Burn fat while napping
You want to get rid of that tire around your middle and fend off diabetes, but you don't have the stamina to run a mile to help you in your fat-burning efforts.
All is not lost. There's another form of exercise I've recommended for years—and new findings declare it to be just as good as a jog.
I'm talking about lifting weights.
A recent study was done with animals that were genetically engineered by having a gene switched off, leading them to become obese and to develop a fatty liver (with the help of a fast-food diet).
But when researchers switched the gene back on, they began burning up fat and developed the type of muscles you'd get if you were engaged in weight training. Also, their fatty liver cleared up and their resistance to insulin disappeared.
Interestingly, these benefits occurred even though they continued to eat that lousy diet. Obviously, since these were animals, they most certainly weren't lifting weights. The genetic engineering involved having these animals grow what's called Type II muscle, which is the muscle you gain by lifting weights. When you run or do any other sort of aerobic or endurance-based exercise, you're building what's called Type I muscle.
Type II muscle is involved in your metabolism, so that you can continue to burn up energy even while you're resting and sorting the mail.
It's a sound alternative, and one in which you'll be able to physically see the results in just a few short weeks. That in itself is inspiring, and helps to motivate most people to continue to watch for progress.
I consistently recommend to my patients that they lift weights. Not only will it help you burn excess fat—it can also prevent you from becoming a slip-and-fall statistic. Strong muscles do more to help your balance than anything else you can do.
And don't think you have to join a muscle-magnet gym. Purchase a couple of dumbbells and a weighted exercise bar and perform exercises at home. However, I would recommend you find a certified trainer to show you the ropes on how to lift properly your first couple of times. Better to learn how to do it right from the get-go then having to unlearn bad habits after you've put a crick in your back.
The stronger you are, the more gracefully you'll age and the easier it is to for you to do any physical activity you engage in. There are few things more effective than strength training to keep you young and healthy in mind and body.
