The Road Not Taken by Alexander Green

Dear Reader, In the first half of our nation's history, most Americans earned a living in tough, physical jobs like farming, mining, animal husbandry, forestry or construction. But today, we live in a white-collar world. Most of us do little physical labor. If we don't make a concerted effort to exercise, we get none. Yet according to Dr. Barry Franklin, head of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program at the William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan, "Starting at the age of 20, we lose about 1% of our aerobic fitness each year. A walking program can improve that fitness from 10 to 20% in three months. That's the same as 10 to 20 years of rejuvenation." Medical research shows that regular exercise helps fight off colds and flu, reduces the risk of chronic diseases and slows the aging process. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, a brisk 30- to 45-minute walk five times a week... Lowers the risk of stroke by 27%. Reduces the incidence of high-blood pressure by 40%. Can reduce mortality and the risk of breast cancer by approximately 50%. Lowers the risk of colon cancer by over 60%. Reduces the incidence of diabetes by approximately 50%. Reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer's by 40%. Can decrease depression as effectively as Prozac or behavioral therapy. Inactivity poses as great a health risk as smoking - and contributes to heart disease, hypertension, arthritis and osteoporosis. Even lean men and women who are inactive are at higher risk of death and disease. Yet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 36% of U.S. adults didn't engage in any leisure-time physical activity in 2008. That's unfortunate, especially since - no matter where you live - all you need are non-threatening skies and a pair of comfortable shoes. The benefits aren't just physical. Walking has always had a close association with poets, philosophers, and spiritual leaders: Ancient Japanese and Chinese philosophers meandered around lakes and mountains, preserving their thoughts in gemlike poetry. Jesus of Nazareth was an itinerant preacher who walked forty days and nights through the Wilderness of Judea. The lyrical ballads of the English romantic poets were composed on long strolls through the countryside. Thomas Jefferson wrote to his favorite nephew Peter Carr: "You must take at least two hours a day to exercise; for health must not be sacrificed to learning... Walking is very important. Never think of taking a book with you. The object of walking is to relax the mind. You should therefore not permit yourself even to think while you walk, but divert yourself by the objects surrounding you." William Wordsworth is estimated to have walked 170,000 miles in his life and sparked a cottage industry of walking tours in England and Europe. Leaders of the American Enlightenment - Walt Whitman, Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson - recommended long daily tramps. Thoreau wrote that he had "a genius, so to speak, for sauntering." In a letter to his niece Jette, existentialist Soren Kierkegaard wrote, "Do not lose your desire to walk; every day, I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness; I have walked myself into my best thoughts, and I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it." Wallace Stevens composed his poetry on daily walks between his home and his office in downtown Hartford. In his poem, "Of the Surface of Things," he wrote, "In my room, the world is beyond my understanding. But when I walk, I see that it consists of three or four hills and a cloud." Walking is elemental, as basic a human activity as eating, breathing, and sleeping. It distinguishes us from the other primates, indeed from every other species on earth. 80,000 years ago, our great ancestors walked out of Africa and colonized the world. For most of our history, walking wasn't a choice. It was a given. Walking was our primary means of locomotion. But today, you have to choose to walk. We ride to work. Office buildings and apartments have elevators. Department stores offer escalators. Airports use moving sidewalks. An afternoon of golf is spent riding in a cart. Even a ramble around your neighborhood can be done on a Segway. It's better to just put one foot in front of the other. You don't have to live in the country. It's great to take a walk in the woods. But I love to roam city streets too, especially in places like New York, London or Rome where it's hard to go half a block without making some new discovery. A long stroll slows you down, puts things in perspective, brings you back to the present moment. In Wanderlust, author Rebecca Solnit writes that, "Walking, ideally, is a state in which the mind, the body, and the world are aligned, as though they were three characters finally in conversation together, three notes suddenly making a chord." Yet in our hectic, goal-oriented culture, taking a leisurely walk isn't always easy. You have to plan for it. And you should. Walking is good exercise, but it's also a recreation, an aesthetic experience, an exploration, an investigation, a ritual, a meditation. It fosters health and adds to a general feeling of wellbeing. Cardiologist Paul Dudley White once said, "A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world." In short, a good walk is anything but pedestrian. It lengthens your life. It clears, refreshes, provokes, and repairs the mind. So lace up those shoes and get outside. The most ancient exercise is still the best. Carpe Diem, Alex

 

Feeling Good: It’s Not a Stretch

Get in Step
Written by RealAge, Inc., peer-reviewed by Dr. Axel Goetz, November
2004

"Walking saved my life."

So say many walking enthusiasts who picked up the habit and as a
result either reduced their risk of disease, lost weight, beat
depression, or enjoyed countless other major health rewards.

