Although this shoe is technically categorized as a training shoe," the SlipSpeed is durable enough to take on some short runs (think 3-5 miles, max). They're not designed for running, but given their convertible nature, they're a good option for people who want a shoe they can easily slip on for weight lifting workouts that can also handle some short runs.

"They're more of a hybrid shoe/not really a great runner. But I do love them and love the concept of them for ease of use," says Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S., MH Fitness Director.

The SlipSpeed shoe utilizes UA Flow tech cushioning for a lighter, quicker trainer that offers exceptional grip and ground responsiveness. The shoe also employs UA's Boa Fit system, ditching the need for traditional laces, and offers a "turn dial" lacing system that locks in snugness. Another great aspect: the breathable upper material, which gives the feel of a personalized 3-D printed shoe. It also has a unique gel-padded insole featuring UA's ISO-Chill technology, which helps keep your feet cool while running, which comes incredibly useful once summer really heats up.

Here is the original post:
The Best Under Armour Running Shoes in 2023, Tested by Certified ... - Men's Health

No matter where you look, guys are talking about stacks. Big Sean, for one, who bragged in a recent single: "I been on my supplements, fish oils, chlorophyll, multis..." Tech newsletter The Information declared the supplement stack is Silicon Valleys latest invention and gave 11 business leaders the MTV Cribs treatment for their medicine cabinets, in which they touted cocktails for goals ranging from productivity to dialing back their biological clock. There are now sleep stacks, productivity stacks, libido stacks, and yoga recovery stacks.

On the r/StackAdvice subreddit (54,000 members) you can find users touting their gaming stacks and dopamine stacks. This subreddit also shows the power ascribed to stacks: one user asked if theres a stack to make you an extrovert, while another asked what nootropics enhance charisma and reduce social anxiety. Vitamin company Nourished offers a custom gummy that is a literal stack: layers of supplements pressed into a sandwich based the users personal information and intended goals.

View more

A stack, in its most basic form, is basically just a bunch of stuff. In optimizer-brain parlance, sunlight, exercise, and rest are all stackable. But it most often refers to nutritional supplements, which are unregulated and range widely in their ingredients, from vitamin C to caffeine to things like tianeptine, which has earned the name gas station heroin. (Not a good component for most stacks.)

Before Silicon Valley executives were optimizing for peak email response times and/or eternal life, meatheads were more than familiar with the concept of the stack. A 1998 article about MLB slugger Mark McGwires advanced supplement routine notes that one of his old reliables, Androstenedione, was available in a supplement bundle called Andro-Flav Stack produced by Great Earth Vitamins. The companys marketing managerlocated not in Silicon Valley but Long Islandsaid the stack was very popular, with the 18 to 35-year-old muscle-head.

These muscle-heads were also first to the nutritional supplement stack: caffeine and sugar for pre-workout pumps and protein cocktails for post-workout recovery. Bodybuilding.com lore shows this dates from far before any guy in a fleece vest knew about ashwagandha. But now, there are stacks for every guy, even those uninterested in benching two plates.

The concept of a stack, from Silicon Valley executives to niche subreddits, feels psychologically sticky. Brady Holmer, a researcher at Examine.com, an online resource that synthesizes research about various supplements, diets, recovery protocols, told GQ he first noticed an increased deployment of stacks during the nootropics craze a couple of years ago.

Nootropicswhich Holmer says is a meaningless termresonated with Silicon Valley executives as well as more experimental biohackers. Tech CEO Bryan Johnson included nootropics in his supplement stack, as part of his goal to Benjamin Button himself while raising awareness for Blueprint, his company that offers a way to build your autonomous self. This Bryan Johnson is not to be confused with Brian Liver King Johnson, the guy who employed the OG stacksteroidsas a way to bolster his credibility to spin a different ancestral stackdesiccated testicle and organ capsules.

Either way, both Johnsons are pushing stacks. As Holmer sees it, the stack mentality can also make the same routine feel more regimented, and therefore more effective. In the world of fitness and supplementation, there's definitely this mindset of one thing is good, so more equals better, Holmer said. Well, caffeine is good, but also caffeine plus L theanine plus ashwagandha, that that must be better, right? All of these supplements have data to show effects on neurotransmitters, Holmer said, and one can devise a mechanistic story about how these products must work in synergy.

But unfortunately, he says. a lot of those ingredients aren't often studied together." The individual supplements in the stack are studied independently. And then the mechanisms are kind of lumped together, like, this is going to do this when you take them all at once. However, theres not a lot of evidence to support that, he said. But I think thats one of the appeals of stacks.

On top of cognitive performance, Holmer has also seen stacking applied to morning routines, such as sunlight, hydration, and deep breathing protocols. Hes personally interested in stacks around training, such as stacking cold plunges before exercise or sauna post-exercise or to optimize potential benefits.

To decide what to incorporate into your stack is more difficult than just doing your own research, Holmer said. If you want to find evidence that something is going to work, you can find a study for that. (This is the confirmation bias component of the logical fallacy stack.) He recommends trying one supplement at a time, if at all, to see if its right for you.

The linguistic deployment of the term stack does a lot of heavy lifting, according to Colleen Derkatch, professor in the English department at Toronto Metropolitan University and author of Why Wellness Sells. Derkatch studies how language shapes our understandings and experiences of health. What it does," she said, "is reframe ordinary aspects of living as a system, This language adds a rationale, motivation, and purpose to things you may have already been doing. (Simply referring to your workouts protocols does seem to have a powerful effect for this reason.)

