Power of Fitness | Vincent Lam | TEDxRanneySchool
Summary
TLDRVincent Lamb, a fitness professional, emphasizes the importance of exercise for a healthy lifestyle, highlighting that despite the American Heart Association's recommendation of 30 minutes of exercise five times a week, nearly 80% of adult Americans fall short. He shares his personal journey from hobbyist to professional and underscores the benefits of exercise, including reducing chronic diseases, boosting brain function, improving mental health, and fostering discipline and confidence. Lamb stresses the impact of proper nutrition and exercise, as seen in his father's reversal of diabetes, and encourages consistency and discipline in adopting a fitness regimen. He concludes by inspiring the audience to integrate fitness into their lives for personal and communal benefits.
Takeaways
- π Exercise is recommended by the American Heart Association for at least 30 minutes a day, five times a week, yet nearly 80% of adult Americans do not meet this recommendation.
- π Everyone has 168 hours in a week, and dedicating just 2.5 hours to exercise can lead to a better, healthier, and potentially longer life.
- πͺ Exercise can reduce serious health problems such as chronic diseases, including obesity, heart diseases, diabetes, hypertension, and osteoporosis.
- π§ Physical activity can make you smarter by increasing oxygen flow to the brain, promoting the growth of new brain cells and healing damaged ones.
- π§ Exercise is a powerful tool for mental health, treating depression, anxiety, and stress as effectively as medication without side effects.
- π« Starting with exercise for the wrong reasons, like impressing others, can shift over time to a love for the challenge and the personal benefits it brings.
- π₯ Proper nutrition and exercise can reverse serious conditions like diabetes, as demonstrated by the speaker's father who lost weight and reduced medication by making healthier food choices.
- π€© Exercise can improve discipline by making it a part of your daily routine, similar to brushing your teeth or taking a shower.
- π Confidence comes from seeing the results of your hard work in both physical and mental changes, which can lead to new social and career opportunities.
- π΅ Age is not a barrier to starting a fitness journey; the speaker's mother, who is in her 50s, is an inspiration and a testament to this.
- π± Discipline is like a muscle that strengthens with use, and making consistent, healthy choices becomes easier over time.
Q & A
What is the recommended amount of exercise per week according to the American Heart Association?
-The American Heart Association recommends exercising for at least 30 minutes a day, five times a week.
What percentage of adult Americans do not meet the recommended exercise guidelines?
-Nearly 80 percent of adult Americans do not meet the recommended amount of exercise per week.
How many hours does Vincent Lamb argue everyone has in a week to dedicate to exercise?
-Vincent Lamb argues that everyone has 168 hours in a week and he is only asking for two and a half hours of it for exercise.
What are some of the benefits of incorporating exercise into a daily regimen?
-The benefits of exercise include a better, healthier, and potentially longer life, reduced risk of chronic diseases, improved brain function, better mental and emotional health, and increased discipline.
What was one of Vincent Lamb's initial motivations for starting to exercise?
-One of Vincent Lamb's initial motivations for starting to exercise was to impress girls.
How did Vincent Lamb's father reverse serious health conditions by changing his lifestyle?
-Vincent Lamb's father reversed serious health conditions such as diabetes by incorporating vegetables into every meal, eating good sources of healthy fats and protein, and significantly reducing his intake of carbohydrates.
What physiological change occurs when you exercise that can lead to improved brain function?
-When you exercise, your heart pumps more oxygen into your brain and throughout your body, which can lead to the growth of new brain cells and healing of damaged ones.
How does exercise potentially treat mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and stress?
-Exercise can treat mental health issues by producing more endorphins, which make you feel good and act as a natural painkiller. It also improves alertness, concentration, and sleep, which can relieve stress and elevate mood.
Why is discipline important in maintaining a healthy lifestyle?
-Discipline is important because it ensures consistency in making healthy choices and incorporating exercise into a daily regimen, which is vital for reaping the health benefits and achieving long-term health goals.
How does building confidence through exercise and healthy eating affect one's social and professional life?
-Building confidence through exercise and healthy eating can make one more attractive to others, facilitating social connections, new friendships, and possibly opening doors to new opportunities, relationships, and careers.
What is Vincent Lamb's educational background in relation to his career as a fitness professional?
-Vincent Lamb studied kinesiology at Penn State University, which is the study of body movements, and this academic background has supported his passion for fitness and helping others achieve their health goals.
