I found a couple of posts around the internet that spoke of a study at McMaster University that showed that hard exercise for a shorter period of time is better than a long workout at a lower level of intensity. I found the article at the Journal of Physiology but you really need to be a scientist to decipher what they have to say.

When it comes to cardio exercise, less appears to be more.

That’s the conclusion of researchers who discovered that extremely short bouts of high-intensity exercise produce the same improvements in muscle health as longer, more moderately paced workout sessions.

In the two-week study, published in this month’s issue of the Journal of Physiology, 16 college-age men, all recreational exercisers, were asked to exercise on stationary bicycles three times a week. One group cycled for 30 seconds all-out, followed by four minutes of recovery, or pedaling at a slower speed while keeping the heart rate somewhat elevated. They repeated that several times for a total of about 20 minutes a day. The other group cycled at a moderate pace for 90 to 120 minutes a day.

At the end of the study, the men’s muscles were tested for an enzyme that’s “an indicator of the muscle’s ability to use oxygen,” says lead author Martin Gibala, associate professor of kinesiology at Canada’s McMaster University. In both groups, the enzyme level increased by about 25% to 30%. He adds, “You can think about that as being able to produce energy more efficiently, being able to go at a faster pace and exercise longer.”
Read the rest of this entry »

Looking to make a change and lose some weight? I have reviewed the top diet on the internet and you can go and read over 200 comments people have made about why this diet has worked well for them, as well as some of the problems.

Tags: cardio equipment, energy, football, hockey, Institute for Hockey Research, Martin Gibala, McMaster University, Michael Bracko, same principles to cardio equipment, sports physiologist and director, sports physiologist and director in Alberta, volleyball

Knee exercise is vital if you are suffering from the painful condition of arthritis in the knee joints. The right kind of exercise can help to maintain or possibly even increase your range of motion, which helps to prevent the knee from causing sudden acute pain or giving way. Exercise helps to maintain healthy cartilage. It is also important to build strength in the muscles and tendons that support the knee, so that you avoid putting unnecessary stress on the joint itself when you walk, climb stairs etc.

Exercise To Strengthen The Knee

Choose a chair the right height so that you can sit on it with your feet flat on the floor and thighs horizontal. Consciously tighten the muscles in the right thigh (it can be helpful to put your hand on your thigh at first to feel the muscles tighten). You should see your kneecap move a little.

Then push out with your heel, point your toes and move your toes around in a slow circle. Continue for up to 30 seconds, then repeat with the other leg.

Do not let your knee fall away to either side. It must stay in a straight line with your leg. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: arthritis, chair, pain, Swimming, Tennis, volleyball

Even a few years ago the position of ‘epidemic’ was hold either by cancer or drugs. Not any more. Thanks to the fast and unheeded lifestyle lived by most American teenagers, teenage obesity has almost become one of America’s leading epidemics, and this is not an exaggeration.

Believe it or not, it didn’t become an epidemic in one day or year. During the last five decades Americans have become somewhat lazier and started preferring easy and comfortable lifestyle to hard work. American adults were probably the first to fall prey to obesity, followed by children and teenagers. Today American teenagers ape the unhealthy lifestyle habits of their parents, and teenage obesity is the natural outcome of it.

If you are a red-blooded American citizen you would probably voice a loud “NO” against obesity. After all, if a large percentage of a country’s population suffers from the pangs of killer obesity, what would be the future of such a country. It is no secret that people can keep their native country healthy only when they are fit and healthy themselves, and the secret to living a long and healthy life lies in losing the extra pounds.

Apart from the fact that obesity is itself a disease, it also brings forth several other killer diseases into the human body such as diabetes, hypertension, fatigue, irritability, high blood pressure, heart-related problems, stroke, etc., and even though instances of obesity-related deaths are rare, they DO occur nonetheless.

As for remedy, there is really nothing unique and new to be said here. Since it all started with following an easy and fast lifestyle, people need to revert the process by copying the healthy habits followed by their forefathers. In good old times, teenagers used to play outdoor sports such as volleyball, tennis, basketball, etc. Some of them even used to indulge in hula hooping, rope jumping, skiing, scuba diving, etc. Today’s teens prefer to sit at home and watch television or play video games. Is it then any wonder if they become overweight in due course of time?

Coming over to foods – chips, popcorn balls, candies and chocolates are as much favored by a teen as a pre-teen. In fact even adults take a fancy to these delicious foods. When teens see their parents enjoying a packet of popcorn while watching a Hollywood movie, they get even more encouraged to follow the same routine. Add to that the fact that today’s teens attend dozens of parties just like their parents and you cannot expect a party without beer or soda.

