Page 53 - ELITE PLUS MAGAZINE VOL8

One can see that if ordinary people take in various food providing 2,000 kilocalories and maintain normal activities such as sitting, watching television and working in a seated position for 16 hours, plus eight hours sleeping, the total energy used up will be around 2,000 kilocalories, so body weight will be in equilibrium. However, a normal individual surrounded by passions and attachments can easily be lured into having a bit more, such as in the form of sweets or carbonated sugary beverages. This additional intake, even in small quantities, can give our body a surplus of calories and result in a small amount of weight gain at the end of the day.A gram of protein (such as meat and milk) and carbohydrate (such as sugar, flour, bread, noodles and rice) will give us 4 kilocalories, while a gram of fat and oil (such as salad or cooking oil) will give us 9 kilocalories. For example, a bowl of noodles with meatballs will give us 250-350 kilocalories. Therefore we should closely monitor our food intake if we want to maintain a healthy body weight.For city dwellers, exercise can be achieved in many ways. We just have to find what best suits our bodies and preferences. In my case, I used to swim freestyle for an hour, amounting to 2,000 metres, a few times a week. So on swim days I could burn an extra 800 kilocalories on a normal 2,000 kilocalorie diet, translating into a 200 gram reduction in body weight. I could then consume more food or sweets that I love or use this minus 200 grams as weight reduction. I continued this habit for many years and ended up with no weight gain or loss even though I enjoy eating so much.If we keep up various habits to stay active, such as walking more, working in a standing position (growing more popular in some workplaces) andplaying sports or exercising a few days a week, we can ensure proper weight management and a good quality of life.Simple exercise advice for beginnersFirst, find the types of exercise you prefer; remember that all kinds of exercise are good for us in one way or another. Then be disciplined and plan to do this regularly, at least a few times a week. Theoretically, best is aerobic exercise comprising three characteristics. The first of these is to maintain a constant and stable pace of movement, i.e. running, swimming or cycling. Then keep the heart rate at 120-150 beats per minute, depending on age. And exercise at this heart rate for at least 15 minutes, though of course more is better.Second, warm up before strenuous exercise and cool down afterwards by stretching. Stretching helps the muscles in various parts of the body, and examples can be found on the internet since it is standard practice in sport science. Stretching also helps protect us from the sprains and strains that can occur when over-exercising.Third, good nutrition complements exercise. Minerals that are lost through sweat, e.g. sodium, potassium and magnesium, should be replenished. The vitamin B group, including vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and B12, are also indispensable for energy metabolism. Therefore consuming sport beverages containing these vitamins and minerals after exercise can improve general health.Elite+ 51