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Take a stroll through Canada's Wonderland on a hot summer's day, and you will see that there is no doubt about it - we have become an obese society. Many over-weight people will spend considerable time convincing anyone who will listen of how little they eat, and rarely succumb to junk craving. In some people, it may be a simple problem of perception in that people who nibble and snack almost always underestimate their total caloric intake. But on equal footing is the failure to burn off those calories through activity. Our bodies burn a basic amount of energy to sustain life. This is called the Basic Metabolic Rate (BMR). We calculate this regularly for bed-confined hospitalized patients with severe conditions that need to be fed. The BMR varies little between people. It is influenced by exercise.
The average healthy adult Canadian needs to undergo at least 20 minutes of sustained rigorous activity every second day. Rigorous is defined as raising your heart rate at least 30 to 50% above resting levels. The proof is in the pudding. Persons with minor heart attacks enter cardiac rehabilitation programs and quickly achieve significant improvements in their health. My definition involves some sweat as well because this attests to muscles working. It also takes care of the wise-guys who insist bungee jumping is exercise. Do not confuse exercise with stress riddled risk-taking culminating in exhilaration. But that's another column.
The activity is of lesser concern. It can take place in the gym, backyard or bedroom. Weight-training has benefits similar to cardiovascular training. The type of activity will determine improvements in secondary goals such as flexibility, strength and stamina. However, I should premise the activity criteria with some examples. The following are NOT considered exercise: 1. Defining Dairy Queen as your club, and going for work-outs three times a week. 2. Walking home from the beer store with a dozen cans. 3. Mowing the lawn on a tractor. 4. Getting up from the couch and walking to the fridge, unless the fridge is in the next city. 5. Thinking about going to the gym.
Many work activities do count. Garden work, laundry and housework if done with some degree of intensity are beneficial. Jobs that involve physical exertion also count. The benefits of exercise cannot be overstated. Exercise does not wear out the body. It is poor habits which lead to repetitive injury. The additional benefits of exercise include weight loss, a longer life span, less depression, improved stamina and enhanced immunity.
Some form of daily exercise is also important for children. We live in a routine where kids' activities are pre-planned and pre-packaged. There is less opportunity for the old form of "pick-up" games where children got fit and learned social skills. Handling minor spats on the sports field became a valuable and safe source for life lessons. But one thing is for sure: kids do pick up habits of their parents be that smoking, dancing or a sport.
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