Let's Get Physical
Showing posts with label Exercise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Exercise. Show all posts
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
What are the benefits of exercise?
If we've heard it once, we've heard it a hundred times; exercise is essential to health. So why does Time magazine disregard exercise as "not an effective health tool."
Scientific studies on many subjects including diet, carbohydrates, fat, weight control, and even the dangers of artificial sweeteners, are often conflicting. The results of one study often contradicts the results of a previous study. But when it comes to studies on exercise, it's rare to find one that contraindicates exercise.
So why does Time magazine think it's productive to run a piece about how exercise is useless because it won't make you thin? Is this responsible journalism or hype? Your opinion will certainly vary depending on whether you like to exercise and understand its merits, or whether you hate to exercise and don't give a fig if it has value. We may never know why Time decided to run such an article. Maybe they new it would be popular, in our present cultural climate, to make exercise seem unimportant. But Time magazine's stance on exercise is based on scant evidence that's literally overwhelmed by reams of evidence supporting the benefits of exercise. Read more, watch the video.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Let's get physical to reduce stress
Get physical with someone you love.
Study after study reinforces the value of regular exercise. Exercise has value above and beyond aiding in weight loss and weight maintenance. Themajority of people view exercise as a necessary evil to reach their weight goals. It's the few who view physical activity as pleasurable or make a sport(rock climbing, skiing, hiking, horseback riding, bodybuilding) an integral and enjoyable part of their lifestyle.
It's a sad fact of our modern society that physical activity is viewed as undesirable, relegated to the status of an inconvenience. We rely on cars, appliances, remote controls, drive-thru windows, elevators and escalators, to avoid moving our bodies any more than we have to. Yet all these conveniences can add up to physical de-conditioning, laziness, lowered metabolism, less calories burned, weight gain, and illnesses.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Frugal Friday - free abs diet, workout advice and videos
Almost everyone is looking to save money in these difficult economic times. Free stuff is popular but finding it takes time you may not have. Welcome to Frugal Fridays! I'll give you tips on places to find a cheap or free item or resource to help you live the lifestyle you want despite economic hardships. So cut back on spending while getting want you want or need.
We want to maintain our quality of life and that includes staying fit and eating healthy. Free fitness advice and exercise instruction is easy to find. And a good place to start is YouTube. Below are a few examples of free exercise videos and fitness advice you can access anytime.
The key to making these freebies work is actually using them. Read more and watch the videos.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Spring Cleaning and Fat Loss Videos
If you're a regular reader, you might have noticed some remodeling or Spring cleaning going on here. I deleted some old links that didn't work. And I deleted some "weight loss" links I felt sent the wrong message for my blog.
The reason I started this blog was to show what could be done physique wise with proper diet AND exercise. Particularly, I wanted to highlight the benefits of bodybuilding ie. resistance training.
Many weight loss / diet blogs put all the emphasis on diet and "weight loss" not fat loss. Weight loss just for the sake of weight loss is not optimal. It's a bad idea as muscle mass is lost. This is counter productive to health and slows your metabolism. You want to eat to support muscle mass, muscle gain, and FAT loss.
So all outgoing links will be to websites that offer optimal approaches to healthy fat loss or reliable nutrition information from here on out.
Enjoy these videos:
Fat Loss Secret: Why You're NOT Losing Weight!
The Fat Loss Fridge!
FAT LOSS & Bodybuilding Secrets - BURN YOUR Belly Fat!
Great video and advice by Darin Steen
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Nautilus issues recall. Is your fitness equipment safe?
Fitness giant Nautilus has issued a recall for over 78,000 Bowflex Ultimate 2 home gyms. Safety concerns arose after the company received 18 reports of injury due to seats coming unlatched. Some of the injuries involved head and shoulder lacerations.
Nautilus previously recalled 68,000 of the same model in December 2007 after receiving reports of three injuries. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that the seat of the gym has unattached and fails. Risks of injury to users precipitated the recall. Vancouver, Wash.-based Nautilus Inc. is sending repair kits to registered owners.
So, are you wondering whether your fitness equipment, or equipment you're contemplating purchasing, is safe? One tip is to check out...read more.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
My Exclusive Interview with Patricia Moreno, One of the Top 10 Women Who Shape the World
I had the pleasure of interviewing Patricia Moreno, creator of IntenSati, a few months ago. HeartCore Corporation just published my exclusive interview on their website Healthy New Age, Interview with Patricia Moreno, One of the Top 10 Women Who Shape the World, which you can read here.
I also published a separate article with Patricia's exercise tips at The Examiner a few months ago, "Patricia Moreno's exercise tips for a great body and a great life," which you can read here.
Reebok Instructor Patricia Moreno
Patricia Moreno Leads her WarriorSati and IntenSati workouts
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
How your body loses fat
My last article on carb cycling brings up an excellent point many low carbohydrate advocates and dieters overlook. Active amateur and professional athletes, including those who weight train or pursue bodybuilding, have different energy needs than sedentary and moderately active people.
The physiological mechanism behind low carbohydrate weight loss theory is ketosis. Ketosis is one way the body uses body fat. The mechanism “is a stage in metabolism occurring when the liver converts fat into fatty acids and ketone bodies which can be used by the body for energy."
But ketosis is not the only way to lose body fat. If it were, moderate and high carbohydrate diets like the Biggest Loser diet, Weight Watchers, Nutri-system, and The Dr. Oz Diet would not work at all. Read more.
How to burn body fat
Thursday, February 19, 2009
I Hit The Wall...Hard.
After two days of very low carb, shrimp, beef, coconut oil, and vegetables, I made the classic mistake of runners and marathoners. A morning session of 60 minutes of circuit training with weights (4 sets to failure) and jogging, followed by an evening session of 60 minutes interval training, depleted my glycogen stores. My average carb intake was 35-40 grams a day. Don't try this at home. No fun, kids.