Outlines
ποΈββοΈ The Importance of Regular Exercise
Vincent Lamb, a fitness professional, opens the discussion by asking the audience about their exercise habits, highlighting the American Heart Association's recommendation of 30 minutes of exercise five times a week. He points out that nearly 80% of adult Americans do not meet this standard, which can lead to health issues. Vincent emphasizes that everyone has the same amount of time in a week and encourages finding just 2.5 hours for exercise to improve overall health and longevity. He shares his personal journey from hobbyist to professional, and outlines five key points on the benefits of exercise, including reducing chronic diseases, boosting brain function, improving mental and emotional health, promoting discipline, and increasing confidence.
π½οΈ Nutrition and Exercise for Disease Prevention
The second paragraph delves into how exercise and proper nutrition can prevent and even reverse chronic diseases like obesity, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and osteoporosis. Vincent shares a personal story about his father's transformation through diet and exercise, which led to significant weight loss and reduced need for medication. He stresses the importance of moderation and smart food choices, particularly regarding carbohydrates, for diabetics. The paragraph also explains how exercise increases oxygen flow to the brain, promoting the growth of new brain cells and potentially enhancing cognitive functions.
π§ Mental Health Benefits of Physical Activity
Vincent discusses the mental health benefits of exercise, noting its effectiveness in treating depression, anxiety, and stress, comparable to medication but without side effects. He explains that exercise stimulates the production of endorphins, which can act as natural painkillers and improve alertness, concentration, and sleep quality. This leads to reduced stress, elevated mood, and increased energy levels. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of discipline in maintaining a consistent exercise routine and making healthy food choices for optimal results.
πͺ Building Discipline and Confidence Through Fitness
In the final paragraph, Vincent talks about the journey of building discipline in fitness, likening it to a muscle that strengthens with use. He shares his own fitness journey, starting in high school with the aim of boosting self-esteem and confidence. Despite initial misconceptions about nutrition and exercise, he remained consistent and eventually turned his passion into a career in kinesiology. Vincent also praises his mother as an inspiration for her commitment to fitness, showing that age is not a barrier to adopting a healthy lifestyle. He concludes by encouraging the audience to incorporate fitness into their lives for long-term benefits and to inspire others through their own transformations.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Exercise
π‘American Heart Association
π‘Chronic Diseases
π‘Nutrition
π‘Brain Function
π‘Mental Health
π‘Discipline
π‘Confidence
π‘Visceral Fat
π‘Kinesiology
π‘Lifestyle Change
Highlights
Exercise is recommended for at least 30 minutes a day, five times a week according to the American Heart Association.
Nearly 80 percent of adult Americans do not meet the recommended exercise guidelines, potentially leading to future health issues.
Everyone has 168 hours in a week, and allocating 2.5 hours for exercise can lead to a healthier and longer life.
Exercise provides benefits such as reducing chronic diseases, boosting brain function, improving mental and emotional health, and increasing discipline and confidence.
Vincent Lamb shares his personal journey of how fitness transformed his life from a hobby to a career.
Exercise can reduce the risk of diseases like obesity, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and osteoporosis.
Proper nutrition and exercise can help reverse serious conditions such as diabetes, as demonstrated by Vincent's father's experience.
Exercise increases oxygen flow to the brain, which can improve memory, reaction to complex situations, and overall productivity.
Physical activity can be as effective as medication in treating depression, anxiety, and stress without side effects.
Exercise stimulates the production of endorphins, which can act as natural painkillers and improve mood and energy levels.
Discipline is key to maintaining a consistent exercise routine and a healthy lifestyle.
Planning and making healthy food choices are essential components of discipline in achieving fitness goals.
Confidence and self-esteem improve as physical and mental changes from exercise and good nutrition become evident.
Vincent's mother, despite working 40 hours a week, exemplifies discipline by making time for exercise, nutrition, and family care.
Age is not a barrier to starting a fitness journey; it's never too late to begin.
Vincent's initial foray into fitness involved consistent but misguided efforts, highlighting the importance of understanding nutrition and exercise.
Studying kinesiology at Penn State University helped Vincent turn his passion for fitness into a career and a means to help others.
Fitness is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor; it's about personal growth and helping others improve their health and well-being.
