Use it or lose it? It depends. New research shows that muscle memory is a remarkable thing. If you have gained muscle at any time in your life, your muscle’s control centre, the nuclei, will never disappear. You can never lose your muscle. Muscle cells are so tightly packed together that even when the muscle atrophies and seems to disappear, …
Should I eat breakfast before I exercise?
If you exercise in the morning is it better to eat before or after exercise? The answer depends on the following factors: Are you exercising within an hour of waking up? What type of exercise are you doing? How long does your workout last? Are you exercising fairly soon after getting up? You could be more comfortable waiting to eat …
New Year, New You? Not really.
January goals. Sometime around the third week of January, most people who have vowed to change their ways have stopped trying. At the gym yesterday morning, there was only one other person there. When I walked in he said “Where are all those resolutions?” They were not at my gym. I saved this addition to the 12 Worst Things We …
Resolutions
Exercise won’t help you lose weight. I probably say those words every week. It is true and after so many years I can say with certainty that exercise will not help you lose weight, no matter how much you may wish it were true. Exercise does some amazing things. Every day we find more reasons to exercise for our health. …
Interval Training: A small investment for a big return
You might know this already, but I have a really lazy dog. It’s funny that I have a lazy dog. This is what he does when you try to take him for a walk. The man and I joke that our dog is pacing himself. You have probably heard the myth that you only have so many heartbeats so it’s …
Heart Disease, Deliberate Practice and 942 Kilometres
Heart Disease, Deliberate Practice and 942 KM You might be wondering what these have in common, but for me, it is what this winter has been all about. Heart Disease In my family, you die from heart disease or cancer, most likely both at the same time. I don’t think this is genetic. I think lifestyle is a significant factor. …
1000+ KM
1000+ KM Yes, for those of you wondering, I did ski more than 1000 KM by Saturday April 15th and took a well-deserved rest on Sunday. It is still snowing here, but hopefully, spring will make a magical appearance soon and I can move on to another outdoor activity. This week is about getting back to my regular weight lifting …
The 12 worst things we are doing to our health
What are the worst things we do to our health? I went to Perspectives in Exercise, Health & Fitness Conference over the weekend. Every two years exercise professionals gather to learn, discuss and present new research and the applications in exercise, health and fitness. This year one of the panel discussions was “What are the worst things that Canadians (and …
Thin, but fat.
Being thin is so last century. Being strong is in. Why should you care about gaining muscle? It is going to keep you functional longer. Life expectancies have risen 30 years in the last century, health expectancy is not keeping up. Having more muscle keeps you moving, improves balance, helps to maintain independence and improves brain health. Thin, but with …
Your Brain on Exercise
Are you nurturing your neurons? Neurogenesis, the production of new neurons, in the brain where we store memories can be improved with exercise. Exercise “cleans up” our brain’s environment (so does sleep, but in a different way) and allows new nerve cells to thrive. Exercise is not only one of the best ways to turn on neurogenesis, but it …
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