Is it really a good idea to exercise at any given timeIJ Mark Bunn tells us when it is best not to exercise and how much exercise we must do in a day
I has a pizza last night. Yes, I said pizza! You must be wondering, “Oh my God, a health expert eats pizza!” If you think so, then you too have been brainwashed into thinking pizzas are necessarily bad or too heavy for dinner. But not all pizzas are bad. If you get a gourmet vegetarian pizza and take off the excess cheese (easier if you get unmelted cheese cubes), what do you haveIJ Toasted bread and vegetables! It’s pretty light and not that bad. So, don’t feel bad the next time you eat pizza. Just ditch the meat and excess cheese, load up the vegies and bingo enjoy the food guilt-free.
Anyway, that’s just a little ‘myth-buster’. What I want to say is this: After the pizza — and some gossip — we went for a ‘digestive stroll’ along the beach. It was 9 pm, and what did we seeIJ People exercising, running, jogging, sweating, grimacing, etc.
It was not an uncommon sight. But it made me think, “Is it a good idea to exercise at any given timeIJ Is it counterproductive to exercise without any planningIJ” So, I thought I would tell when it’s best not to exercise and how much exercise/activity one must do in a given day.
First and foremost, avoid exercising late in night. The natural cycle at night is to relax and rejuvenate the body. Exercising late in night only guarantees compromised nighttime rejuvenation. Therefore, you must sincerely try to finish the exercise by 7-7.30 pm.
likewise, lunchtime, strangely enough, is the best time for lunch! At this time of the day your digestive fire is at its peak — for digesting the main meal of the day. The popular trend of exercising during lunch break is not quite ideal. You’ll still get exercise benefits, but at the larger cost of foregoing your body’s peak time for gaining optimal energy and nutrition. Food eaten straight after vigorous activity will usually result in improperly digested food, causing blockages in the vital channels.
If you exercise around lunchtime, avoid the hot sun; do it with as low intensity as possible, and leave at least 20-30 minutes before eating. Also, it’s best to wait for at least 60 minutes after a normal-sized meal before exercising.
Don’t exercise when you’re already tired. When your actually feeling exhausted, rest is the best option. Also, avoid exercising when you’re sick or not feeling 100 per cent fit.
likewise, women should avoid exercises during menstruation. According to the Ayurveda, just having to work while menstruating is considered one of the major contributors of gynecological problems and general discomfort among women. Exercising at this time is actually going against nature’s designs for this time and is really asking for trouble.
Although many women believe exercise is beneficial at this time (less period pain, etc) and many modern specialists actually advise it, it is not a healthy move. The body’s internal resources are drawn away from the reproductive organs, giving a temporary sense of wellbeing but creating a severe debt that will be paid at a later time.
Unless you’re a professional athlete (who usually suffer inordinately in terms of things like amenhorhea, fertility problems later in life), you may have to work during your period, but you don’t have to and shouldn’t exercise. You’ll get much greater health benefits from ‘resting’.
So, when is the best time to exerciseIJ From about 5 pm to 7 pm in the evening is good, but the best time is early morning — 6-8 am. Research shows that people who exercise early in the morning have much higher compliance levels than those who exercise at other times. And, the reason: Exercising early in the morning is best because you start even before your brain figures out what you’re doing!
We should know when and how much to exercise. However, you can rely on your ‘waking’ heart rate to guide you. Your waking heart rate (WHR) is a good indicator of the general state of your body. You will find in the course of time that with regular exercises, your waking heart rate will decrease indicating a more efficient cardiovascular system.
Measuring your waking heart rate each morning helps you decide on your most appropriate exercise regime for the day. If your WHR increases above its average, this indicates that your body is working harder to maintain its internal homeostasis (fighting off some virus or releasing some stress, etc). And, if your waking heart rate increases by more than 5 bpm, take it easy, do not exercise hard. If your waking heart rate increases by more than 10 bpm, then respect your body, do not exercise at all.
This takes us to the next question: How can we measure WHRIJ The answer is three-fold: First, when you wake up in the morning, locate either your Carotid Pulse (in the neck), or your Radial Pulse (on the wrist, just below the bony protuberance). Then, count the number of times your heart beats in one minute. This is your waking heart rate. Write this figure on a sheet. Finally, record your waking heart rate for at least 1-2 weeks initially for best results, as waking heart rate can vary slightly due to other factors such as bladder volume, sleep/wake cycles, etc.
One can remain healthy by doing small things in life. My conviction about this grew stronger when I met an old man. “look at me,” he boasted, showcasing a flat and firm stomach, having just finished 100 sit-ups before a group of young people. “Fit as a fiddle! And you want to know whyIJ I don’t smoke, I don’t drink, and I don’t stay up late,” he said. “And tomorrow, I’m going to celebrate my 95th birthday,” said the gentleman with a big smile.
The writer is a health expert based in Australia