Still, Derkatch doesnt see stacks as something the marketing department whipped up from thin air. Marketing doesnt create markets from scratch, she explained. Instead, it must tap into existing needs. Weve been told for decades that health is an individual responsibility and consumer choice, and weve internalized that logic, she said. So public interest in things like supplement stacks, regardless of their efficacy, makes perfect sense.

The stack mindset is amplified in an era of the optimization-at-all-costs, where we often think of the body in terms of instruments of productivity, Derkatch said. (In the same song where Big Sean rattles off his stack, he says that I overwork and do shit I don't have to do.)

Unbridled pharmaceutical advertising has also reframed our way of thinking, she said, and the same logic has been deployed in the wellness sphere. (e.g. Ask your doctor if XYZ is right for you, a type of pharmaceutical advertising only allowed in America and New Zealand.) Supplements are even easier to market and advertise, since theres no pesky doctor or FDA required.

Its worth remembering that a stack is a very small piece of a much bigger puzzle. If youre trying to build a table of health, nutritional supplements might be like a coaster that you wedge under one of the legs to make it even. And while a stack may be a compelling way to think about your supplements, exercise, or recovery protocols, its only as good as its components, and the fundamentals matter much more than anything that comes in a bottle.

The rest is here:
Everybody Has a Stack Now - GQ

Exercise and sports are a fantastic way to lead an active life. You not only enjoy better physical health, but an active life also boosts mental health, improves your immunity, and your strength. However, working out also comes with the inevitable risk of picking up an injury. Most injuries happen due to poor form, lack of concentration, poor pacing, ego lifting. Basically, all of the reasons for injuries can be avoided.

What kind of injuries you are likely to suffer depends on your choice of exercise or sport. For example, if you are a runner or play football, the injuries you are likely to suffer are very different from what strength training or playing cricket could lead to. Gym and boot camp enthusiasts are particularly susceptible to injuries due to the high intensity and variety of exercises involved," says Vaibhav Daga, head of sports science and rehabilitation, and sports medicine consultant at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai. Here are the five most common injuries associated with strength training and boot camp-style workouts.

SIMILAR STORIES

Sprains and strains: These are the most common injuries among gym and boot camp enthusiasts, says Daga. Sprains and strains occur when a muscle or ligament is stretched beyond its limit, leading to pain and swelling. These injuries can be caused by a sudden movement, improper form, or the overuse of a muscle group. Sprains are also often caused by poor infrastructure such as uneven surface and damaged equipment. Who doesnt know a friend who has suffered a sprained ankle due to broken pavement or potholes?

The fix:Rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE) is the standard treatment for sprains and strains. Daga recommends that those who suffer from sprain and/or strains should take a break from the exercise that caused the injury and give the affected area time to heal. Over-the-counter pain medication and physical therapy can also help speed up the recovery process," he adds.

Prevention strategy: The best way to avoid sprains and strains is to properly warm up before exercising and preparing the muscles for the upcoming workout. If you want to increase the intensity, load and duration of the workout, do so gradually, advises Daga. Also, ensuring proper form and technique during exercises and using proper equipment and footwear will help prevent sprains and strains.

Knee injuries: Knee injuries are common, due to the high impact and intensity of exercises. These injuries can range from mild strains to severe ligament tears, warns Daga. These can be caused while performing squats, shuttle runs, and various jumping movements.

The fix:The treatment for a knee injury depends on the severity of the injury. Rest, ice, compression, and elevation are the standard treatments for mild to moderate injuries. However, in case of severe injuries, surgery followed by rehab could also be necessary.

Prevention strategy:Remember to warm up. Also, make sure you dont overextend the knee joint, especially while landing during jumping workouts. If you are squatting with heavy weights, always have a spotter around or a safety catch in case you fail so that you dont collapse under the weight.

Lower back injuries: These can be caused by movements such as squats, deadlifts, high pulls, push-press, military press, and also complex Olympic lifts such as clean and jerk and snatch. These injuries can range from mild strains to herniated discs, says Daga.

The Fix: The treatment for a lower back injury depends on the severity of the injury, but like with strains and sprains, the first treatment protocol is rest, ice, and physical therapy for mild to moderate injuries. Severe injuries require assessment by qualified medical expert and might require surgery.

Prevention strategy:Warm up, cant stress this enough. Avoid ego lifting, especially while attempting deadlifts and squats. Never attempt too much (both reps and load-wise), too soon, to prevent overuse injuries. If you feel a twitch, avoid exercises that put excessive strain on the lower back, such as heavy deadlifts and squats.

Foot and ankle injuries: Foot and ankle injuries are among the most common injuries out there and can range from mild sprains to severe ligament tears.

The Fix:The treatment for an ankle injury depends on the severity of the injury. Compression, rest, and ice are the standard treatments for mild to moderate injuries. Severe injuries like fractures or ligament tears can call for medical intervention and a long period of recovery and rehab.

Prevention strategy:Wearing proper footwear for the exercise you are performing is important. Some exercises can be performed barefoot, too but then you expose yourself to the risk of crushing your toes under weights being carelessly dropped in the gym by yourself or others.

