By: Joseph M. Kalscheur PHYSICAL ACTIVITY & EXERCISE

What does it mean to be active? Physical activity: To engage in physically energetic pursuits… Example: gardening, walking the dog, raking leaves, taking the stairs. Exercise: Is a form of physical activity that is specifically planned, structured, and repetitive. Example: weight training, aerobics classes, yoga, etc.

As we move forward… I encourage you to keep an open-mind. Ask questions at anytime!!

Physiological perspective on physical activity ‘Cave-Man’ Philosophy Hunters and Gathers Survival is dependent on being physical activity Our bodies are programed to move and be active. Need to find ways to incorporate physical activity even with all of the luxuries of modern technology. Is exercise the magic pill? Lets take a closer look and see what we can find…

Why should I even bother to exercise and/or be physically active? Many know that exercise is important to our health, yet few understand why such a behavior can be so powerful. Lets take a quick look at how exercise can effect… Heart Disease (leading cause of death in USA) Cancer (2 nd leading cause of death in USA) Diabetes (7 th leading cause of death in USA) Osteoporosis Cognition Depression And more…

Heart Disease Numerous studies have shown that exercising can cut the risk of heart disease by almost 50%. Meta-analysis of 9 different studies, including 801 patients with heart failure demonstrated a 35% reduction in mortality in those patients who underwent exercise training compared with those who did not (JCRP). Graph below shows that as your physical fitness (exercise capacity) increases, the risk of dying decreases.

Cardiorespiratory Responses to Exercise/Physical Activity What is the role of the heart? (show model) What happens to the heart in response to acute exercise? (1.52) Overtime… Heart muscle gets stronger  becomes more efficient Increase capillary density in skeletal muscle  O 2 delivered faster Decrease heart rate and blood pressure at a given submaximal intensity (i.e. elite endurance runners) Blood vessels retain greater elasticity  decrease risk of blockage Increased exercise threshold for the accumulation of lactate in the blood (less sore when doing more)

Cancer Decreased risk of colon cancer by almost 50% and breast cancer by about 30% from observational studies. Exercise been shown to lower risk of cancer recurrence or death in colon, prostate, and breast cancer survivors.

Diabetes The famous study – Diabetes Prevention Trial – showed that exercise and diet cuts the risk of diabetes by almost 60% compared to a 30% reduction for patients who just took Metformin.

Osteoporosis Osteoporosis is a disease that is characterized by the loss of bone density which can lead to bone fractures. Exercise, particularly weight baring exercises can be beneficial to prevent and treat osteoporosis bone density. (show model)

Cognition/Depression Cognition = big word for mental processes like memory, learning, attention, etc. Many studies have suggested that exercise plays an important role in maintaining brain function and lowering risk of dementia. Exercise has been noted to be as effective as taking an anti-depressant drug for mild to severe depression. Natural release of endorphins

Basic Exercise Essentials 1.Spend a few minutes at the beginning and end of your routine to warm up and cool down! (workout sandwich) Warm up (Top bun) Workout! (Meat and cheese) Cool down (Bottom bun) 2.Be versatile and try to incorporate all four types of movements into your weekly routine. All 4 play-off each other.

4 Major Classifications of Physical Activity 1.Endurance – movement that works to fundamentally improve cardiorespiratory function. 2.Strength training– use of resistance to induce muscular contraction which builds the strength, anaerobic endurance, and size of skeletal muscles. 3.Balance – works to improve proprioception and mind-muscle connection 4.Flexibility – helps maintain your bodies ability to move a joint through its complete range of motion.

Endurance (aerobic activity) Recommended amount for adults from CDC: 2.5 hours (150 min) of moderate-intensity per week OR 1.25 hours (75 min) of vigorous-intensity per week Examples: Walking, jogging, swimming, raking, dancing, playing tennis, kayaking, hiking, cardio equipment Safety First: Lesson to your body. Use target heart rate as a guild. Also consult with your physician.

Strength Training Recommended amount for adults (CDC): 30 minutes ; 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups Avoid exercising the same muscle group 2 days in a row Examples: lifting weights, resistance bands, body weight vs. gravity Safety First: Start out at a lighter weight, or no weight at all and them progressively build up from there.

Balance & Flexibility Recommended amount of balance exercise: Can overlap with the lower-body strength exercises. 2 or more days per week but not on any 2 days in a row. Recommended amount of flexibility: 3-5 times each workout period

Making it apart of your life 1.Choose activities that you enjoy doing. On back of target heart rate sheet list all the activates that you enjoy doing or are currently committed to. 2.Find out what motivates you to move. Ex) Health, family, freedom, etc. Wright those things down on same sheet. 3.Set goals that are realistic, measurable, specific based on your personal needs, interests, motives. Use page 103 in book 4.Construct a Exercise and Physical Activity Plan to meet your goals. Use pages in book

Managing your progress Talk test Target Heart Rate Monthly Testing (p. 108 in book) Continually update/monitor your goals. HAVE FUN!!

Magic Pill? Is there any pill out there which can prevent and/or treat so many major diseases, improve quality of life, has almost zero side effects, and costs almost nothing? … I will let you decide.