Low-Carb Living

Lesson 6: Weight Loss

Physical Activity

While following the paleo diet, your weight will normalize over time. Adding exercise and decreasing caloric intake can speed up the process. Regular exercise improves insulin metabolism, increases good cholesterol, lowers blood pressure, strengthens heart and blood vessels, and reduces stress.

Our paleolithic ancestors didn’t likely “exercise” like we do today. They didn’t set aside time to run around or lift heavy objects for fitness, because their lives depended on hard physical activity. Modern-day hunter-gatherers “exercise” for the purpose of carrying out their daily routines such as hunting, gathering, and preparing food, as well as building and repairing structures. Their exercise pattern alternates between days of intense exertion and days of rest.

Try to make physical exertion a regular part of your life by taking advantage of opportunities to use your body:

• Walk or ride your bicycle instead of driving when it is practical to do so.
• Park your car farther from your destination and walk the rest of the way.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Walk to lunch.
• Walk to the grocery store.
• Rake your leaves or shovel the snow instead of using a leaf or snow blower.
• Take up an active recreational activity that you enjoy.

Exercise Programs. For those who wish to incorporate an exercise program into their lives, a cross-training style that alternates aerobic and strength activities, most closely resembles our natural pattern of physical activity. Days of intense exertion should be alternated with rest days.

Cross-training has the advantage over single types of exercise of keeping your workout interesting, working your whole body, and reducing your risk of injury. You can alternate any number of exercises including those done on machines and those done in the great outdoors. If you do injure a body part, you can continue training with your other body parts.

Aerobic exercise includes activities such as walking, bicycling, jogging, etc. Practice these activities according to your fitness level. Use your instincts as a guide to how long and how intensely to work out. You may find exercising in a natural environment such as a hiking trail or park path more stimulating than on a track or city sidewalk.

Strength training should be varied to include all major muscle groups, and should include warm up activities and stretching. Strength training can be accomplished by lifting weights or by using your muscles to lift your own body weight.

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