1: Olive oil

Four decades ago, researchers from the Seven Countries Study concluded that the monounsaturated fats in olive oil             were largely responsible for the low rates of heart disease and cancer on the Greek island of Crete. Now, we know that olive oil also  contains polyphenols- powerful antioxidants that may help prevent age-related diseases.

2: Yogurt

In the 1970s, Soviet Georgia was rumored to have more centenarians per capita than any other country. Reports at the time claimed that the secret of their long lives was yogurt, a food ubiquitous in their diets. While the age-defying powers of yogurt never have been proved directly, yogurt is rich in calcium, which helps stave off osteoporosis and contains “good bacteria” that help maintain good health and diminish the incidence of age-related intestinal illness.

3: Fish

Thirty years ago, researchers began to study why the native Inuits of Alaska were remarkably free of heart disease. The reason, scientists now think, is the extraordinary amount of fish they consume. Fish is an abundant source of omega-3 fats, which help prevent cholesterol buildup in arteries and protect against abnormal heart rhythms.

4: Chocolate

The Kuna people of the San Blas islands, off the coast of Panama, have a rate of heart disease that is nine times less than that of mainland Panamanians. The reason? The Kuna drink plenty of a beverage made with generous proportions of cocoa, which is unusually rich in flavanols that help preserve the healthy function of blood vessels. Maintaining youthful blood vessels lowers risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, and dementia.

5: Nuts

Studies of Seventh-Day Adventists (a religious denomination that emphasizes healthy living and a vegetarian diet) show that those who eat nuts gain, on average, an extra two and a half years. Nuts are rich sources of unsaturated fats, so they offer benefits similar to those associated with olive oil. They’re also concentrated sources of vitamins, minerals, and other phytochemicals, including antioxidants.

6: Wine

Drinking alcohol in moderation protects against heart disease, diabetes, and age-related memory loss. Any kind of alcoholic beverage seems to provide such benefits, but red wine has been the focus of much of the research. Red wine contains reseveratrol, a compound that likely contributes to its benefits—and, according to animal studies, may activate genes that slow cellular aging.

7: Blueberries

In a landmark study published in 1999, researchers at Tufts University’s Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging fed rats blueberry extract for a period of time that in “rat lives” is equivalent to 10 human years. These rats outperformed rats fed regular chow on tests of balance and coordination when they reached old age. Compounds in blueberries (and other berries) mitigate inflammation and oxidative damage, which are associated with age-related deficits in memory and motor function.

By Nicole Smith, BDO Staff Writer ]]> http://bootynomics.com/archives/616/feed 2 http://bootynomics.com/archives/610 http://bootynomics.com/archives/610#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 22:49:43 +0000 BOOTYNOMICS http://bootynomics.com/?p=610 Watching curvaceous women feels like drugs to men: study

(PhysOrg.com) — It has long been known that men find an “hourglass” figure the most attractive shape for the female body, and now scientists have found out why.

More information: http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0009042

February 25, 2010 by Lin Edwards

© 2010 PhysOrg.com

I’m sure you all have your stretch mark stories and so do I. I have stretch marks and I hate them just as most of you hate yours.

I’ve had stretch marks on my breast for over 10 years now and it’s aggravating as sh*t!  They don’t look as bad as I try to make them out to be but I’m still very annoyed by their existence. Maybe if they weren’t on my breast and maybe on my butt or back I wouldn’t be so disgusted by them.  But the fact that I have to look at them every day is not what’s up. I’ve tried all types of fade creams and it hasn’t change the appearance at all. Also, since I’ve been trying to lose weight/fat, they look even more noticeable than before.

My sister told me about an episode on Oprah where they talked about a stretch mark crème called Striae. So I spoke to my dermatologist about it and he agreed that it was great for stretch marks BUT ONLY with 4-6 sessions of Microdermabrasion which could easily cost between $100- $150 per session. In my opinion, that’s a small price to pay if I could be almost stretch mark free. I say “almost” because most things in life are never 100%.

