Monday, October 12th, 2009 - 9:13 am

By JOHN BOBALIK

John Bobalik is an exercise physiologist and coordinator of Purdue University Calumet’s Fitness Center, a comprehensive exercise and workout facility for students, faculty, staff and community members. It also serves as a laboratory setting for fitness management students.

Q. What’s more important in effective weight management: exercise or healthy eating?

A. Research indicates that relying on exercise alone as your salvation for all your nutritional sins will not work for long term weight control. Conversely, healthy eating by itself will not prevent weight gain as you age.

Successful weight management for a lifetime requires both exercise and healthy eating. Here’s why:

1. Exercise, in the form of strength training, will help maintain (and in many cases increase) muscles mass, which, in turn, will keep your metabolism—your body’s ability to burn calories—at a high level. The higher your metabolic rate, the faster and more efficiently your body burns calories. Aerobic exercise also will help boost your metabolic rate. Both types of exercise will assist in weight control and provide you with plenty of energy and add quality to your years as you age.
2. Eating healthy, nutritional food in the proper amount will fuel your system and provide energy for everyday living, as well as help manage your body weight, all of which complements the benefits of a good exercise program.
3. Healthy eating may require small, incremental changes when making the transition from poor nutritional choices. Here are some tips in making a dietary transition:

1. Start by reducing the quantity of food you eat.
2. Change the time of day when you eat the most calories. Consume the most calories at breakfast.
3. Change the quality of food you eat. Cut down on fast food.
4. Eat smaller meals throughout the day instead of three, large sit-down meals.
5. Join a weight watchers group, or go with healthy pre-cooked meals.
6. Stop snacking on high calorie/low nutrition snacks. Go with healthy/low calorie/high nutrition choices.
7. Don’t eat while driving a car, watching TV or sitting at the computer. Designate one area as the place where you eat.
8. Keep a food log or diary. If you know you have to write down and be accountable for what you eat, you may think twice about it before putting it in your mouth.

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Thursday, April 16th, 2009 - 11:20 am

By JOHN BOBALIK

Exercise physiologist John Bobalik is coordinator of Purdue University Calumet’s Fitness Center, a comprehensive exercise and workout facility for students, faculty, staff and community members. It also serves as a laboratory setting for fitness management students.

Q. How do I maximize benefit from 30 minutes of daily cardiovascular exercise?

A. The good news is that if you perform a cardiovascular activity for 30 minutes four to six days a week at a moderate level of intensity, you will meet the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines for developing and maintaining cardiovascular fitness. Additionally, you will burn calories, relieve stress, release endorphins, build muscle endurance and improve your odds for good health.

The bad news is that if you perform the same cardio activity in the same manner at the same speed/intensity each time you exercise, your muscles will grow accustomed to the exercise. That means they will become more efficient at that particular activity, resulting in the activity becoming easier to perform. So you will burn fewer calories, and your level of cardiovascular fitness will plateau off or diminish.

To maximize the benefit of a 30-minute workout, you must tweak your routine. Here are some suggestions how:

1. Switch to interval training. Instead of walking on a treadmill at the same speed, go three minutes at your normal speed then go two minutes at a faster speed. Alternate for 30 minutes.
2. Use an incline. If you work out on a treadmill, set a 3 to 5-degree incline and exercise at your normal pace. You will work harder and burn more calories.
3. Use more muscle groups. Walking on a flat surface like a treadmill uses fewer muscle groups than exercising on elliptical cross training equipment or using a rowing machine.
4. Select an activity that burns more calories. Working out on a rowing machine burns more calories than walking or riding a stationary bike.

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Fit Tip

Thursday, November 6th, 2008 - 11:45 am

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