Parents have an impact not only on their childrens body image but also that of their childrens children. Photograph: Anastasia Pelikh/Getty Images

Weight bias is as prevalent in todays society as diet plans. And detox teas. And the celebrities who promote diet plans and detox teas.

When we experience weight stigma and Im not talking about being fat, Im talking about feeling as if youre too fat it puts us at risk of disordered eating, makes us avoid exercise (especially in public), worsens our physical and mental health, and even limits our future employment opportunities.

While the mainstream media, the beauty industry, social media and health professionals weight bias all play their role in the macrocosm of body negativity, sometimes the most powerful influences are from those closest to us.

In particular, parents have an impact not only on their childrens body image but also that of their childrens children. A healthy attitude to ones body is a struggle to achieve even without the family baggage of body image issues.

Throw snide remarks from relatives into the mix and you have a situation that can not only be difficult for children, but also trigger parents weight concerns as they relive diet trauma from their own childhoods.

So for parents who are struggling with this all-too-common challenge, here are some ideas for filtering out the body negativity that can sometimes go along with free babysitting.

Your parents are so used to telling you what to do, and can become so fixed in their ways, that it can be really hard to get through to them. Without trying, they can see your comments through the lens of their (probably weight-biased) belief system, and also their judgments of your belief system (lets face it, counter-diet-culture ideas are still pretty new to people and far from widely embraced).

The way to cut through this is to go really deep. Be vulnerable and show them the real feelings going on underneath any anger or frustration. As they love you and (presumably) want whats best for you, this can be surprisingly powerful. If you feel they are safe to be vulnerable with, have the deep and meaningful conversation. Dont make them out to be the bad guy and try to shift your focus from the transgressions of the past to the possibilities of the future.

Sometimes (for a million reasons) the big sit-down chat wont (or doesnt) work. In this case, set up some clear rules for your house and kids. Your parents probably set rules with you, so they know how rules work. And if your parents dont understand (or agree with) the underlying principles, sometimes you need to be extra clear about the actions themselves.

Rules may sound something like, We dont talk about weight in our house, or, In our family, the parents provide the food and the kids decide what theyll eat. Rules may require constant reminders (Mum, Annas fine to eat some of that. Anna, you enjoy it, darling!) or have reasonable consequences, such as, When you mention my childs weight, either you leave or we do.

Despite your heart-to-hearts and rules, some parents just wont play ball. If you perceive your parents actions are really damaging, you may choose to limit contact with them for this reason. The contact that remains can provide a good real-time learning opportunity to educate kids about societys corrosive messages, and how to deal with them. Thats just Grandpa when he grew up there wasnt a lot of food around, so he gets really upset when people leave food on their plate. In our time we have too much food, so its OK to leave it if youve had enough.

It can also be a great opportunity to build resilience: I know Grandma said youre getting a little tummy, and that made you feel upset, but Grandma is a bit old and she sometimes says silly things it doesnt mean its true or we have to worry too much about it.

However you approach these sometimes challenging conversations, be sure to do it with kindness, empathy and understanding. No ones ever open to accepting feedback when theyre being hammered, and modelling good communication is the best way to encourage someone else to play ball.

Social change happens because people need it to, and elevated conversations really do have the power to create a better society. These conversations may not only help you and your children, but their children and the children of generations to come. After all, racism, homophobia and sexism are all to varying degrees dying slow intergenerational deaths why not fat phobia too?

This is an edited extract from Thinsanity: Seven Steps to Transform Your Mindset and Say Goodbye to Dieting Forever by Glenn Mackintosh, out now through Hachette Australia

See the rest here:
A heavy topic: how to change the way your family speaks about weight - The Guardian

ST. LOUIS Some of the accomplishments the Blues were able to get to after a 4-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Monday were par for the course, and one in particular tied a team record.

They tied a franchise record for consecutive home wins with nine, also set Jan. 26-Feb. 26, 1991; they won their fourth in a row, moved 11 points in front of the next closest challenger in the Western Conference with 67 points and tied atop the overall league standings with the Washington Capitals.

They're 21-0-5 when scoring first, the only team in the NHL without a regulation loss in that scenario, and they're 20-0-5 when leading after two periods.

But you wouldn't know it walking into that locker room Monday. It's already on to the next day, the next opponent, all about getting better.

This group is so even-keeled and focused on the task at hand, there's none of this "look at me, look at us" going on. It's all about the team goals and all about continually taking the next step forward.

"We've been doing a good job of that all year coming back to the rink the next day and getting prepared," said Blues forward Jaden Schwartz, who scored his 16th goal of the season and 17th point (eight goals, nine assists) his past 16 games and arguably playing the best hockey of his career. "Not too many games where we start off and we're on our heels and not into it. Guys are engaged into it physically. That's just mental preparation and being ready, every guy being accountable for how they're playing and they're showing."

How does this team stay so guarded? How can they not get excited about what's happening again?

"I think it starts from Chief [Craig Berube] and that same mentality every single game," said Blues goalie Jake Allen. "We enjoy the win for an hour after the game, have a beer, think about it, and then you move on real quick. I think he does a good job of coming to the rink with a new fresh attitude every day. Theres no postgame hangover, I guess you can call it. Its a new day, new start, new mentality and focus on the next one."