I purchased the Striae back in December 2009 which only cost $25 for an 8 oz tube. I decided to use it a few months before I start the Microdermabrasion treatments hoping that maybe they would just diminish without me having to pay that $100 – $150 per treatment.  I used it as directed, once in the morning and once at night. The tube say results should be apparent in 4-6 weeks but I haven’t see any results at all (I’ve been using it for about 2 months). So now, I guess I’ll use it in conjunction with the Microdermabrasion and see what happens. I’ll scout out a location in Maryland or D.C. since the procedure is more recognized there than in South Carolina (and probably cheaper).  I will keep y’all updated on the results. I’ll try to stay optimistic but that’s easier said than done.

If any of you would like to share your frustration with stretch marks or even your solution to getting rid of them, please do.  Like always, I would love to hear your story.

Excuse: “I can’t afford a gym or fresh produce.”
Excuse Buster: Commit to a small investment in 10 fitness DVDs and you’ll have enough variety for at least six months. Also, you can do a whole workout, including sit-ups, jumping jacks and squats, without any equipment at all. As far as groceries, try to bargain shop for the best deals on fresh fruits and vegetables and meats. Join grocery store discount programs for added savings. Just imagine the cost of taking diabetes medication for the rest of your life – it’ll cost much more than the money you’ll spend on staying healthy.

Excuse: “The cookies in my cabinet are calling me!”
Excuse Buster: Protect yourself from inevitable temptation by not keeping junk in the house. Try to stock up on healthier snack options instead. Also remember, the occasional indulgence is not only okay, it’s necessary.

Excuse: “I can’t get up early to work out, and I’m tired at night.”
Excuse Buster: Have a great reason for working out. That way, when the alarm goes off, you can ask yourself, “Will going back to sleep help me reach my goal?” If the workout isn’t attached to a larger goal, like looking better in your clothes or having more confidence, it won’t stick.

Excuse: “I’ve hit a plateau; I give up.”
Excuse Buster: Get selfish! Achieve what you want by believing that the new, improved you is your destiny, is what you need and is what you deserve. There’s no reason you can’t have it all!

Excuse: “I start off Monday with the best intentions, and then life takes over and I flake on my workouts.”
Excuse Buster: Set a daily or weekly target and reward yourself every time you meet it. Get a manicure/pedicure or buy a new workout outfit.

Excuse: “I get so bored counting all those weight reps or running.”
Excuse Buster: As you exercise, just think about what you’re trying to achieve. Having intention behind your actions is extremely powerful. And don’t forget the music! Never, ever, underestimate the power of some great beats to keep your energy nice and high. Lastly, always try to add a little variety to your workout to keep things interesting – and remember that you don’t have to kill yourself to get fit. If you don’t like to run, either don’t run, or don’t run for a long time. Instead, do more of what you actually like to do.

Excuse: “But the couch is so comfy!”
Excuse Buster: If you need a couple days off, take them. The key to fitness is consistency, so you don’t want to get bitter or burn out.

Remember: African Americans are much more susceptible to many preventable ailments and conditions, and one of the best tools we have to keep us healthy is adopting a healthier lifestyle, including exercise and better eating habits. Also, not working out consistently equals having less energy to be that supportive person in your loved ones’ lives. If your life is really busy, ask for help, so you can better take care of you and keep doing all the things you have to do.

By Whitney Greer, BDO Editor ]]> http://bootynomics.com/archives/587/feed 0 http://bootynomics.com/archives/585 http://bootynomics.com/archives/585#comments Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:29:10 +0000 BOOTYNOMICS http://bootynomics.com/archives/585 Junk In The Trunk: Healthier Than You Think
13-Feb-2010 (BlackDoctor.org) — Finally! A study that shows that the voluptuous figures of countless black women possess more benefits than just aesthetic perks. News from the study reports that fat in the butt and thighs of women may help them live longer. According to the study, unlike unhealthy belly fat, the type of fat found in the thighs and backside may actually help reduce disease.

“The fact that body fat’s distribution is quite important for your health has been known for some time now,” said lead researcher Konstantinos Manolopoulos of the University of Oxford in England. Manolopoulos and his colleagues detailed their findings in an article in a recent International Journal of Obesity.

