Calcium Supplements

How strong are your bones?

Taking supplements has often been recommended, but many times the results are not as expected. Calcium supplements are the latest with unexpected consequences. New research from Johns Hopkins Medicine followed over 2,700 people for more than 10 years and found that taking calcium supplements might increase artery plaque build-up in arteries, leading to heart disease. Unexpected side effects Participants that …

Better together

Do you need a little extra motivation to get moving when the days get shorter? Having a workout buddy can make the difference, but choosing the right one makes all the difference. What makes a good workout partner? According to research from the University of Aberdeen, having a new workout partner that is emotionally supportive is better than choosing a …

I love good news

Exercise has many benefits, but weight loss is not one of them… or maybe it is. New research published in the American Journal of Physiology shows that exercise stimulates the production of the hormone irisin. Irisin, helps change calorie storing, white, fat cells into energy releasing, brown, fat cells. Irisin also inhibits the formation of fat cells. There is more good news, …

October Resolutions

Time to make an October resolution? The latest study from the Cornell Food and Brand Lab is all about body weight changes throughout the year. What they found may not be a surprise to you. The time between American Thanksgiving and Christmas is the best time to gain weight. October, not January, is the best time to make a weight loss/maintenance …

How much exercise do I need to do? The science.

Personal factors that you might want to consider when choosing an exercise schedule and the research. First, an important definition. There are 11 components to fitness. Five health-related and six skill-related components together make up fitness. The five health-related components of physical fitness are cardiovascular endurance, muscular endurance, muscular strength, flexibility and body composition. The six skill-related components of physical fitness …

I rarely drink water

I have a confession, and this might seem funny to you, but I don’t drink much water. Yes, I know it’s good for me. In my defense I don’t drink juice or pop or other sweetened beverages. I do drink coffee and tea. I never said I don’t drink any water. I drink water with dinner. I bring (not always …

How much exercise do I need to do?

How much exercise do I need to do? That could be one of the most common questions I am asked. The answer, as with most things is, it depends. How much is enough depends on a variety of factors. How you come to any reasonable answer starts with these questions. 1. What do you want to achieve? Is this a …

Big, fat, sugar coated lies.

Last week the big news was that the sugar industry paid researchers to downplay the risks of sugar in your diet. While the ethics of this are disturbing, did you really believe before last week, that sugar was a healthy nutrient? No, I know that you did not. Do you now believe that fat is off the hook? No, you …

Exercise to eat less

Exercising after work may have unexpected benefits. The journal Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise recently reported that exercise after performing mentally stressful work reduces calorie intake later. This made me think about the running joke that my sister and I have. When I exercise, she gets hungry. It’s not that she doesn’t exercise, it is that often when …

Reversing the benefits of exercise with diet

Did you know you can reverse the health benefits of exercise with your diet? Sounds incredible that all that hard work could be for nothing. It all depends on your diet. What diet? Specifically the type of protein you eat. Animal protein is not helping you recover from exercise. But don’t we need protein to recover from exercise? Sure, some …