And that would be the Philadelphia Flyers to close out this five-game homestand. But looking up and down this Blues roster, no matter who's in or who's out right now, the confidence level from a team perspective is high and it's level across the board, and that's a dangerous component.

"I think as a group, yeah. Individually there might be some ebbs and flows and how guys are feeling with their individual game, but as a group and as a unit of 20, essentially every night were confident we can get a win in any situation," Blues defenseman Justin Faulk said. "Its just the group, the confidence in the group and how hard the group works. I think guys are backtracking, forwards are putting a lot of pressure on their guys when theyre trying to get line rushes and create opportunities and that makes it easy for us D and theyre getting on the forecheck too, and I think were working as a unit of five, and thats what we want to do every night and it makes it tough on opponents."

Does it ever. And when the group as a whole needs some experienced voices to keep everyone on the same page, those guys that have been there, done that will make everyone aware of where the team needs to be and what to do.

"I think a lot of it comes from our leaders," Allen said. "Our leaders keep everyone else accountable because they come to work every single night. So I think the leaders bring everyone into the fight. And thats what Ive noticed, obviously, not playing a whole lot but just watching them, observing, our leaders force our younger guys and our depth guys to come play every single night and its impressive. You use a guy like Steener [Alexander Steen] who doesnt take a night off, you know, 35 years old, almost a thousand games, probably could rest his legs every once in a while and hes buzzing out there and I think that it just brings everyones accountability up to another level and I think thats what makes successful teams happen in this league."

Who else is waiting for some sort of Stanley Cup hangover? It's bound to happen in a grueling 82-game season, right? Well, the Blues, as they did in winning it all last season, going from worst to first, continue to defy the odds.

"I think it's extremely hard to win in this league every night," Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said. "You have to be on top of it. You've got to have great leadership not only in your dressing room but with the staff and a manager. But when you look at their team the way it's put together, they've got a really solid group on the back end that can really move the puck, they're strong down the middle, and then knowing ... I had the great pleasure of coaching a guy like David Perron. I know how he's wired and I know how competitive he is and what a great person he is. When I see guys like that, I was able to coach Alex Steen when he was a younger guy and I was an assistant coach, but when I see those pieces in there, [Tyler] Bozak, another guy, when you understand the people that they have in the room, then they understand the success, right? It's quite simple to see, but it's amazing too. I still go back to it. That turnaround last year, I'm not sure it's ever been done before."

It hasn't coach, but the way this group is constructed, the way they have a respect for their coach and the systems that are in place, good things continually happen.

You just won't hear about it from the players.

But you will hear what needs to be reinforced from the coach.

"I think you always have to reinforce things," Berube said. "You've got to obviously make sure your teams motivated and ready to go. But I think this team has done a good job of that. Learned how to do it last year, with being even-keeled and understanding that you take any game lightly or you can get beat. Youre going to get beat if you do. So theyve learned that and theyre doing a good job of understanding, getting themselves ready. Holding each other accountable. Holding themselves accountable, that you've got to perform."

Performing they are, and in this home win streak, the Blues are outscoring opponents 36-15, or averaging four goals per game while allowing 1.67.

Oh, and by the way, they're doing it without their top goal scorer [Vladimir Tarasenko] and one of their top defensemen [Colton Parayko].

Good luck, and have fun trying to tear down this squad on any given night.

RELATED: It's the best time to be a hockey fan in St. Louis

RELATED: Defensive depth paying off for Blues

RELATED: Astros owner fires Jeff Luhnow, A.J. Hinch after both were suspended by MLB for 2017 cheating scandal

See the original post here:
Blues continue to win, display humble attitude in climb to top of NHL standings - KSDK.com

For those who want to exercise with a vibrating exercise machine, theres one thing you should know. There is a big distinction between whole-body vibration training and whole-body vibration therapy. The former is a more strenuous exercise wherein one makes use of the vibration machine in his/her fitness regime. The latter, on the other hand, is mainly used for recovery. Though its easy to mistake the two, and both do procure the same healthy results. Whole-body vibration training just requires a tad more effort. Its a sort of no pain, no gain type exercise even though using a vibrating exercise machine isnt painful at all.

Part of what separates whole-body vibration training to therapy is the involvement of aerobics. You can do all sorts of aerobic moves on the vibration plate and when you do, youre already doing whole-body vibration training on it. But which are the best ones to do? Here are a few suggestions:

Wide Stance

Whole-body vibration therapy is simply sitting or standing on a vibrating exercise machine. You do practically nothing while the vibrations work their magic on you. However, when youre not really just standing but actually doing a wide stance on the machine, this is when it becomes whole-body vibration training. Doing a wide stance isnt just standing around, its a conscious position that required you to stay within an upheld position for a long period of time. It also, in many ways, improves your posture too.

