....you have an exercise machine at home.  The best chance of you continuing to exercise is if you believe you are capable of achieving something with exercise, are happy with the pro's and con's, enjoy it and perceive a positive result at the end of it.

This article in the LA TImes refers to the study.   It's down the page in the archives here.

Actually, it's so far down you'll need to search in your browser:  "I think I can".    Lots of interesting stuff in there though.

Perhaps you'd expect the Chicago area to originate more raunchy workouts than, say, Auckland.....well, it seems recently it does, with new exercise regimes turning up that include belly dancing, pole dancing and chair striptease to circus acts such as juggling, stlit-walking and unicycling.    More here...

Here are some ideas for staying on top, and making the most of things...see article

A great article by Garrett J Braunreiter, a coach, offers nine tips for a strong mental approach to achievement with exercise...actually, they would work with a lot of things:

• Listen to the experts (determining who really are is sometimes a challenge)
  
• No pain, no gain vs. Patience, pacing, and persistence - the first is wrong, the second is what it's about
  
• Use "What next?" thinking. Don't dwell on what didn't go the way you wanted. Spend your energy on moving forward, finding an answer or a next step.
  
• Let comfortable with the unfamiliar. Change your routine, do something different from what what you would normally do.
  
• Think and speak well of your health. Too much attention is paid to minor ailments. We tend to make real that which we think is our main feature.
  
• Watch out for fads and easy schemes. Go with the pro approaches
  
• Hang out with people who've achieved similar goals, or who're after the same ones, not the regretters.
  
• Focus on desired results. Dwell on the rewards of success, not on mistakes and failures. Be in the present.
  
• Expect the unexpected. You can't control what nature and others do. Anticipate what MAY happen, and prepare as best you can. You can also control your response to what happens.
  

Check the full article for much more than there is here....

In a FoxNews video, Jackie Warner, trainer to the stars, and owner of an exclusive Hollywood sports and medical centre, offers some weight-loss tips that are interesting:

• Shopping for a meal replacement? Read the labels. "Fat-free" is often loaded with sugar, and is worse for calories. America's fat problem is far less a fat problem than a sugar problem. Go for 400 cals or less and no more than 9g sugar.
  
• Drink 3 litres of water per day. Cleans out the system and speeds the metabolism. An act that loses weight in itself.
  
• Don't skip meals. When you skip a meal your blood sugar drops, and energy will be turned into fat stores much faster and in greater proportion than usual. (The body thinks a famine is coming) And that happens when you eat again. Eat more often - say every three hours - and smaller meals.
  
• Beware of too many crunches - the movements we do to strengthen our abdominal muscles. Many people seem to do too many, and neglect other muscles. Bulding all muscle groups will do far more for weight loss (and not put on mass in women), but abs can actually add a little mass. So those people are not only avoiding building larger areas of muscle that can enhance calorie burning capacity, but are actually making one set of muscles that can grow, get bigger. I suppose many trainers know this, but because of the infatuation with abs, they let us carry on. The idea is to work abs, but everything else too, in some balance.
  
• In the evening - for something to consume - try herbal teas. Decaf. There are many flavours.

What's best, three, four days exercise a week?    Frankly, for many people, every day can be the best.   Then you don't have to choose...for example, "maybe tomorrow, or Thursday, but I have to do it twice by Sunday" etc...and it's harder to maintain a habit that you don't do every day.   And you can still take one day off here and there and not affect the habit.

Is exercise before bedtime a good idea?   Provided you get it over with at least a half hour before you want to sleep, it seems like an excellent idea.    See the attached article from US News and World Report….

Perhaps we need these here...or perhaps some of ours are a lot like this.

A US chain of gyms called Planet Fitness, call themselves "judgement-free", avoid high-powered trainers, and identify strongly with normal body shapes and modest-ambition fitness.  No grunting is allowed, and in some of them there's not even a bench press (or free weights)  The businesses are built on low costs which result in low membership fees, and have a big emphasis on cardio gear.   We have similar offerings in the women's market here, but perhaps there's an opportunity in the male area as well.

From an article in the Wall Street Journal

We always thought that before serious exercise, it was the right thing to pull our legs up to our butts to stretch quads, try to push down power poles to stretch calves before a run, and attempt to dislocate shoulders by pulling an arm in front of us before a swim.  Turns out that's not right!  In fact stretches are proven to deplete available power for the ensuing activity by up to 30%, firstly through the stretch  itself, and secondly because the brain is wired to tell the other limb to cut back power equally!

