Last year, Charlie Puth was in Toronto, playing in front of 15,000 screaming, idol-worshipping fans. It was his first crowd, and his first performance of his new tour. And, for the first time in a while, Puth was feeling confident. So confident, in fact, Puth did something on stage hed rarely done before.

Just out of pure joy to be back on tour and playing music again, I was like: you know what, this shirt is full of sweat, I might as well take it off, Puth, who met with Mens Health at his home in L.A., says. To the surprise of absolutely no concert-goer in the history of music, the stage disrobing caused Toronto to erupt. Everybody went crazy, remembers Puth. It just made me feel really good about myself. Its kind of cheesy.

Cheese or no cheese, for Puth, the shirtless moment came after a year of hard work and confidence building. He'd earned it.

Puth first blew up in 2015 as a featured vocalist on Wiz Khalifas single from Furious 7, See You Again. His debut album followed, went platinum, and sent Puth on his path to stardom. (In the past couple months, he's kept busy, releasing the singles I Warned Myself and the bona fide jam, Mother) But Puth has always had trouble seeing himself as a star, and he's spoken about being bullied at school and suffering a nervous breakdown when all the fame got to be too much.

But a lots changed for Puth over the last few yearsand not merely his star recognition. Hes given up unhealthy dietary and fitness habits, and in the wake of this new lifestyle (and to his complete surprise), Puth has discovered some non-physical boons of wellness: being healthy has made his music even better.

The moment I started eating healthier and not eating chicken fingers every day, I started coming up with ideas quicker, Puth says. A year ago, he was eating a half-healthy diet healthy in the morning and then in the afternoon pigging out on Fish Filet and other indulgences of that nature.

Puth says now hes usually up at 7 or 8 a.m., getting in a healthy breakfast right away, which includes coffee and a shakealmond milk, almonds, apples, bananas, yogurt and cinnamon, all mixed together. Lunch now includes grilled salmon with thyme and lemon, along with sweet potatoes and broccoli. Dinner might be sashimi, avocados, cucumber. Fish Fillet and chicken fingers aren't gone forever, thoughthey stick around as occasional cheats.

[My goal] is not to become too bulky, but to find that happy medium of just being cut and in shape. I dont want to look like Arnold Maybe like 30 percent Arnold.

Puth says he also changed his fitness habits to the betterment of his music makingand his mental health. I found that when I started working out, my music-making process got better, because I think my mind was less crowded. Puth now hits the gym almost every morning before going to the studio. His most conducive exercise, he says, is working out on the treadmill; it acts as his meditation and allows him to zone out. Its like driving, the pop star says.

Puth explains that what he and his trainer do in the gym is minimal (bodyweight, free weights, light machine work), but with maximum results. Its a strategy he translated in the studio: producing minimalistic beats, but making sure his vocals on top are at their maximum. So in a weird way, Puth explains, his exercise mentality has helped inspire parts of his upcoming album.

Exercise for Puth means utility. It means feeling confident on stage and clearing his head for work in his studio. He doesnt want to destroy himself chasing after the perfect bodyjust a near-perfect body. [My goal] is not to become too bulky, but to find that happy medium of just being cut and in shape, he says. I dont want to look like Arnold [Schwarzenegger] maybe like 30 percent Arnold.

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Charlie Puth - Diet and Fitness Routine - menshealth.com

Its not a magic bullet, but its a tool in our toolbox, said Norrie Gregoire, director of corrections in Walla Walla County.

He introduced Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) in March to the jails options for those wanting to get off opioids and other drugs.

And although he said he had some skepticism at first, he and others have seen it help addicts since then, and wanted to let residents know medication was a good choice for some inmates. For those on medication and others trying to get off opioids, the program offered wraparound services, such as therapy, and linked inmates to outside resources to help them stay off drugs after they were released, he said.

Becky Groom, a contracted nurse for the facility, said she gives inmates medication for MAT, usually Suboxone three times a week, and has seen vast improvements since the program was added. She said before MAT, someone in withdrawal would just get a mixture of drugs, such as hydroxyzine, Zofran, and Klonopin, to help ease anxiety and other symptoms.

They relieve some of the symptoms, Groom said. (withdrawal is) a lot like the flu Theyre just miserable and grumpy.

She added symptoms typically last about five days, depending on how long and how much addicts had used.

Since MATs addition, Groom said drugs, such as Suboxone which is used at the jail alleviate symptoms within three hours. People also reported having zero cravings for their drug of choice after taking Suboxone, she said.

Groom said she believed the program worked.

Because it saves a lot of lives, Groom said of why it was needed.

She added Suboxone worked better than any other drug shed ever provided to people who wanted to get off and stay off opioids.

The treatment is given in sublingual form after sweeping inmates mouths for foreign objects, she said. The under-the-tongue treatment was common, she said, adding the number of times per week it was given had changed at the jail a few times, with the current thrice-weekly chosen because it was harder for inmates to give it to another inmate: They would have more withdrawal symptoms, as theyd have to wait for the next time it was given.

As of early September, 11 inmates were taking medication for addiction, she said, and seemed to be having successful results.

Getting results

Besides immediate results, MAT has provided lasting impact for many, Groom and Gregoire said. However, Gregoire said hes still worried some sober inmates would return to their old habits after being released, which could result in death.

Their tolerance decreases They go back to their same peer group and get a fatal dose (of drugs, he said. He added he believed that has happened in the area.