The review also suggests a mechanism for conveying those benefits. The next step is to figure out how our bodies decide where to store fat, say, in the stomach versus the butt.

“Once this is understood then one could think about therapeutic approaches to make use of that,” Manolopoulos said. “Maybe to make use (of it) in a preventive way by redistributing the fat.”

Don’t take this news the wrong way though. This is only true to a certain degree as obesity increases your chances of developing chronic health conditions.

When looking through the studies, the researchers found that not all fat is created equal.

Butt Fat vs. Stomach Fat

According to MSNBC, stomach fat is considered more metabolically active than lower body fat. While that may sound good, as this fat breaks down easily, the result is a release of substances called cytokines, which have been linked to cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance and diabetes. In fact, research on mice reported in 2008 revealed that belly fat boosts inflammation and is linked with hardening of the arteries—known to increase the risk of heart attacks.

But scientists think lower body fat, like that around the hips and thighs, produces beneficial hormones that protect against these diseases, though more research is needed to firm up this expectation.

In addition, this lower body fat also traps fatty acids. While this long-term storage can make it tricky to slim down your butt and thighs, it’s healthier for you if some fat stays put.

“If fatty acids are not stored in fat but in other organs like the liver or the arteries, this makes you prone to develop diabetes and heart disease,” Manolopoulos said. “One moment on the lips, forever on the hips. It really is exactly this phenomenon; the fat that goes there stays there”; that is, on the hips and thighs.

Manolopoulos reported that the most compelling evidence for the link comes from population studies showing the more fat individuals have in the hind area, the less likely they are to develop diabetes and heart disease later in life. Other evidence includes instances of Cushing’s syndrome, in which patients lose their hip and thigh fat while gaining stomach fat. These patients are known to have an increased risk for diabetes and heart disease.

The Role of Genes and Gender

Scientists aren’t sure how the body decides where to store fat, but it’s partially genetic. That genetic force can be seen in the gender differences in how fat gets stored, with women having much more of the healthy, lower-body fat than men. And females have a much lower risk for heart disease, Manolopoulos said.

“As long as you are female and your hormones are female hormones, you are protected from cardiovascular disease,” Manolopoulos said. “The moment you go into menopause and your hormones change, you lose your typical female appearance and gain stomach fat. At the same time, your risk for heart disease and diabetes becomes comparable to men of the same age.”

By Syleena Johnson, BDO Staff Writer ]]> http://bootynomics.com/archives/585/feed 0 http://bootynomics.com/archives/576 http://bootynomics.com/archives/576#comments Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:43:11 +0000 BOOTYNOMICS http://bootynomics.com/?p=576 New guidelines back mammograms starting at age 40

A woman undergoes a mammography examination at the North Bengal Oncology Center on the outskirts of the eastern Indian city of Siliguri February 25, 2009.

Credit: Reuters/Rupak De Chowdhuri

CHICAGO (Reuters) – Mammograms should begin at 40 for women with an average risk of breast cancer and by 30 for high-risk women, according to guidelines released on Monday by two groups that specialize in breast imaging, contradicting controversial guidelines from a U.S. advisory panel last year.

U.S. |  Health |  Lifestyle

The joint recommendations from the American College of Radiology and the Society of Breast Imaging take into account the success of annual mammography screening starting at 40, said Dr. Carol Lee of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, whose study appears in the Journal of the American College of Radiology.

“The significant decrease in breast cancer mortality, which amounts to nearly 30 percent since 1990, is a major medical success and is due largely to earlier detection of breast cancer through mammography screening,” Lee said in a statement.

The recommendations have been in the works for about two years, but they serve in part as a rebuttal to guidelines issued in November by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which recommended against routine breast mammograms for women in their 40s to spare them some of the worry and expense of extra tests to distinguish between cancer and harmless lumps.

Those recommendations contradicted years of messages about the need for routine breast cancer screening starting at age 40, sparking a rebellion from breast cancer specialists who argued the guidelines would confuse women and result in more deaths from breast cancer.