The best warm-up, for cardio exercise at least, seems to be only the activity you're going to be doing, for 5-10 minutes, with only a few minutes between the warm-up and the exercise itself.  (Lots of people do this, but lots of people also stretch bigtime)  Go at 40% of full capacity, and not to much ahead of time (muscles can jam up again)

It seems that stretching as we know it, as an independent exercise, remains important for facilitating muscle and strength growth, and of course, improved flexibility.  It's just useless pre-race/run/game.

This recent article from the New York Times gives more detail and references. 

Frank Hu, epidemiologist at the Harvard School of Public Health, says "The single thing that comes close to a magic bullet, in terms of its strong and universal benefits, is exercise". It lowers the risk of heart attack, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, depression, dementia, osteoporosis, gallstones, diverticulitis, falls, erectile dysfunction, peripheral vascular disease and 12 kinds of cancer.

If you already have one of these, exercise can improve your health and your overall physical and mental well-being. This is also the case with ailments such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinsons disease, congestive heart failure or osteoarthritis.

Do whatever exercise you can, as much as you can, says Marilyn Moffatt, a professor of physical therapy at New York University. Mentioned in an article in the New York Times, April 2008. (Regsitration may be required) Here....

When you row, every part of your body knows it's happening, yet it's gentle on joints, it's easy, and with a rowing machine, it can be extra-convenient. Read the full article here.

A recent Harvard experiment showed that telling a group of people that the value of exercise in their jobs was greater than they thought, clearly improved later body and health measurements.  And they made no change to their activity.

Here's the article...

Osteoarthritis of the knee causes pain and decreased mobility. Muscle building (strength-training) improves this significantly,according to a recent report by a University of Sydney research team. See this article.

Most have a problem getting into exercise at times, and some of us have trouble getting started in the first place. Here are some useful solutions.

They're quite different in the way they should be used, and in the results they bring.  Dumbbells afford greater range of movement, for instance, and machines target just specific angles, and will have more of an effect on shape rather than size of muscle.

Here is a discussion of their respective benefits and disadvantages.

A study of over 61,000 adults over an average period of 18 years grouped the participants into four levels of fitness. Around a quarter were women; participants were predominantly white, well-educated, middle-income.  All had treadmill tests to determine fitness levels.


In the men, the most fit group had a stroke risk 40% lower than the least fit group.  The most fit women had a 43% less stroke risk compared with those in the least fit group.  In the two moderate levels, the risk reduction ranged from 15 to 30% for men and 23 to 57 percent for women.  The lower risk levels held true even when taking into account other factors such as weight, high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes and family history.


The study was conducted by Steven Hooker of the University of South Carolina's Prevention Research Center (Published April 2008).  He said that most people could reach the performance of the moderately-fit group by walking briskly for 30 minutes a day, five times a week.

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) annually surveys the fitness industry to determine leading trends. In 2008 there's a naturally continuation of some recent trends, such as functional fitness (where emphasis is placed on exercise whose benefits reflect directly in day-to-day life, rather than those that are more technical in nature) and increased access to personal training.

Newer trends include Out-Of-The-Box Workouts such as those that package up comprehensive routines based on various dancing styles, to body-weight-only exercise plans which are essentially equipment-free strength-building programs.

See a fuller document here

When statistical adjustments had been made for age, peak exercise capacity was the strongest predictor of longer life among both normal subjects and those with cardiovascular disease, in an important study.

Read the article.

It must if you look at most Olympic sprinters.  A lot of information supports the idea that tsrength-building improves athletic efficiency and performance, though there haven't been many formal studies on it. A 29 year-old rower and member of the US rowing team finds it difficult to distinguish between the effects of his three years' strength-building and his rowing training, but believes it has has had a major effect on his improving his personal best performances over the period.  Gary R. Hunter, a professor of exercise physiology at the University of Alabama, believes that three months' leg-strength training with resistance exercise improved both strength and running efficiency, a measure of how much effort it takes to run, and said that to him there was little doubt that it would benefit any athlete.

A kinesiology professor at another major university points out that strength building decreases risk of injury and increase muscle endurance, and notes that athletes should generally not worry about getting large - most have small muscle fibres, and will never get big.

A fuller article on the topic offers more information and can be found here.