Still, the positive outcomes outweighed the negative, he said, such as cost and lasting impact. It was about $23.80 per week per inmate for Suboxone, he said, which was cheaper than using a combination of drugs, at about $40 per week, due to the amount of medication required. Inmates were charged for any medical treatment not covered by their insurance, with the jail getting some help from county money. The amount of time people stayed on medication varied, depending on the persons needs.

A lot of people just really dont take care of themselves on the streets, he said. Its frustrating for Becky because she makes appointments on the outside (for inmates before being released) and they never follow through. They wind up back where they started.

However, a couple handfuls of people who were rearrested only were in jail on technicalities, such as not checking in with their probation officer, instead of being on drugs and committing other crimes, Gregoire said. Those people had maintained their sobriety, he said.

I like seeing those small victories, Matt Stroe, jail commander, said. Sometimes it takes baby steps.

Taking steps

Five women in one cell at the jail were among those taking steps toward changing their lives, including Sonya Cantu, 49, of Walla Walla, said shes been incarcerated most recently since Aug. 15 and has about another 10 months left on her sentence in jail for possessing meth. She said she submitted an application to participate in the program when it was offered, which hadnt been available on her previous stays, and had enjoyed it so far. To be in the program, inmates must submit an application and abide by certain rules. In exchange, theyre given certain freedoms, such as art supplies, she explained.

Everyones on the same page as I am, Cantu said of her four cellmates. Theres no judging We all have a different story, but we work together.

Cantu said she wasnt taking medication for treatment, but participated in the programs counseling, cognitive therapy, and other activities. She and her cellmates were also trustees, which meant they could do chores in exchange for walking outside while supervised.

One of her inmates, Crystal Velasquez, 34, of Milton-Freewater, said shes had multiple run-ins with the law, with the most recent being charged with first-degree kidnapping, second-degree attempted robbery, and unlawful imprisonment, in connection to a womans beating and holding her against her will.

Velasquez said she expected the charges to be dropped, but since being booked on June 2 was taking advantage of MATs cognitive therapy, as she wasnt taking medication, and planned to return to her tattoo apprenticeship at Inkspiration on Isaacs Avenue after she was released.

She said shed relapsed on alcohol and meth right before her recent charge and wanted to remain sober because her life depended on it.

I wasnt supposed to make it, Velasquez said. But they (Gregoire, Stroe, others) advocated for me Were (inmates) really fortunate.

Womens recovery is saving my life, cellmate Leslie Moreno echoed.

Excerpt from:
Treating inmates with therapy, medication | Health & Fitness - Walla Walla Union-Bulletin

A group of students gathered on the front steps of the Hatcher Graduate Library on Friday evening for Breaking the Silence of Stigma on Mental Health, an event meant to address how stigma surrounding mental health impacts communities of color.Live Love Fitness LLF and the University of Michigans Asian American Association co-hosted the event. Different representatives from organizations across campus also came to support including the Black Student Union, CAPS in Action, United Asian American Organizations and Hope for the Day.Tiffany Yoo, event organizer and the founder of Live Love Fitness LLF, spoke at the event about her struggles with mental health from middle school to college. Her speech centered around how she felt she couldnt confide in anyone throughout high school and most of college.During my senior year of high school, I was obese and that didnt help with the depression, which I didnt really understand because nobody would talk about it, Yoo said. Nowadays people know what depression is, even as a child. But back then I had no idea what it really was because I thought I didnt know anyone who had it because no one would talk about it.Yoo explained the stigma surrounding anxiety and depression held her back from going out of her comfort zone and making new friends.I was very afraid of people knowing what I was going through because I just wanted to make new friends, Yoo said. I didnt want people to gossip about me, to be mean, label me as like, Oh, shes like that depressed girl, she has issues.Yoo decided to create the event to address the specific challenges Asian Americans face around mental health. LSA senior Jason Lee, the advocacy chair for UAAO, agreedt that discussing mental health is a taboo in Asian American communities.Breaking the stigma is important because no one talks about it. When you put it in the context of the Asian American sphere, you are kind of taught to be silent, Lee said. Whenever there is an injury, whether its your physical or mental well-being, you never talk about it. It probably amounts to something bigger and it gets to a point where you just kind of burst. And I think that is something that resonates with a lot of people way too often and way too much.In a speech, LSA senior Thomas Vance, a representative from BSU, discussed the different challenges students of color face when trying to discuss their mental health with their families.There are a couple common themes. The first one is religion, Vance said. A lot of Black elders say, Oh, you can just pray it off, or Oh, thats Satan. Those are not very helpful, especially if youre not religious but your parents dont know you arent religious.Vance also noted how parents may sometimes believe in their childs mental health struggles, but do not perceive it as a top priority. He also discussed the varied resources on campus for students struggling with their mental health, including the Counseling and Psychological Services and the student organization Wolverine Support Network.(CAPS) really helped me my sophomore year to develop tools and coping strategies, and those types of things Its definitely been effective for me, Vance said. Wolverine Support Network is a student-run mental health organization that just creates different spaces for students in different places of community. They are always trying to branch out and seek new members but also seek new people who are just interested in having those types of conversations.LSA senior Catherine Gong came to the event as a student representative from the CAPS in Action program. She discussed the importance of hosting this event at the beginning of the school year during September, which is National Suicide Prevention Month.I think that student suicide is not a heavily discussed topic, but its very prevalent, Gong said in an interview with The Daily. Suicide is the No. 2 leading cause of death in college-aged students, so its definitely something thats really prevalent, but not heavily talked about. I think that events like this are pretty important because they bring problems like this to the surface.