“Amidst all the furor, the ACR and the SBI stand firmly behind their recommendation that screening mammography should be performed annually beginning at age 40 for women at average risk for breast cancer,” Lee and colleagues wrote.

The recommendations also cover the use of magnetic resonance imaging or MRI and breast ultrasound in women who are at high risk of breast cancer because they have mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes or a family history of breast cancer.

In these women, breast mammograms should begin by age 30, but not before age 25, when the risk of radiation exposure from the mammograms begins to outweigh the benefits of screening.

Dr. Phil Evans of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas and president of the Society for Breast Imaging, said the guidelines are based on the latest clinical trial data.

“Where the data was not present, we looked at recommendations that reflect expert consensus opinion,” he said in a telephone interview.

He said they also help fill in some gaps in terms of how to screen high-risk women. In women who have BRCA mutations, the group recommends annual MRI screening, a more sensitive test, in addition to mammograms starting by age 30.

Women who have a greater than 20 percent lifetime risk of breast cancer based on family history should also have annual MRI scans starting at 30.

For high-risk women who cannot get an MRI, often because of claustrophobia, a breast ultrasound should be used instead, Evans said.

The two groups did not consider the harms associated with routine screening at an earlier age, such as false positive results, which the task force was trying to balance.

“The reason for that is there have been studies that have shown women would rather have their cancer found, even if it means having to have a biopsy. The harms, from most studies we’ve seen, did not seem to be all that real,” Evans said. (Editing by Philip Barbara)

Subcutaneous fat, located between the skin and the abdominal wall, is more visible but also less likely to be a health risk.

While a slowing metabolism and decreased physical activity contribute to overall weight gain as you age, those factors don’t influence visceral fat accumulation directly. Heredity may be the culprit — you may simply have inherited a tendency to gain weight in your midsection.

Are you an Apple or Pear?

Most people agree that excess weight is bad for your health. But now researchers have shown that “how” it’s stored on the body is the key link to the risk of future health problems.

Apple-shaped people store body fat around the abdomen and chest, surrounding internal organs, such as the heart.

Pear-shaped people store fat on the hips and thighs, just below the surface of the skin.

The good news for Pears is that the excess fat they store in the lower body is not necessarily a risk to their health. Apples, however, have a higher risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure and gall bladder disease. Even when Apples and Pears have similar body weights, these diseases progress faster and more seriously in Apples than in Pears.

Does your body shape change when you lose weight? It depends on whether you are an Apple or a Pear. When Apples lose weight, they do reduce the fat in the upper body, so they look different (and reduce their risk of disease). Pears also tend to lose fat in the upper body, so even when they lose weight, their overall shape does not change much. In short, a Pear will always be a Pear.

The midsection matters

Gaining weight in your abdomen does more harm than simply making your waist wider. Too much belly fat increases your risk of:

Heart disease

Breast cancer

Diabetes

Metabolic syndrome

Gallbladder problems

High blood pressure

Colorectal cancer

Researchers also have found that abdominal fat cells aren’t just dormant energy waiting to be burned up. The cells are active, producing hormones and other substances that can affect your health.

Since visceral fat is buried deep in your abdomen, it may seem like a difficult place to reduce fat. As it turns out, visceral fat responds well to a regular exercise routine and a healthy diet. Ab exercises can help to firm the abdominal muscles and flatten the belly.

Exercise , Diet and Whole Grains

• Add time to your workouts (duration) — If you’re a beginner, focus on the length of your workouts. Work at a comfortable pace and increase workout time every week by 5 to 10 minutes.
• Increase intensity – (how hard you work out) Add short bursts of speed or resistance to your workouts or practice going faster than you normally do.
• Increase your frequency (how much you workout) — Add a day of cardio after you’ve been exercising for about 2 to 3 weeks.
• Don’t try to do everything in one day..splitting it up is fine

Changing unhealthy eating habits can help fight belly fat. Read nutrition labels, and replace saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats. Increase portions of complex carbohydrates such as fruits and vegetables, and reduce simple carbohydrates like white bread and refined pasta. If you need to lose weight, reduce your portion sizes and daily calorie intake.