I could barely get out of bed this morning. This was my first time hitting the wall. I usually take my own professional advice and eat enough unrefined carbs to fuel exercise performance (like one of the following, 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1/2 cup blackberries, 1/2 a banana, a slice of whole wheat bread, 1/2 cup sweet potato). Vegetables alone will not cut it if you're doing the rough stuff.
Making a cup of tea was a monumental effort. I'm replacing my glycogen stores today. And resting. Breakfast was whole wheat bread with an ounce of cheddar and teaspoon of mayo. Mid morning snack will be oatmeal and fruit with protein powder. But I'm still exhausted, not to mention sore.
If you're going to perform some serious exercise don't do this: Hitting The Wall.
Low carbers beware. Stay in a moderate exercise range, or properly fuel for exercise intensity when doing programs like Power 90X Doubles. More on this when I've recovered.
Related links:
Matching Carbohydrate Intake To Activity Levels
Avoid hitting the wall.
Friday, January 2, 2009
The five rules for choosing a diet
Ready to go on a diet, but you don't know where to start? Here's your mini guide to choosing a diet that's right for you.
Rule one: Skip the fads. If a diet eliminates a whole food group (example: "no whole grains ever"), demands you must never, or always, combine two food groups (example: "always eat fats with proteins"), or claims certain foods have magical fat burning powers ("eating grapefruit burns fat"), skip it. Only consider diets that stress a wide array of healthy foods including fruits and vegetables, lean meats, healthy fats like Omega 3's, and portion controlled amounts of high fiber carbohydrates. Read more.
Rule one: Skip the fads. If a diet eliminates a whole food group (example: "no whole grains ever"), demands you must never, or always, combine two food groups (example: "always eat fats with proteins"), or claims certain foods have magical fat burning powers ("eating grapefruit burns fat"), skip it. Only consider diets that stress a wide array of healthy foods including fruits and vegetables, lean meats, healthy fats like Omega 3's, and portion controlled amounts of high fiber carbohydrates. Read more.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Get fit now for free
The economy is in the toilet and almost everyone is slashing spending. Our personal budgets are under careful scrutiny. Luxuries are the first items to get slashed. Unfortunately, for most people this includes gym memberships, fitness equipment, supplements, and even diet products.
Even if your household budget and wallet are losing weight, it doesn't mean you can't lose weight at the same time. You can get fit for free. What's the catch? Just the small inconvenience that you'll have to be self motivating and not rely on your $50 an hour personal trainer to whip you into shape. Oh, and you can forgo that pricey gym membership while saving on time and gas.
For more information, including three sources of free exercise videos and sample workout videos check out my latest column at The Examiner.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Patricia Moreno Exercise Tips – Best Exercises For The Body You Want
Patricia Moreno founded IntenSati, a unique mind / body fitness program. Her unique integration of life coaching and physical activity for a powerful mind body experience can change your life.
This revolutionary program teaches you to delve deep into your mind and spirit to reveal your path to becoming the best you can be. Through the use of daily affirmations, yoga, martial arts, and dance, Patricia demonstrates the power of deliberate thought and how you can motivate yourself to take the positive action necessary to be successful in your fitness and weight loss goals.
Patricia recently passed these tips along to me to share with my readers and you can check them out at my Examiner column Exercise tips for a great body and a great life.
Patricia Moreno Workout Demo
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
It's A Busy Dizzy World
Cool Links For A Dizzy Day
I hope you enjoyed my guest blogger Matt Sison. Matt's an expert in his field and his hypnosis CDs are of value to anyone seeking to lose weight through proper diet and exercise. I'll be doing an indepth reviews of Matt's Cds soon.
I've taken on new and exciting writing assignments beyond my column at The Examiner and I think you'll enjoy these new projects as they're completed.
Until then I'm serving up these links I hope you'll enjoy.
Tom Venuto has an excellent article and audio on why fruit is fine for most diets, and particularly for bodybuilders.
Science News
A Little Exercise Goes A Long Way For Severely Obese
ScienceDaily (Oct. 6, 2008) — A little exercise goes a long way toward helping severely obese individuals improve their quality of life and complete important daily tasks, according to researchers at the Duke Diet and Fitness Center.
See also:
In a pre-program assessment where patients reported, on average, just under one hour of exercise per week, individuals who were more active reported better overall-quality of life. They also reported improvements in their ability to perform daily tasks as measured on a physical functioning scale.
"Things that many people take for granted like tying one's shoes, getting dressed, or simply moving around were easier for those who reported routine exercise," says Martin Binks, Ph.D., research director at the Duke Diet and Fitness Center, a residential weight loss program at Duke University Medical Center. Read more.
Food For Thought: Regulating Energy Supply To The Brain During Fasting
ScienceDaily (Oct. 6, 2008) — If the current financial climate has taught us anything, it's that a system where over-borrowing goes unchecked eventually ends in disaster. It turns out this rule applies as much to our bodies as it does to economics. Instead of cash, our body deals in energy borrowed from muscle and given to the brain.
Unlike freewheeling financial markets, the lending process in the body is under strict regulation to ensure that more isn't lent than can be afforded. New research by scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies reveals just how this process is implemented.
"We have all seen the sub-prime mortgage crisis," says Marc Montminy, M.D., Ph.D., a professor in the Clayton Foundation Laboratories for Peptide Biology who led the current study. "If you take out a loan, sooner or later you've got to pay your debt, and the same is true in fasting metabolism." Read more.
National Nutrition Examiner Annie Kay has an enlightening article on Kid's cereals and sugar content. Check out Annie's excellent column at The Examiner.
The winners are in... Find out who won the 4th Annual Bodybuilding.com Supplement Awards right here! By: Bodybuilding.com
Bodybuilding.com has announced a new and innovative way to help customers find truly exceptional products and brands, while also helping to recognize the efforts of the many great companies that make up this industry.
Over 200,000 Customer Votes!
Those who voted were entered to win $500 in free supplements from Bodybuilding.com and automatically received a 5% discount for use in our store anytime until the end of September! We appreciate the help of everyone who voted!
