CHAPTER 1

Defining Exercise

The medical literature is full of studies showing the benefits of working out.But rarely are we told how to do it right. And the media doesn't help—withimages of fast-paced aerobic dance classes, marathoners sprinting to the finishand collapsing, and of course all those pictures that portray "the agony ofdefeat."

Proper exercise has two primary components. One is that it's done in a balancedway; in particular this means that it should comprise a balance between aerobicand anaerobic exercise and the right training equation. This is the educatedapproach. When this path is taken, you can obtain the full benefits of exercise,including increased fat burning and energy and many others discussed in thisbook. The other primary component is fun. This is a very simple andstraightforward concept. Working out is fun when it is properly done. Throughoutthis book I discuss a variety of components of a fitness program that can reduceor eliminate the fun of exercise when they are not done right. This appliesespecially to balance.

In a sense, this is a book on the educational aspects of exercise. It shouldalso inspire you, clear up the many myths you encounter, and help you modify,fine-tune, or start a program based on your needs. Unfortunately, most peopleget caught up in a guessing game when it comes to working out. If you're goingto guess, you're most likely going to get in trouble, in which case you mightactually be better off as a couch potato. In short, don't just do it, do itright.

Before taking the first step, or improving your current program, you shouldunderstand some very important exercise concepts. Not only will they help youunderstand exercise better but they can help you avoid the common regressionperiods that most exercisers encounter. In addition, if you can define thevarious components of exercise, you'll be able to ignore the commercials for abmachines, the lure of overtraining, and the "no pain, no gain" myth, whetherfrom trainers, exercise partners, or family members. In short, once youunderstand the big picture, you'll accomplish your goals and have fun doing it.

A main focus of this book is balance. Therefore, concepts are often paired. Likethe Chinese concept of opposites—yin and yang—these paired conceptshelp set the stage for a more complete understanding. If we don't have balance,we create imbalance, which can lead to various physical, chemical, and mentalsigns and symptoms called injuries.

There's no better teaching tool than experience. We all have experiences, andideally we learn from them. One of my more profound experiences was getting backinto shape after a long period of stress and illness. I was nearing the end ofmy school years and ready to enter private practice. But physical illness due tostress had sidelined me. I was not just inactive and run down: on severaloccasions I had to be hospitalized.

As part of the recovery process I decided to begin walking. At first, even whenI ascended a short flight of stairs I had to stop halfway to rest. A 10-minutewalk was my limit. But soon I was walking 20, 25, and then 30 minutes. As Istarted to feel better, my walk became a bit more brisk, and a year later I waswalking 45 minutes to an hour five days a week.

One day, following my walk, I watched the Boston Marathon on TV. "These peopleare really healthy, if they can run 26 miles," I thought. After more than twoyears of walking, I wondered how healthy I really was, and I thought thatperhaps I should "test" myself. I thought the New York City Marathon, at the endof the year, would be a good test of my health. I was a great runner in highschool and in college, and it would be good to run again. So I began walkingfaster, gradually working some jogging into my workouts, and eventually I beganto run longer. All this training led to my marathon test.

The cannon that announced the start of the marathon was so loud that it shookthe Verrazano Bridge. The crowd of 18,000 runners began to move. All went wellthrough the first 10 miles. Though the excitement made me run a bit quicker thanI had planned, I felt great. By 15 miles I felt as I had expected: tired butable to continue. Within the next couple of miles, however, I began to shiver.Even though I had been drinking plenty of water, I was dehydrated. And I wascraving cotton candy. How odd that seemed.

After about 18 miles I no longer could feel my feet. I stopped to have a look:they were numb but still there. That was when I began talking to myself. "Myhamstrings are cramping," I said out loud. At the same time, I realized that Iwasn't thinking rationally. All I could remember was my goal: to finish therace, proving that I was healthy.

Apparently I looked worse than I felt, for two officials tried to take me offthe course, but I wouldn't stop. Somehow I fought my way through the next fewmiles. I knew the end was near because I was in Central Park—a discovery Imade when I ran into a TV camera in the middle of the road. As the pain becamemore intense, the crowds got louder, and for the first time in quite a while Ihad a clear view. I could see the finish line. I have very little memory ofthose last few miles, but I'll always remember the finale.

Someone hung a medal around my neck, my reward for finishing, and what littlefluid was in me came out as tears. I recall thinking that I had passed the test:I had proved that I was healthy. But something wasn't right.

The next thing I knew, I was in the first-aid tent near the finish line. Lyingon the dozens of cots in the tent were finishers who were...