Shoulder injuries: Shoulder injuries can range from mild strains to severe tears and can be caused by a variety of factors including overuse, improper form, and lack of warm-up. It can cause a range of symptoms including pain, weakness, stiffness, and limited range of motion in the shoulder joint. The severity of symptoms will depend on the type and severity of the injury. Exercises involving shoulders such as push-ups, shoulder press, military press, push press, bench press, high pulls, snatch and clean and jerk, can lead to shoulder injuries.

The fix: Start with icing and avoiding upper body workouts if you have sustained a shoulder injury. If the pain is severe, consult a medical expert as it might require specialist care and intervention.

Prevention strategy:Preventing shoulder injuries in gym and boot camp enthusiasts involves warming up and cooling down properly. Use proper form, avoid overuse of the joint, and increase intensity gradually. Strengthen your shoulder muscles, avoid repetitive overhead movements, and take rest days.

Shrenik Avlani is a writer and editor and the co-author of The Shivfit Way, a book on functional fitness.

Read more:
5 common fitness injuries and how to prevent them - Mint Lounge

Being one of the world's strongest men means you can rip record breaking amounts of tin from the floor and pull lorry-loads of weight behind you, but it doesn't absolve you from feeling pain. Hafthor Thor Bjornsson found that out when he attempted a PR bench press of 556lbs (252kg) during a competition at his gym in Iceland this past weekend.

The 34-year-old was lowering a heaving barbell to his chest when the accident happened. The pop from his pec being literally torn apart can be heard in the video which was being live streamed at the time as can Bjornsson's shrieks of pain that immediately followed.

Thankfully, Thor's spotters quickly jumped in to remove the bar from his chest and he has since said that, a few days on, he's doing okay considering everything'. Still, with his arm now in a sling, he has admitted to facing some new and embarrassing challenges, dealing with what he's described as the biggest injury of his entire career.

Wiping my a** is difficult, Thor told his YouTube subscribers. I am left handed and putting my underwear on is difficult. I have to figure out how to recover as fast as possible.

Bjornsson revealed to his YouTube followers that he will today be going for an MRI scan to reveal the exact injury and, he says, he's expecting a long lay off if it is as serious as he thinks it is. That doesn't mean he'll be laying off going to the gym altogether though, and Thor has actually already been back training since his horrific injury occurred.

Came to the gym today and did half-an-hour of cardio, Bjornsson said, just to keep my sanity and get out of the house.

See more here:
New Footage Emerges of Moment Hafthor Bjornsson Suffered ... - Men's Health UK

People who are suffering from chronic kidney disease or any other kidney ailment should take extra care of what they consume while eating or drinking. Apart from following an active lifestyle, it is important to stay hydrated. Here are seven superfoods that you should be eating to keep your kidneys in good health.

Updated Apr 24, 2023 | 04:17 PM IST

Ayurvedic Superfoods That You Should Eat For Good Kidney Health (Image credit - Unsplash)

Apples

You must have heard the famous saying that an apple a day keeps a doctor away. An apple also boosts kidney and heart function as the soluble fiber in apples can help lower cholesterol and glucose levels effectively. In fact, the peel of an apple is a source of antioxidants, especially quercetin. You can also have fresh apples as they are also rich in vitamin C. You can use them raw and sprinkle some cinnamon along with a few drops of honey.

Berries

Berries are a great source of antioxidants and helpful nutrients. Blueberries, in particular, are rich in antioxidants and are a low source of vitamin C and fiber. Apart from kidney disease, they also protect the body against various cancers and heart diseases. You can also add strawberries and cranberries to your diet to protect kidney health.

Citrus fruits

You must try to get more and more Vitamin C for robust kidney health. Citrus fruits like lemons and oranges have this mineral in abundance. In fact, some studies have claimed that consuming diluted lemon juice or lemon water daily can decrease the rate of kidney stone formation.

Red grapes

Yet another superfood that can help patients with chronic kidney disease, red grapes are low in sodium, potassium, and phosphorus. Kidney patients are advised to avoid these minerals. The flavonoids present in red grapes give them a reddish color.

Kale

A member of the cabbage family, this green vegetable is packed with vitamins A, C, and several other nutritional components. Dark leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale are packed with vitamins and minerals that promote healthy kidney function.

Red bell pepper

This flavorful vegetable is low in potassium, making it ideal for those suffering any kidney ailments. In addition, its richness in vitamin C, A, B6, fiber, and folic acid makes it a good superfood during kidney disease.

Sweet potato

The richness of sweet potato in several vitamins and minerals makes it ideal for consumption any time of the day. The high fiber content in sweet potato further breaks down slowly, making it an ideal food for reducing weight too.

What to avoid?

There are some foods that you should avoid to prevent kidney damage. CKD patients should avoid phosphorus-rich food such as meat, fish, dairy products, most grains, legumes, and nuts. Apart from that, protein in the form of red meat can also be harmful to the kidneys.

Conclusion

Keeping a tab on what you eat, or drink is crucial in kidney disease. Even if you are a healthy person with no kidney ailment, these superfoods can help in preventing any damage to your vital organs. Apart from these options, people with kidney disease can also consult a good Ayurveda practitioner or doctor to have a fair idea of what to eat and how. They can also suggest to you some herbs or spices that help in recovering from kidney ailments naturally, without any side effects.

