Why walking, slow with brisk, and aerobics are better for lowering heart attack risk. What are we doing wrong in the gym?

The main problem is in goal-setting. We let the trainer set our goals instead of deciding what is best for our tolerance levels. So impatient are we to see results that we do not realise that the gym trainer is pushing us that much more to show us the results we want to see than what our bodies can take. This is one of the reasons that gym goers end up overexerting themselves. I have seen this happen. For example, you work yourself up to run 6 km per hour on the treadmill. The trainer pushes you hard to cover 6.5 km and then asks you to complete that in lesser time, say 45 minutes. We all love targets but if they are stretching me beyond my limits, they are harming me.

There is a similar goal-setting problem when we want to do weights. You should begin with low weights, be comfortable with lifting them, but the trainer is so keen to show you biceps at the end of the week that you end up pushing yourself to do higher weights in a short span of days when the scaling up should be much longer, no matter how enthusiastic the trainer is.

Of course, I have seen youngsters get sucked into protein powder as containers are lined up on gym shelves. And if the trainer recommends them, they think it is informed advice. Unknown to them, some of these come with steroids, which are not good at all. Since there is no research data on the side effects of high protein supplementation, it is up to the manufacturers to package what they feel is safe. We do not know for sure what is going into each bottle of protein powder regardless of what the manufacturer may claim. For the sake of palatability, they may be adding sugars, artificial flavouring, thickeners, calories. And since powders are concentrated protein, you may innocently scoop heaped spoons into your glass of water or milk and end up piling more calories than you require, leading to weight gain and an unhealthy spike in blood sugar.

But what is most troubling is the toxic load. Many protein powders, particularly those labelled as herbal, ayurvedic and safe, may contain heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium or mercury), pesticides or other contaminants with links to cancer and other health conditions. In the US, some of these powders were evaluated and toxins were present in significant quantities.

SO WHAT IS THE IDEAL EXERCISE: THERE’S NOTHING LIKE AEROBIC ROUTINES OUTDOORS

1) All you have to do is walk for 45 minutes a day, five times a week. You can grade your walk, beginning slowly and then picking up pace. Once you have settled in your pace, then you can alternate with a few minutes of normal rhythm and say a minute of brisk pace. Then resume normal pace again. This alternate raising and lowering your heart rate improves vascular function, burns calories and makes the body more efficient at clearing fat and sugar from the blood. The more muscles you use in activities like swimming and jogging, provided you are practised at them, the better your heart works in strengthening them.

2) Go out to the park early in the morning. That’s the best time to oxygenate your body. Do aerobic exercises. These improve circulation, which results in lowered blood pressure and heart rate. They also help your cardiac output or how well your heart pumps. These are good for controlling blood glucose as well.

3) Increase your standing up hours. Since sitting is the new smoking, try to move your legs as much, taking short breaks at work, walking around during cell phone conversations. Many offices now have stand-up work stations too for this reason. Household chores and running errands help in working your legs. If you are mobile and active the whole day, then it is more effective than an exercise drill of 30 to 60 minutes and then sitting at a computer all day long.

4) Some weight training is good. Using light weights can tone up your muscles and control blood glucose. Use free weights, which use more muscles, engage your core and help you build balance. Often small weights at home do the trick, like picking up shopping bags and walking with them from the market. Carry your groceries up the stairs or simply shift small garden pots around. The logic is simple. Strong muscles ease the pressure of the heart.

5) Resistance training is good for the overweight lot, particularly those with belly fat. Research shows that a combination of aerobic and resistance exercises may help raise HDL (good) cholesterol and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends two non-consecutive days a week for this.

6) One has to sleep between 8 to 10 hours to allow enough rest to the body. Remember we cannot move away from nature’s law.