Physical exercise is any bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health. Frequent and regular physical exercise boosts the immune system, and helps prevent diseases of affluence such as heart disease, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, obesity and weight loss.
Physical exercise is important for maintaining physical fitness and can contribute positively to fast weight lose to maintain a healthy weight, build and maintain healthy bone density, muscle strength, and joint mobility, promoting physiological well-being, reducing surgical risks, and strengthening the immune system.
There is conflicting evidence as to whether vigorous exercise (more than 70% of VO2 Max) is more or less beneficial than moderate exercise (40 to 70% of VO2 Max). Furthermore, anecdotal evidence suggests that frequent exercise may reverse alcohol-induced brain damage.
Both aerobic and anaerobic exercise also work to increase the mechanical efficiency of the heart by increasing cardiac volume (aerobic exercise), or myocardial thickness (strength training). Not everyone benefits equally from exercise.
Showing posts with label Solution. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Solution. Show all posts
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
Maximize Gains by Training to Failure and By Not Training to Failure
Many people, when they start lifting weights, believe that training to failure on every set of every exercise is the key to growth. This is one of the biggest weightlifting myths, and one that is nearly impossible to squash unless you educate yourself on exercise physiology.
What Exactly is Failure?
Failure is weightlifting is defined as the inability to generate the force required to complete the full range of motion for a single repetition. Many people, experts and trainees, fall on both sides of this debate. Some coaches insist on leaving a couple reps in the bag, stopping well short of failure to avoid stressing the central nervous system (CNS), while others recommend taking each set to that last rep. In order to get to the bottom of it, we really have to examine the science behind the theory.
One fact that we have to accept, is that training to failure on a consistent basis will overload the CNS enough that it will be impossible to continue to train with high frequency. You will begin to notice that every other weightlifting session turns out to be a “bad day”. In fact, the CNS takes more than triple the recovery time that the muscles do. Chronically overloading the CNS will, in effect cause your muscles to detrain while your body fully recovers; you will end up with a series of “bad days”.
On the other hand, you’ve got many performance coaches who promote training to failure often in order to tear up and fatigue muscle fibers as much as possible. The penultimate theorists for this type of training are those that follow High Intensity Training (HIT) (not to be confused with High Intensity Interval Training [HIIT], which is an excellent form of training for superior conditioning). The idea behind HIT is to train once a week or so, but to cause as much damage as possible during that session.
In any case, as the theory goes, taking each muscle to the point of failure ensures that it has been sufficiently fatigued, and therefore the set was as productive as possible (short of forced negatives). As a fact, this has some merit, since it is not enough to simply recruit a given motor unit, but by virtue of adaptation any motor unit must be sufficiently fatigued in order to demonstrate growth. After all, you wouldn’t bench 100 lbs x 5 reps each and every week and hope for growth. Well, maybe you would but then you’d be a total tool.
Another important point we have to remember is that the CNS is a major factor in muscle performance. The CNS definitely has the overall say in performance. Your muscles could be as fresh as a spring flower, but if the CNS is still fatigued from a previous workout then you haven’t much hope of optimal performance. Due to a depletion of the neurotransmitters dopamine and acetylcholine, motor units won’t fire properly and coordination will be thrown completely off, thereby all but ensuring a “bad day” at the gym.
So then question then becomes:
In order progress as much as possible, should I train to muscular failure and invite CNS failure, or should I stop short of muscular failure thus guaranteeing proper CNS recovery?
And the Answer Is…
Depending upon the intensity of the exercise, you can do both. Simply stated, compound and explosive exercises require maximal recruitment of the CNS and therefore you should not train to failure with these types of movements. On the other hand, isolation exercises rely more on the health of the individual muscles, and therefore can be taken to failure. Sounds simple? It is!