Originally posted here:
7 Ayurvedic Superfoods That You Should Eat For Good Kidney Health - Zoom TV

Zendaya has made a name for herself as an actress, what with her Emmys and Golden Globe awards and all, but people forget that shes a singer, too. Well, Zendaya just hit up Coachella with a gentle reminder that she can do pretty much everything.

Z, who hasn't performed since 2015, hit the stage in a flouncy pink mini dress and knee-high lace-up boots that showed off her seriously strong legsand she gave people a show.

Zendaya sang alongside Labyrinth at this years Coachellaher first musical performance since 2015.

Zendaya later shared several snippets from her concert in her Instagram Stories and its clear she had the best time. Wish yall could understand how loud it was last night, she wrote over one video of her heading onto the stage. When I tell you this is exactly what I heard in my ears, my mic pics up every single one of you. So thank you for singing along, it was one of the only ways I knew what I was singing LOL.

This content is imported from youTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Zendaya has been having some serious legs moments lately. There was this one at Paris Fashion Week:

This one at the Valentino show:

And this Valentino campaign shot:

Zendaya previously told Justine Magazine that shes not always motivated by exerciseso, she tries to find ways to spice things up. For me, I enjoy dancing and doing choreography, stuff like that. So, that's how I get my exercise, she shared Find something that's really fun for you. Whether that's jazzercise or whatever.

This content is imported from youTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

Zendaya later shared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that she wore different wigs to work out during the height of the pandemic to entertain herself and her assistant. Every daybecause I missed acting so muchto inspire me to go downstairs and work out, I would wear different wigs, because I have a whole collection of wigs from all the red carpets that I've done," she said. "I wear a different wig [and] come down in a different character."

On the food front, Zendaya told Harpers Bazaar that shes not a breakfast person, even though she loves breakfast foods. I'll eat breakfast food, but it must have some Nutella on it: pancakes, berries, and Nutella, she said.

Zendaya is also honest about her culinary skills. I don't cook. I think I could cookI can do anything I put my mind to, so I could cook. I just (a) don't like following directions, and I'm (b) too lazy, she said. So, she tends to order in. I usually try to ask everyone in the house what they want, but the final decision is mine, she said. If I want Chick-fil-A, you guys are going to have Chick-fil-A. I will order something for you, but it will be from where I want.

Welcome back to the stage, Zendaya!

Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Mens Health, Womens Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a masters degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.

Go here to read the rest:
Zendaya's Killer Legs Were Toned AF As She Performed At Coachella - Women's Health

A CHANGING OF THE GUARD took place in the world of strongman this week, as a new champion was crowned as the World's Strongest Man and one of the greatest ever to compete in the strength sport took part in his final competition. The event took place in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina from April 19 to 23.

Canadian athlete Mitchell Hooper claimed the 2023 title in just his second WSM appearance, dominating in his qualifying group and the final round of competition by winning three of the six events outright (Shield Carry, Deadlift, Bus Pull) and tying for the top spot in another (Max Dumbbell Press). He was outside the top two in just one event (Fingal's Fingers). Hooper totaled 53.5 points for the victory. This was a massive jump from last year, when Hooper finished outside the podium in eighth place in his debut.

The thing I love the most about strongman is the incredible community," Hooper said following his win. "We support each other and I think you can see that in spades when we are out here competing against one another. That is true at the local level, the pro level and world level. We are not short on people to be inspired by in the strongman world. I feel very lucky to be part of it and hope to grow that as much as I possibly can."

Tom Stoltman, the two-time defending defending champion, finished just behind Hooper with 49 points. Stoltman won the other two finals events (Fingal's Fingers and Atlas Stones). Oleksii Novikov, the 2020 winner, rounded out the top three with 41 points.

Todd Burandt

Brian Shaw, the four-time winner taking part in his 16th WSM competition, called it a career after a seventh place finish. Shaw finished second in his qualifying group to make the finals, a massive effort in his final showing after battling an infection during his pre-competition prep. He retires with the second-most wins in WSM history, and widely considered among the best strongman athletes ever.

The 2023 World's Strongest Man competition is over, but you'll still have an opportunity to catch the action on TV. Coverage from the event will air on CBS and CBS Sports Network later this May.

Brett Williams, a fitness editor at Men's Health, is a NASM-CPT certified trainer and former pro football player and tech reporter who splits his workout time between strength and conditioning training, martial arts, and running. You can find his work elsewhere at Mashable, Thrillist, and other outlets.

Read the original post:
Mitchell Hooper Wins World's Strongest Man 2023 as Shaw Retires - Men's Health

Switching from a Fitbit smartwatch or tracker to an Apple Watch doe means changing the way you view your goals, targets, and achievements, and will initially alienate and frustrate Fitbit users switching to the Apple fitness regime.

Youll get used to it but Apple hasnt made it easy for switchers to find a natural match for their beloved Fitbit experience. As with getting fit, you need to work at it.

Apples Activity app focuses primarily on Movement, Exercise, and Standing rather than Fitbits more straightforward Step, Floor, and Distance measurements.

Fitbit users will be put out by Apples different approach to fitness and health metrics, but there are ways to make the transition easier and force the Apple Watch to behave more like a Fitbit.

Fitbit switchers will have to show some patience and flexibility when moving to the Apple Watch and may never get the same simple joy they previously enjoyed with Fitbit, but the Apple Watch does offer much better smartwatch functionality and closer interaction with the iPhone.