Lunges

Arguably one of the most classic aerobics moves, doing lunges on a vibrating exercise machine does two things. First is it teaches you to get in rhythm with a machine. A vibration machine is essentially a moving surface. If you simply do a lunge on it, chances are youll fall flat on your face. But when you get into the rhythm of the vibrations you can avoid such accidents! Secondly, lunges also help strengthen your leg muscles, very similarly to whole-body vibration therapy too!

Push-Ups

Now that youve gotten your feet in rhythm with the machine, its time for your arms too. Doing push-ups on a concrete floor is easy peasy. Its all a matter of lifting yourself up on a still surface. But try doing that on a vibrating exercise machine and it gets a lot more complicated. But also, it gets a lot more fun too. And at the end of it, you might even procure double the results in no time. Challenge accepted!

Pull-Ups

While youre at it, do pull-ups on the vibrating plate as well. One of two of the most well-known and arguably the easiest of aerobic moves, pull-ups can do a little tweaking. Imagine how many abs youll get when you pair it with whole-body vibration training! Instead of a four-pack, you might just end up with an eight-pack! But seriously speaking, theres nothing wrong with making the simplest of aerobic exercise more challenging with a vibration machine. It might even work better for you!

Calf Raise

When getting into the rhythm of your vibrating exercise machine, youre also improving your balance. Because without it, you wont be able to do any of the aerobics moves at all. Not even the simplest wide stance. So in many ways, the exercises, as well as the machine, can also work to improve your balance. And theres just the aerobic move to do that: the calf raise. When you raise your calf for a long period of time, youre actually teaching yourself how to balance on a moving surface.

Shoulder Lift

Can you lift yourself up with just working on your shoulders? Kind of like a push-up but the other way around? If you can, youre actually doing the shoulder lift, another great aerobic move to pair your whole-body vibration training with. More than just your balance, youre actually allowing your body to get used to your strength. Carrying yourself despite your hands resting on a vibrating exercise machine, youre practically carrying your whole weight on your two palms.

Quad Stretch

Remember, one of the best effects of whole-body vibration training is getting a more flexible body. And you can better ensure youll get this benefit if you do some quad stretched while on the vibration plate. Arguably, your quads are some of the lest flexible parts of your body. Theyre not exactly your arms, which are probably the first body parts you stretch when you wake up. Quads require their own stretching, which has since become an aerobics move. One that works well with whole-body vibration training.

Soft Squat

Theres improving the flexibility of your quads, and then theres strengthening them. For the latter, begin with soft squats when you first take on whole-body vibration training. This way, the tensions in that part of your body might slowly but surely fade away. Youre essentially relaxing them, and when theyre soothed, they become stronger and mighter. With each soft squat, your legs are becoming more and more tones. By the end of it, theyll probably end up looking the best in your physique.

Deep Squats

Now if you really want to strengthen those quads, do deep squats. On a vibrating exercise machine, squat as deep as you can to really get your muscles going. Sure, they might not end up as relaxed as you want, but surely enough, therell be fewer tensions there. As opposed to when youre lifting weights, for instance. At least, with whole-body vibration therapy, your quads dont have to suffer all the much to get stronger and more toned!

Planking

Imagine planking on a vibrating exercise machine. Imagine trying to keep completely still in a horizontal position with a moving surface under either your hands, elbows, or toes. Its really difficult, isnt it? Well, this is the sort of fitness you get when you combine planking with whole-body vibration training. Youre actually teaching your body to be more disciplined. To further push on with achieving your position despite the moving surface. Once you master this, the skys the limit for your fitness!

Whole-body vibration training can be a mix of aerobics moves and staying on a vibration machine for as long as possible. These moves might prove ost effective, but if you discover others that can work just as well, go for them. Get creative and courageous with your fitness!

Originally posted here:

Top Aerobics Moves To Go With Whole-Body Vibration Training - Omega Underground

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

Within the fitness industry, special attention is directed toward female members to ensure obstacles such as intimidation or discomfort around men in the weight room are impeded.

Some facilities created remote fitness spaces or removed mirrors to mitigate feelings of competition. Eliminating intimidation and encouraging inclusivity is a sensitive topic within our department. Creating an inclusive, welcoming and stress-free environment is important to our staff and any indication that students feel marginalized or unwelcome ignites our team, and we attempt to mitigate the obstacle to the best of our ability. Recently, a request came to get more women into the weight room, so I wanted to look deeper into this topic and find out if women want to be in the weight room.

As a woman who has participated in group fitness classes, played intramural sports, belayed rock walls, swam laps and lifted weights in weight rooms where few women were found, I began to challenge the assumption that women wanted to be in the weight room. Similar to other women, I have experienced feelings of intimidation, competition and feeling that I am on display in the weight room. And indeed, the majority of weight rooms Ive visited main-stream fitness centers across the United States as well as the US Army and Air Force gyms in the U.S. and in Germany were dominated by men. Most often I was the only woman in the weight room but I seldom asked myself, Where are all the other women? This space has always felt masculine and if I wanted to join my female counterparts, I would jump into a group fitness class.