Training with Absolute CNS Requirements
These types of exercise include Olympic lifting, dynamic effort lifting, and plyometrics. This type of exercise is CNS intensive, and you should stop your set when the speed of movement decreases, which is actually well short of failure. Training to failure with this type of exercise can really prove to be damaging, because when you begin to lose timing and coordination you are actually training CNS to perform the exercise with improper form. Not good.
Training with High CNS Requirements
These types of exercise include pressing with free weights (benching and overhead), squats, deadlifts, and any other exercise where a heavy free weight is on your back such as good mornings and barbell lunges. This type of exercise requires a high level of CNS recruitment, and you should stop your set when you perceive yourself to have 1-2 reps left in the tank OR if you feel that you are starting to lose your form. It is OK if you start to slow down as long as it is still pretty easy for you to maintain good form.
Training with Low CNS Requirements
These types of exercise include pulling and pressing on machines and isolation exercises for large muscle groups like hamstrings, quadriceps, chest, back, lower back, and abs. This type of exercise requires a moderate to low level of CNS recruitment. You should take at least one set to failure; and it is acceptable to take all sets to failure although I personally would only take the last two sets to failure.
Training with Minimal CNS Requirements
These types of exercise include small muscle isolation work such as traps, calves, bis and forearms, and tris. You should go to failure on all sets, and it is acceptable to take the last 1-2 sets past the point of failure by including drop sets, forced negatives, assisted negatives, half reps, etc… I typically would only take the last set past failure.
Is It Necessary to Perform Exercises with Minimal CNS Requirements
This depends on your goals. For sport specific athletic performance, you might do some isolation work on those muscles specific to your sport. For example traps in football, shoulders (rotators) in baseball, calves in basketball. For powerlifters, I see very little need to train with isolation exercises on a regular basis. For bodybuilders, you won’t be able to achieve that complete package without regular isolation training. For Olympic athletes, I would say isolation exercises are a definite no-no.
Choose your goals and select your exercises accordingly, but always remember to train smart rather than train hard.
Steve Hanson has 10 years experience in the fields of exercise science and sports nutrition. He writes articles on all forms of athletic training and nutritional theories. View the blog to learn more about your favorite exercise and nutrition topics.
Conditioning and Nutrition Articles to Help You Build Muscle and Lose Fat
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Tips for successful weight loss
Author: Annette Croft
Throughout my childhood and teenage years I watched as my mother tried every fad diet under the sun. I recall one time she ate boiled cabbage and nothing else for a whole week. I felt my mothers¡¯ frustration and misery, however I could not understand why it was so difficult for her to lose weight and keep it off ¨C until that is I became a weight management coach.
For the past two years I have been assisting people to achieve their ideal weight and in this time I have experienced what contributes to a successful weight loss story.
Getting serious
It all starts with you and how serious you are about losing weight. The key to successful weight loss is partly dependent on your level of commitment. How would you rate your seriousness on a scale of 1 ¨C 10 (10 being deadly serious)?
No quick fix
If you have made the commitment to get serious about losing weight then you need to make the commitment to do it safely and effectively. One piece of invaluable advice my own family doctor passed onto me is that slow and steady is always the best option. The longer it takes you to lose weight the less likely you are to put it back on.
Staying motivated
Always keep the end in mind! Write down all of the reasons why you are motivated to lose weight now. Record these reasons on a piece of card that can be kept in your wallet or purse. Each morning and before going to bed remind yourself by reading aloud why you are motivated to lose weight.
Facing challenges
Every day you are likely to face challenges, which can disrupt your focus and get in the way of your weight loss goals. Write down all of the challenges that you know have made losing weight hard for you in the past. This will help you to develop a better strategy this time. Three common challenges are lack of results, boredom and lack of support from spouse, family and friends.
