Basic Exercise
If you spend enough time with health and fitness gurus you will eventually hear someone say: walking and running burn the same number of calories per mile. This idea is rooted in eighth-grade physics, or more specifically, the equation “work = force x distance.” For those who were distracted or otherwise missed that class, the point is that it takes a defined amount of energy to move a body of mass over a measured distance. The speed of the object is not taken into account. Therefore, running and walking should require the same amount of energy to cover the same distance.
This is usually presented as great news for walkers. “Take a stroll around the block,” the thinking goes. “It’ll burn just as many calories mile for mile as if you sprinted it.” The only problem with this idea is that it’s false.
In 2004, four researchers in the Department of Exercise Science at Syracuse University designed an experiment to test the theory. They hooked strangers into a device that measures calorie burn by analyzing breath. We have both been subjected this peculiar device, although under different circumstances. It involves wearing a facemask connected to small backpack. Andrea likened the experience to running wind sprints in a Darth Vader costume.
Over several days, the test subjects repeatedly ran and walked one mile on both a track and a treadmill. Their calorie burn was measured throughout. The results were astounding. Running not only burns more calories than walking, the difference is enormous. “[T]he cost of locomotion was [approximately] 55 percent lower for males during walking than running, and [approximately] 52 percent lower for females.”
In other words, running instead of walking earns you 50 percent more calories over the same distance. This goes a long way toward explaining why all those folks doing slow laps around the inside of a shopping mall don’t appear to be losing much weight.
This is usually presented as great news for walkers. “Take a stroll around the block,” the thinking goes. “It’ll burn just as many calories mile for mile as if you sprinted it.” The only problem with this idea is that it’s false.
In 2004, four researchers in the Department of Exercise Science at Syracuse University designed an experiment to test the theory. They hooked strangers into a device that measures calorie burn by analyzing breath. We have both been subjected this peculiar device, although under different circumstances. It involves wearing a facemask connected to small backpack. Andrea likened the experience to running wind sprints in a Darth Vader costume.
Over several days, the test subjects repeatedly ran and walked one mile on both a track and a treadmill. Their calorie burn was measured throughout. The results were astounding. Running not only burns more calories than walking, the difference is enormous. “[T]he cost of locomotion was [approximately] 55 percent lower for males during walking than running, and [approximately] 52 percent lower for females.”
In other words, running instead of walking earns you 50 percent more calories over the same distance. This goes a long way toward explaining why all those folks doing slow laps around the inside of a shopping mall don’t appear to be losing much weight.
Fact: The authors of this study made another observation that we found equally startling. “There was no difference between the energy expenditure on the track and the treadmill.” We have long been told that treadmills are easier to run on because the moving belt does some of the work. Apparently this, like so many other facts we have dutifully memorized, is entirely untrue.
This was not a major conclusion in the study. It was more like a throwaway line in the section describing the data collected. It probably warrants additional research before treadmill manufacturers quote it in advertising. All we know is that if these data hold Steven will never again feel pressure to go running outside in the rain.
Clearly intensity matters. But you don’t have to be a runner to take advantage of the metabolic lift intensity provides. A 2012 study from researchers at Colorado State University found that two and a half minutes of all-out effort on an exercise bike can burn as many as 220 calories. For comparison, it would take Steven nearly an hour of slow, casual bike riding to expend that same number of calories.
Drink Your Carb Exercise recommendations are heavily informed by these new data. That said, Basic Exercise is intended for people who do not regularly exercise. It is designed to get folks started and to begin building new, healthy habits. It does demand intensity, but nothing comparable to the cyclists at Colorado State University going all out for two and a half minutes. If you think you are ready for that level of intensity, skip ahead to the Advanced Exercise section.
Drink Your Carb Exercise recommendations are heavily informed by these new data. That said, Basic Exercise is intended for people who do not regularly exercise. It is designed to get folks started and to begin building new, healthy habits. It does demand intensity, but nothing comparable to the cyclists at Colorado State University going all out for two and a half minutes. If you think you are ready for that level of intensity, skip ahead to the Advanced Exercise section.
Walkers:
If you’re one of those people who absolutely loathes running or biking, by all means walk. This does not, however, mean that you should amble along at the same pace forever. Continually challenge yourself. If you want to burn serious calories, you need to get your heart pumping. There are two ways to do this when walking: increase your pace and/or add an incline. If you live near a hill, walk to the top of it. Increase the pace until you feel uncomfortable. If you work out on a treadmill, use a combination of speed and incline to raise your heart rate. In time, you may even find that you have increased your speed to the point where you are running.
