Sprinter Have Healthier Bones

Do you sprint? Here's some interesting news from Runner's World. The bones of older sprinters seem to be in better health than the bones of older distance runners.
Want to know the specifics? The article is here: http://www.runnersworld.com/health/older-sprinters-bones-healthier-older-distance-runners

"Older sprinters have better bone density and neuromuscular functioning than older distance runners, according to a study published in Osteoporosis International.German researchers examined 178 competitors at the 2006 edition of the European Masters Championships. They measured bone density, lean tissue mass, and a few measures of neuromuscular functioning, or how well one's nervous system communicates with one's muscles, in three groups of athletes: sprinters, middle-distance runners and long-distance runners..."

Athletes Using Ibuprofen, Beware!

Are you an athlete who frequently uses ibuprofen? Be careful. Taking ibuprofen before exercise might cause gastrointestinal leakage. Learn more on The New York Times.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/05/for-athletes-risks-from-ibuprofen-use/

 "Studies have already shown that strenuous exercise alone commonly results in a small amount of intestinal trauma. A representative experiment published last year found that cyclists who rode hard for an hour immediately developed elevated blood levels of a marker that indicates slight gastrointestinal leakage. Physiologically, it makes sense that exercise would affect the intestines as it does, because, during prolonged exertion, digestion becomes a luxury, said Dr. Kim van Wijck, currently a surgical resident at Orbis Medical Center in the Netherlands, who led the small study. So the blood that normally would flow to the small intestine is instead diverted to laboring muscles. Starved of blood, some of the cells lining the intestines are traumatized and start to leak.Thankfully, the damage seems to be short-lived, Dr. van Wijck said. Her research showed that within an hour after a cyclist finished riding, the stressed intestines returned to normal.But the most common side-effect of ibuprofen is gastrointestinal damage. And because many athletes take the drug for pain before and after a workout, Dr. van Wijck set out to determine the combined effect of exercise and ibuprofen..."

8 "Healthy" Mistakes

Remember, moderation is key! Just because it's healthy doesn't mean it's alright to overdo it.
Prevention Magazine shares 8 "healthy" mistakes might just be holding back your progress.

1. You went gluten-free "just because"

2. You swore off sweets

3. You cut out carbs to speed up weight loss

4. You seriously upped your fiber intake

5. You eat micro-portions all day long

6. You nosh before and after workouts

7. You still eat low-fat foods

8. You always go for the salad

Read more: http://www.prevention.com/weight-loss/weight-loss-tips/8-reasons-youre-not-losing-weight/1-you-went-gluten-free--just-because#ixzz2EOoB6FSy

Live 5 Years Longer

A little bit of exercise goes a long way. Here's an amazing fact to prove the point: Only 10 minutes of physical activity each day can add 5 years to your lifespan.

Read more on Prevention: http://www.prevention.com/fitness/fitness-tips/how-10-minutes-exercise-makes-you-live-longer?cm_mmc=Facebook-_-Prevention-_-pvnnews-blog-_-live5yearslonger

"No need to sign yourself up for a marathon in your quest to live longer (but if you want to, great! Here’s how.). All it takes is a few minutes of leisurely exercise every day, finds new research from the National Institutes of Health.The National Cancer Institute—a branch of the NIH—tracked the exercise habits and health outcomes of roughly 650,000 adults, most of whom were over the age of 40. Here’s what the researchers figured out: Those who completed 2.5 hours of moderate exercise every week—or half that amount of vigorous exercise—upped their life expectancy by up to 4.5 years. "

The Fittest President

Who was the fittest man to be the president of the United States? This fantastic infographic on Greatist illustrates it for us! For better resolution, go to their website:
http://greatist.com/fitness/presidential-election-infographic/

Exercise Harder, Not Longer!

When it comes to cardio, more does not necessarily mean better! The intensity of your workout counts towards the health of your heart more than the duration of it. Next time you're going for a walk or jog, pick up the pace, get your heart pumping, and save time!