Choosing a weight control program
I recommend choosing a diet / weight control program that offers all of the following for best results: Provides a balanced nutritious program that is safe and effective Support system and regular progress follow-up Teaches you better eating habits Teaches you how to maintain your weight once you have reached your goal weight
Annette Croft has been assisting people reach their ideal weight for two years with the aid of a nutritious, simple and convenient weight management program. For more articles please send an email to amcroft@optusnet.com.au. For a free weight profile and consultation please visit www.getslim-n-trim.com
Throughout my childhood and teenage years I watched as my mother tried every fad diet under the sun. I recall one time she ate boiled cabbage and nothing else for a whole week. I felt my mothers¡¯ frustration and misery, however I could not understand why it was so difficult for her to lose weight and keep it off ¨C until that is I became a weight management coach.
For the past two years I have been assisting people to achieve their ideal weight and in this time I have experienced what contributes to a successful weight loss story.
Getting serious
It all starts with you and how serious you are about losing weight. The key to successful weight loss is partly dependent on your level of commitment. How would you rate your seriousness on a scale of 1 ¨C 10 (10 being deadly serious)?
No quick fix
If you have made the commitment to get serious about losing weight then you need to make the commitment to do it safely and effectively. One piece of invaluable advice my own family doctor passed onto me is that slow and steady is always the best option. The longer it takes you to lose weight the less likely you are to put it back on.
Staying motivated
Always keep the end in mind! Write down all of the reasons why you are motivated to lose weight now. Record these reasons on a piece of card that can be kept in your wallet or purse. Each morning and before going to bed remind yourself by reading aloud why you are motivated to lose weight.
Facing challenges
Every day you are likely to face challenges, which can disrupt your focus and get in the way of your weight loss goals. Write down all of the challenges that you know have made losing weight hard for you in the past. This will help you to develop a better strategy this time. Three common challenges are lack of results, boredom and lack of support from spouse, family and friends.
Choosing a weight control program
I recommend choosing a diet / weight control program that offers all of the following for best results: Provides a balanced nutritious program that is safe and effective Support system and regular progress follow-up Teaches you better eating habits Teaches you how to maintain your weight once you have reached your goal weight
Annette Croft has been assisting people reach their ideal weight for two years with the aid of a nutritious, simple and convenient weight management program. For more articles please send an email to amcroft@optusnet.com.au. For a free weight profile and consultation please visit www.getslim-n-trim.com
Monday, October 13, 2008
Menopause Weight Gain ¨C Why You Have It And How To Lose It
Author: Susan Megge
You' re mature. You' re confident. You' re fat. Okay, maybe you' re not fat, but weight is starting to accumulate around your mid-section and no matter what you do, it' s not going away. You' ve cut your caloric intake, you' ve started doing stomach crunches, you' re parking further away from the entrance at work and you' ve even started taking walks through your neighborhood to burn some calories and lose this additional weight. Still, the pile of mush that overlaps your waistband remains. It' s ugly and it jiggles, but it loves you and it' s going nowhere. Why? These remedies worked just fine when you were younger, but they' re not quite as effective now that you' re approaching menopause.
There' s a very good reason for the stubborn weight surrounding your abdomen. As a matter of fact, this explanation is quite simple ¨C it' s your hormones. I know they' ve caused numerous problems for you from the day you started menstruating, but your hormones are not quite finished wreaking havoc just yet. You see, as you approach menopause your hormone levels have begun to decline drastically, thus causing the weight gain you' re now experiencing. Many women become complacent and accept this gain in weight as just a normal part of the aging process. While this is certainly an option, it' s not the only avenue that can ¨C or should ¨C be taken.
It' s inevitable ¨C every woman approaching menopause is going to experience symptoms associated with declining hormone levels. As a matter of fact, the decrease in your estrogen level plays a significant role in the weight gain you' re now noticing. You see, estrogen is the hormone which is responsible for causing monthly ovulation. Obviously, as you enter the menopausal years your estrogen level decreases, thus causing your body to eventually cease ovulating. Since your body is producing less estrogen it' s only natural that it will look for other places from where to get needed estrogen. It just so happens that fat cells in your body are capable of producing estrogen, therefore, your body works harder to convert calories into fat to increase estrogen levels.