If you’re one of those people who absolutely loathes running or biking, by all means walk. This does not, however, mean that you should amble along at the same pace forever. Continually challenge yourself. If you want to burn serious calories, you need to get your heart pumping. There are two ways to do this when walking: increase your pace and/or add an incline. If you live near a hill, walk to the top of it. Increase the pace until you feel uncomfortable. If you work out on a treadmill, use a combination of speed and incline to raise your heart rate. In time, you may even find that you have increased your speed to the point where you are running.
Book Recommendations: The advice we typically offer to people transitioning from walkers to runners is stolen from Jeff Galloway, a man who has written more than a dozen books to coach runners of all levels. Galloway promotes a combination of walking and running. At first, you will find yourself walking a lot and running very little. Over time the ratio will be reversed. You will ultimately be going on long runs punctuated by short walking breaks. In time you may even cut the walk breaks altogether.
We highly recommend Galloway’s books. They will have you running far sooner and far faster than any instruction we might offer.
Everyone Else:
It does not matter if you are a runner, an elliptical-machine user, stair-climbing enthusiast or user of any of the other cardio equipment found in a typical gym. Our advice remains the same: add intensity and mix it up. Don’t use the same machine and don’t repeat the same workout every time. Your body will adapt to whatever exercise you throw at it and the benefits decrease. If you always do the exact same workout, your muscles will adapt to that set of particular movements. You’ll find that over time you are able to do that workout at a lower heart rate. Your fitness will level out and your calorie burn will actually drop.
Get on a machine you’ve never used. If you run, throw in an occasional session on a StairMaster. If you typically use an elliptical machine, mix it up with a run on a treadmill. Walkers should take a spin class. Spinners should go for a run. Do something you are not good at. Do something that frightens you. And by “frightens you” we do not mean that you should go out untrained and run a marathon. We mean don’t be afraid to look stupid.
Consider taking a Zoomba class or going to an aerobics studio where your incompetence is certain to embarrass you. Embarrassment is good. It means that you are working skills and muscles that have long been neglected. The variation will also help keep you from burning out. Doing the same thing every day becomes soul-crushing drudgery and mixing it up keeps things interesting.
It does not matter if you are a runner, an elliptical-machine user, stair-climbing enthusiast or user of any of the other cardio equipment found in a typical gym. Our advice remains the same: add intensity and mix it up. Don’t use the same machine and don’t repeat the same workout every time. Your body will adapt to whatever exercise you throw at it and the benefits decrease. If you always do the exact same workout, your muscles will adapt to that set of particular movements. You’ll find that over time you are able to do that workout at a lower heart rate. Your fitness will level out and your calorie burn will actually drop.
Get on a machine you’ve never used. If you run, throw in an occasional session on a StairMaster. If you typically use an elliptical machine, mix it up with a run on a treadmill. Walkers should take a spin class. Spinners should go for a run. Do something you are not good at. Do something that frightens you. And by “frightens you” we do not mean that you should go out untrained and run a marathon. We mean don’t be afraid to look stupid.
Consider taking a Zoomba class or going to an aerobics studio where your incompetence is certain to embarrass you. Embarrassment is good. It means that you are working skills and muscles that have long been neglected. The variation will also help keep you from burning out. Doing the same thing every day becomes soul-crushing drudgery and mixing it up keeps things interesting.
Full disclosure: The extent of our experience with Zoomba is limited to walking past a class and peeking in. We’ve been making fun of it ever since. They call it a Latin-inspired dance party, but as far as we could tell it was Jazzercise revisited. It was far less cha-cha-cha than it was “Priscilla Queen of the Desert.” That said, most of the people in the class looked like they were working hard. So, we say go for it. Just be aware that you are learning jazz hands while being told that you are dancing a Samba.
No matter what exercise path you choose, you must be sure that you’re working hard. If your heart rate is not in target zone, you need to do more. Zoomba, aerobics and other cardio classes only work if your pulse is elevated. If the class is easy, you are effectively walking at a slow pace. Based on what we have seen in some classes, it is possible to burn fewer calories than walking. This is absolutely fine, as long as you don’t count it towards your daily exercise.
We also recommend throwing some weight-resistance exercises into your routine at least twice a week. We do not, however, recommend that you focus your efforts on weightlifting until you have a strong exercise routine in place.
