Fitness and Muscle Work

Diet Rich in Blueberries May Boost Heart Health By Jennifer Warner WebMD Health News Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD A new study shows rats who ate a diet rich in blueberries lost abdominal fat -- the kind of fat linked to heart disease and diabetes -- as well as experienced other health benefits like lowered cholesterol and improved glucose control even if their diet wasn’t otherwise heart-healthy. "Some measurements were changed by blueberry even if the rats were on a high-fat diet," researcher E. Mitchell Seymour, MS, of the University of Michigan’s Cardioprotection Research Laboratory, says in a news release. Researchers say the results suggest that antioxidant-rich blueberries may change how the body stores and processes glucose or sugar for energy, thereby reducing the risk of both heart disease and diabetes. "The benefits of eating fruits and vegetables have been well researched, but our findings in regard to blueberries show the naturally occurring chemicals they...

Feature by : Men's Health (David Zinczenko, with Matt Gouldin) We talk a lot about "watching what we eat", but if you never gave a thought to what you ate and instead watched only what you drank, you could probably cut 450 calories a day out of your life. (Yes, nearly a pound of fat loss a week!) That's what a study from the University of North Carolina found. Americans today drink about 192 gallons of liquid a year—or about 2 liters a day. To put it into perspective, this is nearly twice as many calories as we did 30 years ago. When confronted with the growing tide of calories from sweetened beverages, the first response is, "Why not just drink diet soda?" Well, for a few reasons: Just because diet soda is low in calories doesn't mean it can't lead to weight gain. It may have only 5 or fewer calories per serving, but emerging research suggests that consuming sugary-tasting beverages--even if they're artificially sweetened--may lead to a high pr...

By Virginia Anderson Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD Featured by WebMD Debbe Geiger admits it: Her motivation to exercise was zero and had been for years. She could summarize her feelings about exercise in two words. “It stinks,” says Geiger, of Cary, N.C. Her thinking changed when she finally found her exercise motivation: commitment to a team. Geiger joined a volleyball team -- after much urging from friends who wanted her to play with them -- and now she doesn’t want to let her teammates down. She’s at the gym with a convert’s fervor on game nights. “There have been lots of reasons I could have missed, and I haven’t,” Geiger says proudly. Geiger’s experience illustrates what exercise experts have learned through research and practice over the years: To succeed in sticking to an exercise routine, people need a reason to carry on when that little voice inside says, "Sit on the couch. Have a doughnut." There are plenty of reasons we should be exercising. Not only does exercise...

feature by webmd Arm toning and strengthening exercises are important throughout life, says Dan Agresti, exercise physiologist and owner of ProActive Health and Fitness in Denver. And the benefits go way beyond looking good in a tank top. Life is a lot better when you're strong," says Agresti. "It's fun to know I can do just about any task." Having upper body strength also helps us combat the physical pitfalls of our culture. "We live in such a flexed-posture society, says Lori Incledon, athletic trainer and author of Strength Training for Women. Being hunched over the computer, in front of the TV, and at the steering wheels of our cars takes a toll, she says. The shoulder girdle becomes stretched, the chest muscles get tighter, and we set ourselves up for decreased range of motion and potential injury. "We're never going to be able to reach for the cup on the highest shelf anymore" if we don't balance out our muscles with exercise, says In...

feature by webmd Eggs When it comes to healthy eating, few foods have sparked as much debate as eggs. The latest research suggests an egg a day is safe and nutritious for most adults -- and if you eat that egg for breakfast, you’ll boost your odds of losing weight. The reason: Eggs are packed with protein, which takes time to digest. Eating protein in the morning keeps your stomach busy, so you eat less during the rest of the day . Steak For years, health experts have been admonishing us to eat less red meat. But steak is not always bad for the waistline. In fact, a lean cut of beef has barely more saturated fat than a similar size skinless chicken breast. Like eggs, steak is loaded with protein and can keep you feeling full longer. To get plenty of protein with less fat, choose T-bone, sirloin tip, or other extra-lean cuts -- and limit portions to the size of your fist . Pork Talk about a bad reputation -- the term “pork” is used to describe all kinds of excess, so it’s no wonder diet...

The cholesterol in eggs is no harm to health, scientists say Despite previous studies linking eggs to high blood-cholesterol levels, new research reports that limiting your egg intake—maxing out at three eggs a week—has very little impact on cholesterol and, ultimately, cardiovascular disease. A team of scientists from the University of Surrey in the U.K. analyzed several studies of egg nutrition and found that most people can eat as many eggs as they want without damaging their health. That’s good news since protein-packed eggs are one of the most nutritionally dense foods available. Elevated cholesterol levels (LDL higher than 100 mg/dL) can increase your risk of heart disease, but only about one-third of the cholesterol in your body comes from the foods you eat. The truly guilty parties are smoking, being overweight, and a lack of exercise. If you’re concerned about high cholesterol in your diet, it’s more important to limit your saturated-fat intake. That means cutting back on fatt...