Read more about it on Time: http://healthland.time.com/2012/10/10/for-better-heart-health-exercise-harder-not-longer/#ixzz29m2fugdP

"The general advice for most Americans is: Get more exercise. But the question is what kind of exercise, how intensely and for how long?
A new study suggests that for improvements in cardiovascular health, you should pick up the pace. More intense exercise (brisk walking) was better than longer bouts of lower-intensity activity (leisurely walking) at reducing people’s chances of developing risk factors for heart disease and diabetes, researchers found."

Strong Body for a Long Life

A strong body has an easier time recovering illnesses and injuries. Keep your body fit and properly fueled to stay resistant against harm! Dr Oz. has 10 tips for you on Shape.com.

Read them here: http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/dr-ozs-top-10-health-and-fitness-tips-all-time

"Illness or injury may often be the instigator, but frailty is what kills us, says Dr. Mehmet Oz, cardiothoracic surgeon, author, and host of The Dr. Oz Show. Our bodies can't recover as well if we're not strong, which is why he recommends a balanced workout plan that includes strength, cardio, and flexibility training...."

Morning Workouts Curb Your Appetite

If you needed a bit more motivation to get up early for a quick workout first thing in the morning, here it is! About 45 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity in the morning could keep your appetite under control and boost your metabolism for the rest of the day.

Learn about it on Greatist:

"Greatist News examines and explains the trends and studies making headlines in fitness, health, and happiness. Check out all the news here.

Photo by Aleksandra Flora

Exercise burns calories, but a morning workout may actually make us skip that delicious egg sandwich. A new study conducted at Brigham Young University discovered that 45 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous morning exercise actually reduced a person’s motivation to hit the fridge afterwards.

The Study

Researchers measured the brain activity of 35 women while they looked at 240 images — half were of food, and the other half flowers. The first measurement took place right after 45 minutes of brisk walking on a treadmill; a week later, the same neural activity was measured but without the exercise. The results found that the morning workout led to lower brain responses to the pictures of food.

Interestingly, scientists also found that participants ate roughly the same amount of calories on both days, regardless of exercise. The 45-minute workout also led to an increased amount of physical activity throughout the day."

Read more: http://greatist.com/fitness/workout-less-hungry-091812/

NYC's Ban on Large Sugary Drinks Is Approved

Bloomberg's restriction on the selling of sugary drinks and sodas over 16oz has been approved almost unanimously by New York City's Board of Health yesterday. This is the first act of its kind, geared towards combating the skyrocketing rates of obesity in America that's responsible for taking the lives of 5,000 New Yorkers every year. Alcoholic beverages, fruit juices, and dairy-based beverages such as milkshakes will not be effected by this. The ban will take place on March 12th, 2013.

For more details, read the article on The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/14/nyregion/health-board-approves-bloombergs-soda-ban.html

Fix Your Form: Seated Leg Press

Is this what you look like when using the squat machine? 

Fix your form! Using the machine this way can lead to injuries and puts unnecessary strain on your joints. Your legs should be bent at 90 degree angles with your shins parallel to the ground.

You should look like this!

It's easy to misuse the seated leg press machine, so make sure to check your posture next time you use one of these!


Read more here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/28/fix-your-form-how-to-exercise-leg-press_n_1833521.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000008

8 Signs You're Overtraining

If there's a goal you're driven to achieve you might do whatever it takes to get it. When it comes to fitness, that motivation just might lead you to push your body a little too far. While frequently training to exhaustion might make you feel accomplished, the effects of overtraining will actually be working against your goals. Take care of yourself and listen to your body's warning signs.
Mark's Daily Apple has a list of 8 symptoms of overtraining that you should be taking seriously. It's important to leave your body enough energy to protect and maintain itself.

