Straddle Crunch + Midline Crunch

In this video, Jennifer Widerstrom, trainer on The Biggest Loser, shows you how to do two amazing core-building exercises. The first move, the straddle crunch, works your upper abs, and the second, the midline crunch, builds your lower abs and strengthens your pelvic floor.

Dirty Dog

This exercise targets the key trouble spots that most women want to tone—the core, hips, and thighs. In this video, Jennifer Widerstrom, trainer on The Biggest Loser, shows you how to do the move correctly, for maximum booty-burning power.

Squatted Lateral Side Step With Isolated Curl

Can one exercise tone your inner and outer thighs, and your biceps? Yes! In this video, Jennifer Widerstrom, trainer on The Biggest Loser, shows you how to do this move correctly, so that you can tone your legs and arms at the same time.

Stationary Lunge With Pulse

Want to shape your thighs and butt? Of course you do! In this video, Jennifer Widerstrom, trainer on The Biggest Loser, shows you how to do a move that can help sculpt your lower half in just minutes a day.

Lying Leg Extension

In this video, Jennifer Widerstrom, trainer on The Biggest Loser, shows you how to do a move that can tone your legs and core, as well as improve your balance. Grab a resistance band and a bench to give your legs an amazing workout.

Banded Triceps Extension + Rhomboid Pulse

Get killer triceps and strengthen your upper back with this combination move that works the smaller muscle groups in the shoulders and arms. In the video, Jennifer Widerstrom, trainer on The Biggest Loser, shows you how to do this simple, yet challenging move.

High fitness levels reduce hypertension risk

Past studies have suggested that physical activity may reduce the risk of ... benefits of physical activity to include prostate cancer-specific survival.

6 Workout Moves with Jennifer Widerstrom

Sculpt your butt and legs, and strengthen your core with this six-move circuit from Jennifer Widerstrom, trainer on The Biggest Loser. Watch this video and do the moves two to three times a week (just 35 minutes or less per session!) for a tighter, leaner body in just two weeks.

14 Ways to Cut Portions Without Feeling Hungry

The best portion control tips for easy and fast weight loss.

13 Weight Loss Resolutions You Shouldn't Make

Swap sure-to-fail New Year's resolutions with goals you'll actually stick to.

How to Become an Exercise Addict

Twenty tips and tricks to make your workout a healthy (and fun!) everyday habit.

20 Little Ways to Drop the Pounds and Keep Them Off

Ways to eliminate unwanted calories, sneak in exercise, and get your mind and body in great shape.

5 Fresh Ways to Do a Plank

Tired of that same old ab move? Mix up your routine with these plank variations that burn so good.

10 New Ways to Start the Year Off Light

Longing for a diet refresh? Here’s how to trim calories, overcome cravings and pretty much transform your life.

Sports groups share in Games legacy cash

... enterprises and enable them to become sustainable and deliver benefits to their communities for years to come. ... These grassroots organisations make sport and physical activity possible for thousands of people across Scotland.".

Swap Your Way Slim at Every Meal

Scale not budging? Your diet could be out of whack. Shed some pounds (without much effort!) by switching up your go-to foods.

Fastest Fat Burners Ever!

Whether you're working out at the gym or at home, burn calories and erase flab with these 20 fast fat-burners.

Light Lunches You'll Love

Skinny up your midday meal with these delish and satisfying eats from our CarbLovers Diet.

Madrid's citizens do not perform enough physical activity

Researchers from the Faculty of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences ... to achieve the minimum amount recommended to obtain health benefits.

Yoga just as good as aerobics for cutting heart disease risk

The team reviewed 37 trials which included 2768 people which measured the benefits of yoga compared with exercise and no physical activity.

Yoga is as healthy for your heart as cycling, says Harvard scientist

The researchers analysed 37 studies into the health benefits of yoga, which involved more than 2,700 people. They found yoga ... The analysis concluded yoga was as good as conventional physical activity in improving heart health.

Calls for schools to promote "low-level" activity

Schools should "redefine" physical activity, focussing on low-level effort ... says encouraging low-level activity would deliver life-long health benefits.

An hour a day keeps Obesity Away

Now think about the amount of time they spend in physical activity. ... vital role in the education system for children, though many fail to see its benefits.

11 Bad Habits That Bloat You

Surprising ways to flatten your belly fast

20 Filling Foods That Help You Lose Weight

Any dieter's number-one obstacle: hunger! Load your plate with these super-satisfying foods and watch the pounds melt away.

Alexsander Students Fire Up Their Feet To Win Activity Challenge Award

Participating schools have found that getting regular physical activity is just one of the benefits of being involved in the Fire Up Your Feet Challenge.

The Benefits of a 5-Minute Workout

... a whole slew of new research shows that even super-short or less-intense periods of physical activity offer some pretty significant health benefits.

5 Fat-Burning Plyometric Exercises

By DailyBurn



Plyometrics are explosive exercises that burn tons of calories, and also improve agility, strength, speed, and balance. Try these five plyometric moves from DailyBurn trainer Anja Garcia—they'll get your heart rate up and work your entire core.

Exercise provides clear benefits for patients with chronic kidney disease

... home exercise program on physical performance in dialysis patients. ... while walking, while 146 patients maintained their normal physical activity.

Reduce Type 2 Diabetes Risk 25% By Drinking 3 To 4 Cups Of Coffee A Day

... through healthy food choices, physical activity, weight loss, and now possibly coffee. ... The benefits also depend on how the coffee was made.

11 Ways to Stay Slim Through the Holiday Season

The secret to indulging without wrecking your waist: this cheat sheet.

15-Minute Workout: Get Total-Body Toned

Health's star trainer reveals the four moves that give you the biggest bang for your workout minutes.

Half My Size at Last

Before I even hit 20, I weighed 328 pounds, and I knew my childhood eating was to blame. When I was growing up, the dinner table was always filled with greasy meats and potatoes (no veggies); each meal ended with ice cream. I had made a habit of avoiding mirrors, so it wasn't until I saw a picture of myself in the fall of 2006 that I realized how badly I had let myself go. Seeing that shot made me miserable. My body felt like a jail cell, and I was over it.



First step: Fast-food detox



I turned to one of my older sisters—who is really into health—for guidance. She suggested I start with simple food swaps, such as brown rice for regular and sprouted grain bread for white. The hardest habit to quit: fast food. Clean eating paid off, though. I shed 15 pounds in the first month.



Turning point: Cardio plus strength



Feeling lighter, I decided to get more active, parking farther away in lots and taking the stairs whenever possible. I was tired and breathless at first, but I worked up to an hour of run-walk intervals on the treadmill six days a week. Within a year and a half, I sweated away 140 pounds. But then I hit a plateau. So I downloaded Jamie Eason's LiveFit Trainer app and started strength training. It totally transformed my body. Not only did I drop another 20 pounds in 12 weeks, but my waist got leaner and my muscles became more defined. Even better, I was finally able to carry my own groceries.



