You’re Probably Working Out Harder Than You Need To Be
That’s the headline of a Huffpost article. We didn’t read it but you can here if you are inclined. The headline was all we really needed to know.
- Jet Cannon
Fitness
More Than A Firm Handshake
Researchers are finding that grip strength has correlations to physical AND mental health. So our doctors should be checking it during routine physical exams. Read all about it in this USA Today article.
– Jet Cannon
Fast Coffee
How does a coffee snob take their coffee? Seriously. Very seriously.
Giving fasting a try this year? Health.com says, “That even during a fast, you can have that morning cup of joe. Coffee is a low-calorie option that fits into any fast and provides a nice pick-me-up with its boost of caffeine. It also has several other benefits, such as containing essential B vitamins, potassium, and magnesium. However, coffee is healthiest black or with just a splash of milk or milk replacement. Too much creamer or sweetener fills the cup with sugar, negating any benefits.”
– Jet Cannon
If Only We Hadn’t Taken Up Smoking In January
The Washington Post reports that Dry January can have some lasting benefits. Researchers found that people who abstained from alcohol for a month started drinking less the rest of the year and showed striking improvements in their health. On average they lost about four and a half pounds, their blood pressure dropped, and they had a “dramatic” reduction in their levels of insulin resistance, a marker for Type 2 diabetes risk. They also experienced sharp reductions in cancer-related growth factors. Dry January can also provide opportunities to form new habits — like turning down alcohol in social settings, which in the long run can be empowering.
– Jet Cannon
Peak Diet Month
Have you read the latest science-based diet book? Neither have we. This Washington Post article suggests we don’t need to. All those fancy schemes boil down to one thing that works. Burning more calories that we consume. Eating less, basically. Darn.
– Jet Cannon
Photo: The Conversation
Nothing Funny About The Benefits Of Walking
If you want to go running with us, you’d better be prepared to do a lot of walking.
Two lions were walking down the aisle of a supermarket. One says to the other, “It’s awfully quiet in here today.”
Two great opportunities are walking past a bar. The one says to the other, “Let’s go inside and get wasted!”
– Jet Cannon
Should We Exercise When We’re Tired?
Buzzed Boomer researchers are constantly looking for reasons NOT to exercise. Thanks to this CNN article we found another excuse. Since 1 in 3 Americans are sleep deprived, this affects a LOT of people. Without good sleep our bodies may not have time to recover from exercise. So, what do the experts say? They say, “Use common sense.” Common sense? Then why do we need experts?
– Jet Cannon
Water The Wonder Drug
Have you heard the joke about dehydration?
No?? That’s right. There’s nothing funny about dehydration.
This just in from Women’s World. In a study published this January in eBioMedicine, researchers concluded that consistently staying hydrated may slow down aging. It may also give you more “good years.” An adequate daily fluid intake is: About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men. About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women.
– Jet Cannon
Gimme a Break
If that New Year’s Resolution has you going full out on exercise this month, read this Men’s Health article on taking a break. Besides avoiding adverse effects of overdoing it, you may not lose those gains you’ve made.
“Going all out, all the time, is a sure path to exhaustion. It can lead to elevated levels of stress hormones and reduced immunity, as well as unduly stressing muscles, tendons and ligaments. Affording yourself time off every now and then will stop your motivation levels tanking, too. Even better, the nuclei (our cells’ control centers) we gain during periods of regular exercise remain in place even when our muscle cells shrink. To get a little sciencey, these residual ‘myonuclei’ allow us to regrow our muscles bigger and faster when we return to training after a break.”
Happy New Year!
– Jet Cannon
One Less Excuse
Not getting your steps in? Bad weather? No safe place to walk? A compact or under desk treadmill might be the solution. For less money and less space required than for a fully-featured running treadmill, a compact can be used while working at a desk or watching TV. And if you do find an excuse not to use this handy exercise aid, slide it under a couch!
-Jet Cannon
Is it February Yet?!
More than a third of U.S. adults, 35%, took part in Dry January in 2022, a “significant increase” from the 21% who participated in 2019, according to CGA, a company that researches the food and drinks market. Out of those who intended to abstain from alcohol, almost three-quarters, 74%, told CGA they succeeded.
- Jet Cannon
Finally, Reasons NOT to Exercise
Just kidding. But consider this from Slate magazine. The best reason TO exercise is not to lose weight or improve health but to feel good. That’s what matters most, right? Feeling good!
– Jet Cannon
Walking in a heated wonderland
Walking is good for us. We’ve gone on and on about it many times. Yet for many of us it’s freakin’ cold out right now. As Men’s Health says, “The colder it gets, the more insulation you need to stay safe and comfortable, but walking around with 4-5 different garments on your upper body is about as enjoyable as it sounds. Our solution? Cut down on the bulk by adding a heated jacket into the mix. There’s nothing quite as luxurious as wearing heated gear in the winter. Throwing one of these winter jackets on is like having a hand warmer (or heated sock) for your entire body, and yes, that’s as nice as it sounds.”
Click here for their 2023 recommendations! There’s one for $100 that’s machine washable! No excuses to get those steps in.
– Jet Cannon
In Search of the pleasurable workout
According to the LA Times, Stoned+Toned is fitness company that blends cannabis and fitness in pursuit of community and a more pleasurable workout. A “Pelostoned” Facebook group has thousands of members who smoke cannabis and ride their stationary bikes. So much for the lazy stoner.
– Jet Cannon