Teresa Hoffmann, RKC teaches a Kettlebell class at the PT Athletic Club
As an avid tennis player, I will be the first to tell patients about the importance of exercise for whole body health–mental, emotional, and physical. However, I think it comes as a great shock when they read Simeons’ manuscript emphasizing that exercise in fact plays little role in the body’s ability to liberate fat stores while undergoing HCG treatment. For some, great relief is clearly visible on their faces during the initial appointment. Others, though, feel a sense of disgust at the mere notion that hours a week spent at the gym will somehow not prove beneficial or play a pivotal role in weight loss.
For those who aren’t used to working out or even walking, it is best not to initiate this just prior to starting HCG and the low calorie diet. The reason is quite simple, actually. Exercise is a stress on the body and can be very inflammatory in nature. Certainly not all inflammation is bad, and it is often a necessary process when beginning most workout routines. However, the last thing you want is more inflammation and fluid retention when fat deposits are breaking down. I have seen this multiple times in patients who go on a hike in the middle of treatment or take a long walk to which they are unaccustomed.
But, once the treatment phase (injections and low calorie diet) is finished, it is important to begin some form of exercise. I personally enjoy kettlebells for a nice mix of weight bearing and aerobic exercise. For local patients, we are so fortunate to have a kettlebell gym in Port Townsend. Even those individuals who had only 10 pounds to lose now move so much easier and find exercise so much more agreeable. Imagine the difference that a 30-40 pound loss makes on your body in 7 or 8 weeks. I hope this helps clear things up a bit.
Enjoy moving in your new body!
Forrest Beck, ND