MYTH: EXERCISING IN A FASTING STATE TO PROMOTE FAT BURNING WILL RESULT IN BODY FAT LOSS

FACT: While research shows that exercising in a fasted state allows one to burn more fat, there is inconclusive and little scientific support for a link between fat burning and body fat loss. In fact, exercising in a fasted state may reduce exercise capacity overall and decrease the quality of the workout – and it is possible to experience lightheadedness or dizziness if blood sugar becomes too low during exercise.

“Fat burning” refers to the body’s ability to oxidize (or burn) fat by using fat instead of carbohydrate as a fuel source. Fat burning is often associated with body weight or body fat loss; however, in order for one to lose weight, he must consume fewer calories than he expends consistently over a period of time. This is why exercising in the “fat burning zone,” a lower intensity zone, is often not ideal for reductions in body weight if one is capable of exercising at a higher intensity.

Carbohydrates are important in an individual’s diet because they are the primary fuel for the muscles during exercise (and for the brain all the time!). As exercise intensity increases, the body relies more and more on carbohydrate as a fuel source – so, when you’re exercising at moderate to high intensities (and expending more calories in doing so), your body’s capacity to perform such work is dependent on carbohydrate fuel.” (IDEA Fitness, 3/6/13)

LESS CALORIES = LESS BODY FAT

It might be time to shift the goal for obesity treatment away from just weight loss and body mass index to include fat reduction and a better understanding of nutrition science, say the authors of a Journal of the American Medical Association study (2012; 307 [1], 47–55).

At the crux of their findings? Body fat increased when healthy subjects took in more calories than they burned, and the calories themselves appeared to be more important than the amount of protein ingested. When subjects consumed more calories than they expended each day, they appeared to gain body fat and lose lean muscle if their food choices were low in protein.  (Ruth Sova, ATRI e-list, 7/15/12)

Why you get Fat being a Couch Slouch

Finally, an answer why that fat just won't go away. All those hours at the computer or watching tv are the culprits. Read more to learn the reasons and what you can do. First thing is to MOVE AROUND! Pretty simple, but you need to get your body moving as much as possible. Take breaks, pace while you talk on the phone, walk your dog, whatever it takes!

Here's the link for the details:

http://israel21c.org/health/why-you-get-fat-being-a-couch-slouch

Happy Holidays --- Make it a great year and get off the couch!!!

FITTEST AND FATEST CITIES

Men’s Health published its annual list of “fittest and fattest” United States cities this winter. To determine the results, the study authors calculated percentages for the following factors among city residents: overweight, type 2 diabetes; money spent on junk food; inactivity; and more. Following are the five leanest and five heaviest cities:

Fittest

1. San Francisco

2. Burlington, Vermont

3. Washington, DC

4. Seattle

5. Austin, Texas

Fattest

1. Corpus Christi, Texas

2. Charleston, West Virginia

3. El Paso, Texas

4. Dallas

5. Memphis, Tennessee

10 Reasons to Lift Weights

Most of us know that strength training is important, but that doesn't make it any easier to do it. It may help to know why strength training is so important and all the ways it can help you look better and feel better.

1. It helps you lose fatWhen you lift weights, you build lean muscle tissue which is more metabolically active than fat. When you increase your muscle, you also increase metabolism which means you're burning more calories throughout the day. Regular strength training is just as important as cardio exercise for losing fat and getting fit.

2. It makes you strongIt may seem obvious that lifting weights can make you stronger...but what some people forget is that it doesn't just make you strong for your workouts, it makes you stronger in other areas of your life as well. When you lift weights on a regular basis, everything else becomes a little easier too - carrying groceries, housework, gardening, carrying the kids, etc. And, don't forget, it doesn't just make your muscles stronger, it makes your bones stronger too which can help reduce or even manage osteoporosis.

3. It reduces your risk of injuryThe nice thing about strength training is that it strengthens everything, not just your muscles and bones. When you lift weights, you also strengthen connective tissue - the ligaments and tendons that keep your body moving well on a regular basis. Strengthening your connective tissue will help you continue to operate in peak condition and protect your body from injuries.

4. It can reduce arthritis painRecent studies have shown that arthritis sufferers who lifted weights actually reduced their joint pain. By strengthening the muscles, they were able to cushion and protect the joints during impact activities like walking. And don't forget...most physical therapy programs incorporate strength training to help rehab a multitude of injuries, which just proves that lifting weights can make a difference in getting better and having a better quality of life.

5. It increases balance, stability and flexibilityWhen we don't preserve muscle mass with strength training, what happens when we grow older? We lose muscle mass and that's often what leads to weight gain and loss of balance and flexibility. Lifting weights can help you work your joints through a full range of motion, keeping them strong and flexible and keeping you steady on your feet.