See original here:
Students highlight mental health stigma in communities of color - The Michigan Daily

The headline says it all. Theres reiki and spirits! Yoga and spritzers! And an event called Lilith Ferris which, yes, is a play on the 90s music festival Lilith Fair. Bet you never thought Sarah McLachlan and the Dallas fitness scene would come together, but here we are.

Heres a brief itinerary for fun ways to feel fit this September.

To celebrate Session Pilates third anniversary (and opening three studios), owner Brittany Grignon is throwing a mini festival thats all about empowering women. The all-female lineup ( la Lilith Fair) includes Caroline Kraddick, Not Ur Girlfrenz, and Forever Starts Today, with 100 percent of the events proceeds going to The Family Place and Deeds Not Words. Naturally, the day kicks off with a Pilates class.

September 21 from noon to 10pm at Ferris Wheelers

Super Yoga Palace is bringing their goods vibes to Bar & Gardens plant-filled space on Ross for a slow flow and deep stretch (with some light Reiki sprinkled throughout). Treat yourself to a hard-earned complimentary clean wine and spirits tasting after class.

September 21 at 10am at Bar & Garden

Does anything sound more pleasant than a Saturday morning of yoga on the Four Seasons Terrace Lawn followed by organic Italian wine spritzers? Oh, and a portion of your ticket fee will be donated to Yoga 4 Cancer.

September 21 from 10 to 11:30am at Four Reasons Resort at Las Colinas

To celebrate the national holiday, TruFusion is teaming up with the West End Historic District to hose a complimentary Pilates and yoga class on the seventh floor of newly built The Luminary (which boasts some killer views).

September 25 at 6:30pm in The Luminary

In honor of National Womens Health and Fitness Day, the VersaClimber studio is offering complimentary themed classes (including Women That Rock and Hip Hop Divas) all day long.

Wednesday, September 25, at the West Village studio

Of all the baby animal yoga classes, this one seems the riskiest. But high risk, high reward, you know?

September 26 at 6pm in the Adolphus Hotels Grand Ballroom

Dallas first experiential fitness festival includes live music, food and drink vendors, as well as a local artist showcase, but the workouts (led by some of the citys best studios) are the main attraction.

September 27 and 28 at Omni Dallas Hotel

On Sunday, September 29, book a spot in the red room and feel good knowing that your $32 is going to Equality Texas, which advocates for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights.

September 29 at 2pm at the West Village studio.

Read more:
There Are So Many Good Fitness Events This September - D Magazine

To the untrained eye, a chess grandmaster might not seem like an elite athlete chess, after all, requires intense concentration and hours of sitting.

But for these world class chess players, training their bodies for peak performance is key to staying on top of the rigorous mental demands of the game, ESPN reports.

The World Cup of Chess is taking place now through Oct. 4 in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia. During a major tournament like this, chess players can burn up to 6,000 calories per day just from the physiological effects of stress and thinking, Robert Sapolsky, Stanford professor of neurology and neurosurgery told ESPN.

Grandmasters also "sustain elevated blood pressure for hours in the range found in competitive marathon runners," Sapolsky said.

And just like an athlete might adjust their diet and workout routine ahead of a game, chess grandmasters have developed unique ways to stay fueled and focused.

Here are the strict health habits that chess the top two grandmasters use to train for a competition, according to ESPN.

World chess champion Norway's Magnus Carlsen poses with the FIDE world chess championship trophy after beating challenger.

TOLGA AKMEN | AFP | Getty Images

Magnus Carlsen, the 28-year-old chess grandmaster ranked No. 1 in the world, used to drink orange juice and water for energy during chess games, but noticed that the sugar was making him crash.

At the suggestion of an Olympic performance specialist, Carlsen has switched to drinking to a mixture of chocolate milk and regular milk, which provides nutrients like protein and calcium that help him sustain his energy levels longer important since games can last several hours. (Last year, the final game of the World Cup between Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana took two weeks and totaled 48 hours of play time.)

Carlsen also travels with a personal chef who helps tailor his meals to fit his specific nutritional needs. "Before tournaments, you need a lot of energy, so I am trying to trick him to eat some pasta so he gets some reserve energy," Magnus Forssell, Carlsen's chef, told ESPN. Carb-loading is also a trick that runners use the night before a race to increase their stores of glycogen, which is energy stored in muscles.

During games, Carlsen often chews gum, a habit that his father says keeps him alert and energized. This strategy is backed by research: Studies suggest that chewing on gum can improve memory, concentration and reaction times, especially when completing a long task.

Fabiano Caruana (L) prepares to play in the tie-break matches of the 2018 World Chess Championship against reigning world chess champion Norway's Magnus Carlsen (R).

TOLGA AKMEN | AFP | Getty Images

Caruana, the 27-year-old No. 2 player in the world, cuts out certain vices months before a competition as a detox. He doesn't eat sugar, and in past years has stopped drinking too.