METs are coming into increasing use as an indicator of effort. Instead of calories used, for instance, as a measure of exertion (vague, and differing per person) 1 MET is a unit of heat(energy) expended by your body's surface, no matter how big you are. So expending 5 METs means the same thing to everyone.

Read more here.

The American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine have recently issued updated guidelines for resistance training.

They now recommend a minimum of two days per week for strength training; permitting 72 hours rest between sessions (you can do cardio exercise on the days off)   But you can do more; a good plan is one day on, one day off.


Strength training is now seen as a very important component of physical exercise, especially as we age. Otherwise, we lose it. And we need it more than ever. For a better list of reasons see here: Ten Important Reasons to Build Strength

A study at the University of Vancouver found that a group of seniors (70+ years) with a history of falls, who undertook strength-building and balance training for 6 months had a 13% improvement in executive task function (management of multiple thought processes and coordination).  Longer periods of training brought improved performance and fewer falls.

See the full article here.

The news isn't great...but most of the effects things mentioned can be drastically mitigated and reduced by exercise.  See the full article here.

Those of us of advancing years need to maintain and develop aerobic and physical strength more than anyone else.  Unless we’ve actively worked at maintaining aerobic fitness, muscle, bone and joint strength throughout our lives, the consequences can accumulate with dramatic effect.  As many of us age, we exercise less at the very time it’s becoming increasingly important.

Updated physical activity recommendations from the American Heart Association and American College of Sports Medicine reaffirm that you can recoup losses and gain strength and fitness later in life, and make a major difference to its quality as years proceed.

The Journal of Active Aging recently suggested that perhaps part of the problem with the low level of uptake of fitness and strength-building is seniors’ fear that exercise might bring more injury and pain, particularly for those who already suffer from arthritis and other chronic conditions.   Yet by strengthening muscles and bones and joints they can reduce pain and reduce risk of injury.

A recent article in the Washington Post describes research into the walking speed of 492 adults over a period of nine years.

27% of those who could cover over 2.5 miles in an hour (4 km/h) had died at the end of the period, but 77% of those who could only manage 1.5 miles an hour (2.5 km/h) had died.

Geriatrician Stephanie Studenski said it was how astonishing how powerful the analysis of such simple information was. Walking speed mirrors the health of many body parts: circulation, heart, lungs, limbs among others.

See the full article

Both men and women lose about half their aerobic capacity – their ability to process oxygen – by the age of 60, if they haven’t undertaken any planned exercise. Yet one of the most important factors affecting quality of life in advancing years is the availability of sufficient aerobic power.  Many people run out of “puff” too easily.  Eventually, everyday activities become “intolerably fatiguing”, says a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

However, a relatively high-intensive aerobic exercise programme, such as one that involved at least 30 minutes on a bike or exercycle, brisk walking, jogging or swimming can improve maximal aerobic power by 25% - the equivalent of turning back the clock in age terms, 12 years, for many older people.

Independence is also prolonged, muscle and bone strength is improved, and the risk of diseases such as heart disease and diabetes, and illnesses such as depression, are reduced.

Exercising with painful joints might not make sense, but it’s true.   A major study documented in Arthritis Care and Research concludes exercise can “significantly” improve and manage arthritis pain.

For over 60’s, better cardio fitness means longer life, irrespective of levels of fat, according to a 12-year study described in the December 5, 2007 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Doctors at the University of South Carolina commenced a study of 2,603 people of an average age of 64.4 years, (80% male) over an ensuing 12-year period.  The study, which determined fitness through a treadmill test, found that the least fit 20% had a death rate of four times that of the fittest.

Importantly, they stated:

“We observed that fit individuals who were obese had a lower risk of all-cause mortality than did unfit, normal-weight or lean individuals”

So – as an earlier article points out, waist circumference is the most important indicator of cardiovascular health, but in the context of all causes of mortality, being fit is more important.

A recent CNN article says older people no longer see muscle-building and exercise as the preserve of enthusiasts, or unwomanly, or something that is not a good idea for older folk.  Indeed credible surveys show that 37% of health club members are 55 or older, and that the average age of personal trainer clients has gone from 36% on 1998 to 42.4% in 2006.

Robyn Stuhr of the American Council on Exercise says exercise can truly be the fountain of youth in that it slows the aging process and improves levels of vitality for older people.  Fitness author Dr Walter Bortz, a 77 year-old who has run marathons every year of the last 35 says fitness for young people is an option, for old people it is a mandatory.

