Several studies addressing the benefits of both forms of exercise and the comparison between them, were recently noted in a list serv I subscribe to. The name of the list serv is Obesity and Energetic Offerings. It provides a weekly list of current research on specific obesity related topics. If you would like to subscribe, click here http://www.soph.uab.edu/energetics/subscribe.
Many people ask me which is better, walking or running. So I wanted to share the upshot of the recent findings. Which is, it depends on your goal. Is it to maintain your health, your weight, or to lose weight? Running has been found to be better for weight loss, but there are more things to consider.
Which can you do several times a week? Which can you do several times a week for ... well .. ever(ish)?
Either activity will improve your health. Certainly this is so if you are engaging in little to no activity right now. If your primary goal is weight loss, minute for minute, running burns more calories than walking. It is very important that you consider consistency and frequency. Whether it is walking or running, the benefit only occurs as long as you keep doing it. More of either one is better than less.
You might read this and think you should become a runner. Not necessarily so. If you cannot sustain that vigorous level of activity (for what ever reason (even mental)), than it isn't right for you.
In the end, it is physical activity that matters most for your health. Yes, I am saying it. I know is anathema and blaspheme... but it is better to be a little overweight and active than normal weight or low weight and inactive.
Showing posts with label walking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label walking. Show all posts
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Motivation
Have to give my walking friend credit for two things - one is the opportunity to get in a 2 a day and the other - blog fodder.
She switched our walk to the afternoon today, so I rode my bicycle this morning. I really start the day best when I exercise before breakfast and we usually walk at 9am so when she had to reschedule I thought - oh good, there is that eighth day I was trying to find (to cycle).
This is the friend who has as her only exercise, our one hour walk on Saturdays. You may recall the post regarding her agreeing to get up 15 minutes earlier (she wanted to do 30) and using her tread climber in the morning before she went to work.
Monday was the first and ONLY day that she attempted this. Of course, she did not listen, she got up 30 minutes earlier and was so exhausted she could not function - or something to that effect so said her email (:)
She also started working some over time hours and that - which is sedentary brain numbing work, leaves her exhausted at the end of the day. Ironically, it is medical coding work and often has to do with billing for treatment of cancer - lung and breast cancer cases filled her day today...
But we talked as we walked this evening and regrouped. She is ready to go again on Monday. She says she will get up only 15 minutes earlier and she will have a spot of caffeine, half cup coffee or the equivalent and get on her tread climber. As I told her, if she only ends up exercising for 5 minutes, it is 5 more minutes that she has been doing.
My friend is important and she is a good example of all that I discuss for health promotion and policy. [She knows that I am talking about her.] She has had gastric bypass surgery - and as I told her today, she risked her life doing that and is not taking care of herself. She is much like the population in general - it is easier (should they choose to do it) to eat 100 calories less than to burn 100 calories more. However - that is a weight loss issue. For optimal health and prevention of disease, daily exercise is vital - it is the ONLY answer.
She knows all of these things - she does not have the intrinsic motivation to do it - but we are working on that.
She switched our walk to the afternoon today, so I rode my bicycle this morning. I really start the day best when I exercise before breakfast and we usually walk at 9am so when she had to reschedule I thought - oh good, there is that eighth day I was trying to find (to cycle).
This is the friend who has as her only exercise, our one hour walk on Saturdays. You may recall the post regarding her agreeing to get up 15 minutes earlier (she wanted to do 30) and using her tread climber in the morning before she went to work.
Monday was the first and ONLY day that she attempted this. Of course, she did not listen, she got up 30 minutes earlier and was so exhausted she could not function - or something to that effect so said her email (:)
She also started working some over time hours and that - which is sedentary brain numbing work, leaves her exhausted at the end of the day. Ironically, it is medical coding work and often has to do with billing for treatment of cancer - lung and breast cancer cases filled her day today...
But we talked as we walked this evening and regrouped. She is ready to go again on Monday. She says she will get up only 15 minutes earlier and she will have a spot of caffeine, half cup coffee or the equivalent and get on her tread climber. As I told her, if she only ends up exercising for 5 minutes, it is 5 more minutes that she has been doing.
