individuals will as much as double their oxygen uptake, while others will never get any benefit at all from the exercise.[14][15] Similarly, only a minority of people will show significant muscle growth after prolonged weight training, while a larger fraction experience improvements in strength.[16] This genetic variation in improvement from training is one of the key physiological differences between elite athletes and the larger population.[17][18] Studies have shown that exercising in middle age leads to better physical ability later in life.[19]

Common misconceptions
Many myths have arisen surrounding exercise, some of which have a basis in reality, and some which are completely false. Myths include:

That excessive exercise can cause immediate death. Death by exercise has some small basis in fact. Water intoxication can result from prolific sweating (producing electrolyte losses) combined with consumption of large amounts of plain water and insufficient replenishment of electrolytes, especially salt and potassium (e.g. when running a marathon). It is also possible to die from a heart attack or similar affliction if overly intense exercise is performed by someone who is not at an appropriate level of fitness for that particular activity. A doctor should always be consulted before any radical changes are made to a person's current exercise routine. Rhabdomyolysis is also a risk. Other common dangers may occur from extreme overheating or aggravation of a physical defect, such as a thrombosis or aneurysm.
That weightlifting makes you short or stops growth. One highly debated caveat is that heavy weight training in adolescents can damage the epiphyseal plate of long bones.[citation needed]

Targeted fat reduction
Spot reduction is a myth that consists in believing that exercising and training a particular body part will preferentially shed the fat on that part. For example, doing sit-ups is not the best way to reduce subcutaneous belly fat. One cannot reduce fat from one area of the body to the exclusion of others. Most of the energy derived from fat gets to the muscle through the bloodstream and reduces stored fat in the entire body, from the last place where fat was deposited. Sit-ups may improve the size and shape of abdominal muscles but will not specifically target belly fat for loss. Such exercise might help reduce overall body fat and shrink the size of fat cells.

Muscle and fat tissue
One misconception is that muscle tissue will turn into fat tissue once a person stops exercising. This is not literally true — fat tissue and muscle tissue are fundamentally different — but the common expression that "muscle will turn to fat" is truthful in the sense that catabolism of muscle fibers for energy can result in excess glucose being stored as fat.[20] Moreover, the composition of a body part can change toward less muscle and more fat, so that a cross-section of the upper-arm for example, will have a greater area corresponding to fat and a smaller area corresponding to muscle. This is not muscle "turning into fat" however — it is simply a combination of muscle atrophy and increased fat storage in different tissues of the same body part. Another element of increased fatty deposits is that of diet, as most trainees will not significantly reduce their diet in order to compensate for the lack of exercise/activity.

Excessive exercise
Exercise is a stressor and the stresses of exercise have a catabolic effect on the body - contractile proteins within muscles are consumed for energy, carbohydrates and fats are similarly consumed and connective tissues are stressed and can form micro-tears. However, given adequate nutrition and sufficient rest to avoid overtraining, the body's reaction to this stimulus is to adapt and replete tissues at a higher level than that existing before exercising. The results are all the training effects of regular exercise: increased muscular strength, endurance, bone density, and connective tissue toughness.

Too much exercise can be harmful. The body parts exercised need at least a day of rest, which is why some health experts say one should exercise every other day or 3 times a week. Without proper rest, the chance of stroke or other circulation problems increases,[21] and muscle tissue may develop slowly. It has also been noted by the medical field that expectant mothers should never exercise two days consecutively.[citation needed]

Inappropriate exercise can do more harm than good, with the definition of "inappropriate" varying according to the individual. For many activities, especially running, there are significant injuries that occur with poorly regimented exercise schedules. In extreme instances, over-exercising induces serious performance loss. Unaccustomed overexertion of muscles leads to rhabdomyolysis (damage to muscle) most often seen in new army recruits.[22] Another danger is overtraining in which the intensity or volume of training exceeds the body's capacity to recover between bouts.[23]

Stopping excessive exercise suddenly can also create a change in mood. Feelings of depression and agitation can occur when withdrawal from the natural endorphins produced by exercise occurs. Exercise should be controlled by each body's inherent limitations. While one set of joints and muscles may have the tolerance to withstand multiple marathons, another body may be damaged by 20 minutes of light jogging. This must be determined by each individual.

