by Tracey Lloyd

Created on: August 14, 2008

Does exercising mean you can be healthy if you're overweight, obese or even normal weight? Yes it does, new research has found that some obese people may be metabolically healthy. The US study by Rachel Wildman of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine found that 51% of overweight and 31% of obese people were metabolically healthy. Interestingly, 23% of normal weight people were found to be metabolically abnormal.

To determine metabolic health, the researchers considered blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, blood glucose levels and insulin resistance and systemic inflammation (swelling in the body). Participants were considered metabolically healthy if they experienced less than 2 abnormal states in the above conditions. The study's participants were defined as normal weight, overweight or obese by calculation of BMI measurements. (The full study is available at www.archinternmed.com)
Although it is possible to be healthy regardless of your size, being a couch potato doesn't cut it if you're large or normal sized. Wildman's study found that 1 of the reasons some large people were metabolically healthy and some normal weight people were metabolically abnormal was the amount of physical activity undertaken. The metabolically healthy large people were physically active and the metabolically abnormal smaller people were less physically active.
Activity is our friend - our bodies were designed to move. Aim to achieve 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity daily. You can achieve this no matter what your size!
HOW DO I START

If you have not exercised for a while start off small and it could be wise to have a chat with your doctor before starting. Try to exercise for 5 minutes at a time and pick something you enjoy doing or would like to try. You might like to try swimming, walking, dancing, cycling, bellydancing or yoga. Only work as hard as your body is able to listen to your body it will soon tell you when you've had enough for a session. Soon you will that your exercise sessions are able to get longer and longer, ie 5 minutes turns into 10, 10 in 20 and so on.

Keep a planner that lists when you're going to exercise, what you're going to do and for how long. When you have finished, place a tick in your planner. If you are unable to complete a full session make yourself a note of what happened it may be that you felt sore or something interrupted you. After a while you will be able to review your planner to see how far you have come on your exercise journey and what, if any, things stop you. You can then make adjustments accordingly.

NEGATIVE THINKING PATTERNS

Do any of the following phrases sound familiar to you? I'm too old to exercise, I'm too unfit, I can't exercise, etc, etc, etc?

Your problem is not your body but your brain your body responds to what your thinking tells it if you tell your body that you can't exercise your body will believe it can't exercise. Try replacing negative thoughts with energy filling positive affirmations. For example I'm too old to exercise can be replaced with "Each time I move my body, I remain young in mind, body and spirit". I'm too unfit to exercise can be replaced with "With each step I take, I am moving towards a fitter and healthier body."

By starting off small, doing something you're interested in and replacing your negative thoughts you will find that your body responds quickly and desires more and more exercise. Fitness can be yours embrace it!

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