FIT

While everyone is talking about obesity (including me), what seems to be forgotten is the issue of fitness. Being fit is actually more important than just having a reasonable BMI (body mass index). It's only with proper aerobic capacity that insulin receptors are sensitive enough and therefore properly respond to insulin. When they do, glucose smoothly enters muscle cells in order to refuel them and thus allow for more muscle activity. Without fitness, on the other hand, insulin receptors are sluggish to respond, and glucose cannot enter muscle cells. Remaining in the capillaries, blood glucose soon rises to abnormal levels. We typically assume that all thin people are fit, and that all overweight/obese individuals, are not. This, is not true. There are plenty of thin people who are not fit, and lots who are obese and fit. Fitness is not easily defined, but in general, it's a certain capacity to perform physical activity for a certain length of time, without the need to stop or rest. Most of us are capable of doing some physical activity, but few are able to run the marathon. Those who do, are "super athletes", while the rest of us should aspire to just be fit. I say aspire, because the majority of adults, are not fit. We work long hours, drive to work and back, sit at home opposite the TV set, eat at least 3 meals a day, and sleep the rest of the time. Repeating that pattern at least 5 times a week, thus accruing many "immobile" hours. How can we change that, and become fit? What are the components of fitness? These are mainly two. One has to do with cardiovascular(CV) fitness, and the other with good muscle tone. CV fitness is the function of the heart-lung unit. When we're able to either run, walk briskly, swim fast, bicycle distances, hike, skate, or dance for a period of time without stopping, that's good aerobic conditioning. It's when both the lungs and the heart work in concert to bring oxygen in and to move the oxygenated red blood cells fast enough to all the distant organs that need it, in a smooth and prolonged fashion. That's aerobic capacity, and to achieve it one must do it at least 30 minutes daily. What is meant by "good muscle tone"? By that we mean that the main muscle groups in our bodies are viable, healthy, and at their near-peak performance. To achieve that state, they need to be constantly challenged and made to flex against resistance. Simply stated, we need to do squats for the legs, sit-ups for the stomach, push-ups for the chest and shoulders, and pull-ups for the arms. But who has either the time or the energy for that, very few. So the best advice is to pick a few exercises from each group, and create a routine that can be repeated daily, while trying to touch on all muscle groups at least once a month. Those of you who will be able maintain such a pattern, will achieve a level of fitness that will help overcome many medical calamities, including diabetes. Good Luck!