Looking back, I see that my first steps toward my 154-pound goal were made in the kitchen. That's why I'm studying to be a dietitian. I know what it's like to feel trapped; I want to teach others that it's never too late to escape the prison of bad eating habits.



Take-it-off cheat sheet



Small, doable lifestyle changes gave Annabelle extremely big results. Steal her real-world-tested tricks, and score even more amazing diet and maintenance strategies at http://ift.tt/1EzX92l.



Track with an app

MyFitnessPal helped me become more aware of what I was putting into my body.



Pack diy snacks

My go-to pumpkin-spice cream cheese muffins are protein-filled to keep me satisfied longer.



Lighten up meals

I make low-cal versions of my fave gourmet foods, like stuffed portobello mushrooms.



Find a better indulgence

I top berries, nectarines and cherries with homemade whipped cream, nuts and dark chocolate.

Homegrown Olympian, Kyle Shewfelt, recognizes community support in his quest to give back ...

... daredevils to adults to Olympic athletes themselves - could reap the benefits of physical activity and gymnastics in a fun, supportive environment.

How to Burn Off 24 Holiday Foods

Try these inventive (and fun!) ways to work off that sweet potato casserole.

Red wine supplement may hinder not help effects of exercise

"The easiest way to experience the benefits of physical activity is to be ... New research suggest resveratrol doesn't enhance the benefits of exercise.

Resveratrol could impede benefits of exercise

Toronto: Contrary to popular belief, adding resveratrol (RSV) to your exercise routine may not enhance the effects of physical activity, said a study.

Urban River Parkways are a Cost-Effective Cure for the Public Ill

The report, the first of its kind, firmly links myriad health benefits to urban river ... in trails for physical activity leads to $2.94 in direct medical benefit.

NFL player extols dairy's benefits at Idaho middle school

NFL player extols dairy's benefits at Idaho middle school ... by ensuring students develop life-long healthy eating and daily physical activity habits.

Preventing chronic diseases with windsurfing

Windsurfing is a healthy physical activity for many people and the health benefits of physical exercise often surpass those of conventional medication.

Get physical at work

Physical activity is a broad topic area and involves just about any form of ... can build up a healthy immune system and benefit your overall health.

Time for change - additional daylight saving could improve public health

Having later sunsets may lead to an increase in children's physical activity, ... in Europe and Australia could yield worthwhile public health benefits.

Three Cheers For My New Body

My weight issue began when I got pregnant with my third child; my appetite was insatiable. Couple that with my sedentary lifestyle—starting in my second trimester, I had severe back and leg pain and couldn't move like I wanted—and the weight piled on. By the time I gave birth in December 2012, I had reached my all-time high of 205 pounds. A few months later, still in maternity gear, I saw my neighbor throwing out all her pre-pregnancy clothes. She told me she would never fit into them again. That struck me as so sad. I didn't want to follow her path, so I decided to change.



Workout joy, found!

I needed exercise that was fun, so I tapped into my mascot past—I had worked as one for Chuck E. Cheese's—and applied for the spot of Screwball on our town's minor-league baseball team. And I got it! My first day, I thought I was going to die—90 minutes of jumping, dancing and climbing stadium steps left me drenched. But I stuck with it, cheering three or four times a week. Two months later, I was down 15 pounds! When I wasn't on the field, I was doing exercise circuits with my family.



Serving sizes, slashed!

Since I regularly ate balanced meals, I knew it was my portions that had to be fixed. I began using toddler plates; I could load them up and still feel like I was getting a lot. Eating less—and not after 6 p.m.—helped me shed another 8 pounds in about a month. In October, I reached my goal, having dropped six sizes. Eventually, I did give away those pre-pregnancy clothes, to a local shelter—because they were too big! Now that's something to cheer about.



Keep pounds away

These strategies help Erika maintain her slim shape; find more at http://pinterest.com/goodhealth.



Snap your progress

I'd take photos of myself and send them to my mom as a record of how well I was doing. I still send her selfies occasionally!



Eat sweets early

I like to have dessert (cookies, cake) at breakfast. This way, I have the entire day to burn it off.



Say yes to seltzer

Swapping soda for sparkling water made a big difference. I especially like Clear American in key lime flavor (walmart.com). It's like lemon-lime soda—without all the calories.



Cook with coconut oil

A good coconut oil ($7, walmart.com) is a must in my kitchen because it's a healthier alternative to some other fats. When I lightly fry food, like my homemade chicken fingers, it gives a slightly sweeter flavor.



Share Your Body Transformation

Did you reshape your body? Tell us about it at health.com/i-did-it and let us know what diet and fitness strategies worked for you.

10 Exercises for Healthy Knees

You use (and abuse) your knees every day. Keep them pain-free by working these moves into your routine.

Benefits of Physical Activity

Benefits of Physical Activity. Anonymous. Oct. 20, 2014.

If Sitting Is the New Smoking, How Do We Kick the Habit?

Rigorous analysis of the cost of physical activity interventions as a ... steady flow of new evidence on the preventive health benefits of physical activity.

10 Ways to Walk Off Fat Faster

Here’s how to boost your calorie-burn big time—without much extra effort.

Experts call for new focus on physical activity

Experts say official guidelines on physical activity are being "ignored", ... improvements in overall activity levels would produce enormous benefits.

2nd Sunday is about community

Researchers from the National Institutes of Health found several advantages to being able to engage in physical activity in a community setting.

Why Nigerians defy 'death traps' to exercise

Moreover adequate levels of physical activity will decrease the risk of a hip or ... drug -alluding to the wide variety of proven benefits that it can provide.

Report Shows Benefits Of Passport To Health

The service, which has been running for nine years, offers people with health risk factors the opportunity to take part in a range of physical activities.

Exercise Boosts Kids' Cognitive Performance, Brain Function

She noted that the current study is consistent with research from other laboratories showing some cognitive benefits from physical activity in children.

Study Tracks Physical Activity Benefits For Youngsters

Studies continue to demonstrate that daily physical activity in children has incredible long term affects, not just on the body but on the mind as well.

Has the focus on physical activity ruined playtime for kids?

But creating scheduled playtime built only around physical activity might be draining the broader benefits out of play, a new study in Canada found.

Bounce Off Belly Fat!

A Fat-Melting Workout From Maria Menounos

Crunched for time but still want to squeeze in a sweat session? In this video, Maria Menounos, author of Every Girl's Guide to Diet and Fitness , shows you how to do a speedy, 7-move exercise routine. Do this circuit two to three times to get a great workout in less than 20 minutes.

Fall Back Into Fitness...(Benefits of Exercise)

Fall is almost here and often during the summer months our workouts take a summer vacation. Time to turn that around and make fitness a priority! Many people can easily list several negatives to working out (such as no time, sweating, need to shower after, etc.), yet many cannot list more than 2 benefits.  There's SO much you gain--but it needs to be a lifestyle that will last forever and NOT a 'quick' fix.