Aerobic spaces, in contrast, has remained feminine since their induction into the fitness industry. Aerobic and group fitness locations were originally created outside of gyms as aerobics studios, fitness salons or women-only exercise studios. But today, we see the contemporary gym and recreation center now has it all: aerobics and group fitness classes are now in a combined recreational facility with weight rooms, functional training areas, rock walls, pools, day cares and more. This is an incredible evolution since YMCAs came into existence in the mid-nineteenth century and the first U.S. health club opened in 1939. Gyms have historically been labeled as masculine spaces. From Greco-Roman gyms to the strong man gyms of nineteenth century Europe, todays version of the public gym has advanced drastically in terms of inclusive participants and programming.

Lets also consider how having muscle is perceived differently by women. While musculature can be perceived as evidence of competence, different variations of muscle size provide different versions of femininity to different women. Many women desire slender toned bodies and equate the weight room as a place to bulk up and, therefore, exercise in areas outside of the weight room. Knowledge of lifting weights is held predominantly by men, and many women who do lift weights gained knowledge either through a trainer or past sports experience. Women who actively and confidently lift weights in the weight room, including the presence of female personal trainers, disrupt the knowledge gap between men and women in the weight room.

Womens presence in the weight room provides access and knowledge to other women, but we should also highlight that our staff, students and recreational programming is evidence of inclusive design. At our student recreation center, half of our personal trainers are women, 85% of our group fitness instructors are women, and all of our fitness programming is created and developed by women. Our department professional staff consists of over 60% women, and our student facility usage is nearly equal between men and women. In addition, fitness industry trends in functional training, HIIT and overall wellness programs which our department adopted reflect a movement toward activities that show equal interest in both men and women.

When we look at the creation of the majority of group fitness classes, workout routines, equipment and apparel, the fitness industry is dominated by men. Reactive tactics to steer women into spaces women have traditionally bypassed cannot reverse behavior that is innately part of the original system. A broader look and a larger conversation needs to take place about how we are part of the evolution of a new system. Lets talk about spaces, how it contributes to positive experiences and how these spaces construct positive identities. Our involvement, development and influence within the fitness industry is and must continue encouraging inclusivity to all people.

Women might not be equally present in all activities or spaces such as in the weight room, but our presence, encouragement and behavior as recreation professionals will continue to reduce the gender gap. Developing strategies that encourage all of our members the ability to personalize their fitness experiences and freedom, however they feel comfortable, is important and must continue.

2Newhall, Kristine E.. (2013). Is this Working Out?: A Spatial Analysis of Women in the Gym. PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) thesis, University of Iowa, 96. Retrieved from http://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/2594.

Read the rest here:

Women in the Weight Room - Campus Rec Magazine

Supplied

Southlander Dani Kramers, 12, has been training hard in the hope of competing at the FISAF Sports Aerobics World Championships, in France, in October.

At just 12-years-old,Dani Kramers holds a nationaltitlein competitive aerobics and now has her sights set on the world stage.

Kramers, who holds the New Zealand national title as the intermediate individual champion, hopes to competeat theFISAFInternational World Sports Aerobics andFitness Championships in France in October.

Kramers started dancingwhen she was three years old where she didjazz, lyrical andcontemporary.

Robyn Edie

Dani Kramers is ready to make her mark on the world stage.

Last yearshe added aerobics to the mix through the Dunedin-basedQueens Aerobics club.

She does 4 to 6 hours of coached training almost every week and even when she's watching television her family often find her stretching.

"[Aerobics] is just fun and upbeat.I put a lot ofdedication into it," Kramers said.

Robyn Edie

Dani Kramers in one of her many aerobic poses.

Kramers got intoaerobics after shetook part in Have A Goin year six at Donovan Primary and one of the judges could see she had potential, she said.

This year, Kramers would compete in various aerobics competitions in a bid at qualify for the world champs in France.

This includedcompetitions in Dunedin, Invercargill and possibly Melbourne.

Supplied

Dani Kramers in action competing at the nationals before she was crowned intermediate individual champion.

She also recently had a one-on-one coaching session with seven-timeFISAFaerobics world championBrentonAndreoli, who is based in the Czech Republic.

Proud father Riki Kramers said he always felt nervous for his daughterwhen she competed but knew how capable she was.

"I believe in her, she's competed in Australia for dancing ... [I] know what she can do."

He was also impressed by how his daughter could go between dance and aerobics so quickly when theywere technically different.

La Muse Invercargill aerobics coach Jess Ramsay said Kramers was the only Southlandercompetingfor the world competition.

"She's very determined.She often has to put her body on the line to do things [which is big] for a 12 year old."

The Southland Times

Original post:

Twelve-year-old Southlander sees world stage in her reach - Stuff.co.nz

Looking to get fit and healthy in 2020? Here are some great ideas for alternative fitness classes in and around Birmingham to boost your body and mind this year.

Founded in 2009, Fit Camp UK are a series of outdoor fitness bootcamps located in Tamworth and Sutton Coldfield. The 60-minute sessions are structured to include Body Weight, Boxercise Sessions with Gloves & Pads, TRX Suspension Trainers, Circuits, Partner Work, Kettlebells, Tyres, Battle Ropes, Kick Boxercise with Kick Shields and include a 10-minute warm-up, 45 minutes of various workouts of cardio and equipment training and a 5 minute cool down with stretches. Delivered by expert trainers, each class is different and caters for all ages and abilities, with clients ranging from 16-65 years old.