My friend is important and she is a good example of all that I discuss for health promotion and policy. [She knows that I am talking about her.] She has had gastric bypass surgery - and as I told her today, she risked her life doing that and is not taking care of herself. She is much like the population in general - it is easier (should they choose to do it) to eat 100 calories less than to burn 100 calories more. However - that is a weight loss issue. For optimal health and prevention of disease, daily exercise is vital - it is the ONLY answer.
She knows all of these things - she does not have the intrinsic motivation to do it - but we are working on that.
Friday, April 10, 2009
wellness weekly
The News:
Triglycerides: Having high triglycerides can be an independent risk factor for heart disease. Heart disease can of course lead to premature death. Unfortunately, there is a growing prevalence of this condition in America which is associated with the obesity problem that we have. There has been a push by some, I am guessing the pharmaceutical industry, to use statin therapy to lower triglycerides, but a recent study does not support that recommendation. Instead, when a person’s level of this blood fat is between 150 and 500, known as hypertriglyceridemia, changes in diet and activity level should be recommended by the treating physician. This is a serious issue. I have not had blood work since 2005, but I had it today! So stay tuned for the present. My last level was in the 80s.
What? With sales slumping at most clothing stores, eclectic boutiques are looking for ways to get customers in and to keep them around for a while. I read in the WSJ last week that several were offering beer, wine and cocktails. My first and continued reaction is this, the LAST thing I want to do before I try on a pair of jeans is drink a beer!
High or Low Fat,Carbs,Protein: Instead of a randomized clinical drug trial, researchers who published their study in a peer reviewed journal, Cardiosource, placed over 800 overweight and obese persons into 3 separate diet groups. What they found was weight loss occurs when less calories are consumed (everyone sure hates to hear that), but cholesterol levels were lower in the group that ate less saturated fat.
Garadasil: One of my list serves contained an article on recommendations for this vaccine. Because Gardasil is new and in my opinion controversial, I read the article. There were a few points that I would like to iterate. There are 4 strains of HPV addressed by this vaccine. Two of them are responsible for 70% of the HPV that can lead to cervical cancer and two are responsible for 90% of the strain that may lead to genital warts. If a person has been exposed to part of these four strains (there are many more strains) but not all, there may be some therapeutic benefit from getting the vaccine. There is no benefit if a person has been exposed to all four. Thus the vaccine is best for persons not yet sexually active. HPV is the most common of the sexually transmitted diseases with current prevalence at about 26%. The article that I read was written by pharmacist Laurie Briceland. BTW, vaccine or no, Pap Smears can prevent cervical cancer.
Readmissions: The Government and it’s Centers for Medicare Services or CMS, did some research into costs of care for its Medicare recipients. Of concern is readmission to the hospital within 30 days of discharge. The study found that billions of dollars could be saved if this rate of readmissions could be lowered from the current 20%. What is considered the main cause of these unplanned readmissions is lack of adequate follow up care. Discharge planning was one of my roles in a past career and at my hospital every patient had to be scheduled with their PCP after discharge. Many patients did not keep their appointment and the cause of that warrants further investigation. Some issues of which I am aware is availability of doctors, long wait times, transportation issues, and Medicare visit costs. I must add that at many hospitals there is pressure to “get the patient out of there.”
Obesity Epidemics Main Cause: I have seen this before but when I saw it on Sunday I thought, you know, that is it right there. Electric Bicycles. No not mopeds, bicycles with engines. Now General Motors, whom I thought could not make any more mistakes, wants to expand its relationship with Segway Co. A new vehicle is being produced that can pretty much obviate walking. This new rideable device will be called PUMA. That stands for Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility. I cannot swallow this. We are overweight and our environment is polluted for one very significant reason… we do not walk anywhere. So for those of us who are able to walk, i.e. not paralyzed, here is the personal mobility device I would like to promote; LEGS.
Okay, let’s do some cooking.
Whole Wheat Pancakes:
Spices: cinnamon and sugar free vanilla syrup
Grains: 56 g of whole wheat flour, ¾ cup of loose oat bran
Liquid: ¼ cup no sugar added apple sauce, eighth cup egg beaters, ¼ cup skim milk
Sweetener: ¼ c splenda
Other: Baking Powder
Topping: Walden’s Farms Sugar/Calorie Free Syrup
(this recipe has 420 calories, on the video i mistakenly say 400 at one point)
Non fat spray and water is also needed.
