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welcome to night eating!
Please read the following as it contains important information for optimal site
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  If you haven't visited the homepage, you're missing out on some important info, so I'll just give you a "heads up" here!
You've reached "night eating," part of the emotional feelings network of sites. If you scroll
down to the footer on this page, you'll see the complete listing of all the sites in the network!
All of the sites
in the emotional feelings network of sites are linked together thru a very complete network of underlined link words. Anytime you see an underlined link word, if you should be
interested in more information concerning that word, simply click on it & a new browser window will appear. The page that
opens up will give you an entire page filled with information concerning the word of
your interest.
the emotional feelings network
of sites was designed like this because as an ex-night eater, I was also faced with many other life dysfunctions,
mental illness I was unaware of, domestic violence, a lack of any positive self esteem & so much more....
As I began my recovery,
I began to slowly discover how all of the subjects contained within the emotional feelings network
of sites are connected to each other. Soon I also discovered that there's power in educating yourself about it
all.
As you gain power thru your newly acquired knowledge, you begin to regain a
sense of control. As you begin to feel better, you become stronger & you're more able to begin your own journey
thru recovery & personal growth. Once you begin, you will see how the subjects contained within this network of sites
really is... all pertinent information for you - as a night eater!
visit the homepage for a better understanding of what's contained within the emotional feelings network of
sites!
thanks for stopping by.... i hope that something
within the network will be of use to you today....
kathleen
Total Body Strength for Beginners
The total body workout below
is specifically for beginners who have never lifted weights or who haven't lifted weights
in a long time. Take your time with the exercises & modify them to fit your needs.
1. See your doctor before you begin any exercise program
if you have any injuries, illnesses or other conditions
2. Begin with a 5-10 minute warm up of light cardio (walking
in place, etc.)
3. Perform each exercise for 10 -16 repetitions, resting
when you need to
4. Start with light weights (or no weight) until you've
mastered each exercise.
5. If this is too easy or you're ready to progress, try Total Body
Strength 2 or Total Body Strength 3, which contain more difficult exercises.
Do this workout 1-3 non-consecutive days a week, taking at least one day of rest between workouts.
For best weight loss results,
combine this workout with regular cardio & a healthy, low-calorie diet.
Floor Squat
(A) Stand with feet wider than shoulders & place hands on the floor, ball or a chair (depending on flexibility).
(B)
Bend knees & keeping weight in the heels, lower butt until it's parallel to floor (or
as low as you can). Keep abs in & make sure you can see your toes.
Wall Push Up
(A) Stand a few feet away from a wall & place hands on wall at shoulder level, a few inches wider than
shoulders.
(B) Pull the abs in and, keeping back straight, bend elbows & lower body towards the wall until elbows
are at 90 degree angles.
Assisted Lunge
(A) Stand in split stance, feet about 3 feet apart using a chair for balance.
(B) Keeping torso straight, bend knees & lower body towards the floor without allowing front knee to
bend over the toe (you should see the tip of your shoe). Push through the heel to come back
up. Repeat for all reps & switch legs.
Rear Delt with Good Mornings
(A) Bend at the waist, hands resting on ball or chair for support (if needed),
torso parallel to the floor & knees slightly bent. Raise arms out to the sides to shoulder level like an airplane, palms
facing down & squeeze the shoulder blades together. Keeping abs in, straighten torso until you're standing upright.
Ball Deadlifts
(A) Stand in front
of ball, bend knees slightly & tip from the hips to lower your torso towards ball.
(B) Grab the ball & keeping back flat and abs in, roll the ball up the legs straightening the torso &
squeezing butt until standing. Do NOT round the back or change the angle of the knees. All movement begins at the hips &
everything else should stay in place.
Bicep Curl with Lateral Raise
Stand
with feet hip-width apart holding light dumbbells in front of thighs, palms out.
(A) Bend elbows & bring weights towards the shoulders (without swinging).
(B) Lower back
down, turn palms until they face each other
(C) lift
straight out to the sides stopping at shoulder level & keeping elbows slightly bent. Lower & repeat.
Tricep Press
(A) Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a light dumbbell in both hands. Extend arms overhead, elbows
next to ears, arms straight.
(B) Bend elbows & slowly lower weight behind you until elbows are at 90 degrees - keep the elbows in
& right next to ears. Contract triceps & straighten elbows to beginning.
Crunches
Lie on your back
with your hands crossed across your chest or supporting the head, knees bent. Contract abs to lift shoulders off the
floor, bringing rib cage towards the pelvis. Hold for two counts, then lower slowly to the starting position. Repeat.
Oblique Crossover Crunches
Lie on your back & cross right foot over
left knee. Lift shoulder blades off the floor & curl left shoulder towards right knee, contracting the right side
of waist. Lower and repeat on the same side before switching sides.
Sounds easy! Doesn't It?
I'm going to start doing this workout & I hope you will too!
Now, as you go along &
get really good at this workout, you can go on to the intermediate workout. Here's the link for you!
Is There a 'Best' Strength Workout?
High-intensity
strength workouts can be beneficial, but only as part of an overall routine that includes lower-intensity work.
By Michael Yessis, Ph.D.
Personal trainers, strength
coaches & fitness "experts" often recommend a high-intensity workout routine to develop muscle strength & mass.
However,
they differ somewhat in regard to the best routine. i.e., some recommend a routine of 8 repetitions maximum (RM), 1 set to
failure, or a very slow, high-intensity movement routine.
Others contend that
performing one, or a 3 or more, maximum-set routine with low (5 to 8) repetitions produce the best results. Each of these routines has been touted as the most effective way to train
& can be substantiated by the results achieved by some individuals.
But is any one of these or
other routines the best? The answer is no. All workout routines have benefit.
The key is to
know when to use them, for whom they're best suited, for what purpose they should be used & for how long they should be
performed.
Even a "low" intensity
routine consisting of relatively high repetitions (i.e., in the 15 to 20 RM range)
can be beneficial for bodybuilders & athletes & for fitness.
About 15 to 20 years ago,
the 15 to 20 RM routine was "best" for bodybuilders. This routine produced a "burn," in
which there was maximum blood engorgement in the muscle.
Today, such routines
in bodybuilding are rare, except for some individuals who desire more definition or are looking for variety.
Adaptation
If clients
stay on any one workout routine (especially a high-intensity one), they'll likely end up
with an injury or find themselves in an overtrained state.
They
may experience great success with impressive gains in the early stages of using a particular routine, but after a few months, the gains will gradually
slow down & come to an end. They may even begin losing strength & mass.
The reason for this is found
in a phenomenon known as adaptation - how the body changes (adapts)
in relation to the training.
When exercisers begin
a new workout routine, their bodies respond with high energy levels & they experience significant physical changes.
This is why beginners, when
first starting a weight-training program, demonstrate impressive gains in 6 to 8 weeks.
However, as exercisers improve
- as their bodies make physiological changes in response to the stress created by the workout - the rate & amount of gain begins
to decrease.
Usually after about 3
to 6 months, there's full adaptation, which means that the body is now adjusted (accustomed)
to the workout regimen.