"When you spend some time among the ever-growing circle of evolutionary-based health writers, thinkers, bloggers, and doctors, you notice a curious thing happening. Conventional Wisdom is becoming turned on its head. Saturated fat is generally healthy and excessive endurance training is generally unhealthy become the presiding narratives. Grains are either unnecessary or have the tendency to attack the gut lining, even guts with “clinically undetectable levels of sensitivity.” You don’t need six square meals a day to keep your metabolism up and running, after all; one or two a day will do just fine.Less is more – as far as exercise goes – is becoming another accepted truth, especially when you understand that 80% of your body composition is determined by how you eat..."

Read the rest here: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/overtraining/#ixzz24UcLu0qZ



Remember, your health and well-being should always come first. That's what fitness is all about, after all. Happy training!

Eat More Carbs!

All carbs are not created equal! Carbs should make up a good half of your diet, so make sure they're coming from a good source. Loading your diet with healthy carbs is a good way to keep weight off. Get a couple of good ideas for carb-rich meals on Self!

"Your Daily Carb PlanPasta lovers, put on your party pants: To keep pounds off, you should get up to 65 percent of daily calories from carbs—45 to 55 percent for meat eaters; 55 to 65 percent for vegetarians getting protein from carb-rich stuff. Here's what a perfect day of carb eating looks like, complete with tasty ideas."

http://www.self.com/fooddiet/2012/09/daily-carb-plan-slideshow#slide=1

4 Things Before a Workout

Do you jump right into a workout or do you take the time to prepare your body? It's important to be properly fueled and warmed up before you begin an exercise. Making sure you do these four things before you train will keep you safe and energized!

See them on LiveStrong: http://www.livestrong.com/article/557765-4-things-you-should-do-before-every-workout/

"There’s a natural tendency to want to leap right into a workout. After all, who isn’t pressed for time? But failing to take the proper steps before each training session can sabotage your results, if not lead to injury and long-term ailments.
By planning ahead and warming up properly, you’ll have a more effective workout, be less susceptible to injury, and produce the results you desire. Here are four quick steps you can take to do just that."
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/557765-4-things-you-should-do-before-every-workout/#ixzz23AvoXMG6

10 Strategies to Burn Fat

Losing weight requires a complete lifestyle change that includes a cleaner diet and more movement. However, if you're looking to adopt a few habits and strategies to help speed up the process, Fitness Magazine has got 10 tips for you! Keep yourself nourished and diet-minded and you'll be sure to get the results you're looking for.

No crazy gimmicks or deprivation diets here. These 10 smart new strategies will help you shed fat and keep it off.
Use fat to burn fat.
Trying yet again to lose those last 10 pounds? We hear you. In fact, 50 percent of women say that within six months they gain back any weight they've managed to ditch. And more than a quarter have dieted so many times they've lost track of the number. Well, get ready to stop the endless yo-yoing: Science has finally come up with simple, groundbreaking solutions for lasting weight loss. We checked in with the top experts in the field and scoured the latest research to bring you the skinny on everything you need to reach your slim-down goals and stay there.
Make your fat burn fat.Seriously: Your flab can help you shed pounds. How? Just as there's more than one kind of fat in food, there's more than one type in your body. White fat is the bad stuff you want to zap. But a second kind, brown fat, actually torches calories. "Up to 80 percent of adults have brown fat deposits in their bodies," says Aaron M. Cypess, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of medicine at the Joslin Diabetes Center and Harvard Medical School. This good fat is powerful because it's packed with mitochondria, the parts of cells that generate heat. When activated, as little as two ounces of brown fat can gobble up as much as 20 percent of your body's calories.
Exercise is one of the best ways to get your brown fat in gear. In a study, scientists at Harvard's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute discovered that working out releases a hormone called irisin, which converts white fat to brown. Exercise for a half hour at least five days a week to turn up the burn.

Read the 10 tips here: http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/weight-loss/tips/diet-tips/how-to-lose-fat-for-good/?page=1

Eat This Before You Run

Do you know what snacks are the best to eat before you go for a run? FitSugar has a chart of the foods you should and shouldn't consider as well as when to eat it!

