Excess weight and sport
Excess weight, limited physical fitness and physical activity are risk factors for cardiovascular disease. New studies reveal that even a moderate amount of excess weight is associated with increased morbidity and mortality rates among both women and men of all age groups. Preliminary data indicates that weight loss and an increase in physical activity can have a crucial influence on this system.
Martin Halle, Aloys Berg, Joseph Keul: ‘Adipositas und Bewegungsmangel als kardiovaskuläre Risikofaktoren’ (Obesity and a lack of exercise as cardiovascular risk factors); German Journal of Sports Medicine, Issue 51, No.4 (2000).
University of Göttingen, Germany, Center for Internal Medicine, Department of Cardiology and Pneumology
University Medical Centre Freiburg, Germany, Department of Prevention, Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine Movement sparks your metabolism, because only movement burns fat. Fat is burnt solely in the muscles. We burn fat by making loose movements and when the muscles have an abundant supply of oxygen (aerobic area). Excess oxygen is the only way to create millions of enzymes that break down fat.
University Medical Centre Freiburg, Germany, Department of Prevention, Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine Movement sparks your metabolism, because only movement burns fat. Fat is burnt solely in the muscles. We burn fat by making loose movements and when the muscles have an abundant supply of oxygen (aerobic area). Excess oxygen is the only way to create millions of enzymes that break down fat.
How intensive should the exercise be?
For many years, sport scientists believed that the body only begins to break down fat depots after exercising for 30 minutes. Professor Alois Mader (German Sport University Cologne) discovered that this process, which is desired by so many, actually begins sooner than previously thought. However, it is necessary to control the intensity of the exercise correctly. But what do we mean by ‘correctly’? Your heart rate, or your training pulse rate, will tell you this.
How do I find my optimal heart rate?
You can normally apply the following rule of thumb: Subtract your age from 220 to calculate your maximum heart rate. You should reach 65 per cent of this benchmark in order to benefit from exercise without overexerting yourself.
The body burns sugar when it lacks oxygen!
When we run out of breath and reach the anaerobic area, our bodies develop an oxygen deficit. It automatically switches from burning fat to burning sugar. For this reason, many types of exercise see the body training one thing – maintaining the valuable sugar reserves. The harmful fat remains untouched.
(cf. Dr med. H-W Müller-Wohlfahrt: ‘So schützen Sie Ihre Gesundheit’ (Here’s how to protect your health). dtv, Munich, Germany, 2005 edition)
Thanks to kybun micro-intervaltraining, the body does not develop an oxygen deficit, as it can recover every 15 seconds. This allows you to boost your fat-burning ability in a targeted manner. You will burn calories!
Formula for your figure
The World Health Organisation uses the body mass index (BMI) to define normal weight, overweight and obesity. To calculate your BMI, divide your weight in kg by your height in metres squared. For example, if you weigh 60 kg and are 1.6 m tall, your BMI is 23.4. Calculation: 60 ÷ (1.6 x 1.6 = 2.56) = 23.4.
BMI – A value with limits
The BMI scale applies to men and women, but not to children or individuals who have extensive muscle mass. It does not provide any information about fat distribution. Stomach fat is more dangerous than fat on your hips, for example. The ideal BMI increases with age but always remains under 30.
The BMI scale applies to men and women, but not to children or individuals who have extensive muscle mass. It does not provide any information about fat distribution. Stomach fat is more dangerous than fat on your hips, for example. The ideal BMI increases with age but always remains under 30.
| BMI | Classification | Comment |
| Under 18.5 | Underweight | Losing any more weight is dangerous |
| 18.5–24.9 | Healthy weight | Good foundation for health |
| 25–29.9 | Overweight | Weight loss is recommended if you suffer from health problems (such as high blood pressure) |
| 30–39.9 | Obese class I/obese class II | Losing weight will improve health, even if you are not currently suffering from any health problems. Experts recommend to consult your doctor. |
| Over 40 | Obese class III | High risk of serious health problems. Consult your doctor immediately. |
37.1 per cent of the Swiss population are overweight. Some 7.7 per cent of them are obese. Source: OECD Health Data 2005)
One billion people in the world are overweight and 300 million are obese. Obesity is one of the most serious epidemics of the 21st century, according to the World Health Organisation. Developments in Europe are particularly concerning, as around 400 million Europeans are currently overweight and 130 million are obese.
Too many calories – Couch potatoes fall into a fat trap
It is estimated that a 40-year old office employee, who does little exercise, burns 2,400 (1,900 for women) calories per day, but consumes 2,700 (2,000 for women). The difference results in a gain of 300 (100 for women). Exercise and working while walking or standing increases energy expenditure to around 3,100 per day (2,400 for women). (Sources: German Society for Nutrition, Robert Koch Institute)