Unfortunately, you' ll also experience a decrease in your level of testosterone. Why is this unfortunate? Well, testosterone is the hormone that helps your body to create lean muscle mass out of the calories you consume. As you may know, muscle burns more calories than fat cells do, which will contribute to increased metabolism. Obviously, your body burns more calories with a higher metabolic rate.
With the combination of a decrease in estrogen and testosterone levels working against you, you' re now faced with a body determined to be a walking pile of fat. Is it the end of the world? Must you accept this terrible fate bestowed upon you? Absolutely not. Now that you know what' s taking place inside your body, you' re armed and ready with the tools you need to combat these changes, right?
You' re well aware of the significant role muscle plays to burn calories, so if you want to be lean and toned you' ll need to build muscle to help your body burn calories.
You' ll benefit tremendously by committing to a regular exercise regimen, which includes weight training to lose the extra weight you' ve gained. It' s not rocket science; it' s simple common sense ¨C build muscle, burn calories and keep the weight off. By making a few simple lifestyle changes you will reduce many of the menopausal symptoms you' re experiencing and you' ll begin to feel beautiful, youthful and energized once again.
Susan Megge is the founder of http://www.40isbeautiful.com, a website designed to assist mature women as they approach and experience menopause. She is a grandmother, who started experiencing symptoms of menopause several years ago and researched various avenues to deal with these symptoms naturally. This led to her discovery of the significant role that exercise plays in making menopause a very manageable, and even wonderful time in a woman's life.
You' re mature. You' re confident. You' re fat. Okay, maybe you' re not fat, but weight is starting to accumulate around your mid-section and no matter what you do, it' s not going away. You' ve cut your caloric intake, you' ve started doing stomach crunches, you' re parking further away from the entrance at work and you' ve even started taking walks through your neighborhood to burn some calories and lose this additional weight. Still, the pile of mush that overlaps your waistband remains. It' s ugly and it jiggles, but it loves you and it' s going nowhere. Why? These remedies worked just fine when you were younger, but they' re not quite as effective now that you' re approaching menopause.
There' s a very good reason for the stubborn weight surrounding your abdomen. As a matter of fact, this explanation is quite simple ¨C it' s your hormones. I know they' ve caused numerous problems for you from the day you started menstruating, but your hormones are not quite finished wreaking havoc just yet. You see, as you approach menopause your hormone levels have begun to decline drastically, thus causing the weight gain you' re now experiencing. Many women become complacent and accept this gain in weight as just a normal part of the aging process. While this is certainly an option, it' s not the only avenue that can ¨C or should ¨C be taken.
It' s inevitable ¨C every woman approaching menopause is going to experience symptoms associated with declining hormone levels. As a matter of fact, the decrease in your estrogen level plays a significant role in the weight gain you' re now noticing. You see, estrogen is the hormone which is responsible for causing monthly ovulation. Obviously, as you enter the menopausal years your estrogen level decreases, thus causing your body to eventually cease ovulating. Since your body is producing less estrogen it' s only natural that it will look for other places from where to get needed estrogen. It just so happens that fat cells in your body are capable of producing estrogen, therefore, your body works harder to convert calories into fat to increase estrogen levels.
Unfortunately, you' ll also experience a decrease in your level of testosterone. Why is this unfortunate? Well, testosterone is the hormone that helps your body to create lean muscle mass out of the calories you consume. As you may know, muscle burns more calories than fat cells do, which will contribute to increased metabolism. Obviously, your body burns more calories with a higher metabolic rate.
With the combination of a decrease in estrogen and testosterone levels working against you, you' re now faced with a body determined to be a walking pile of fat. Is it the end of the world? Must you accept this terrible fate bestowed upon you? Absolutely not. Now that you know what' s taking place inside your body, you' re armed and ready with the tools you need to combat these changes, right?
You' re well aware of the significant role muscle plays to burn calories, so if you want to be lean and toned you' ll need to build muscle to help your body burn calories.