What Are The Supplement Awards?
The Bodybuilding.com Supplement Awards are the industry standard for recognition of the best products and brands in the fitness and supplement industry. They not only help customers find the best products in their class, but also give the winning companies a way to set themselves apart from their rivals by displaying the award seal in their ads or on their site. Read more.
The Diet Pulpit has a David Lettermen style top ten on Sarah Palin.
And please check out my latest columns at The Examiner. I'm sure you'll find something you'll like.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Exercise Improves Breast Cancer Prevention and Survival
Check out my latest article at The Examiner, 'Exercise Improves Breast Cancer Prevention and Survival'
Excerpt: "Tomorrow, October 1st, kicks off Breast Cancer Awareness week. October 5th is also Long Walk Day. Breast cancer prevention and exercise go hand in hand. So do yourself a favor ladies and take a walk.
The American Cancer Society states that as little as a few hours a week of walking or similar aerobic exercise may improve the survival rates of breast cancer survivors. Another study on the relationship between exercise and breast cancer found that regular physical activity reduced the overall risk of breast cancer." Click on the title link above to read more.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Cool & Informative Links
It's Monday and I'm taking the day off. My weekend was incredibly busy and I got very little down time - in other words a typical weekend for me. I have reading to catch up on and a nap with my name on it.
Enjoy these links:
How a Very Low Calorie Diet Can Make You Gain Weight By Meri Raffetto
The weight loss industry is a multi-billion dollar industry filled with meal plans that provide very low calorie levels. This is the magic bullet because if you follow these meal plans closely you will absolutely lose weight. You’re happy and the company can say they gave you what they promised. Physiologically we know that very low calorie diets work for short term weight loss but the question is what are we doing to ourselves in the long run?
The fact is; very low calorie diets (1,000 – 1200 calories or less) are contributing to weight gain more than they are helping people to find lasting weight loss. Many people feel they have to go on a very low calorie diet because this is the only way their weight will budge. Well…they’re right and this is why. Read more.
The Secret to Losing Weight - It’s All in the After-Burn By Joel Marion, CISSN, NSCA-CPT
When it comes to fat loss, research shows that metabolic resistance training is more effective in burning calories than aerobic exercise. Not sure what metabolic resistance training is? It’s a vigorous weight-lifting session that targets multiple muscle groups with only short rest periods between sets and exercises. This type of training results in an “after-burn,” an increased metabolic rate that persists for hours after the training session ends. Read more.
Make the Most of Your Metabolism By Colette Bouchez - WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
"It's my metabolism!"
Sound familiar? If you're carrying some extra pounds (and having a hard time losing them), it's tempting to put the blame on a sluggish metabolism.
But is your metabolism really the reason it's often so hard to lose weight? And, more important, is there anything you can do about it?
WebMD asked experts to explore facts and myths about metabolism -- and the good news is, there are things you can do to help boost your body's calorie-burning power. Read more.
Do Diet Foods Lead To Weight Gain?
If you think you're cutting calories by eating diet or low-calorie versions of your favorite foods, think again. A new study by Canadian scientists published in the journal Obesity suggests that our bodies can't be fooled that easily.
Led by David Pierce, researchers at the University of Alberta studied the eating habits of young rats, and found that they tended to overeat when they were fed "diet" foods. Though the new study was conducted in animals, it adds to a growing body of research in humans that suggests a diet-foods paradox: the more low-calorie (or even zero-calorie) sodas and foods you consume, the more your body demands payback for the calories it was deprived. Read more.
Culinary Genius - Meat Cake!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
More Evidence That Exercise Is Essential
If I've said it once I've said it a hundred times...exercise is essential.
Scientific studies on many subjects including diet, carbohydrates, fat, weight control, and even the dangers of artificial sweeteners, are often conflicting. The results of one study often contradicts the results of a previous study. But when it comes to studies on exercise I've yet to see one the contraindicates exercise.
Studies show exercise is beneficial to the disabled, people with illnesses as diverse as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, depression, high blood pressure, hypoglycemia, and more.
Remember, it takes only 13 muscles to smile, and it's worth the effort. It also only takes 10 minutes of targeted workouts a day to make a difference in your body and your health. If you don't believe it check out Tony Horton's 10 Minute Trainer system.
Virtually everyone can exercise in some way, shape, or form. (Always consult your doctor before changing your exercise or nutrition program). No more excuses! Time to workout.
Older People Who Diet Without Exercising Lose Valuable Muscle Mass
ScienceDaily (Sep. 22, 2008) — A group of sedentary and overweight older people placed on a four-month exercise program not only became more fit, but burned off more fat, compared to older sedentary people who were placed on a diet but did not exercise.
The new study also showed that when older people diet without exercising, they lose more lean muscle compared to those who exercise, said senior researcher Bret H. Goodpaster. When they combined weight loss with exercise, it nearly completely prevented the loss of lean muscle mass. The results are important because older people tend to lose muscle masshttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.quote.gif as they age and too much muscle loss may interfere with activities of daily living.
The study, “Separate and combined effects of exercise training and weight loss on exercise efficiency and substrate oxidation,” appears in the current issue of the Journal of Applied Physiology, published by The American Physiological Society. Read more.
Moderate Exercise Yields Big Benefits
ScienceDaily (Jan. 4, 2008) — What’s the key to looking and feeling better and enhancing your health? Exercise.
Moderately strenuous exercise, about 30 minutes a day, can lead to enormous benefits in terms of your mood, health, weight and the ability to live an independent and fulfilling life. The exercise doesn’t need to be athletic or difficult. Studies have shown that simply walking at a brisk pace for 30 minutes or more on most days can lead to significant health improvements. Add simple strengthening exercises two or three times a week and the benefits are even greater.
The January issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter lists some of the benefits of 30 minutes of exercise a day:
* Lower blood pressure: A reduction of 5 to 10 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) is possible. In some cases, that’s enough to prevent or reduce the need for blood pressure medications.
