Our body's aerobic system is a major source of our energy. This system also helps us cope with stress, regulates fat and is important for good circulation. When we neglect our aerobic system, it works less effectively, and can become deficient. To avoid the aerobic deficiency syndrome, it's important to understand how to achieve aerobic efficiency. Much of our body's energy is derived from our red (aerobic) muscles, as a result of burning fat. (The other source of energy comes from carbohydrates.) In addition to activity, numerous vitamins, minerals and fats are required for this process to continue. Here are a few tips to achieve aerobic efficiency.

… Use Your Red Muscles. Try easy aerobic exercise, it's a great way to give your red muscles an energizing workout.

... Eat a Balance of Fats. Most of your energy should come from natural fats in the diet. However, a balance of butter, egg yolks, and unrefined oils are needed.

… Eat Right. Once you add the right fats to your diet, you need vitamins and minerals to properly use them. Some of these co-factors include Vitamins B-1 and B-6, niacin, manganese, zinc, iron and molybdenum. A good diet should provide them.

Most of us are familiar with our muscles and have some idea what they do. But besides enabling us to stand upright, move and provide power to do many things, muscles are an important part of a feedback mechanism used by both the brain and the doctor.

One important tool used by applied kinesiologists is standard muscle testing. Used properly, this provides the doctor with another vital piece of information in his appraisal of body performance. Other tools used include blood pressures in the lying, sitting and standing positions temperature, vital capacity (how much air your lungs can hold), and blood and urine tests. Muscle testing has been shown to not only evaluate the local function of that particular muscle, but the state of the muscle also provides clues about other areas of body function.

How do the muscles in one part of the body give information about other areas? Through the nervous system. This involves sending messages through the nerves and brain from not only the muscles but the joints as well. Similarly, the ears and eyes communicate with the brain as well, and must interpret and return commands to the body, telling it how to move, stand and function.

The muscles, which attach to bones, act as levers and move the bones and joints. The joints, the point where two bones join, are like hinges. When the joint is moved, it sends signals to the brain informing it of what movements are taking place and the position of our body. These signals are sent through both conscious and subconscious pathways.

Only 36% of U.S. children in grades 1 through 12 receive daily physical education. This despite accepted knowledge that physical activity improves academic achievement and has a positive effect on the health and well being of children. We are not alone in voicing this concern; the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Sports Medicine has also expressed concern. The U.S. Congress has passed a resolution (H. Con. Res. 97) encouraging State and local educational agencies to include more physical education in grades K through 12. Unfortunately, only one state, Illinois, complies. Moreover, this trend seems to be worsening. Data from two periods (1974-75 and 1984-86) show a decrease in daily physical education activity (from I 33% to 36%).

To make matters even worse, students spend a mere 27% of the time being physically active when in physical education class. Of the remaining time, 26% was spent on instruction, an important feature of physical education. But almost half the time was wasted: 25% of the time was spent waiting with 22% going to administrative tasks.

The phenomenon of excess carbohydrates in the diet preventing fats from being used for energy is especially true before an exercise and especially competition. For example, taking a high carbohydrate food or drink before your workout or race can have devastating effects for the reasons described above. Keeping those substances to 3% glucose or less will keep you away from danger. (Eating or drinking high carbohydrates during your workout or race will not create the same problem as taking them before.)

The training aspect of burning more fat and less carbohydrate is also very specific. The aerobic muscle fibers (the so-called "red" or "slow-twitch" muscles) generate energy by burning fats. This is accomplished in the mitochondria, found within the aerobic muscles. As these muscles are trained they become more capable of converting fats to energy - as long as insulin levels are not too high. Relatively slow rather than fast training provides maximum benefits to these anaerobic muscles, training them to burn more fat for energy. As you develop the aerobic muscle you will burn more fat and your pace, or speed, will get faster, as will endurance.

While most people should focus more on aerobic conditioning as a dominant part of an overall program, it's essential to examine the concept of anaerobic threshold exercise, sometimes called AT-training. The leading exponent of this practice is the Italian physiologist Dr. Francesco Conconi. He was among the first in the sports medicine profession to bring his laboratory out on the road in order to work with cyclists. Conconi's pioneering efforts received widespread attention on January 23, 1984, due to the astounding achievement of the then 32 year old Italian racer Francesco Moser. Moser, who was trained by Conconi, established a new hour speed record for the bicycle 51.151 km. Moser's accomplishment, especially in light of his age, sold the bicycling community on AT training.

