Due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the rate of obesity has risen sharply as telecommuting and distance learning have increased and outdoor activities have decreased. According to the ‘2021 National Quality of Life’ report published by the National Statistical Office on the 15th, the obesity rate in 2020 was 38.3%, which was 4.5%p higher than in 2019 (33.8%). The increase in obesity rates has accelerated due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Obesity is a disease that must be overcome because it causes various complications such as high blood pressure, diabetes, fatty liver, and osteoporosis. As a result, many people make grand exercise plans, but fail over and over again, failing to overcome the wall of three days. However, this spring, it is necessary to actively engage in health care, which has not been cared for for the past year, so as to lose fat and build muscle. Let’s find out about the ‘Super Simple 1·3·5 Health Method’ that can be practiced in daily life with the help of the director of Jamsil Jasaeng Oriental Medicine Hospital, Shin Min-sik.
◆ Get off one stop early on the commute to work and get rid of fat by ‘walking 1km’
According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), aerobic exercise decreased by 4.9%p from 24.7% in 2019 to 19.8% in 2020 due to prolonged stay at home due to social distancing. However, aerobic exercise is important as it burns fat and improves cardiorespiratory function.
‘Walking’ is an aerobic exercise that can be easily practiced in daily life. If you can’t find time for yourself, it’s a good idea to get off one stop (about 1km) before your commute and walk. In order to increase the effect of the exercise, when your foot touches the ground, it should touch in the order from the heel to the sole of the foot and then to the big toe, and the stride length should be about 1m minus the height. If you intentionally increase your stride length to walk faster, you may injure your buttock muscles, so taking one natural step is appropriate.
The orientation of the feet is also important. This is because, when the tips of both feet point outward when walking, or when the feet are spaced apart from side to side, it can lead to damage to the knee cartilage. If walking is a habit, it is better to practice walking along the line of the sidewalk block and keep both feet side by side in the figure of 11. It is also recommended to wear cushioned sneakers to reduce the impact on the knee and spine when walking.
◆ Full-body exercise and core strength strengthening with the goal of ‘holding the plank for 3 minutes’
If you have removed the fat that has increased due to COVID-19 with walking exercise, it is now time to increase your muscles. Muscles account for about 40% of body weight and play a role in supplying energy to organs in the body to function properly. Among them, the core muscles supporting the spine, pelvis, and abdomen at the center of the body are the basis for balance and stability of the body.
Therefore, in order to maintain a healthy daily life, it is important to do core exercise at regular intervals. An easy-to-follow exercise method is the ‘plank’. The plank is an exercise in which you lie face down with your elbows on the floor and support the floor so that your shoulders and elbows are at a 90 degree angle. At this time, keep your toes together and be careful not to let your hips sag so that your waist, hips, and thighs form a straight line.
Although it looks simple, it may not be easy to hold out for 30 seconds at first as it is an energy-consuming exercise. It is also a good way to gradually increase the time with steady practice and plan a muscle exercise with the goal of holding the plank for 3 minutes this spring.
Shin Min-sik, director of Jamsil Jaseng Oriental Medicine Hospital, said, “If the pain in the lower back region is severe after the plank exercise, the lower back muscles are already weakened, so you need to find a nearby medical staff and receive appropriate treatment. In this way, we are implementing an integrated oriental medicine treatment including acupuncture and herbal medicine prescription,” he said.
◆ Practice ‘climbing the stairs to the 5th floor’ to strengthen the buttocks and thighs
If you want to increase the effect of muscle-strengthening exercises, lower body exercises are recommended. More than 50% of our muscles are distributed in the lower body, so exercising the lower body in parallel helps to increase muscle mass. In particular, the hip muscles are important to keep the lower body healthy. It is not an exaggeration to say that the buttock muscles support the upper body and straighten the body, so it is not an exaggeration to say that it also affects the health of the lower back and upper and lower body joints. Therefore, it is important to have a lifestyle that strengthens the hip muscles on a regular basis.
It is recommended to climb the stairs. Climbing stairs is effective in stimulating the muscles of the lower body, such as the thighs, along with the buttocks. Climbing stairs for 5 minutes burns the same amount of calories as swimming for the same time, which is good for weight management. Another great advantage is that if you do not have the proper exercise conditions at home, you can use the stairs of the apartment to achieve the effect of exercise.
When going up the stairs, you should feel as if you are being pushed while stepping on the entire sole of the foot. At this time, it is good to give strength to the buttocks and lower abdomen, and to straighten the back and shoulders. On the other hand, when going down the stairs, it is recommended to use the elevator rather than the stairs because a load of about five times the body weight is transmitted to the knee.
Shin Min-sik, director of Jamsil Jaseng Oriental Medicine Hospital, said, “In order to reduce the fat gain due to Corona 19 and regain health, it is good to consistently practice the appropriate intensity of exercise.” I hope you can get back to a healthy life through the ‘Ultra-simple 1·3·5 health method’.”