* Improve cholesterol: Exercise often increases the concentration of high-density lipoprotein (HDL or “good” cholesterol in the blood), especially when accompanied by weight loss. Exercise also helps reduce triglyceride levels.
* Prevent or manage type 2 diabetes: Exercise helps insulin work better, lowering blood sugar.
* Manage weight: Coupling exercise with a healthy diet is the best way to shed fat and maintain a healthier body composition.
* Prevent osteoporosis: Exercise may increase bone density and protect against bone mass decline, especially if weight-bearing activities are involved.
* Prevent cancer: Exercise has been shown to strengthen the immune system, improve circulation, reduce body fat and speed digestion. Each has a role in preventing cancer, particularly cancers of the colon, prostate, uterine lining and breast.
* Maintain mental well-being: Exercise may help reduce stress, improve mild-to-moderate depression and anxiety, improve sleep and boost moods.
* Increase energy and stamina: A lack of energy often results from inactivity, not age.
Exercise Effective In Helping Pregnant Women Kick The Habit
ScienceDaily (Sep. 23, 2008) — Exercise could be a useful tool in helping pregnant women to give up smoking, according to new research. Despite the warnings, 17% of women in the UK and 20% of women in the US still admit to smoking during pregnancy.
This often leads to lower birth weight, higher infant mortality, and is linked to learning difficulties, problem behaviour and asthma in childhood.
Most attempts to give up smoking unaided end in failure. The most successful methods of stopping smoking involve a combination of nicotine replacement and behavioural therapy, but there are concerns that nicotine replacement may harm the fetus. Exercise can reduce the cravings experienced by smokers and there is some evidence to show that it can help non-pregnant women to quit. Read more.
Moderate Exercise Can Improve Sleep Quality Of Insomnia Patients
ScienceDaily (June 12, 2008) — An acute session of moderate aerobic exercise, but not heavy aerobic or moderate strength exercises, can reduce the anxiety state and improve the sleep quality of insomnia patients, according to a research abstract that will be presented on June 11 at SLEEP 2008, the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS).
The study, authored by Giselle S. Passos, of Federal University of Sao Paulo in Brazil, focused on 36 patients (eight men and 28 women) with primary chronic insomnia, who were divided into three experimental groups (moderate aerobic exercise, heavy aerobic exercise, and moderate strength exercise) and a control group.
According to the results, after the exercise session, reductions were shown in sleep onset latency (54 percent) and wake time (36 percent) in the moderate aerobic exercise group, while increases were shown in total sleep time (21 percent) and in sleep efficiency (18 percent). A significant increase in the total sleep time (37 percent) and reduction in the sleep onset latency (40 percent) were observed in the sleep log of volunteers of the moderate aerobic exercise group. Finally, a significant reduction (seven percent) in the anxiety state was also observed after moderate aerobic exercise session.
"These findings indicate that there is a way to diminish the symptoms of insomnia without using medication," said Passos. "This study is the first to look at the importance of using physical exercise to treat insomnia, and may contribute to increased quality of life in people with one of the most important kind of sleep disorders around the world."
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
New Examiner Article and Stop Making Excuses That You Have No Time or Can't Afford To Workout
My latest article 'Why You Don’t Need To Go To The Gym To Get Fit – Part Two' is up over at The Examiner.com.
The CTV.ca News Staff (article link) and other news sources including Reuters reported that new research from the University of Maryland School of Medicine suggests that a predisposition to obesity may be as easy to overcome as spending a few hours a week at the gym. This study found that study subjects performing a high level of physical activity basically counteract effects of gene mutations that predisposes them to obesity. The findings were published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Did they really need to go to a gym to accomplish this? Probably not. Read more and find out how to get fit for free.
Money is not a factor for not working out. Neither is lack of time. No money? No time? Check out the videos below.
Here's an easy at-home workout routine...
No Equipment - 30 Min. In Home Power Workout
Super Fast Fat Loss Workout for Home.
The CTV.ca News Staff (article link) and other news sources including Reuters reported that new research from the University of Maryland School of Medicine suggests that a predisposition to obesity may be as easy to overcome as spending a few hours a week at the gym. This study found that study subjects performing a high level of physical activity basically counteract effects of gene mutations that predisposes them to obesity. The findings were published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Did they really need to go to a gym to accomplish this? Probably not. Read more and find out how to get fit for free.
Money is not a factor for not working out. Neither is lack of time. No money? No time? Check out the videos below.
Here's an easy at-home workout routine...
No Equipment - 30 Min. In Home Power Workout
Super Fast Fat Loss Workout for Home.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
In The News
Our Kitten Baylee. I said to Jerry "Isn't she precious." He said, "No. I've seen her in action when she's awake."
More shoppers avoiding corn sweetener
LOS ANGELES (UPI) -- A growing number of U.S. shoppers are opting to buy foods containing pure sugar instead of corn syrup, statistics indicate.
The move away form high fructose corn syrup is so prevalent the Corn Refiners Association has organized a campaign on the Web site, www.sweetsurprise.com, to stand up for the syrup, the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday.
"We have been very concerned about the misunderstanding of our product in the marketplace and want to provide the facts so that consumers can make their choices based on science rather than urban myth," the association's president Audrae Erickson said.
Health professionals have said high fructose corn syrup with may be contributing to obesity across the country. Others say because natural sugar has the same amount of calories, neither sweetener is to blame.
"Our message is that people should cut down on both," Center for Science in the Public Interest Director Michael Jacobson said.
Copyright 2008 by United Press International
'Exercise Pill' Is No Replacement For Real Exercise, Expert Cautions
ScienceDaily (Aug. 6, 2008) — Recently, researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, a research organization focused on biology and its relation to health, published a study in the journal Cell on the results of a substance that increased exercise endurance without daily exertion when tested in mice. Media reports have described this substance as an “exercise pill,” potentially eliminating the need for exercise.
