Kieser Training gives you the strength to lose weight

Topic 6

Skeletal muscles do far more than just facilitate movement. There is now clear evidence that mus- cles also play an important role in metabolic health. Weak, atrophied muscles combined with high le- vels of body fat are the main factors that trigger a complex metabolic dysfunction. In Western-type societies, the incidence of the disorder amongst those with a genetic predisposition is becoming in- creasingly common. Moreover, it is happening at an ever younger age and turning children into patients. The disorder, known as “Syndrome X” or the “Fatal Quartet” refers to the simultaneous existence of Type II diabetes mellitus (late onset) hypercholeste- rolemia (high cholesterol levels), hypertension (high blood pressure) and adiposity (obesity).

Cause: poor diet and insufficient muscular exertion

The wrong type of food and too much of it together with a lack of muscular exertion are making more of us fat and immobile. Extreme overweight accelerates the development of problems associated with wear and tear on the spine and joints and at the same time can trigger an insidious metabolic disorder – often not noticed for many years but which can have fatal consequences. High levels of blood sugar over a sus- tained period combined with high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure cause massive damage to blood vessels and organs. This increases the risk of serious circulatory disorders, strokes, coronary heart disease and heart attacks. Amputations, blindness and impotence become a real threat.

Result: muscular insulin resistance

Type II diabetes mellitus makes muscle cells increa- singly insensitive to the messenger insulin. Insulin produced in the pancreas controls blood sugar le- vels and ensures that glucose is used by muscles or if there is no muscular exertion that it is stored as glycogen. Excess glycogen is stored in the form of fat. If muscles become less sensitive to insulin, the organism has to produce more and more insulin in order to maintain this control system. In the end, the pancreas is no longer able to function and we beco- me ill.

Solution: health-oriented strength training

If muscles are exercised to fatigue and diet is contro- lled, the problem can be brought under control. In contrast to medication on its own, these two factors have a lasting effect on metabolic activity in the muscle cell. This is because the disease is located primarily in the muscles and so their rehabilitation will inevitably produce a beneficial result. Health- oriented strength training has a positive effect on our metabolism; it increases the insulin sensitivity

of muscles, reduces systolic and diastolic blood pres- sure, improves glucose tolerance and reduces fatty tissue in the torso. In other words, a well-trained body not only improves external appearance, it also improves health.

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