In other words, the body has
undergone all the major physiological, neurological, muscular, endocrinological & other changes possible from that workout. However, "slow learners" may continue to make gains on the same program for up to one year.
Mix
it up
At this time,
clients need a change in their workout routine. However, increasing the intensity isn't the answer, as exercisers
may end up in an overtrained state or with an injury.
This
doesn't mean that the high-intensity workout isn't effective. A high-intensity routine is effective & is a key
to success in bodybuilding & for increasing strength & muscle mass, in general. Performing only a high-intensity routine is
where the problem lies.
The key to receiving continuous
gains from workouts is to not get stuck in the same routine.
Then you recognize that "stuck" feeling...
It's dangerous because it breeds complacency & laziness!
One particular workout can
be effective for a specified period in a year-round training program. But when used on a continuous basis, a high-intensity
workout can be dangerous & may produce negative results.
High-intensity
exercise: Not always a good thing
To sustain a high-intensity
routine, there must be increased capillarization in the body to keep the muscle fibers & connective tissue healthy &
to supply them with adequate energy during workouts.
In addition, waste products,
which can be quite high in a high-intensity routine, must be removed from the muscle as quickly as possible by the circulatory
& lymphatic systems.
However, research has shown
that increases in circulatory system development lag behind increases in strength & muscle mass. As a result, in time,
the circulatory support network will not be able to maintain the muscle in a healthy & efficient state if not given time
to "catch up."
If muscle mass & strength
continue to increase with the use of high-intensity workouts, the muscles will not be able to get sufficient energy or have
waste products removed. At this point, gains will be hard to come by & exerciers may experience a decrease in the amount
of weight they can handle.
Continual use of a high-intensity routine also makes the muscles more vulnerable to injury because of the constant strain placed
on the ligaments, tendons & connective tissue. In time they weaken, especially when not given an opportunity to recover.
These structures have poor blood supplies & as a result, can't strengthen as quickly as the muscle increases in size &
strength.
An imbalance can develop, which
often results in injury.
To compound matters, continual
use of high-intensity training eventually leads to a decrease in flexibility. Exercisers become unable to work through the
full range of motion. When lifters constantly strive to increase the weights, they invariably modify execution technique to
accommodate the heavier resistance.
For example, when performing
a biceps curl, rather than completely extending the arms in each repetition, exercisers start & finish with slight elbow
flexion. Without a full stretch, the connective tissues eventually shorten, resulting in less flexibility.
The long-range consequences
of decreased flexibility are many. For example, it can produce postural changes. For example, shortened pectoral muscles lead
to a round-shouldered condition. As the muscles & connective tissue on the chest shorten, they pull the shoulders in &
down. If continued for a long time, it can constrict the rib cage, which, in turn, can interfere with breathing & the
execution of other exercises.
Decreased flexibility also
results from the physiological after-effects of a high-intensity workout. For example, after completing the workout, there
is residual muscle tightness caused by nervous system impulses that continue to fire on a low level & don't allow the
muscles to completely relax. The residual tension keeps the muscles in a shortened state. Exercisers should use restorative
methods, which include stretching, to completely relax the muscle & allow it to recover.
Finding the perfect routine
To prevent some of these negative
changes that occur from using only one program, such as a high-intensity routine, it's best to have clients perform different
routines that include high repetitions & medium repetitions, as well as different exercises & speeds of execution.
These routines should gradually
build up to a high-intensity routine. Staying on each of these different programs for different effects & for specific
periods of time & then changing them, re-energizes the nervous system.
Alternating workouts is the
basis for periodiziation. For example, exercisers should start off with a relatively simple workout routine to get their bodies
accustomed to working out & to develop a strength & aerobic base before undertaking more intense activities. A good
beginning phase would be to have clients perform anywhere from 10 to 20 repetitions of an exercise for one set.
The length of time that they
stay on this program is determined by their level of fitness. If they're beginners, it may last up to 4 months. If they're
high-level athletes, it may last only several weeks.
After this phase, depending
on their objectives, exercisers can increase the intensity of their workouts by cutting down on the number of exercises &
increasing the number of sets performed for the remaining exercises.
In addition, they can cut
down on the number of repetitions if they're seeking greater strength, or keep the repetitions up in the 20 to 30 range if
they're seeking more muscular endurance. This phase lasts for approximately 3 to 4 months, depending on their level of fitness.
After this, exercisers may
go into another phase of increased intensity, which may include some explosive or plyometric-type exercises, followed by 1
or 2 sets for strength, followed by one or two sets for endurance if they're athletes, or increasing the amount of weight
& number of sets if they're bodybuilders.
This phase may last 3 to 4
months, at which time they may go into competition if an athlete, or into a peaking phase if they're a bodybuilder, which
culminates in major competition.
The exact amount of time spent
in each phase & the duration of the phase is determined by the exerciser's goals, level of fitness, gender, age &
so on. In all cases, however, there's a clear progression in the changes that are made in each phase of training.
Thus, any one of these workout
routines can be considered "the best" for that particular phase.
Exercisers
should look at the pros & cons of a particular workout routine on the basis of whether it's best at that particular stage
& for that particular person.
Dr. Michael Yessis is an exercise and training consultant
to many athletes and bodybuilders. He has exercise and sports training videos, books and computer programs available. Contact
him at www.dryessis.com.
Dealing with Gym Intimidation
Paige Waehner @ about.com
Are you afraid of joining a gym? Learn how to deal with your
gym fears
"I really want to get
in shape before I go to the gym." That's the first thing my client, *Jessica, said when she hired me to be her personal trainer.
When I asked her why she didn't just use the gym to get in shape she said, "Are you crazy? I'd get laughed out of there!"
It's unfortunate, but plenty
of people feel intimidated at the thought of joining a gym. Walking into a huge open room with hundreds of mysterious machines
is tough & what's worse is that the members seem to be in great shape & know exactly what they're doing. It's not
hard to see why so many people think they're too out of shape to join a gym.
The good news is that there
are many choices for how & where you workout & each gym offers a different type of atmosphere. The trick is to find
one that feels welcoming to you.
Why Gyms Can Be Intimidating
I've seen many personal training
clients slink into the gym for their first meeting with me, a look of fear on their faces as they wonder if they dressed right...what kind of torture will I put them thru...
how silly will they look
in front of all these people. It's normal to experience those fears when you join a gym & it's not hard to see why when you look at how some health clubs are set up:
- Open spaces. If you're looking
for privacy during workouts, joining a large gym may not be for you. In many health clubs, the workout areas are open with
cardio machines lined up behind one another & weight machines sprawled out across the floor.
Some group fitness rooms may
be lined with windows so people can see in & some find this uncomfortable when just getting started with exercise.
- Confusing machinery. Treadmills, bikes, elliptical trainers, balls, bands, weight machines...all that equipment can be very
confusing if you've never used them before. The fear of looking stupid is something we all experience when trying new things & the overwhelming choices can add to that fear.
- Aggressive salespeople. Working up the courage to visit a gym can be hard for some people & if you're shy, an aggressive salesperson may intimidate you even more. Not all health clubs are like that, but many do put pressure on you to sign up. Many people find themselves signing over their firstborn without even being sure they want a membership
at all.