It doesn't have to be extreme and time consuming--just get moving and do something physical.
According to the 1996 U.S... Surgeon General on Physical Activity & Health: "Regular physical activity that is performed on most days of the week reduces the risk of developing or dying from some of the leading causes of illness and death in the U.S..." (Source: U.S... Dept. of Healthy & Human Services, '96)

Here are a few key reasons to incorporate some form of physical activity into your DAILY life as it will REDUCE the risks/problems of some of the following:

• Premature death
• Dying from heart disease
• Developing diabetes
• Developing high blood pressure
• Developing colon cancer
• Feelings of depression & anxiety
• Becoming overweight
• Issues with bone, joint, muscle
• For aging adults: they will be able to move around better, therefore less risk of falling or injury

That same Surgeon General's report goes on to state 3 key points:

1. People who are usually inactive CAN improve their health & well being by becoming even MODERATELY active on a REGULAR basis.
2. Physical activity need NOT be 'strenuous' to achieve health benefits.
3. GREATER health benefits CAN be achieved by INCREASING the amount (duration, frequency, or intensity) of physical activity.

I encourage you to make the time and add some form of exercise to your daily lifestyle--forever.  And now that the Fall season almost here, consider getting outside and taking a walk around your neighborhood or in one of our beautiful town parks and enjoy the cooler temperatures along with Fall foliage.

If you need more motivation, I suggest you look into one of the many fine gyms in our area that offer a great variety of group fitness classes--these can be fun and often a group setting helps motivate individuals! Or possibly hire a personal trainer (even for just a few sessions) to help get you started and motivated.  Or grab a friend or 2 and inspire each other to move---power in numbers.  Whatever it takes, make the time NOW for a healthier you...I promise you won't regret making the time!

5 Fat-Burning Body Weight Exercises

By DailyBurn



You don't need lots of fancy equipment to get fit. By performing intervals of simple body weight movements at high intensity, you'll increase your heart rate and sculpt your body at the same time. Check out DailyBurn trainer Anja Garcia's easy fat-burning moves.

High leisure-time physical activity levels linked to reduced risk for HF

Researchers also found a similar but less pronounced association between greater total physical activity and lower risk for HF.

Kasper Andersen, MD, PhD, and colleagues analyzed 39,805 people who completed a medical-history and lifestyle questionnaire in Sweden in 1997. All participants were aged 20 to 90 years and free of HF at baseline. They were followed through 2010 for diagnosis of HF of any cause and HF of non-ischemic origin.

Participants were stratified into quintiles by leisure-time physical activity level and by total physical activity level, as reported by participants in the questionnaire.

During a median follow-up of 13.3 years, 3.9% of all participants had a first hospitalization for HF of any cause, and 2.63% of participants without a history of MI at baseline experienced non-ischemic HF, Anderson and colleagues found.

After adjustment for age, sex and education, compared with the quintile of lowest leisure-time physical activity levels, those in the quintile of highest lowest leisure-time physical activity levels were at reduced risk for HF of any cause (HR=0.54; 95% CI, 0.44-0.66) and non-ischemic HF (HR=0.51; 95% CI, 0.4-0.64), the researchers wrote. After adjustment for age, sex, alcohol use, BMI, diabetes, hypertension, smoking, snuff use and waist-hip ratio, the difference between the groups remained but was slightly smaller (HR for all HF=0.65; 95% CI, 0.53-0.81; HR for non-ischemic HF=0.61; 95% CI, 0.48-0.78), they found.

After adjustment for age, sex, education and previous MI, those with the highest levels of total physical activity were at reduced risk for HF of any cause compared with those with the lowest levels (HR=0.81; 95% CI, 0.69-0.95), but the effect was less pronounced than for leisure-time physical activity, according to Andersen, of the department of medical sciences at Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden, and colleagues.

“You do not need to run a marathon to gain the benefits of physical activity — even quite low levels of activity can give you positive effects,” Andersen said in a press release. “Physical activity lowers many heart disease risk factors, which in turn lowers the risk of developing [HF] as well as other heart diseases. Our research suggests that everyone could benefit from getting out there and moving every day.”

Disclosure: The study was supported by Ericsson, Ica Sweden and the Swedish Cancer Society. One researcher reports serving on an advisory board for Itrim. Another reports receiving consulting fees from Novo Nordisk.

Back to School Fitness

Tuesday is the first day back to school for most of the country. After a busy summer of outdoor fun, sports camps and constant activity, the school season brings with it more time indoors. For children, that often means sitting at a desk, behind a book or screen. For many parents and their kids, it also means more time making lunches in the morning, driving to and from school, and homework in the evenings.

But good grades and test scores aren’t the only thing that count when it comes to both your and your children’s well-being. Physical health and fitness are an important and essential part of how we feel and function each day. For many of us, that’s why we choose to run. Physical activity is shown to directly impact how well we learn, remember and process new information. It helps us to concentrate, focus and stay on task. It also allows us to socialize, have fun and release everyday stress and anxiety. Just as we can succeed at math or science, physical activity should be an important part of our daily routine and something we aim to accomplish each day.

According to the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines published by the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, children ages 5-11 and youth aged 12-17 years should accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous physical activity every day. Activity should include, at least, vigorous activity, such as playing tag at lunchtime or soccer after school, three days per week as well as regular bouts that strengthen muscles and bones. One hour each day is considered the minimum amount to time needed to achieve health and fitness benefits and, when possible, more activity is usually beneficial.

For adults, the suggested guideline is 150 minutes per week, in bouts of 10 or more minutes, and which includes at least two days of muscle and bone strengthening activities. A few weekly runs and a long one on weekends is usually enough to meet that number.

Unfortunately for our kids, a 2014 report by Active Healthy Kids Canada found that Canadian children are not making the grade when it comes to physical health and fitness. Overall, we scored a ‘D-’ when it comes to overall physical activity. Studies found that only seven per cent of children (5-11) and four per cent of youth (12-17) are meeting the recommended guidelines. Canada also received a ‘D’ in active transportation where 62 per cent of those aged 5-17 are driven to and from school every day. Children and youth also spend 7.6 hours and 9.3 hours each day doing sedentary activities, earning us an ‘F’ in sedentary behaviours.

How our kids get to school and what they do both before and after has become increasingly passive, a far cry from the days when it wasn’t uncommon for children to walk to school nearly every day, regardless of weather.

But the report also offers hope. Canada is among the leading countries in fitness and health-promoting policies, places and programs. More than 94 per cent of parents report local availability of parks and outdoor spaces as well as public facilities and programs for physical activity. There is also physical education curriculum in place in every province and territory, where nearly all kids have regular access to a gym, sports fields and playground equipment during school hours. Moreover, 75 per cent of kids ages 5-19 are involved in some form of organized physical activity or sports. As such, access does not seem to be a good excuse for inactivity. Yet it is also not getting our kids the activity they need, and we expect, from such opportunities.

