CONNECTOR.AE 36 CONNECTOR.AE 37 Health and Wellness Health and Wellness Exercise And Weight Loss, How To Find The Balance Dr. Maher Al Ahdab from Medart Clinics says, “Your focus should be on increasing muscle mass through proper diet and resistance training. It results in a leaner, more defined physique and improved health outcomes by reducing the risk of diseases associated with high body fat. Hence, it’s vital to work out at least 30 minutes a day.” To establish a sustainable workout routine, consider activities you enjoy, like dance or sports, and aim to engage in them at least three times a week. Incorporate strength and resistance training exercises such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and overhead presses to target multiple muscle groups, promoting muscle growth and fat loss. You can also include high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for short bursts of intense exercise followed by rest periods to burn calories and improve cardiovascular health. Moderate cardio activities like brisk walking or cycling also aid in fat-burning without sacrificing muscle mass. Aim for 150 to 300 minutes per week of cardio and musclestrengthening activities for a healthy life. Conclusion Overall, it’s important to accurately track your progress. Make sure you understand what you are losing, set clear goals, and follow a sustainable routine for better bone health and a long life. What Should You Focus On More When losing weight, some people also lose muscle and fluid along with fat, which can have negative health effects. Your goal determines whether to focus on weight loss or fat loss. If you want quick results for an event, weight loss may be sufficient. But for long-term health, stamina, and overall wellbeing, prioritise fat loss. Though it can be challenging and slow, fat loss offers more lasting benefits. Dr Azra Kasalo at Dubai London Clinic And Speciality Hospital, says that balance is the key to everything, especially for your muscle mass, and adds, “Sarcopenia or muscle loss can be detrimental, as muscle is a crucial component of your overall health. Unfortunately, it is underestimated and underdiagnosed. It is more common in ‘weight cycling’- repeatedly losing and gaining weight multiple times through life since weight regain is almost entirely fat, and therefore it leads to sarcopenic obesity. Several studies have linked a higher fat-to-muscle ratio to chronic diseases, i.e., heart disease and diabetes. To prevent sarcopenia, we need to follow a healthy diet, increase protein intake, and engage in strength or resistance training.” Meanwhile, Dr Maher Al Ahdab from Medart Clinics says that focusing on fat loss is generally more beneficial for achieving a healthier body composition and sustaining long-term health. muscle, and water. This can lead to a softer appearance and potential muscle loss, which may lower the metabolic rate.” How Can You Understand Whether You Are Losing Weight Or Fat Don’t rely solely on the scale for progress. Water and muscle weight loss can affect your weight. Track changes in body measurements like waist and hips. If strength and performance in activities improve despite weight loss, you’re likely focusing on fat loss over muscle loss. Dr Azra Kasalo at Dubai London Clinic And Speciality Hospital, suggests, “Using a body fat scale can provide a more accurate picture of your body composition by measuring the percentage of fat and muscle you have. You can alsouse skinfold callipers to estimate your body fat percentage, but this takes practice to ensure accuracy. A simple, non-invasive, and inexpensive fat mass observation is the waist circumference to height ratio. Studies showed that it was more accurate than the body mass index (BMI) in predicting excess body fat. According to research, a healthy waist-to-height ratio ranges between 0.4 and 0.49.” Food And Weight, How To Find The Balance • Aim for a healthy and fit body overall, capable of enduring physical activities and daily tasks. • Maintain a balanced diet rich in protein, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and fibre. • Include protein-rich foods such as lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, legumes, and plant-based proteins. • Incorporate healthy fats from sources like avocados, almonds, seeds, and olive oil, essential for hormone synthesis and overall wellness. • Opt for complex carbohydrates found in vegetables and fruits to sustain energy levels and support physical workouts. Adding her input on this Dr Azra Kasalo at Dubai London Clinic And Speciality Hospital, says, “There is plenty of food proven to support fat burning when eaten as part of a controlled eating plan, i.e., salmon, nuts, berries, watermelon, cinnamon, chilli, coffee, green tea, and apple cider vinegar. As a controlled eating plan for long-term satisfaction, it is important to follow a diet we truly enjoy.”
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