- Hardcore exercisers. Every
gym has regulars & some can be a little intimidating if you make an honest mistake (like taking too long on a machine or not putting your weights back in the right
place). Though you'll find most members are helpful & nice, not all gym-goers are patient with newcomers & it can be scary to navigate the gym with these types of people.
- Beautiful people. Then there
are the beautiful people. Though there are a wide variety of gym-goers, big & small, there are always going to be those
people that seem to have perfect bodies.
Many newbies can be intimidated when they see this, not remembering that everybody starts off as a beginner at one point or another.
If you tend to be intimidated by gyms, but you still want a place you can workout, there are some other options out there for you. All it takes is a little
time & research to find the right place for you.
Choosing Your Health
Club
There are many factors to
consider when choosing a health club from location to membership fees & contracts. But none of that matters if it doesn't
have the right kind of atmosphere.
When looking for a gym,
you want to find a place where you feel comfortable & that might not always be at the nearest chain such as 24 Hour Fitness, Bally's, Gold's or Lifetime Fitness.
Although these types of gyms
usually offer a wide range of services & classes, the large spaces & sometimes aggressive salespeople can make it uncomfortable for some.
For more individualized
& caring attention as well as a welcoming atmosphere, check out some of these ideas.
The YMCA
The YMCA is a non-profit community service organization focusing on family health
& wellness. Though each one is different, most offer a relaxed atmosphere, friendly staff & a great place for families to exercise & play together. Check into your
local YMCA to see what kinds of programs they have to offer, both for kids & adults.
You don't have to join a gym for a great workout
Jewish Community Centers
The JCC is another family-friendly place offering everything from gym
workouts to group fitness classes. Like the YMCA, they also offer plenty camps & programs for kids as well as daycare
services. And you don't have to be Jewish to join. :-)
Local Recreation
Centers
Many cities & towns have
a Parks & Recreation Department offering fitness classes (for adults & kids),
fitness centers, kids programs & more.
These types of places
are often casual & relaxed rather than 'hardcore' like some other types of gyms. You can often join fitness classes (like yoga or tai chi) without having to pay a gym membership & it's a great
place to meet your neighbors without feeling like you're in a competitive atmosphere.
Check
with your local parks department to find out what's available in your town.
Hospital-Based Gyms
Many hospitals now offer gym
services, which is a great choice whether you have a medical condition or not. The staff at these types of gyms are usually
very well-trained & of course, you have access to medical advice if you need it.
Women-Only Clubs
These
types of clubs (like Curves) usually offer 30-minute circuits that combine strength &
aerobic training in one workout. Because they're women-only & no frills, many women feel comfortable working out in this
type of environment.
The drawbacks are,
first, doing the same workout for too long can lead to weight loss plateaus & boredom.
Second, the hydraulic
machines preclude any weighted eccentric movements (the lowering of the weight).
Although Curves claims
this is safer and reduces injury, this actually means that muscles aren't being trained functionally. Muscles need to be able
to handle weight (whether it's with machines or picking up a child) through a full range of motion. Still, this can be a great
place for beginners, especially if you stay month-to-month.
Personal
Training Studios
Many
personal training studios are small and a bit more homey than big gyms. You may find it more comfortable to workout
in this type of environment and you may even be able to schedule private sessions with a trainer. The only downside is that
you usually can't use it as you would a gym (i.e., showing up at any time for a workout) but only for individual sessions
with your trainer.
Build Your Confidence
at the Gym
If you decide to join a gym,
there are some things you can do to make the experience easier and more enjoyable:
Set up an orientation.
Many gyms offer new member orientations where a trainer shows you around and teaches you how to use the machines. This service
is usually free and once you know how the machines work, you'll feel much more comfortable about showing up for your workouts.
Hire a personal
trainer. A personal trainer can set you up with a full workout based on your goals. He or she can also educate you
on good form, teach you how to use the machines and be your support as you learn new activities.
Workout with a
buddy. It's always easier to do something with support and walking into a gym is much easier with a friend along.
Find a friend or relative with similar goals to join a gym with you, if you can.
Choose
less busy hours. Most gyms have busy times such as early morning, lunch time and after work. To avoid the crowds,
you can schedule your workouts for mid-afternoon or even late at night, if that works for you.
It's important to know that
the gym isn't for everyone, so you shouldn't feel you have to join one to get a great workout. You can easily set up your
own home gym, use workout videos or take your workouts outside. For workout ideas, visit my Workout Center for a wide variety of free exercise routines. You can also hire
in-home personal trainers to get one-on-one instruction without the distraction of other exercisers. There are many options
out there to fit your needs, so take some time to find the most comfortable and supportive workout environment for you.
The Right Way to Fail at Exercise
Paige Waehner @ about.com
You don't have to be perfect
Did you know that most people fail at exercise?
That isn't to say that we're doomed from the
start, but that it's normal for many of us to abandon our fitness routines from time to time...sometimes for days & weeks, other times for months or years.
The good news is that you're not alone & even better, there's something you can do to make those fitness failures stepping stones to success. Your first step is figuring out what went wrong.
Why You Fail at Fitness
Planning your exercise schedule is great, isn't it? There's nothing like sitting down with your calendar & writing down all the
workouts you'll do this week.
Just thinking about it makes you feel good, doesn't it? But life has a way of getting in the way of those fitness goals. Maybe you have to work late or you catch a cold.
Maybe your child has soccer practice or you have unexpected
guests. Whatever 'it' is, it will happen & for many of us, that 'it' sends our exercise plans right out the window.
You may recognize some of these other reasons you skip exercise:
- Catching a cold, flu or other nasty bug
- Pulled muscles, soreness or other injuries
- Long work hours, busy schedules & social obligations
- Life transitions like getting married, getting a new job, graduating or retiring
- Having a baby
- Feeling tired, low energy & not getting enough sleep
- Burnout or overtraining
- Boredom
- Lack of results & confusion over how to reach goals
- Travel
What's important to realize is this:
you won't always be perfect at exercise & even more important, you don't have to be.
What you do want is to make your best effort & give yourself credit for
what you achieve, even if it falls short of your original goal. To get yourself past those fitness failures, you have to stop the blame game & start taking some action.
Join the Club
Your first step in turning a failure around is to stop kicking yourself & realize you're not alone in this. We all skip workouts, eat more than we should
& get off track from time to time.
In fact, many of my successful personal training clients come to me in the middle of their own fitness failures, feeling guilty & frustrated.
*Mary was one of those clients, a 67-year-old woman
who'd been active with cardio & strength training for years. Then she got a new demanding job & realized she'd gained
almost 35 pounds after abandoning her routine.
She called me after 2 years of struggling with her weight, wondering how she'd gotten
so far off track.
*Gretta was another client who came to
me after having a baby. Despite her best efforts, she was having a hard time losing her baby weight & an even harder time
trying to figure out how to take care of both herself & this new baby. By the time she came to me, it had been months
since she'd exercised.
So, what happened? These clients had completely different situations, but ended up at
the same place for the same reason:
they didn't plan on how they'd continue exercising with
these huge changes in their lives.
