Fatty Liver Exercises

Fatty liver (or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis) is a condition in which fat cells begin forming in your liver tissue. If not treated, it can lead to cirrhosis and possibly death. Although there is no medical cure for fatty liver, according to the American Liver Foundation, you may be able to stop or reverse the effects by following some lifestyle changes. Fatty liver usually occurs in overweight and obese people, so an effort must be made to begin a healthy eating and exercise plan to lose weight.

Aerobic Exercise

Engaging in aerobic activity is a good way to burn calories and strengthen the efficiency of your respiratory and circulatory systems. A simple method of aerobic activity is walking. The only equipment required is a pair of comfortable, supportive shoes and it can be done anywhere. If you have had a sedentary life, start your routine slowly and schedule your workout for a convenient time. Many people find that first thing in the morning is a good time for exercise because it can be "gotten out of the way." Starting your day with a short walk can help you feel more alert and more like being active the rest of the day. Using interval training, in which you walk quickly for a short while, then slow down and repeat this during your workout, can increase your metabolism for up to 12 hours after you finish. The more calories you can burn, the faster you will lose the fat from your liver.

Weight Bearing Exercise

Osteoporosis is one complication you may experience when you have fatty liver. To combat the loss of bone and to boost your metabolism, add weight-bearing exercise to your aerobic routine. Adding weights to your workout builds bone and strengthens your connective tissues. A regular routine of lifting weights or using resistance machines also builds muscle tissue. Muscle tissue, even at rest, burns calories faster than fat does. As your muscle mass increases, you will lose inches before you notice weight loss. That is because muscle weighs more than fat. Choose an exercise for each area of your body so you will have an overall improvement. Dumbbell presses, leg machine or squats, leg curls, biceps curls and abdominal crunches provide a good all-around workout. Begin with low weights or even just the bar. The main consideration is to learn good form and get moving, then as you get stronger you can add weight. Whatever diet and exercise program you choose, be consistent. According to research conducted at the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2008, stopping exercise can predispose you to developing fatty liver. As you burn fat, be sure to drink plenty of water daily to keep your system functioning at its best.