One of the biggest reasons people seek care at our office is weight loss. I frequently have patients ask me all the time why are the not losing weight when they walk 2 to 3 miles a day. This is always one of my favorite questions I get. I will in this case make a generalization. It is very rare that you see a thin group of ladies out for a walk or even seniors doing their morning walk at the mall. Although I commend them on having the right intentions to do something about their health but unfortunately they are wasting too much time with dismal results. What most people don't realize, once you get into a specific exercise routine your body soon adapts and you lose any real long lasting benefit. I also see this in the construction world. Construction workers by in large are more physically fit than the average person. But again after six months of doing the same thing over and over the body plateaus and they lose any real gains.
One of the keys to really shaking things up to where you lose pounds and inches is intensity. The higher the intensity, the better the results period! Increasing your intensity of exercise over a period of fifteen to twenty minutes will yield better health gains and a noticeable drop in pounds and inches than loafing for hours.
The other key is shocking your body with a change in routine. Instead of walking everyday, incorporate hiking, biking, rowing or weight resistance training. When you frequently change up your routine your body has to learn to accommodate the unfamiliar muscle motions and cardiac output. Constantly changing our workout allows our muscles, cardiovascular system and proproioceptors to make better, noticeable gains. Especially around our waste line.
If your really wanting to step up your intensity or your looking for a change in your workout routine, give CrossFit a go. Personally I have found no better way to increase muscle mass, lose inches and feel incredible without pills or potions than CrossFIt. Just to reiterate, there is no quick fix and there is no magic bullet. Optimal health and wellness is a way of life.
Love, Light & Laughter
Dr. Corey