Parents need to be more aware of how our kids are spending their time, both at school and at home. Expecting the schools and the community to get them the activity they need are not enough. We must act on and for the behalf of our kids. Engage in physical activity with them. Inspire and encourage them. Model the behaviours we know are good for everyone.

There are seemingly hundreds of ways to get your kids more active throughout the day. If you are a runner, why not have your kids join you on foot or by bike, even for a short portion of your run? Or, go for a walk or bike ride together. If possible, organize a walking bus to encourage active school transportation in your community. It’s also cross-country season in most schools, so encourage your kids to join the team and enjoy both the physical activity and social fun.

A good education will always be important to children, but being active and promoting physical education is also a building block in long, healthy lives for kids which shouldn’t be ignored.

Walking a great way to get exercise

What type of physical activity is free, can be done in all kinds of weather, does not require special equipment, and is great for your health? You guessed it: walking.
The Surgeon General recommends that adults get at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day and that children and teens get twice as much: 60 minutes. Years ago, before we had laborsaving devices to do our work for us, most people had more than this amount.
Walking is an easy way to bring activity into our lives and has wonderful health benefits. Research by the National Institutes of Health shows that walking can help lower your blood sugar level, control your blood pressure, maintain your bone health and manage your body weight.
People of all ages and in almost any physical condition can do it. For adults, only 30 minutes a day is all it takes! Break up your activity into 10 or 15 minute sessions if that works better for your schedule.

WALK GEORGIA BEGINS MONDAY

Walk, dance, swim, yoga: Move more, live more, Georgia! Walk Georgia is an online community promoting physical activity for all Georgians. Track your physical activity and earn points by logging it through the Walk Georgia website. Walking the dog, biking to work, going for a run and gardening all count as physical activity in the Walk Georgia program.
We have a “new” Walk Georgia this fall! If you have participated previously in Walk Georgia, you’ll have a new experience this time. New things to look forward to include entering data from your mobile device, setting personal goals, recording more activities and joining groups.
Rather than participating on teams of four, you can create or join groups. You can create your own group at work, among family and friends, with organizations or at church. There is no limit to how many people can join your group.
The new Walk Georgia accumulates time and points rather than miles. Time, type of physical activity and the intensity of your workout will determine how many points you earn.
The goal that the Bibb County Task Force has set is for participants to meet USDA physical activity guidelines. We encourage adults to be physically active at least five days a week for 30 minutes, or a total of 150 minutes per week. Youth are encouraged to be physically active 60 minutes every day. Keep in mind, active play counts toward a child’s physical activity time.
Participants who meet the goal after six weeks will be eligible for a Walk Georgia mid-point incentive.
Top individuals, groups and schools will be recognized in December at the Walk Georgia Recognition Event held at the Wellness Center.
Register Monday at pilot.walkgeorgia.org to participate in the 12-week, free, online program. Walk Georgia runs Sept. 8-Nov. 30

11 Ways to Stop Overeating After Your Workout

Binging post workout can easily pack on the pounds. Here's how you can stop.

18 Moves to Tone Your Butt, Thighs, and Legs

Exercises that tighten and tone your legs from butt to ankles and everything in between

A 5-Minute Yoga Routine for Strong, Slim Arms

Want toned shoulders, biceps and triceps? Flow through this 5-minute routine.

Stop Arm Jiggle With This Workout

Tone your arms in 10 minutes a day with these easy at-home exercises.

Get a Killer Beach Body in Just Four Weeks

Get your body in swimsuit shape with our fat-blasting, body-shaping circuit workout.

11 Best Exercises to Get Strong, Toned Arms

Get your upper body in shape with no-gym moves that work your biceps, triceps, shoulders, back, and core.

Jillian Michaels' Calorie-Burning Workout

Tone up, burn calories, and build muscle with these seven easy moves.

Get Stronger and Leaner With Dumbbells

Eight moves to firm up your entire frame.

Your Perfect No-Gym Workout

No gym time? No problem! Get in top shape at your place with these five basic tools (and one easy workout).

Burn it Off With Boot Camp

Your Slim and Strong Walking Workout

Celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak shares three 40-minute walking plans that burn calories.

Get Toned in 10 Minutes

Mix-and-Match Boxing Moves for a Better Body

Shape Up in 7 Minutes

Burn Fat With Ballet

Want to lose the jiggle for good? Tone up and burn fat with this no-gym-needed workout.

Bethenny's Beautiful Body Secret: Fast Yoga

Tame Every Bulge With These Animal-Inspired Moves

Yoga for a Beautiful Body

Intense Cardio and Strength Circuit Workout

Burn 700 calories fast with this workout, which combines strength and cardio exercises you can do anywhere.

Blast Fat With Plyometrics

Make your body a jiggle-free zone with these fun, fat-blasting moves.

Mix-and-Match Workout: Results in Half the Time

Walk Off 10 Pounds in 3 Weeks

8 Workout Moves With Tracy Anderson

Watch this video to get a serious head-to-toe and front-to-back workout with celebrity trainer, Tracy Anderson. You can lose up to 10 inches over your entire body in 10 days by doing these exercises six days a week along with 30 to 60 minutes of cardio. This workout series leaves no muscle unworked! To start, cycle through all of the exercises on your right side, then repeat them on your left.

Irregular heartbeat can be cut in half in post-menopausal women simply by incorporating exercise

By now most of us know the abundance benefits of regular physical activity in our daily lives. It can help us control our weight, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, strengthen your bones and muscles, and enhance mental health, and help you live longer, to name a few.

According to the American Heart Association, when the heart is beating improperly, it is unable to pump blood effectively. This means that the lungs, brain, and other organs cannot work properly, which can potentially shut down completely. (1) Exercise is one way to avoid that.

Post-menopausal women are less likely to suffer from arrhythmias when physical activity is increased.

When the heart is unable to work properly, life-threatening situations could arise. For example, certain conditions can lead to heart failure and stroke. (2) But recent researchers found that post-menopausal women who are the most physically active had a 10% lower risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF) compared to women that exercise less, even for the obese.

The study led by Dr. Marco V. Perez at the Inherited Arrhythmia Clinic at Stanford University School of Medicine, and his team analyzed data from large, long-term Women’s Health Initiative study. Researchers found that women who exercised 5 to 6 days a week with a 30-minute brisk walk every time, reduced the risk by 10%. (3)

Even obese women and reduce the risk by engaging in physical activity.

Generally, obese women are most likely to develop AF, however, incorporating regular physical activity reduced that risk!

Obese, sedentary women’s risk was 30% higher than that of sedentary with normal BMI, and 44% higher than normal weight women who exercised. On the other hand, obese women who exercised had only a 17% higher risk than normal weight women who exercised.  Dr. Perez says, “These are women not engaged in extreme forms of exercise, and what we found was that women who engaged in more exercise actually had a lower risk of AF. The more obese you were, the more you benefited.” (4)

Making good lifestyle choices, you can personally make a difference in your own health.