Price: 10.00 per session

For more information, visit http://www.fitcampuk.co.uk

Image: Duncan Walker

Enhance your health and fitness in fun-filled and friendly hour-long aerobics sessions that are designed for people of all ages and abilities. Delivered by fully qualified and licensed instructor Penny Mason with 25 years of teaching experience, the low-impact aerobic and body conditioning fitness sessions are available in Bournville and Smethwick from Monday to Thursday and include a warm-up, 30 minutes of standing cardio exercise followed by floor work that focuses on legs, bums and tums with cool down and relaxation at the end of the session.

Price: 7.00 per session or 36.00 for six consecutive sessions.

For more information, visit http://www.facebook.com/PennyMasonFitness

Image Credit: Duncan Walker

Body Synergy offers lots of alternative exercise classes including Pole Fitness and Aerial Hoop at Great Barr, Quinton and BCU Edgbaston that cater to a wide range of people looking for a healthier and happier mind and body. Get stronger and fitter with Pole Dancing Fitness, learn to make some beautiful shapes and spins and improve your flexibility before enjoying some peaceful meditation practise with aerial hoop circus art. Sessions are suitable for anyone of any age and ability.

For more information, visit http://www.bodysynergy.co.uk

Opened in 2013 and located on Cliveland Street, Heart Work Studios offers a wide range of versatile classes for dancers including contemporary, Bhanga, choreography, commercial and techniques for dancers. With both morning and beginner classes now added to their timetable, there are lots of opportunities for anyone and everyone to join and learn new skills for the new year, just a 5-minute walk from Birmingham city centre.

Price: Sessions range from 4.00 9.00

For more information, visit http://www.heartworkstudios.co.uk

Swimming is a great way to boost your fitness, burn plenty of calories and improve your overall well-being, and Birminghams first 50-metre pool offers numerous swimming sessions, aqua classes and Swimtag challenges to stay healthy. Located on Bristol Road, it is designed and timetabled to ensure there are always lanes available for members to swim. Aqua classes last for 45 minutes and are open to all adults of any ability.

For more information, visit http://www.sportandfitness.bham.ac.uk/timetables/pool

Read more:

Five great fitness classes in Birmingham to kickstart a healthy 2020 - Birmingham Updates

Its not Alzheimers disease, but it causes dementia.

Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) strikes in the prime of life, generally between the ages of 45 and 65.

Also known as frontotemporal dementia (FTD), its a neurodegenerative condition that affects personality, language, movement, and the ability to make decisions.

Rapid cognitive and physical decline can lead to death in under a decade.

However, a new study published in the journal Alzheimers and Dementia may give new hope to those who carry the genetic mutation that causes FTD.

Researchers say a systemic review revealed that physically and cognitively demanding lifestyles are associated with better brain health in relation to aging and Alzheimers disease.

The researchers noted the lack of studies on how lifestyle affects people with FTD.

Their recent findings suggest that those with a genetic predisposition for the condition can take action that may help.

The study involved 105 people who carry the genetic mutation that causes FTD.

All were either asymptomatic or had mild, early-stage symptoms.

Also included were 69 people who did not carry the genetic mutation.

Participants took a series of cognitive and memory tests. They were questioned about current levels of mental and physical activity. That included such things as socializing, reading, and walking.

MRIs of the brain were used to assess the degree of brain degeneration.

Follow-up MRI scans one year into the study showed that lifestyle did not have a significant impact on brain degeneration due to FTD.

However, those who were most mentally and physically active did twice as well on cognitive tests than those who were least active.

Genetic mutation carriers who had more active lifestyles were found to have more than 55 percent slower decline per year.

Dr. Rawan Tarawneh is a cognitive neurologist and assistant professor of neurology at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

She finds the study convincing.

Its fascinating because weve seen the role of physical activity in maintaining brain health in Alzheimers disease and vascular dementia. There hasnt been another study of this size and meticulous analysis in FTD, Tarawneh told Healthline.

It was well-designed, had a well-characterized cohort, and strong data. It covers a major gap in the field right now, she added. Its timely with our focus on physical health and mindfulness and mental exercise, particularly for people who have mutations that increase risk for conditions like FTD.

The study suggests that living an active lifestyle is associated with less functional decline.

Thats crucial because treatment options are limited.

Dr. David A. Merrill, PhD, is a neurologist and geriatric psychiatrist at Providence Saint Johns Health Center in Santa Monica, California.

He told Healthline the study is remarkable in that it involved verified cases of genetically driven FTD.

Those people, if they live long enough, will definitely develop the syndrome. The really sad part is theres no prescription medication and no known effective therapies for FTD. That leaves patients, families, and clinicians without effective options, said Merrill.

That more active people outperformed what brain scans would have predicted, based on the amount of atrophy, is mind blowing, he said.

FTD isnt as common as Alzheimers disease as a cause of dementia, and the symptoms arent quite the same.