Whole grains are a great source of fiber and are proven to help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. What makes them even better is they may actually help reduce fat around the belly.

In one study, researchers followed a group of obese men and women. The men and women were randomly assigned to two groups: One told to get all of their grain servings from whole grains and the other to avoid whole grain foods. The whole-grain group lost more body fat around the abs than the other group. The USDA recommends men and women get a minimum of about 3 to 4 ounces of whole grains a day. If you don’t have your handy-dandy food scale available, below are some examples of whole grains that would satisfy the basic requirements:

5 whole wheat crackers

1 packet of instant oatmeal

3 cups of popped popcorn

1/2 cup of cooked whole grain rice

1/2 cup of cooked whole grain pasta

Research:

• Researchers followed a group of women who lifted weights three times a week for 16 weeks. At the end of that time, the women significantly decreased abdominal fat (along with overall body fat) and increased strength and muscle as well. It’s clear that strength training doesn’t just contribute to a leaner body, but a leaner midsection as well.

• Another study in which obese participants were split into two groups. One group dieted to lose weight, while the other combined diet and exercise. At the end of the study, the group who both dieted and exercised reduced more belly fat than the other group.

Alcoholic beverages

Moderate wine consumption has some health benefits, including increasing good cholesterol. Another possible benefit is a lower waist circumference.

In some studies, researchers found that moderate wine drinkers show the lowest accumulation of ab fat among drinkers. If you don’t drink, that doesn’t mean you should start. Alcohol adds extra calories to your diet, so cutting it out can help with weight loss.  Moderate-to-high consumption of alcohol and of beer and spirits was associated with later high waist circumference, whereas moderate-to-high wine consumption may have the opposite effect.

If you do drink, however, this is a good time to assess your habits and change them to be a bit healthier. Drinking one or two glasses of wine may serve you better than hard liquor, especially if you’re watching your weight. Remember to always drink responsibly.

High Intensity Interval Training

A HIIT session consists of a warm up period of exercise, followed by six to ten repetitions of high intensity exercise, separated by medium intensity exercise, and ending with a period of cool down exercise. The high intensity exercise should be done at near maximum intensity. The medium exercise should be about half-maximum intensity. The number of repetitions and length of each depends on the exercise. The goal is to do at least six cycles, and to have the entire HIIT session last at least fifteen minutes and not more than twenty.

HIIT has been known to not only burn fat during the workout but even up to 24 hours after the workout. Another extra benefit is the entire HIIT workout last only 15-30 minutes. So this means no more long walks on the treadmill if it was beginning to bore you.

It’s very important that warm up and warm down periods is added into every HIIT training program and because of the high level of  intensity, 2 days a week is sufficient.

How to measure abdominal fat:

The simplest way to check for abdominal fat is to measure your waist. Run a tape measure around your torso at about the level of your right hipbone (where it intersects a line dropped vertically from the middle of the right armpit). Breathe minimally, and make sure not to pull the tape measure so tight that it depresses the skin. In women with a BMI of 25–34.9, a waist circumference greater than 35 inches is considered high risk, although research suggests there is some extra health risk at any size greater than 33 inches. A study in the September 2006 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that in women, a large waist was correlated with diabetes risk — even when BMI was in the normal range (18.5–24.9). Since abdominal fat can be a problem despite a normal BMI, health assessments should include both BMI and waist circumference. The relationship between waist circumference and health risk varies by ethnic group.

Body mass index (BMI): A ratio of weight in kilograms to the square of height in meters, BMI helps identify people whose weight increases their risk for several conditions, including heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. People with BMIs of 25–29.9 are considered overweight, and those with BMIs of 30 or over, obese. However, some researchers think BMI isn’t always a valid indication of obesity, because it gives misleading results in people who are very muscular or very tall.

To calculate your BMI, go to www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi

Waist-to-hip ratio: divide your waist measurement at its narrowest point by your hip measurement at its widest point. As a marker of a person’s abdominal fat, this measure outperforms BMI. For women, the risk for heart disease and stroke begins to rise at a ratio of about 0.8.

