Weight Loss Exercise Guidelines for Women of Different Ages
With the improvement of people's living standards, the number of obese people is increasing, and obesity has become one of the major epidemics today, seriously threatening human health.
As a result, all sorts of weight loss methods have emerged.
However, practice has shown that the best treatment for preventing and treating obesity is still exercise.
1. The Harmful Effects of Obesity on the Human Body
Obesity is caused by lipid metabolism disorders in the body, which lead to the accumulation of fat under the skin and around the organs.
It is very harmful to the human body, mainly because obese people are prone to coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and other diseases.
Statistics show that among heart disease patients in my country, the number of obese people is 2.5 times that of the average person; among hypertension patients, the number of obese people is 3 times that of the average person; and among patients with diabetes and arteriosclerosis, on average, 3 out of every 4 are obese.
The excessive deposition of fat increases the body's burden and oxygen consumption, with oxygen consumption 34% to 40% higher than normal. The accumulation of large amounts of fat in the chest and abdomen causes the diaphragm to shift upward, restricting the movement of the thoracic cavity and diaphragm, which in turn hinders the heart's contractile activity. In addition, the accumulation of fat in the myocardium reduces its contractile function, decreases cardiac output, and slows blood flow, leading to dizziness, headaches, fatigue, or coronary heart disease in obese individuals. Atherosclerosis, fatty liver, gallstones, lower limb arthritis, flat feet, and slowed reflexes are all related to the excessive deposition of fat.
Obese people have an average lifespan that is 10 to 12 years shorter than that of people of average weight.
Furthermore, obesity poses even greater risks to children.
According to foreign studies, 88% of obese women and 86% of obese men aged 10-13 remain obese by age 30.
Obese children generally have poor body shape and poor mobility.
Many obese children suffer from flat feet, genu varum, bowed legs, spinal cord injury, calcium deficiency, and other conditions.
Some obese children are prone to respiratory or skin infections, and may even develop "adult diseases" such as diabetes, high blood pressure, fatty liver, and myocardial infarction.
Obesity can also affect children's intellectual development and the normal development of their sexual organs.
Most obese children suffer from psychological problems, such as low self-esteem, social isolation, and shyness, which make them lack confidence to compete in society.
2. Exercise for obese children
① Sports.
Suitable sports include those that involve physical movement, such as long-distance running, walking, swimming, playing football, skipping rope, relay races, cycling, and recreational competitions.
Those who have the means can exercise on an indoor treadmill or exercise board.
② Exercise intensity.
Obese children should not engage in excessive exercise due to their weight and poor cardiopulmonary function.
Using heart rate as the standard, the heart rate should reach 50% to 70% of the individual's maximum heart rate during exercise. The heart rate can be slightly lower at the beginning of exercise, such as 100 to 110 beats per minute. Using oxygen consumption as the indicator, the intensity of aerobic exercise should generally be 50% to 60% of the individual's maximum oxygen consumption.
③ Frequency of motion.
For obese children, the goal of exercise is twofold: first, to reduce their current body fat; and second, to cultivate a long-term habit of consistent exercise so that they can achieve their ideal weight in adulthood.
Appropriate exercise frequency can prevent obese children from developing an aversion or fear of exercise and stopping their exercise. Generally, it is advisable to exercise 3 to 4 times a week.
④ Exercise time.
Based on the degree of obesity in obese children, weight loss requirements are formulated, along with feasible exercise intensity and frequency, to determine the duration of exercise, which can range from several months to several years.
Each exercise session should last at least 30 minutes.
There should be 10-15 minutes of warm-up before exercise and 5-10 minutes of cool-down after exercise.
In addition, choosing the right time to exercise is also important. Due to the periodic changes in the body's biological rhythms, the same amount of exercise will burn 20% more energy in the afternoon and evening than in the morning. Therefore, exercising 2 hours before dinner is more effective in reducing fat than exercising at other times.