Read more here: http://www.fitsugar.com/What-Eat-Before-Run-24108225

Time	Food Ideas	Foods to Avoid
2 hours before	300- to 400-calorie meal containing carbs, protein, and healthy fats: Cooked quinoa and grilled chicken Whole wheat pasta with cheese and veggies Peanut butter and jelly sandwich Greek yogurt with blueberries and sliced almonds Wrap filled with grilled fish, avocado, and mango	Tons of fibrous veggies: Broccoli, onions, beans High-fat foods that are hard to digest: Burgers, fries, ice cream

Keep reading to find out what to eat (and what to avoid) an hour or 15 minutes before a run.

Time	Food Ideas	Foods to Avoid
1 hour before	150-calorie snack containing easily digestible carbs and a little protein: Whole wheat toast with nut butter Whole grain crackers and hummus Small bowl of cereal Half a fruit and nut bar Cheese stick and carrots	Gas-producing fruits: Pear Apple Melon
15 to 30 minutes before	Small serving of easily digestible carbs: Banana Applesauce A few saltine crackers Raisins	Large serving of protein and carbs, and high-saturated fat and high-fiber foods: Pasta Bagel and cream cheese Fried chicken Granola bar (high in calories and fiber)

Mixing Weight Training and Aerobics

Do weight training and aerobics interfere with one another? Many athletes dodge this questions by doing each exercise on separate days. Is the phenomenon of “muscle interference” or “exercise antagonism” actually true? A study shows that there is no interference and that mixed training can actually bring extra benefits to your workout. See it on The New York Times.

"Is it wise to practice weight training and aerobic exercise on the same day?That issue is surprisingly contentious in the sports world. Many competitive athletes, their coaches and athletic trainers have come to believe that aerobic exercise, if practiced in close proximity to strength training, reduces the ability of muscles to strengthen and grow. Conversely, many contend that weight training performed on the same day as aerobic exercise blunts the endurance training response.This phenomenon, known variously as “muscle interference” or “exercise antagonism,” is a frequent topic on fitness-related chat boards. But to date, most of the discussions have been based on anecdotal evidence or simple conjecture. There has been little science supporting or challenging the existence of interference.

So, independently, groups of researchers at McMaster University in Ontario and the Karolinska Institute and other institutions in Sweden recently recruited volunteers to test the idea that you get more physiological benefit from performing only one type of exercise on any given day..."

Read more about the study here: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/02/mixing-weight-training-and-aerobics/?ref=nutrition

Benefits of Running Barefoot

Do you prefer to run barefoot or with sneakers on? If you're considering running barefoot or already do, here are a few reasons to want to start. Zest Magazine lists a few benefits to running barefoot here: http://www.zest.co.uk/running/5-benefits-of-barefoot-running/2646.html

1) Barefoot running gives you increased running efficiencyResearch suggests that running barefoot increases efficiency by 4%. This is likely to be due to the fact the foot can function more effectively without the restriction of supportive footwear.
2) Less chance of injuryRunning in a barefoot shoe like Vibram FiveFingers® means you have a greater awareness of your foot position on the ground and increased leverage making you less likely to suffer an ankle sprain.
When running barefoot on hard surfaces, you automatically compensate for the lack of cushioning underfoot by plantar-flexing your foot at contact, thus giving a softer landing. This helps to prevent shin splints.
3) Running barefoot strengthens foot musclesWhen you support a broken limb with a plaster, the muscles weaken. Likewise, when you support the foot within a conventional running shoe, it results in a weakening of soome muscles. Weak muscles can mean greater injury risk, greater dependency on shoes, and impaired performance.
4) It decreases your risk of bunionsBecause the traditional shape of feet does not match the shape of our shoes, the big toe is often pushed towards the middle of the foot and the same is true of the little toe. This, along with the heel of the shoe pushing the big toe even further, results in a deviation of the big toe which can lead to bunions.
5) Barefoot running maximises biomechanical performanceCounter to popular belief that the arches are there to absorb shock, they are in fact designed to store energy and return that energy to the gait cycle on the next step. Wearing shoes that 'support' the arch, prevent the arches from performing their function. Being barefoot ensures that the arches are working as they are designed to.

