US Government: Physical Activities Guidelines

Just in time for U.S. Thanksgiving, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have released exercise guidelines for the general public.

This is the first time the government has issued specific guidelines on how much exercise, intensities and types are appropriate for all ages and physical conditions.

Here are the guidelines for healthy adults, older adults and adults with disabilities:

At least 2.5 hours of weekly moderate-intensity aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, water aerobics, ballroom dancing or general gardening. You should be able to talk comfortably during exercise.

If time is an issue, fit in several 10-minute bouts of aerobic exercise a day.

For more health benefits, exercise 5 hours a week at a moderate pace.

More fit individuals can opt for 75 minutes of weekly vigorous exercise, such as jogging, race walking, swimming laps, jumping rope or hiking uphill; and increase training to 2.5 hours a week for greater health benefits.

At least 2 times each week incorporate strength-training exercises such as weight-training, push-ups, sit-ups, carrying heavy loads or heavy gardening.

Sedentary adults and those with medical pre-conditions and chronic conditions should consult their physicians before embarking on an exercise program.

Water Your Way Thin

We’ve heard many times that we should be drinking more water when trying to lose weight.
It has long been believed that drinking water fills your stomach, making you actually feel fuller.

Now a US study has confirmed this belief. According to the study, people who drank a glass of water before their meal ate 13% less calories than those who didn’t drink the water. This was regardless of their age, weight or sex and whether or not they regularly drank water.

Scientists concluded that people should drink 2 cups (500ml) of chilled water before consuming their meal. This will slow the rate of the emptying of the stomach and promote fullness.

Stomach Fat is Deadly!

People with large waists are twice as likely to die prematurely as those who have slim waists.

That's according to a recent study by the Department of Public Health in London which concluded that the size of your waist is more important in determining your health than your weight.

People with waists that measure more than 120 cm (47.2 in) for men and 100 cm (39.4 in) for women were found to have 50 % more risk of dying prematurely than those with slim waists (less than 80 cm for men and 65 cm for women) regardless of the person's weight or BMI.

The extra weight around the stomach is more dangerous than that found on legs or hips. Each 5 cm increase in waist size raises the risk of premature death by 17% for men and 13% for women.

The problem is especially prevalent in men, who mainly have apple shapes, while most women tend to have pear shapes (more fat on the hips).

Exercise and clean dieting can go a long way in losing excess stomach fat and helping people return to good health.

Think You're Working Out Hard Enough?

Thinking about how hard you're working out will actually make you work out harder.
That's a no brainer, right?

According to a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, exercisers who rate their exertion level on a scale from 1 to 10, tended to work out harder than those who didn't pay attention to how hard they were training.

When you work out, you should keep a journal noting how many reps you're doing and how hard you are working. Rate your workout on a level from 1 to 10, with 1 meaning very little exertion and 10 meaning you're working so hard you're finding it hard to breathe and talk at the same time.

By focusing on this scale, you can ensure you are getting an intense workout every time you hit the gym and you aren't just wasting your time.

Fitness Trends for 2009

Educated and experienced fitness professionals. Certification and accreditation for health and fitness programs and professionals are becoming more common.

Children and obesity: Fitness programs to address childhood obesity are a top trend for the third year in a row in the ACSM survey.

Personal training: Personal trainers are becoming more accessible to more people, according to the survey.

Strength training: Men and women are lifting weights; staying strong while aging is increasingly part of their motivation.

Core training: This trend is about strengthening muscles in the abdomen and back to stabilize the spine.

Special fitness programs for older adults: This trend includes aging baby boomers, frail elders who want to get stronger for daily tasks, active older adults, and master athletes.

Pilates: Done on a mat or special equipment, Pilates trains the core muscles and improves flexibility and posture.

Stability ball: These big, inflatable balls (also called Swiss balls or balance balls) are used for crunches, push-ups, and other exercises. Staying stable on the ball is part of the challenge.

Sport-specific training: This trend is about athletes training in the off-season to build their strength and endurance.

Balance training: In balance training, you might stand on a wobble board or use a stability ball to hone your balance: It's a trend for all ages, Thompson notes.

Functional fitness: A functional fitness workout preps your body for daily activities such as running for the bus or lifting groceries -- not just gliding along on the elliptical machine.

Comprehensive health programming at work: This trend is about improving employees' health -- and lowering employers' health care costs.

Wellness coaching: Wellness coaches support clients in making behavior changes for better wellness.

Worker incentive programs: Some employers are giving their workers incentives to make healthy changes.

Outcome measurements: This trend is about accountability and measuring progress toward fitness goals.

