Exercise alone is not enough to lose weight because our bodies reach a plateau where working out more does not necessarily burn extra calories, researchers have found. The team are the latest to challenge obesity prevention strategies that recommend increasing daily physical activity as a way to shed the pounds. In a study, published in Current Biology on Thursday, they suggest that there might be a physical activity “sweet spot”, whereby too little can make one unhealthy but too much drives the body to make big adjustments to adapt, thus constraining total energy expenditure. If true, it … [Read more...] about Exercise alone won’t cause weight loss, study shows
The cure for your junk food cravings? Sleep
If you crave chocolate or Cheetos after a hectic day, it may be because you're sleep-deprived, a new study suggests. Researchers have found that lack of sleep may lead to increased appetite and an affinity for unhealthy foods. According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in three U.S. adults don't get enough sleep and roughly the same percentage are obese. Study author Erin Hanlon, a research associate at the University of Chicago, aimed to connect these two nationwide problems. "Evidence from laboratory and epidemiological studies has started to consistently associate insufficient … [Read more...] about The cure for your junk food cravings? Sleep
5 Healthy Ways to Spend Rest Days
Runners have a strange relationship with rest days. Early in the year, it's hard to get them to take a day off because they fear they'll lose momentum. Later in the year, when their training loads are heavier, those same runners might be grasping for days to take a break. But no matter how far along you are in your training, resting is important because it keeps fatigue from building up and lets the body lay a solid foundation for the work to come. Here are five things you can do to rest, refocus and relax when your running schedule calls for a rest day: Take a yoga class. Yoga offers … [Read more...] about 5 Healthy Ways to Spend Rest Days
Finding a Drug for Healthy Aging
Given their druthers, most people would opt for a long and healthy life. Few relish the idea of spending years, even decades, incapacitated by illness, dependent on caregivers and unable to enjoy the people, places and activities that make life worth living. In 1980, Dr. James F. Fries, a Stanford University physician who studied chronic disease and aging, proposed that a “compression of morbidity” would enable most people to remain healthy until a certain age, perhaps 85, then die naturally or after only a brief illness. Now, a group of experts on aging envisions a route to realizing Dr. … [Read more...] about Finding a Drug for Healthy Aging
7 Nutrition Facts About Potatoes You Didn’t Know
Yes, even the white ones are healthy – and pack more potassium than a banana. Client: "I don't eat potatoes." Me: "Really, why?" Client: "They are fattening." Me: "Hmm. How are you eating them?" And so goes the all-too-common conversation I have in my office about potatoes – white potatoes, that is. Truth is, potatoes (yes, even white ones) are quite nutritious. There's no need to eliminate them from your diet – even if you want to lose weight. Here are seven important nutrition facts about a medium-sized white potato to set the record straight: The entire potato is nutritious. Eat … [Read more...] about 7 Nutrition Facts About Potatoes You Didn’t Know
The Psychology of Fresh Starts
There’s a reason we like making healthy changes at the beginning of a week, month or year, but it’s not a good one. Human beings favor neatness. I'm not talking about maintaining a tidy garage or a clean kitchen – although we enjoy that, too – but rather psychological neatness. Consider something like list-making. Browse the Internet, listen to a movie critic or flip on (reruns of) "The Late Show with David Letterman" and you're bound to discover lists of 10. But why 10? How come there are always conveniently 10 exceptional movies during a calendar year? Or precisely 10 holiday gifts you … [Read more...] about The Psychology of Fresh Starts
8 Best Equipment-Free Strength Exercises for Older Adults
Strength training isn't just for bodybuilders and marathoners. It's for anyone who wants to feel healthier, more energetic and, yes, younger. "Strength is the fountain of youth," says Gavin McHale, a Winnipeg-based kinesiologist and certified exercise physiologist who works primarily with older adults. "Benefits of resistance training, and subsequent strength gains, in older adults include better control of symptoms of chronic disease, pain and depression, as well as prevention of falls, maintaining existing muscle mass, improving posture and stability, increasing bone density and remaining … [Read more...] about 8 Best Equipment-Free Strength Exercises for Older Adults
Exercise Away the Urge to Smoke
If quitting smoking isn’t the hardest thing you’ve ever tried to do, it surely ranks right up there. The nicotine in cigarettes is as addictive as it gets. Plus, throw in the psychological addiction — like lighting up when you’re nervous, having a drink with friends, or doing the Sunday crossword puzzle — and you’ve got one serious habit to break. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 70 percent of smokers really do want to quit. There's no question that quitting smoking is difficult — the American Lung Association reports that quitting smoking often requires … [Read more...] about Exercise Away the Urge to Smoke