**heredity

**hormonal changes

** Aging-related weight gain

References:

The Effect of Combined Aerobic and Resistance Exercise Training on Abdominal Fat in Obese Middle-aged Women PARK S-K    Journal of Physiological Anthropology vol: 22    issue: 3    page: 129-135    year: 2003

Abdominal fat and what to do about it. Harvard Women’s Health Watch.

Pischon, T. The New England Journal of Medicine, Nov. 12, 2008; vol 359: pp 2105-2120

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/

Experts say 40 percent of cancers could be prevented

LONDON (Reuters) – Forty percent of the 12 million people diagnosed with cancer worldwide each year could avert the killer disease by protecting themselves against infections and changing their lifestyles, experts said Tuesday.

U.S. |  Health

A report by the Geneva-based International Union Against Cancer (UICC) highlighted nine infections that can lead to cancer and urged health officials to drive home the importance of vaccines and lifestyle changes in fighting the disease.

“If there was an announcement that somebody had discovered a cure for 40 percent of the world’s cancers, there would quite justifiably be huge jubilation,” UICC president David Hill told Reuters in a telephone interview.

“But the fact is that we have, now, the knowledge to prevent 40 percent of cancers. The tragedy is, we’re not using it.”

Cervical and liver cancer, both caused by infections which can be prevented with vaccines, should be top priorities, the report said, not only in rich nations, but also in developing countries where 80 percent of global cervical cancer occur.

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and the total number of cases globally is increasing, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The number of global cancer deaths is projected to rise by 45 percent from 2007 to 2030 from 7.9 million to 11.5 million deaths, driven partly by a growing and aging global population.

The UICC said it wanted to focus policymakers’ attention on cancer-preventing vaccines — like ones made by GlaxoSmithKline and Merck & Co against the human papillomavirus (HPV) which causes cervical cancer, and others against hepatitis B, which causes liver disease and cancer.

“Policymakers around the world have the opportunity and obligation to use these vaccines to save people’s lives and educate their communities toward lifestyle choices and control measures that reduce their risk of cancer,” Cary Adams, UICC’s chief executive, said in a commentary on the report.

Other cancer-causing infections include hepatitis C, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Epstein Barr, a herpes-type virus transmitted by saliva.

The experts said the risk of developing cancer could potentially be reduced by up to 40 percent if full immunization and prevention measures were deployed and combined with simple lifestyle changes like quitting smoking, eating healthily, limiting alcohol intake and reducing sun exposure.

Hill said national health authorities should also work to dispel widespread myths about cancer, in particular a sense of fatalism felt by many people in the face of the disease.

As part of this, the UICC is launching a campaign called “Cancer can be prevented too” on World Cancer Day on February 4 to encourage people to face up to the fact that smoking, poor diet and some infections carry high cancer risks.

European cancer experts issued a report last year warning that a wave of cancer now threatens developing countries, estimating that around half of the 12.4 million new cases in 2008 occurred in low and middle income countries.

Despite the availability of so much scientific knowledge about the disease’s causes, Hill said there was great concern among health experts that “the opportunity to prevent this huge escalation of cancer may be missed.”

We did a lot of leg, back, thighs and core stretching (which is what I needed!). Some of the moves also improve your body’s stabilization mechanism. Boy did I get some good stretching in! I felt like I was in dance class as a little girl trying to learn how to do a split for the first time. I even slept better last night! There are two things I need to make a part of my life and that’s a good body massage and an extensive, elongating stretch (yoga)!

Have anyone else ever tried yoga classes before? What about Pilates or any other special group exercise class? I would love to hear your stories or comments!!! Please feel free to post or comment on this story!

Buffie (www.bootynomics.com)

The calories burned during cardio exercise depends on a few factors like your body weight, intensity of workout (low- moderate- high), metabolism, and type of exercise you are doing. Most exercises can be done at various intensity levels. The higher the intensity (the harder you work) the more calories are burned.