About me: Ive been a Fitbit user since the original Classic pedometer in 2009. I have reviewed Fitbits, from clip-on trackers to smartwatches, but it looks to me like now is the time to change to an Apple Watch, despite my love of being a Fitbit user.

Since being bought by Google in 2019, Fitbit devices appear to have slipped down the new owners priority list for new features and enhancements.

Indeed, the latest Fitbit smartwatches have actually lost features, and are now more like fitness trackers in a smartwatch shape. The newest versions of the Fitbit Versa and Fitbit Sense (Versa 4 and Sense 2) are not as advanced as their predecessors (Versa 3 and Sense). They have been kneecapped in terms of on-device apps and streamlined (Fitbits words) on former favorites such as challenges and social groups. Just read our sister title Tech Advisors reviews of the latest Fitbit Versa 4 and Sense 2.

The Versa 4 and Sense 2 basically had their third-party app support ripped out and lost even some of Fitbits own functions, such as Music Control and, weirdly for a Google product, Google Assistant.

Google appears to be focusing on its own more expensive Pixel Watch, which incorporates Fitbit health tracking. If you want a proper smartwatch, Fitbit is now the wrong solution unless you choose the Google Pixel Watch. Google even states that the Pixel Watch features Fitbits most accurate heart rate tracking yetanother slap in the face for iPhone-using Fitbit fans.

Foundry

As the Google Pixel watch works only with Android, iPhone users must switch to Apples Watch for smart features. Fitbits trackers do have some smart featuressuch as notificationsbut if you want a proper watch experience with your iPhone, Google/Fitbit is forcing you to Apple.

The Google Pixel Watch is also more expensive than Fitbit smartwatchesstarting at $349/339 compared to the Versa 4 at $199/179. That said, switching to the Apple Watch is not cheap either, with Watch prices starting at $249/259 (SE) and rapidly rising to $799/849 (Ultra).

iPhone users will soon face the inevitable and must look at the Apple Watch as an alternative smartwatch, or just move to the top-end Fitbit trackerssuch as the more-than-able Fitbit Charge 5.

Foundry

Counting the number of steps you make during the day is at the core of Fitbit metrics. While the daily 10,000-step target is not based on actual science, its well held by medics that even gentle walking to this level is definitely good for your health.

10,000 steps are about the same as walking four to five miles, depending on your stride, and a number that has been linked to a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease (heart disease, stroke, and heart failure), multiple types of cancer, and dementia.

Fitbit uses Steps as its primary goal, although you can switch this to Distance, Calories, or Active Zone Minutes if you preferbut Steps will always remain an important target. Apple, on the other hand, does not regard steps as one of its three primary fitness goals (Move, Activity, Stand). Apple instead concentrates its red Activity Move ring on how many active calories youve burned, the green Exercise ring on how many minutes of brisk activity youve done, and the blue Stand ring on how many times in the day youve stood and moved for at least one minute each hour.

But what if you want to keep counting the number of steps you make each day via the Apple Watch?

While you can see steps inside the Activity app, Apple doesnt offer a way to display it as a complication on the face, so you need a third-party app such as Pedometer++.

This is how you add steps to the Apple Watch via complications.

Note that, unlike with Fitbit, the step count that now shows on your Apple Watch clock face isnt a live step count but is updated on a regular basis.

Foundry

Just note, if you set the bottom complication to Steps & Distance you get a more accurate step count than you do in the top left Steps one. Neither is a live step count, so depending on when they update, youll often see different step counts.

Switcher tip: Fitbit users are going to have to rewire their fitness-measurement brain when switching to the Apple Watch. Steps are not entirely out but the motivating Red, Green, and Blue Activity rings take a little getting used to. Some will prefer steps to be at the forefront, but its like youve changed personal trainer, youll find new motivation tactics work in the end.

Apple and Fitbit count the number of floors you walk/climb each day using the built-in barometric altimeter to count flights climbed based on atmospheric pressure changes.

Again, Apple doesnt regard the floor/flight metric as a primary measurement, and you have to go through the same rigmarole as you did with steps if you want to show flights on your Apple Watch face. Otherwise, the stats for flights climbed is found in the Activity app with some scrolling down to get to the numbers.

Switcher tip: Floors climbed is not used as a main fitness metric, so youll you need to use a complication as described in the Steps section above.

Its the same story for showing the distance you walked, run, or hopped through the day. You can set it as a complication in the Activity Digital clock faceat the bottom in Steps & Distance works well enough.

Switcher tip: Like steps, then you need to manually set up a complication to see the distance traveled.

Apple

Counting calories either in or out of the body is quite a subjective process, so Apples insistence on Calories Burned as a primary goal seems an oddly unequal one.

Many people equate calories burned as a weight-loss rather than movement metric, and it could suggest that fitness is about being slim rather than being healthy. Fitbit, to its credit, doesnt even show Calories as a metric to child accounts. Calories can be a toxic measurement.

Apple uses your personal informationheight, weight, gender and ageplus other daily activity metricsincluding your Active Metabolic Rate or AMR to calculate how many calories you burn.

Fitbit devices combine your basal metabolic rate (BMR) based on the physical data you entered into your Fitbit account (height, weight, sex, and age) with the rate at which you burn calories at rest plus your activity and heart-rate data (AMR) to estimate your calories burned at rest and in exercise.

