The Hindu Business Line : Do weights for weight-loss

I am 38 years old, 5 ft 6 inches tall, and my left wrist measures 6.9 inches. My hypertension is under control with medicine. I've been working out on the treadmill every day for 25 minutes at 8 kmph, which burns 260 calories per session since July 2004. My weight has reduced from 90 kg to 75. Even with a strict diet and regular exercise, I am not able to reduce my weight further. What should I do?

SSK

You've done an excellent job both in controlling your hypertension and losing 15 kg in a year. Do not worry if your weight remains at 75 kg for a few months. During a weight-loss regime, the body often reaches a plateau, because it is re-balancing and adapting itself to its changing circumstances.

Meanwhile, to make your body a more efficient fat-burner, I suggest you add on a weight-training session three times a week. Muscles are your metabolism's trouble-shooters. Strengthened, they help muscle out fat and maintain your weight-loss.

Check with your doctor whether you can do light weight training. Once you get the green signal, get yourself a pair of dumbbells of 5 pounds each. For a month, do 10 reps of each exercise after your treadmill session. Then increase to 10-pause-10-reps. Keep your back straight, and your chin parallel to the floor. Ensure that movements are smooth, not jerky. Do these exercises:

Shoulder shrugs: Stand with feet apart. Grasp dumbbells in an overhand grip. Shrug shoulders in a rotating backward movement.

Reach for the sky: From the same starting position, keeping your elbows straight, raise both arms front and upward until they are over your head. Then, lower them back towards thigh.

Bicep curl: From the same starting position, bend your elbows and curl dumbbells to your shoulders. Lower.

Single sidebends: From the same starting position, bend sideways to the right and pulse 10 times. Then bend sideways to the left side and pulse 10 times.

As you get into weight training, initially check your blood pressure every week. It is also important to drink 10-12 glasses of water daily to hydrate your muscles. If you feel fatigued at the end of the day, reduce your reps to 5 for each exercise.

According to your build, your weight should be 59 kg. For a week, go off all added fats and sugars. It means resolutely saying `No' to even a thin slice of cake on somebody's birthday. Remember, as much as will power, it's also your `won't power' that induces weight-loss.

Please give me some information on arthritis. I am a 35-year-old ICWA student. For the past 3-4 years, I've been suffering from knee pain and swelling on the back of my knee. It shifts from one knee to another, disappears, and then resurfaces after 1-2 weeks.

I took medicine from a hakeem. It works like magic. For the past 6-7 months, I have been feeling all right; but sometimes, my knees swell and hurt especially while climbing up and down the stairs. All my tests are negative.

Ravi Sharma

If the hakeem's medicine works for you, stick to it. Knee joints hurt because: One, they are under stress due to excess weight; two: the synovial fluid circulation in the knee is poor. I suggest you lose weight by cycling daily for 20 minutes. Cycling also boosts the synovia circulation and lubricates the joints. Make sure the pedals are loose and move freely. Since the knees are held up by the thigh muscles and ligaments, it is imperative you exercise and strengthen them. The more strongly they support your knees, the less pain in your knees. Do these exercises:

Knee strengtheners: Sit on the floor, your sore knees straight out in front. Place a folded towel under the knee. Now tighten muscles in your leg. Hold that contraction for 30 seconds, then relax. Repeat this process 25 times.

Leg lifts: Sit with your back supported by a wall. Contract your leg muscles and raise your leg a few inches and hold to a count of 5. Lower leg and relax to a count of 5. Do 10-pause-10-pause-10 lifts.

Once you understand that arth means joints and itis means inflammation, you can concentrate on alleviating inflammation from your joints. Remember, an ice-pack applied for 20 minutes prevents inflammation. And a moist head-pack soothes when the joints are already swollen and tender.

It is said that potatoes, tomatoes, brinjals, non-black peppers and tobacco aggravate certain types of arthritis. Fish-oil capsules (containing omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A and D), as also vitamin C tablets and carrot juice have a therapeutic effect. However, follow such a diet only under a clinical dietician's guidance, as vitamins A and D in large amounts can be toxic. Finally, avoid getting tense as that makes you tired and sore. Pace your activities to keep you in your comfort zone.

(The writer is co-author of the book, `Fitness for Life'.)

Do you have any queries on health and fitness? Send them to life@thehindu.co.in

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