The Exercise That Takes Off 20 Years

A few months ago, I had never so much as lifted a barbell. However, during a stay at Buchinger Wilhelmi Clinic, I attended a life-changing lecture by Felipe Isidro, professor of physical education and CEO of Physical Exercise & Health Consulting. That was the day everything changed.

Photo: Alex Sutula / Adobe Stock

A few months ago, I had never so much as lifted a barbell. However, during a stay at Buchinger Wilhelmi Clinic, I attended a life-changing lecture by Felipe Isidro, professor of physical education and CEO of Physical Exercise & Health Consulting. That was the day everything changed.

“Who here works out?” Isidro started. “When I say ‘work out,’ I don’t mean normal physical activities like walking, climbing stairs, and carrying shopping bags. I mean ‘exercise,’ which is movement that is both planned and scheduled. I ask, because 7 out of 10 people don’t: that’s 70% of the population.”

Training for longevity, not weight loss

Up until then, I had never thought of the true importance of exercise: I’d only thought of it as a means to an end—to lose weight and, ideally, to look better in my clothes. Although it is true that exercise can help on both accounts, Isidro allowed me to see that neither of those are as important as keeping the body’s muscles and mitochondria healthy for as long as possible. “The mitochondria are like little batteries that produce the energy that impact vitality,” Isidro explained. “When the mitochondria work well, we feel strong; when they deteriorate, we feel fatigued. It’s also difficult to burn fat, even when we diet. Fat does not only accumulate under the skin, but also in organs, viscera, and even in the muscle itself.”

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