Thursday, May 14, 2009

Excercise: The Way Nature Intended


Blog posted originally on diet.com - 5/14/09

Last week, I squared off with the South Beach Diet Doctor Arthur Agatson to discuss whether it's possible for a person to be both fit and fat at the same time.

This week, my discussion continues with a debate about interval exercise versus high intensity exercise.

Dr. Abby: Dr. Agatston, as a dancer, I was thrilled to read about benefits of interval exercise and its relation to dangerous fat. Could you please clarify this?

Dr. Agatston: Yes! Since we wrote the book South Beach Diet Supercharged, the literature is just getting more and more impressive, specifically for “interval” versus “steady state” exercise.

You get definite benefits from high intensity exercise for treating metabolic syndrome and diabetes. When a period of high intensity exercise is followed by a rest period, you can do more high intensity exercise.

For instance, if you just sprint, you’re going to be out of breath and be done. However, when you do a “work cycle” followed by a “recovery cycle,” you can get more high intensity in overall, than if you just go high intensity until you’re exhausted.

Some studies, where they’ve actually done muscle biopsies, show improved insulin sensitivity when intervals include high intensity exercise. Other studies found that you lose more belly fat, and more fat in general, given the same calorie output with interval versus steady state exercise.

Intervals also recall the way our ancestors behaved; the natural way we perform. High intensity was usually done where there was work and rest, such as shoveling, picking, plowing or pushing.

Dr. Abby: I love that you recall “back to nature,” and the way that our bodies were intended to work. That’s really a bedrock of my philosophy; health at every size naturally. We should learn what our bodies are meant to do, and work with it instead of fighting it.

Dr. Agatston: Yes! Things like walking to school, and incorporating exercise into our everyday lives again is important. My primary theme today is that our bodies were designed to live in the wild. When you look at the extremely different lifestyles of today, including sitting over a computer all day and not moving, grabbing fast food, driving everywhere, and shopping on the Internet, it is the antithesis of what we were meant to be doing.

Dr. Abby: I agree! Dr. Agatston, thanks for another enlightening ...

Commentary: Start dancin’! Dancing is high intensity exercise followed by rest, and is fun, fun, fun! Of course if you’d rather plow and shovel, that’s fine too, since working outside with nature can bring solace, joy, and apparently health!

Interval exercising can be done with any activity you enjoy. It’s not about the type of exercise; it’s about the process. “Dr. Abby’s Diet Revolution” suggests living a sustainable, healthy lifestyle, rather than losing weight per se. Concentrating on the “process” insures a great outcome, instead of focusing on the outcome, which may be obtained by temporary or artificial measures.

Moving your body more naturally, and for pleasure, increases the likelihood of sticking to it. Too many of my patients begin an intense exercise regime when they’re “in the zone.” They’re dieting, exercising, getting on the scale, and completely obsessed with weight loss. After a period of time they cannot sustain the intensity, and the whole thing falls apart.

Creating a more moderate lifestyle, which includes interval exercise, might help us to win the war, instead of fighting miserable battles that we keep on losing.

A more complete version of this interview will be found in my next book, Dr. Abby’s Diet Revolution! This is a small excerpt from a rather extensive interview. To obtain a copy when it becomes available, please click here to sign up, and receive a free pdf of my current book, Your Final Diet.

NOTE: Some editorial license was used to edit Dr. Agatston’s lengthy answers to my questions. Every effort was made to preserve the integrity of content.

For more information about South Beach Diet, click here.

GET A FREE COPY OF THE SOUTH BEACH DIET SUPERCHARGED! Dr. Agatston has graciously provided copies of his bestselling book, now out in paperback. To get your free copy of this insightful and enlightening book, simply become a Diet.com Premium Member today. Be sure to use Coupon Code FREEOFFER66 when completing your enrollment.

Dr. Abby Aronowitz is a psychologist, speaker and coach, who completed work at Columbia University. She holds two master’s degrees and a Ph.D. Previously a consultant to Weight Watchers International, Dr. Abby has been featured on WebMD.com and AOL Diet and Fitness. She is a member of the American Psychological Association and Mensa.