Mary didn't take into account the hours she'd be working & figured she'd just stick
to her usual routine. When that routine didn't fit, she abandoned it rather than change it.
Gretta also failed to plan on how she'd exercise
with a new baby in the house. Once we figured out why their failures happened, we were able to use that failure to create better routines to fit their new circumstances.
You can do the same thing for yourself & your first step? Risking failure.
Turn Your Failure Around
The truth is, you don't know whether something will work for you until you try it & that means risking failure.
The good news is that, even if you do fail, you have just given yourself an opporunity to learn something about yourself as you find out where you went wrong &
how you need to change what you're doing the next time around.
These failures give you a chance to hone your technique, learn more about what you're trying to achieve & tweak your exercise routine until you get it right. You can't do that if you never try.
The problem is that we want to do everything right from the start, even if we've never
done it before. But, you won't always get this exercise thing right the first time you try,
so your only choice is to keep going despite your mistakes.
If you find you've gotten out the habit of exercise,
use these simple tips for getting back on track.
*Names have been changed
How to Get Back on Track
Get Back to Your Routine.
No matter how long you've been away,
your first step is to get back to some kind of exercise.
Even the smallest exercise goal is a step in the right direction & can remind you of your commitment to getting healthy, losing weight, or whatever
your goal might be.
Start small &
ease your way back into a regular routine, setting goals you know you can reach. Even if it's a 10-minute walk after dinner
or before work, it's a signal to yourself that you want to stay active.
Be Prepared.
Having everything you
need to complete your workout is half the battle...getting started is often the hardest part of working out. If you have
your clothes & gear ready to go, your workout planned, your bag packed & your snacks handy, you've taken away some
of the reasons to skip your workout.
Be Flexible.
Being prepared
doesn't mean you'll never miss a workout.
But,
you can increase your chances of getting some exercise in each day by being flexible. That
means a willingness to change your plans as needed so that you can meet your other obligations while still moving your body.
If you
find you can't go to the gym because your boss asked you to work late, what could you do instead? Don't abandon exercise
just because you can't get your planned workout in.
Stop Kicking Yourself.
We all feel guilty when we mess up - skipping workouts, eating too much, etc. Guilt can
be a great motivator, but it can also be a hindrance if you use it as an excuse to abandon your healthy lifestyle altogether.
That 'why bother' attitude can keep you stuck in a self-defeating
cycle so, instead of feeding on that guilt, use it to propel you forward. Realize that slipping back into old habits doesn't
mean you're loser - we all need to go back to old behaviors to test them out, remember how it felt to be that sedentary person
as opposed to the new, more active person we want to become.
Let Yourself Evolve.
Don't be afraid to try a whole new approach to exercise. If you find yourself going back
to old workouts again & again, even though they don't work in your current lifestyle, it's time to admit that workout
program just doesn't work for you.
Many of us approach exercise with ideas of what we should be doing rather than what we
actually enjoy doing. Instead of forcing yourself into something you hate, why not allow yourself time to explore different
options? Forget about what you should be doing, & find out what you want to be doing.
Forget Being Perfect.
Making exercise a habit is a journey, not a destination.
It's something you'll work on every day... some days you'll do everything right, other days you won't. Focus on
what you can do today to reach your goals and stop reaching for perfection. You're human and are allowed to make mistakes.
The only difference between a person who fails at exercise and a person who succeeds
comes down to never giving up. A successful exerciser isn't perfect but, rather, keeps trying despite mistakes and failures.
The next time you slip up, skip the guilt and allow yourself to use that slip as a learning experience. Your mistakes have
something to teach you, something that could be the key to your success.
stress & walking
Tension, anxiety & anger can be enormously overwhelming feelings.
Their unchecked expression can ruin our outer existence
& suppressing them can vitiate our inner being. But such negative emotions can be effectively expended by taking long
walks in open environments.
Walking provides you w/an excellent opportunity to recharge & invigorate your body
w/extra intake of oxygen & release of muscle tensions.
Through long walks, important organs such as heart,
lungs, digestive system & muscles get thoroughly exercised, facilitating blood circulation.
The act of walking is recognized as a therapy
w/multifaceted benefits. Walking is also an effective & handy stress buster.
How Walking Repulses Stress:
The walk can be a three-part exploration of your
stress. You can begin at a moderate pace and then increase your speed. As you walk at a moderate pace, raise your eyes to
the middle ground 6 - 8 feet ahead of you. This is a warm up pace, which allow your feelings and thoughts to open up. It helps
you explore the cause of the emotional turmoil, whether it is inside you or came from a situation outside yourself.
As you pick up fast pace it makes you feel more
energetic and helps speed up your thinking process. You try to find solution to the problem. You even exhaust the pent up
negative emotions when you complete a fair round of walk. You may choose to forgive people and forget the causes that created
the situation.
At the end you can slow down to a pace where inner
feeling are more accessible. You may size up the stressors and discover methods to avoid them in future by modifying your
thinking and attitude.
Regular walking sessions can make you feel surer about you, can improve your physical
and mental discipline apart from keeping your body healthy.
In the process you release your blocked energy
& negative feelings & thoughts.
The Fastest Way to Burn Body Fat
Numbers That Don't Lie When It Comes to Weight Loss
By STEFAN ASCHAN
Jan. 24, 2007 — Thank
goodness the holidays are over & the new year is here. But
are you finding that holiday celebrations have resulted in a new "you" as well?
As a personal trainer, I hear
the same thing every year after the holidays: "Stefan, I gained fat over here," & "Stefan, I gained fat over there."
Be honest. Are you really surprised by the change in your body composition due to your calorie intake over the last few months?
You shouldn't be.
First, understand that your
body's metabolism slows down 2% for each decade of your life after age 20. This means that your body burns calories more slowly
with each passing year.
As a result, you should also
be more careful with your calories as you get older. How much more careful? You can figure it out with the simple calculation
below that will give you your basal metabolic rate, or BMR:
 Take your desired weight in pounds.
Multiply this number by 11 if you're a woman, 12 if you're a man.
Subtract 2% of this total for every 10 years after age 20.
Add 10%. This represents the calories you need to maintain your daily life functions.
The number you end up with
is your minimum daily calorie intake.
So say you are a 50-year-old man
who would like to keep your weight at a trim 140 pounds. Here's how you would calculate your BMR:
Desired weight = 140
140 × 12 = 1,680
1,680 - 3(1,680 × .02) = 1,57 9
1,579 + 158 = 1,737 calories per day
Now keep in mind that some
of you are more active than others. Hence, you should add on 180 calories per hour of housework (or
if your house is already clean, feel free to come by & help me!), 650 calories per hour of cycling, 800
calories for every hour of running & 1,200 calories per hour for cross-country skiing.
If you want to lose body fat,
however, calorie control is only one side of the equation.
The question you still need to ask is:
"How do you burn the
most calories & best, the most fat calories?"
Interval training! Yes, you
need to push yourself. You need to vary your training intensity between 65% of your total capacity to 85% & 95%. This
approach will help you to lose the most calories from fat.