Caruana told ESPNhe heard that Carlsen, who beat him in the 2018 World Cup of Chess, went off sugar to keep his energy levels stable and he decided to try it. Anddrinking alcohol can interfere with the quality of "restorative sleep," which is crucial for memory and performance, according to the National Sleep Foundation.

To increase his stamina for chess games, Caruana typically runs, plays basketball and swims, often all in one day. Exercise can also burn off stress before a competition.

Caruana says taking the extra step to prepare physically helps him feel more confident going into a competition. "Sometimes you have to shock your body into listening to you," he told ESPN.

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Magnus Carlsen (R) and Fabiano Caruana (L) during the First Move Ceremony of the FIDE World Chess Championship Match 2018.

Tristan Fewings | Getty Images

More here:
What chess grandmasters eat for peak concentration and performance - CNBC

When the Apple Watch Series 4 landed in 2018, it caused a stir for being one of the first (and unquestionably the most high-profile) wearable to offer an ECG app. Short for electrocardiogram, an ECG records the electrical activity of your heart to indicate whether or not you might be suffering from atrial fibrillation (ABfib), a heart problem experienced by a quarter of the population at some point in their life, and which can lead to life-threatening complications.

While the Apple Watch Series 4 includes a whole lot more for its 399 / $399 / AU$649 price tag, thats still a hefty price to pay for what could be a genuinely life-saving piece of technology. Thankfully, there is now a far more affordable way to keep a regular check on your heart - with the Withings Move ECG.

Although not a fully-fledged smartwatch like the Apple, the Withings Move ECG is a hybrid. This means it has analog dials and no display, but includes accelerometers and a Bluetooth connection for tracking movement, steps, swimming, exercise and sleep, then presenting the data on the free Withings Health Mate smartphone app, available for iOS and Android.

The Move ECG is, as you might expect, very similar to the Withings Move, but with the addition of the ECG function. The newer model lacks a heart rate sensor, but you could argue an ECG app is more important than merely knowing your heart rate; the former is a fitness stat, while the latter relates more directly to your underlying health.

The Move ECG was first shown off at CES back in January 2019, but at the time it didnt yet have the certification required to use its ECG function. This has now been obtained, and the Move ECG is on sale now in the US, UK and Europe for 129.95 / $129.95 (around AU$190).

At the time of writing in early-September 2019, orders placed through the Withings website should arrive in two to three weeks.

(Image credit: Future)

If you have used previous Withings hybrid watches, then the new Move ECG will be immediately familiar. It offers the French companys house style of a compact case, domed front, simple and uncluttered face, and a second dial for showing your daily step count.

There is a single button at three oclock where the crown of a mechanical watch would be.A short press of this button activates the ECG function, and a long press tells the watch to start recording an exercise session.

The sides of the case are plastic, while the bezel and rear are a classier stainless steel that can be used to measure your hearts electrical activity when touched. The button is also stainless steel, and so too is the buckle.

Withings includes a silicon sports-style strap with the Move ECG, which attaches uses industry-standard quick-release lug bars. This means it can be removed easily and replaced with any 18mm strap. The company itself offers a good range of options here, and the black dial of our review sample means it can be matched smartly to straps of almost any material and color.

As well as the time, shown with a pair of stainless steel hands and numbered indices, the Withings Move ECG has a second dial on its face with a contrasting yellow hand. This sweeps from zero to 100, indicating what percentage of your daily step target (set via the smartphone app) you have completed.

This yellow hand also acts as a 30-second countdown timer when you activate the ECG function.

Overall, we like the design of the Withings Move ECG. The watch is smart and subtle, can be worn with just about any strap you like, and blends in neatly with any dress style - unlike other wearables on the market. The compact size means the Move ECG (like most other Withings) doesnt draw unnecessary attention to itself, and it hides its technology in a way fully-fledged smartwatches rarely achieve.

The Move ECG is light and comfortable, with a dozen or so holes on the strap for finding the perfect fit. It was never an annoyance to wear - even when tracking our sleep at night - and the ECG hardware on the back doesnt protrude at all. The new feature has zero aesthetic and ergonomic downsides.

Our only criticism is the use of plastic on its front instead of glass or sapphire crystal. Although our review watch remained scratch-free for the week we used it, we wouldnt expect this to last. This is fine for the 60 Move, but when paying 130 for the Move ECG, wed like to see glass instead of plastic.

(Image credit: Future)

Although a perfectly decent timepiece, the Move ECG really reaches its stride when used as a health and fitness tracker. The watch is always monitoring your movement, automatically counting steps during the day and sleep each night. Withings says the Move ECG can record over 30 different types of exercise, and everything is logged in the companys Health Mate smartphone app.

The headline feature is, of course, the ECG function. This works in a similar way to that of the Apple Watch Series 4, whereby the wearable touches one side of your body via the back of its case sitting against your wrist, and the other via the finger of your opposite hand. By touching the wrist of one arm and the fingers of the other, a circuit is created and the watch can record the electrical activity of your heart.

The Health Mate apps talks you through what the ECG function can and cant do when you first set up the watch. It is important to remember that ECG smartwatches cannot detect heart attacks, and the data they provide should be used in addition to - not instead of - advice from your doctor.

To take an ECG, briefly press the button. The watch then vibrates for a moment and the step-counting hand turns to 100; you then place your thumb and index finger on the metal bezel of the watch case, and keep still while the hand counts down from 30 seconds to zero. The watch vibrates again to indicate that the ECG is complete, and the data can be viewed instantly in the Health Mate app.

