Fitness Pudding - Where The Proof Is

At the request of Ms. Rachel Nanez, we are tackling this question. Here was her text to me: “Heard this on the radio this morning...'whole body vibrators, the new way to lose weight without exercising!’ Apparently there was a study done using rats, and they lost all this weight with body vibrators.” Vibrating Mice Once I shook the visual of vibrating mice, I looked into it. The buzz was most likely related to this study that...

"Which is better, exercising in the morning or the evening?" My common response to this question has always been, "Whenever you will do it," because the first step to seeing positive results of exercise - whether in the morning or evening - is actually exercising. I have also noticed that exercising in the morning, for many, looks great 'on paper'. I will get up early, get my workout finished, shower, get ready for work, and enjoy...

A CNN blog recently revisited the tantalizing myth that sex is a workout. It must be circulating pretty well right now on social media, as I have been asked by several people if this is true or not. The article is referring to a 2013 publication from the New England Journal of Medicine entitled Myths, Presumptions, and Facts about Obesity , written by a prestigious group of experts. Myth #7 states "A bout of sexual activity...

Have you ever felt the urge to reward yourself with food after a workout? Many do. Some might be choosing their food choices off how many calories were "burned" during their workout. For some, being able to eat what they want is a reason they exercise in the first place. Clearly, such a mentality is in opposition to the goal of healthy eating. We have already discussed the  conflicting caloric estimations of cardio machines . In...

This morning, I waved to my little girl, as my wife drove away to drop her off at her first day of school. When they were out of waving distance, I said a quick prayer, and grabbed another cup of coffee before sitting down at the computer to get through all I needed to do today - mostly writing at the computer. As nerdy as it sounds, there was some excitement thinking about the free hours...

I am sure you have already noticed the many internet articles and ads popping up about keeping your New Year’s Resolution.  But, what about why we break and abandon our resolutions? I came across a really cool 1972 study by Drs. Marlatt and Kaplan. 4  They examined 135 people and their resolutions over a 3-month period. The majority of resolutions were a desire to lose weight – interestingly, with an average starting weight of only 138 pounds...

The clothes we wear can make a strong impression on others. We learn early on in our careers to ‘dress for success’, and TV shows, such as the Today Show’s ‘Ambush Makeover’ , emphasize the power of clothes to create favorable impressions. From drab...to fab. The effort to manage the impressions we make on others is called ‘self-presentation’, and clothing is a great way to manipulate such impressions. For example... Teaching assistants in formal clothes are...

If you were interested by our previous post, Exercise Doesn't Help with Weight Loss  – a review of a controversial editorial, "It is time to bust the myth of physical in activity and obesity: You cannot outrun a bad diet,"  – you might also be interested to read some recent comments and responses by other experts regarding this article, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (click below). It is Time to Bust the Myth of...

Years ago, we figured out that listening to music, watching TV, or both provided a distraction or dissociation from the discomfort that comes along with exercise. For many people the discomfort is not enjoyable, and can be a big deterrant to exercising. Research tells us that we all respond differently to the physical side of exercise (e.g. fatigue, muscle discomfort, increased heart rate, breathing fast, and sweating). Some respond negatively, especially those who do not have...

The common idea that 1 pound of fat is equal to 3,500 calories most likely comes from original research in the late 1950's on the effects of fasting in obese individuals. Well, it stuck, and is the basis for our current, simple prescriptions for weight loss. The subsequent rule, then, is to expend, 'burn', and/or reduce intake of 3,500 calories to lose a pound of fat. Commonly, this deficit is accomplished by expending and/or cutting 500...