Metabolic syndrome is described by The Mayo Clinic as “a cluster of conditions that occur together, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. These conditions include increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels.”
Metabolic syndrome has become increasingly more common in the U.S., and I would argue, is directly attributable to the increased frequency of obesity.
Having just one of these conditions increases your risk of more serious disease, such as the aforementioned type II diabetes and heart disease.
With more than one of them present, the risks of complications are even greater.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, it has widely been reported that upwards of 70% of all patients who required hospitalization were obese.
Symptoms of metabolic syndrome include a large waistline and certain signs of diabetes such as high blood sugar, increased thirst, frequent urination and blurred vision.
As I suggested, metabolic syndrome is closely linked to obesity. It is also linked to insulin resistance.
Risk factors for developing metabolic syndrome include age, too much body fat, family history of diabetes, or diabetes during pregnancy, and a few other diseases such as fatty liver and sleep apnea.
Exercise is the best medicine for metabolic syndrome
Most people with metabolic syndrome tend to focus on their diet, since most people with metabolic syndrome are overweight.
This usually puts them on the diet roller coaster. After a period of time when they restrict calories, the body adjusts to hang on to its body fat. Thus, you are required to limit calories more and more in order to lose weight.
This is simply an unsustainable process, and many people end up blowing up their diet and gain more weight than they previously lost.
Some then resort to gastric by-pass or other weight loss surgeries.
What I’ve tended to notice among most people who resort to surgery is that they’ve never commited to a sound exercise program.
Strength training and cardiovascular exercise individually can both help with improving metabolic function.
When you combine both, you have the best prescription for dealing with metabolic syndrome.
Strength training results in increased muscle mass. Muscle tissue requires more energy to maintain, which means your metabolism must increase.
A higher metabolism results in fat burning, if combined with an appropriate diet plan.
Zone 2 cardio exercise works by increasing the number of mitochondria in our cells, and improving their efficiency in burning energy as fat.
A good fitness program will typically have you train for strength three or four days per week and do cardio exercise three or four days per week.
What amazes me is that the medical profession still hasn’t figured out the proper dosing for either.
That Mayo clinic artical I linked to at the beginning of those post suggests 30 minutes of physical activity “most days.”
Sorry, but that won’t be enough.
You should get in at least one hour of exercise from a structured fitness program six days per week, IN ADDITION to other activities, such as walking, yard work, etc.
Naturally, you’ll also need to pay attention to your diet. You’ll definitely need to consume less than what you are used to, as that was too much to begin with.
Proper balancing of your diet macros will also be important. Paying close attention to your diet will help you become more successful with your exercise medicine.
How to start your exercise prescription
Many people who suffer from metabolic syndrome and/or who may be obese, tend to be shy about going to a gym.
That’s completely understandable.
The key is to get started with some sort of physical activity each day, and build from there.
This is where self-discipline will also play a role. You can’t miss a day, unless of course you are sick.
You’ve got to make your exercise a priority each day. This is your health we are talking about, and if you aren’t healthy, you won’t be of any use to anyone else anyway.
So make yourself the priority, and build your schedule around your activity.
Over time, the goal should do more with each session, whether it is strength training, or some sort of cardio exercise.
I also highly recommend finding an activity you actually enjoy aside from your workout routines. Hiking, riding a bike, yoga, martial arts, golf, tennis, gardening, anything that involves some sort of physical activity.
Your fitness program can then become a way to improve your performance in the activity you choose to do for fun.
In the end, exercise is the best prescription for metabolic syndrome.
