Total exercise time more important than frequency
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A little exercise each day is better than a couple of big
sessions a week, right?
Not according to recent Canadian research which found
that as long as you are putting in the time, results are not greatly affected
by the way in which that time is distributed.
For the study, a team from Queen's University in Kingston,
Ontario studied 2,300 Canadian adults to monitor whether the frequency with
which they exercised had any effect on their diabetes, heart disease and stroke
risk. For the purposes of the study the participants were classified as either
frequently active (five to seven days weekly) or infrequently active (one to
four days weekly).
Study subjects who performed 150 minutes of exercise a week,
but over fewer sessions, were not less healthy than subjects who worked out on
most days of the week.
Study author Dr Ian Janssen said ‘The findings indicate that
it does not matter how adults choose to accumulate their 150 weekly minutes of
physical activity. For instance, someone who did not perform any physical
activity on Monday to Friday but was active for 150 minutes over the weekend
would obtain the same health benefits from their activity as someone who
accumulated 150 minutes of activity over the week by doing 20 to 25 minutes of
activity on a daily basis.’
He concluded ‘The important message is that adults should
aim to accumulate at least 150 minutes of weekly physical activity in whatever
pattern that works for their schedule.’
Source: Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism.
‘Fat shaming’ weight loss techniques create obesity
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Constant criticism and ridicule of overweight people does
little to motivate them to slim down, and has now been proven to potentially
cause greater weight gain.
A recent report titled Perceived Weight Discrimination and
Obesity published in PLOS One found that those who suffered discrimination as a
result of their weight were likely to either become or remain obese.
‘Weight discrimination, in addition to being hurtful and
demeaning, has real consequences for the individual’s physical health’ said
study author Angelina Sutin, a psychologist and assistant professor at the
Florida State University College of Medicine.
Endorsing the findings of the study, Sydney-based weight
loss motivation specialist Kylie Ryan said ‘There’s a very unhealthy attitude
that being overweight is shameful, and that it’s perfectly acceptable to judge
people based on their body size. What this does is intensify the problem rather
than solve it. Repeated criticism of overweight people builds self-loathing
which results in further weight gain from over-eating.’
Ryan believes that weight-loss reality television shows have
normalised a harsh approach to obese people trying to lose weight; ‘Viewers of
these shows get the voyeuristic joy of watching the contestants get tortured
and change their body shape, but it only works to reinforce the belief that
‘I’m a loser because I’m fat’ and ‘I’ll only be successful and loveable when
I’m slim and good looking. Many of the very people who are supposed to help
those struggling with weight issues have no idea that their contempt is a big
part of the problem. This contempt from others echoes the sense of
self-contempt, self-loathing and shame that many people who struggle with their
weight feel on a daily basis.’
According to Rebecca Puhl, deputy director of the Rudd
Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University, stigma and
discrimination of overweight people can be chronic stressors. ‘And we know that
eating is a common reaction to stress and anxiety – that people often engage in
more food consumption or more binge eating in response to stressors, so there
is a logical connection here in terms of some of the maladaptive coping
strategies to try to deal with the stress of being stigmatised.’
Kylie Ryan believes that unless we remove the social
stigmatising of overweight people Australia is facing a bleak future; ‘At the
moment we’re on track for 80 per cent of Australians to be overweight or obese
by 2025. Imagine the knock-on effect of the majority of our population feeling
shameful about their bodies and making decisions based on their own inner
turmoil? It’s got to change.’
Source: My Mind Coach
The barefoot way challenges running shoe beliefs
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Up to 80 per cent of runners are injured every year, and
according to research the majority of these injuries can be traced back to
impractical footwear causing unnatural change in running form. Let’s look at
some commonly held beliefs regarding running shoe requirements:
Belief 1: A shoe should provide shock absorption
Truth: The foot and body’s muscles, tendons and fascia
provide all the shock absorption and elastic recoil your body needs for
injury-free movement.
