Health and Exercise Terms

By Mark Guilbert (M.Dip. PTST)

Abyss: A barrier, which stands between knowing what needs to be done and actually doing it.

Aerobic: This means « with oxygen ». Aerobic metabolism occurs between 40%-80% of maximum heart rate, normally, low intensity, long duration exercise. Amino Acids: A group of compounds that serve as the building blocks which protein and muscle are made.

Anaerobic: This means « without oxygen. » Anaerobic metabolism in muscle tissue occurs during intense physical activities like sprinting and weight training.

Antioxidants: Small compounds that minimise tissue oxidation and help control free radicals and their negative effects.

Atrophy: A decrease in size or « wasting away » of muscle tissue through lack of use.

Barbell: A free weight consisting of a long bar on which weight plates are placed. It is normally lifted with both arms.

Body Composition: The percentage of your body weight composed of fat compared to fat-free mass.

Carbohydrates: Organic compounds containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. They are a very effect fuel source for the body. The different types of carbohydrates include starches, sugars, and fibers. Carbohydrates contain four calories per gram. Glucose - blood sugar - is a carbohydrate used by every cell in the body as fuel.

Cholesterol: A type of fat that, although most widely known as a « bad fat » implicated in promoting heart disease and stroke, is a vital component in production of many hormones in the body. There are different types of cholesterol: namely, HDL and LDL (HDL being the « good » form and LDL being the « bad » form).

Clean diet: This refers to eating nutrient-rich, low-fat meals.

Concentric: The lifting phase of an exercise, when the muscle shortens or contracts. For example, when you lift the weight in a bench press, pressing it from your chest to the lockout position, that’s the concentric, or « positive », phase of the movement.

Confident mindset: The state of being where you feel self-reliant, confident and strong.

Deficiency: A sub optimal level of one or more nutrients that is essential for good health, most often seen with vitamins. A deficiency can be caused by poor nutrition, increased bodily demands (especially from intense training or stress), or both.

Diet: Food and drink regularly consumed by a person, often according to specific guidelines to improve physical condition.

Dumbbell: A free weight made up of a short handle on which weight plates are placed. These are normally lifted with one arm.

Eccentric: The lowering phase of an exercise, when the muscle lengthens. For example, lowering the weight to your chest during the bench press is the eccentric, or « negative ”, portion of the exercise.

Energy: The capacity to do work. Energy harnessed is power.

Energy Zone: The ability to obtain more energy through increased fat burning. Exercising in the Energy Zone will give you unlimited energy, enable you to burn more body fat and improve the quality of your life – forever. It is based on a number of scientifically proven concepts known to few people other than exercise professionals.

Essential fatty acids (EFAs): Fats our bodies can’t make, so we must obtain them through our diets. These fats (which include linoleic acid) are very important to hormone production, as well as cellular synthesis and integrity. Good sources of these fats are flaxseed oil and safflower oil.

Fat: One of the macronutrients. There are two types of fat-saturated « bad » fat and unsaturated « good » fat.

Fat-free mass (FFM): The part of the body not containing fat, including: bone, muscle, skin, organs, water, hair and blood.

Free day: A day when you must eat the foods you craved for the previous six days and must not exercise.

Frequent feeding: Eating often throughout the day to work with your body, not against it. By eating at regular intervals throughout the day (approximately every two to three hours), you can keep your metabolism elevated and energy levels stable.

Fructose: The main type of sugar found in fruit. It’s sweeter than sucrose (table sugar).

Glucose: The simplest sugar molecule. It’s also the main sugar found in blood and is used as a basic fuel for the body.

Glycogen: The principal stored form of carbohydrate energy (glucose), which is reserved in muscles. When your muscles are full of glycogen, they look and feel full.

Gorging: This refers to eating large amounts of food at one meal, then waiting for many hours, maybe a full day, before eating again. This is also known as bingeing.

Grazing: This term refers to frequent feedings-eating small amounts of food often.

HDL: This stands for high intensity lipoprotein. It’s one of the subcategories of cholesterol-typically thought of as the « good » cholesterol. You may be able to raise your HDL cholesterol levels by ingesting quality unsaturated fats like flaxseed oil. Exercise has also been shown to increase HDL levels.

Intensity: A measure of how much force or energy is put forth during a task.

Law of nature: Use it or lose it.

Lean body mass (LBM): Another term that describes fat-free mass.

LDL: This stands for low-density lipoprotein and is subcategory of cholesterol, typically thought as the « bad » cholesterol. Levels of LDL cholesterol can be elevated by ingestion of saturated fats and a lack of exercise.

Metabolic rate: The rate at which you convert energy stores into working energy in your body. In other words, it’s how fast your whole system runs. The metabolic rate is controlled by a number of factors, including; muscle mass (the greater your muscle mass, the greater your metabolic rate), calorie intake and exercise.

Metabolism: The use of nutrients by the body. It’s the process by which substances come into the body and the rate at which they are used.

Minerals: Naturally occurring, inorganic substances, which are essential for human life, which play a role in many vital metabolic processes.

Nutrients: Components of food that help nourish the body; that is, they provide energy or serve as « building materials. ». These nutrients include carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, water etc.

Portion: The amount of carbohydrates or protein one should eat with each meal. A portion is the size of the palm of your hand or clenched fist.

Confident mindset: The state of being where you feel self-reliant, confident and strong.

Proteins: Proteins are the building blocks of muscle, enzymes and some hormones. They are made up of amino acids and are essential for growth and repair in the body. A gram of protein contains four calories. Those from animal sources contain the essential amino acids. Those from vegetable sources contain some but not all of the essential amino acids. The body to produce amino acids breaks up proteins.

Repetition: The number of times you lift and lower a weight in one set of an exercise. For example, if you lift and lower a weight 10 times before setting the weight down, you have completed 10 reps in one set.

Resistance exercise: Working out with weights or using your body to resist some other force. This includes a wide spectrum of motion, from push-ups to dumbbell curls.

Rest period: The amount of time you allow between sets and exercises.

Set: Group of reps (lifting and lowering a weight) of an exercise after which you take a brief rest period. For example, if you complete 10 reps, set the weight down, complete eight more reps, set the weight down again, and repeat for six more reps, you have completed three sets of the exercise.

Saturated fats: These are bad fats. They are called saturated because they contain no open spots on their carbon skeletons. These bad fats have been shown to raise cholesterol levels in the body. Sources of these fats include animal foods and hydrogenated vegetable oils, such as margarine.

Supplement: This is a term used to describe a preparation such as a tablet, pill or powder that contains nutrients. Supplements are used to help you achieve optimal nutrient intake.

Universal Law of Reciprocation: The more you help others; the more your life is enhanced.

Vitamins: Organic compounds, which are vital to life, indispensable to bodily function and needed in minute amounts. They are calorie free essential nutrients. Many of them function in coenzymes, supporting a multitude of biological functions.


Wishing you a Very Healthy Existence!


Mark Guilbert
MG Business Health Solutions