Spinning (indoor cycling): Spinning classes, fast-paced group workouts on stationary bikes, have been around for a while, but they're still going strong.

Physician referrals: Doctors are increasingly referring patients to health and fitness facilities, according to the ACSM survey.

Exercise for weight loss: Sensible or "sensationalized," most diets now include an exercise component, Thompson notes.

Group personal training: Groups of two or three people can often get discounts from personal trainers.

Reaching new markets: Thompson estimates that 80% of the U.S. public doesn't have an exercise routine or a place to exercise, which amounts to a "huge market" for the health and fitness industry.

Exercise: It's the Smart Thing to Do!

After the age of 24, mental agility begins declining, so what can we do to keep our brain sharp into old age? Exercise!

That's right, physical activity can actually increase mental agility and memory while also increasing youth hormones.

A study in the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity concluded that strength training increased people's working memory span. The higher the level of resistance, the more memory improved, suggesting that strength training not only benefits the muscles, but the mind as well.

Trying new things every day also activates unfamiliar areas of the brain and with the new challenges, comes a better working brain. Researchers at McGill University in Montreal suggested taking up the tango because it involves more complex moves and thus activates more parts of your brain.

In addition to weight training, studies conclude that you should maintain a healthy diet, social interactions and an adequate amount of sleep to keep your brain sharp.

A Magic Pill

Scientists have developed yet another magic diet pill, but this time it might be the real thing. The drug, known as SRT1720, could allow you to eat a high-fat diet while still losing weight and preventing diabetes.

French, Dutch, and American researchers studied the drug, which works much like the SRT1 activator resveratrol, found in red wine.

One of these pills would give a person the benefits of drinking gallons of wine at once.

The drug was tested on mice who were on a high-fat diet. The mice were able to eat fatty foods and still lose weight. Furthermore, the drug was successful in maintaining blood sugar levels and preventing diabetes.

The research has been published in the November issue of Cell Metabolism but more studies are planned before the drug is available for humans.

Ease into Weight-Training

If you are a newcomer to weight training you should definitely start slowly with lighter weights.

Although muscles can adapt fairly easily, tendons and ligaments need to be strengthened gradually for the demands of weight-lifting.

Most people should do a minimum of 4-6 full-body workouts over the course of two weeks to strengthen their muscles and connective tissues. These workouts should involve moving light weights through a full range of motion to get the full benefits.

Once you have finished your initiation phase, you should still focus on form and only increase the weights slowly. Strength gains are made in the 4-6 repetition range so rather than increase your reps, focus on the weight and maintaining your form. Even then, you should start each of your workouts with a light weight set to warm up your muscles and get them ready for the heavier weights.

Finally, as your workouts become more intense and you increase the weights you are lifting, remember to have a spotter with you, especially with exercises that involve lifting weights above your head or chest

Beef It Up!

If you want to lose weight without giving up food, add more protein to your diet.

According to a new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who add more protein to their diet unconsciously end up consuming less calories without feeling hungry.

High protein diets have always proven successful in helping people to lose weight but scientists
The study was conducted to figure out whether high protein diets were successful because people were eating less carbs or because they were eating more protein.

The researchers gave study participants various diets with protein making up different ratios of those diets. Those who were told they could eat as much as they wanted, providing the diet was 30% protein, 20% fat and 50% carbs ended up eating 441 calories less than they did before the study.

Eating 441 calories less per day is equal to losing 1 pound of fat every 8 days.
Swapping sugars from soft drinks with low-fat milk, and adding more lean meat and dairy to your diet rather than focusing on eating less may be the secret to the weight loss you've been looking for.

Critical Balance

We have blogged over-and-over about the importance of strength-training as part of any healthy work-out regimen, but unless you're weight training is balanced and includes all muscle groups, you'll be doing more harm than good.

People who are new to weight training tend to focus on muscles that they want to show off. They do tons of crunches and bicep curls, but neglect triceps and back exercises.

Unfortunately, when you do this, you get muscular imbalance which could result in bad posture, back pain, injury, herniated disks or worse.

When putting together any strength-training workout, make sure you hit the following opposing muscle groups equally:
biceps - triceps
abdomen & lower back
chest, shoulders & back
quadriceps & hamstrings
etc.

If muscle balance already exists because of improper training, or simply because your lifestyle works certain muscle groups more than others, you may need to focus more time on the weaker muscles to bring about proper balance.

If you have any questions about your personal muscle balance, see a physiotherapist or a personal trainer. Of course you can always contact us at info@myfavouritetrainer.com for a personalized consultation that will answer all your questions.