Physical Activity

Why exercising?

Exercising alone is not very effective against excess weight. It must be combined with a reduction in food intake. In fact, to burn one pound of fat, you need to expend 3,500 calories (7,700 calories for one kilogram). Walking briskly (5 km/h), an average person burns about 65 kcal per kilometre, meaning it takes over 10 hours of brisk walking to lose one pound of fat. In short, it requires much more physical effort than it seems to burn calories. So why is it so important to include exercising in a weight loss program? Because it facilitates weight loss and is key to maintaining long-term results.

Investing in your health capital

Combined with the protein diet, physical activity helps restore energy balance by increasing basal metabolism (i.e., the calories burned for essential bodily functions). The more muscle mass you have, the higher your basal metabolism. By toning your muscles through exercising and light weight training, muscles grow and replace fat, sometimes even giving the impression that you are not losing weight, especially since muscle weighs more than fat for the same volume; but the body shape continues to slim down.

Promoting moderate physical activity

To improve muscle tone, it is recommended to engage in regular and moderate physical activity (increasing the heart rate by at least 35 beats per minute, with light sweating). It is best to start slowly to avoid overworking the heart. The goal is to perform 25 to 40 minutes of moderate exercise per day. Three 10-minute sessions throughout the day provide the same benefits as one 30-minute session. Go at your own pace, without too much pressure, by choosing an activity that interests you. Your motivation to practice and integrate it into your daily routine will be reinforced.

The importance of consistency

Physical activity is not limited to sports; it includes daily activities like housekeeping, gardening, playing with children, dancing, climbing stairs, and walking while shopping. Even a slight increase in physical activity among sedentary individuals has significant positive effects on health. However, these benefits disappear quickly after several weeks of inactivity, which highlights the importance of regular exercise.

No need to sweat profusely

As part of a protein diet, which involves reduced carbohydrate intake and thus a decrease in sugar (glycogen) reserves in the body, moderate-intensity exercise is ideal: this type of exercise primarily uses body fat as fuel. Conversely, high-intensity training primarily uses sugar reserves (which are available more quickly) until they are depleted, thus stimulating the appetite afterward. Since fat reserves are more abundant than glycogen stores, a moderate-intensity session can be longer, burning as many if not more calories, and recovery after exercise will also be quicker.

But more intensity is good too!

As physical fitness improves, it is beneficial to combine high-intensity exercises (10%) with moderate exercises (90%). High-intensity exercise improves cardiorespiratory capacity, reduces cardiovascular risks, increases muscle mass, and further boosts metabolism, allowing you to continue burning calories even after the workout. It is advisable to progress gradually but regularly: five 30-minute sessions of moderate exercise per week are more beneficial than one intense two-hour session.

The magic of exercising

Regular exercise regulates appetite through the effects of adrenaline, improving eating habits almost unconsciously due to the well-being experienced: when you feel better, you eat better! Physically active people gain so many benefits that they often can't do without exercise, despite a busy schedule. Conversely, sedentary individuals rarely find time or view exercise as an insurmountable effort. However, you have to start somewhere, and the best time is now. In short, regular exercise makes us more aware of the physical effort needed to burn a few calories, making us less likely to overindulge in food afterward.

In addition to its numerous physical benefits, the psychological benefits of exercise include stress and tension relief, reduced anxiety and depression, improved mood, sleep, concentration, mental sharpness, body image, self-esteem, and self-confidence, as well as increased discipline and perseverance. Just do it!