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.