Fitbit considers that at least half the calories you burn in a day are used up maintaining vital body functions (such as breathing, blood circulation, and heartbeat). Because your body burns calories when youre sleeping or not moving when you wake up Fitbit shows you the calories already burned, and this number increases throughout the day.

The number you see on your Fitbit device is your total calories burned for the whole day. The number you see on the Apple Watch is just the supposed calories burned through exercise.

It is not as accurate a measurement as counting steps, and its a curious one for Apple to hang its hat on. While its easy to compete with friends or plan a day based around walking, boasting about calorie burn is just not a real thing.

Most activity tracker users dont regularly change their physical datafor example, weightso as this changes, the calorie count becomes less accurate.

Switcher tip: No device is accurate at calculatinglets be honest, estimatingthe number of calories burned, but the red ring on the Apple Watch Activity app is a primary goal Fitbit users will just have to get used to when they switch. Please, Apple, allow users to customize this ring to Steps.

Fitbit counts Active Zone Minutes (AZM) as your time spent in any heart-pumping activity. Its default goal is based on the medically recommended 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week.

It rates your activity based on your age and resting heart rate, and then determines which of three active zones you reach during the day. The harder you work the more credit you get: one minute in the Fat Burn zone earns you one active zone minute (AZM). A minute in the Cardio or Peak zones earns you two AZMs.

Fitbit devices buzz you as you enter each zone.

While Apples Activity app relies on arm motion and the Watchs accelerometer to track Movement (the red calories ring), the Exercise measurement (green ring) uses the accelerometer and heart-rate sensor and GPS.

The Exercise ring tracks how many minutes you spent exercising during the day. Apple Watch measures your heart rate and movement to count Exercise minutes and fill up your Exercise ring. Apple says it is looking for any activity thats at least as intense as a brisk walk.

By using the Workout app, you help the Watch count Exercise minutes more accurately.

Your Apple Watch is looking for an elevated heart rate while sensing movement.

Switcher tip: If you are happy with a simple Exercise goal, then Apples Exercise ring is easier to understand than Fitbits Active Zone Minutes, but you get more detailed breakdowns from Fitbit on heart-rate during exercisenicely visualized in the Fitbit app.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

What Fitbit calls Exercise is called Workouts by Apple.

Workouts tracked by Fitbit: Walk, Run, Bike, Elliptical, Stairclimber, Interval Workout, Hike, Yoga, Circuit Training, Pilates, Martial Arts, Kickboxing, Swim, Outdoor Workout, Spinning, Golf, Bootcamp, Tennis, Treadmill, Weights, Workout.

Workouts tracked by Apple Watch: Walk, Run, Cycling, Elliptical, Rower, Stair Stepper, HIIT, Hiking, Yoga, Functional Strength Training, Dance, Cooldown, Core Training, Pilates, Tai Chi, Swimming, Wheelchair, Multisport.

Both activity devices can automatically sense that you have started certain forms of exercise and suggest you begin tracking them.

Fitbit will automatically track: Aerobic workout, Elliptical, Outdoor bike, Run, Sports, Swim, Walk.

Apple Watch will automatically track: Indoor Walk, Outdoor Walk, Indoor Run, Outdoor Run, Elliptical, Rower, Pool Swim, and Open Water Swim.

You can turn off auto-workout detection on both devices if you find it bothersome, which it can be if you are out and about moving around for longer than 15 minutes.

Apple gives you much more on-wrist detail about your workout when its ended or paused, plus split information during your run or walk. Fitbit users have to swipe to get as much on-wrist data during exercise.

Both Fitbit and Watch app store and share past exercise/workout data in more detail on the phone in the Days of Exercise (Fitbit) or Activity (Watch) sections. Fitbits data visualizations are more simple and easy to digest. Apples are more hardcore sports science in looks. The simple exerciser will prefer Fitbits friendlier graphics. More dedicated sports enthusiasts will dig Apples graphs.

Foundry

On a tracked walk or run, the Apple Watch will show you the workout duration, active calorie burn, heart rate bpm, average pace and distance. With more swiping, Fitbit shows you workout duration, steps, active zone minutes, active calorie burn, heart rate bpm, average pace and distance.

Switcher tip: In the moment, the Apple Watch gives you more detail than Fitbit about your exercise, but the casual exerciser will take some getting used to Apples pro sports data displays.

One of my favorite health prompts is Fitbits Hourly Activity tracking, which suggests you get up and walk at least 250 steps an houryou set which consecutive hours you want to be prompted on.

Apple takes this further by making it one of its primary goals, with its own blue ring in the Activity app.

Apple calls it Stand, and thats nearly all you have to do: get up out of your chair and mooch about a bit for a minute, and you are rewarded with a ping and a congratulations if you havent got up for the first 50 minutes of the hour. Wheelchair users get a prompt to Roll instead of Stand.

Fitbits 250-step rule makes you work harder for your hourly reward than Apples Stand count. You can get a Stand point if you get up and wander off to the toilet in the night.

Switcher tip: Both Hourly Activity and Stand are helpful, and Fitbit users will quickly appreciate the lower threshold of the Apple Watchs Stand metric, but thats maybe just me being lazy.

Apple is much more lively when it comes to suggesting you pick up the pace when it comes to hitting your goals, although the Watch can be told to quit the personal-trainer chat.