The app tells you right away if the ECG reading is normal, or shows signs of ABfib, and the data it collects can be turned into a PDF, ready to be sent to your doctor.

Withings has opted not to fit the Move ECG with a traditional heart rate sensor. This means you cant use the watch to continuously track your heart rate, but you can still get a beats-per-minute reading each time you perform an ECG. This figure is shown alongside the ECG data in the Health Mate app.

The lack of constant heart rate reading also means theres no way to see how quickly your rate returns to normal after exercise (a good indication of overall fitness), and no way to attain a VO2 Max estimate. Both of these stats are provided by other Withings wearables, like the Steel HR Sport hybrid watch, but they do so at the expense of cost and battery life.

The Move ECG has an altimeter for measuring the number of staircases climbed each day, but lacks its own GPS chip for tracking outdoor runs. Instead, the watch can use your smartphones GPS via its Bluetooth connection.

Sleep tracking is automatic, activating each night and giving you a breakdown of your sleep in the Health Mate app the following morning. The watch uses movement to sense when you are in the different stages of sleep, and plots this against time. This works in a very similar way to Withings dedicated sleep tracker, the Sleep, but does not track your heart rate, snoring, or breathing disturbances.

The Move ECGs sleep tracking is fairly primitive compared to wearables with continuous heart rate sensors (or dedicated trackers fitted under your mattress), but it still provides a decent and fairly accurate overview of your nightly slumber.

Being a hybrid smartwatch, the Move ECGs battery life is measured in months instead of hours or days. In fact, the Bluetooth chip, movement sensors and ECG function demand so little energy, the wearable takes a regular CR2430 watch battery, which Withings claims lasts for 12 months.

This will depend on how you use the watch, and those who record daily exercise sessions should expect to see shorter battery life than those who are less active. But either way you cut it, roughly 12 months is very good for a wearable.

Unlike Withings watches which have rechargeable batteries, like the Steel HR Sport, the Move ECGs remaining battery life is not shown in the Health Mate app.

(Image credit: Future)

As with all other Withings devices (and those branded as Nokia Health in the past), data captured by the Move ECG is logged by the Health Mate app, which is free and works on iOS and Android.

Designed to be a one-stop-shop for health and fitness data, Health Mate syncs with the watch via Bluetooth as soon as the app is opened. The main Timeline interface shows your daily steps, percentage of target complete, and floors climbed (thanks to the watchs altimeter). The Timeline also shows every ECG you have taken with the watch, along with your heart rate at that moment. As we said earlier, this wearable does not monitor your heart rate constantly, during sleep, or while exercising.

The app provides a daily and weekly overview of how youve done, showing clearly when you made and missed your daily step goal, your total distance walked and elevation climbed for the week, and averages for both weekdays and the weekend.

For sleep data, the Health Mate app awards a score out of 100 each morning. This is calculated by taking into account the total time you spent asleep, but also the depth of your sleep, how much time you spent in REM, and how many times your sleep was interrupted during the night. Your sleep regularity is also taken into account, which looks at the average time you go to bed and wake up each day, then you are rewarded a score based on your ability to stick closely to this average.

The Dashboard page of the Health Mate app is where you find an overview of all data it has access to. This includes data captured by the watch (and any other Withings devices you have), and also data entered manually, like your gender and weight. Because we also use a Withings smart scale and sleep tracker, our Dashboard shows body fat, sleeping heart rate, muscle mass, body water and body mass, along with the ECG readings taken by the Withings Move.

A number of health and fitness programmes are available to join in the app. These are free and include an eight-week course designed to improve your sleep, plus a five-day program that analyzes blood pressure (so long as you have the Withings BPM Connect). Theres also a 21-day mindfulness course made in collaboration with the Petit BamBou meditation app, and an eight-week course to educate you on body composition and ways to lose fat. Finally, theres a pregnancy tracker which works with Withings range of smart scales.

The Move ECGs silent alarm is set within the app. This vibrates to wake you up and can be set to go off when your are least asleep, within a user-defined amount of time of your actual alarm. Say you set the alarm for 6am, but with a 15-minute window; if the Move ECG detects you waking up at 5:50am, it will vibrate the watch.

Setting the time of the Move ECG is done here too, but the watch generally uses your phone to stay on the right time. That way, it automatically adjusts for daylight savings hours, and when you travel to a different time zone. That said, we found it was slow to adjust when traveling unless we briefly opened the Health Mate app, then the time changed instantly.

The Withings Move ECG makes for an interesting proposition. It follows much of the usual recipe - a stylish and simple analogue watch with exercise and sleep tracking - but also adds an ECG function.

This puts the Move ECG in a position where it takes the regular Move, a budget 60 hybrid watch, and blesses it with a feature most famously used by the Apple Watch Series 4 and Series 5, a pair of flagship, full-fat smartwatches. The Withings therefore takes features from the top and bottom of the market, and marries them to create a 130 wearable.

There are two face color options, each with five straps to help you buy a watch that suits your style, and the metal bezel used by the ECG function adds a touch of class to proceedings. Were particularly keen on the white case and face with blue strap.

The Move ECG is let down by its lack of continuous heart rate monitoring, as this stat is only given when performing an ECG, and we worry that the plastic in place of glass or sapphire crystal will scratch easily.

