Fitness Pudding - Where The Proof Is

Glucomannan, the famous 'super-fiber' got a major boost this March (2015), when a review promoted its benefit in weight loss. However, a lot has happened since then! To some degree, this is an update to a previous blog on Fiber and Weight Loss . As noted in that blog, certain products, such as Skinny Fiber , endorse an incredible 'sponge-like' effect that apparently can absorb anything from water, to fat, to evil spirits.  Glucomannan (GM) This sponge-like...

We have all seen them before, pacing the perimeter of the mall in a tight-laced pair of walking shoes. I have personally been lapped, twice, by a mall walker at Post Oak Mall in College Station, Texas. Mall walking hit a peak of popularity in the 1990s, yet is quickly coming back as a popular choice for physical activity. I am happy to see it's revival, but can mall walking be of any benefit? Mall Walking...

Our desire to eat is not always due a deep, physiological drive for hunger. We easily respond to cues from food, such as how they look, sound, and smell. Our emotions also play an important role in what, when, and how much we eat – especially when considering certain high sugar, high fat foods can provide 'comfort' in times of need, such as boredom, shame, or guilt. Why? Because, such foods can be related to feelings...

Most health and fitness behaviors are organized around goals. We set goals for ourselves, and then enact behaviors that will get us to that goal – at least that is what we hope. We have decades of research on the positive effects of proper goal setting on health behavior change and maintenance. However, recent lay reports are telling us that goals are now bad for us? Why Setting Goals Could Wreck Your Life Why Setting Goals...

The #1 reported barrier to weight training by women, is the fear of getting big muscles. This fear is very unfortunate, because (1) it is a fallacy, and (2) it prevents women from enjoying all of the wonderful benefits of weight training. So, Why the Fear? There are convincing arguments from both social and innate sides as to why these fears exist, and why they are so common. Nature. Speaking generally, evidence suggests that most women...

Some recent headlines have some reconsidering going for their next jog! "Too much jogging as bad as no exercise at all." "Fast running is as deadly as sitting on couch, scientists find."  "Stop that binge jogging! Three times a week is best for you...and too much is as bad as doing nothing." Could this be true? The media would never sensationalize such a topic, right? Let's clarify. The Study These articles were based on a recent...

Ironically, I am pretty darn sore right now. A leg workout from 2 days ago has made taking the stairs and sitting on the toilet a bit more deliberate! Delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) has definitely kicked in – but could I have prevented this soreness if I had stretched after my workout? Soreness To get everyone on the same page, soreness is a general term for the fatigue and discomfort in the muscles that results from...

After being out of town for the past week, I made a trip to the grocery store to replenish food for the house. I made my normal routine pass from the fresh vegetables and fruit, to the legumes, and finishing out through the frozen vegetables. While checking out, the young man bagging my groceries commented, "you have the weirdest variety of vegetables." Taking it as a compliment, I responded, "Thank you." After a deep pause, he...

In the giving Christmas spirit, I wish to protect some of you from a post-holiday purchase of mistletoe extract for your new year's weight loss goals. Articles like this one can catch on like wildfire, sending people rushing to their nearest supplement and vitamin shop. The article's title is: "Kiss goodbye to fat under the mistletoe! Plant could help fight obesity: Mistleoe is not only good for sealing a Christmas kiss...it could hlep fight obesity-related diseases."...

Tis the season for cardio machines to be full – inspired by new year's resolutions or guilt from holiday splurges. With no time to dissect the motivational or emotional aspects of these efforts, I turn attention to the virtue of honesty. Are cardio machines lying to you when estimating energy expenditure (calories) from a workout? I will focus on treadmills and ellipticals. Prediction Equations: How They Work All cardio machines depend on equations  to 'predict' how...