Its also politer, with a Good Morning message that reminds you of the Watchs battery levelparticularly important given the Watchs feeble battery life.

At first, I found the activity rings to be too simplistic compared to Fitbits raw step count. But the more I used the Apple Watch, the better I appreciated the rings as a quick motivating signal, and the numbers are also included on the Digital Activity clock face.

Switcher tip: Fitbit users might miss the weekly Fitbit Progress Report email that summarizes your 7-day effort across multiple statistics. But for during-the-day motivation, the Apple Watch is a better motivator.

Foundry

Monitoring your heart rate is core to both Fitbit and Apple Watch, and both do an excellent job at using this data to power insights into your exercise and general health.

Both calculate the number of times the heart beats per minuteyour heart rate in bpmusing a technology tongue-twistingly called photoplethysmography.

When your heart beats, capillaries expand and contract based on blood volume changes. To determine your heart rate, the optical heart-rate sensor in the Fitbit and Apple Watch flashes green LEDs hundreds of times per second to detect these volume changes in the capillaries above your wrist. Then your device calculates how many times your heart beats per minute.

Your Resting Heart Rate (RHR) is the number of times your heart beats per minute when youre still and well-rested and not dashing around, lifting weights or playing tennis. In general, your RHR should be between 60-100 bpm. Under 60 is normal for super-fit athletes.

Your heart rate will increase when you are more physically active (your heart is working to pump more oxygen-rich blood around your body), and both devices use this data to determine how much energy you are using while exercising.

Your target heart rate should be about 50-70% of your maximum heart rate during moderate-intensity activity like walking. To find your normal maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220. During more intense exercise activity, your target heart rate should be about 70-85% of your maximum heart rate.

Both Fitbit and Apple Watch can also check Heart Rate Variability (HRV), which is the variation in time between heartbeats. People with a higher HRV have better cardiovascular fitness and might be more resilient to stress. Mindfulness, meditation, sleep, and physical activity can help improve your HRV. A significant drop in HRV may indicate that your body is experiencing illness, stress, or depression or anxiety.

To get to your HRV data from your Apple Watch, open the Health app on your iPhone, tap Browse and then choose Heart. Here you can find your Heart Rate, Resting Heart Rate, Heart Rate Variability, Walking Heart Rate Average, Cardio Recovery and Cardio Fitness, plus High Heart Rate Notifications and electrocardiogram (ECG) readings.

Fitbit users should check the Health Metrics section of the Fitbit mobile app, where they can see their Breathing Rate, Resting Heart Rate, and Heart Rate Variability. In the Today section of the Fitbit app there are heart-rate and cardio-fitness graphs. Heart Rate Notifications can be found here, too.

Another important heart rating is known as VO2 max, which is the maximum volume of oxygen your body can import, transport and utilize in a single minute during intense physical activity. Fitbit and Apple use VO2 max in their Cardio Fitness scores.

The electrical sensors on your Fitbit or Apple Watch detect your heart rhythm. When you use a special electrocardiogram (ECG) app, your heart rhythm data is analyzed for signs of Atrial fibrillation (AFib), which is a type of irregular heart rhythm, caused when the upper chambers of the heart beat out of rhythm.

An ECG can help diagnose some heart conditions, such as abnormal heart rhythms and coronary heart disease (heart attack and angina).

You can check your ECG with the Fitbit Charge 5, Fitbit Sense and Fitbit Sense 2, and on Apple Watch Series 4, Series 5, Series 6, Series 7, Series 8 or Ultra; the ECG app is not supported on Apple Watch SE or Fitbit Versa 3 & 4.

Switcher tip: Both Apple and Fitbit measure the same heart measurements. Its easier to see your current heart rate on the Fitbit clock face, although you might have to tap to find it if you are on another measurement display. You can set it as a feature on the Apple Watchs Digital Activity clock face, but actual data is still a tap away.

Foundry

The duration and quality of sleep is now seen as a major and significant health metric. Measuring sleep length and quality, and then trying to improve both is also a fascinating project. After all, going to bed earlier is surely easier than running a half marathon. Having a decent nights sleep is not always easy, however, and so knowing your sleep quality by the minute can be a useful tool.

Both Apple Watch and Fitbit can track your sleep and do so in similar ways.

Apple Watch can estimate the time you spend in each sleep stageCore, Deep and REMas well as when you might have woken up.

Fitbit estimates your sleep stages using a combination of your movement and heart-rate patterns. While youre sleeping, it tracks the beat-to-beat changes in your heart rate, known as heart rate variability (HRV), which fluctuate as you transition between Light, Deep, and REM sleep stages.

Fitbits Sleep Stages graph (viewed in the Fitbit iPhone app) is better looking and more informative than Apples (in the iPhones Health app), which looks a little squashed and fuzzy.

Fitbit shows the most recent and a 30-day average of your sleep stages, and can benchmark this against people of a similar age and gender. It also shows your estimated oxygen variation here, but hides some detailed data (your Snore Score, Sleeping Heart Rate and Restlessness) behind the Fitbit Premium paywall.

Apple shows most recent, weekly, monthly and six-monthly sleep data in rather difficult to gauge column graphs. It also shows your respiratory rate, and sleep duration over the past seven days.