You' ll benefit tremendously by committing to a regular exercise regimen, which includes weight training to lose the extra weight you' ve gained. It' s not rocket science; it' s simple common sense ¨C build muscle, burn calories and keep the weight off. By making a few simple lifestyle changes you will reduce many of the menopausal symptoms you' re experiencing and you' ll begin to feel beautiful, youthful and energized once again.
Susan Megge is the founder of http://www.40isbeautiful.com, a website designed to assist mature women as they approach and experience menopause. She is a grandmother, who started experiencing symptoms of menopause several years ago and researched various avenues to deal with these symptoms naturally. This led to her discovery of the significant role that exercise plays in making menopause a very manageable, and even wonderful time in a woman's life.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Fake Weight Loss Claims : Identify Them
Author: Jasdeep
Identify Fake Weight Loss Claims :
Its crowded..really crowded..every other site offers Weight Loss Programs and guarantees loss ofweight quickly and effectively. But do they really live upto it? Does Loss of Weight remains with time or the individual regains the weight after some time? The answer to these question differentiates between genuine Weight Loss Programs and fake Weight Loss Programs .
Things to Watch out for :
1) One product cant serve the needs of all people. Programs which claim to work for all types of masses is BIG NO.
Tip: Look out for programs which reads your body needs and body structure and how your Metabolism works .
2) Programs which assures permanent Weight Loss , even after you don't use the product . Mark it Fake.
Tip: You have to follow the Diet Plan and exercise on daily basis . Walking or Jogging daily helps a lot.
3) Programs which allows you to eat anything you want. Believe me this is fake also. How can you on this earth remain fit by eating anything or everything you want.
Tip: You need to take a BALANCED DIET with proper amount of calories , fat and other nutrients.
4) Be careful with programs that claim to reduce more than two pounds a week.Such programs will disturb your Metabolism and digestive system to great extent
Tip: Loose upto 1 or 2 Pound Per week.
Programs which have products that are to be applied on body or something like that will NEVER
NEVER work for you.
Tip: The best and the most successful way to loose weight is to follow a Diet Plan and Exercise daily. Get a free Diet Plan for your body right here at http://www.weightloss-health.com.
Know more on weight loss tips and genuine weight loss programs at http://www.weightloss-health.com
Identify Fake Weight Loss Claims :
Its crowded..really crowded..every other site offers Weight Loss Programs and guarantees loss ofweight quickly and effectively. But do they really live upto it? Does Loss of Weight remains with time or the individual regains the weight after some time? The answer to these question differentiates between genuine Weight Loss Programs and fake Weight Loss Programs .
Things to Watch out for :
1) One product cant serve the needs of all people. Programs which claim to work for all types of masses is BIG NO.
Tip: Look out for programs which reads your body needs and body structure and how your Metabolism works .
2) Programs which assures permanent Weight Loss , even after you don't use the product . Mark it Fake.
Tip: You have to follow the Diet Plan and exercise on daily basis . Walking or Jogging daily helps a lot.
3) Programs which allows you to eat anything you want. Believe me this is fake also. How can you on this earth remain fit by eating anything or everything you want.
Tip: You need to take a BALANCED DIET with proper amount of calories , fat and other nutrients.
4) Be careful with programs that claim to reduce more than two pounds a week.Such programs will disturb your Metabolism and digestive system to great extent
Tip: Loose upto 1 or 2 Pound Per week.
Programs which have products that are to be applied on body or something like that will NEVER
NEVER work for you.
Tip: The best and the most successful way to loose weight is to follow a Diet Plan and Exercise daily. Get a free Diet Plan for your body right here at http://www.weightloss-health.com.
Know more on weight loss tips and genuine weight loss programs at http://www.weightloss-health.com
Monday, October 6, 2008
Top Secret Fat Loss Secret
Author: David Smith
Isn¡¯t it about time to lose some of that ugly fat from your body? Aren¡¯t you sick and tired of all those other weight loss programs that have left you just as fat as when you started?