Frank Booth, a University of Missouri expert on the science of inactivity, says the “exercise pill” study did not test all of the commonly known benefits of exercise and taking the pill cannot be considered a replacement for exercise.
In the Cell paper “Exercise Mimetics” the researchers demonstrated that AMPK-PPARĪ“ pathways, which is a cellular messenger system, can be targeted by orally active drugs to enhance training adaptation or even to increase endurance without exercise. However, Booth cautions that some of the commonly known benefits of exercise were not tested in the Cell paper including:
* Decreased resting and submaximal exercise heart rate
* Increased heart stroke volume at all exercise work loads
* Increased maximal exercise cardiac output
* Lower blood pressure and arterial stiffness
* Increased aerobic capacity
A complete list of the 26 benefits not tested in the paper is included below. Read more.
ScienceDaily: Your source for the latest research news and science breakthroughs --
Testosterone And Body Fat Are Controlled By The Same Genes
ScienceDaily (Aug. 6, 2008) — Genes that control percentage of body fat are also responsible for circulating levels of testosterone in men, research published in a recent edition of Clinical Endocrinology shows.
The research shows a 23% overlap between the genes that control testosterone and those that regulate body fat composition, suggesting that these two variables are partly controlled by the same set of genes.
The study led by Dr Jean-Marc Kaufman at Ghent University Hospital, Belgium was carried out on healthy male sibling pairs and estimated the extent to which sex hormones and body fat are controlled by the same genes. The research involved a cohort of 674 men from 274 independent families, as part of a larger study investigating the origins of body composition, sex steroid status and peak bone mass in healthy men. Read more.
Stand Up For Your Health
Physiologists And Microbiologists Find Link Between Sitting And Poor Health
June 1, 2008 — Physiologists analyzing obesity, heart disease, and diabetes found that the act of sitting shuts down the circulation of a fat-absorbing enzyme called lipase. They found that standing up engages muscles and promotes the distribution of lipase, which prompts the body to process fat and cholesterol, independent of the amount of time spent exercising. They also found that standing up uses blood glucose and may discourage the development of diabetes.
You're probably sitting down right now. Well, by the time you're done reading this, you may see sitting in a whole new way!
"Chair time is an insidious hazard because people haven't been told it's a hazard," Marc Hamilton, Ph.D., a professor of biomedical sciences at the University of Missouri in Columbia, told Ivanhoe.
That's right -- the time you sit in your chair could be keeping your body's fat burning in park! More than 47 million adults in the United States have metabolic syndrome, which causes obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Biomedical researchers from the say the reason so many of us have the condition is because we sit too much!
Read more.
Burning Fat And Carbohydrate During Exercise
ScienceDaily (June 19, 2007) — In a paper published in The Journal of Physiology, Helge, Stallknecht, Richter, Galbo, and Keins from Copenhagen shed light on fat oxidation during exercise and physical activity. Their observations suggest that fat oxidation during exercise reflects a fine interplay between the cardiovascular, neurological, endocrine and muscle metabolic systems.
During exercise and physical activity, the primary fuels used by muscles are carbohydrate and fat. When mild exercise is performed there is a tendency to burn relatively more fat and less glucose, but as exercise becomes more intense, a higher fraction of the energy demands of the muscle are supplied by glucose, until at the highest intensities almost only carbohydrates are used. Is this shift in fuel source a property of the muscle itself, or does it represent the interplay between what is happening in the muscle and the exercise-related responses in the rest of the body?
The study, performed at the Copenhagen Muscle Research Centre at the University of Copenhagen, examined muscle fuel utilisation in response to graded exercise performed with only one leg. Nine healthy males performed one-leg exercise at 25, 45, and 85% of maximal workload. Their results showed that, when only a small mass of muscle is contracting, and blood flow and oxygen supply are not limited by central circulatory capacity, the shift in fuel source from fat to glucose as exercise intensity increases does not occur. Read more.
More shoppers avoiding corn sweetener
LOS ANGELES (UPI) -- A growing number of U.S. shoppers are opting to buy foods containing pure sugar instead of corn syrup, statistics indicate.
The move away form high fructose corn syrup is so prevalent the Corn Refiners Association has organized a campaign on the Web site, www.sweetsurprise.com, to stand up for the syrup, the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday.
"We have been very concerned about the misunderstanding of our product in the marketplace and want to provide the facts so that consumers can make their choices based on science rather than urban myth," the association's president Audrae Erickson said.
Health professionals have said high fructose corn syrup with may be contributing to obesity across the country. Others say because natural sugar has the same amount of calories, neither sweetener is to blame.
"Our message is that people should cut down on both," Center for Science in the Public Interest Director Michael Jacobson said.
Copyright 2008 by United Press International
'Exercise Pill' Is No Replacement For Real Exercise, Expert Cautions
ScienceDaily (Aug. 6, 2008) — Recently, researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, a research organization focused on biology and its relation to health, published a study in the journal Cell on the results of a substance that increased exercise endurance without daily exertion when tested in mice. Media reports have described this substance as an “exercise pill,” potentially eliminating the need for exercise.
Frank Booth, a University of Missouri expert on the science of inactivity, says the “exercise pill” study did not test all of the commonly known benefits of exercise and taking the pill cannot be considered a replacement for exercise.
In the Cell paper “Exercise Mimetics” the researchers demonstrated that AMPK-PPARĪ“ pathways, which is a cellular messenger system, can be targeted by orally active drugs to enhance training adaptation or even to increase endurance without exercise. However, Booth cautions that some of the commonly known benefits of exercise were not tested in the Cell paper including:
* Decreased resting and submaximal exercise heart rate
* Increased heart stroke volume at all exercise work loads
* Increased maximal exercise cardiac output
* Lower blood pressure and arterial stiffness
* Increased aerobic capacity
A complete list of the 26 benefits not tested in the paper is included below. Read more.
