Anaerobic means without oxygen. In reference to exercise, working out anaerobically means your body must use other sources of fuel besides oxygen, which is generally used as fuel during aerobic exercise. Short-duration, high-intensity activities are performed anaerobically. Weightlifting, sprinting and jumping are all instances in which your body is not using oxygen to fuel the motion. While these sorts of activities are excellent at burning calories, building muscle and boosting your metabolism, they will not directly affect your digestive system in a positive or negative manner.
Anaerobic Exercise
Working out anaerobically means that you cannot maintain your intensity for a long time without fatiguing your muscles. Cycling-fitness-center.com explains that your anaerobic threshold, or AT, is the point at which lactate starts to build in your bloodstream and muscle fatigue sets in. Your body must recover and build enough energy for you to work at that intensity again. That is why your body is in an anaerobic state while doing activities such as intervals or weightlifting, where the activity cannot be performed continuously.
Benefits of Anaerobic Training
Training anaerobically, or practicing high intensity activities, helps burn more calories in a shorter amount of time than if you were working out aerobically. Researcher and contributor to "Women's Health" magazine Ethlyn Gail Trapp, Ph.D., explains that short bursts of speed stimulate a fat-burning response in your muscles, which increases your metabolism. However, an increased metabolism does not always reflect on your digestive health.
Metabolism vs. Digestion
Digestion is the process of breaking food down and distributing the nutrients throughout the body. Metabolism refers to how your body uses the energy and nutrients that your body consumes. For both systems to work optimally, you must be eating enough of the right nutrients for your digestive system to distribute and hand off to your metabolic system as energy. Without a properly working metabolism, your body will simply store excess calories as fat. Without the right nutrients, your body will not have enough energy to keep your metabolism running efficiently. Working out anaerobically means that it will improve your metabolism. Your diet should be providing your digestive system with the correct foods for your workouts.
Digestion and Exercise
While exercise, even anaerobic exercise, will not specifically improve your digestive system, you must learn how to plan for exercise so it will not negatively affect your digestion. When muscles are repairing themselves from anaerobic exercise such as weightlifting, your blood flow is directed to your muscles. When your digestive system is in full swing, your blood flow is directed to your stomach. Eating right before or right after your workout will hinder each process. It is best to eat 60 to 90 minutes before and after your anaerobic workout so both your muscle repair and digestive system can work to their utmost capacity.
References
- "Women's Health" Magazine: Mix Things Up With Intervals
- WeightTraining.com: What Happens to the Digestive System After Long Periods of Heavy Weight Training?
- Cycling-fitness-center.com: Incorporate Interval Training to Realize the Benefits of Anaerobic Exercise
- MyFoodDiary.com; Aerobic vs. Anaerobic: What Is the Difference?; Sharon E. Griffin, M.S., Ph.D.
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