Dr. Abby Aronowitz - Your Final Diet



Monday, May 4, 2009

Diet Face-Off: Dr. Abby vs. Dr. South Beach


Blog posted originally on diet.com - 5/4/09

Is it possible to be both fat and fit?
It's a question that's been near and dear to me for many years now. I believe that YES... you can be "fat" and still fit.


I recently sat down with a respected diet expert -- Dr. Arthur Agatston, creator of The South Beach Diet -- to get his opinions on this important matter.

Does Dr. Agatston, aka "Dr. South Beach" believe that people can be fat and fit, or does he believe that fat people need to lose weight in order to be healthy? His answers to my probing questions may surprise you.

Check out Part 1 of this exclusive interview
with the South Beach Diet Doc:

Dr. Abby: Dr. Agatston, you have used the term "fat and fit." Could you please elaborate on how that's possible?

Dr. Agatston: Yes, actually the term is from Dr. Steven Blair from the Cooper Clinic originally. It's the idea that some people who are a little pudgy or overweight, or have a high BMI, can be in good shape. They have a low risk for coronary disease. In my practice we see, for instance, overweight women with blood chemistries of a vegetarian marathoner! Instead of high triglycerides and low HDL (good cholesterol), they have low triglycerides and very high HDLs. They're really at low risk. The flip side is what's been coined at the Mayo clinic as "normal weight obesity," where people have normal BMI's but have little bowling balls in their bellies, and are at high risk.

Dr. Abby: I agree! I have certainly found that people can be fit and fat in my practice. It has been frustrating for them and frustrating for me to help them to accept their bodies, which they see as not thin enough. How might one identify their ideal weight?

Dr. Agatston: I go patient by patient looking at their "lifestyle numbers," including triglycerides, HDL, insulin resistance and blood pressure. If they're not having exaggerated swings in blood sugar, then they lose cravings and are satisfied with food. I really go by the physiologic risk factors, rather than by BMI's or weight tables. There are some pretty extreme cases. One woman I discuss has always been "roly poly." She doesn't have cravings, and doesn't eat a lot. She's been on a diet and lost a little bit, but has an HDL of 80 and triglycerides in the 50s. She's just not at high risk. She has something that people don't understand in general; I'll say a low metabolism.

Dr. Abby: I agree that we need to get away from an ideal weight or BMI. It’s more about those lifestyle measures. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this important matter.

Commentary: I am thrilled to hear the South Beach diet doc acknowledge that it’s all about living the healthiest life you can, without regard for weight. We must accept whatever size our body becomes… with grace and dignity. I call it our personal best!

However, the hard part is accepting the body size that results from living a relatively healthy lifestyle. We will probably think it looks too fat, since very few people are naturally thin.

Natural body weights are very diverse, yet we have been taught that fat people are ugly, unattractive, and worth less than thin people. You may believe this yourself, and beat yourself up for being what is considered overweight, unhealthy and unattractive.

This begins a very unhealthy cycle, which drains self-esteem, erodes confidence and diminishes self worth. This deteriorates the desire and ability to take good care of yourself and stand proud.

A more complete version of this interview will be found in my next book, Dr. Abby’s Diet Revolution! This is a small excerpt from a rather extensive interview. To obtain a copy of the complete interview when it becomes available, please click here to sign up, and receive a free PDF of my current book, Your Final Diet.

Please check back soon for the next installment of the "Dr. Abby vs. Dr. South Beach" interview.

NOTE: Some editorial license was used to edit Dr. Agatston’s lengthy answers to my questions. Every effort was made to preserve the integrity of content.

GET A FREE COPY OF THE SOUTH BEACH DIET SUPERCHARGED! Dr. Agatston has graciously provided copies of his bestselling book, now out in paperback. To get your free copy of this insightful and enlightening book, simply become a Diet.com Premium Member today. Be sure to use Coupon Code FREEOFFER66 when completing your enrollment.

Dr. Abby Aronowitz is a psychologist, speaker and coach, who completed work at Columbia University. She holds two master’s degrees and a Ph.D. Previously a consultant to Weight Watchers International, Dr. Abby has been featured on WebMD.com and AOL Diet and Fitness. She is a member of the American Psychological Association and Mensa.

Dr. Abby Aronowitz
Your Final Diet