Let me introduce you to Dr Suzanne Gudakunst, a doctor from Arizona who is causing huge waves in the diet food and drug industries. And they don¡¯t like it one bit! She has decided to reveal the best-kept secret in weight loss ever discovered.
Understanding her newly revealed secret is not hard and won¡¯t require you to do anything weird or unnatural.
Dr Suzanne proudly says ¡°Just prior to 2002 there was a significant amount of research going on regarding the human colon and digestive system working together with nutritional absorption. I began doing my own independent studies to see where it would lead, got some amazing results and later expanded my studies.
As a result of these studies, Dr Suzanne was able to identify a definite link between harmful plague and parasitic infestations of the human bowel tract, and people suffering chronic obesity. These were people who were not able to lose weight despite intense diet and exercise.
Dr Suzanne set to work to develop some natural treatments that would remove these same harmful, even life-threatening plaques and rapidly reproducing digestive parasites. She saw amazing results! When she applied these natural treatments to even worse-case patients suffering extreme obesity (98% of whom were in immediate danger of dying) she saw a 100% effectiveness and success rate.
Taking this research done on worse-case patients (those 100 to 200 lbs overweight), she applied the same natural treatments to people with a less drastic case of being overweight and saw the same amazing results and effectiveness as in the worse-case patients.
Her newly discovered secret is so powerful that she is able to reverse diabetes, rid illness altogether in people suffering from cancer (linked directly to poor diet and overweight factors), as well as eliminate an entire spectrum of serious and otherwise life-threatening diseases.
¡°Conventional doctors¡± had previously told almost all of her case subjects that they only had months or maybe years to live or if they did live, it would not be anything similar to a normal life. However, after applying Dr Suzanne¡¯s treatments theysaw a complete contradiction to what the other doctors had told them.
Again, nothing about her secret is unnatural or requires you make any major change in your life..
As a matter of fact, Dr Suzanne¡¯s complete treatment is based on select herbs, extracts, and organic constituents. She has found the right amounts and combination of these agents to make a solution for possibly the world¡¯s worst plague - OBESITY. By curing obesity, it also takes care of the different illnesses and other diseases resulting from obesity or at least severely aggravated or exacerbated by it.
So, for all of you out there who are looking to lose anywhere from a couple of pounds to those of you who are extremely fat and overweight, Dr Suzanne¡¯s secret, which she is releasing to the general public, will forever destroy the iron grip that obesity has had on the 40% or more of Americans who are labeled obese as well as the rest of the world¡¯s obese population.
If you would like to find out how to lose some of that ugly fat, then check this out:
http://www.fatcure.com
David Smith writes regularly about health related topics. I hope you enjoy this article.
Isn¡¯t it about time to lose some of that ugly fat from your body? Aren¡¯t you sick and tired of all those other weight loss programs that have left you just as fat as when you started?
Let me introduce you to Dr Suzanne Gudakunst, a doctor from Arizona who is causing huge waves in the diet food and drug industries. And they don¡¯t like it one bit! She has decided to reveal the best-kept secret in weight loss ever discovered.
Understanding her newly revealed secret is not hard and won¡¯t require you to do anything weird or unnatural.
Dr Suzanne proudly says ¡°Just prior to 2002 there was a significant amount of research going on regarding the human colon and digestive system working together with nutritional absorption. I began doing my own independent studies to see where it would lead, got some amazing results and later expanded my studies.
As a result of these studies, Dr Suzanne was able to identify a definite link between harmful plague and parasitic infestations of the human bowel tract, and people suffering chronic obesity. These were people who were not able to lose weight despite intense diet and exercise.
Dr Suzanne set to work to develop some natural treatments that would remove these same harmful, even life-threatening plaques and rapidly reproducing digestive parasites. She saw amazing results! When she applied these natural treatments to even worse-case patients suffering extreme obesity (98% of whom were in immediate danger of dying) she saw a 100% effectiveness and success rate.