To understand the benefits
of true interval training, let us look into 3 different training approaches for a 150-pound person who rides a stationary
bike for 30 minutes:
This person who is exercising
for 30 minutes at 65% will burn overall 82 calories, of which could be 41 from fat. This means that he or she'll only be on
the same speed & the same activity day in day out.
Think about it. Have you been
in the gym & seen people day in, day out doing the same thing? And when you seen them 2 years later, does their body still
look the same?
I've seen this many times
& I don't call this working out but rather flaking out. This training would fall in the aerobic, with oxygen, category
- also referred to as a low intensity workout.
If this same person is still
exercising for 30 minutes but increases the intensity to 85%, this individual will burn overall 157 calories, of which could
be 10 calories from fat.
This is the person who is sweating
all over the treadmill, has water bottles staggered next to the bike & a 2nd T-shirt to change into nearby. I have
seen this many times as well & I haven't seen this person change either.
Yes, this individual has much
stronger aerobic capacity. But again, if you take this person into a different environment, he or she will have difficulty
performing on the same intensity level. This training would be without oxygen, in the anaerobic category - also referred to
as a medium intensity workout.
- 65% to 95% & back to 65% training intensity
Now it gets interesting. When
this person performs true interval training for 30 minutes & changes the intensity level of his or her workout from 65%
to 95% & back to 65%, this person will burn 173 calories, of which 50 calories could be from fat.
Thru this training,
a person is able to train both energy systems, aerobic & anaerobic, to take advantage of the benefit of the most calorie-burning
effects. This is true interval training & is referred to as a high intensity workout.
These workouts are a killer
& if you don't feel like you're challenged & tired after those workouts you only performed a medium intensity workout.
The fact is that interval training burns more calories and fat,
and it increases motivation, endurance and metabolism.
One of my favorite things about it is that it prevents boredom.
Why else do individuals stop working out? And no, it's not the hassle of going to the gym. That has nothing to do with it.
You can work out at your office, or even in your home, and reap the same benefits without a gym membership.
As I always say, take the common sense approach. If you do the
same physical activity day in and day out, you will most likely perform a low intensity workout and therefore will
not reap the benefits of weight loss that you are looking for. Neither will you continue reaching your best results when you
don't change your nutritional intake.
Change your habits slowly. Start cutting back on excessive calories,
and start implementing interval training as described above.
Stefan Aschan is a fitness consultant in New York City.
Burning Questions
by Carol Krucoff
If a cookie contains 100 calories,
anyone who eats it consumes 100 calories.
But the other side
of the energy equation isn't that simple. When it comes to burning off calories, people who do the same activity at the same
pace for the same amount of time can burn vastly different numbers of calories, depending on their size.
Larger vs. Smaller
For example, if a family of
three jogs side-by-side for 30 minutes, the 175-pound father will burn 400 calories, the 130-pound mother will burn 300 calories
& the 65-pound child will burn 180 calories.
"Larger people burn more calories
than smaller people, particularly with activities like walking or stair climbing where they have to carry their own weight,"
says Robert McMurray, professor of exercise & sports science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Exercisers are
often misled by workout equipment or charts that don't factor in weight when they proclaim how many calories are being burned
by an activity, he says.
If an exercise machine or
chart calculates the calories burned by an "average" 150-pound person, the results would be "vastly inaccurate" for much larger
or smaller exercisers.
Avoid The "Death Grip"
In addition, leaning on the
hand rails of a stair climber or keeping a "death grip" on the treadmill railing will greatly decrease your caloric expenditure,
says exercise physiologist Steve Farrell of the Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research in Dallas.
"The machine is
assuming that your legs are carrying your entire body weight," he notes. "But if you're supporting yourself on the handles,
you're actually burning about 20 to 30% fewer calories than the machine indicates."
Know What You're Burning
Knowing how many calories
you're burning during activity can be important if you're trying to lose weight, since the "general rule of thumb for weight loss is to create a 300 to 500 calorie deficit each day," Farrell says. This means consuming 300 to 500 fewer calories
than you expend.
Half of this "calorie deficit"
should come from eating less & half should come from exercising more. "We generally advise people who want to lose weight
to expend at least 250 calories more each day than they have in the past," he says. "Additionally, they should eat 250 fewer
calories than they've been eating."
But it's important to eat
enough to fuel your body, notes Farrell, who warns men not to eat less than 1,200 calories per day & women not to eat
less than 1,000.
That's because
severely restricting calories prompts the body to try & conserve fat stores, so it breaks down lean tissue mass, robbing
the body of muscle & bone.
"People who are overweight want to lose fat," he says. "But many don't realize that about half of the weight
lost on extremely low-calorie diets isn't from fat, it's from lean tissue."
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Is there such a thing as a healthy
addiction?
You may think you're addicted to chocolate, but if you can get thru a day without it, it's merely love & not addiction. Neuroscientists say that addiction
is when you have no control over the craving & you feel you can't function without it, even when you know it's bad for
you.
And underlying all addictions
- whether they seem healthy, like exercise; or unhealthy, like narcotics - is a reward system in the brain.
"A lot of the brain chemicals
that you see involved in drug addiction are also going on with natural forms of reward such as exercise & eating & sex," says Justin Rhodes, a postdoctoral fellow at Oregon Health & Science University's School of Medicine & at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Portland.
Rhodes wanted to see
what natural forms of reward might indicate about the reward process of addiction, so he
studied the effects of exercise on brain cells, or neurons, in mice.
Scientists already know from
studies in rodents that when mice have access to a running wheel, their brains make more of a chemical called brain-derived neurotrophic factor & also produce more neurons in the hippocampus, the part of the brain that plays an important role in learning &
memory.
So Rhodes decided to crank up the
exercise level. "We'd been breeding mice for over 30 generations to display increased levels of voluntary wheel-running
behavior," explains Rhodes. "We wanted to find out whether these mice that are running 3 times as much as normal would have
even greater amounts of this chemical & even more neurons in the brain & even enhanced learning."
Rhodes & his team found
that these super-exercising mice did have greater amounts of brain-derived neurotrophic factor & more neurons in the hippocampus.
"The more they run the more brain chemical they have that supports & protects neurons, the more growth of new neurons
they get," says Rhodes.
However, this
may not be enough to keep up with the stress of over-exercising.
"They're addicted
to exercise," says Rhodes, who published this research in the journal Behavioral Neuroscience" & it may
be, in fact, that too much exercise can be damaging to the brain."
Rhodes believes that the hippocampus
is greatly activated by exercise & the super-exercisers may run so much that there's
too much stress to that area of the brain, maxing out its capacity to protect existing neurons or grow new ones.
"There's only so many
new neurons & only so much brain chemical that you can get with certain amount of running & they reach that
max."
In fact, Rhodes gave the mice
a learning test called the Morris water maze, in which both normal mice & super-exercising mice had to find a
platform in a tank of colored water. To Rhodes' surprise, the exercise-addicted mice performed badly on the test, worse than
the normal mice.
The Dangers of Over-Exercising
HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?
This causes health
benefits to decrease and the risk of injury to increase. This can cause permanent damage to even the most minor injuries.