It’s always a great reminder that exercise is important for our health, even for those who suffer from certain ailments. Regular physical activity is better than nothing. As little as 30 minutes a day, you can reap great benefits! It’s also a good reminder to think carefully of our own lifestyle choices. How we treat our bodies now can make a tremendous difference in the future. This applies to even post-menopausal women going through “the change.”

The real difference is in the quality and quantity of our lives through lifestyle choices.

Walking a mile each day 'cuts cancer death risk by half': Physical activity described as 'wonder drug' for breast and prostate patients

• Patients can cut risk of dying by half by walking one mile a day, study finds
• Those with breast cancer can reduce risk by up to 40% via physical activity
• For bowel cancer patients, doubling walking distance 'halves risk of dying'
• Research carried out by Walking for Health, run by Macmillan and Ramblers
• Calculations were based on walking one mile at a moderate pace of 3mph

Cancer patients can cut their risk of dying by up to half – simply by walking just one mile a day, according to experts.

A study revealed physical activity as a ‘wonder drug’, with those diagnosed with breast and prostate cancers able to cut their risk of death by up to 40 per cent.

And for bowel cancer patients, doubling the walking distance was found to halve the risk of dying.

The calculations are based on walking one mile at a moderate pace of 3mph, which would take just 20 minutes a day.

The research by Walking for Health, a network of walking groups run by Macmillan Cancer Support and the Ramblers, found physical activity can also reduce the impact of some debilitating side effects of cancer treatment, such as swelling around the arm, anxiety, depression, fatigue, impaired mobility and weight changes.

The charity estimates that 1.6million of the two million people living with cancer in the UK are not active at recommended levels.

Ciarán Devane, chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, said: ‘Today’s research highlights the very simple reality – walking can save lives.

It says breast cancer patients cut the risk by 40 per cent if they do recommended levels of activity, compared with those doing less than an hour a week.

The risk is reduced by 30 per cent for men with prostate cancer.

Bowel cancer sufferers who walk 18 miles a week – 2.5 miles or around 50 minutes a day – can cut their risk of dying by 50 per cent.

Walking for 150 minutes a week at 3mph results in total walking of 7.5 miles in a week – just over a mile, or 20 minutes a day.

Government guidelines advise all adults to do 150 minutes of moderate activity such as gardening, dancing or brisk walking, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise including playing sport, running or aerobics every week.

Just 36 per cent of British women meet the moderate activity target.

Benedict Southworth, chief executive of the Ramblers, said: ‘The benefits of walking are numerous. It is increasingly clear that walking even short distances regularly can make the world of difference for those recovering from and managing cancer or other serious health conditions.

‘Walking for Health offers free, short group walks across England, which are the perfect way to build confidence and fitness in a friendly, supportive space.

‘All walks are led by friendly, knowledgeable people, specially trained for the job. Many of our walkers have long term conditions such as cancer themselves and find the companionship and fresh air a wonderful therapy.

‘We want to put walking at the centre of efforts to tackle physical inactivity and echo Macmillan’s call for health professionals to prescribe walking to those who are recovering from cancer or other health conditions.’

Physical education is more than just a recess activity

Student, parents and teachers should welcome the dedication of the many individuals who provide daily exercise opportunities for children in Maryland. Mr. Samuel's efforts should be part of a comprehensive physical activity program that includes state-mandated physical education instruction.
At a time when the benefits of daily physical activity for academic learning are well known, it is important that school systems work diligently to provide daily physical activity. Some of this may be in the form of recess, but most of it should be in the presence of a qualified and certified physical education professional.

It is important that parents, teachers, principals and administrators realize that there are differences between the discipline of physical education and the programs provided by Mr. Samuel and Playworks.

Recess provides children with discretionary time to engage in physical activity. Many organizations, such as SHAPE America and the Maryland Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, recommend a period of recess everyday.

Physical education, on the other hand, has national and state standards and should be taught by a certified individual who has obtained that certificate by going through a four- or five-year college program and who knows how to differentiate instruction according to the abilities and experiences of each child.

There are fitness tests that most Maryland districts administer in order to ascertain what areas of health-related fitness are most needed when designing curriculum. Games and activities are taught with an eye toward what their specific benefits to fitness levels are, and this is articulated to the students. Physical educators also have training in concussion awareness, heat-related injuries and proper nutrition.

Elaine Lindsay
The writer is executive director of the Maryland Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.

Physical activity must be promoted more in health care settings

More attention is needed to the benefits that increasing physical activity in health care settings has for the prevention and management of health problems, especially in the case of chronic conditions. In the WHO European Region alone, one million deaths per year (about 10 % of the total) are estimated to be attributable to physical inactivity. Health care solutions include education reform and active workplace support for health care professionals; guided prescriptions of physical activity for patients, and the design of health care facilities to have both indoor and outdoor healing environments. These were among the conclusions drawn at the 10th Annual Meeting and 5th Conference of HEPA Europe, the European Network for the promotion of Health-Enhancing Physical Activity, held in Zurich, Switzerland, from 27–29 August 2014. The event was hosted by the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine of the University of Zurich, with support from the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health, and was attended by over 220 participants from the European region, as well as North America, Japan and Australia.

This HEPA Europe event featured best practices, research and policies under the theme of “Physical activity promotion in health care settings”. Keynote presentations emphasized the importance of physical activity for patients’ healing and coping abilities; current barriers to increased physical activity in health care settings; and promising interventions for sustaining success, such as providing attractive walking circuits for patients and the use of pedometers. A summary of state-of–the-art knowledge on physical activity and health was shared, along with cutting-edge research on the relationship between genetics and physical activity behaviours.

Sessions on current topics in research included active transport health outcomes; socio-economic determinates of physical activity and sedentary behaviours; medical students’ perception of the health risks of physical inactivity; exercise programs for fall prevention; and workplace interventions to reduce sitting time.

Major policy developments presented for discussion were the adoption of a Council Recommendation on Health Enhancing Physical Activity by the Council of the European Union and the on-going work of the WHO European Region towards a European Strategy on Physical Activity.

5 Tips to Stay Fit While Traveling

If you think going out of town is an excuse to not work out, think again! With some planning, there are plenty of ways to pencil in exercise and eating right. DailyBurn trainer Keaira LaShae shares five tips on staying fit no matter where life takes you.

Which Is Better for Weight Loss: Diet or Exercise?

It's no secret: To drop pounds, you should eat less and move more. But what you may not realize is that at different points in your take-it-off efforts, the key is to emphasize diet or exercise. "It's easy to get overwhelmed by all the changes we're supposed to make on the road to weight loss," says Donald Hensrud, MD, medical director of the Healthy Living Program at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. There are so many fitness apps and diet-friendly foods, he continues, "that often people take on too much and then give up altogether." Consider this your guide to a smart, sane and more sustainable slimdown.


