Why Older Adults Need to Exercise

by | May 16, 2018 | Exercise | 0 comments

A group of researchers shed light on the reasons why older adults experience muscle loss, and therefore become frail and weak. Their findings suggest that muscle wasting in older adults comes as a result of changes in the nervous system. Researchers report that when a person turns 75 years old, he or she has 30 to 50 percent less nerves controlling his legs. This disconnects part of the muscles from the nervous system and renders them useless. Deprived of their normal functions, the muscles start wasting away.

This is why older people’s leg muscles get smaller and weaker, and they become frail and disabled. This is not so with healthy muscles, whose nerves create new branches that can save detached muscle fiber.

Continue reading: Why Older Adults Need to Exercise

Exercise: The Best Anti-Aging Therapy

by | Apr 13, 2018 | Exercise | 0 comments

A British study looked at 125 amateur cyclists aged 55 to 79, with 41 of them being female. These were serious cyclists who participate in non-competitive long distance events, and who could ride at least 100 km in under 6.5 hours, for the men, and 60 km in under 5.5 hours for women. This is well above the daily exercise recommended for the average person, but the scientists wanted to see how far the effects of high levels of exercise can reach into old age.

The cyclists were compared to a group of adults in the same age range who did not exercise regularly, as well as young adults aged 20 to 36. Smokers and heavy drinkers were not included.

In laboratory tests, the active seniors were found to have retained muscle mass, and had lower cholesterol levels, which is to be expected. Surprisingly, some parts of their immune systems were as robust as those of the younger people. In normal aging, the body’s production of T-cells, which are the immune system’s soldiers who patrol through the blood and fight off invaders, can slow down.

The Health Risks Of Sitting Too Much

by | Sep 16, 2014 | Exercise | 0 comments

Office 1 Photo by Victor1558Research shows logging long hours on the couch or behind a desk raises the risk of chronic health ills like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, along with premature death—even among those who exercise regularly. In a recent Australian study, people who sat 11 hours or more a day had a 40 percent increased risk of dying over the next three years compared to those who sat for fewer than four hours a day.

In other data, scientists at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, LA, estimated that if everyone sat no more than three hours a day, the average life span would rise by two years. “There’s a consistent association between sitting and health,” says Peter Katzmarzyk, Ph.D., Pennington’s associate executive director for population science. “We’re not designed to be sedentary.”

Sitting or lying for hours at a time inactivates the body’s large muscles, especially those in the legs and back, triggering a cascade of harmful metabolic changes, he says. “Sitting disrupts blood sugar levels, lowers the breakdown of harmful cholesterol and reduces calorie burning,” says Katzmarzyk.

Continue reading

How to Find Exercise Types You’ll Like

by | Jun 17, 2014 | Exercise | 0 comments

Exercise Photo by PublicDomainPicturesHaving trouble figuring out what you like? Start with walking, which Beckerman calls the best activity. “Walking is convenient, doesn’t require equipment, and for the majority of people, doesn’t create undue stress on the knees, hips, or ankles,” he says.

If you have joint or orthopedic issues that make walking hard, choose other exercises that might put less stress the body, Myerson says. For instance, use an elliptical trainer at your gym, ride a bike, or take an aquatic exercise class.

Adopting a new habit takes time and effort. So take baby steps. In time, Beckerman says, being active will become as routine for you as brushing your teeth. It can also be a lot more fun than you thought it would be. If not, keep trying new things until you find something that clicks.

Continue reading

CrossFit vs. Gym: Which Is Better?

by | Jun 16, 2014 | Exercise | 0 comments

Crossfit to FightWhether you have just resolved to get in shape or you are an experienced fitness buff who is reevaluating your routine, you might be wondering what how CrossFit compares to traditional weight training in terms of burning fat.

Both can burn calories, but they have many differences in their goals, equipment, and structure.

Some of the goals of traditional weight training may include building strength and increasing muscle mass. Muscle burns more calories that fat, so by adding more muscle, a person can burn more fat.

Typically, this by performing a certain number of lifts, known as repetitions, to form a set. They may do one to three sets of a particular exercise per weight lifting session.

In contrast, CrossFit was designed to meet more generalized goals of achieving overall fitness. Many CrossFit moves incorporate standard weight lifting moves, but the focus is not only on increasing weight, but also on getting more repetitions in a certain amount of time.

Continue reading

Get in Shape for Summer With this High Intensity Circuit Workout

by | Jun 13, 2014 | Exercise | 0 comments

Crossfit to Fight

Slim down for summer, get your body beach ready, buff up for bikini season, get fit before Fourth of July; with summer just around the corner all of these phrases are relevant right about now, but let’s be honest, they’re also kind of obnoxious, too.

Getting in shape for summertime is a perfectly fine goal, but it’s only a short-term one. It’s a great starting point, but what would make it even better is if it were the beginning of a new exercise habit; one you intend to hold onto for life— not only for the sake of staying fit, but for the sake of your overall health too.

The being said, because we know just how important fitness is to your overall health and wellbeing, and because this time of year is a popular time for people to think about losing weight, several weeks back we got in touch with a panel of personal trainers in order to compile a list of their top tips for getting in shape for summer fast.

Continue reading