Fighting The Metabolic Syndrome, Part 6 Of Our Mini Series On Fat

The following article is one of a series of articles which focus on Self Improvement, Motivation and Empowerment. It is based on research done over twenty years as a personal and business coach. This self improvement article was written in response to questions which have been asked on losing weight and long term weight loss as well as address common challenges that people have with this subject. I sincerely hope that you find the following information of value.

Fighting The Metabolic Syndrome, Part 6 Of Our Mini Series On Fat

Before we look at the Metabolic Syndrome, let me ask a question -

Is there such a thing as being fat, yet fit?

Can fat people get away with overeating by keeping their muscles trained and strong? The Mayo Clinic says they can't. It seems that all those extra pounds mean extra trouble no matter how much exercising is performed each day. Fat is simply not good for the heart.

The big question was: can overweight people stay healthy by working out on a regular basis? It sounded like a legitimate question because exercising just fifteen minutes every day makes a tremendous difference for fat people. Blood pressure goes down and cholesterol levels drop, leaving the person in question in a better mood because of the extra energy. One might almost say that it's not that bad to be fat if you're feeling great and you're heart is not threatening to split your chest and jump out every time you climb a hill or go up a flight of stairs.

However, the experts from the Mayo Clinic say that being overweight is a risk factor for many health conditions and that exercises simply make you healthier for the moment. Exercises cannot lower the risk of developing diabetes later on and are not a surefire way of preventing heart problems. Whether you're exercising or not, those extra pounds have got to go.

On the other hand, an interesting results of these studies was the fact that people who don't exercise are just as much as risk, regardless of their weight. Our bodies are meant to endure a certain amount of physical exertion every day in order to function correctly. Simply maintaining a healthy weight without regular exercise is not enough. You have to do something so start with some brisk walks.

Thirty minutes a day five or six days a week are just what you need to stay healthy for many years to come.

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When it comes to the subject of self improvement, I fully understand (through my own experiences) that it is a lot easier said than done. However, you are here, right now, because you have a desire to improve your self or you are at least interested in this subject. Perhaps you are reading this to help a friend or colleague - great. If this article helps you or you help a friend, paying it forward is what life is all about so we all win.

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The metabolic syndrome is a combination of medical disorders that, taken together, increase a person's risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The syndrome affects a high number of people, especially in the developed countries where the number of overweight people is quite high. The list of symptoms includes insulin resistance, high blood pressure, being overweight with fat deposits mainly around the waist, high cholesterol (triglycerides) and elevated levels of uric acid.

Recent research quoted by the Journal of the American Heart Association showed that a very good way of decreasing the risk of developing the metabolic syndrome is to perform moderate to higher levels of cardio fitness on a regular basis. The basic cardio exercise that anybody can perform is a half an hour of brisk walking five days per week. This is about as easy as it gets if you want to enjoy a moderate level of cardio respiratory fitness in your life and reduce the risk of heart problems and diabetes.

While it's true that the genetic make-up determines the individual fitness levels, regular cardio training can lower the risk of metabolic syndrome even in people who are predisposed to develop this condition. Naturally, the move vigorous the exercise, the higher the benefits. Hard or brisk walking is good if you're not willing to try very hard. Swimming, biking, jogging or hiking are even better for you as the heart gets used to more effort and builds up endurance.

Exercising also lowers cholesterol levels and helps burn fat.

As any doctor can tell you, the main treatment for the metabolic syndrome lies in changing a person's lifestyle. Unhealthy food has to go from the regular intake, while the daily schedule has to make room physical activity. Some drugs may be used for a separate treatment of the conditions that make up the metabolic syndrome, but the emphasis on caloric restriction and physical exercise is universal when it comes to the overall treatment.

The bottom line of the study is that promoting higher levels of cardio respiratory fitness by means of frequent exercising by those who largely lead a sedentary lifestyle at work and at leisure may be the best preventive strategy for dealing with the metabolic syndrome.

Finding sensible, safe and long term methods of weight loss and weight maintenance takes a lot of research which we have done and continue to do so that we can provide these informative and motivational articles to help you move forward and realize your personal goals and aspirations.

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