Being overweight increases the stress and strain the foot undergoes as it supports the body during walking and standing. The heel takes on more pressure, the arch and sides of the feet stretch out more, and the bones are more apt to develop stress cracks.
According to the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society, people carry approximately four to six times their body weight across the ankle joint when climbing up stairs or walking steep inclines. And obesity may significantly increase the impact.
To learn more about foot care, visit the American Podiatric Medical Association. If you’d like extra support to lose weight while learning healthier lifestyle strategies to improve your health and quality of life, call the weight loss experts at the Baptist Health Weight Loss Program at (501) 202-2001.
Archive for the ‘weight loss’ Category
Did you know that foot and ankle problems are often linked to excess weight?
Monday, April 16th, 2012Does Weight Loss Feel Like an Uphill Run?
Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011Darla Henry, M.S., CPT, Baptist Health Weight Loss Program Health Educator
When I was on the cross-country team in college, there was one workout the whole team dreaded – “hill work”. Our coach would find the largest hill in the city (We were convinced it was the largest hill in the world!) and have us trudge up and race down repeatedly. I remember the climb was arduous. I was tempted many times to stop and walk, but my stubborn pride kept my legs moving. My team members who did stop (usually after the fifth or sixth repetition) had a look of defeat on their face. They were disappointed in themselves and, of course, the coach was disappointed too, as evidenced by much yelling.
The hill work wasn’t all treacherous though. The best part of the climb was getting to race back down. The downhill training was just as important as the uphill training to increase our speed and foot strike rate. I remember feeling like I was flying as I willed my legs to go faster and faster to keep up with the decline of the hill. All of the team enjoyed the downhill run and the competitiveness of trying to have the best time on the team. So…why then did we groan in dread the next time (usually several weeks later) the coach mentioned “hill work today”? Did we focus so much on the hill that we forgot the exhilarating run down?
Weight loss can feel like an uphill battle. We trudge through the week eating our healthy food, tempted to stop along the way to end the pain. We dread starting a new diet because we remember the pain of our other attempts. We also may remember the feeling of defeat if we stopped before reaching the top.
Thinking about food in a new way and denying our stubborn will can be painful. After all, it is always painful to do something we do not want to do. But would we really appreciate the exhilaration of racing downhill if we had not first made the uphill climb?
I still run hills today and I still enjoy the downhill race. However, today I appreciate the climb and like to pause at the top to value the accomplishment. If you are ready to start your climb, contact the Baptist Health Weight Loss Program at 202-2001. Remember, it is during the climb up that we get the strongest and then we can run downhill even faster!
You Know Exercise is Important, But How Much is Enough?
Thursday, August 4th, 2011
There’s no such thing as a wasted workout. Any amount or type of exercise is a step forward. The question becomes, is your level of exercise matching up with your goals? If your goal is simply health improvement and to help prevent chronic diseases, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends adults 18-64 exercise:
-At moderate intensity (i.e. brisk walking, water aerobics, or biking under 10 mph) at least 2½ hours per week
– At high intensity (like running, stair climbing, swimming laps, and biking over 10 mph)at least 1¼ hours per week
However, if your goal is weight loss or weight maintenance, you’ll need longer bouts! The American College of Sports Medicine recommends up to an hour of physical activity a day. The Baptist Health Weight Loss Program’s goal of 2000 physical activity calories per week is where to set your initial goal. But more is better when it comes to physical activity and weight loss. Once you’ve made it to 2000, push for more to see what’s possible. Try extending a bout of exercise by just 5 minutes, add a 10-minute short bout in your day, or try a new type of exercise to shake up your routine.
To learn more about how to adopt a healthy lifestyle and lose weight, come to a free weight loss orientation at Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock. Call Baptist Health HealthLine at 888-BAPTIST to find out when the next one will be.