Obesity today has become a widespread epidemic with people looking for safer and more effective ways of overcoming this health crisis. The health and fitness industry suffers no shortage of good and not so good advice – the last ten years or so have seen particularly rich offerings of new die and methods of improving our health.
Many of us have undertaken various types of exercise programmes over the years with varying degrees of success and levels of commitment. All programmes emphasise different aspects of fitness, whether it be aerobic fitness, such as stamina and endurance and speed or strength training that may involve light weights, heavy weights, weight training to music or circuit classes Coupled with diets and they tell how to reach the level of fitness and health we desire.
Like future technology, exercise needs to avoid the attractions of being too fancy or complicated. The book introduces the reader to two simple concepts that allow energy to be burned efficiently, to make you stronger and improve your fitness. The two concepts listed here are: Build up muscle and exercise of these muscles. By exercising to fulfil these two principles most of the above problems can be attracted or reduced. Lean body tissue means greater work can be undertaken with lesser effort and there is less toxic waste floating inside the body through reduced fat. We can save ourselves a lot of time by exercising this lean tissue efficiently.
This book shows the method to maximise your muscles and fitness gains in the shortest time possible. People are enjoying greater longevity due to a number of factors, including improved medicinal science. At present the approximate life expectancy in India for females is 64 years and 62 years for males.
Physical inactivity levels in urban India, were cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of death, are now comparable with levels observed in the West.
The book says that regular exercise is an essential element of preventive health maintenance but is difficult in crowded cities. Walking, jogging and cycling may not be practical in this heat, pollution or lack of open spaces but jogging in a park or an area outside the city will help maintain the fluid and electrolyte balance.
The book gives certain points to develop a proactive attitude to helping getting to move. After studying these points, we can start slowly and approach fitness as though we are putting layers of fitness and health together – initially we are very fit and as we commence our programme the layers of fitness rise and “we build upon each layer, which will lead to a fitter person,” says the author.
-MG
(Macmillan Publishers Pvt Ltd, 2/10 Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi-110002.)
