Last week, I heard an advertisement on the radio for the “4-minute gym” which actually made me sigh out loud.  Yet another company is taking advantage of people by promoting a “quick fix” to make money.  So, when I saw an article this week on “How Long Does it Take to Get Fit?” in my ACE (American Council on Exercise) newsletter, I felt that I needed to write on the topic.

As I’m sure we all know (but may refuse to admit), it takes more than “4 minutes a day” to become “fit”.  But how long does it take to see the benefits of a workout routine?  According to Douglas Brooks, an exercise physiologist in California, the answer varies depending on the type of exercise you are doing.

For strength training, individuals will see improvements in the amount of weight that can be lifted within the first four weeks, but will have to wait around 6-7 weeks to see bodily changes.   To see these changes it is recommended to start with 2 sets of 8-10 exercises (one for each major muscle group).  Weight lifting 2 times per week can give 75% of the gains of lifting 3-4 times per week. 

Cardiovascular benefits may take a little longer to achieve.   According to Brooks, it could take 8-12 weeks of doing cardio 2-4 times per week to get significant benefits.  For optimal benefits, it is recommended to exercise for 30-40 minutes 3-4 times per week.  However, beginners should start off with 15-20 minutes, and may want to start of with movement intervals of 20-30 seconds on a recumbent bike or doing water-based exercises.

Don’t be discouraged or intimidated by the numbers above.  Any exercise is going to provide some benefits and is better than nothing.  However, don’t be misled by the companies that promote quick fixes and make false promises.  If it sounds too good to be true…it is!  The key is to find activities you like, start small and build up over time.  It takes some patience and persistence, but the rewards are well worth it.    

Milk labels can be very confusing, so today I’m going to try to clarify some of the common misconceptions with milk.  The following are the answers to some questions my patients frequently ask:

1. What is the difference between Fat-Free Milk and Skim Milk?  There is no difference.  Skim, fat-free and non-fat milk are all terms used to describe milk that has 0% fat.
2. Whole milk is often labeled as “Vitamin D Milk”, so is it a better source of vitamin D than skim milk?  No, 1 cup (8 ounces) of skim milk has the same amount of vitamin D as 1 cup of whole milk.  While the vitamin D is removed from skim milk along with the fat, skim milk is then fortified with at least 400 IUs  of vitamin D per quart.   
3. Whole milk is best for children, right?  Whole milk is the best choice for children up until the age of 2 years old.  After that, it is best to start to switch children to lower fat versions.  The fat in milk is a saturated fat which is an “unhealthy” fat that can lead to heart disease down the road.
4. How much of an impact on my weight can there be from switching to a lower fat milk?  Reduced fat milk is lower in fat and calories.  The following is a chart that demonstrates this difference:

So, if you switch from whole milk to skim milk, you would save 70 calories per cup (8 ounces).  If you drink 2 cups of milk per day, you would save 140 calories each day.  This change alone would lead to a 14-pound weight loss at the end of the year by saving 51,100 calories and 2,920 grams of the unhealthy saturated fat.  This shows how small changes can’t make big differences!