Too much exercise can also cause a female to miss her period, a symptom known as amenorrhea.[24]

Exercise trends
Main article: Exercise trends
Worldwide there has been a large shift towards less physically demanding work.[25] This has been accompanied by increasing use of mechanized transportation, a greater prevalence of labor saving technology in the home, and less active recreational pursuits.[25]

Nutrition and recovery
Proper nutrition is at least as important to health as exercise. When exercising, it becomes even more important to have a good diet to ensure that the body has the correct ratio of macronutrients whilst providing ample micronutrients, in order to aid the body with the recovery process following strenuous exercise.[26]

Proper rest and recovery are also as important to health as exercise; otherwise the body exists in a permanently injured state and will not improve or adapt adequately to the exercise. Hence, it is important to remember to allow adequate recovery between exercise sessions. It is necessary to refill the glycogen stores in the skeletal muscles and liver. After exercise, there is a 30 minute window critical to muscle recovery. Before doing anything else, one should drink something for recovery. Liquids are ideal after exercise and there are several studies that show low-fat milk and chocolate milk as being effective recovery beverages because of its ideal 4:1 combination of carbohydrate and protein that fuels and replenishes our muscles the best.[27][28] Branched-chain amino acids are also recommended for exercise recovery.[citation needed]

The above two factors can be compromised by psychological compulsions (eating disorders such as exercise bulimia, anorexia, and other bulimias), misinformation, a lack of organization, or a lack of motivation. These all lead to a decreased state of health.

Delayed onset muscle soreness can occur after any kind of exercise, particularly if the body is in an unconditioned state relative to that exercise.[29]

Exercise and brain function
Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Physical exercise
In the long term, exercise is beneficial to the brain by:

increasing the blood and oxygen flow to the brain
increasing growth factors that help create new nerve cells[30] and promote synaptic plasticity[31]
increasing chemicals in the brain that help cognition, such as dopamine, glutamate, norepinephrine, and serotonin[32]
A 2008 review of cognitive enrichment therapies (strategies to slow or reverse cognitive decline) concluded that "physical activity, and aerobic exercise in particular, enhances older adults’ cognitive function".[33]

Effect on the immune system
Although there have been hundreds of studies on exercise and the immune system, there is little direct evidence on its connection to illness. Epidemiological evidence suggests that moderate exercise appears to have a beneficial effect on the human immune system while extreme exercise appears to impair it, an effect which is modeled in a J curve. Moderate exercise has been associated with a 29% decreased incidence of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI), but studies of marathon runners found that their prolonged high-intensity exercise was associated with an increased risk of an infection, although another study did not find the effect. Immune cell functions are impaired following acute sessions of prolonged, high-intensity exercise, and some studies have found that athletes are at a higher risk for infections. The immune systems of athletes anf nonathletes are generally similar. Athletes may have slightly elevated NK cell count and cytolytic action, but these are unlikely to be clinically significant.[34]

Supplementation with the antioxidants vitamin C and E has been found to decrease the release of interleukin-6 (IL-6), which would be expected to decrease the depression of the immune system. Further, vitamin C supplementation has been associated with lower URTIs in marathon runners. However, the decreased release of IL-6 limits the anti-inflammatory effect of exercse and could limit the positive adaptation effects of exercise.[34]

Biomarkers of inflammation such as C-reactive protein, which are associated with chronic diseases, are reduced in active individuals relative to sedentary individuals, and the positive effects of exercise may be due to its anti-inflammatory effects. The depression in the immune system following acute bouts of exercise may be one of the mechanisms for this anti-inflammatory effect.[34]

Breathing
Active exhalation during physical exercise helps the body to increase its maximum lung capacity. This results in greater efficiency, since the heart has to do less work to oxygenate the muscles, and there is also increased muscular efficiency through greater blood flow. Consciously breathing deeply during aerobic exercise helps this development of the heart and lungs.[citation needed]

weightloss plans

2009-05-28T23:36:00.000-07:00

weight loss plans
Making the world healthier
Murali welcomes you to the world of healthy living

Path way to good health
Reaching your targeted weight is the first step towards achieving good health and
Well being .over the last 25 years we have helped millions of people to maintain
Successfully
If you are already at your targeted weight, there is something else you
Need to watch for .just being in shape does not mean you are in the best of health.
With stress and constant demands of today’s hectic pace of life, eating a well balanced
Diet that meets your daily nutrition needs may be difficult .so whether you want to
Feel more energetic or look and feel younger, with our web star life you can achieve all this

How do vitamins and minerals help us?

Each vitamin and mineral plays an important role in the body

Vitamin/mineral
What it does…

Vitamin A
Fat soluble, necessary for proper vision, especially at night .needed for correct bone development and growth.

Beta carotene
Vegetable form of vitamin A
Antioxidant which helps the body ‘mop up’ free radicals, converted by the body into vitamin A, when needed.

Vitamin D
Fat soluble ;helps the body utilizes calcium and phosphorous for strong bones and teeth

Vitamin E
Fat soluble; protective anti oxidants properties; important for heart and circulation, nerves, muscles and red blood cells.

Vitamin C
Water soluble, anti-oxidant –helps white blood cells fight infection. Also needed for healthy skin, and enhances absorption of iron from non meat sources.

Thiamin
Water soluble, important of release of energy from carbohydrate; aids in the functioning of nervous system.

Riboflavin
Water soluble; beneficial to vision; needed for converting proteins fats and carbohydrates into energy.

Folic acid
Water soluble; particularly important as a supplement for women of child-bearing age; essential for growth and reproduction of cells. Help’s to maintain normal levels of homocysteine.