While both Fitbit and Apple can monitor your sleep, Apples recently improved sleep-tracking functionality is let down by the Watchs much shorter battery life.

The Apple Watch SE and Series 8 have a battery life of between 18 and 24 hours, depending on your usage.

The Fitbit Versa 4 has a 6-day battery life, which means it is far less likely to die on you during the time you are sleeping.

If you charge your Watch overnight, sadly sleep tracking is impossible. To ensure you can get sleep data every night, youll need to top of the Watch battery during the day, each day. With Fitbit, you need worry maybe twice a week at most.

Switcher tip: Fitbits sleep analysis is better, but Apple is catching up. But if sleep measurement is important to you, then switching from Fitbit to Apple watch means you must be methodical in your device charging to ensure that the Watch is powered up for the night.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

The Watch SE and Series 8 have an 18-hour battery life, or 36 hours in Low Power Mode, which disables Always On display, heart rate notifications, background heart-rate and blood oxygen measurements, and the start workout reminder

Read more here:
How to switch from Fitbit to Apple Watch - Macworld

WHEN YOU NEED to power up your posterior muscles, there are few more effective exercises than the deadlift. There's one deadlift variation that may have gotten lost in the weight room shadows, however, that just might be one of your best options for homing in on your hamstrings and building resiliency in your lower back: the stiff-leg deadlift.

The stiff leg deadlift is far from a new exercise, and may not even be the best hamstring exercise in your arsenal, even if Arnold once included them in his routine during his Golden Era bodybuilding reign. Many gym-goers today are either unfamiliar with this move or typically opt for the popular Romanian deadlift instead.

The stiff leg deadlift wont be a movement you'll use to bust out a new 1RM, like its standard or sumo-style counterparts, but stiff-leg deadlifts can still be a viable addition to your workout, says Mens Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S.

I like to think of it as an emergency hamstring exercise, Samuel says. If you are in a situation and you only have barbells or you only have dumbbells, and you don't have access to any of the other tools that can train your hamstrings, then maybe you're going to go to the stiff-leg deadlift, that way you can get that hamstring engagement."

The stiff leg deadlift doesn't allow you to work with a ton of weight and offers a more specific goaltargeting the hamstringsthan the conventional variation, so it doesn't really qualify as a go-to deadlift for everyone's routine. Samuel thinks of the movement as an "emergency exercise," to be employed when other hamstring focused movements aren't an option.

This is a good exercise for people who might struggle to find an exercise that allows them to feel hamstring engagement.

The stiff leg name is a bit of a misnomer. Your legs won't be completely locked throughout the movement, so don't make that a major cue. That said, you will be working from a position where your knees are more straight than during conventional deadlifts.

That's the primary difference between the two: with stiff leg deadlifts, your goal is to perform the move with as little knee bend as possible. Because you're working from a "stiffer" position, your hips will be working from a higher position, requiring your torso to become more parallel with the ground.

You'll see three results from this position:

The setup for the stiff leg deadlift is similar to what you'll do for a conventional deadlift.

There are several other hamstring exercises that may work better than stiff leg deadliftsSamuel mentions leg curls, Nordic curls, and even the conventional deadlift for most people. However, you can use this as an accessory exercise to get the hamstring engagement you might want.

Just make sure that you don't load up the bar with a ton of weight. Samuel suggests aiming for about half of what you'd use for your standard deadlift load (or even less). Since you're using lower weights, you can work with high reps and sets. Start at about three to four sets of eight to 10 reps. Make each rep slow and methodical, with a focus on pushing your butt back, bracing your core, and keeping your knees as stiff as possible.

Jeff Tomko is a freelance fitness writer who has written for Muscle and Fitness, Men's Fitness, and Men's Health.

Brett Williams, a fitness editor at Men's Health, is a NASM-CPT certified trainer and former pro football player and tech reporter who splits his workout time between strength and conditioning training, martial arts, and running. You can find his work elsewhere at Mashable, Thrillist, and other outlets.

Read the original here:
How to Do the Stiff Leg Deadlift to Build Hamstring Strength - Men's Health

It turns out that spending more time with mans best friend at a young age can actually help decrease the risk of developing allergies to certain foods.

We already knew that kids who grow up in rural areas around animals have a decreased risk of allergies, said Allergist Dr. Troy Baker, with Kaiser Permanente in Virginia, but this new study shows that having a pet around, no matter the environment, can help decrease risk of developing certain food allergies as well.

A new international study out of Japan, involving more than 65,000 children, shows that kids exposed to household pets, such as cats and dogs, were less susceptible to having allergic reactions to eggs, nuts, wheat, and milk.

Having a pet in the home can actually change the microbiome in your gut, Baker said. This means that you develop new helpful bacteria that you otherwise wouldnt have been exposed to without a pet being present in the home.

He added, That can be more beneficial when were talking about less risk of allergies.

Early exposure is key. Baker said being around pets, even in the embryo state, could kickstart the immune system to develop this new helpful gut bacteria.

When is the crucial age for a child to be exposed?

If a mother is pregnant, and then the baby is born, all the way up until 3 years of age, Baker said.

Baker said there are exceptions to the rule, but that this new data is encouraging for all pet lovers out there. He said its something the scientific community will continue to look at, and is hopeful even more data about other decreased allergy risks associated with having pets can be brought to light in the future.

Read more:
Pets in the home can decrease food allergy risk for kids - WTOP