Theres no denying the usefulness of having an ECG device on your wrist. If you feel you could be more susceptible to atrial fibrillation than most, then its tough not to argue in favour of buying the Withings Move ECG. If the Apple Watch Series 4 or 5 is out of your budget, and ECG support is high on your list of priorities, then the Move ECG could well be the wearable for you.

If you feel you need to keep tabs on your hearts health, then the Withings Move ECG is an affordable way to put an ECG on your wrist. It also acts as a classy and subtle watch which tracks your exercise, swimming, sleep and daily steps.

Add in several free health and fitness programs in the Health Mate app, plus the silent and dynamic alarm function, and you have a feature-packed hybrid smartwatch.

The ECG function adds a large price premium over the 60 Withings Move, so buyers should really ask themselves if taking an ECG is really what they need from a wearable. That said, 130 still isnt much for the peace of mind an electrocardiogram could give - and the knowledge that being alerted to the symptoms of AFib could genuinely save your life.

This isnt a fully-fledged smartwatch - far from it - but its a well-priced wearable which covers the basics, yet also packs a top-tier feature.

First reviewed: September 2019

Read more:
Withings Move ECG review - TechRadar

The Vivoactive 4 is changing the way you track, or more specifically, what you track. You can now track hydration, respiration, blood oxygen saturation, and more besides the typical fitness routine. Did we mention on-screen workouts and music storage? It's pricy but given the upgrades, it's worth it.

$350 at Amazon

The Vivoactive 3 was an instant hit when it was first released in 2017. Today, it still has plenty to offer today in terms of tracking and smartwatch features. You'll enjoy 15+ sports apps, onboard GPS, Garmin Pay, heart-rate monitoring, plus activity, sleep, and stress tracking.

$188 at Amazon

The Vivoactive 3 was first released two years ago and has been a popular choice ever since. Now that there's finally a successor available, it's important to compare the two wearables so you can decide which one is the better pick. The Vivoactive 4 brings with it some subtle changes that are worth discussing as well as some big changes that just might win you over.

From offering two different sizes to making music storage a standard feature, there's a lot of positive upgrades here. Both editions provide you with a solid all-around fitness smartwatch that's going to meet the needs of most casual lifestyle athletes. If you were a fan of the Vivoactive 3, you'll certainly appreciate all the features that come with the new model. It's got a hefty price tag, but it may just be worth it for all that you get this time around.

With the previous model, the only size option was 43mm. The new Vivoactive 4 is available in 45mm and a model called the 4S, which is 40mm. Both watch sizes are the same price. The only difference between the two is the size and battery performance. Additionally, the 4S offers a rose gold variant while the 4 is only available in slate and silver.

Like its predecessor, the new model comes with an always-on transflective display. However, you'll now have two buttons on your watch instead of one. The upper right button is for selecting, stopping, and starting while the lower right button is for going back and lapping.

The Vivoactive 4 offers an impressive eight days of battery life in smartwatch mode and six hours in GPS and music mode. The 4S dips down to seven days in smartwatch mode and five hours in GPS and music mode, which is what you got with the more expensive Vivoactive 3 Music model. The standard Vivoactive 3 gives you seven days in smartwatch mode and 13 hours in GPS mode.

As far as the similarities go, both the Vivoactive 3 and the Vivoactive 4 offer built-in GPS, smartphone notifications, Garmin Pay, and 5 ATM water resistance. You'll have access to some of the same workouts, including strength, cardio, and elliptical training along with stair stepping, floor climbing, indoor rowing, and yoga. They both come with stress tracking, sleep tracking, and heart-rate monitoring.

Other than the physical differences, there are quite a few tracking improvements. The Vivoactive 4 now offers a Pulse Ox sensor for monitoring blood oxygen saturation levels and respiration tracking for monitoring the number of breaths taken per minute. The combination of these two features promises more insightful sleep data. You'll also have Body Battery Energy monitoring, hydration tracking to log daily water intake, and underwater wrist-based heart rate for swimming.

The Body Battery is a great new feature that allows you to check your energy levels throughout the day by collecting data from heart rate variability (HRV), sleep, stress, and activity. This will help you schedule workouts and rest at the most ideal times. Speaking of which, you'll have plenty of options for workouts, including the sports apps with preloaded workouts, preset workouts available to download from Garmin Connect, the ability to create your own customizable workouts, and Garmin Coach training plans.

Not to mention that the Vivoactive 4 boasts over 40 on-screen workouts for strength training, cardio, yoga, and Pilates, which takes a page out of Fitbit's book. You can follow along with your watch as it demonstrates proper form and technique for a chosen workout. It also provides you with new breathwork activities that are intended to promote focus and relaxation.

Last but definitely not least, both the Vivoactive 4 and 4S automatically come with music storage rather than charging you more for a model with this feature. You'll be able to download your favorite playlists and songs from third-party services such as Spotify, Deezer, and Amazon Music. This means you can now enjoy phone-free music when you're working out. Finally! This is a highly-desired feature among fitness enthusiasts, and Garmin delivered.

Not surprisingly, the price of the Vivoactive 3 has been marked down thanks to this new release, which makes it almost half the price of the new Vivoactive 4. If you're content with the more basic tracking and features offered by the predecessor, it's a great deal for those on a budget. However, if you're craving more and don't mind spending more to get it, the new Vivoactive 4 is an excellent pick. Keep in mind that at this price point, you can spend just a tad more for the Garmin Venu, which has a stunning AMOLED display and many of the new features you see here.

