American Medical Association Family Medical Guide - American Medical Association [10]
Strengthening exercises
Strength-conditioning exercise is as beneficial for your heart as aerobic exercise, and is essential for keeping you fit and independent as you age. These exercises build muscle by forcing the muscles to work against the weight of your body or an object such as a weight. It’s a good idea to alternate strength-building exercises with aerobic exercise. Try to do the following exercises three times a week.
Triceps press
Sit on the floor with your knees bent at a 45-degree angle, your feet flat on the floor, hip-distance apart, and your hands on the floor behind you, fingertips pointing forward. Lift your hips off the floor (left). Bending at the elbows, lower your bottom until it almost touches the floor (right), hold for a count of five, and straighten the arms, returning to hips-up position. Do ten sets.
Modified push-up
Get on your hands and knees on the floor and shift your weight forward, with your hands aligned under your shoulders and your feet raised off the floor (top). Bending your elbows, lower your body from the knees up until your chest almost touches the floor, keeping your hands in the same position on the floor and using your abdominal muscles to keep your back straight (bottom). Still keeping your back straight, push up until your arms are almost straight (but not locked) at the elbows. Repeat as many times as you can without straining. (For an extra challenge, try holding each position for a few seconds.)
Abdominal curl
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your arms holding the backs of your thighs. Press the small of your back to the floor as you lift your head and upper body until most of your upper back is off the floor. Hold for a count of two. Lower your body to the floor, keeping the small of your back pressed to the floor to work your abdominal muscles and avoid straining your back. As your strength increases, increase the number of repetitions. A more difficult way to do sit-ups is with your arms over your chest and your hands on your shoulders, or with your hands placed lightly behind your neck.
Biceps curl
Standing with your back straight, your knees bent slightly, and your feet slightly apart, hold two hand weights (begin with 1- or 2-pound weights) up to your shoulders, with your elbows bent up at your sides (left). Slowly bring the weights down to your thighs, palms turned out (right). Slowly raise the weights back up to your shoulders, keeping your elbows at your sides. When you can repeat the exercise 12 times, increase the weights by 1 pound.
Pump-up
Standing with your back straight, knees bent slightly and feet slightly apart, hold two hand weights (with ends touching each other) at chest level, elbows bent out to the sides parallel to the floor and shoulders down (left). Lower the weights slowly to thigh level, keeping the ends of the weights together (right). Slowly raise the weights back up to your chest. When you can repeat the exercise 12 times, increase the weights by 1 pound.
Are You at a Healthy Weight?
The percentage of overweight Americans has been steadily increasing over the past several decades. Nearly two out of three adults and about 15 percent of children in the US are overweight. Most alarming, overweight children and adolescents are developing common chronic illnesses—such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes—that used to affect only adults.
Body weight results from the complex interaction of inherited, physical, behavioral, socioeconomic, and cultural factors. The major factors contributing to overweight are basic—eating too much and exercising too little. And many Americans tend to eat the wrong kinds of foods: foods that are highly refined, high in salt, and often high in saturated and trans fats and calories and low in fiber.
Health Risks of Being Overweight
Being overweight increases your risk of a number of chronic health problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and some