Transcripts
so good afternoon everyone
so i want to start today off with a
question but i show hands who here
exercises for at least 30 minutes a day
five times a week
that's pretty impressive
awesome so according to the american
heart association that is actually the
recommended amount of exercise
per week
so nearly 80 percent of adult americans
don't meet this recommendation which can
potentially set themselves up for years
of health problems later down the road
so as a fitness professional one of the
most common things i hear
is
i don't have time
so let me tell you guys something about
time
every single one of you has 168 hours in
a week and i'm only asking for two and a
half hours
out of your week
and for what
to live a better life a healthier life
or even a longer life
these are all benefits that come with
exercise
fitness is a lifestyle this is not a
quick fix this is something you have to
incorporate into your daily regimen just
like brushing your teeth or taking a
shower
my name is vincent lamb and i started
exercising as a hobby
i went on to school and majored it in
college and now i'm doing it as a career
this is how the power fitness changed my
life
so i have five main points i want to
share with you guys today
we all know that exercise is an
important part of a healthy lifestyle
but what you may not know is just how
important it is
so these benefits may include
reducing serious health problems such as
chronic diseases
it may boost your brain functions so in
a sense it can make you smarter
it can improve your mental and as well
as emotional health
and make you more disciplined as a
person whether you're in school or even
at work
and lastly it will make you more
confident inside and out
so most people exercise because either a
they want to lose weight
they want to look better
or they have health issues
one of the reasons why i started working
out was because i wanted to impress the
girls
but
i then found out that the only people
that i really impressed were the other
dudes in the gym
so over the years
that changed now i exercise because i
love the challenge i love the sense of
accomplishment it gives me i love
watching my body transform
but most importantly i love inspiring
and helping others
so my first main point i want to talk to
you guys today is how exercise can
actually reduce
health problems such as these chronic
diseases listed above
obesity heart diseases diabetes
hypertension osteoporosis
and the list goes on
so by showing hands who here knows or
has someone with one of these diseases i
just mentioned
it's a lot
so without proper cam prevention all of
these diseases can actually be lethal
over one third of the population are
actually considered
obese which can lead to many of these
diseases that i just mentioned before
however this can all be prevented
through proper nutrition and exercise
so when you make so when you exercise
and make healthy food choices
what happens to your body
you will
put on muscle making your joints and
ligaments stronger you will be less
prone to injuries
and you'll
look ten times better
you will also lose fat in places that
you don't want like your arms your
stomach your legs your love handles
so not only do you lose fat on the
outside you will lose fat on the inside
this is the fat that surrounds our
organs and this is called visceral fat
visceral fat can cause many of these
chronic diseases listed above which can
be lethal
so i want to share with you guys a
perfect example
my father
was actually
kind of overweight he
was very unhealthy he had a very poor
diet
which led to diabetes
high blood pressure high cholesterol and
the list goes on
so
over the years he's made
better food choices however in these
last two months he wanted to change his
life around for the better
he started incorporating vegetables into
his every meal he started
eating
good sources of healthy fats he got good
sources of protein in
one thing he did take out were carbs
he took out
bread he took out rice he took out pasta
he even took out most fruits and the
results were actually staggering
he lost over 20 pounds
he stopped taking a lot of his
medication and even stopped taking his
insulin shots so by incorporating
exercise
and proper nutrition it can reverse
something as serious as
diabetes
so
he took out carbs because he was a
diabetic so i'm not trying to say carbs
are a bad thing you just have to make
sure that you're eating it in moderation
and making smart food choices
so my second point i want to talk to you
guys today is how exercise can actually
make you
smarter
so when you exercise your heart is going
to pump more oxygen into your brain and
throughout your body
so
from experience
a lot of the clients that i work with
always forget how to breathe when they
exercise
so in order to reap these benefits you
have to make sure you are breathing in
through your nose
and exhaling through your mouth
so when you do that your brain and body
release tons of hormones which will
provide a nourishing environment for the
growth of new brain cells
it may also act as a first aid kit on
damaged brain cells so in a sense
it's kind of healing your mind
if you incorporate exercise into your
daily regimen it will prepare you for
mental stresses that you encounter for
the rest of the day
it will also increase the retention of
your of new information
improving your memory and also giving
better reactions to complex situations
so not only does exercise
make you look better make you healthier
and may also make you more productive
whether you're at work or at school
so the third point i want to cover today
is how exercise can actually improve
your mental health
so it's not just about
how far you can run or how much you can
lift
exercise can improve you mentally as
well
it is vital for maintaining mental
fitness
so studies show that exercise can
actually treat depression
anxiety and stress
just as well as medication
without the side effects of course
so here's why exercise is so effective
when it comes to these types of problems
changes will start to happen in your
body
you will produce
more endorphins which are hormones that
make you feel good
it may also act as a natural painkiller
it can improve your alertness and
concentration
it will also improve your ability to
