Is winter a good time to exercise for weight loss? The balance between health and exercise.

Answers to questions about sports (continued)

Netizen E: Is winter a good time to exercise for weight loss? Someone told me that the seasonal health regimen is spring (promotion), summer (growth), autumn (harvest), and winter (storage). They said I shouldn't exercise outdoors in winter, nor should I try to lose weight through exercise. Instead, I should rest indoors in a warm place, away from wind and cold, to preserve my Yang energy. They also said that eating more high-energy foods in winter is good for keeping warm, and gaining a little weight is fine; I can lose weight in spring. Is this true?

Answer: As the saying goes, everything has its limits. It's right to follow nature and maintain health in all four seasons, but what kind of physical activity constitutes "retreat" and what kind is "not properly retracted"? To understand the words of the ancients, we need to adopt a bit of historical materialism and carefully analyze what people's lives were like more than 2,000 years ago.

Humans are active in all four seasons, unlike hibernating bears. Since we cannot hibernate, we must hunt for food in winter; even when food is plentiful, we still need to fetch water, start a fire, cook food, and do various basic household chores. Keep in mind that over 2000 years ago, there were no gas stoves, microwaves, or induction cookers. Firewood had to be chopped outside, water had to be fetched from elsewhere, and cooking a meal took a long time. I remember when I was a child, I worked hard with my mother to light the coal stove; the washing and cleaning were also quite tiring, let alone 2000 years ago! Back then, it was simply impossible to stay indoors all day.

Anthropological research has revealed that humans 5,000 years ago engaged in more than three times the average daily physical activity of modern humans. This means that even during periods of "hibernation" in winter, the ancients still engaged in considerable physical activity, albeit less strenuous work than in other seasons; they certainly didn't sit or lie still all day. The saying goes, "Transportation relied primarily on walking, communication primarily on shouting, housework primarily on hand, and warmth primarily on shivering." In that era, without central heating or air conditioning, people primarily generated heat through muscle movement. If they had remained sedentary, they would have found it difficult to withstand the harsh cold.

Therefore, even in winter, engaging in half an hour to an hour of aerobic exercise outdoors daily does not contradict the concept of "winter hibernation." It's self-evident whether it's better to sit still in front of the TV and accumulate excess weight, or to move around frequently to improve blood circulation and build muscle. Look at those who are frequently outdoors; they generally have strong immune systems and rarely get sick. Those who bundle up tightly, clinging to the warmth of the heating and refusing to go outside, are more prone to illness.

Let's look at the idea that winter nourishment leads to weight gain. Actually, what we need to nourish in winter isn't fat, but rather the internal organs, muscles, and immune system. This kind of "nourishment" doesn't require excessive fat, sugar, or refined starch. For example, when using chicken for nourishment, we mean using the lean meat, not the skin and fat; similarly, when using yams for nourishment, there's no need to add oil and sugar to make them into candied yams. Eating natural foods with less oil and sugar can provide nourishment without causing excessive weight gain. Conversely, indulging in greasy fried foods, large amounts of cookies, cakes, and candies, and excessive refined starches and sweets will not help with winter nourishment; it will only lead to malnutrition, resulting in less vitality in spring and premature aging.

Therefore, maintaining health and losing weight are not contradictory at all. Eating the right natural foods and reducing the intake of fat and sugar can improve nutrition, enhance physical fitness, and achieve the goal of building a strong body, without causing weight gain.

Actually, winter is the perfect season for weight loss and fitness. Walking in thick clothes actually increases the body's energy expenditure. If you can walk faster or jog for a while until your body feels slightly warm, you can achieve the effect of weight loss.

November to January is the most stressful period for people, with high pressure and poor sleep, which is actually the least conducive to "winter hibernation" and health preservation. If you can maintain moderate exercise during winter, it can effectively relieve stress, improve sleep quality, improve digestion and absorption, and help the body rest and recuperate. Maintaining exercise during winter, ensuring good digestion, good sleep, no irritability, and no illness, can not only prevent weight gain but also bring more vitality and beauty when spring arrives.

It's important to note that for most people, exercise should be avoided during strong winds or heavy snow. When outdoors, don't dress too lightly; wear a sweater or thermal underwear under your workout clothes, and add a padded jacket or thick fleece over it when the temperature is low. Exercise until you sweat slightly. After exercising, put on warm clothes immediately to avoid catching a chill from a sudden gust of cold wind.

What exercises should I do when I'm trying to lose weight?

People often ask: "What kind of exercise should I do to lose weight? I'm overweight, can I run? I really hate running, can I avoid it? Will brisk walking and running damage my knees? How fast should I run or walk? How long should I exercise? Why are my legs getting thicker after exercising?"

These are questions I hear almost every day, so I'll discuss them briefly one by one here. For complex questions, you should consult sports experts; here I'm just sharing some basic knowledge with readers.

What is the best exercise during weight loss?

When trying to lose weight, it's best to do both aerobic and muscle-building exercises. Aerobic exercise lasts longer, burns more calories, and is more effective at burning fat, especially for slimming the waist. Muscle-building exercises can make the body firm and shapely, helping women achieve a flat stomach and a perky butt, which is also very important for creating a beautiful figure.

Is it possible to do aerobic exercise other than running?

People who are significantly overweight, such as those who are tens of kilograms overweight, should avoid running. The greater the weight, the greater the pressure on the knee joints during exercise, increasing the risk of sports injuries. People with a history of knee injuries should also avoid running, and exercise caution when hiking or jumping rope, especially downhill, where the pressure on the knee joints is extremely high. Furthermore, people with spinal misalignments or injuries should avoid jumping on trampolines unnecessarily.

Besides running and skipping rope, there are many other aerobic exercises, such as swimming, which is especially suitable for people with knee injuries. Some mat exercises are also quite suitable. If swimming is not an option, you can do some calisthenics or walk. Walking is an exercise suitable for most people; it's simple, easy, and requires no cost.

How long should exercise last?

Studies have shown that exercise lasting 15 minutes or more produces health benefits. From an energy expenditure perspective, even doing housework is better than sitting still.

According to the World Health Organization, healthy adults should engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, which translates to five 30-minute sessions or three 50-minute sessions per week. During weight loss, 40-120 minutes of exercise daily is recommended. Too little exercise will not yield noticeable results; too much exercise will be difficult to maintain long-term.

What is moderate-intensity exercise?

In fact, exercise intensity is not directly related to how fast you run or walk; it varies from person to person and is evaluated based on heart rate.

Generally speaking, a person's maximum heart rate during exercise is 220 minus their age. Multiplying this by 60% to 80% gives you the heart rate for moderate-intensity exercise. For example, a 40-year-old's maximum heart rate is 180 beats per minute. Multiplying by 60% and 80%, their moderate-intensity exercise heart rate range is 108 to 144 beats per minute.

You can buy a sports watch, heart rate monitor, or similar device to test yourself. You can also try to feel it. If you can clearly feel your heart rate increase, but you can still say a few words normally, then your heart rate is within the appropriate range.

When you first start exercising, you might find yourself out of breath and your heart rate rises quickly even if you walk a little faster. Don't rush this; progress gradually. After exercising for a while, your cardiovascular system will improve, and your heart rate will rise more slowly with the same amount of exercise. At this point, you can increase your exercise speed. Therefore, you don't need to extend the exercise time. Within the same 40 minutes, at the same heart rate zone, gradually increasing the speed and distance of your walk, run, or swim will demonstrate the improvement in your exercise capacity.