If you need to: Kick-start weight loss

Focus on: Diet



Good for your body: "To lose weight initially, emphasize reducing calorie intake rather than increasing physical activity," says Louis Aronne, MD, obesity expert at New York--Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. A study from the University of Missouri--Columbia found that participants who attended Weight Watchers meetings for 12 weeks lost an average of 5 percent of their body weight (about 9 pounds); those who just joined a gym shed only about 3 pounds.


Why not go on an exercise bender to launch weight loss?, you might wonder. Well, for safe reduction, experts recommend taking off about 1 pound a week. That requires a deficit of 500 calories a day—simply eliminating soda, juice and coffee drinks can do the trick. But you'd have to walk for almost two hours to burn off that many calories.


You'll want a structured eating plan to make sure you consume fewer calories than you burn, whether that's by cutting down on carbs or shrinking portion sizes. "Whatever healthy diet you will adhere to best is the one for you," says Holly Wyatt, MD, medical director of the Anschultz Health and Wellness Center at the University of Colorado. Meanwhile, move more; take lunchtime walks, or do extra laps around the grocery store.


Good for your motivation: Rebooting both your diet and exercise at the same time can lead to failure. "I've seen weight losers who change too many habits at once and get thrown off track," says Susan B. Roberts, PhD, senior scientist at Tufts University's Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center. "It's a bandwidth issue—if you make multiple changes, you can't do them all correctly. And it's often easier to adjust diet than exercise."


If you need to: Reach your goal weight

Focus on: Diet + some exercise


Good for your body: Once you've taken off the first several pounds, combine your dieting with regular exercise, Roberts recommends: "In my experience, it's easier to work out once you've lost some excess pounds, rather than starting when you feel heavy and lack energy." A meta-analysis of studies in the journal Health Technology Assessment found that the combination of diet and moderate exercise for people on long-term programs yields the best results.


Cardio burns calories, but resistance training helps you lose fat, not muscle, explains Felicia Stoler, RD, a nutritionist and exercise physiologist in Red Bank, N.J. People who do only aerobic exercise typically have less muscle mass, and thus a lower resting metabolism, than those who pair it with strength training.


Good for your motivation: It takes an average of two months for a new behavior—like downing vegetables before a main course—to turn into a habit, research shows. So once you're past that initial hump, making better food choices becomes second nature, and it won't be overwhelming to bump up your exercise. "This is a good point to focus on getting more physical activity during the week if you're used to doing so just on weekends," Dr. Aronne says. Schedule in an evening walk on at least two weekdays, or follow a DVD before work a couple of days a week.

If you need to: Maintain weight loss

Focus on: Exercise


Good for your body: People who regularly work out are nearly twice as likely to keep pounds from piling back on as those who don't, says research in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. "When you exercise, you activate hormones that tend to favor using more fat as fuel," says Pamela Peeke, MD, author of Body for Life for Women and assistant clinical professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. And, of course, continue to eat well: Regular exercise gives you a little leeway, Dr. Wyatt notes, "but it won't cover 3,000-calorie meals."


Good for your motivation: Nobody can remain in diet mode forever—which is why you want to embrace exercise as part of your lifestyle. As Dr. Wyatt says, "Emphasizing the positives, like how much better you feel, helps cancel out a sense of deprivation." Even if you were to stop exercising now, she continues, you'd likely miss it: "Being physically active isn't something you tend to just turn on and off. It becomes a part of who you are and how you feel"—so it's easier to stay lean for life.

Weight Loss Before-And-After: Small Steps, Huge Results

In 2000, after two years of marriage, my then husband and I moved from Florida to Virginia. It was the first time I was separated from my family, and I felt really lonely—so lonely that I turned to food for comfort. I started each morning with a 44-ounce Dr. Pepper and went to fast-food restaurants like KFC and Taco Bell daily. My bad habits continued, and three years later, after giving birth to my son, I weighed 256 pounds. Still, it wasn't until I saw a photo of myself in February 2007 that it hit me: If I wanted to watch my son grow up, I needed to get my act together right away.


Finding my fit

The first thing I did was ask my mom to give me her treadmill. I set it up in my kitchen and walked for 30 minutes a day. Before I knew it, I was jogging the entire time.


I also made sure to stay active throughout the day, even just by doing leg lifts while I watched TV. Within three months, I lost 40 pounds. My fingers even got slimmer! What's more, I could finally mow our lawn without having to stop to catch my breath.


A doable diet

Next, I tackled my eating. I cut out sugar and unhealthy fats and added more lean protein and complex carbs. Veggies (broccoli, carrots and zucchini) became my snacks of choice. After two months of clean eating, I had dropped another 18 pounds. I remember going to the grocery store and hopping on the scale—I didn't have one at home—and seeing the number: 198. I knew then that I was succeeding! By February 2008, I was at my 150-pound goal. I realized, though, that I also wanted to tone up. So I joined a gym, and for the next nine months I worked on strength training, whittling down my weight to 138 pounds.



Before getting in shape, I didn't really set goals. This journey not only taught me to set them but showed that I could reach them, too.


Secrets of a 118-Pound Loser

For Cindy, healthy living means staying on top of the little things.



Great gadget: Food scale

My Biggest Loser scale reminds me of the people on the show and helps me track portions.



Go-to tune: Titanium

This David Guetta song has a fast, steady beat, which I love, and super motivating lyrics: "You shoot me down but I won't fall / I am titanium." It totally gets me through a workout.


Sweet indulgence: Vanilla ice cream

I don't deprive myself, so when I get a craving, I go to McDonald's and buy a vanilla ice cream cone. It costs $1 and is only 170 calories.

Smart swap: Greek yogurt

I use it in place of sour cream and mayo and as a substitute for fats when I bake. I also pair it with fruit, cinnamon and stevia.

US Schools Fall Short of Physical Education Standards

A recent study indicates students in the United States are not meeting physical activity guidelines, and there are unexpected differences between poor and wealthy schools.

More students in poor schools got a minimum level of physical activity during the week, even though students in wealthier schools were more likely to have a qualified physical education (PE) teacher.

The study, titled “Socioeconomic Disparities in Elementary School Practices and Children’s Physical Activity During School,” was conducted in San Diego and Seattle. In the schools surveyed, a principal or PE teacher answered 15 questions related to physical activity. This was the primary way of collecting data.

Schools in low Socioeconomic Status (SES) areas were more likely to have a trained PE teacher when compared to wealthier schools, but neither group met the state requirement of 100 minutes per week of physical activity. Low SES areas were defined by the percentage of students provided with free school meals.

Wealthier schools were more likely to have a PE teacher with smaller classes, consisting of less than 30 students; however, these schools were less likely to meet the state requirements for physical activity.