Junk foods have entrapped us so much that we have almost made them an integral part of our staple diet by eating them all the time, be it at breakfast, lunch or dinner. Once again the outcome of following such unhealthy eating habits couldn’t be anything else except obesity.

It is difficult to modify a teenager’s eating habits unless you take recourse to coercion in some form or other, which in turn would do more harm than good. The best way to tackle the situation is by monitoring your kid’s lifestyle habits right from the start.

From a very young age, they should be taught the benefits of playing tennis over watching videos games or PSPs. They should also be taught that chips and cookies are not their friends and that they should eat organic fruits and vegetables as often as possible. These simple measures would go a long way in keeping them fit and healthy throughout their whole life.

Don’t forget that you should also follow the same healthy lifestyle you expect your children to follow.

Tags: America, basketball, cancer, diabetes, fatigue, high blood pressure, hypertension, obesity, outdoor sports, scuba diving, skiing, stroke, Tennis, volleyball

It is said that hosting the Olympic games is an opportunity to showcase your country and this will lead to increased tourism over the coming years. Well China seems to have had another side effect to hosting the Olympics and that is getting more people interested in exercise and fitness.

The end of the Olympic Games has not been the end of exercise for Beijing, for people’s enthusiasm for keeping fit has been encouraged.

In a country where going to gyms was not as common, even in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai, as in developed countries the immediate aftermath of the Games has seen greater interest in exercise.

“I liked watching the basketball games most. I myself wanted to play when I saw the players fight hard on the field, so I came here with my friends,” the 19-year-old Liu Bing said at an outside basketball field in downtown Beijing. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: basketball, Beijing, Capital Indoor Stadium, China, CNY, exercise, fitness, olympic games, outdoor exercise, Shanghai, sports fields, the Olympic games, the Olympics, USD, volleyball, Zhu Mo

Teenage obesity is slowly gaining the dimension of an epidemic. At least 14-15% of the word population suffers from teenage obesity. This of course, is just the official figure; I am sure the actual figure is much more than that. In America alone, you would get to see more fat than skinnier teenagers.

If you don’t already monitor the lifestyle habits of your teen kid, it is time to start doing so since unhealthy lifestyle habits would lead to obesity, which in turn could lead to diabetes, high blood pressure, heart diseases, and even early death. Now the big bold question is, how do you make sure that your teen kid is always fit and healthy? In this article I will tell you just that.

It pays to know about the reasons behind teenage obesity. Part of it is caused because unlike in good old days, kids no longer take any interest in playing outdoor sports such as volleyball, cricket, baseball, tennis, etc. There are indeed very few teens who engage in swimming, dancing, yoga and such other healthy activities that would not only keep them physically sound but also mentally alert and healthy.

These days, teenagers prefer to stick to the idiot box, PSPs, video games, computers, etc. As such, their average daily activity level remains low, resulting in weight gain.

There is yet another and bigger reason behind teenage obesity – the changing face of our society. In times of our forefathers, joint families were the norm and nuclear families the exception. The system of nuclear family existed back then too, but it was not as widespread as today.

In a joint family, there used to be a lot of kids; they used to mingle and play with each other and thus, were able to maintain an active life. On top of that, they used to eat more healthy foods than fast foods.

Back then, there were no processed fruit juices to eat; you would have to extract the juice of the raw fruit itself to make it. The juice extracted from organic fruits is much more healthy, nutritious, and low on calorie, compared to the packaged fruit juices we buy. Compared to modern times, the level soda and alcohol intake was very low.

As joint families started breaking up into nuclear families, people became close-minded, selfish, and careless. Our society has degenerated in such a way that instead of befriending neighborhood kids, teenagers now prefer to sit at home and watch video games. Parents have become busier by the day and as such, couldn’t care less.

In fact, in most households, parents are too busy to even cook healthy meals for themselves and their teenage kids; as a result, the teenagers have to go with the fast food options available outside. The combination of all these factors has resulted in the rise of teenage obesity.

The solution to this problem is very simple. Your teen kid doesn’t need pop in diet pills or follow an extremely restrictive diet in order to lose weight. He just needs to do what he is not doing ought to. He needs to eat healthy, get rid of fast food, play actively, mingle with nature, etc.

Of course, parents are the ones who should guide their kids properly. Remember that obesity is the death knell for your teen kid; the faster you help him get rid of it, the better.

Tags: America, baseball, cricket, diabetes, food, food options, heart diseases, high blood pressure, obesity, outdoor sports, Swimming, Tennis, volleyball

Not too long ago, America was looked upon as the country of ‘obese population’. Today, this is no longer true. As western influences, particularly western lifestyle habits, continue to make headway into the rest of the world very swiftly, obesity is slowly becoming a worldwide problem. As waistlines continue to become wider and buttocks larger in size, we wonder whether obesity is soon going to turn into an epidemic worldwide.

