By Finally, research is backing up the best exercise on the planet!
I search far and wide for evidence to support my claims, and I use myself as a test dummy. You are the best person to experiment on — and you can do so using the good old worldwide web. I had a lot of help in my quest, picking the brain of a couple of personal trainers and all the many wonderful and crazy people I met through the world of bodybuilding. It was a wonderful experience being amongst like-minded people who were just as committed as I was to change their bodies. I have met less than a handful of men and women committed to change during my lifetime. It’s disappointing as the road towards better health, longevity and eliminating diseases isn’t that hard. Having a goal in mind would be best, and slowly chip away at it. I must warn you, though — substantial muscle loss occurs as we begin to age. Unfortunately, that can be as young as 30. People scratch their heads in wonder and can’t see why they are suddenly getting fatter as they age. I hear you; it’s a complex issue involving several factors. Hormones, metabolism and, of course, the decline in muscle mass. When we lose muscle, our hormones become affected, and our metabolism goes out the window. Sometimes, you see men and women working extra hard in the gym or depriving themselves of food. This is possibly the worst thing anyone can do. It just exacerbates the problem to a higher and more dangerous magnitude. Eventually, doing this over the long term leaves us exhausted, fatter and susceptible to developing metabolic disease. This particular study I will mention was only conducted on men, with a long-term outlook in mind. Too many prior studies focused on specific populations and were too short, producing mixed results. Rani Mekary (the head researcher) Studied the physical activity, waist circumference and body weight of 10,500 US men aged 40 and over. These men had to follow up on studies conducted from 1996 until 2008. The men who increased the amount of time weight training by 20 minutes a day had less gain on their waist than those who spent a moderate amount of time on average on vigorous aerobic exercise. It’s not surprising to mention that the men who sat on their arses in front of the TV increased their waist sizes. In conclusion, Frank Hu, senior author of this study, says, “This study underscores the importance of weight training in reducing abdominal obesity, especially among the elderly. To maintain a healthy weight and waistline, incorporate weight training with aerobic exercise.”
Key take away
What else can I say but to LIFT WEIGHTS — and do so in conjunction with some cardio? Spending that extra 20 minutes as these men did, makes a huge difference as you age. Now, I know that this study is based on men. Still, women can be just as successful in managing their waistline, specifically during menopause and post-menopause. The waistline can increase even though you are doing everything right. So, ladies and gents, start now, no matter your age, and get to the gym. As you can see, it’s not a one-sided alternative — we all need weight training and cardio. Free access to the article is here.
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