Exercise should not be something that you are obligated to do. It should be a fun activity. When exercise becomes more important
than your other duties, this should alert you to the fact that something is not right. Your life must be filled with balance,
and one thing should not be the determining factor as to how happy you are.
- • Do you burn more than 3500 calories per week?
- • Do you exercise even with an injury?
- • Do you feel guilt and anxiety stricken when you are
not able to exercise?
- • Do you avoid other responsibilities in order to exercise?
- • Is your happiness based on how productive your daily
workout was, and not on other things?
TREATMENT AND RECOVERY TIPS
Decide what you wish to achieve through exercising (i.e. weight
loss, improve endurance, improve particular skills, etc.) These are small steps that will enable you to reach your long term
goals. This will enable you to make a firm commitment to your goals.
- • Set long range goals.
- • Set working goals.
- • Keep a planner.
- • Write down the activities you will do, which days you
will do them, and for how long.
- • Take a day off in between to allow for some recovery
time.
- • Record your progress in your planner.
HEALTHY EXERCISE VS. UNHEALTHY EXERCISE
- • Do activities you enjoy, rather than activities you
feel you must do.
- • Exercise because you want to, not because you have
to.
- • It is recommended that you exercise 3-5 times each
week for at least thirty minutes per session
- • Identify the differences between a program where the
time spent and impact is normal rather than excessive and compulsive.
Over-exercising, Over Activity
By Carolyn Costin, MA, M.Ed., MFCC
Accompanying with the steady increase in the number of people with eating disorders has been a rise in the number of people with exercise disorders:
people who are controlling their bodies, altering their moods & defining themselves thru their overinvolvement
in exercise activity, to the
point where instead of choosing to participate in their activity, they've become "addicted"
to it, continuing to engage in it despite adverse consequences.
If dieting taken to the extreme
becomes an eating disorder, exercise activity taken to the same extreme may be viewed as an activity disorder, a term used by Alayne Yates in her book
Compulsive Exercise and the Eating Disorders (1991).
In our society, exercise is
increasingly being sought, less for the pursuit of fitness or pleasure & more for the means to a thinner body or sense of
control & accomplishment. Female exercisers are particularly vulnerable to problems arising when restriction of food intake is combined with intense physical activity.
A female who loses too much
weight or body fat will stop menstruating & ovulating & will become increasingly
susceptible to stress fractures & osteoporosis. Yet, similar to individuals with eating disorders, those with an activity disorder aren't deterred from their behaviors by medical complications & consequences.
People who continue to overexercise in spite of medical &/or other consequences feel as if they can't stop &
that participating in their activity is no longer an option. These people have been referred to as obligatory
or compulsive exercisers because they seem unable to "not exercise," even when injured, exhausted & begged or threatened by others to stop.
The terms pathogenic exercise & exercise addiction have been used to describe individuals
who are consumed by the need for physical activity to the exclusion of everything else & to the point of damage or danger to their lives.
The term anorexia athletica has been used to describe a subclinical eating disorder for athletes who engage in at least
one unhealthy method of weight control, including fasting, vomiting, diet pills, laxatives, or diuretics.
For the rest of this chapter,
the term activity disorder will be used to describe the overexercising
syndrome as this term seems most appropriate for comparison with the more traditional eating disorders.
Signs & Symptoms of Activity Disorder
The signs and symptoms of
activity disorder often, but not always, include those seen in anorexia nervosa & bulimia nervosa. Obsessive concerns about being fat, body dissatisfaction, binge eating & a whole variety of dieting & purging behaviors
are often present in activity disordered individuals.
Furthermore, it's well established
that obsessive exercise is a common feature seen in anorexics & bulimics; in fact, some
studies have reported that as many as 75% use excessive exercise as a method of purging &/or reducing anxiety.
Therefore, activity disorder
can be found as a component of anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa or, although there's yet no DSM diagnosis for it, as a separate disorder altogether.
There are many individuals
with the salient features of an activity disorder who don't meet the diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. The overriding feature of an activity disorder is the presence of excessive, purposeless, physical activity that goes beyond
any usual training regimen & ends up being a detriment rather than an asset to the individual's health & well-being.
In her book, Compulsive
Exercise and the Eating Disorders, Alayne Yates lists the proposed features of an activity disorder, a summary of which
is listed below.
Features of an Activity Disorder
-
The person maintains a high level
of activity & is uncomfortable with states of rest or relaxation.
-
The individual depends on the activity
for self-definition & mood stabilization.
-
There is an intense, driven quality
to the activity that becomes self-perpetuating & resistant to change, compelling the person to continue while feeling the lack of ability to control or stop the behavior.
-
Only the overuse of the body can
produce the physiologic effects of deprivation (secondary to exposure to the elements, extreme
exertion & rigid dietary restriction) that are an important component perpetuating the disorder.
-
Although activity disordered individuals
may have coexisting personality disorders, there's no particular personality profile or disorder that underlies an activity
disorder. These persons are apt to be physically healthy, high-functioning individuals.
-
Activity disordered persons will
use rationalizations & other defense mechanisms to protect their involvement in the activity. This may represent a preexisting personality disorder &/or be secondary to the physical
deprivation.
-
Although there's no particular personality
profile or disorder, the activity disordered person's achievement orientation, independence, self-control, perfectionism, persistence & well- developed mental strategies can foster significant academic & vocational accomplishments in such a way that they appear as healthy, high-functioning individuals.
Activity
disorders, like eating disorders, are expressions of & defenses against feelings & emotions & are used to soothe, organize & maintain self-esteem. Individuals with the eating disorders (anorexia nervosa & bulimia nervosa) & those with activity disorders are similar to one another in many respects.
Both
groups attempt to control the body thru exercise &/or diet & are overly conscious of input versus output equations. They're extremely committed individuals & pride themselves on putting mind over matter, valuing self-discipline, self-sacrifice & the ability to persevere.
They're
generally hard-working, task-oriented, high-achieving individuals who have a tendency to be dissatisfied with themselves as
if nothing is ever good enough. The emotional investment these individuals place on exercise &/or diet becomes more intense
& significant than work, family, relationships & ironically, even health.
Those
with activity disorders lose control over exercise just as those with an eating disorder lose control over eating & dieting & both experience withdrawal when prevented from engaging in their behaviors.
Individuals with anorexia nervosa & bulimia nervosa & those with activity disorders usually score high on the EDI subscales of perfectionism & asceticism & have similar distortions in their cognitive (thinking) styles. The following list includes examples of the thinking patterns of people with activity disorders that are similar to the mental distortions in those with eating disorders.
Cognitive Distortions in Activity Disorder
Dichotomous, Black & White Thinking
Overgeneralization
Magnification
-
If I can't exercise, my life will be over.
-
If I don't work out today, I'll gain weight.
Selective Abstraction
-
If I can go to the gym, I'm happy.
-
I feel great when I exercise, so if I exercise I'll never be depressed.
Superstitious Thinking
-
I must run every morning or something bad will happen.
-
I must do 205 sit-ups every night.
-
I can't stop at 1 hour and 59 minutes, it has to be exactly 2 hours, so
when the fire alarm went off I couldn't get off the Stairmaster, I had to keep going, even if the gym was burning down.
