Fitness and exercise
Cardiovascular Activity
Cardiovascular activity is especially important to a hormone management program. When the blood sugar is lowered, insulin levels decrease. This increases the effectiveness of growth hormone. Growth hormone is also naturally produced during REM sleep, so cardiovascular activity indirectly increases growth hormone production.
Cardiovascular activity is any activity that increases the heart rate for a prolonged period of time. It does not matter what activity you choose to participate in so long as your heart rate is in the proper “window”.
Benefits
- Burns calories and decreases weight
- Increased vascular circulation throughout the body
- Increased rate of oxygenation of the blood
- Decreased blood sugar levels
- Decreased insulin levels
- Increased effectiveness of growth hormone
- Increased REM sleep, which is when the body produces growth hormone
Flexibility
Flexibility is imperative for maintaining proper joint function and reducing injuries. Include a brief stretching session at the end of each cardiovascular and weight training session to reduce joint stiffness and to help maintain full range of motion in your joints. It is best to stretch when your muscles are warm and pliant, either during or immediately following your workout.
Remember, stretch to the point of resistance, never to the point of pain.
Agility
Balance, stability, and posture are very important in how we sit, stand, walk, and react to variables in our environment. As we age we tend to challenge these skills less and less, leaving us prone to eroding posture and an increased risk of injury due to falls and other mishaps. Exercising on a regular basis will help improve these skills tremendously.
Resistance Training
Resistance training is the best exercise method available for increasing lean body mass, increasing bone density, improving posture, and reshaping the body. The more muscle we have, the more calories we burn per day, even at rest!
We lose lean muscle as we age. Resistance training just two days a week, doing one exercise for each muscle group, can help you maintain strong and healthy body composition. If you are not comfortable doing resistance training on your own, work with a personal trainer to maximize your results, reduce your risk of injury, and get you started on a solid program.
Resistance training is an activity that uses more muscle fibers than one’s average daily activities. Resistance training is typically done with weights, but exercise tubing or the water in a pool workout can be used as resistance.
Benefits
- Increased lean muscle mass
- Increased metabolism
- Increased caloric requirements – A pound of muscle burns three times as many calories as a pound of fat
- Increase bone density
- Direct stimulation to release growth hormone (not just while sleeping)