Someone just beginning to show signs of Alzheimers disease might have prominent, rapid forgetfulness. Early FTD involves more language or behavior. It can be confusing for patients and loved ones when someone has a really strong memory but behaviors or language are impaired, said Merrill.

The researchers show evidence that even in the face of a genetic degeneration disorder you can have a positive impact on cognitive function. Use it or lose it applies even in the case of genetically driven dementia, he added.

According to Merrill, lifestyle is more powerful than any medicine for FTD. And its never too late to make changes.

For brain exercise, Merrill suggests a variety of stimulating activities such as puzzles, learning a new language or musical instrument, and engaging in conversation.

He recommends spending 30 minutes a day or more on these types of enriching activities.

For physical exercise, he points to the American Heart Associations recommendations of 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity plus weight training 2 days a week.

He cautions against overtraining to avoid injury and exhaustion.

We know that cortisol is toxic for the brain at high levels, so stress reduction is also important, said Merrill.

To help reduce stress, he recommends activities such as hiking, yoga, and tai chi as opposed to competitive athletics.

Its also important to get enough quality sleep.

Merrill was involved in a previous study at the University of California, Los Angeles showing that exercise and higher adherence to a Mediterranean style diet can affect brain structure and degeneration.

We can absolutely say both physical and mental activity is good not just for primary prevention, but for people who have this condition to prevent or slow down progression, said Merrill.

Study authors acknowledge that although their research shows correlation, it does not prove that lifestyle changes can alter the course of FTD.

Thats something that must be determined through additional research.

Study participants will continue to be followed. The researchers anticipate bigger differences between the more active and less active groups.

Clinical trials are taking place at the University of California, San Francisco Memory and Aging Center and at other institutions.

At the Pacific Brain Health Center, Merrill is currently involved in a prevention trial that combines cognitive fitness training with aerobics to maximize the benefits of both. Enrollment is ongoing.

Tarawneh has concerns that the benefit of lifestyle modification may be somewhat overestimated.

I dont underestimate the value of this study. Its very relevant, but this is not a cure. Its a safe, easy prevention strategy we recommend to all our patients for overall brain health. It will be more helpful for people who dont yet have symptoms and may delay onset or slow the rate of decline, she explained.

Ideally, we would like to have lifestyle modification as part of a bigger picture treatment plan that also involves medications that target underlying disease pathology, said Tarawneh.

Continued here:

What Younger Adults Can Do to Lower Their Risk of Early Dementia - Healthline

BEJON HASWELL/ STUFF

The Bar functional fitness gym owner Amber Bailey says people must realise going to the gym should not be punishment for enjoying time with family and time off work during the holidays.

Eating better and getting fit remain among the most popular 2020New Year's resolutions in South Canterbury.

The new year usually meansan increase in revenue for fitness-related businessesas consumers join gyms and purchase equipmentwith goalsto get into shape.

Amber Bailey, who owns The Bar functional fitness gymin Timaru, said like every year the number of people joining her gym since January 1 hasdefinitely increased.

BEJON HASWELL/ STUFF

Chris Williams, Amber Bailey, Hinemoa McMahon, Jo Williams, Carmen Tonks and Jan Gibbs get fit for the new year at The Bar functional fitness gym in Timaru.

"Our membership has increased, along with a rise in sports teams and kids wanting to train with us.

"We now have (Timaru) boys' high (school) rowing and South Canterbury athletics that attend weekly."

BEJON HASWELL/ STUFF

Shane Simms from The Cyclery in Stafford St has been busy with the high demand for bikes after Christmas.

Bailey said people must realise going to the gym should not be punishment for enjoying time with family and time off work during the holidays.

"Changing the date from the 31st to the 1st doesn't change you, changing from 2019 to 2020 doesn't change you. You must change you."

Website History.com reports that civilisations around the world have been celebrating the start of each new year for at least four millennia. The tradition of making New Year's Day resolutions goes back to the ancient practice wheretheRomansmade promises tothe two-faced Roman godJanus,after whom the month of January is alsonamed.

TheCycleryowner, James Smith, said there is always a "huge pick up" in bicycle sales immediately after Christmas.

"At this time of year, lots of people make it their New Year's resolution to enter an event, train for something or to simply shed the Christmas pudding," he said.

Smith said when focus begins to wane,the best method to stick at it is to find similarpeopleto to ride with.

"There are lots of social groups and having someone turn up at your door ready to ride with you drags you out, or if you have to meet someone else then that's the motivator one needs."

Among those who have stuck to New Year's resolutions is Hinemoa McMahon, at regular at a gym, who made her commitment to get fitter five years ago and says it has paid off.

"I am driven to get better. I have goals each year of what I want to do and what I want to achieve within the year.

"It is also about nutrition and that all comes with training. Your whole lifestyle changes. Better exercise and nutrition, you sleep better and function better."

Carmen Tonks started at a gym two years ago after being unfit and inactive and said she has not looked back since.

"It's really changed my life in general confidence-wise. It has also made huge changes in my personal life.

"I will absolutely recommend exercise as a New Year's resolution."

Institute of Physique Management's Anne Laing said a steady flow of member starts in January as people come back from their holidays, but these numbers are reduced by at leat 15 to 20 per cent after a "month or so".