Personalization
-
People are looking at me because I'm out of shape.
-
People admire runners.
-
I'm a runner, it's who I am, I could never give it up.
Arbitrary Inference
-
People who exercise get better jobs, relationships & so on.
-
People who exercise don't get sick as much.
Discounting
-
My doctor tells me not to run, but she is flabby so I don't listen to her.
-
No pain, no gain.
-
Nobody really knows the effects of not having a period anyway, so why should
I worry?
Physical Symptoms of Activity Disorder
Symptoms of Over-Training
-
Fatigue
-
Reduction in performance
-
Decreased concentration
-
Inhibited lactic acid response
-
Loss of emotional vigor
-
Increased compulsivity
-
Soreness, stiffness
-
Decreased maximum oxygen uptake
-
Decreased blood lactate
-
Adrenal exhaustion
-
Decreased heart rate response to exercise
-
Hypothalamic dysfunction
-
Decreased anabolic (testosterone) response
-
Increased catabolic (cortisol) response (muscle wasting)
The only cure for the above symptoms is complete rest, which
may take a few weeks to a few months. To a person with activity disorder, resting is like giving up or giving in. This is
similar to an anorexic who feels like eating is "giving in." When giving up their exercise behaviors, those with activity
disorder will go thru psychological & physical withdrawal, often crying, yelling & making statements like
-
I can't stand not exercising, it's driving me crazy, I'd rather die.
-
I don't care about the consequences, I have to work out or I'll turn into a fat blob, hate myself & fall apart.
-
This is worse torture than any effects of the exercise, I feel like I'm
dying inside.
-
I can't even stand being in my own skin, I hate myself & everyone else.
It's important to note that these feelings diminish over time but need to be carefully attended to.
Approaching an Individual With an Activity Disorder
In January 1986, the Physician & Sports Medicine Journal discussed the subject of
pathogenic (negative) exercise in athletes & listed recommendations for approaching
athletes practicing one or more pathogenic weight control techniques. The recommendations can be reformulated & extended for use when approaching individuals with activity disorders
who aren't necessarily considered athletes.
Guidelines for Approaching the Activity Disordered Individual
-
A person who has good rapport with the individual, such as a coach, should arrange a private
meeting to discuss the problem in a supportive style.
-
Without judgment, specific examples should be given regarding the behaviors that have been observed that arouse concern.
-
It's important to let the individual respond but don't argue with him or her.
-
Reassure the individual that the point isn't to take away exercise forever but that participation
in exercise will ultimately be curtailed thru an injury or by necessity if evidence shows that the problem has compromised
the individual's health.
-
Try to determine if the person feels that he or she is beyond the point of being able to voluntarily
abstain from the problem behavior.
-
Don't stop at one meeting; these individuals will be resistant to admitting that they have a
problem & it may take repeated attempts to get them to admit a problem &/or seek help.
-
If the individual continues to refuse to admit that a problem exists in the face of compelling
evidence, consult a clinician with expertise in treating these disorders &/or find others who may be able to help. Remember
that these individuals are very independent & success oriented. Admitting they have a problem they're unable to control will be very difficult for them.
-
Be sensitive to the factors that may have played a part in the development of this problem. Activity disordered individuals are often
unduly influenced by significant others &/or coaches who suggest that they lose weight or who unwittingly praise them
for excessive activity.
Risk Factors
One outstanding difference between the eating disorders & activity disorders seems to be that there are more males who develop activity disorders & more
females who develop eating disorders. Exploring the reason for this may provide a better understanding of both.
What are the causes that contribute to the development of
an activity disorder?
Why do only some individuals with eating disorders have this
syndrome & others who have this syndrome don't have eating disorders at all?
What we do know is that the risk factors for developing an
activity disorder are varied, including sociocultural, family, individual & biological factors & aren't necessarily
the same ones that cause the disorder to persist.
Sociocultural
In a society that places a high value on independence & achievement combined with being fit & thin, involvement in exercise provides a perfect means for
fitting in or gaining approval. Exercise serves to enhance self-worth, when that self-worth is based on appearance, endurance, strength & capability.
Family
Child-rearing practices & family values contribute to an individual choosing exercise as a means of self-development & recognition. If parents or other caregivers
endorse these sociocultural values & they themselves diet or exercise obsessively, children will adopt these values & expectations at an early age.
Children who learn not only from society but also from their parents that to be acceptable
is to be fit & thin may be left with a narrow focus for self-development & self-esteem. A child reared with phrases such as "no pain, no gain," may endorse this attitude wholeheartedly without the proper maturity or common sense to balance this notion with proper self- nurturing & self-care.
Individual
Certain individuals seem predisposed to need a high level of activity. Individuals who are perfectionists, achievement oriented & have the capacity for self-deprivation will be more likely to seek out exercise & become
addicted to the feelings or other perceived benefits the exercise provides.
Additionally, individuals who develop activity disorder seem outwardly independent, unstable
in their view of themselves & lacking in their ability to have fully satisfying relationships with others.
Biological
Just as with eating disorders, researchers are exploring what biological factors may contribute to activity disorders. We know that certain individuals
have a biologically based predisposition to obsessive thoughts, compulsive behaviors & in women,
amenorrhea. We know that in animals the combination of food restriction & stress causes an increase in activity level & furthermore, that food restriction with increased activity can cause the activity
to become senseless & driven.
Furthermore, parallel changes have been detected in the brain chemicals & hormones
of eating disordered females & long-distance runners that may explain how the anorexic tolerates starvation & the runner tolerates pain &
exhaustion. In general, activity disordered men & women seem to be different biochemically than nondisordered individuals
& are more easily led & trapped into a cycle of activity that is resistant to intervention.
Treatment for an Activity Disorder
The principles of treatment for individuals with activity disorders are similar to those
with eating disorders. Medical issues must be handled & residential or inpatient treatment may be necessary to curtail
the exercise & to deal with depression or suicidality, but most cases should be able to be treated on an outpatient basis unless the activity disorder &
an eating disorder coexist.
This combination can present a serious situation rather quickly. When lack of nutrition
is combined with hours of exercise, the body gets broken down at a rapid pace & residential or inpatient treatment is
often required.
Sometimes hospitalization is encouraged to patients as a way to relieve the vicious cycle of nutrient deprivation combined with exercise before a breakdown occurs. Activity disordered individuals
often recognize that they need help to stop & know that they can't do it with outpatient treatment alone.
Eating disorder treatment programs are probably the best choice for hospitalizing those
with activity disorder. An eating disorder facility that has a special program for athletes or compulsive exercisers would
be ideal.
Therapy for an Activity Disorder
It's important to keep in mind that activity disordered people tend to be highly intelligent, internally driven, independent individuals. They will most likely resist any kind of vulnerability such as going for treatment unless they become injured or face some kind of ultimatum.
Excessive activity protects these individuals against desiring to get close, to take
in something from another, or to depend on anyone.
Therapists will have to maintain a calm, caring stance with the goal of helping the individual
define what he or she needs, rather than focusing on taking things away. Another therapeutic task is to help the individual receive & internalize
the soothing functions the therapist can provide, thus promoting relationships over activity.