Safer Recreation

According to Russell Pate, Ph.D., director of the Children’s Physical Activity Research Group at the University of South Carolina, children that live in low SES areas often lack recreational facilities near their homes and have less access to safe streets, parks, and playgrounds. However, they may have a safer recreational environment at school.

The study found that low SES schools were more likely to include a minimum of 20 minutes of physical activity, but they lacked the vigorous physical activity found in wealthier schools.
Pate also believes that low SES schools may also deal with funds being diverted from physical education toward academic subjects.

“Children receive many important benefits from physical activity, benefits that aren’t limited to health,” said study author Jordan Carlson, Ph.D., of the University of California, San Diego, in a press release.

Study results indicate that regular physical activity strengthens the body and helps improve concentration, behavior, and achievement, in addition to reducing the chances of developing chronic disease during adulthood.

Carlson believes that schools should prioritize physical activity in their curriculums as a way to support academic achievement.

“The idea is gaining momentum that expecting kids to sit and focus on schoolwork for six hours a day without regular activity breaks, is ridiculous,” said Pate in a press release. “None of us work like that.”

Dieting not enough to stop heart disease

 

Perth researchers have found that people who exercise can markedly reduce their chances of dying from heart disease, even if they have high blood pressure or a pot belly.

Their study, which tracked more than 8600 men and women over 15 years, shows recreational physical activity has significant cardiovascular benefits, regardless of other lifestyle factors such as abdominal obesity and high cholesterol.

Experts said yesterday it added weight to the argument that dieting alone was not enough to ward off heart problems, and even slim people were at risk if they spent too much time on the couch, while overweight people had a lot to gain from exercising.

Curtin University and Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital researchers found that even allowing for other factors, people who exercised at the high end, including activities that made them breathe hard or pant, had a 65 per cent less chance of dying from cardiovascular disease than those with low levels of physical activity.

Those who exercised moderately reduced their risk 15 per cent compared with more sedentary people.

Professor Satvinder Dhaliwal from Curtin's school of public health and SCGH endocrinologist Professor Tim Welborn previously linked obesity to a person's risk of heart disease, regardless of other factors.

But in their latest study published in the medical journal PLOS One, they singled out physical activity, finding it had an independent effect - and the greater the range and intensity of the exercise, the more the benefit.

"This shows that irrespective of whatever other things like blood pressure account for, physical activity has its own significant effect," Professor Dhaliwal said.

Heart Foundation director of cardiovascular health Trevor Shilton said the study showed physical activity had "striking" heart benefits.

"And it's important to note it looked only at recreational physical activity, not walking and cycling for transport or incidental activity," he said.

Mr Shilton said the findings supported the foundation's call for a stronger public health focus, including compulsory physical education for all school children.

More movement and less sitting reduces heart failure risk in men

A new cohort study finds heart failure risk is 52% greater in men who sat for at least five hours a day and got little exercise compared to men who were very physically active and sat for two hours or less a day. 

 

Sitting for long periods of time even with regular exercise could spell heart trouble

Although the benefits of physical activity for risk of coronary heart disease are well established, less is known about its effects on heart failure (HF). The risk of prolonged sedentary behavior on HF is unknown.

Researchers from Kaiser Permanente examined the link between heart failure risk and sedentary time. Dr. Deborah Rohm Young, PhD, lead researcher and a senior scientist at Kaiser Permanente in Pasadena, California and colleagues followed a racially diverse group of 82,695 men, aged 45 years and older from the California Men’s Health Study without prevalent HF (heart failure) who were followed for up to ten years. Physical activity, sedentary time, and behavioral covariates were obtained from questionnaires, and clinical covariates were determined from electronic medical records. Incident HF was identified through International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes recorded in electronic records.

During a mean follow-up of 7.8 years (646 989 person-years), 3473 men were diagnosed with HF
After controlling for sedentary time, sociodemographics, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, unfavorable lipid levels, body mass index, smoking, and diet, the results showed;

•   Men with low levels of physical activity were 52 percent more likely to develop heart failure than men with high physical activity levels, even after adjusting for differences in sedentary time.
•  Outside of work, men who spent five or more hours a day sitting were 34 percent more likely to develop heart failure than men who spent no more than two hours a day sitting, regardless of how much they exercised.
•  Heart failure risk more than doubled in men who sat for at least five hours a day and got little exercise compared to men who were very physically active and sat for two hours or less a day.

Results showed similar trends across white and Hispanic subgroups, body mass index categories, baseline hypertension status, and prevalent coronary heart disease.

In their conclusion the team writes “both physical activity and sedentary time may be appropriate intervention targets for preventing HF.”

The limitations included these results may not apply to women since there were no women in this study and results were self-reported, which could mean physical activity was over reported; results were based only on time outside of work and can't be applied to overall sedentary activity; and participants were members of comprehensive health plans, so results may not apply to men lacking health insurance.

This study is the first to examine the link between heart failure risk and sedentary time said Dr. Young.

“Be more active and sit less. That's the message here," she adds.

The study supports the American Heart Association recommendation that people get at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity to reduce their risk for heart failure and other cardiovascular diseases, she concluded.

This study is published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation: Heart Failure.

The American Heart Association recommends;

• At least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity at least 5 days per week for a total of 150 OR
  
• At least 25 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity at least 3 days per week for a total of 75; or a combination of the two AND
  
• Moderate to high intensity muscle-strengthening activity at least 2 or more days per week for additional health benefits.

What Happens To Your Body After Just One Workout

 

To reap the full range of life-extending, heart-protecting, sleep-promoting, obesity-thwarting benefits of exercise, you're going to have to get some regular activity. In fact, about two and a half hours a week of it.

Those hours should be moderate-intensity aerobic activity (think: brisk walking), according to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. (More vigorous exercisers can cut back on time as they up the intensity, but everyone should also aim for a couple of strength-training sessions a week, according to the Guidelines.)

But exercise also happens to be one of those cases where something is most certainly better than nothing. While we can only encourage you to stick with it, you should be proud of yourself even just for a single sweat sessions, thanks in part to these pretty powerful perks of just one workout.

Your DNA can change.

In a 2012 study, Swedish researchers found that among healthy but inactive adults, mere minutes of exercise altered genetic material in muscle cells. Of course, we inherit our DNA from our parents, but lifestyle factors like exercise can play a part in expressing or "turning on" certain genes. In the instance of exercise, it appears to affect gene expression for strength and metabolism.

You'll be in better spirits.

As you kick off your workout, your brain will start to release a number of different feel-good neurotransmitters, including endorphins, which are the most commonly cited explanation for the so-called "runner's high" and serotonin, which is well known for its role in mood and depression.

You may be protected from diabetes.

Like with the subtle changes to DNA, small changes to how fat is metabolized in muscle also occur after just one sweat session. In a 2007 study, University of Michigan researchers found that a single cardio workout increased storage of fat in muscle, which actually improved insulin sensitivity. Low insulin sensitivity, often called insulin resistance, can lead to diabetes.