50 Healthiest Foods

The  most nutritious foods are right at your fingertips. Do you frequently include any of these into your diet? If not, you're missing out on some of the healthiest foods in existence.
See the complete list and slideshow on The Huffington Post!

"And so we turned to some of our favorite medical and nutritional experts to come up with this list of 50 of the healthiest foods, presented alphabetically. Pad your grocery list with these and you'll be on your way to a healthier, more vibrant diet. Of course, even as we editors finished the list, we started thinking of more ("How could carrots not be on the list?" "What about black pepper?"). So we plan to follow up with a second list of healthy foods. Let us know in the comments which of your favorites we skipped and they could appear soon."

See them here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/29/healthy-food-healthiest-list_n_1636409.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003

6 Lies the Food Industry Feeds You

There are so many things you think you would never put in your mouth. If it's packaged and labeled as something you're convinced is delicious, you'll probably eat it without a second thought. Be aware of what you put inside of your body. This article on Cracked reveals 6 of the creepiest lies the food industry sells to you. It's likely that you eat these regularly.

Read about them here: http://www.cracked.com/article_19896_the-6-creepiest-lies-food-industry-feeding-you.html

6 Characteristics The Best Workouts Share

When you exercise, do you aim to get the best workout you possibly can? Shape Magazine has put together 6 characteristics that all of the best workouts share.
Curious if yours fits? Read it here: http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/6-things-all-best-workouts-have-common

Here's the first:

A SPECIFIC PURPOSE“Great workouts have a specific purpose,” says Rick Richey, a master instructor for the National Academy of Sports Medicine and owner ofR2Fitness in New York City. Whether the goal is to help you burn more calories, gain strength, or just shimmy into your skinny jeans with confidence, the program you choose should clearly define what it’s going to do for you, and those end results should align with your personal goals.
“You will need to know where you're going before you show up,” Richey says. “Too often people arrive aimlessly at the gym and without a clear picture of what they want or why they are there.”
The best workouts should help you define your goal, and then provide you with a plan to reach it.

The Best Weight Loss Strategy

There are countless tips out there for weight loss, but the number one strategy to lose weight is a lifestyle change. No temporary diet or set of workout moves will guarantee the results eating clean and having an active lifestyle will. This article on Prevention Magazine discusses this in depth and gives tips that are really worth reading.

"Yup, you’re about to read another diet post, but not to worry: You won’t hear anything about calorie-counting or eating like a caveman here. Instead, new research reveals that the best way to lose weight is surprisingly simple: Eat more produce and sit less.
Researchers from Northwestern University studied how well four different health strategies worked over 20 weeks. The diets included: Eating less fat and getting more exercise; eating more fruits and veggies and working out more; eating more produce and reducing sedentary time; and cutting down on fat while lowering the amount of sedentary time."

Read more here:
http://www.prevention.com/weight-loss/weight-loss-tips/new-study-reveals-best-strategy-health?cm_mmc=Facebook-_-Prevention-_-blog-pvnnews-_-lowfatdiet

Portion Size Multiplied

There have been many lifestyle and dietary changes that have contributed to the rise in obesity rates worldwide (and especially in America), but one of the main undeniable reasons behind this growth in our waistlines is the growth in our food portions. In the 1950's, America's average portion size in restaurant meals was less than four times the size it is today, which really says something about why our body fat percentages are multiplying.
The Huffington Post discusses this phenomenon.

"The average restaurant meal is four -- four -- times larger than it was in the 1950s. In fact, 96 percent of entrees at chain restaurants exceed dietary guidelines for sodium, fat and saturated fat per meal, according to a recent study.
All those additional calories are a big problem -- for our waistlines. The average adult is now 26 pounds heavier than 60 years ago.
It's not always easy to tell when you're overdoing it, especially since we're used to never-ending bowls of pasta and burgers too big to bite into. The infographic from the CDC below, however, makes it pretty clear."