ScienceDaily: Your source for the latest research news and science breakthroughs --
Testosterone And Body Fat Are Controlled By The Same Genes
ScienceDaily (Aug. 6, 2008) — Genes that control percentage of body fat are also responsible for circulating levels of testosterone in men, research published in a recent edition of Clinical Endocrinology shows.
The research shows a 23% overlap between the genes that control testosterone and those that regulate body fat composition, suggesting that these two variables are partly controlled by the same set of genes.
The study led by Dr Jean-Marc Kaufman at Ghent University Hospital, Belgium was carried out on healthy male sibling pairs and estimated the extent to which sex hormones and body fat are controlled by the same genes. The research involved a cohort of 674 men from 274 independent families, as part of a larger study investigating the origins of body composition, sex steroid status and peak bone mass in healthy men. Read more.
Stand Up For Your Health
Physiologists And Microbiologists Find Link Between Sitting And Poor Health
June 1, 2008 — Physiologists analyzing obesity, heart disease, and diabetes found that the act of sitting shuts down the circulation of a fat-absorbing enzyme called lipase. They found that standing up engages muscles and promotes the distribution of lipase, which prompts the body to process fat and cholesterol, independent of the amount of time spent exercising. They also found that standing up uses blood glucose and may discourage the development of diabetes.
You're probably sitting down right now. Well, by the time you're done reading this, you may see sitting in a whole new way!
"Chair time is an insidious hazard because people haven't been told it's a hazard," Marc Hamilton, Ph.D., a professor of biomedical sciences at the University of Missouri in Columbia, told Ivanhoe.
That's right -- the time you sit in your chair could be keeping your body's fat burning in park! More than 47 million adults in the United States have metabolic syndrome, which causes obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Biomedical researchers from the say the reason so many of us have the condition is because we sit too much!
Read more.
Burning Fat And Carbohydrate During Exercise
ScienceDaily (June 19, 2007) — In a paper published in The Journal of Physiology, Helge, Stallknecht, Richter, Galbo, and Keins from Copenhagen shed light on fat oxidation during exercise and physical activity. Their observations suggest that fat oxidation during exercise reflects a fine interplay between the cardiovascular, neurological, endocrine and muscle metabolic systems.
During exercise and physical activity, the primary fuels used by muscles are carbohydrate and fat. When mild exercise is performed there is a tendency to burn relatively more fat and less glucose, but as exercise becomes more intense, a higher fraction of the energy demands of the muscle are supplied by glucose, until at the highest intensities almost only carbohydrates are used. Is this shift in fuel source a property of the muscle itself, or does it represent the interplay between what is happening in the muscle and the exercise-related responses in the rest of the body?
The study, performed at the Copenhagen Muscle Research Centre at the University of Copenhagen, examined muscle fuel utilisation in response to graded exercise performed with only one leg. Nine healthy males performed one-leg exercise at 25, 45, and 85% of maximal workload. Their results showed that, when only a small mass of muscle is contracting, and blood flow and oxygen supply are not limited by central circulatory capacity, the shift in fuel source from fat to glucose as exercise intensity increases does not occur. Read more.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Workouts Postponed On Account Of Weather, Smoke, and Colitis
The Heat Is On...
It's just too hot to exercise! I know because in July of 1996 I got heat exhaustion while riding my horse in exactly the same hot 100 plus degrees July weather. I actually blacked out sitting in the saddle but my mare brought me back to the barn safely.
And we still have a lot of smoke in the air from a fire in the Plumas National forest. The smoke is awful and makes our throats, eyes, and nose burn (didn't I just write this a few weeks ago?!) Poor Bruno looked like he had conjunctivitis a few days ago but it cleared up.
Never mind my freaking colitis flare is killing me too. I'm laying low until this heat breaks and the smoke clears.
Click To Enlarge - 99 degrees today, 101 tomorrow, 102 Thursday, 98 Friday. Sheesh.
Links:
Heat Illness - Heat Exhaustion, Safety Tips for Exercising in Hot Weather
By Elizabeth Quinn, About.com
Updated: April 12, 2008
Signs of Heat Exhaustion Signs & Symptoms of Heat Exhaustion Often Begin Suddenly.
Heat Exhaustion Heat Illness Heat Stroke Heat Stress Hot Weather Work
Athletes are especially prone to heat illness such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion, especially if they are unfamiliar with the warning signs. Heat illness can be life threatening if not taken seriously. Most serious heat illness in athletes can be prevented by following these basic guidelines and heeding the warning signs and symptoms. Read more.
The Best Way To Work Out In Hot Weather
Hot weather puts a strain on all of us regardless of our activity.
Dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke are more likely to occur when the humidity is above 70 percent and the heat is above 70 degrees.
This is because the heat and humidity interfere with our bodies own natural cooling processes.
Doing your daily work out in hot weather puts additional stress on our cardiovascular system. Read more.
Understanding hot weather and its dangers
Blistering summer heat waves can be not only extremely uncomfortable, but even deadly, as Europe learned during the summer of 2003.
History shows that heat waves are deadliest in large cities that rarely experience hot weather, with the elderly and those in poor health in the greatest danger.
In recent years, scientists have learned that a day's highest temperature is not the best measure of the danger of heat waves. Unrelenting heat that doesn't allow people to rest at night is responsible for the deaths of many elderly and ill people.
Recognition of this danger led the U.S. National Weather Service to begin using a new mean heat index.
Heat, humidity add up to danger
The elderly and ill aren't the only people that heat kills. It also kills healthy young people, usually because they do not recognize the dangers of exercising in hot weather, especially hot, humid weather.
When heat and humidity combine to slow evaporation of sweat from the body, outdoor exercise becomes dangerous even for those in good shape.
Key rules for coping with heat are to drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration and to slow down and cool off when feeling fatigued, a headache, a high pulse rate or shallow breathing. Overheating can cause serious, even life-threatening conditions such as heat stroke.