"Feeling good about your body and the ability to achieve mini-goals gives you the confidence to continue making changes - cementing these habits until they are part of your long term routine."

The more peopleunderstand why and what is needed to be donethey will be in a much better position to change what does not work for them.

"Once you've identified where the problem is, the next step is to make simple gradual changes."

The Timaru Herald

Read the original:
Diet and exercise rank high among New Year's resolutions - Stuff.co.nz

Michael Ochs ArchivesGetty Images

YouTuber MattDoesFitness tackles new diets or workouts and documents the experience on his popular channel. In his latest video, Matt researches how Arnold Schwarzenegger trained and ate during his bodybuilding days. Then, Matt sets out to try Schwarzenegger's former meal and fitness routine for 24 hours himself.

According to Matt's research, Schwarzenegger followed a high-protein diet and consumed roughly one gram of protein per pound of body weight. For the YouTube star, this means ingesting 207 grams of protein a day.

"That's quite a lot of food," he says when looking at his breakfast.

He begins the day by eating four sunny side up eggs, two strips of bacon, oatmeal with honey, home made bread with peanut butter, and black coffee.

"This is way more than I typically eat in the morning," says Matt. Then, he downs a protein shake before heading to the gym, where he trains shoulders and arms. According to the YouTuber's research, the former Mr. Olympia trained twice per day while he was in his prime.

Matt begins with shoulders and completes the following exercises, which he says mimics Schwarzenegger's routine:

Admittedly, Matt lifts much lighter than he normally would.

"There's no way I'm doing that [workout] with any substantial amount of weight," he says.

He ends the session with a calf, forearm, and ab routine that he believes follows Schwarzenegger's split.

"That's the longest I've been in the gym probably ever," says Matt. "I've been in the gym for probably about six hours."

He heads home and downs sweet potatoes, salad, and steak. Then, he rests for a whilebut before long, he heads back to the gym to complete his arm workout:

After, Matt heads to the grocery store and picks up beer and rotisserie chicken, which he read was one of Schwarzenegger's favorite post-workout meals.

It's safe to say that Matt has reached his target protein goal since an entire rotisserie chicken contains roughly 164 grams of protein. But he begrudgingly snacks on cottage cheese just to be safe.

"If you love cottage cheese you're an absolute freak," he says. "Just look at it, how is that going to be nice?"

Living like Arnold just isn't easy, or realistic for the average man, according to Matt.

"The volume [of reps] was stupid obscene," he says. "Ninety-nine percent of the population cannot maintain that because you're going to get injured. You wouldn't want to be doing that long term."

Take Matt's advice, and leave Arnold's routine alone.

Men's Health

Men's Health Subscription

See the original post:
Watch This Bodybuilder Take on Arnold Schwarzenegger's Diet and Fitness Plan - menshealth.com

The paleo diet is one of the big 'buzz' diets of the last few years although it's arguably now been surpassed by the Keto diet, Have you ever wondered what it would be like to eat like a caveman? Perhaps not, but as well as helping you lose weight, paelo will also help you find that out as well.

The paleo diet, or Paleolithic diet to give it its full title, is a diet designed to mimic that of people who lived in the Paleolithic era of history. Clever, right? The Paleolithic period began around 3.3 million years ago, but whats important in the context of the paleo diet is that it was a time when food was sourced by hunter-gatherers, rather than by going to Tesco.

We dont know exactly what our prehistoric ancestors ate, but researchers believe they ate whole foods, which means food that is unrefined, with no additives. Thats a pretty sensible guess given they didnt exactly have the technology for much food-processing.

The concept of the paleo diet is that because Paleolithic people didn't have ways of processing and adding to food like we do today, they avoided many of the health problems we face in the 21st century. Today, scientists and nutritionists associate multiple diseases, diabetes, heart disease and obesity to name a few, with poor diet.

Foodspring Paleo Bar Mix 12 Pack | Get a box from Foodspring for 24.99 Probably the most convenient way to get your Paleo snacking right. The Foodspring Paleo Bar contains 100% organic natural ingredients and has no added sugar in it. Also, it has been precise engineered and manufactured in Germany, not in a dodgy third-world factory who knows where. Even better, it's now 5 off!View Deal

(Image credit: Pexels)

Because we dont know exactly what our ancestors ate, and because what they ate would depend greatly on what was readily available to them based on location and season, the overarching concept that 21st century paleo dieters should stick to is to only eat whole foods and avoid processed foods.

There is no calorie counting. Instead the Paleo diet removes food groups typically high in calories, such as carbohydrates.

Although there is no calorie counting, as with any method of weight loss the Paleo diet seeks to reduce calorie intake. This is because weight loss ultimately boils down to consuming fewer calories than you burn also known as a calorie deficit.

On the Paleo diet calories are reduced by avoiding sugary and high fat foods. Instead Paleo diet foods are low in fat and high in protein (on average you should look for 25 - 30% of your calories to come from protein if following the Paleo diet), which helps you burn fat and build lean muscle mass.