Vitamin B12
Water soluble; contain essential mineral elements; needed for red blood cell production.

Biotin
Water soluble; essential for metabolism of fats/proteins

Panthotenic acid
Water soluble; essential for release of energy from food, needed for healthy growth and production of anti bodies.

Pyridoxine HCL
Vitamin B6
Essential for proper chemical balance in the body .it promotes healthy skin and nerves and is also helpful in the conversion of fats and proteins into useful energy.

Vitamin B
Water soluble; promotes healthy skin and nerves; important for protein metabolism; contains essential mineral elements; needed for blood cell production.

Niacin amide
Water soluble; vital for energy release in tissues and cells. Help’s to maintain a healthy nerves system and digestive system.

Magnesium
Essential for nerve and muscle function, and energy release .needed for healthy reproductive and immune systems .also required for tissue repair and renewal.

Iodine
Helps maintain thyroid function.

Chromium GTF
Assists in balancing blood sugar.

Potassium
A vital micro mineral important for nerve function .helps to maintain the body’s natural water balance.

selenium
Woks with vitamin E as a powerful antioxidant, neutralizing free radicals. It also activates detoxifying enzymes in the liver to maintain liver integrity.

What is protein and how does it help us?

Proteins are the main buildings blocks of our body. We need an adequate dose of protein every day for normal functioning right from the growth of a fingernail to healing of wounds. Repairing wear and tear of tissues, building muscles and proper working of our immune system. Protein also gives us energy. Unlike many other nutrients, protein cannot stored in our body, so our daily intake should match the body’s metabolic needs.

How much protein do we need daily?

Refer to the table below to know your daily protein requirements

Group
Protein
Avg g/day
Group
Protein
Avg g/day

Men
60g
Children 4-6years
30g

Women
50g
7-9years
41g

Pregnant women
65g
10-12years
54-57g

Lactating women
70g
13-15years
65-60g

16-18years
63-75g

Source: nutrient requirements and recommended dietary allowances for Indians, Indian council of medical research

How much of protein does my child need in a day?

To know your child’s protein requirements refer to the chart below

Group
Age group
(yrs)
Avg body weight
(kgs)
Protein
g/day

children
1-3
12.2
22

Children
4-6
19
30

children
7-9
26.9
41

Boys
10-12
35.4
54

Girls
10-12
31.5
57

Boys
13-15
47.8
70

Girls
13-15
46.7
65

Boys
16-18
57.1
78

Girls
16-18
49.9
63

Source: nutrient requirements and recommended dietary allowances for Indians, Indian council of medical research

What is the recipe for good health?

To maintain health, we need the right combinations of balanced nutrition and a healthy life style including exercise. Balanced nutrition is all about ensuring the adequate intake of nutrients that we need everyday.

The nutrients we need on daily basis are:
Protein
Carbohydrates
Essential fats
Vitamins and minerals
Herbs
Water
While carbohydrates and fats can be stored in our body, we need to consume nutrients like protein, vitamin and minerals daily to maintain good health.

How does nutrition will help us?
It helps in:
Growth and development
Improving immunity
Detoxification
Anti-aging
Fertility
Increasing energy levels and vitality
Good nutrition results in overall wellness!

What are the principles of weight management?

The basic principles of weight management revolve around the intake and expenditure of calories.
To maintain weight one must ensure that the calories consumed are equal to the calories expended.
A person experiences weight loss when the calories consumed are less than the calories expended in exercise.
A person gains weight when his/her calorie intake is more than the calories expended. If not tackled, over a period of time this can lead to obesity.

How do you know if your weight is in the healthy range?

To find out if your weight in the healthy range just check your body index (BMI). The body mass index is a correlation between the weight and height of a person.
To calculate your BMI note

Height in meters
If you don’t know height in meters than convert like this (1 foot = 0.3048 meter)

Weight in kilograms

Calculate as fallows

BMI=__weight (kgs) ___________
Height x Height (meters)

BMI range
Category

Less than 18.5
Underweight

18.5-4.9
Normal

25.0-29.9
Over weight

Greater than 30
Obese

Maintaining BMI in the healthy range of 18.5-24.9 can help prevent many weight related health issues like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, obesity etc.

Height –weight table

Height
Weight(kgs)
Men
Weight(kgs)
Women
Height
Weight(kgs)
Men
Weight(kgs)
Women

1.52m(5.0 f)
-
52
1.70m(5.7 f)
66
63

1.57m(5.1 f)
-
53
1.72m(5.8 f)
68
65

1.57m(5.2f)
58
54
1.75m(5.9f)
70
66

1.59m(5.3f)
61
58
1.80m(5.10f)
73
70

1.62m(5.4f)
63
60
1.82m(5.11f)
76
71

1.65m(5.5f)
63
60
1.85m(6.0f)
78
-

1.67m(5.6f)
64
62
1.87m(6.2f)
80
-

thank you