Taking this research done on worse-case patients (those 100 to 200 lbs overweight), she applied the same natural treatments to people with a less drastic case of being overweight and saw the same amazing results and effectiveness as in the worse-case patients.
Her newly discovered secret is so powerful that she is able to reverse diabetes, rid illness altogether in people suffering from cancer (linked directly to poor diet and overweight factors), as well as eliminate an entire spectrum of serious and otherwise life-threatening diseases.
¡°Conventional doctors¡± had previously told almost all of her case subjects that they only had months or maybe years to live or if they did live, it would not be anything similar to a normal life. However, after applying Dr Suzanne¡¯s treatments theysaw a complete contradiction to what the other doctors had told them.
Again, nothing about her secret is unnatural or requires you make any major change in your life..
As a matter of fact, Dr Suzanne¡¯s complete treatment is based on select herbs, extracts, and organic constituents. She has found the right amounts and combination of these agents to make a solution for possibly the world¡¯s worst plague - OBESITY. By curing obesity, it also takes care of the different illnesses and other diseases resulting from obesity or at least severely aggravated or exacerbated by it.
So, for all of you out there who are looking to lose anywhere from a couple of pounds to those of you who are extremely fat and overweight, Dr Suzanne¡¯s secret, which she is releasing to the general public, will forever destroy the iron grip that obesity has had on the 40% or more of Americans who are labeled obese as well as the rest of the world¡¯s obese population.
If you would like to find out how to lose some of that ugly fat, then check this out:
http://www.fatcure.com
David Smith writes regularly about health related topics. I hope you enjoy this article.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Moderate Exercise and Weight Loss
For years, we’ve been told that a few minutes of moderate exercise a day will lead to amazing health benefits. A new study, though, indicates that significant weight loss isn’t among them:
Obesity experts agree that daily exercise is essential for good health, but whether it can successfully lead to long-term weight loss is a question of much debate. What has become increasingly clear, however, is that the conventionally accepted advice — 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity most days of the week — is probably insufficient to spur any real change in a person’s body weight. A study published July 28 in the Archives of Internal Medicine adds to the burgeoning scientific consensus: when it comes to exercise for weight loss, more is better. It suggests that obese people would have to exercise at least an hour at a time to see any significant difference in their weight.
Which stands to reason, really. My lifestyle is pretty sedentary during the week: Wake up, work in front of the computer for a couple of hours, drive to the office, sit in front of the computer a few hours, drive home, sit in front of the computer some more, eat dinner, sit in front of the television for a couple hours, go to bed. Even so, I probably walk 30 minutes a day just between my desk, the coffee machine, and the bathroom. Walking to get lunch, on the days I don’t bring my own, probably gives me 20 minutes. Simply put, it’s ridiculously hard not to get 30 minutes of moderate activity on a daily basis if you’re able bodied.
Of course, no report on obesity would be complete without a “not that there’s anything wrong with that” disclaimer telling you it’s not your fault:
Still, the underlying question remains: are diet and exercise a reliable cure for obesity? Modern-day obesity researchers are skeptical — achieving thinness, they say, is not simply a matter of willpower. Research suggests that weight may largely be regulated by biology, which helps determine the body’s “set point,” a weight range of about 10 lbs. to 20 lbs. that the body tries hard to defend. The further you push you weight beyond your set point — either up or down the scale — some researchers say, the more your body struggles to return to it. That might help to explain why none of the women in Jakicic’s study managed to lose much more than 10% of their body weight. After two years on a calorie-restricted diet, keeping up more than an hour of physical activity five days a week on average, most were still clinically overweight (though much less so than before). But what Jakicic and other obesity researchers stress is that a 10% reduction in body weight represents a tremendous boon for overall well-being, lowering blood pressure, improving heart health and reducing the risk of Type 2 diabetes. For the obese, the end goal should not be thinness, but health and self-acceptance, which are more realistic and beneficial objectives. “The women’s health was absolutely improved,” Jakicic says.
