Don't be scared...

Don’t let the new study on exercise and weight gain that just hit all the media scare you! 

Dr. I-Min Lee of Brigham and Woman’s Hospital in Boston and her colleagues found that in order for women to prevent weight gain over time, they need an hour of  moderate exercise each day.


If you read carefully, there is some good news.  

First, this study along with other new research is finally beginning to distinguish between being fit and being thin, making it clear that fitness - not thinness - prevents disease.  Thinness and fitness are two different goals, and  fitness requires a lot less exercise then 60 minutes a day. 

Secondly, 60 minutes a day of exercise is required only if you are consuming, as they termed it, "the usual American diet," which contains too much fat and too many calories. If instead you choose to eat a more healthy diet and consume fewer calories then “the usual American diet” you can maintain low body fat and good weight in less then 60 minutes a day.


The bottom line is, you can exercise less than 60 minutes a day if:

• You already eat a healthy diet and just want to be fit.
• You want to lower your body fat, get fit and are willing to reduce your calories and eat a healthier diet.

However, plan on spending more than 60 minutes exercising if:

• You are thin and want stay thin while continuing to eat “the usual American diet.” 
• You are already overweight and want to lower your body weight and continue eating the “usual American diet.”

Check out this attached video with a brief interview of Dr. I-Min Lee.

http://wcbstv.com/video/?id=140246@wcbs.dayport.com


Mike

Small action, big results

Sometimes, the smallest actions we take have tremendous impact on our life.

Frank, a long-time member, was exercising regularly, doing everything he thought he should be doing, yet when it came time for spring cleaning he discovered he had a lot more difficulty setting up his ladder then he had in the past.

In his 80's, Frank is very active, still skis regularly, but now he felt like he was getting weaker!

Frank had injured his shoulder a few years ago doing the Lateral Raise Machine, so he decided to lower his weights on all the machines to make sure he didn’t injure himself again. When I asked how he was training, he remembered jerking the last repetition in order to “finish the set.”

It is a common misbelief that when you use heavy weights you will be injured. The reality is that you can’t get stronger without using heavier weights.

Even with lower weights, injury can occur...when the weight is jerked.  When you jerk a weight the resistance it provides is amplified momentarily by 400 to 500%. Slow deliberate form must always be used to prevent injury. The focus should be on tiring the muscle out, not doing a certain 'number' of repetitions. When you’re lifting a weight slowly and you get to a point where you can no longer lift it, you are done. Exhausting the muscle is your goal, not reaching a specified number of reps. It is almost impossible to injure yourself when you move the weight slowly and it produces the fastest results.

Frank's decision to lower his weights significantly changed the results of his strength training program. If you have problems with a particular machine or exercise, discuss it with one of our trainers. They will help you work around the problem. Eliminating or lowering the weight on all the machines will prevent you from getting the benefit from the exercises, especially when you need to recover from an injury, or do some ladder work around the house.

Ironically, another member sent me this link to a New York Times article that addresses this very issue.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/06/health/06real.html?ref=science

Please email me at mikeart48@gmail.com with any questions or comments.

See you soon! 

A long way in 30 years

Imagine gyms with no women, physicians persuading patients not to exercise and absolutely no means to reduce the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.


That's exactly how things were 30 years ago, and I'll say those 30 years have been an exciting time to be involved in the fitness industry.


It's hard to believe when I started virtually no women worked out and the “health” and medical community were urging people not to exercise because it would wear out their bodies. In fact, when people retired they were told they were "old" and the less they did the longer they would live!


Today, more women are exercising than men and most of the health and medical community are urging people to exercise because it is now known to be essential for health. Exercise rebuilds healthy tissue; we will literally rot without it.


As for Parkinson's disease, for many years people were again told not to exercise because it would worsen the symptoms. Recently, researchers did just the opposite by suspending Parkinson’s disease sufferers over treadmills and had them power walk as fast as they could. It was discovered their symptoms improved. And at the Mayo Clinic they discovered that hard cycling which could be replicated on a stationary bike, actually eliminated some symptoms entirely.


Check out this amazing short video clip!
http://www.theracycle.com/parkinsons

Please e-mail me at mikeart@gmail.com with any questions or comments!See you soon! Mike