Dangers of heat include: Read More
How to Protect Your Family from the Health Effects of Smoke
-Pay attention to local air quality reports and stay alert to any news coverage or health warnings related to smoke.
-Use common sense. If it looks smoky outside, it's probably not a good time to mow the lawn or go for a run. And it's probably not a good time for your children to play outdoors.
-If you are advised to stay indoors, take steps to keep indoor air as clean as possible. Keep your windows and doors closed — unless it's extremely hot outside.
Read more.
It's just too hot to exercise! I know because in July of 1996 I got heat exhaustion while riding my horse in exactly the same hot 100 plus degrees July weather. I actually blacked out sitting in the saddle but my mare brought me back to the barn safely.
And we still have a lot of smoke in the air from a fire in the Plumas National forest. The smoke is awful and makes our throats, eyes, and nose burn (didn't I just write this a few weeks ago?!) Poor Bruno looked like he had conjunctivitis a few days ago but it cleared up.
Never mind my freaking colitis flare is killing me too. I'm laying low until this heat breaks and the smoke clears.
Click To Enlarge - 99 degrees today, 101 tomorrow, 102 Thursday, 98 Friday. Sheesh.
Links:
Heat Illness - Heat Exhaustion, Safety Tips for Exercising in Hot Weather
By Elizabeth Quinn, About.com
Updated: April 12, 2008
Signs of Heat Exhaustion Signs & Symptoms of Heat Exhaustion Often Begin Suddenly.
Heat Exhaustion Heat Illness Heat Stroke Heat Stress Hot Weather Work
Athletes are especially prone to heat illness such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion, especially if they are unfamiliar with the warning signs. Heat illness can be life threatening if not taken seriously. Most serious heat illness in athletes can be prevented by following these basic guidelines and heeding the warning signs and symptoms. Read more.
The Best Way To Work Out In Hot Weather
Hot weather puts a strain on all of us regardless of our activity.
Dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke are more likely to occur when the humidity is above 70 percent and the heat is above 70 degrees.
This is because the heat and humidity interfere with our bodies own natural cooling processes.
Doing your daily work out in hot weather puts additional stress on our cardiovascular system. Read more.
Understanding hot weather and its dangers
Blistering summer heat waves can be not only extremely uncomfortable, but even deadly, as Europe learned during the summer of 2003.
History shows that heat waves are deadliest in large cities that rarely experience hot weather, with the elderly and those in poor health in the greatest danger.
In recent years, scientists have learned that a day's highest temperature is not the best measure of the danger of heat waves. Unrelenting heat that doesn't allow people to rest at night is responsible for the deaths of many elderly and ill people.
Recognition of this danger led the U.S. National Weather Service to begin using a new mean heat index.
Heat, humidity add up to danger
The elderly and ill aren't the only people that heat kills. It also kills healthy young people, usually because they do not recognize the dangers of exercising in hot weather, especially hot, humid weather.
When heat and humidity combine to slow evaporation of sweat from the body, outdoor exercise becomes dangerous even for those in good shape.
Key rules for coping with heat are to drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration and to slow down and cool off when feeling fatigued, a headache, a high pulse rate or shallow breathing. Overheating can cause serious, even life-threatening conditions such as heat stroke.
Dangers of heat include: Read More
How to Protect Your Family from the Health Effects of Smoke
-Pay attention to local air quality reports and stay alert to any news coverage or health warnings related to smoke.
-Use common sense. If it looks smoky outside, it's probably not a good time to mow the lawn or go for a run. And it's probably not a good time for your children to play outdoors.
-If you are advised to stay indoors, take steps to keep indoor air as clean as possible. Keep your windows and doors closed — unless it's extremely hot outside.
Read more.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Another Reason Not To "Diet" Alone & Personal Update
Exercise is still key to fat loss and maintaining or gaining lean mass. See science article below.
My guys in WalMart...
Personal Update - Weight this morning 123 pounds, body fat 23.5 percent (both up since Thursday - no surprise there after the long weekend of feasting). I'm back to high protein / moderate carb eating this morning and drinking lots of water to flush out all the sodium I ate over the holiday weekend.
I'm also having a minor colitis / Crohns flare. Mostly feels like an ice pick was shoved in my lower right side. I'm taking 880 mg of an NSAID but it really doesn't do much for the pain at this point. Hopefully a course of Colon Clenz will get me over this pain in the arse. Probably it was caused by the Chili's dessert I shared with the guys. The chocolate and caramel sauces likely had high fructose corn syrup in them - my biggest trigger food. That's why I rarely eat any type of dessert or sweetened food. For land's sake, they put HFCS in everything including some brand of pickles, most commercial condiments like bbq sauces, ketchup, some low fat mayonnaises, tartar sauces, etc. You name it, if it comes in a box, bag, jar, or can, it probably has HFCS. I basically have to read every label in the store to avoid it. Restaurants, unfortunately, rarely disclose ingredients so when I do eat out it's a gamble.
Today, workout one will be leg day and workout two will be pool aerobics. (Update, I missed the pool aerobics but managed 6 sets each of 20 reps of lunges, side lunges, squats, and 6 sets of 15 reps each of 3 way calf raises - toes in, toes out, toes straight - on the BioVibe. Unfortunately my side pain got worse afterwards. Oh what we'll do for love and muscle).
The science article below enforces my philosophy that exercise and resistance training in particular is a must.
Weight Watchers Vs. Fitness Centers
ScienceDaily (July 5, 2008) — In the first study of its kind, using sophisticated methods to measure body composition, the nationally known commercial weight loss program, Weight Watchers, was compared to gym membership programs to find out which method wins in the game of good health. A University of Missouri researcher examined the real-life experiences of participants to determine which program helps people lose pounds, reduce body fat and gain health benefits. The answer is that both have pros and cons and that a combination of the two produces the best results.
Participants who attended Weight Watchers for 12 weeks lost an average of 5 percent of their body weight, or about nine pounds. However, Steve Ball, assistant professor of exercise physiology in the MU College of Human Environmental Sciences, found that a large percentage of the lost weight was lean tissue and not fat.
