Tag: mortality

Focus on fitness, not weight

That’s right, shake ‘em buns!

Rather than weighing ‘em buns. What am I getting at? A lot of people, present company included, fret more about the number on the scale than we do about how fit we are. My weight’s stayed the same since I started running, and do I find that frustrating? Hellz yeah. Even though I’m obviously fitter (I sure don’t huff and puff as much as I used to and I’m much faster).

It’s how fit we are that may be as key (perhaps even more important) than our actual weight when it comes to lowering our mortality and heart disease risks, says a study conducted at the University of South Carolina School of Public Health. See, weight’s not necessarily a direct reflection of how fit we are (consider the muscle tone you gain when you become fitter, for example); you can read more about the study in the link above.

(the sign, btw, is one I photographed in Hong Kong this summer)

(and does anyone else have that Mystikal song stuck in their head now? Nope? Just me. OK.)

Leave a Comment December 6, 2011

Increase your activity, reduce your mortality

I’m going to start thinking of my running and other workouts as my personal extended healthcare plan (ah life as a freelancer without health insurance benefits!):

Five hours per week of vigorous-level aerobic activity and sports reduces mortality risk by 39 percent. 39 percent! That’s according to a systematic review published in the International Journal of Epidemiology.

Leave a Comment October 31, 2011


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