Yoga Day? Really?!

Happy International Yoga Day, to y’all, I’m sure, but…

Yoga may have – and, in some cases definite – benefits, if you start and continue to practice yoga in the belief that it may cause weight / inches / fat. you are likely to be disappointed!

As Dr. Sharma says here, that there seems to be very ‘little in literature to suggest that yoga can help you lose weight’. He goes on to add, that this shouldn’t really come as a surprise to any open-minded, sane person, ‘given that even more vigorous forms of exercise are generally not associated with significant weight loss!’. If you don’t really believe this, look around you: overweight or fat yoga trainers are everywhere.

And, as Dr. Jose Antonio points out HERE: ‘if you look at the data from studies on exercise alone, it’s actually a poor way to lose weight or fat; the primary driver for fat loss is diet!’

Also, if you believe that by celebrating Yoga Day, the Indian government really cares about your health, have a look at infographic below.

And, finally, here (see below) is why I believe that they’ve turned yoga turned into more of an elitist pursuit!

 

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Skipping may help Reduce Weight Gain (and, Weight Regain after initial Weight Loss)

Skipping (jump rope) may be a great way for not only reducing weight, body fat % and visceral obesity but also, for preventing weight regain, after initial weight loss (see infographic below, also read my other posts for the scary statistics of weight regain).

 

Why should you jump rope?

Well, here’s why: 10 minutes of skipping (at the rate of 60 per min.) can burn a 100 calories.

What good can a mere 100 calories be?

Consider this…

1. Researchers have previously suggested that influencing energy balance by (as little as) 100 calories/day (through a combination of reduced calorie intake and increased calorie expenditure by increasing the level of physical activity) could prevent weight gain in most (90%) of the (adult) population (Hill et al., Science. 2003)

2. In almost all people, regardless of the method/s used, weight lost previously is likely to be gained back over the subsequent 1-5 years! (Wing and Phelan, 2005. Ulen CG et al., 2008)

3. Sudden, drastic nutritional and / or exercise interventions or changes and introduction to unaccustomed exercise regimen may overwhelm most individual. Consistency needed to get results, in such cases, is likely to be compromised. In contrast to this, programs based on the ‘small changes model’ are likely to be followed for longer and therefore, more effective; America on the Move (AOM) is one such program (https://goo.gl/otj3M8)

Take Home Message:

Skipping may be a ‘time-efficient’ method to prevent weight gain and weight regain, after initial weight loss. Plus, you cannot discount the ease either: minimal space and equipment needed.

PS: You’ve just watched your perpetual excuse of ‘don’t have much time to exercise’ go out of the window! 😉😂😂

Here’s the speed jump rope that I use:

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Lifelong Endurance Exercise may Hurt the Heart

Lifelong endurance exercise may hurt the heart, I’d previously posted on instagram! Now a bio-marker study confirms that marathon running puts a significant strain on your heart!

Background

Multiple epidemiological studies have documented that habitual physical activity reduces the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), and most demonstrate progressively lower rates of ASCVD with progressively more physical activity.

High-intensity, Lifelong Endurance Exercise may Hurt your Heart

Few of the studies mentioned above, however, have included individuals performing high-intensity, lifelong endurance exercise. And recent reports suggest that prodigious amounts of exercise may increase markers for, and even the incidence of, cardiovascular (heart) disease. (The best evidence remains that physical activity and exercise training benefit the general population, but it is possible that prolonged and intense exercise and exercise training can adversely affect cardiac function in some individuals. This hypothesis warrants further examination). See the accompanying infographic for an overview of the potential deleterious cardiac effects of acute and chronic endurance exercises (source: Eijsvogels et al. Physiol Rev. 2016)

Now another study confirms a significant (+46%) increase in already elevated levels of soluble suppression of tumorigenicity (sST2), a cardiac bio-marker for assessment of myocardial fibrosis, inflammation and strain in marathoners (source: Aengevaeren, V et al. Medicine & Sci. in Sports & Exercise. Oct., 2018).

Previous studies also suggest that extreme endurance exercise may induce cardiac micro-damage that could lead to subsequent myocardial fibrosis.

Connect with Me

For more interesting, evidence-based health, fitness, exercise nutrition and sports conditioning tips, feel free to follow me on instagram here: https://goo.gl/5sQPkM …

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