Indeed, Conconi's AT concept was a real breakthrough as a way of training cyclists and other athletes. Because the physiological basis of AT training is extremely complex, those desiring more detailed information on this subject should consult the study "Determination of the anaerobic threshold by a non-evasive field test in runners," by Conconi et al, published by the American Physiological Society in 1982. In fact, some of the procedures outlined in this book parallel his work. The major differences between the information presented here and that offered by Conconi are in the realms of philosophy and physiology, as well as experience.

Conconi believes the ideal training level is achieved by exercising at your AT. The new 180-Formula takes the position that Maximum Aerobic Function (MAF), the number of heart bpm that produces the most aerobic benefits with the least anaerobic stimulation is the optimal method of obtaining fitness.

The New 180-Formula

Many people who want to fine-tune their exercise and uncover secrets about their bodies' limits, spend quite a bit of time and money reading the magazines about aerobic exercise. Some even spend more on laboratory tests. But the most important information is all free, and takes just minutes.

Some information provides the person with a knowledge about his or her blood lactate and maximum oxygen uptake, respiratory quotient, and heart rate. The last two factors are particularly valuable.

The Respiratory Quotient (RQ) indicates how the body is utilizing oxygen and carbon dioxide. Through this assessment, it can be ascertained whether you are primarily burning fat or sugar while exercising. This procedure is performed by measuring the amount of oxygen the body consumes and comparing it to the quantity of carbon dioxide exhaled. The mathematical ratio of carbon dioxide to oxygen is called RQ (Respiratory Quotient), the R Value, or sometimes the Respiratory Exchange Ratio (RER). The RQ ranges from 0.7 to 1.0. As your R Value gets closer to 0.7, it denotes that more fat is being used to fuel the body. And when the value tilts closer to 1.0, this suggests that sugar, in increasing amounts, is the dominant energy source.

An article in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (vol.21, No. 1, 1989) entitled, "Exercise reverses depressed metabolic rate produced by severe caloric restriction" says dieting slows the body's metabolism and exercise can correct it.

One problem with dieting is that it slows metabolism. If you're trying to lose weight, a slow metabolism actually causes you to store fat. Most people who have dieted find that although there is some initial weight loss, the weight not only returns, but there is more weight than originally.

This study showed that 500 calorie-a-day diets slowed the metabolism by 87%! This is a dramatic depression in body function. Using 1,000 calorie diets, metabolism decreased by 24%. When you want to lose weight, in the form of fat, the metabolism must be increased.

The most effective way to increase the metabolism is by easy exercise. This study showed that only thirty minutes of daily exercise, a decrease in metabolism could be prevented. The subjects jogged, swam or rode stationary bicycles at 60% of their maximum effort, which is a very easy pace.

Many important nutrients are necessary for burning off that extra body fat. Too often, restricting food intake results in missing out on some of those necessary nutrients.

More on Fat Loss and Metabolism

An article in Medical Hypothesis, (1989. 28, 13-33) entitled "Prostaglandins, Brown Fat and Weight Loss," outlines some rules for healthy weight and fat loss, and helps dispel certain myths that have become traditional strong-holds in weight loss programs.

Most people think of health and fitness in absolute terms -either they're fit and healthy, or they are unfit and unhealthy. However, many fit people are very unhealthy, and too many healthy people are just not fit. Running enthusiast Jim Fixx, who died during a jog, and basketball great Pete Marovich are examples of fit people who were not healthy.

Health and fitness have two separate meanings:

Health is a state where all systems of the body--nervous, muscular, skeletal, circulatory, digestive, lymphatic, hormonal, etc.- are working optimally. This process is called homeostasis.

Fitness is the ability to perform athletic activity.

As society became more modernized people became less physically active. Only a generation or two ago, most people worked hard to accomplish their daily chores. Today, those active chores have been replaced by door-to-door service, elevators, microwaves and Cuisinarts. Forced activity, called exercise, is now a separate and unique cultural element.

This radical change from an active to an inactive lifestyle has taken place within a relatively short time frame. The human body cannot adapt to such a drastic change within such a brief period without consequences. The stress of the body's adaptation difficulties has been related to the increased incidence of heart disease, diabetes and arthritis as well as low back pain, digestive disturbance and fatigue. Dis-ease and dys-function have resulted from a loss of that natural performance: activity.