Thursday, September 6, 2018

Use it or lose it….perhaps forever!


Regular exercise is essential to staying healthy. It maintains our muscle tone, keeps the arteries healthy (preventing strokes  and heart attacks), and minimizes the memory loss of aging. One of its less obvious, but no less important, effects is on insulin metabolism, reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

 Most of us assume we can take a break (often for vacation) from our regular exercise routine with no downside risk beyond a little extra effort to get back up to speed on our return to the gym.  But new work suggests the deconditioning effects of that break may not be completely reversible, especially as we get older.

 One study of middle aged adults (average age 35) confirmed this decrease in the body’s insulin sensitivity after just 2 weeks of slacking off on their daily exercise. This younger group returned to their baseline a few weeks after returning to their normal routine.

 A second study evaluated an older, pre diabetic population (average age 69). It again documented a decrease in insulin sensitivity that correlated with the reduction in activity, but then, surprisingly, went on to document an incomplete recovery.

 These two studies give new credence to the adage "use it or lose it" in that the loss of exercise related conditioning may not be completely reversible.

 But you do have several alternatives. Although you may not be able to stick with your full exercise routine, you should be able to maintain your conditioning with a more limited workout regimen.

 First, you can cut back on the level of exertion. It has documented that participants can actually improve strength and endurance exerting at only 55% to 85% of their personal maximum, a level that is just uncomfortable on a “perceived exertion” scale.

 But more importantly you can cut back on the duration of your sessions.

For aerobic conditioning (heart and lungs) you may have to push your level of discomfort as the trade off for time spent by using HIIT (high intensity interval training).  This will prevent deconditioning, and can in some instances actually improve aerobic fitness 10 times more quickly than moderate endurance training.

HIIT requires an all out effort for 30 to 60 seconds followed by a minute of recovery. Repeat five sets - three times a week. Although it may sound like more than you might want to take on, numerous studies have shown HIIT to be more acceptable to participants than slower (and longer) aerobic routines. And best of all,  you can maintain your aerobic fitness with just 3 ten minute sessions a week.

 Then we have muscle tone/strength.

 Here the “aha” studies have shown that you can decrease the weights you are using, pushing just 70% of a personal one-time maximum for 30 repetitions, the point at which your muscles begin to fatigue).

 And more recently “slow lifting” with each rep performed in a slow and more deliberate way rather provides equal benefit to fast repetitions. So a slow set of 30 repetitions will get you almost the same benefit as the dreaded “set of 3” that make up the traditional gym routine.

 So there you have it. Take that vacation. Commit to 3 HIIT sessions a week (you can do them anywhere). And if you have access to a weight machine, add in several sets using modest weight to the point of muscle fatigue.

Then you will be ready to settle right back into your regular gym routine when you get home.



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