Belief 2: A shoe should give you motion control
Truth: The foot’s big toe and ball are the body’s natural
anchor point and are crucial to maintaining stability and balance.
Belief 3: Our shoes should stop us from feeling our
environment
Truth: Sensory feedback from the foot provides your brain
with 70 per cent of the information it needs to move in a natural and healthy
way. It’s called proprioception and is the key to better posture and skillful
movement.
The bare dynamics fit, hex-a-flex sole and ultra-thin and
durable patented ‘proprioprotection’ sole featured in VIVOBAREFOOT’s range of
barefoot running shoes enable the foot to behave more naturally and respond
appropriately to its environment, literally putting a spring in your step,
making you more sure-footed and providing maximum sensory feedback with grip
and protection.
Network members receive an exclusive 30% discount on
VIVOBAREFOOT shoes by using the code OZFITNET at www.soledshoes.com.au
Source: VIVOBAREFOOT
Prisoners reap mental rewards of yoga
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Research from the UK has found that yoga can serve to
improve mental health and mood in prisoners.
After prisoners underwent a ten-week yoga course, a team
from Oxford University found that they reported reduced stress levels and
improved mood and exhibited better behaviour control than fellow inmates who
did not undergo the yoga course.
Study leaders Dr Amy Bilderbeck and Dr Miguel Farias, from
the Departments of Experimental Psychology and Psychiatry at Oxford University,
said; 'We found that the group that did the yoga course showed an improvement
in positive mood, a decrease in stress and greater accuracy in a computer test
of impulsivity and attention. The suggestion is that yoga is helpful for these
prisoners.'
Previous studies have found yoga to have these beneficial
effects in other settings, but this was first trial to record the effects in
the prison environment, which has much higher rates of mental health problems,
aggression and personal distress.
Bilderbeck added: 'This was only a preliminary study, but
nothing has been done like this before. Offering yoga sessions in prisons is
cheap, much cheaper than other mental health interventions. If yoga has any
effect on addressing mental health problems in prisons, it could save
significant amounts of public money.'
Source: Journal of Psychiatric Research
Diet drinks may increase weight gain
A recent review of research has found that regular
consumption of artificially sweetened drinks may have an opposite effect to the
weight loss intended.
In her review, professor of psychology and neuroscience,
Susan Swithers found that frequently consuming non-calorific sweeteners, such
as aspartame, sucralose and saccharin, may negatively affect metabolism;
‘Frequent consumption of high-intensity sweeteners may have the
counterintuitive effect of inducing metabolic derangements’ she said.
Swithers found that consumption may actually increase
chances of excessive weight gain, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease
and type 2 diabetes.
‘When it comes to making policy decisions, it's more
important than ever that the science is considered and that the public
understands what the science says in order to help them make the best health
decisions’ Swithers said.
Alluding to the big business of artificial sweeteners,
Swithers said; ‘The concern that these non-caloric sweeteners might not be
healthy is a message that many people do not want to hear, especially as the
prevalence of artificial sweeteners increases’.
Source: Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism
GINGER
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Ginger is a purely delicious and versatile spice that I love
adding to the recipes I create. It packs a whopping flavour punch, so a little
goes a long way. Ginger is scientifcially shown to have potent antioxidant,
anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, and helps to boost immune function
and combat cellular damage. This gut-friendly spice stimulates digestion, gut
motility and bowel function, while helping to relieve bloating, cramping, wind
and nausea – perfect for anyone with digestive issues. A recent study also
found ginger to be as effective as pharmaceutical agents in relieving PMS pain
in women.
I love using grated fresh ginger in raw juices, healing
vegetable soups and thrown into a homemade Chai tea. Fresh grated ginger is
also amazing in green salads scented with freshly chopped garden herbs, roasted
pumpkin and lemon dressing.
For healthy recipes and nutrition tips from The Healthy Chef
visit www.thehealthychef.com
(All Information Supplied By Member Gymbag at www.fitnessnetwork.com.au)