Fortunately, unlike several other harmful diseases, obesity is preventable as well as curable. In my opinion though, prevention is better than cure. An obese teenager not only suffers physically but also mentally. In fact, when it comes to teens, obesity begets obesity.

When obese teens are ridiculed at by their peers, they become depressed. Consequently, they try to find solace and comfort in junk foods and eat more and more of them. This in turn worsens their health. This is why it is a good to prevent weight gain by monitoring the health of your teenage kids right from an early stage.

In any case, it is never too late to begin, so let’s get started. First, let me tell you how obesity could harm a teen:

1. Obese teenagers often suffer from depression for the reasons I mentioned above. They also suffer from low-self esteem, inferiority complex and irritability.

2. Just like their adult counterparts, obese teens also suffer from physical diseases such as sleep apnea, coronary diseases, kidney problems, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc. Additionally, recent studies point that that obese teens are more likely to die prematurely than teens of normal body weight.

3. Obesity can affect your child’s education and career in a big way. Obese teens are more likely to have their education and job applications rejected. They are less likely to get a cushy job as most companies consider the health of a prospect in a big way before employing him.

4. Obese teens are more likely to have marital troubles than others. It is no secret than obese people usually snore in sleep. Believe it or not, snoring is one of the leading causes behind the growing number of broken marriages and divorces.

5. An obese teen is very likely to live in social denial. Being used to mistreatment of the society since his childhood, he would eventually accept it as part of life and continue to allow others to mistreat him. As time goes by, he would become more and more depressed and might even want to end his life when the torture becomes too much to bear.

I am not exaggerating anything; I have seen so many obese teenagers grow and I can say that not many of them are leading happy lives as adults. If you wish to offer your kid a healthy, happy and long life, there are a few things you should do.

Teens take their parents as role models and follow their lifestyle habits. Therefore, you, as a responsible parent, can influence your kid’s lifestyle habits by following healthy habits yourself. Kids usually get attracted to junk foods after watching their parents enjoying them. By getting rid of your junk food habits and switching to healthy and organic foods, you would not only ensure a healthy and happy life for yourself but also your child.

Unless prescribed by a qualified doctor or nutritionist, a teenager shouldn’t be given any kind of diet pill or weight loss supplement. Many of these pills and supplements have harmful side effects which may do more harm than good to your teen kid.

Encouraging him to indulge in performance activities is another good way to overcome teenage obesity. These days, teenagers indulge more in video games and the like instead of playing sports which make them sweat, such as tennis, volleyball, baseball, etc. However you can reverse it by actively participating in these sports. As your teenage kid sees that you are enjoying a certain sport, he would soon emulate you and play it.

Remember that as a parent you are fully capable of influencing your kid’s lifestyle. Use that power now to insure a healthy and positive life for your teenage kid. Remember that it is never too late to begin.

Tags: America, baseball, coronary diseases, depression, diabetes, high blood pressure, job applications, junk food habits, nutritionist, obesity, sleep apnea, Tennis, volleyball

I was getting ready to write my monthly newsletter and when I looked at last months newsletter I thought that this content maybe of good use to many people now that the sunn is shining and the days are getting warmer.

If you have been working out all Winter then great, you should be fine, but if you have not been working out keep these five tips in mind over the next few weeks as Spring becomes running, biking, exercising, and eating season.

1. Stretching. I have mentioned this before but thought it would be good to go over it again and that is the idea of stretching smart. When you start to exercise get your body temperature up and your muscles warmed up and do not stretch much at all. Once you are warm you can stretch away and this will help you get more limber. The problem with stretching at the beginning of a exercise session is that you can potentially pull a muscle and then be hobbled for a few weeks and unable to exercise at all.

2. Eating. When you are exercising and spending more time outside you are going to build a bigger and more healthy appetite. I used to feel like I did not deserve to eat very much in the Winter as my exercise was all weights and no cardio but one I got the cardio going I would just be more naturally hungry. So make sure you eat enough, and that is good food not junk food.

3. Start slow and work up. I remember the spring three years ago that I decided to be a runner and with no background or experience started running every day. Because of my fitness that I already had I was doing really well but my knees were not strong enough and I ended up with bad knees that Spring and have not really been back to running since. (more on that in the next point.)

