Wuzzy
Sun, Apr-28-02, 01:07
I like the following quote:
*** (*overeating*) This eating habit may cause abdominal
distension. When this practice is followed by sleep, the
oblique muscles relax and eventually a potbelly can develop.*
JAMA 1995 v273 n6 p503(1)
Visceral fat deposition has genetic as well as dietary and
exercise-based causes. If total body fat is low but localized
accumulation is evident, it is unlikely that spot training
will solve the problem.[1]
Continual runners have been described as developing potbellies
because of postural changes that occur over time. It is
difficult to hold in the stomach while running. Gradually
runners stop trying, causing the abdominal muscles to weaken,
especially if abdominal and lower back exercises are ignored.
In addition, runners often fail to stretch the hamstrings
after a run. The runner's compensation for these changes is an
increased stride frequency with a shortened running gait,
which may result in chronic back, knee, foot, and ankle
problems. Furthermore, biomechanical and structural
compensations may occur. For example, the weakened abdominal
and lower back muscles produce a postural change described as
a "swayback" or "potbelly."
Another possible contributor to potbelly is too many calories
consumed at once, especially in the evening. This eating habit
may cause abdominal distension. When this practice is followed
by sleep, the oblique muscles relax and eventually a potbelly
can develop.
Finally, upper body strength and muscle tone are important to
maintain good posture. Failure to maintain these strengths can
also contribute to abdominal distension and/or swayback. In
men and women, there is a 20% loss of strength by 65 years of
age, which progresses further as age increases.[2] Much of
this loss is due to a decrease in muscle mass. However,
resistance training (ie, weight training) can increase
strength for both elderly men and women.[3,4] According to
several investigators,[2.5-7] regular aerobic exercise may not
counter age-related changes in body mass index. In a study of
master athletes,[7] fat weight increased an average of about
1.1 kg during a 10-year period, while fat-free weight declined
1.3 to 2.7 kg despite heavy training mileage (more than 48
km/wk). The authors concluded that heavy aerobic training did
not appear to protect fat-free weight and suggested that it
may be necessary to add strength training to exercise regimens
of adults as they age to maintain fat-free weight.
Although aerobic exercise is necessary for cardiorespiratory
fitness, strength exercises should also be included. Thirty
minutes per day 3 to 4 days per week of circuit weight
training, including push-ups, pull-ups, lateral pulls, and
modified sit-ups, followed by daily stretching of the
ham-strings after running, should impede the process of
musculoskeletal deterioration from continual road training and
the natural processes of aging.
[1.] National Institutes of Health. National Institutes of
Health Consensus Development Conference statement: health
implications of obesity. Ann Intern Med. 1985;
103:981-1077.
*** (*overeating*) This eating habit may cause abdominal
distension. When this practice is followed by sleep, the
oblique muscles relax and eventually a potbelly can develop.*
JAMA 1995 v273 n6 p503(1)
Visceral fat deposition has genetic as well as dietary and
exercise-based causes. If total body fat is low but localized
accumulation is evident, it is unlikely that spot training
will solve the problem.[1]
Continual runners have been described as developing potbellies
because of postural changes that occur over time. It is
difficult to hold in the stomach while running. Gradually
runners stop trying, causing the abdominal muscles to weaken,
especially if abdominal and lower back exercises are ignored.
In addition, runners often fail to stretch the hamstrings
after a run. The runner's compensation for these changes is an
increased stride frequency with a shortened running gait,
which may result in chronic back, knee, foot, and ankle
problems. Furthermore, biomechanical and structural
compensations may occur. For example, the weakened abdominal
and lower back muscles produce a postural change described as
a "swayback" or "potbelly."
Another possible contributor to potbelly is too many calories
consumed at once, especially in the evening. This eating habit
may cause abdominal distension. When this practice is followed
by sleep, the oblique muscles relax and eventually a potbelly
can develop.
Finally, upper body strength and muscle tone are important to
maintain good posture. Failure to maintain these strengths can
also contribute to abdominal distension and/or swayback. In
men and women, there is a 20% loss of strength by 65 years of
age, which progresses further as age increases.[2] Much of
this loss is due to a decrease in muscle mass. However,
resistance training (ie, weight training) can increase
strength for both elderly men and women.[3,4] According to
several investigators,[2.5-7] regular aerobic exercise may not
counter age-related changes in body mass index. In a study of
master athletes,[7] fat weight increased an average of about
1.1 kg during a 10-year period, while fat-free weight declined
1.3 to 2.7 kg despite heavy training mileage (more than 48
km/wk). The authors concluded that heavy aerobic training did
not appear to protect fat-free weight and suggested that it
may be necessary to add strength training to exercise regimens
of adults as they age to maintain fat-free weight.
Although aerobic exercise is necessary for cardiorespiratory
fitness, strength exercises should also be included. Thirty
minutes per day 3 to 4 days per week of circuit weight
training, including push-ups, pull-ups, lateral pulls, and
modified sit-ups, followed by daily stretching of the
ham-strings after running, should impede the process of
musculoskeletal deterioration from continual road training and
the natural processes of aging.
[1.] National Institutes of Health. National Institutes of
Health Consensus Development Conference statement: health
implications of obesity. Ann Intern Med. 1985;
103:981-1077.