Exercise - An Exploration

Jan 23

Ever felt like the treadmill is a medieval torture device? Or exercise is just for athletes. You’re not alone. But heres what I’ve learned about exercise that may change your perspective…

“We must all suffer from one of two pains.
The ***pain of discipline*** or the ***pain of regret***”

- Jim Rohn

Exercise is so far ahead of any other health strategy for wellness, and feeling good, its not even in the same zip code. If you’re not exercising, it doesn’t matter what you’re eating, or what supplements you’re taking.

The reality is, if you’re not moving, no supplement will save you.

Getting started with exercise, for me, has always required either something inherently fun and motivating or a deep personal buy-in. And if you’re anything like me, understanding the mechanics behind it makes all the difference. That’s what transformed exercise from a nice idea into something I can’t imagine living without.

TL;DR: If you don’t want to read the whole thing, the tables below will give you some good starting information

Aerobic vs. Anaerobic (oxygen-ic vs. an-oxygen-ic)

Heres a fun fact! Did you know that white meat and red meat is about the type of exercise the animal is adapted to?

White meat is adapted to short bursts of powerful work. A type of effort best performed by glycolysis, or fermenting sugar, and requires no oxygen.

Red muscles require a more steady, but lower delivery of energy, which is best done with the mitochondria using oxygen. The greater the endurance required > the more mitochondrial energy is required > the more oxygen required > and the darker the meat.
(eg. Elk / deer are darker than free range cows which are darker than grain fed industrially farmed cows who spend their days doing not very much.)

In other words…

• Red → Slow-twitch (Type I muscle fibers) → Aerobic → Endurance activities (like jogging, cycling, grazing animals).

• White → Fast-twitch (Type II muscle fibers) → Anaerobic → Short bursts of power (like sprinting, jumping, flight in birds like chickens/turkeys).

And humans have both.

Benefits of training each muscle type

🩸 Slow-Twitch (Type I) – Aerobic - Endurance & Fatigue Resistance (ie. jogging, cycling, swimming, and walking).

Increases mitochondrial density → More energy production (ATP) efficiency, and who couldn’t use more energy?
Enhances cardiovascular endurance → Improves heart and lung function.
Boosts fat oxidation → Uses fat as a primary energy source, which improves metabolic health.
Improves capillary density → Better oxygen delivery to muscles, increasing stamina.
Increases fatigue resistance → Helps sustain long-duration efforts with less muscle breakdown.
Enhances recovery ability → Better blood flow helps reduce soreness and speeds up muscle repair.
Improves insulin sensitivity → Extends life span, reduces risk of diabetes.

⚡ Fast-Twitch (Type II) Fibers - Anaerobic – Power & Speed (ie. HIIT, sprints, vO2 max training, powerlifting)

Increases muscle strength → Supports muscle growth (especially Type IIx).
Boosts Brain Function → Increases BDNF & VEGF, improving memory, focus, and mood. This helps with cognitive sharpness and mental resilience.
Improves reaction time & neuromuscular coordination → Faster nerve signaling for quick, powerful movements.
Enhances glucose metabolism → Uses glycogen for energy, important for high-intensity training.
Increases metabolic rate → High-intensity training keeps metabolism elevated even after exercise (EPOC effect).
Prevents muscle loss with aging → Fast-twitch fibers decline first as we age, making strength training crucial for longevity as sarcopenia is a leading cause of harm for the elderly.i

For optimal health and longevity, you want to spend 60% of your training time on fast twitch anaerobic fibers and 40% on slow twitch.

But what does this all translate to? Here’s a summary.

    
            Type of Exercise
            Protocol
            Physical Benefits
            Mental Benefits
        

    
            Zone 2 Aerobic
            60-75% Max heart rate, 30-90 min
            Improves cardiovascular health, fat oxidation, mitochondrial efficiency
            Enhances focus, reduces stress, increases daily energy
        

            VO2 Max Intervals
            90-95% Max heart rate, 4-6 rounds of 3-5 min, with equal time resting between rounds
            Boosts endurance, oxygen efficiency, heart stroke volume
            Sharpens cognitive function, increases neuroplasticity, increases mood and resilience to stress
        

            HIIT
            Max Effort, 20-50s on, 10-30s off, 6-10 rounds
            Increases anaerobic capacity, burns fat, improves metabolic health
            Enhances willpower, increases neuroplasticity, mental toughness, endorphin release
        

            Strength Training
            Moderate-heavy weight, 5-12 reps, 2-5 sets
            Increases muscle mass, prevents aging-related weakness
            Boosts confidence, reduces anxiety, improves discipline, prolongs life
        

            Mobility & Flexibility
            Dynamic & static stretching, 5-20 min daily
            Enhances joint health, prevents injuries, improves posture
            Reduces stress, increases body awareness, promotes relaxation
        

Heres how to calculate maximum heart rate...

    
            Formula
            Best for
            Example
        
            220 - Age (Fox)
            General Estimate
            190 bpm
        
            206 - (0.88 × Age) (Gulati)
            Women
            180 bpm
        
            208 - (0.7 × Age) (Tanaka)
            Most Adults
            187 bpm
        
            205.8 - (0.685 × Age) (Inbar)
            Athletes
            185 bpm

How High-Intensity Training Boosts Metabolism (The EPOC Effect)

When you perform high-intensity exercise (like HIIT, sprints, or heavy weightlifting), your body doesn’t just burn calories during the workout—it continues burning extra calories for hours afterward. This phenomenon is called EPOC (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption), also known as the afterburn effect.

🔥 What Happens During EPOC?

After an intense workout, your body needs to restore itself to a resting state. This process requires extra energy (calories) and oxygen to:

Replenish oxygen stores in the muscles
Clear lactic acid buildup
Repair damaged muscle fibers (muscle protein synthesis)
Rebalance hormones and body temperature
Restore ATP (energy) and phosphocreatine levels

This increased oxygen demand = more calorie burn, even while you’re just sitting or sleeping after your workout.

⏳ How Long Does the Afterburn Last?

30 min HIIT → Elevated metabolism for up to 24 hours
Longer, Intense Workouts (Strength, Sprints, Heavy Lifting) → Up to 48 hours
Moderate Aerobic Exercise (Steady-State Cardio like jogging) → Minimal EPOC, only ~30-90 min

💡 Key Takeaway: The harder and more intense your workout, the more oxygen your body needs post-exercise, and the longer your metabolism stays elevated.

Try any combination of workouts from the table for at least 3 hours / week for a couple weeks, and see if you notice improvements in energy, mood and focus.

What’s your biggest struggle with exercise? Drop a comment below! ⬇️ Let’s figure this out together. 🚀💪