Calorie content explained in video. BTW, whole wheat flour is a protein source!
Live Well
Deirdre
Triglycerides: Having high triglycerides can be an independent risk factor for heart disease. Heart disease can of course lead to premature death. Unfortunately, there is a growing prevalence of this condition in America which is associated with the obesity problem that we have. There has been a push by some, I am guessing the pharmaceutical industry, to use statin therapy to lower triglycerides, but a recent study does not support that recommendation. Instead, when a person’s level of this blood fat is between 150 and 500, known as hypertriglyceridemia, changes in diet and activity level should be recommended by the treating physician. This is a serious issue. I have not had blood work since 2005, but I had it today! So stay tuned for the present. My last level was in the 80s.
What? With sales slumping at most clothing stores, eclectic boutiques are looking for ways to get customers in and to keep them around for a while. I read in the WSJ last week that several were offering beer, wine and cocktails. My first and continued reaction is this, the LAST thing I want to do before I try on a pair of jeans is drink a beer!
High or Low Fat,Carbs,Protein: Instead of a randomized clinical drug trial, researchers who published their study in a peer reviewed journal, Cardiosource, placed over 800 overweight and obese persons into 3 separate diet groups. What they found was weight loss occurs when less calories are consumed (everyone sure hates to hear that), but cholesterol levels were lower in the group that ate less saturated fat.
Garadasil: One of my list serves contained an article on recommendations for this vaccine. Because Gardasil is new and in my opinion controversial, I read the article. There were a few points that I would like to iterate. There are 4 strains of HPV addressed by this vaccine. Two of them are responsible for 70% of the HPV that can lead to cervical cancer and two are responsible for 90% of the strain that may lead to genital warts. If a person has been exposed to part of these four strains (there are many more strains) but not all, there may be some therapeutic benefit from getting the vaccine. There is no benefit if a person has been exposed to all four. Thus the vaccine is best for persons not yet sexually active. HPV is the most common of the sexually transmitted diseases with current prevalence at about 26%. The article that I read was written by pharmacist Laurie Briceland. BTW, vaccine or no, Pap Smears can prevent cervical cancer.
Readmissions: The Government and it’s Centers for Medicare Services or CMS, did some research into costs of care for its Medicare recipients. Of concern is readmission to the hospital within 30 days of discharge. The study found that billions of dollars could be saved if this rate of readmissions could be lowered from the current 20%. What is considered the main cause of these unplanned readmissions is lack of adequate follow up care. Discharge planning was one of my roles in a past career and at my hospital every patient had to be scheduled with their PCP after discharge. Many patients did not keep their appointment and the cause of that warrants further investigation. Some issues of which I am aware is availability of doctors, long wait times, transportation issues, and Medicare visit costs. I must add that at many hospitals there is pressure to “get the patient out of there.”
Obesity Epidemics Main Cause: I have seen this before but when I saw it on Sunday I thought, you know, that is it right there. Electric Bicycles. No not mopeds, bicycles with engines. Now General Motors, whom I thought could not make any more mistakes, wants to expand its relationship with Segway Co. A new vehicle is being produced that can pretty much obviate walking. This new rideable device will be called PUMA. That stands for Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility. I cannot swallow this. We are overweight and our environment is polluted for one very significant reason… we do not walk anywhere. So for those of us who are able to walk, i.e. not paralyzed, here is the personal mobility device I would like to promote; LEGS.
Okay, let’s do some cooking.
Whole Wheat Pancakes:
Spices: cinnamon and sugar free vanilla syrup
Grains: 56 g of whole wheat flour, ¾ cup of loose oat bran
Liquid: ¼ cup no sugar added apple sauce, eighth cup egg beaters, ¼ cup skim milk
Sweetener: ¼ c splenda
Other: Baking Powder
Topping: Walden’s Farms Sugar/Calorie Free Syrup
(this recipe has 420 calories, on the video i mistakenly say 400 at one point)
Non fat spray and water is also needed.
Calorie content explained in video. BTW, whole wheat flour is a protein source!
Live Well
Deirdre
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