Studies have shown links between overeating processed foods that are high in things like salt and trans fats contribute to diseases like diabetes and heart disease, as well as weight gain. In theory, by only eating naturally-occurring, whole foods, our prehistoric ancestors were less likely to develop these conditions, and more likely to have have low BMIs (although they wouldnt have called it that, of course).

FitBit Aria 2 smart bathroom scale | was 119.95 | now 79.88 on AmazonThis clever scaletells you your weight, BMI and body fat percentage which is all a lot of people want. It then reports this to your Fitbit account, so you can monitor your weight trends and use it alongside your Fitbit wearable's daily calorie-burn estimates. Add MyFitnessPal or Fitbit's own dietary features and you can then sync your meal-plans, daily calories consumed and weight goals, if you want.View Deal

(Image credit: Pexels)

Paleo diet foods are foods that were available to our prehistoric ancestors and so should be naturally occurring and unprocessed. Meat and fish, fruit and vegetables, potatoes, nuts, seeds and eggs are all allowed, as well as herbs and spices and oils to help flavour your food.

Its recommended that you opt for grass-fed animals and organic produce where you can, but it depends on how strict youre being (and the price tag).

If youre not being too strict and know that you'll cave if you can't occasionally indulge in a treat, the recommended treat options are red wine and dark chocolate.

Try ClassPass today | Get the first month for FREE ClassPass is a monthly membership to over 30,000 fitness studios and gyms around the world. Mix and match your monthly credits and pick a class that suits you or just try a new class every time. Even better, up to 10 credits roll over every month so you don;t have to worry about losing your hard-earned money. Sign up for ClassPass today, first month is FREE!View Deal

The main food groups to avoid when following the paleo diet are grains, most dairy (anything that needs to be pasteurised or processed is not a paleo food), non-naturally occurring sugars and vegetable oils. In reality this does equate to a LOT of food, as many packets, jars and tins that youll pick up off a shelf in the supermarket will contain sugar or salt additives at least.

It will be considerably easier to follow the paleo diet if you start shopping in smaller shops like butchers and greengrocers, and avoid anything that comes in a packet, particularly if theres an ingredient you cant pronounce.You might be a little surprised to learn this includes dried beans, pulses, lentils and other seemingly very healthy things. But if a food wasn't available to Captain Caveman, it's not available to you in this diet.

The paleo diet is not specifically designed to be low-carb, but naturally given these restrictions you will find yourself consuming far fewer complex carbs.

(Image credit: Pixabay)

A significant difference between paleo and other diets is the absence of calorie counting. This means that there is no restriction on how much you eat, but instead a focus on what you eat. As a result, users describe the paleo diet as filling, without issues with hunger associated with other diets, such as the military diet or intermittent fasting.

One user, Sharon, told us that following paleo has given her loads of energy, and that she feels "no hunger or cravings as [the] food is lovely." She also experienced gradual weight loss.

Apple Watch Series 5 (GPS)...

Garmin 010-02158-00 Fenix 6,...

Polar Ignite GPS Watch - S/M...

Garmin Forerunner 245 (Berry...

Garmin Forerunner 245 GPS...

Garmin Forerunner 245 Music

Garmin Forerunner 645 Music

Garmin Forerunner 945 GPS...

Fitbit FB507GYSR Versa 2,...

The concept of the paleo diet is relatively new, but studies have been conducted to see how effective it is for weight loss.

One study found that a group following the paleo diet lost an average of 2.3 kgs and 1.5cm from their weight circumference after three weeks. Its important to note that the sample size was only 14 people.

Another study, which looked at 70 woman over a period of two years found that the half who followed the paleo diet lost twice as much weight within 12 months as the half following a low-fat, high-fibre diet. Whats especially interesting is that the women were assessed again after a second year and while both groups had put some weight back on, the paleo dieters lost 1.6 times more weight overall. It should be noted that this study was specifically on middle-aged women deemed to be 'obese'.

Paleo is not by any means an easy diet to switch to. While staying away from 'processed foods' sounds like a great idea, in this context it includes milk, flour, lentils and plenty of other staples of the western diet.

The paleo diet can be difficult to stick to due to the lack of fibre and higher prices of some of its staple ingredients. There have also been no large-scale, long-term studies that demonstrate its effectiveness or which have looked into potentially negative effects of the paelo diet. However, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence from people who have stuck to the diet that it can help with weight loss.

Fitbit FB507GYSR Versa 2,...

Fitbit FB410GMBK-CJK Charge 3...

Fitbit Ionic Smart Fitness...

Fitbit Inspire Heart Rate...

Fitbit Inspire Fitness...

Fitbit Versa Smart Fitness...

Fitbit Versa SE Watch - One...

Fitbit Versa - Special Edition

Fitbit Alta Hr Band- Black,...

Fitbit Charge 2 Band- Teal...

Fitbit Blaze Smart Fitness...

Fitbit Flex 2 Magenta (US...

Fitbit Alta Fitness Tracker,...

Fitbit Zip Wireless Activity...

FITBIT Aria 2 Band- White

Fitbit Flyer, Nightfall Blue

Fitbit Ace Purple/Stainless...

Read more:
Lose weight with the Paleo diet: everything you need to know - T3