“Participants’ body fat percentage did not improve at all because they lost a much higher percentage than expected of lean tissue,” said Ball, MU Extension state fitness specialist. “It is advantageous to keep lean tissue because it is correlated with higher metabolism. Losing lean tissue often slows metabolism. What your body is made of is more important than what you weigh.”
The majority of other Weight Watcher studies had not considered body fat percentage change and only focused on body weight.
“This is one aspect of our study that makes it unique,” Ball said. “We used a sophisticated measure of body composition – the Bod Pod – to look at what type of weight was lost: lean or fat.”
In addition, Ball said the study was novel because Computer Tomography (CT scans) were used to investigate changes in abdominal fat, which is more predictive of cardiovascular disease. Although the fitness center group lost very little weight, they probably improved their health because they lost a significant amount of intraabdominal fat (fat around vital organs). These results imply that exercise may have positive influence on the metabolic syndrome despite the number on the scale, Ball concluded.
Ball also found that group support is very important. Most of the Weight Watchers participants stuck with the program during the duration of the study, while many of the fitness center participants quit.
“These results imply that overweight, sedentary women joining a fitness center with the intent of weight loss or body fat change will likely fail without support and without altering their diets,” Ball said. “Nearly 50 percent of people who start an exercise program will quit within six months.”
“This study attempted to discover what takes place in the real world when overweight women attempt to lose weight.” Ball said. “I think the outcome of the study speaks volumes about the necessity for a multi-pronged approach in order to lose weight, body fat and gain health benefits. I hope that this will be the first in a series of studies investigating commercial weight-loss programs.”
Journal reference:
1. Ball et al. Comparison of a Commercial Weight Loss Program to Joining a Fitness Center. Journal of Exercise Physiology, June 2008
Adapted from materials provided by University of Missouri-Columbia.
My guys in WalMart...
Personal Update - Weight this morning 123 pounds, body fat 23.5 percent (both up since Thursday - no surprise there after the long weekend of feasting). I'm back to high protein / moderate carb eating this morning and drinking lots of water to flush out all the sodium I ate over the holiday weekend.
I'm also having a minor colitis / Crohns flare. Mostly feels like an ice pick was shoved in my lower right side. I'm taking 880 mg of an NSAID but it really doesn't do much for the pain at this point. Hopefully a course of Colon Clenz will get me over this pain in the arse. Probably it was caused by the Chili's dessert I shared with the guys. The chocolate and caramel sauces likely had high fructose corn syrup in them - my biggest trigger food. That's why I rarely eat any type of dessert or sweetened food. For land's sake, they put HFCS in everything including some brand of pickles, most commercial condiments like bbq sauces, ketchup, some low fat mayonnaises, tartar sauces, etc. You name it, if it comes in a box, bag, jar, or can, it probably has HFCS. I basically have to read every label in the store to avoid it. Restaurants, unfortunately, rarely disclose ingredients so when I do eat out it's a gamble.
Today, workout one will be leg day and workout two will be pool aerobics. (Update, I missed the pool aerobics but managed 6 sets each of 20 reps of lunges, side lunges, squats, and 6 sets of 15 reps each of 3 way calf raises - toes in, toes out, toes straight - on the BioVibe. Unfortunately my side pain got worse afterwards. Oh what we'll do for love and muscle).
The science article below enforces my philosophy that exercise and resistance training in particular is a must.
Weight Watchers Vs. Fitness Centers
ScienceDaily (July 5, 2008) — In the first study of its kind, using sophisticated methods to measure body composition, the nationally known commercial weight loss program, Weight Watchers, was compared to gym membership programs to find out which method wins in the game of good health. A University of Missouri researcher examined the real-life experiences of participants to determine which program helps people lose pounds, reduce body fat and gain health benefits. The answer is that both have pros and cons and that a combination of the two produces the best results.
Participants who attended Weight Watchers for 12 weeks lost an average of 5 percent of their body weight, or about nine pounds. However, Steve Ball, assistant professor of exercise physiology in the MU College of Human Environmental Sciences, found that a large percentage of the lost weight was lean tissue and not fat.
“Participants’ body fat percentage did not improve at all because they lost a much higher percentage than expected of lean tissue,” said Ball, MU Extension state fitness specialist. “It is advantageous to keep lean tissue because it is correlated with higher metabolism. Losing lean tissue often slows metabolism. What your body is made of is more important than what you weigh.”
The majority of other Weight Watcher studies had not considered body fat percentage change and only focused on body weight.
“This is one aspect of our study that makes it unique,” Ball said. “We used a sophisticated measure of body composition – the Bod Pod – to look at what type of weight was lost: lean or fat.”
In addition, Ball said the study was novel because Computer Tomography (CT scans) were used to investigate changes in abdominal fat, which is more predictive of cardiovascular disease. Although the fitness center group lost very little weight, they probably improved their health because they lost a significant amount of intraabdominal fat (fat around vital organs). These results imply that exercise may have positive influence on the metabolic syndrome despite the number on the scale, Ball concluded.
Ball also found that group support is very important. Most of the Weight Watchers participants stuck with the program during the duration of the study, while many of the fitness center participants quit.
“These results imply that overweight, sedentary women joining a fitness center with the intent of weight loss or body fat change will likely fail without support and without altering their diets,” Ball said. “Nearly 50 percent of people who start an exercise program will quit within six months.”
“This study attempted to discover what takes place in the real world when overweight women attempt to lose weight.” Ball said. “I think the outcome of the study speaks volumes about the necessity for a multi-pronged approach in order to lose weight, body fat and gain health benefits. I hope that this will be the first in a series of studies investigating commercial weight-loss programs.”
Journal reference:
1. Ball et al. Comparison of a Commercial Weight Loss Program to Joining a Fitness Center. Journal of Exercise Physiology, June 2008
Adapted from materials provided by University of Missouri-Columbia.
