2 posts tagged “aerobic exercise”

Have you ever been told that it takes 20 minutes of cardiovascular exercise in order to burn body fat?  This is both true and false.

Your fat cells continually release fatty acids that are being burned within your muscles no matter what you're doing, even sleeping. The amount that is being released and burned is very very small, or more like a trickle.  When you start to exercise your muscles need more than a trickle of energy for the task at hand.  Your muscles send a message to the fat cells to release more fatty acids. 

Compared to the other 2 macronutrients, carbohydrates and protein, fat has more "energy" per gram.  It's a great source of "fuel" for the body.

But our bodies are smart.  Our bodies prefer homeostasis.   Homeostasis in a general sense is the body's attempt to maintain a constant internal environment. Maintaining a stable internal environment requires constant monitoring and adjustments as conditions change.

Because the human body prefers a homeostatic state, it is going to resist releasing the fatty acids to the muscles until you've been working out for twenty or thirty minutes.  Then suddenly your fat cells release a gush of fatty acids. The fatty acid level in your bloodstream increases to meet the demand.

If you workout regularly and are fit then your body will start to burn fat almost immediately at the start of your workout. The less fit you are the longer it will take (20 - 30 minutes of continuous exercise) before your body hits a higher level of fat burning.  Basically a fit person's body is more efficient at burning fat than an unfit persons.   

We have train our bodies to be fat burning machines by working out regularly.  So go get some exercise!   

According the the latest U.S. Department of Health guidelines, we adults should aim for 2 1/2 hours of exercise per week. Or basically 30 minutes of physical activity 5 days a week because Americans were just exercising too much!

Ok, ok, I jest.

It seems the guidelines from a few years ago have been scaled back by about half.  In 2002, the guidelines were one full hour of exercise per day for adults to maintain health and weight. 

I have to both agree and disagree with both guidelines, old and new. 

With approximately 25% of the U.S. adult population medically obese there is a need for all of us to get off our butts and sweat a little (or a lot) on a regular basis.  Some exercise is way better than none even if it's only 30 minutes one or two times a week.  It really should be three times a week, but if you are not someone who exercises regularly you gotta start somewhere. 

I'm not advocating doing less exercise, but again, some is better than none.  For busy people, thirty minutes of physical activity 5 days a week is very doable.  I will advise that in addition to the 30 minute minimum you should add a 5 minute cool down and 3-5 minutes of stretching. 

Remember that the 2 1/2 hour recommendation is the bare minimum required to improve health.  If you need to lose weight (body fat) you need 30 minutes to 1 hour of aerobic exercise 3-5 days a week.  Make sure you are also getting 20 minutes of resistance training at least 2X per week as well.

If you workout daily I know I don't need to remind you to take at least one day a week off from exercise to allow your body to fully recover.  

Just get moving, or as Nike advocates....JUST DO IT!

Sabrina Peterson

Personal Trainer and Weight Loss Coach, Corrective Exercise Specialist