Diets and Weight Loss

fitness and exercise

benefits of fitness
  • to muscles
      * increases muscular strength
      * increases muscular endurance
      * increases muscle tone
  • to heart and blood vessels
      * reduces resting heart rate and blood pressure
      * increases cardiac stroke volume and cardiac output
      * more rapid heart rate recovery following physical activity
      * lowers level of fat content in blood
        * lower cholesterol, lower triglycerides
      * raises HDLs
  • to respiratory system
      * increase in recovery of oxygen capacity or oxygen debt capacity
      * increase in lung capacity
  • to body composition
      * reduction in body fat
  • to mental health
      * reduces depression
      * relieves stress
      * fewer psychosomatic diseases and disorders
  • to aging process
      * promotes skin elasticity
      * fewer chronic diseases
  • miscellaneous
      * improves quality of sleep and relaxation
      * may prevent breast and colon cancer
      * improves visual activity
      * improves vitality (energy without fatigue)
      * better digestion elimination
      * fewer physical accidents and injuries
  • increases metabolic rate
components of fitness
  • muscular strength: the forces a muscle exerts against a resistance
  • muscular endurance: the ability to continue using muscular strength
  • flexibility: the ability to move the body through a full range of possible motion
  • cardiovascular endurance: the ability to sustain vigorous activity that requires increased oxygen intake for an extended period of time
  • body composition: the percentage of fat tissue and lean tissue in the body
types of exercise
  • isometric: muscles are tightened for 5-10 seconds, no movement
      * eg. wall sit, pushing against immovable objects
  • isotonic: muscle contraction causing movement
      * eg. free weights, push-ups
  • aerobic: continuous use of oxygen over an extended period of time
      * aerobic: “with air”
      * eg. long distance events, “cardio”
  • anaerobic: short, fast bursts of energy
      * anaerobic: “without air”
      * eg. sprinting, quick events with rests in between
fitness and exercise terms
  • overweight: a body weight that is 10% or more above the desirable body weight
  • obese: a body weight that is 20% or more above the desirable body weight (excess fat)
  • calorie: a unit of energy produced by food and used by the body
  • caloric expenditure: the number of calories a person uses for digestion and physical activity
  • warm up: a period of three to five minutes of easy physical activity intended to prepare muscles to do more work in the actual workout
      * eg. stretching, light jogs or walks
  • cool down: a period of five to ten minutes of reduced physical activity to help the body return to a non-exercising state
      * also eg. stretching, walking
anabolic steroids
  • anabolic steroid: a synthetic derivative of the male hormone testosterone
  • male effects
      * reduction in sperm production
      * aggressive behavior
      * severe acne
      * hair loss
      * these effects are usually reversed after steroid use ends
  • female effects
      * masculine traits appear
      * aggressive behavior
      * lower voice
      * menstruation and ovulation stop
      * abnormal growth of hair on face, breasts, and chest
      * severe acne
      * these effects are not usually reversed after steroid use ends
  • long-term effects
      * depression
      * hypertension
      * stunted growth (especially when taken during puberty)
      * atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries)
      * higher risk of liver cancer
hypertrophy
  • hypertrophy: the building of muscle tissue (increasing size and strength of the muscle fiber)
      * eg. exercise + protein + carbohydrates = hypertrophy
  • exercise
      * resistance: increased force used against the completion of a task
        * eg. adding weight or distance to an exercise
      * repetition: the number of times one completes an exercise
        * eg. going from 20 to 40 sit-ups in a set
      * recovery: rest period following exercise
        * recovery time; also occurs between sets of repetitions
  • strength: high resistance + low reps + high recovery time
  • endurance: low resistance + high reps + low recovery
  • different exercises effect different people, largely variant on their body types
injuries
  • strain: an overstretched muscle or tendon
  • sprain: a torn ligament
  • dislocation: when a bone is removed from its joint
  • fracture: a crack in a bone
      * closed fracture: no break in the skin
      * opened fracture/compound fracture: breaks the skin
      * stress fracture: incomplete fracture, caused by repeated stress
  • contusion: a deep bruise
  • concussion: an injury to the brain that causes disorientation, memory loss, and/or unconsciousness
      * often resulting from a blow to the head
  • splint: a material or device used to protect and immobilize a body part

diets and weight loss

body types
  • endomorph: muscular, stocky, weightlifter
      * eg. football/hockey players
  • ectomorph: long-boned, lean, marathon runner
      * eg. cross country runner
  • mesomorph: average build, usually higher percentage of body fat
      * most common body type