We have two reasons. First, you can start doing cardio without any kind of plan and with little to no guidance. Pick a cardio exercise and start moving until your heart rate monitor tells you that you are in zone. In 20-30 minutes, you’re done. It really is that simple. This is not true of weightlifting.
Without a trainer or experienced partner to show you how to properly lift weights, it is easy to hurt yourself. Lifting with bad form puts pressure on sensitive areas, including your neck and lower back. Unlike cardio, proper weightlifting takes time to learn. Equally important, weightlifting will not burn as many calories as a cardio workout. [Really.] Burning as many calories as possible allows you to see results far sooner, which will help keep you motivated.
We also recommend throwing some weight-resistance exercises into your routine at least twice a week. We do not, however, recommend that you focus your efforts on weightlifting until you have a strong exercise routine in place.
We have two reasons. First, you can start doing cardio without any kind of plan and with little to no guidance. Pick a cardio exercise and start moving until your heart rate monitor tells you that you are in zone. In 20-30 minutes, you’re done. It really is that simple. This is not true of weightlifting.
Without a trainer or experienced partner to show you how to properly lift weights, it is easy to hurt yourself. Lifting with bad form puts pressure on sensitive areas, including your neck and lower back. Unlike cardio, proper weightlifting takes time to learn. Equally important, weightlifting will not burn as many calories as a cardio workout. [Really.] Burning as many calories as possible allows you to see results far sooner, which will help keep you motivated.
Advice from a doctor friend: “One thing to remember during weightlifting: if it hurts, it’s not helping. Repeating a lifting exercise that is causing pain might be damaging you. Wearing yourself out on a last set is great. However, lifting through a twinge in your elbow or shoulder might have you wearing an ice bag for a week. Pushing through serious pain may land you in the emergency room.”
Doing bench presses and bicep curls burns around the same number of calories per hour as a moderate walk on level ground. Upping both the weight and intensity can double the calories burned, but you will still only burn around half of the calories of the equivalent time spent on cardio. While there are numerous health benefits to weightlifting, strength training alone is a lousy weight loss strategy.
Ideally you should do both strength and cardio, but if you have to choose, go with cardio. At the Basic Exercise level, calorie burn is paramount. There will be plenty of time to add strength training as you progress from Basic to Advanced.
Your goal at the Basic Level is to exercise three to four days a week. This translates to a minimum of every other day. The workouts should range from 30 to 45 minutes. At least 20 minutes should be spent in your target heart-rate zone. This will feel uncomfortable. As long as you are not in pain, uncomfortable is good.
Ideally you should do both strength and cardio, but if you have to choose, go with cardio. At the Basic Exercise level, calorie burn is paramount. There will be plenty of time to add strength training as you progress from Basic to Advanced.
Your goal at the Basic Level is to exercise three to four days a week. This translates to a minimum of every other day. The workouts should range from 30 to 45 minutes. At least 20 minutes should be spent in your target heart-rate zone. This will feel uncomfortable. As long as you are not in pain, uncomfortable is good.
Fact: The health and fitness industry is made up of unconscionable liars. They know damn well that their sedentary audience will never hit the gym six days per week. Instead of setting more realistic goals, they lie. They recommend six days of exercise when they’re really hoping to get half that many. By contrast, we believe that you are grownups who can handle the truth. Three to four days of working out per week is the minimum you need on Drink Your Carbs. If you want to lose weight while continuing to consume alcohol, this is the cost of admission.
Don’t panic if you don’t have much time to exercise. We understand that life often gets in the way of best intentions. Three to four days a week is a serious commitment. Hopefully you will eventually be able to get there. Until then, don’t allow a lack of time to be an excuse to do nothing. If you can only exercise twice a week, by all means do so. If you can only spare 15 to 20 minutes, do a shorter, more intense workout. Starting an exercise program is far more important than how often or for how long you go. You can always add days or duration as your life allows.
If you can only spare 15 to 20 minutes, make it intense. Warm up for two minutes and then push yourself for the remaining time. Remember: the faster you go, the more calories you burn. If you are willing to go hard, you can accomplish amazing things in very short time.
If you can only spare 15 to 20 minutes, make it intense. Warm up for two minutes and then push yourself for the remaining time. Remember: the faster you go, the more calories you burn. If you are willing to go hard, you can accomplish amazing things in very short time.
Fact: A short workout should be more uncomfortable than a long one. Think of it as a treadmill colonoscopy: short and difficult but beneficial in the long-term.
If you have been coasting along at Basic feeling like you are capable of doing more, it is time to graduate to Advanced Exercise.