Read more here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/23/portion-sizes-infographic_n_1539804.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003

Here's an illustration created by the CDC to put into perspective just how extreme the growth in portion size really is.

Mathematical Challenge to Obesity

Mathematician Carson C. Chow has found evidence against the rule of a pound being made of 3,500 calories, which he shares with The New York Times. See what new information his caloric equation has rendered.

"That the conventional wisdom of 3,500 calories less is what it takes to lose a pound of weight is wrong. The body changes as you lose. Interestingly, we also found that the fatter you get, the easier it is to gain weight. An extra 10 calories a day puts more weight onto an obese person than on a thinner one.
Also, there’s a time constant that’s an important factor in weight loss. That’s because if you reduce your caloric intake, after a while, your body reaches equilibrium. It actually takes about three years for a dieter to reach their new “steady state.” Our model predicts that if you eat 100 calories fewer a day, in three years you will, on average, lose 10 pounds — if you don’t cheat.
Another finding: Huge variations in your daily food intake will not cause variations in weight, as long as your average food intake over a year is about the same. This is because a person’s body will respond slowly to the food intake."

He's even devised a calculator that can help you decide the amount of calories your body requires in a day. See it here:


http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/15/science/a-mathematical-challenge-to-obesity.html?_r=1

Shin Splints

Feeling a dull ache along your shin bone? You could be working too hard too soon, wearing the wrong shoes, or running the wrong sort of surface. Some stretch and rest can help alleviate your pain.

Spark People has an article that has tips and hints to help you deal with the pain of shin splints.

Read it here: http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=611

Busy? You might be making one of these 10 mistakes.

Being busy comes with many sacrifices. Too much work means less sleep, more stress relieving activities, and quicker food choices for many people. You shouldn't feel as though you have to sacrifice your health for a productive lifestyle. It's working against you!
The Huffington Post has a list of 10 health mistakes you're probably making in your busy schedule.

"When our careers take over, one of the first things we sacrifice is our health. We have a hard time focusing on too many things at once, so when we need to work late and push through difficult and demanding months on the job, we tend to neglect some very important health habits that will help us sustain a demanding schedule.
Consider this a friendly reminder to get yourself back on track. The healthier the body, the healthier the mind; and the healthier the mind, the better you will do at work, and the more your boss will reward you. So listen up -- some of these changes in your daily routine are easy, and you can start them now."

Read the 10 mistakes here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brazen-life/health-tips_b_1400392.html?ref=health-and-fitness&ir=Health+and+Fitness&ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009

10 Rules to Weight Loss

Dieting is the most important key to weight loss. While exercising is an important component, continuing to eat too many of the wrong foods can make losing weight extremely difficult. Know the most important factors and weight loss. See what to cut back on and methods to limit sabotaging your efforts through your diet with these 10 golden rules from Zest. Some of them may surprise you.

1. Do limit added fats to no more than 4tsp per day:These include cooking oils, dressings, marinades and spreads.
2. Do watch your portions: Eat until you’re satisfied, not stuffed!
3. Do choose low-glycaemic carbohydrates: Choose oats, sweet potatoes, pulses and grainy bread to give you the energy to exercise.
4. Do drink at least 2 litres of water a day: And add an additional litre for every hour of exercise you do (250ml per 15 minutes).
5. Do have a non-alcoholic drink with food: Stick to water, fruit tea, plus 250ml of skimmed or semi-skimmed milk in tea and coffee.
6. Don’t add sugar or salt to your food: They will make you retain both water and those excess pounds.
7. Don’t give up if you’ve had a bad day: Stay focused - always remember your end goal for motivation.
8. Don’t skip a snack or meal: You’ll only reach for something sugary or fatty later.
9. Don’t scrimp on veg: Eating more vegetables will keep you fuller for longer.
10. Don’t eat more than two pieces of fruit a day: They are simple sugars.

