Exercise and obesity

Edited by Dr. Stefano Casali

Another good physical reconditioning activity is to ride a bicycle or ride a stationary bike. People who complain of problems with walking, jogging or playing sports may be able to pedal and / or cycle without difficulty. The table presents a progressive program of cycling activities, developed following the indications for obtaining improvements in cardiorespiratory function (from Howley and Franks 1995) Program to be performed by bicycle 1 Phase2 Distance km Established work HR
% of HRmax Weather
min Frequency
days / week 1 1.6-3.2 _3 _3 3 2 1.6-3.2 60 8-12 3 3 4.8-8.0 60 15-25 3 4 9.6-12.8 70 25-35 3 5 9.6-12.8 70 25-35 4 6 16.0-24.0 70 40-60 4 7 16.0-24.0 80 35-50 4-5 1 This program can be carried out on a normal bicycle or on an exercise bike
2 You must start with the phase that you are able to perform without fatigue or pain
3 In phase 1 you just have to get used to pedaling for 1.6-3.2 km without worrying about the time or frequency of work

The run in the general reconditioning program

Short runs at a slow pace alternating with stretches of pace with short refreshment breaks

1st week Walk 400 meters every day 2nd week Walk 800 meters every day 3rd week Walk 1200 meters every day 4th week Walk 1600 meters every day 5th week Walk 1600 meters every day 6th week Walk 1600 meters every day 7th week Walk 400 meters, light jog for 400 meters, walk another 800 meters, every day 8th week Walk 400 meters, light jog for 800 meters, walk another 400 meters, every day 9th week Walk 400 meters, light run for 1200 meters, walk another 400 meters, every day -The distance to be covered at the beginning of the program must be indicated by the attending physician
-Duration of the training: at least 30 minutes of activity, to be integrated gradually up to 60 actual minutes
Gymnastic exercises and running should always be preceded and followed by 10-15 minutes of muscle stretching

»Duration and frequency of physical exercise

A high frequency of training is useful as it increases total calorie consumption.

To achieve significant weight loss through physical activity, sessions of at least 60 min and an energy expenditure of at least 300 kcal / session are recommended.

Less than two workouts a week are not enough to significantly change aerobic, anaerobic and body composition capacity.

»Effects of exercise on weight loss

Intensity of physical exercise with training load (sub-ceiling)

Training HR = 80% HR max

Prevailing oxidation of glucose during exercise.

Prevailing oxidation of FFA (free fatty acids) in the post-exercise phase.

Intensity of physical exercise with sub-training load (moderate intensity)

Fc for ox.lip. = Fc rest + 0.6 x (Fc max - Fc rest)

Prevailing FFA oxidation during operation

No effect on the oxidation of substrates in the post-exercise phase.

»Customize the program

It is always necessary to cut out an activity suited to the characteristics and preferences of the subject, as long as it is compatible with the goal to be achieved.

For those who do not like to practice sports, it will be possible to identify an "activity of their liking such as dance or low-impact aerobic gymnastics, as long as they are practiced continuously, at such intensity and frequency as to be training.

»The prescription

It is not enough to invite the obese subject to move more, it is necessary to draw up a motor reconditioning program, specifying: the type of exercise, the intensity, the duration, the weekly frequency, the progression of the training load, also to avoid interventions and improvisations from part of unskilled trainers.