When all is said and done, we feel good about the Vivoactive 4. It brings so many well-deserved improvements, like two size options, standard music storage, and a long list of tracking features that help you get an in-depth look at the state of your overall health and fitness. If the cost doesn't deter you, you're going to be more than happy with the new Garmin Vivoactive 4.

Track every little detail

If you've been anxiously awaiting a new Garmin smartwatch, this one is a winner. It gives you a fresh perspective by tracking every little detail to give you a complete overview on your health and fitness.

Cover all the basics

Not concerned about tracking every little detail? The Vivoactive 3 might be right up your alley. Keep in mind it lacks more detailed tracking and you'll have to pay more for a model with music storage.

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Garmin Vivoactive 4 vs. Vivoactive 3: Which should you buy? - Android Central

When it comes to losing weight and getting healthy, there never seems to be a shortage of diet and fitness crazes claiming to hold the secret to easy, sustainable weight loss. Some of the most recent popular diet crazes include the ketogenic diet (low carbohydrate, high fat), the carnivore diet (only eating meat and other animal products), and intermittent fasting (eating only within a strict timeframe, or on certain days).

But another diet plan thats come into the spotlight recently is the hormone diet, which claims that the reason people struggle to lose weight is because their hormones arent working properly. Numerous books have been written about this topic, with advocates of the hormone diet claiming people can experience quick and significant weight loss by using diet and exercise to manipulate or reset their hormones. There are a few variations of the diet, but the main idea with each is that the key to losing weight is by correcting perceived hormonal imbalances in the body.

Hormones play an important role in our bodys everyday processes, from digesting food to helping bones grow. Theyre transported around the body through the bloodstream and act as chemical messengers which instruct cells to perform specific jobs.

For example, insulin is essential for regulating metabolic processes and allows the body to store the carbohydrates from food as energy in our muscle cells. When we eat, it causes blood sugar levels to rise, which results in the pancreas releasing insulin into the bloodstream. The insulin then attaches itself to cells and signals them to absorb sugar from the bloodstream and store it for later use.

Insulin was once thought to play a key role in weight gain, but recent research shows that total calorie intake is actually the primary factor in gaining or losing weight. Fat loss can only be achieved by creating a calorie deficit, which simply means that you must burn more calories than you consume. Similarly, this is why many people have success with intermittent fasting, as it typically results in the consumption of less food and therefore fewer calories.

One popular book promoting the hormone diet uses a three-step programme that claims it will help people lose weight, gain strength, and feel younger. Steps one and two of the diet focus on changing nutritional habits. Step three concentrates on exercise.

According to the author, readers must detox their body. In step one, readers remove foods such as alcohol, caffeine, sugar, red meat, cows milk and milk byproducts (such as cheese or yoghurts) from their diet, while simultaneously eating more fruits and vegetables, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products from sheep and goats, and plant milks. In step two, readers must then cut out processed foods, artificial sweeteners and refined grains. Step three involves an increase in cardiovascular and strength exercises.

The dietary recommendations provided in steps one and two require a decrease in food products that are typically high in calories and low in nutritional value, such as alcohol, high-sugar foods, and processed foods. The diet also promotes foods such as vegetables, fish and fruit, which increase fibre intake (important for the digestive system) and provides the body with a variety of vitamins and minerals which perform numerous bodily functions required for overall health and well-being. These foods are also generally lower in calories than alcohol, high-sugar foods and processed foods. And paired with the recommended exercises in step three, this hormone diet will probably increase calorie burning along with other health benefits.

Generally, the hormone diet recommended in this book is not bad nutritional advice. However, the key here is that any potential weight loss will probably be from the change in calorie intake, rather than an effect (if any) on your hormones.

Weight loss (or body fat loss) is achieved by creating a calorie deficit, not by resetting your hormone balance. Despite what advocates of the hormone diet might claim, hormonal imbalances are usually the result of a more serious underlying health condition, such as diabetes (impaired insulin function) or hyperthyroidism (where the thyroid produces too many thyroid hormones), which couldnt simply be fixed through diet alone, and would require medical treatment.

Read more: The science behind diet trends like mono, charcoal detox, Noom and Fast800

Currently, there is no viable theory to demonstrate that a person can reset their hormones to influence fat loss. There is also no peer-reviewed research in a major journal that has specifically studied the hormone diet and its effects. But there might be a simple explanation for why people think the hormone diet works: it helps to create a calorie deficit through improved nutritional habits and exercise, which will probably result in weight loss.

Ultimately, anyone that wants to lose weight or body fat should focus on creating a calorie deficit. How a person creates this calorie deficit may vary from person to person, and might even include following popular diet plans like keto or intermittent fasting. However, the best approach is whichever someone finds the most compatible with their lifestyle.

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Hormone diets are all the rage, but do they actually work? - The Conversation - UK

MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --SportsEngine Inc., an NBC Sports Group company and the leading provider of sport relationship management software, announced today that it has formed a partnership with the National Fitness Foundation (NFF) in support of its mission to expand youth sports and fitness programs across America, with a focus on programs that promote the participation of girls and youth in underserved communities through the NFF's National Endowment for Youth Sports (NEYS).

