Get Active

Some people seem to be able to fidget away fat, according to a Mayo Clinic study aimed at finding out why some stay slim when overeating, while others gain weight. The study, published in the Journal of Science, involved 16 volunteers who were fed 1,000 extra calories a day for eight weeks while instruments measured their energy use. At the end, some of the subjects gained as much as 16 pounds, others as little as two.

The difference, says Dr. Michael Jensen of the Mayo Clinic was the "fidget factor." "It is some sort of physical activity that they (the low weight-gainers) are doing more throughout the day than the others," he said. "It could be fidgeting or moving around or just being a little more restless. The people who were burning a lot of extra calories were doing it in the activities of daily life." These activities could include fidgeting, standing up often, stretching and just efforts to maintain good posture, Jensen said. The researcher said that each muscle movement burns calories and uses some of the excess energy that might otherwise be stored as fat.

How active you are affects how healthy you are by improving metabolism and increasing the number of calories you "burn" during the day. Maximize every opportunity to be active. Exercise doesn't have to be limited to the track or the gym. You can greatly increase the amount of physical activity your body gets by making small lifestyle changes. Here's a few simply examples:

Try to get in the habit of taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

Keep your sport shoes in the car so you're always prepared.

Take a brisk walk after lunch before returning to work.

Choose a hike or a bike ride instead of a movie.

Play with your kids in the backyard rather than dropping them off at the video arcade.

These don't take a lot of extra time and are well worth the extra effort. Besides burning additional calories and "jump-starting" your metabolism, these changes keep us focused and productive, moving in the right direction to a healthier lifestyle.

The benefits of an active lifestyle are two-fold: in the immediate pleasure of doing the activity; and over time through improved health, well-being, and quality of life. Be sure to be active in a way that feels comfortable and enjoyable to you. Being bored makes us feel lazy and unmotivated and tricks us into thinking we are tired. Fight this by finding an activity that you look forward to doing, something you enjoy and can stick with.

This tip was provided by GlobalFitness.com

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