For full article, see here.

Much has been written about coffee's risks and benefits. The former have included high blood pressure, dehydration, cancers and bone loss, and suggested benefits include weight loss.  An article in the New York Times recently summarised what we can be reasonably sure of.   Read it here.

Just about any amount and type of exercise is good for health; in fact, it’s universally accepted that daily exercise is essential for good health.

However...the news is not all good.  It's becoming increasingly apparent that we have to do more of it, more intenively to make a difference with our weight.   Read the full article here.

A recent CNN article refers to some major food trends.  While they reflect a US perspective, they have relevance to us.  They include Flexitarianism,  Locally-grown food, Functional foods, Organic foods, and Slow food.

A clear understanding of what you consume is a first step.....see more here

A paper presented in June, 2008) at the Endocrine Society annual meeting in San Francisco showed that obese women lost almost five times as much weight on a big carbohydrate-rich breakfast as did women on a low-carb restricted diet, because the big breakfast best treats the body's state at that time of the day, and reduces cravings that cause problems later.

See a bigger article here

High glucose levels can be stopped from damaging heart muscle.  A new study reported in the journal Cardiovascular Drugs and Therapy indicates major progress with treatment with folic acid.  An author of the study, Professor Lexin Wang of Charles Sturt University in Australia, says:

These are extremely exciting discoveries because for a very long time we did not have much of success in steering the heart away from the insult of high levels of blood glucose, in particular in the early stages of the cardiovascular disease process.   Now with a short course of folic acid treatment, we see a clear cut reduction in the death rates of cardiac cells. More importantly, the biology of the surviving cardiac cells is also improved, making these cells and muscles more resistant to future injuries from diabetes.

Different personality types find it easier to adopt behaviours that help control and lose weight.  

Read this article for an idea of where you sit and what you can do about it.

Managing our energy is as important as managing our time.  When it comes to exercise, thought given to better food combinations will make your exercise more effective.   Good suggestions - and some unusual ones - about exercise and eating are in this article from Forbes magazine.

Also, look for a link in the article ... hard to miss ... which gives an interesting slideshow.

While dieting can build an obsession with planning to eat just the right things, it often also builds an obsession with what you're trying to avoid - the food you crave - and which eventually wins big-time and plays havoc with your attitude.

This excellent article from http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/diet/seven-deadly-diet-sins.htm does a good job of explaining the psychology of eating control.

We used to think of older people being smaller and frail, yet these days we arrive at 60 having been in the biggest group of weight gainers in history.  Most Plus-60s need to lose a few calories - not just because the ones they have are in the wrong places, but because as we age we use fewer of them.   And if we don't change our diets to recognize this, we'll just add more risk.   Muscle is important too -  especially for older folk.  The following recent articles from Forbes magazine addresses the issues in a positive way.

This link gives a presentation:  Top Diet Tips.

This one takes you to a background piece:  Diet Story for Aging

It's a necessity for good health.   Several studies have shown that enough sleep - generally recommended as seven hours per night - is very important for good healthy, and has a significant role in keeping weight down.

A study published by the North American Association for the Study of Obesity, using data from 18,000 people over a period of many years,  and adjusting for all other factors including exercise, showed that people who slept less than four hours per night were 73% more likely to be obese, and those who slept less than 5 hours were 50% likely to be obese.  A study by the American Thoracic Society (they have enough societies!) indicated that women who slept 5 hours or less per night were 2.5kg heavier than those who slept 7 hours or more.   More than this, they tended to gain weight over time, so this 2.5kg baseline increased.

Tomatoes, better cooked rather than raw, contain high levels of an anti-oxidant, lycopene, in sufficient amounts to significantly reduce damage to skin at a cell level.

See this article from the UK Independent.

There are some practical tips here

A survey of 26,000 Americans, by consumer marketing group NPD Corp, and reported on Reuters recently, showed that 29% of women and 19% of men are on diets, compared with 35% and 23% respectively ten years ago.  It appears that people are increasingly disappointed with dieting's results, or feel deprived, and that it's not a healthy way to live long-term.  They appear to take a broader view of eating healthily instead. See the article Americans opting for healthy eating

Dr Richard Telford, of the Australian National University in Canberra, and publishing in the Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise journal says that exercise is even more important than weight loss for prevention or control of diabetes.

See more in this article.