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.
Friday, 5 September 2014
Tuesday, 2 September 2014
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.
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)
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)
The real difference is in the quality and quantity of our lives through lifestyle choices.
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
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.
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.
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.
Wednesday, 20 August 2014
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.
Wednesday, 13 August 2014
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.
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.