sleep so in a sense it will help you
relieve stress it can decrease overall
levels of tension whether it's in your
mind on your body
it may help elevate your mood making you
happier and lastly it'll give you plenty
of energy for you to use throughout the
day
so your mind and body works hand in hand
when one feels better so the other
so my next point i want to cover today
is discipline
with exercise comes all of those
intrinsic health benefits that i
mentioned earlier however in order to
reap all these benefits you have to make
sure that you are consistent as well as
discipline
so most people want to be healthy and
they want to live a long life right
so this doesn't happen by accident
most of the healthiest and happiest
people in the world all probably have
one thing in common and that is
discipline
living a healthy lifestyle takes
consistency and discipline
so first of all you will have to plan
your day accordingly you got to make
sure
you have enough time to incorporate
exercise into your daily regimen whether
it's in the morning in the afternoon
or even at night when you're really
tired
and this doesn't always have to be
boring it could be something that you
like it could be go out and playing
sports going for a hike going for a walk
or even taking a dance class with
someone you like
second you have to make sure that you're
you are making healthy food choices
you got to make sure you're eating good
sources of protein so that your muscles
can build and repair itself you got to
make sure you're incorporating healthy
fats into your diet so your hormones are
functioning properly you got to make
sure
you're having good sources of carbs so
that you have enough energy for you to
use throughout the day
and also your micronutrients which are
your vitamins and minerals
so all of this takes discipline however
this doesn't happen overnight it's a
journey
learn to love the things that are good
for you
discipline is a decision a decision that
says i will constantly do the things
that i need to do in order to reach my
goals sometimes this is easier said than
done the good news is is that discipline
is like a muscle the more you strive to
use it the easier it will be
discipline becomes habitual
so this brings me to my last point
confidence
so there's nothing better than seeing
your hard work pay off when you exercise
and you eat well you will start to see
physical and mental changes happen
throughout your body
being happy with how you look is
essential for confidence
when you feel good
when you look good you will feel good
you want to be happy with yourself no
matter where you are on your journey
your mindset will become healthier as
well as more positive it's going to be
easier for you to socialize with new
people
make new friends
and possibly open doors to new
opportunities new opportunities and new
connections may lead to new friendships
new relationships or even new careers
when you're confident this becomes
contagious
people would want to be around you they
can feel this
when more people around you this is the
opportunity for you to inspire and
motivate others
so i'm so passionate when it comes to
fitness that my friends and family see
the changes that i inspired within
myself and they want the same for
themselves
so speaking of friends and family this
is a picture of my mom and i taken at
the gym
a few weeks ago
so she's actually the embodiment of all
of these principles that i covered
she's my inspiration
many years ago she decided to make
fitness a part of her lifestyle
and ever since i think i followed her
footsteps
so she works 40 hours a week but yet she
still makes time to exercise
make healthy food choices and also take
care of her family
she's actually 50 years old she's
turning 51 in june
so
age is not a number
age is not a factor it doesn't matter
how old you are
you can start wherever whenever
so i just want to say
thank you mom for being such a great
role model inspiration and a loving
mother
[Applause]
so
this was my journey
i started working out as a sophomore in
high school
around eight years ago
so there were three main reasons why i
started working out
a
i had low self-esteem and i lacked
confidence
b
i wasn't the brightest kid in school and
i also wasn't the most athletic kid in
school
and c
my best friend was doing it so was my
mom so they were people who i looked up
to
so when i first started
i didn't really know what i was doing
i basically did bicep curls every day
i didn't know nutrition was important
sometimes i would starve myself just
those so my abs would show
however i was there consistently
i was there five to six times a week
and i saw progress the more progress i
saw the more i fell in love with fitness
so i realized that this was something
that i wanted to do for the rest of my
life so
i went to
penn state university
i studied kinesiology for those of you
who don't know what kinesiology is it is
the study of body movements
i realized that this was my passion
not only was it just exercise
i love to help others whether it's
helping people reach their
goals such as losing weight building
muscle or even just being happy
so i'm extremely grateful that i have
the opportunity to turn my passion into
cur into a career doing something that i
love
i know this is taking fitness
to an extreme however you don't have to
follow my footsteps
this is just one example of how i
incorporated fitness into my life
but if there's one thing i want you guys
to take home today is that as long as
you incorporate fitness into your life
your future self will thank you
fitness is not just about helping
yourself but about helping others as
well
i'm actually terrified of public
speaking if you guys can tell already
but here i am speaking in front of all
of you today about something that i love
and that i think you can benefit from
change your habits and you will change
your lifestyle
working out isn't a punishment it's a
blessing nutrition isn't restrictive
it's healing health isn't a
one-size-fits-all it may not look the
same for everyone but it is something
worth fighting for
so thank you all for coming and taking
the time to come listen today again my
name is vincent lam and i hope you can
benefit from fitness
[Applause]
you
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