Generally, summer allows people to be more active. The weather is nice and it is easier to exercise and be outdoors. Summer also brings barbeques and festivals and other opportunities to eat and drink more than we would on a regular basis. So which is more important in the summer, diet or exercise?
Todd Burstain, MD, a physician with the UI Family Care Center at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, talks about summer diet and exercise
In a summer fitness program, which is more important, diet or exercise?
Both are really important, but they are important for different reasons and they really do different things. Exercise will decrease your blood pressure and decrease your insulin level which will decrease your risk for developing diabetes. Studies have shown that as little as walking five miles a week will result in a 20 percent drop in the risk of developing diabetes. And once you've lost that weight, exercise is very important for preventing weight from being regained, again.
However, exercise alone is a very difficult way to lose weight--far more important than exercise, in that regard, is diet and sleep. Following a good diet and getting enough sleep, the weight loss has lots of benefits to it, including decrease of blood pressure and risk of diabetes, as well as the decreased risk for heart disease, stroke, cancer, and even Alzheimer's disease.
What is important for people exercising outdoors to take into consideration?
You're right. The heat, and especially the heat index (the combination of temperature and humidity) are critically important. Many summers, we see a lot of folks in the emergency room with heat-related injuries.
There are three things, to help prevent getting in trouble with the heat:
- Drinking enough fluids. You want to prevent becoming thirsty. Once you've become thirsty, you've been without enough to drink for too long.
- Stay out of that midday sun. Either exercise early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
- Taper up the time. It will take more time to do the same activity you were able to do in cooler weather. In fact, athletes take about four to six weeks to acclimatize to heat.
How long and at what level does someone need to exercise to burn the calories they consume ?
The news isn't very good there. Exercise does have benefits, but burning calories is a very difficult one. In fact, one brat and a bun will take a four mile walk to burn it off. In general, one mile of walking burns about 100 calories. With more intensive activity, you may double that. It takes a lot of activity to burn calories.
People seem to equate sweating with losing weight. Is that a misconception?
You will lose the weight the water has. But, the minute you go home and re-hydrate, that weight comes right back, so that's not real weight loss.
Summer picnics offer fresh fruits and vegetables as well as grilled bratwurst and beer. What is a safe way to plan summer eating and drinking and not gain weight ?
The key there really is to keep a food diary. It's been shown over and over again that that's the most important and best way to watch the weight and to lose weight. You need to know the calorie content of the food that you put on your plate. It's also helpful to have one plate of food instead of coming back for more and more. Just load it up the first time, go away, and have that plate. Stay away from the buffets and watch out for the potlucks.
In general, what benefits come with exercise and a good diet in the summer?
Really, it's the same for year round. Preventative care is really the key to long-term health, and being physically fit--having a good aerobic capacity, as well has maintaining a healthy weight--are really the key. And focusing on diet and exercise, as well as sleep and stress management, are really at the heart of that. It is a lifestyle, absolutely.
Anything we'd be remiss if we didn't mention?
One thing that is underestimated is the effect of stress management, especially with all the things that have been happening in Iowa City and Cedar Rapids with the recent floods. Keeping on top of that, especially during the summer, is something to focus on. |
