Obesity and Exercise: The Vicious Cycle of Insufficient Exercise and the Duration of Exercise for Weight Loss

Obesity and Movement

According to research by Japanese physician Dr. Arai, obese individuals walk fewer steps than people of normal weight. A report presented at the 6th Obesity Medicine Conference indicated that obese children exhibit significantly less activity levels than those of normal weight. This finding was based on a long-term observation of indoor activity levels.

When comparing the muscles of obese and normal people, obese people may have larger or smaller muscles than normal people, but in terms of agility, speed and endurance, obese people perform significantly worse than normal people.

Because exercise becomes very physically demanding after weight gain, a vicious cycle occurs, causing obese people to become less inclined to move, which in turn leads to even greater weight gain. Therefore, insufficient exercise can worsen glucose metabolism, cause knee stiffness syndrome, and in more serious cases, lead to early-onset osteoarthritis and ischemic heart disease. This is partly due to an increase in bad cholesterol and a decrease in good cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) in the blood; another reason is high blood pressure.

High blood pressure can cause not only ischemic heart disease but also stroke. Epidemiological studies have reported a link between these findings and obesity. A Swedish study divided people into four groups based on their level of physical activity: the first group consisted of inactive individuals who did not read, watch television, or listen to music; the second group engaged in regular exercise, but limited to four walks per week; the third group engaged in activities such as running, swimming, and playing tennis, for at least two hours per week; and the fourth group engaged in regular weekly exercise, with a higher intensity than the third group.

As a result, there is a significant difference in the chances of developing diabetes between people who exercise less and those who exercise more. This is because after humanity entered industrial society, opportunities for physical labor decreased significantly, leading to a rise in many lifestyle-related diseases. Even for non-obese individuals, regardless of weight loss, exercise is an important way to maintain health.

How long does it take to lose one kilogram through exercise?

It typically takes about 7000 calories of exercise to lose 1 kilogram of weight. A person weighing 56 kilograms burns approximately 90 calories sitting for one hour. If we were to engage in other forms of exercise, the following will show how long it would take to lose 1 kilogram.

The exercises listed below refer to continuous time. If you go into the pool and then play in the water, chat, and then come out to drink a beverage, then that time should be deducted, because the energy consumed by chatting and sitting is different from that of exercise. Therefore, the number of hours required to continuously engage in this exercise is what will be explained below.

Types of exercise and the hours required to lose 1 kg:

Brisk walking (3.2 km/h): 109 hours

Brisk walking (6.4 km/h): 32 hours

Jogging (8.8 km/h): 16 hours

Running (11.2 km/h): 11 hours

Race (19.2 km/h): 8 hours

Cycling (8.8 km/h): 43 hours

Cycling race (20.2 km/h): 16 hours

Badminton: 42 hours

Volleyball: 42 hours

Baseball: 49 hours

Basketball: 27 hours

Bowling: 28 hours

Canoe: 16 hours

Slow Dance: 58 Hours

Fierce Dance: 30 Hours

Football: 22 hours

Golf: 65 hours

Horse riding: 28 hours

Table tennis: 69 hours

Skiing: 19 hours

Ice skating: 18 hours

Skiing (cross-country): 14 hours

Swimming: 69 hours

Tennis: 23 hours

pulse

A pulse rate of 72 beats per minute is legendary; everyone's pulse is different, and even the same person's pulse can vary depending on the circumstances. We often hear reports of athletes having a pulse of only 50 beats per minute-what does that mean?

It turns out that all parts of the body need oxygen and nutrients, and the heart acts like a pump, transporting dissolved oxygen and nutrients from the blood to all parts of the body. When at rest, a person's metabolic rate is stable, so the pulse and heart rate are also stable. When angry, the metabolic rate increases, and the pulse also increases.

A person only has one heart, and this motor-like heart will be with us for a lifetime. If we cherish it, we can make it beat less. So, starting now, let's begin exercising!

How to measure pulse

Choose a watch with a countdown timer. Place the tips of three fingers of one hand on the wrist of the other hand and look for the pulse. Once you find the pulse, start timing for one minute. The number of pulses in one minute is your pulse.

The pulse is the beating of the artery in the wrist, which originates from the heart. Every time the heart beats, the blood vessels transmit the pressure from the heart. So theoretically, every artery in the body can receive this pressure and form a pulse. If the wrist pulse is difficult to measure, you can measure the heartbeat in the neck or directly touch the chest.

However, since the heart can be accelerated or slowed down by the influence of nerves and endocrine system, psychological and physiological factors must be considered when measuring heart rate. For example, when a person is excited or sick with a fever, their heart rate (pulse) will increase.