To celebrate the partnership, SportsEngine and NBC Sports are giving away an all-expenses paid weekend trip to the "Premier League Mornings Live" Fan Festival on October 26-27, 2019 in Austin, Texas. From September 19 through October 6, those who contribute to the National Endowment for Youth Sports at sportsengine.com will automatically be entered into the sweepstakes for a chance to win. Secondary prizes include signed Philadelphia Union FC and Los Angeles FC jerseys along with Premier League Gold Passes.

The positive benefits of youth sports participation are abundant, yet for many Americans, access to youth sports is incredibly challenging. In response, the National Fitness Foundation is raising funds and awareness for the National Endowment for Youth Sports. The Endowment plans to raise more than $100M to provide annual and ongoing grants for youth sports programs run by local communities or nonprofit organizations throughout the country, making them more accessible to all youth including girls, children with disabilities and children in economically distressed regions of the country.

SportsEngine serves millions of athletes, coaches, parents and team administrators across its multiple sports management software platforms, tournament management applications and mobile apps. As part of its commitment to get more kids in sports, SportsEngine also runs the nation's largest youth sports hub and search directory, SportsEngine.com, to make it easier for parents to learn about sports programs in their area and sign their child up for a new sport. In line with its mission to enhance the sports lives of athletes and their families, SportsEngine supports efforts and programs that provide access to sports programs for youth athletes in underserved communities throughout the United States.

"We are excited to partner with National Fitness Foundation and to use our media resources and platform to assist in raising money for a cause that will benefit youth sports programs across the country," stated Travis Shives, Vice President of Sport, SportsEngine. "We look forward to working closely with the NFF on projects that will provide the necessary resources, programs and pathways to sports participation for every young person."

"SportsEngine was the first organization to sign a partnership agreement with the National Fitness Foundation, a testament to its commitment to using its platform to get more kids involved with youth sports," stated Clay Walker, Executive Director, National Fitness Foundation. "Aligning with a company who strongly values youth athlete participation and play is critical to furthering our mission. This partnership will help create more and more opportunities for young athletes to experience the positive benefits of youth sports."

About National Fitness Foundation The National Fitness Foundation is the only congressionally chartered nonprofit focused on health and fitness. Established in 2010 as the official charity of the President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, the Foundation develops public-private partnerships and raises capital to accelerate solutions that prepare children for a lifetime of health and fitness through youth sports. The Foundation also leads the Presidential Youth Fitness Program, the nation's model for fitness education in schools.

About SportsEngineHelping the world play smarter and live more, SportsEngine, Inc., an NBC Sports Group company, is the leading provider of sport relationship management software serving millions of coaches, parents, athletes, clubs, leagues, governing bodies, and associations. SportsEngine helps sports organizations around the globe reduce the time they spend on administrative tasks, and enables them to focus more on developing their athletes, providing safe experiences, and furthering the love of sport. Additionally, leagues and governing bodies across the country use National Center for Safety Initiatives (NCSI), a SportsEngine, Inc. company, to manage their background checks and safety programs. Learn more at: http://www.sportsengine.com, Facebook.com/sportsengine; or twitter.com/@sportsengine.

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http://www.sportsengine.com

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SportsEngine, Inc. Partners with National Fitness Foundation to Raise Funds for National Endowment for Youth Sports - PRNewswire

Global Fitness Equipment Market Insights, Forecast To 2025

This report studies the most recent business trends, market development aspects, market gains, and industry situation throughout the forecast period. The Fitness Equipment market report presents the market competitive landscape and a corresponding detailed analysis of the major key players in the market. The Fitness Equipment Market report comprehensively offers the market portion, improvement, patterns, and expectation for the period 2019-2025.

Top Companies in the Global Fitness Equipment Market: Cybex, ICON Health and Fitness, Nautilus, Paramount, Precor, Technogym

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Fitness Equipment Marketon the basis ofby Typeis:

Treadmill

Waist Machine

Body Building Machine

Other

By Application, theFitness Equipment Marketis segmented into:

Household

Commercial

Other

Regional Analysis for Fitness Equipment Market:

United StatesChinaEuropean UnionRest of World (Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)

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Key Strategic Developments: The research also involves main market strategic developments, including R&D, fresh product launch, M&A, contracts, collaborations, alliances, joint ventures, and regional development of worldwide and regional market-leading companies.

Key market features: The study assessed main market characteristics including income, price, ability, capacity utilization rate, gross, production, production rate, consumption, import / export, supply / demand, cost, market share, CAGR, and gross margin. The research also provides a thorough survey of main market dynamics and their recent trends, as well as relevant market segments and sub-segments.

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Finally, researchers throw light on the pinpoint analysis of Global Fitness Equipment dynamics. It gives a review of Fitness Equipment showcase, containing worldwide income, worldwide generation, deals, and CAGR. The estimate and examination of Fitness Equipment advertise by sort, application, and area are likewise introduced in this part. It is about the market scene and real players. It gives aggressive circumstance and market fixation status alongside the essential data of these players. It provides a full-scale investigation of significant players in Fitness Equipment industry. The essential data, just as the profiles, applications and details of items advertise execution alongside Business Overview are advertised. Also, gives an overall perspective on Fitness Equipment advertises. It incorporates generation, piece of the general business financial gain, cost, and also the development rate by sort.

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Fitness Equipment Market 2019 Business Scenario Cybex, ICON Health and Fitness, Nautilus, Paramount - NewsStoner