Archive for July, 2008
Starting an exercise routine is no easy task - it is even harder to stick with one. This is the focus of a new study on the “Step and Stride with Ruby” walking program released today by AARP and the Red Hat Society with support from the AARP Foundation’s Women’s Leadership Circle. Over 500 women in Red Hat Society Chapters participated in the study, which found that friendly competition and participation in group activities was the key to sticking with an exercise regimen.
For the complete article please…..CLICK HERE
July 31st, 2008
Older people who take methylphenidate (the generic name for Ritalin) may improve their cognitive abilities and their gait, cutting the risk for serious falls. This surprising finding was made by Prof. Jeffrey M. Hausdorff, a lecturer at the Sackler School of Medicine at Tel Aviv University, and his colleagues, and reported in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
For the complete article please…..CLICK HERE
July 30th, 2008
Question:Calorie Restriction & Life Extension, Your Thoughts?
What’s your thoughts on the use of eating less to prolong life, I keep seeing loads of experts saying the same thing. - Mary Little
Calorie Restriction (CR) is getting a great deal of media attention due to studies that find animals raised on restricted calories live longer and suffer from fewer diseases. That advice may seem counter to the “bodybuilding/fitness lifestyle” we all follow.
Sure, we all know excess calories—minus any exercise to counter those additional calories—represent a negative for general health and longevity, but should people be severely limiting their calories?
As many of you know, studies have suggested that lower calorie intake translates into longer life spans in animals and—perhaps—people. However, this conclusion is controversial and far from conclusive in my view. For example, a recent study suggests that fat mass, not calorie intake, is what is responsible for longer life spans, at least in mice. (1)
And what does the bodybuilding lifestyle strive for? More muscle and less body fat! Remember, as one would expect, caloric intake and low body fat (leanness) are directly interrelated, which makes it difficult to determine the relative importance of each (CR vs. bodyfat levels) and their contributions to longevity. Thus, researchers are now trying to separate the two issues.
Recently, a Dr. Kahn and colleagues from Harvard Medical School created a strain of mice that lack insulin receptors in their fat cells. As insulin is a primary hormonal mediator of body fat levels in response to caloric intakes, this lack of insulin receptors in the animals’ fat cells caused the mice to have reduced fat mass (less body fat)—and also protected them from age-related problems, such as obesity. However, their calorie intake remained normal and no restriction was required to get the effect that would normally be seen with CR!
The researchers found that the experimental mice lacking insulin receptors in their fat cells had an approximately 18% increase in mean lifespan over their non-modified red eyed squeaky counterparts.
Studies like this one are helping to sort out the effects of leanness (body fat levels) and CR, and their respective effects on longevity and—perhaps—disease prevention. As we can’t all have our insulin receptors removed from our fat cells, researchers are looking to develop drugs to reduce—or block—insulin action in fat cells in humans.
Although such drugs could potentially have side effects, they may also be able to prevent obesity, type 2 diabetes and metabolic diseases related to body fat and excess calories, without having to use strict CR. Hey, we might even live longer!
Bottom line here is, I would not leap onto the CR bandwagon just yet, but would attempt to keep my body fat level low and under control via good nutrition and the bodybuilding lifestyle.
People who allow themselves to get fat (“Dude, I am off season!”) may not be optimizing their longevity, but heck, the guy who actually invented the theory of CR and longevity—Dr. Roy Walford—who practiced CR, died at the very average age of 79, so take that for what it’s worth…
www.fatlossrevealed.com
July 29th, 2008
The average life expectancy of the modern day American is 78 years. But thanks to science, that number could be much higher in the not too distant future. Daniel Sieberg reports.
To watch this short video please…..CLICK HERE
July 29th, 2008
Most people who read my articles and e-books know me as a science guy who likes to quote studies and apply research to everyday problems such as weight loss, bodybuilding, and other health/fitness related topics. However, sometimes you have to step back from the science and look at the big picture to help bring people back into focus, so they can see the forest for the trees, so to speak.
For the complete article please…..CLICK HERE
July 28th, 2008
This is the million-dollar question…do you REALLY have to count calories to lose fat? It’s something very few people LIKE to do but is it something that everybody SHOULD be doing to maximize fat-loss results?
And without further ado, the answer is yes…and no!
Allow me to explain…CLICK HERE
July 28th, 2008
A gene associated with obesity works through effects on appetite, according to a study of over 3,000 UK children led by researchers at UCL (University College London) and the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, and published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. The finding helps to unravel the mechanism of the genetic basis of obesity.
For the complete article please…..CLICK HERE
July 28th, 2008
Although creatine offers an array of benefits, most people think of it simply as a supplement that bodybuilders and other athletes use to gain strength and muscle mass. Nothing could be further from the truth.
A substantial body of research has found that creatine may have a wide variety of uses. In fact, creatine is being studied as a supplement that may help with diseases affecting the neuromuscular system, such as muscular dystrophy (MD). Recent studies suggest creatine may have therapeutic applications in aging populations for wasting syndromes, muscle atrophy, fatigue, gyrate atrophy, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and other brain pathologies. Several studies have shown creatine can reduce cholesterol by up to 15% and it has been used to correct certain inborn errors of metabolism, such as in people born without the enzyme(s) responsible for making creatine. Some studies have found that creatine may increase growth hormone production.
For the complete article please…..CLICK HERE
July 28th, 2008
One of the most common problems faced by strength training athletes is joint pain. “Oh my shoulder is killing me” or “my knee has been bothering me for months” or “I have been living on pain killers to get rid of this ache in my elbow” are common complaints that can be heard in any gym at any time. Oddly enough however, this topic is not covered very often in most bodybuilding/fitness magazines. Maybe the topic is just not all that “sexy” or “cutting edge,” but if you’re one of the thousands of people whose gains in muscle are being side tracked by joint troubles, then you don’t give a damn about sexy or cutting edge-you just want relief!
For The complete article please…..CLICK HERE
July 27th, 2008
The Top 5 Fat Burners
By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com
Let’s get right to it…here are 5 ways to make this a great fat-burning day…
1) Do Something You Love
If you are a beginner and you hate the gym, just do something you love! Don’t make your healthy lifestyle a prison sentence. Enjoy what you eat and do. Just don’t eat garbage and don’t look at exercise as punishment.
2) Strength Training
A very, very recent study (published in the May issue of the Journal of Applied Physiology 102:1 767, 2007) showed that resistance training boosts metabolism by 10% and increases fat burning by 100%!
3) Interval Training
The latest research from Australia showed a more weight loss from interval training than from long, slow cardio. In fact, the long, slow cardio group didn’t lose any weight. AND - this study was done in women…so yes, Turbulence Training works for women. Strength training and interval training are the 1-2 punch that blowtorch fat off your body.
4) Eat 6 Small Meals of Whole, Natural Foods
Fruits and vegetables, protein, nuts, and healthy fats. It’s that simple. Don’t spend another dollar on “the latest diet”. You ALREADY KNOW what to do!
5) Avoid Booze, Sugar, Trans-Fats, & Inactivity
Yeah, I know, real “secrets” here, CB. “Thanks”, you’re thinking sarcastically. Listen, sometimes we just need the motivation. Maybe there is a donut within reach, or you’re thinking about watching the tube instead of exercising, or you’ve got a cookie in one hand and an apple in the other.
Let this be a simple reminder to make the right choice.
Everything you do takes you closer to OR away from fat loss,
Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training
About the Author
Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com
July 27th, 2008
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