Simpleology Blog

It's something! Walking with your cool pooch while you're on vacation still counts as exercise.

I used to take an all-or-nothing approach to fitness. If I couldn't go out on a run for two hours straight then I wouldn't go running at all. Well, due to my own fault, I have not been able to run for about three days. That's probably why I've been feeling crabby again.

Happy Moves
According to a study done by the Uniformed Services Society in Bethesda, Maryland, people who exercise regularly and then halt their workouts "experience symptoms of depression within a week." Deprived of their regular fix of feel-good endorphins, which are released when the body undergoes vigorous activity, the sidelined exercisers begin to entertain pessimistic views and lose their temper quickly.

Then again, a bad mood isn't the only side effect of an interrupted fitness regimen. For active folks, there's an amnesty period after exercise when the body suppresses its fat production. Unfortunately, this amnesty period doesn't last forever.

Limited Time
A study from the University of Missouri at Columbia reveals that taking only two days off from your routine can cue your body to start packing on fat. "Blame the body's survival instincts," says study co-author Dr. Frank Booth. Indeed, the human body is consistent in implementing fat storage--its default defense mechanism.

"When you're active on a regular basis, you're continuously breaking down fat," explains Booth. The body, which interprets strenuous physical activity as a "threat" to your fat reserves, gets on the fat replenishment groove to keep you from getting too lean. To check if your body fat percentage is within a healthy range, the American Council on Exercise offers a detailed explanation, as well as the formula for the calculation of body fat percentage.

Forever Fit
A person who has stayed in shape through consistent exercise has to be more vigilant--as the body continues its fat storage operations even when you take a break from your killer workout. In fact, the effort it exerts to store fat is done with the same intensity. Unfortunately, since you're "on a break" and not doing your killer workout, the fat that it holds on to doesn't get burned off. It just goes to your tummy and other body parts.

Thus, Booth advises that fit folks on R&R should still do at least 30 minutes of exercise daily. Even spurts of activity that are not as intense as your regular workouts--such as walking through the mall, doing house chores, walking your dog, and dancing--help keep your body on track.

This is precisely why being fit shouldn't be an all-or-nothing routine--it has to be part of your lifestyle. Because if you treat being fit as just a "trendy phase," then you'll keep on packing fat all throughout your life.

Credits: Photo of Eddie (a heroic military dog) by Spc. Daniel Bearl, courtesy of the United States Army