6. It can make you better at sportsMost athletes these days follow some type of strength training program to keep them strong and avoid injuries. Training specific to your sport can also help you improve your power, strength and speed to make you a better athlete. Even kids and teens often benefit from some type of strength training when it comes to playing sports

7. It makes you feel better about yourselfAccording to some studies, both men and women feel better about themselves when they lift weights. By getting stronger and noticing changes over time like being able to lift more weight and do more exercises, both men and women build confidence and, especially for women, improve body image. Lifting weights, along with other types of exercise, also helps build confidence and can even help manage symptoms of depression and anxiety...a great way to deal with stress in a healthy way.

8. It can help lower blood pressureSome studies have shown that regular strength training can help reduce high blood pressure over time, so this may become another way (aside from cardio exercise) to help treat high blood pressure in some people. If you do have high blood pressure, I don't have to remind you that you should always talk to the doc before doing any new activities (but I am anyway). But, if you get the okay, consider starting a basic program along with other recommendations from your doc for helping reduce your blood pressure.

9. It adds challenge and interest to your routineIf you've been doing the same cardio workouts for a long time, that can get a little boring. Strength training is a great way to spice things up and add a completely different challenge to your body. The nice thing about strength training is that it offers so many ways to set up your workouts...there's always something new to try and you never run out of new exercises, different types of resistance, new routines and a variety of ways to work your body.

10. It makes your life betterOne thing that often surprises people after they start lifting weights is how it trickles into other areas of their lives such as working in the garden without back pain or walking up the stairs without aching knees. It's those little improvements that offer the greatest rewards and it doesn't take much time with weights to see and feel those kinds of improvements.

Created: June 21, 2007, Paige Waehner

Keeping in Shape in Older Age more difficult for Women

According to Washington University Medical School studies, maintaining muscle and keeping in shape is more difficult for older, post-menopausal women. The new results underline the importance for older women of eating plenty of protein such as eggs, fish, chicken and lean red meat, in conjunction with resistance exercise.

Maintaining muscle is crucial in reducing the risk of falls -- one of the major causes of premature death in elderly people. From the age of 50 onwards, people lose up to 0.4 per cent of muscle mass every year making them less mobile, more prone to fractures and at higher risk of a potentially life-threatening fall. Half of all elderly people who suffer a serious fall die within two years. But it is thought the number of falls could be reduced if muscle mass could be more effectively maintained so that hips and knees remain strong and well supported.

Up until now, scientists have found no differences between men and women in muscle protein synthesis -- the process by which the body builds muscle. But the latest research has found that in their mid- to late-60s, the female body's response to food and exercise starts to decline. Women are particularly at risk of muscle loss because they tend to have less muscle and more fat than men in early and middle age -- so they are nearer to the 'danger' threshold of becoming frail when they reach their 50s and 60s.

Michael Rennie, Professor of Clinical Physiology at The University of Nottingham, said: "Rather than eating more, older people should focus on eating a higher proportion of protein in their everyday diet. In conjunction with resistance exercise, this should help to reduce the loss of muscle mass over time.

Cut Fat and Carbon at the Same Time

It turns out that fighting global warming is good for the waistline. If every American spent 30 minutes a day walking or cycling instead of driving, the citizenry would collectively cut carbon emissions by 64 million tons and shed 3 billion pounds of excess flab, according to Paul Higgins of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Trim even more by trading in that T-bone for tofu--livestock production produces 18 percent of the world's greenhouse-gas emissions, according to the United Nation's Food and Agricultural Organization.

(Sierra Club)

The Strengths of Building Muscle for Arthritis Sufferers

Lift weights with sore joints? Yeah, Right. You might think that lifting weights is harmful for people with arthritis. But think again. Building strength has built steam as a great way to help people with arthritis function better and end soreness, stiffness and pain. Studies show that weight training improves endurance, gains lean body mass and looses fat from the abdomen, back and chest.

(taken from an article written by Donna Rae Siegfried Posted 2/17/07, Arthritis Foundation News)

DID YOU KNOW????

1. People who exercise regularly are at lower risk for obesity and heart disease.

2. Vigorous exercise is most effective to lower blood pressure, raising one's aerobic capacity, and improving insulin sensitivity.

3. HDL cholesterol, the healthy one, increases an average of 4.6% with exercise.

4. Exercise can decrease falls resulting in injury by 30%, and can reduce the risk of hip fracture 20-40%.

5. Regular exercise lowers the amount of estrogen circulating through the body in the bloodstream. Less estrogen equals less fuel for breast cancers.

6. Exercise pares off hormonally active fat tissue.