You'll become more focused.

The surge of blood to the brain when you start huffing and puffing kicks brain cells into high gear, leaving you feeling more alert during your workout and more focused immediately after. In a 2012 review of the research on the mental effects of exercise, researchers noted improvement in focus and concentration from bouts of activity as short as just 10 minutes, the Boston Globe reported.

Stress will fade.   


The Anxiety and Depression Association of America estimates that about 14 percent of people turn to exercise to mitigate stress. And even though pounding the pavement is, by definition, a stress response (cortisol increases, heart rate quickens), it really can ease some of the negativity -- even when exercise itself stresses you out. It's likely a combination of factors, including the influx of extra blood to the brain and the rush of mood-boosting endorphins out of it.  

Exercise improves prostate cancer outcome

Scientists may have discovered why men who exercise tend to have a better prognosis if they are diagnosed with cancer of the prostate.

Every year in Ireland, over 2,000 men are newly diagnosed with prostate cancer, while 500 die as a result of the disease. Previous studies have found that exercise appears to improve the outcome of those affected, however the exact reason for this has been unclear.

US scientists decided to investigate this further. They looked at 572 men with prostate cancer whose physical activity levels were known prior to their diagnosis.

The study found that men who regularly walked at a fast pace before their diagnosis were much more likely to have regularly shaped blood vessels in their prostate tumours compared with men who walked slowly.

According to the scientists, previous research ‘has shown that men with prostate tumours containing more regularly shaped blood vessels have a more favourable prognosis compared with men with prostate tumours containing mostly irregularly shaped blood vessels'.

"In this study, we found that men who reported walking at a brisk pace had more regularly shaped blood vessels in their prostate tumours compared with men who reported walking at a less brisk pace," they explained.

They said that this suggests some kind of mechanism ‘by which exercise may improve outcomes in men with prostate cancer'.

"Although data from randomised, controlled trials are needed before we can conclude that exercise causes a change in vessel regularity or clinical outcomes in men with prostate cancer, our study supports the growing evidence of the benefits of exercise, such as brisk walking, for men with prostate cancer," the scientists from the University of California in San Francisco said.

They added that it is reasonable to suggest that these same benefits could apply to other types of cancer and this is an area that should be further studied.

Details of these findings were presented at the AACR Prostate Cancer Foundation Conference on Advances in Prostate Cancer Research in San Diego.

Increased Exercise Doesn't Seem To Boost Calorie Intake After All

Despite the fact that a tough workout might make you want to eat enough for a family of four, your exercise routine probably isn't making you consume extra calories, according to a new research review.

"It is commonly believed that individuals increase energy intake in response to physical activity or exercise training," the review's authors write. "However, overall we found no consistent, compelling evidence that any level of increased physical activity or exercise has any impact on energy intake.”

As Runner's World points out, this is especially good news for fitness fans who have weight loss on the brain. Despite an increase in physical activity, most people aren't undoing their hard work by overcompensating with food after their sweat sessions has ended.

The researchers also found that exercisers did not increase calorie intake in relation to a specific type, intensity or duration of exercise or in relation to a host of "participant characteristics including age, gender, weight or physical activity level," they wrote.

While exercise can lead to weight loss -- and particularly fat loss when compared to weight loss from calorie restriction alone, the authors note -- it likely won't produce dramatic results without an accompanying dietary change.

While a regular fitness routine is certainly part of an overall healthy lifestyle, a low-calorie diet has been shown to be an easier way to drop pounds, and dieters more consistently stick to an eating plan than an exercise one, the New York Times reported.

UGA researchers explore benefits of exercise among Hispanics

A heavy weight has been lifted from University of Georgia researchers.
Jennifer Gay, assistant professor of health promotion and behavior at the UGA College of Public Health, and her team of researchers have conducted a study suggesting that exercise reduces the risk of disease among a specific demographic — a population of Mexican-American adults located in the southern Texas city Brownsville.
Gay and her team focused on how exercise affects the amount of allostatic load on a person. Allostatic load refers to a measure of wear on the body that results from stress.

Several factors, including high blood pressure risk and metabolic risk, contribute to the allostatic load and can show indication of increased risk for a number of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

“For diabetes most people think about blood sugar as a risk, for cardiovascular disease most people think about cholesterol or blood pressure,” said Gay, a former assistant professor at the Brownsville Regional Campus at the University of Texas School of Public Health. “Allostatic load looks at all of these risks to give you an overall risk score.”

The researchers randomly selected 330 people to participate in the study from the Cameron County Hispanic cohort, a randomly selected, community-recruited cohort of more than 2,000 Mexican-Americans aged 18 and older living in Brownsville.

The study found that participants who were physically active for 150 minutes or more each week, an amount suggested by the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, had lower allostatic load than the participants who were not active.

The team also found that inflammation was the marker that could be most affected by physical activity.

“The findings in general were not surprising, but it was very interesting to see that inflammation was more important than blood pressure risk or blood sugar for this particular sample,” Gay said.
She said increasing physical activity among that population could reduce levels of inflammation and thus reduce rates of chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.

According to a statement from the University of Texas at Brownsville, the population of Brownsville is approximately 80 percent overweight, and 50 percent are obese.

Gay said this obesity rate could be due to a number of factors such as limited access to fruits, vegetables and other produce. Fast food chains outnumber the grocery stores in the area, making it more inconvenient for Brownsville residents to make healthy nutritional choices.

Weather could also play a factor in limiting the amount of physical activity among the population, Gay said. The hot and humid temperatures make it uncomfortable to be outside for many physical activities.

Though the biggest reason for the enormous obesity rate is due to the fact that a large portion of Brownsville’s population is below the poverty line.

“There are low levels of income and low levels of education in that region of the country,” Gay said. “They really don’t have the freedom to purchase the foods they might want to purchase.”

The Hispanic paradox is another reason Gay and her team were interested in studying a community like Brownsville. Even though the population has lower income rates and higher rates of obesity, they don’t get heart disease as much as non-Hispanic whites with similar risk factors.

Lack of exercise is a problem outside of Brownsville — according to the Center for Disease Control, fewer than two in 10 Americans get the recommended 150 minutes of exercise each week.

More than a quarter of American adults do not exercise at all, according to the same report.

People ages 65 and older were least likely to engage in exercise, while people ages 18 to 24 were most likely to exercise. The younger generation accounts for 31 percent of the exercisers in the study.
Some students make a point to consistently exercise.

Brittany Lewis, a freshman student from Kennesaw, tries to keep exercise a regular part of her schedule at UGA by exercising around three or four times a week.

“I try to go everyday,” said the health promotion and behavior major. “But most times I don’t because I’m too busy or something.”

Another freshman at UGA, Kiara Rouda, exercises four times a week without even leaving her room.
“I don’t go to Ramsey or anything like that,” said the biology major from Covington. “It’s easier to just do it in my room.”