The list of cardio exercises below is all at the top of the list as far as full body workout and most calories burned. But remember again, the more you put into theses exercises the more calories you burn! Which is the best exercise for you? That’s simple. Find the one that YOU like and are most comfortable with because if YOU don’t like it then you probably won’t stay consistent and consistency is vital. So stop looking around the gym trying to see what the other people are doing. Do what’s suitable and enjoyable for YOU! Trust me, it works every time.

1. Aerobics (step and dance)

2. Jogging

3. Swimming

4. Bicycling and stationary cycling

5. Running

6. Cross country skiing (similar workout can be done on a machine too)

7. Power walking

8.  Rollerblading/skating

9. Tennis or Racquetball

10.  Elliptical

Now that you know some, but definitely not all, the various cardio exercises that can be done to burn calories, let’s talk about your goals and what’s recommended.

What if it’s your goal to lose weight? Then you need to get to work. You wouldn’t believe how simple the basis is for losing weight. Let’s see:

Increased physical activity + decreased calorie intake = fat loss/weight loss!!!

BINGO! Please stop making this weight loss approach more difficult than it really is. I know hundreds of companies who promote weight loss and I’m sure you do too, but have you ever sat and analyzed their message and noticed that they all have a common denominator? When it comes to weight loss the bottom line is DECREASING CALORIES and ENGAGING IN AND/OR INCREASING YOUR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. So in layman’s terms, lower your calories and exercise. This is the same blueprint used 500 years ago and it still works today, trust me on this one.

HOW MUCH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY?

What’s recommended by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) & Department of Agriculture (USDA) on physical activity?

Key Recommendations

• Engage in regular physical activity and reduce sedentary activities to promote health, psychological well-being, and a healthy body weight.
  • To reduce the risk of chronic disease in adulthood: Engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, above usual activity, at work or home on most days of the week.
  • For most people, greater health benefits can be obtained by engaging in physical activity of more vigorous intensity or longer duration.
  • To help manage body weight and prevent gradual, unhealthy body weight gain in adulthood: Engage in approximately 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity on most days of the week while not exceeding caloric intake requirements.
  • To sustain weight loss in adulthood: Participate in at least 60 to 90 minutes of daily moderate-intensity physical activity while not exceeding caloric intake requirements. Some people may need to consult with a healthcare provider before participating in this level of activity.
• Achieve physical fitness by including cardiovascular conditioning, stretching exercises for flexibility, and resistance exercises or calisthenics for muscle strength and endurance.

How does this relate to you?

This is what’s recommended for all healthy adults but adjusting it to fit your own personal health and fitness goals is acceptable but just keep in mind and understand that refraining from physical activity is NOT favorable for maintaining a healthy heart and weight loss. Some individuals will require more physical activity and some may require less. So please stop comparing yourself or your fitness results to the next person. How much fat you lose, what part of your body you lose it from first, how long it takes you to lose it and when will you lose it doesn’t depend on NO ONE but yourself and of course your mother and father (genetics).

INTENSITIES:

The intensity or how hard you workout has a lot to do with the calories you burn. The more your heart beats per minute the more intense your workout is. There are formulas that uses the number 220 – your age = your maximum heart rate (MHR). Take your MHR number and multiply it by theses following percentages:

Low intensity range:  0.65 % – 0.75%   ZONE 1

Moderate intensity range: 0.80% – 0.85%   ZONE 2

High intensity range: 0.86% – 0.90%   ZONE 3

After you calculate your training range using your MHR then chose the range that best suits you and stick with it!  Most individuals can burn calories and reduce fat in all three zones while conditioning your heart at the same time.

Another good way to know if you’re working out efficiently enough is:

THE TALK TEST

*If you can sing while working out then you’re probably working at an easy level or low intensity level.

* If you can maintain a conversation with someone you’re probably at the moderate level

* If you can say a sentence or so at a time and speaking is challenging then you’re probably approaching the high intensity level

* When conversation is impossible then you’re at your peak, the high intensity level

As always, consulting a certified physician and/or certified health and fitness professional before starting any workout program or diet plan is imperative.

Article written by Buffie. Questions? Email: bootynomics101@ymail.com

References:

http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/default.htm

NASM: Essentials of Personal training