See it on Zest: http://www.zest.co.uk/weightloss/10-golden-rules-of-weight-loss/2886.html

Extreme Weight Loss Success Stories

Looking for motivation? The best weight loss inspiration is real-life success stories. The men and women who, through hard work and dedication, managed to shed over 100lbs are seriously deserving of admiration. They've transformed their lives and bodies, pushing themselves to the limit for a happier, healthier life.
This one impressive tale of a man who lost 170lbs can be read on The Huffington Post.

Name: Jeremiah Sears
Age: 32
Height: 5'11"
Before Weight: 358 pounds
How I Gained It: Ever since I can remember, I have always had a problem with my weight. From the time I was in high school I was creeping up on 300 pounds, but I learned to live with it. I was constantly getting fast food or eating a snack. I worked nights, so when I got home I would eat a big meal and then go to bed.
I had it in my head that I was always going to be this way no matter how hard I tried. Over the years I tried hundreds of diets and diet pills waiting for a miracle to happen, but it never did. When the diets didn't work it would make me depressed, and I would gain more weight. I was fighting a losing battle with myself. I had been to the doctors to check on some complications I was having and the doctor informed me that if I didn't lose weight my blood pressure and sugar were going to get out of control. I took the doctor's advice with a grain of salt and kept living the same way. After a few months of not following the doctor's orders, I started to feel like even getting up in the morning was a struggle.

Read the rest here:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/23/weight-loss-success-jeremiah-sears_n_1341901.html

9 Health Myths

We've heard them before. Don't read in the dark because it'll damage your vision, don't go out without a jacket or you'll catch a cold, so on and so on. Turns out a lot of these myths are a result of misinformation or some twisting of the truth.

Health has comprised a list of 9 health myths that you really shouldn't stress over.

In the old days, health misinformation would spread slowly. Not today. "The Internet has given people the ability to send everyone on their email lists wild stories that end up mushrooming around the world in a matter of hours," says Rich Buhler, creator of Truthorfiction.com, a website devoted to debunking false email rumors. But relax: Most of those health scares hitting your in-box are a misreading of facts or a deliberate twisting of the truth.

Read about the 9 myths here: http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20443377,00.html

Why Weight Training is Important

If you don't lift weights, you might want to reconsider your workout routine. Whether you want to lose weight, build strength, tone up, or improve your overall health, building muscle is a necessary step! There are countless benefits to lifting weights.


See the 20 reasons you should implement muscle training to your exercise sessions from Fitbie!

"When you lift weights, you cause tiny tears in your muscle fibers. This accelerates a process called muscle-protein synthesis that uses amino acids to repair and reinforce the fibers, making them resistant to future damage. So when a muscle fiber is exposed to a frequent challenge—as it is when you regularly lift weights—it makes structural adaptations in order to better handle that challenge. For example, your muscles adapt by getting bigger and stronger, or by becoming more resistant to fatigue.
These adaptations occur to reduce stress on your body, which is why you can perform everyday functions—such as walking up stairs or picking up a light object—with little effort. It's also why if you routinely lift weights, you'll find that even the hardest physical tasks become easier. In scientific circles, this is known as the training effect. Turns out, this training effect improves not only your muscles but your entire life, too. It is, in fact, what gives you the edge."

http://fitbie.msn.com/get-fitter/tips/20-reasons-start-lifting

How Much Water is Enough?

It's always said that drinking 8 glasses of water a day is ideal. While it's essential for every single body function, weight loss, and even mental health to stay adequately hydrated, saying that a person needs 8 glasses of water on top of their meals and other beverages is pushing it. The water content in your diet, sex, body type, environment, and many other factors effect the amount of water you require in a day. How much is enough for you? The Huffington Post tells us how to determine how much water you need.