What none of these studies ever explain to my satisfaction is why, if obesity is essentially random, it suddenly appeared on a large scale in Western society about thirty years ago and why you don’t see random fit kids in those television reports of famine in Africa.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Compete In Reality Weight Loss Challenge
Reality television has taken programming by storm the past few years. With the introduction of the first few reality shows ' featuring real people in everyday situations, interest has grown tremendously. And reality television is not just featured in America, but all around the world. For some reason, people love seeing how strangers interact with each other when forced to live in the same house, search for a special prize, receive a recording contract, win money or compete against each other in unknown situations. As the popularity for reality television has grown, so have the different situations of those shows. Several reality series have taken on the focus of weight loss or challenging people to get healthier. The most popular of the reality shows focusing on weight loss by far is The Biggest Loser. The Biggest Loser brings people from all over the country and challenges them to take control of their health and weight loss by placing them into teams and assigning each team a personal trainer. The Biggest Loser shows viewers the difficulties of losing weight, which has become a widespread problem in our society.
The contestants are placed into teams at the beginning of the show, and have an initial weigh in. Then throughout the week, there are challenges between the teams and the winning team usually gets some sort of prize. On The Biggest Loser, everything begins and ends with the weekly weigh-ins. The team that loses the weigh in has to choose someone to eliminate that week. There is usually some immunity even for the eliminating team. The person that has the highest total percentage of weight loss for the team that loses the weigh-in, would not be eligible for elimination. The great part about this show is that the contestants are isolated from the rest of the world. Their meals are custom and they spend an incredible amount of time working out. Several people lose over 100 lbs. while staying at The Biggest Loser Ranch.
Another neat thing is that at the end of the show where someone is eliminated, there is a small snippet showing them 'now' and allowing viewers to see how much weight they continued to lose after leaving the ranch. Because these shows are filmed in advance, there is always a chunk of time between what's taken place previously and what the contestants are doing in real time. The greatest part about the biggest loser is not only that one contestant wins $250,000 for losing the highest percentage of weight, but also that each contestant has had a chance to change their life. Since the contestants are isolated, they lose large amounts of weight in a very short time. The eliminated contestants have a chance to come back during the finale and do their final weigh-in as well. The Biggest Loser among those that were eliminated wins a prize of $100,000. That equates to quite a payoff for losing excess weight and getting healthy.
Maximize weight Loss
Three simple rules
Posted By J. C. CARROLL, NEWS CANADA
We do agree the key to permanent weight loss and true fitness is a lifetime commitment to exercise and eating right.
But hey, there must be a shortcut to this goal in there somewhere?
"Yes there is," says Sammie Richards creator of Booty Camp Fitness, a program that invites women to laugh, jump, lunge, and punch their way to a great-looking body. "Just like learning to eat right step by step, we must also learn to exercise that way."
Don't waste your time, for example, on routines or
machines that fail you, she says. Instead, here are the three key principles to give you the most efficient, weight loss workout every time, courtesy of Booty-CampFitness.com:
1. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)-- Forget walking for 60 minutes every day, who has time for that? A 10-15 minute HIIT cardio workout burns more fat. If you spent 15 minutes doing HIIT on a stationary bike, for example, it would be the "calorie burning" equivalent to 60 minutes of walking.
2. Combine Resistance and Cardio Training-- Not only do you burn more calories during the workout if you combine cardio with resistance training, but it boosts your metabolism after the workout because of the resistance portion. For example, cardio alone will boost your metabolism for three to six hours, and resistance training continues to burn increased calories for 24 to 48 hours post-workout.
3. Muscle is Metabolism-- Lifting weights or body sculpting isn't enough. You need to challenge your muscles by working them harder and harder each time. Progressive strength training can be done with body weight, free weights, or machines. All that matters is that it's progressive and it's challenging enough to force the muscles to make improvements. For example, each additional pound of lean muscle mass will burn an additional 50 calories or so, per day.
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