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.

New Weight Loss Drug Discovered Accidentally

A new weight loss drug called Tesofensine has proven to be twice as effective as the best existing anti-obesity medicines.

The drug was originally developed to treat brain diseases, but in clinical trials, doctors found that side effects included suppressed hunger.

Obese patients who took the drug for 24 weeks lost approximately 28 pounds, at least double the weight that patients taking other available anti-obesity drugs have been able to lose.

Just as encouraging, patients taking the prescribed dosage saw no side effects.

The drug will now go on to further studies before possibly hitting the market.

Iodine: The fountain of Health, Energy and Weight Loss

Iodine is a wonder mineral that is often overlooked, but can aid increase your energy levels, give you shiny, strong hair and even help you lose weight.

Several recent studies show that a shortage of iodine can lead to poor function of metabolism and immunity. It also promotes free radical damage and hinders brain development. But many people are iodine deficient because they are eating less salt and more organic foods (which have low iodine levels).

Symptoms of iodine deficiency include depression, weight gain, weak heartbeat, extreme dry hair and skin, swelling of the legs, decreased ability to concentrate, muscle cramps, puffiness or swelling of the eyes, and chronic aches and pains.

If you think you need more iodine in your diet, you can fight it in asparagus, garlic, lima beans, mushrooms, sesame seed, chard and summer squash