Therapeutic Issues To Discuss In the Treatment of Activity Disorder
The following section discusses a problem that is the polar
opposite of too much activity - exercise resistance. "Exercise resistance" is a fairly new
term used to describe an intense reluctance to exercise, particularly seen in women.
Just as binge eating disorder lies at the opposite end of the disordered
eating spectrum from anorexia nervosa, exercise resistance is an activity disorder at the opposite end of the spectrum from
addictive or compulsive exercise. As a dietitian specializing in eating disorders,
I've noticed a common phenomenon in women with emotional overeating patterns, many of whom qualify as having binge eating disorder.
These women often suffer from entrenched inactivity patterns that are resistant to intervention
or treatment. Many professionals assume that inactivity is due to factors such as a harried lifestyle, industrialization,
laziness & in overweight individuals, the discouraging factor of physical difficulty or discomfort in moving. Behavior modification counseling programs, use of specialized personal trainers & other types of motivational strategies to encourage a physically active lifestyle seem to be ineffective.
Over a 3 year period, beginning in 1993, I began exploring what I call "exercise resistance"
in a binge eating disordered population of 6 groups of 10 to 20 women each. The following information is what emerged from studying these groups.
For many women with a history of body image problems, moderate to severe overeating histories &/or a history of repeated attempts at weight loss, exercise resistance is a common syndrome that requires specialized treatment. Remaining inactive or physically
passive appears to be an important aspect of the psychological defense system within the eating disorder itself, providing a balance of sorts from the psychological discomfort that accompanies exercising.
This psychological discomfort varies from moderate to severe anxiety and
is related to a profound sense of physical and emotional vulnerability.
Under-activity or physical passivity appears to offer a sense of control over body and feelings, just as disordered eating and over-exercise do. Exercise resistance may simply be another component in the menu of options from which men and women
find themselves suffering in this time of epidemic eating and body image problems. If we are to begin to look at exercise resistance as a separate syndrome worthy of specialized understanding and treatment, here are some factors to consider.
What Differentiates The Exercise Resistant Individual From
Someone with Simple Low Motivation or Poor Exercise Habits?
-
The individual strongly resists any suggestion to become more physically active (barring any physical impairments & given several workable options).
-
The individual reacts with anger, resentment, or anxiety to any suggestion to become more physically active.
-
The individual describes experiencing moderate to severe anxiety during physical activity.
Risk Factors For Developing Exercise Resistance
-
A history of sexual abuse of any kind at any age.
-
A history of 3 or more weight loss diets.
-
Exercise used as a component of a weight loss regimen.
-
A larger body size as a boundary or defense against unwanted sexual attention or sexual intimacy (be it conscious or unconscious).
-
Parents who forced or over-encouraged exercise, especially if the exercise was to compensate
for perceived, or actual, overweight in the child.
-
Early puberty or development of large breasts and/or early significant weight gain.
The Meaning Of Exercise Resistance
To better understand exercise resistance, we can borrow from our understanding of how weight loss diets have affected eating behavior.
We know that weight loss diets are a key aspect in the historical
mistreatment of overweight individuals, in many cases actually contributing to binge eating, which increases over time.
Responses from the women surveyed support the view that exercise
resistance may be an unexpected, unconscious backlash against the current cultural emphasis on slimness and the over-focus
on the symptom; i.e., the weight, instead of the inner psycho-dynamic issues.
Questions To Ask The Individual with Exercise Resistance
-
What feelings and associations emerge for you at hearing the term exercise? Why?
-
When did being physically active change for you from "playing" as a child
to "exercise"?
-
When did it shift from something natural, an activity you did spontaneously
(i.e., from an internal drive), to something
you felt you should do?
-
Has physical activity ever been something that you did to control your weight?
-
How did your exercise attitudes change during and after puberty?
-
Does being physically active relate in any way to your sexuality? If so,
how?
A theme ran through the comments of the women studied that
echoes the information in chapter 4, "Sociocultural Influences on Eating, Weight & Shape."
Most of the women expressed that they felt extremely degraded and vulnerable by their direct experiences of being encouraged to exercise as a means to achieve an acceptable body. Instead of being encouraged to exercise for fun, exercise for these women was connected to body image, or the pursuit of an acceptable body.
Many of the women's stories included experiences of deep humiliation, public or otherwise, at being overweight and unable to achieve this illusive standard.
Other women actually acquired a lean, thinner body and experienced unwanted sexual
objectification by peers and adults.
In a significant number of the women, rapes and other sexual abuse occurred after weight loss and for many, sexual abuse was connected to the onset of exercise resistance and binge eating.
Many women are confused as they experience the desire to be thinner while at the same time feeling anger and resentment at what they've been told they have to do to achieve it, i.e., exercise.
For some, exercise resistance and weight gain may be symbolic boundaries, expressing a rebellious refusal to patronize a system in which the playing field for women isn't about sports, or even achievement,
but about sexual attractiveness to men - "We'll play, you pose." This system is one in which women and men equally participate
and perpetuate. Women objectify one another and themselves right along with men.
The above discussion of exercise resistance by Francie White was written specifically
for inclusion in this book. It's important to understand this area as another disorder on the continuum of those being discussed. The understanding and treatment of exercise resistance are similar to that of eating disorders in that the therapist must impart an empathy for the need for the behaviors instead of trying to take them away.
When working with an exercise resistant individual,
one must explore and resolve the source of the resistance, such as underlying anxiety, resentment, or anger. The goal of treatment is that the individual will be able to become physically active by choice, not coercion. It's important to begin by validating the resistance and even in some cases prescribing it, making statements such as:
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It's important that you can choose to not exercise.
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Resisting exercise serves a valuable function for you.
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Continuing not to exercise is one way for you to keep saying "no."
By making these comments, the therapist helps validate the need for the resistance and eliminates the obvious conflict.
It's important to clarify that the issue of addressing exercise resistance is to help individuals who are compelled to "not exercise" just
as we try to help others who are compelled to do so, both of which leave the behavior out of the realm of choice.
Little attention has been paid to exercise resistance,
but it's clear that those who have it, like those with exercise obsession or disordered eating, appear to be in a love-hate relationship with their bodies; derive inner psychological or adaptive functions from their behavior and are involved in a struggle not
just with food or exercise but with the self.
For an examination of the struggle with self and other dynamics that result in eating disorders, the next 3 chapters will deal with the main areas in which the causes of eating disorders are understood, with a chapter devoted to each of the following:
Sociocultural
A look at the cultural preference for thinness and the current epidemic of body dissatisfaction and dieting, with an emphasis not only on weight loss but also on the ability to control one's body as a means of gaining approval, acceptance and self-esteem.
Psychological
The exploration of underlying psychological problems, developmental
deficits and traumatic experiences such as sexual abuse, which contribute to the development of disordered eating or exercise behaviors as coping mechanisms or adaptive functions.
Biological
A review of the current information available on whether or not there is a genetic predisposition
or biological status that's at least partly responsible for the development of an eating or activity disorder.
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