One way to keep on top of your hydration is to keep an eye on the color of your urine. Lawrence Armstrong, Ph.D., an exercise physiologist and professor at the University of Connecticut's Human Performance Laboratory, established a urine color chart to accurately depict levels of dehydration. While Armstrong does not allow online reproduction of the chart, as the colors may appear differently on different computer monitors, color printers and web sites, numerous other outlets, including the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, the New York Times and the Boy Scouts of Americahave since created their own digital versions of the color chart.
The slideshow below is based on the colors presented by the Boy Scouts of America. The goal is to produce urine the color of lemonade, ideally in the range of colors one through three. If your urine is in the range of colors four through eight, you need to drink more fluids and may need to consult your doctor. (Note: This slideshow is not for clinical use, but can be used as a basic guideline.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/28/how-much-water-urine-color-chart_n_1305129.html?ref=healthy-living&ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009

Intuitive Eating

Diets can be painful and frustrating. Even worse, all of the calorie-counting and deprivation of certain delicious, energizing foods can paint out food to be an enemy rather than a source of nutrition and life. For Americans, most of the trouble for obesity seems to lie in our tendency to eat greasy, unhealthy foods in portions that are much larger than we'd ever require. Eating this way isn't what your body want or needs.
Intuitive eating is a dieting philosophy that encourages you to stay in tune with your body's needs to keep yourself satisfied and healthy. You eat until you're 80% full and intake the nutrition you require to be happy and healthy. Calorie counting or food-loathing is strongly against this philosophy. A blog on The Province discusses this thought in detail.

"Are you tired of repeated dieting without results? Do you feel you are at war with food? There is a nutritional philosophy called “intuitive eating” that may help free you from the power of food. What does it entail?
Intuitive eating involves listening to your body’s natural cues and signals like hunger and fullness and mastering your own feelings and internal dialogue (whether negative or positive) about your body and food. Intuitive eating abandons the old diet mentality of counting calories and fat grams that our culture has been stuck in for far too long — a diet mentality that doesn’t always allow us to accept ourselves as we are, and one that can further deepen our negative relationships to food."

Read more: http://blogs.theprovince.com/2012/02/20/intuitive-eating-listening-to-your-bodys-cues-to-lose-weight/

The Reason Why Dieting Hurts

Do you ever wonder why dieting is just so hard to keep up with? A little hormone called leptin is the culprit. It plays a key role in energy expenditure and intake, meaning it's behind your feelings of hunger and hinders with your ability to lose weight. Your body automatically responds to your attempts to eat less and lose weight with the perfect counter of making you crave the amount of food you used to eat and slowing down your metabolism to in an attempt to maintain your original weight. It works against all of your efforts with this vicious cycle, but it doesn't have to work this way. There are ways around it!

In fact, cheating on your diet every once in a while is a great way to get your metabolism revving and to keep leptin levels normal, making it possible to continue losing weight while not completely depriving yourself of the high-energy foods that you love! Carbs are actually your best friend for this. You can read about why this is on Laurens Fitness.

"OK, so I mentioned above that leptin levels drop dramatically when you diet, causing all sorts of problems that you don’t want. Basically making it near impossible for you to lose the pounds. The good news is, this is reversed really really quickly. It takes less than a day for leptin to get back to normal levels. With a fair increase in calories, your body will increase your leptin levels, thus your metabolism will go up and appetite will be suppressed. Great I hear you say, but then I am eating more calories and will just reverse all the good work I already did. Well, not if you are strategic about it.

If you cheat on your diet once a week (when we know that leptin can be at its lowest after dieting), you give your leptin and your metabolism a boost, setting and priming your body up for fat loss once you resume your diet. You can eat what you want for a day, try not to binge…it’s just not a good habit. Up your energy intake that day, get your metabolism firing. When you go back to dieting, you will be in a much better state than if you had simply let your leptin levels and metabolism hit rock bottom. It’s almost impossible to lose weight at this stage.

The best thing to eat is stuff that is full of carbs. There is a relationship between leptin, carbs and insulin. There has been research suggesting that upping your energy intake alone won’t really help. If you stuff yourself full of protein and fats, it won’t raise your metabolism and up your leptin levels as effectively as carbs will. So on you cheat day, concentrate on carbs."

Read more: http://laurensfitness.com/2007/12/28/dieting-why-is-it-so-hard/