Two forms of exercise
Exercise in the Zone
The Zone has an 80/20 rule being 80% nutrition and 20% exercise.
There are two forms of exercise namely aerobic and anaerobic. Aerobic simply means "with oxygen" while anaerobic means "without oxygen".
With so called steady state activities, it is generally regarded that 70% to 90% maximum heart rate ("MHR") is considered aerobic activity and above 90% it is considered anaerobic activity (ie sprinting).
The Role of Aerobic Activity
Aerobic activity reduces insulin levels, but can be wiped out by the wrong diet (ie high carbs, low fat). If insulin is already elevated, it takes about 20 minutes for it to decrease before the muscles can take up sugar directly from the bloodstream. However, if following the Zone lifestyle, insulin is already lowered and thus you get the benefits of fat burning immediately, rather than 20 minutes later. High insulin levels interfere with oxygen transfer.
While doing aerobic activity you are focusing on using fat as energy. If your heart rate is kept at the 70% to 90% range, fat can be the primary fuel source.
Beginners
The best exercise is walking 30 minutes daily, 7 times a week, moreso than exercising one hour, 3 times per week. This can be accomplished by a 15 minute walk to work and a 15 minute walk home. Remember insulin is time sensitive, not intensity sensitive, so the same cardiac benefits can be obtained simply from walking as from running.
If you walk 6 hours per weeks which is less than one hour per day, you will burn all the calories you need to get the vital sweat burning benefits, thus reducing the overall risk of dying before your time.
Advanced
If involved in more intense aerobic-type exercise ie running, step aerobics, kick boxing, bicycling, swimming etc., it is very important to supplement your workout with water. NEVER use sports drinking containing carbohydrates ie Gatorade. These drinks can cause an insulin rush and impede the goal of burning fat stores as energy.
Eat a Zone snack 30 to 45 minutes prior to exercising (unless you have had a Zone meal prior). If you plan on working out longer than 2 hours, have another Zone snack after about 90 minutes. After your workout insulin levels are depressed (unless you have used a high carb drink) and will begin to rise to their pre-exercise levels. Therefore it is important to have another Zone snack unless you plan on eating a Zone meal within 30 minutes. Two hours later (if you have not already eaten a Zone meal) eat a meal with the right amounts of protein, carbs and fat to replenish muscle cells.
The Role of Anaerobic Activity
When doing anaerobic training you are utilizing glycogen from the muscles for energy. Your heart rate will be above 90% of maximum if you prolong that intensity.
Heart rate is not the only measure of aerobic and anaerobic activity. When one lifts heavy weights there is insufficient oxygen at the time for that activity, so it is called anaerobic. Typically, the anaerobic activity is completed before the heart rate can rise to compensate. As you rest the oxygen debt is repaid.
During anaerobic training, you are trying to release Human Growth Hormone (“HGH”) and testosterone. However, the release of these hormones does not happen during exercise, but in a 15-30 minute widow after exercising. The more intense the exercise, the more growth hormone and testosterone are released. This is why anaerobic training, like weight-lifting and wind sprints, is ideal for maximizing new muscle mass development.
HGH is primarily needed to repair the micro-tears in the muscles that occur during intense anaerobic exercise. The more intense the training, the more damage to the muscle tissue. Growth hormone not only repairs the damages muscle tissue, but also increases the size of the existing tissue. In addition, weight training also causes the increase of testosterone that works in concert with growth hormone to form new muscle mass.
Beginners
Anaerobic exercise is important for increasing muscle mass and off-setting osteoporosis. The minimum amount is 10 minutes a day of modified squats or sits, and push-ups or push-aways. Sits are when you sit down into a straight backed chair and then stand again, using your arms if necessary. Push-aways are push-ups against a wall. Try three sets of 10 of any level you are ready for.
Advanced
Once you are ready for more intense anaerobic training, there are many forms of anaerobic exercise, so please visit the forums for more suggestions.
Personally, I would recommend anaerobic training 3 times a week ie Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and on off-days I would recommend aerobic training 3 times a week ie Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday with Sunday being a day of rest.
Don’t Over Train
It is possible to over train in both aerobic and non-aerobic exercise. Anaerobic exercise produces far more stress than aerobic. After approximately 45 minutes of weight training, the levels of cortisol have increased to such an extent that diminishing hormonal returns take place. In addition, testosterone level begin to drop as more precursors of testosterone are diverted to facilitate increased cortisol production in response to exercise-related stress.
Remember, that one need only expend 2,000 calories to reap the benefits of exercise in the Zone.