4. Try something new. If you are going to go out and do the same thing every year you are going to be bored. Why not take up a new sport. There are lots of community leagues for people that are new to a sport to try out. You can play Tennis, Softball, mountain climbing, hiking, baseball, volleyball biking, running or even join a walking club. Trying new sports helps you to build up your body and mind in different ways.

5. Rest enough. This time of year the sun is finally up early and setting late so there is a lot more day. I know I have been neglecting my sleep and have been working and doing more with the day and not worrying enough about my rest and have started to pay the price. I can push myself for weeks and then finally one day I start getting sick and am down for a couple of days. My wife sees it coming every time but I still have not learned to listen to her warnings.

Anyway that is all that I have to report this month. If you have any questions please email me at bill@nadraszky.com. Also as a little plug, if you are looking for a diet that you can do online I have a review of the fat loss for idiots plan and for people looking to transform their bodies I have done a review of the extensive and intense Burn the Fat ebook .

Tags: baseball, food, runner, Softball, Tennis, volleyball

I have found a list of 99 ways to get more exercise. These tips range from stuff to do at home and around the neighborhood to things to do around the city with your family and neighbors.

Exercise Getting started…

1. Schedule a regular time throughout the week for physical activity.
2. Take turns selecting an activity for the family to do as a group each week.
3. Start a log of daily fitness activities for each family member.
4. Adapt all activities to suit those with special needs and preferences.
5. Help everyone to find something active that makes them feel successful.

Exercise Tips for the Home

6. Designate indoor and outdoor play areas where rolling, climbing, jumping, and tumbling are allowed.
7. Buy toys or equipment that promote physical activity.
8. Select fitness-oriented gifts with the recipient’s skills and interests in mind.
9. Limit time spent watching television programs, videotapes, and playing computer games.
10. Use physical activity rather than food as a reward (e.g. family goes in-line skating).
11. Include grandparents, other relatives, and friends whenever possible.
12. Emphasize the importance of having fun and learning; avoid a push “to win”.
13. Get off the couch and change the channel manually — or better yet, turn it off!
14. Spend as much time outdoors as possible.

Exercise Tips for the Kitchen

15. “Pack your own” nutritious snacks and meals for family outings.
16. Keep fresh fruit and vegetables washed, cut-up, chilled and readily available for post-exercise snacking.
17. Have attractive containers of water available during and after workouts.
18. Take the family grocery shopping so everyone can learn to read the nutrition labels (find the cereal that offers the most fiber per serving; find the tastiest non-fat cheese).
Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, co-worker, cycling, diabetes, family member, fever, food, Golf, hypertension, kite flying, modified backyard sports, Olympic, physical education teacher, school board, school physical education teacher, skiing, Softball, stroke, Tennis, volleyball, water sports

The Summer is creeping away here in Calgary. On my ride in this morning the temperature was right at freezing so the nice easy schedule of riding in to work and home will be over sooner than I would hope. Now is the time of year that all of those outdoor activities that keep you in shape so easily are going to come to an end in the northern latitudes.

What will you do about it?

Most people have a bad habit of fluctuation exercise. In the Spring you get sore from exercising outside for the first time since the fall and your body hates you for it, but you endure it and workout through the Summer and in the Fall and Winter get almost no exercise again and have your weight float up a few pounds hoping that you can lose it again next Spring. I will be giving tips all Winter for staying in shape but this is a good chance to look at what you should start thinking about right now.

First prioritize your exercise schedule for the Winter. It may be tougher to work out but of course you can do it if you work out the days and times you will be working out. Most of all be realistic. The best times to workout are early morning before you get caught up with the issues of the day and after work if you have a stable work schedule. If you push dinner out a bit you may be able to either workout right after work before dinner or else get an hour in while watching one of the many great TV shows that eat up our Winter nights.

Next figure out what you want to do this Winter for exercise. A few years ago my family (actually my wife and I, the toddlers had no say in it) bought a good treadmill and exercise bike and then each Fall we go out and replace one of the items and lose a bit on the trade-in but at least have some great new and new to us equipment to keep us interested in the Winter.

Lastly make sure that you have a good mix of exercise. One or two pieces of fitness equipment may not be enough to keep you motivated is make sure you plan on skating, skiing or climbing stairs in an office building to supplement your exercise this Winter. If you can find local fitness events that you can take part in. There are a lot of different leagues in the Winter be they hockey or curling or badminton and volleyball.

One great tip for exercise equipment is to have a running log of your distance. This would be floors for a stair machine or actual miles on a treadmill, bike or elliptical trainer. Using a map it is fun to keep track of the distance that you have covered and you can even try to go city to city with goals in between over the course of the Winter.

Tags: calgary, curling, exercise equipment, Fitness Equipment, hockey, skiing, volleyball