3. Exercise for obese young adults
Compared to obese children and middle-aged and elderly people, obese young people have better physical strength and greater tolerance to fatigue, so the intensity and amount of exercise can be appropriately increased.
① Sports.
Long-distance running, walking, swimming, rowing, mountain climbing, etc., and you can also practice aerobic gymnastics, such as aerobics, disco, and ball sports.
② Exercise intensity.
General exercise intensity can reach 60% to 70% of one's maximum oxygen uptake, or 70% to 80% of one's maximum heart rate.
③ Frequency of motion.
Since obese young people often have a strong desire to lose weight and are highly motivated, the frequency of exercise can be appropriately increased to improve the weight loss effect. Generally, it is advisable to exercise 4 to 5 times a week.
④ Exercise time.
Each exercise session should last at least one hour, with the duration depending on your weight loss goals.
Exercising two hours before dinner is most effective.
Body shaping and slimming
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4. Exercise for middle-aged and elderly obese individuals
As people age, the functions of various organs decline, especially for obese individuals. In particular, some obese middle-aged and elderly people often have various comorbidities, so safety should be taken into account when developing exercise prescriptions for middle-aged and elderly people.
① Sports.
Long-distance walking or hiking, jogging, cycling, swimming, mountain climbing, etc., supplemented by Tai Chi, table tennis, badminton, tennis, disco, aerobics, etc.
② Exercise intensity.
During exercise, the heart rate should be 60% to 70% of one's maximum heart rate, which is approximately equivalent to 50% to 60% of maximum oxygen uptake.
Generally, a heart rate of 140 beats per minute is recommended for people aged 40; 130 beats per minute for people aged 50; and below 120 beats per minute for people over 60.
③ Frequency of motion.
For middle-aged and elderly people, especially the elderly, the body's metabolic level is lower and the recovery time after fatigue is longer. Therefore, the frequency of exercise can be increased or decreased as appropriate, but it is generally advisable to exercise 2 to 3 times a week.
④ Exercise time.
Each exercise session should last 30 to 40 minutes, with afternoon exercise being the best option.
To improve their physical fitness and health, middle-aged and elderly people should cultivate the good habit of exercising regularly throughout their lives.
For the weight loss exercises mentioned above for different age groups, the weight loss effect will be better if they are combined with appropriate dieting (except for children).
First and foremost, it should be clear that there is no fixed rule for the time of day when you exercise for weight loss. You can choose to do it in the morning, forenoon, evening, or before bed, etc. It should be based on your personal habits and there is no need to force yourself to change it.
However, for those who haven't yet formed a habit or have just started exercising to lose weight, we recommend starting your exercise half an hour after dinner, as the effects may be more significant.
Some might say, "Doesn't exercising after meals affect digestion and absorption? And isn't it possible that exercising after meals could cause food to go astray, fall into the appendix, and cause appendicitis?"
Studies abroad have shown that walking or jogging after meals can lead to faster weight loss because it burns more of the ingested food and reduces fat absorption.
This is because bodily activity increases blood supply to the muscles of the limbs, while correspondingly reducing blood flow to the gastrointestinal tract, thus affecting the digestion, absorption, and utilization of food.
In other words, exercising after meals diverts blood flow to the gastrointestinal tract, which to some extent affects digestion and absorption. This is exactly the mechanism behind post-meal exercise for weight loss.
Of course, exercise after meals should not be too strenuous; gentle exercises such as walking are preferable.
As for causing appendicitis, that's just a misconception.
It takes several hours for food to reach the appendix after it enters the mouth during a meal.
Besides exercising after meals, exercising in the evening is also a good option.
In particular, don't lie on the sofa watching TV for half an hour after dinner; instead, go for a walk. This is very helpful for weight loss.
Some people prefer to exercise in the morning, such as after breakfast.
This is a good habit, the only downside being that the air is not as fresh in the morning as it is at night.
Due to sunlight and plant photosynthesis, the oxygen content in the air is higher in the evening.