Does the amount of physical activity you engage in affect the amount of weight you lose?
Physical activity refers to any bodily movement produced by your skeletal muscle that makes you use your energy.
It’s key in weight management and for improving the body’s sensitivity to insulin, which both lead to better control of blood glucose. The trick with exercise is to engage in the types of physical activity that you enjoy most and increase the intensity and duration gradually.
The intensity and duration of physical activity you engage in also determines the amount of food you should eat. The more active you are, the more food you will need. We measure the energy you spend during exercise in Metabolic Equivalents (METS). One MET is the rate of energy you spend while resting.
Physical activity is divided into different categories based on the METs that are expended in these 5 categories: sedentary, light, moderate, vigorous/heavy and very heavy. Good health requires 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise in a week. This can translate to 30 minutes of exercise daily.
Sedentary lifestyle/little or no exercise
These activities do not increase energy expenditure, for example sitting or resting on a couch, which require minimum amounts of energy, between 1.0 to 1.5 METs.
Examples include: sitting still on sofa, lying down, working on a computer/laptop, driving or taking a matatu to work, typing etc.
NOTE:
- A sedentary lifestyle is associated with multiple negative health outcomes
- When one does not exercise, most of his/her energy is stored and not spent. Most nutritionists will provide a meal plan that assumes that the patient is not sedentary, we should take note of the amount of kilocalories (food) you are consuming (especially while not exercising) to avoid overfeeding and the risk of
Light intensity
This activity requires standing up and moving around a bit. Energy expenditure is at 1.6 to 2.9 METs. Examples of such activities are: washing dishes, dusting the house, folding laundry, cooking, taking a walk around the house between 2.7 to 4km/hr
When engaging in light intensity exercise
- You breath normally and sing uninterrupted
- You will not sweat
NOTE:
- You need to know the amount of daily kilocalories you are required to consume to avoid overfeeding and the risk of weight gain. Get this information from the Lishe Living Nutrition recommendation page
- Always check on your blood sugar levels before engaging in any physical activity and follow the pre-exercise physical activity
If you were not active before, moving to light physical activity is encouraged for improved health and better diabetes management. Once at light intensity, moving to moderate intensity physical activity should be your goal to expand the boundaries of the benefits you acquire from physical activity.
Moderate intensity – HEALTH IDEAL FOR EVERYONE!
These are activities that have been recommended for improved health. Benefits include increasing insulin sensitivity, increasing HDL cholesterol, reducing blood pressure, weight management and prevention of cardiovascular diseases. It involves energy expenditure of 3.0 to 5.9 METs.
One should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity to enjoy most of these benefits.
When you engage in moderate activity:
- Your heart will beat faster
- You will breath harder
- You can hold a conversation but will not be able to
- You may start sweating within ten minutes
The exercise should last for 30 minutes every day for five days.
Examples of moderate activities include aerobics, tae bo beginners, brisk walking, swimming, riding a bike, , boxing a punching bag, gardening.
NOTE:
- Always ensure your blood sugar levels are between 5.6mmol/L and 13.9mmol/L before you engage in any exercise. If blood sugar levels are very high, above 13.9mmol/L, DO NOT exercise at all until the sugars fall to a range of 5.6 to 13.9 mmol/L.
- You should know your daily calories to avoid overconsumption or under consumption of food. Get this information from your LisheLiving Nutrition recommendation
- If you become shaky, anxious, or more sweaty than usual, or feel a change in your heartbeat, stop exercising right away and check your blood sugar. If it is low, you will need to take 15-20grams of fast acting carbohydrate like 4 glucose tablets or ½ a glass of fruit juice to quickly raise your blood sugar. Once your blood sugar is back within the recommended ranges, you can resume with exercising.
Vigorous/ heavy Physical activity
For those who are physically fit, engagement on vigorous intensity physical activity is healthy. For those that prefer vigorous intensity physical activity, it is recommended that one gets at least 75 minutes in a week for improved health. Energy expenditure at this level is 6 to 9 METs .
When you engage in this level of activity,
- You breath hard and fast and your heart beats much faster than when you engage in moderate
- You will break into a sweat after just a few
Examples of activities are, jogging or running between 8km/hr to 22 km/hr, fast swimming laps, riding a bike from 17km/hr to 32km/hr, playing basketball, playing football and tae bo high intensity programs.
NOTE:
- Always check on your blood sugar levels before you engage in vigorous physical activity. If blood sugar levels are very high, above 13.9mmol/L, DO NOT EXERCISE at all until the sugars fall to a range of 5.6 to 13.9 mmol/L.
- You should know your daily calories to avoid overconsumption or under consumption of food. Get this information from your LisheLiving Nutrition recommendation
- You may need to increase the amount of food you consume
- Consume a high fibre diet that may take you through the whole activity period without going hungry and making your blood sugars go below normal
- After an intense workout or exercising for a long time, you may want to eat something with at least 15 grams of carbohydrates within 2 hours. This will help you avoid low blood sugar
- If you become shaky, anxious, or more sweaty than usual, or feel a change in your heartbeat, stop exercising right away and check your blood sugar. If it is low, you will need to take 15-20grams of fast acting carbohydrate like 4 glucose tablets or ½ a glass of fruit juice to quickly raise your blood sugar. Once your blood sugar is back within the recommended ranges, you can resume with
Very heavy exercise
This level of physical activity involves extremely strenuous and demanding activities such as training for competitive sport, heavy digging, running up a hill and carrying loads weighing more than 20kg. People engaging in this level of physical activity should take the same precautions highlighted under heavy exercise. Energy expenditure at this level is greater than 9METs.
Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health.
If you’re not sure about becoming active or boosting your level of physical activity because you’re afraid of getting hurt, the good news is that moderate-intensity aerobic activity, like brisk walking, is generally safe for most people. Start Slowly
If you have a chronic health condition such as arthritis, diabetes, or heart disease, talk with your doctor to find out if your condition limits, in any way, your ability to be active. If your condition stops you from meeting the minimum guidelines, try to do as much as you can.
What’s important is that you avoid being inactive. Even 60 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity is good for you.
The bottom line is – the health benefits of physical activity far outweigh the risks if it is done in the right way.