Although you may not be surprised to know that walking is considered
a superior health habit, it might surprise you to learn just how much
research has confirmed the far-reaching and diverse health benefits
that regular walkers experience. Read some personal accounts from
the "Walking the way to Health" Initiative (WHI) of how walking
changed these people's lives.


Some doctors and scientists even believe that walking regularly can
reverse illness and aging, making the simple act of walking quite
possibly the most underrated prescription for good health.

Read on to discover the long list of health wishes that walking can
fulfill for you.

1. I wish I had more energy.
A short brisk walk has both a calming and an energizing effect,
according to research. And walking may help you feel more alert and
well-rested because of its ability to improve the quality of your
sleep. Walking at a moderate pace later in the day can help encourage
deep, restful sleep. Finally, the mood boost you experience from
walking may further enhance your energy levels.

Walking toward a good night's sleep.
In a study, people who walked more than 6 blocks per day reduced
their sleep problems by one third. Using a "brisk" pace cut their
sleep problems in half.

2. I wish I could think more clearly.
Need to sort out some things in your head? Few activities help
improve your perspective as quickly as a brisk walk, which will boost
circulation in all parts of the body, including your brain.

Some research also has shown that walking is associated with less
cognitive decline and a reduced risk of dementia later in life.

In addition to improving cognitive function, walking regularly can
help you handle stressful situations and help you remain in control
of your emotions, which clears the path for straight thinking.

3. I wish I could protect myself from my parents' diseases.
Your genetics determine only a small part of your health profile.
Research shows it's how you live your life that really counts, and
walking regularly can prevent and improve many serious chronic
diseases.
Here is a short list of ways that walking can reduce the impacts of
disease. Moderately intense activities such as walking can: • Reduce
cardiovascular disease by as much as 30-50 percent.
• Decrease osteoarthritis pain, and improve stability, endurance, and
agility.
• Reduce the risk of colon cancer and possibly breast cancer.
• Protect against diabetes in high-risk people, and lower blood
glucose and improve insulin action in diabetics.
• Lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attack.

4. I wish I could lose weight.
Although you might think that losing weight is the only way to enjoy
an improved health profile, the truth is that regular walkers may not
have to worry quite as much about what the scale says. Studies show
that thin, sedentary Find a walking event or walking club in your
area in the American Volkssport Association (AVA) listings.

people may have more markers of heart disease risk than overweight
people who exercise regularly.

Nonetheless, losing weight is a great way to improve your health
profile and walking can help you accomplish this goal. Walking will
increase the number of calories you burn each day and can boost your
muscle mass, which in turn helps your body burn more calories
throughout the day, not just while you are exercising.

5. I wish I felt happier in general.
Protecting and nurturing your mental health is an important part of
overall wellness, and studies show that walking regularly has the
ability to lower your stress levels. Also, studies show that aerobic
exercise such as walking may bring long-term benefits to your mental
disposition by warding off both depression and anxiety.

Steps toward better health
No other prescription for your health is as free and easy as walking.
It can even equal more vigorous forms of exercise in terms of its
ability to improve your health profile. And it's easier on your body,
especially your joints, than activities such as running. Do you know
of any medicine that has greater benefits for your health and well
being? Don't think you have the time to walk?
Just take a short walk in the morning and another at lunch or after
work. Physical activity can be accumulated over the course of a day
rather than all in one session, and it doesn't have to result in
weight loss to have health benefits.


So start where you are and gradually increase the amount of time you
spend walking. You'll gradually be granting yourself some very key
health wishes in the process



Mr. Sandman, Bring Me a Diet

Headed to the beach today? Tear yourself away from the cooler full of
goodies long enough to take a walk in the sand. You'll burn off the
treats in no time.

Walking on sand burns twice as many calories as walking on hard
ground. Make it a daily thing and you'll be buying a smaller swimsuit
next year. Here are five more ways to boost the calorie burn of a
walk. (see below ↓)



On the Surface
It's simple: Slogging across an uneven surface like sand makes your
muscles work harder, so you burn more calories, write Liz Neporent
and Suzanne Schlosberg in The Fat-Free Truth. (Browse the book
online.)

Here are five other ways to get more out of a walk:
1. Walk backward. Here's what it will do for your legs.
2. Walk faster. Ever notice how some walkers can keep up with slow
joggers? Fast walkers burn just as many calories, too -- sometimes
more.
3. Hit the trails instead of the treadmill. Like sand, the uneven
surfaces of the outdoors make for a more challenging workout.
4. Wear a watch. It's about time, not distance. Here's why. 5. Get
YOU: On a Walk, an audiobook walking companion that gets you moving!

One thing you shouldn't do to burn more calories on your walk? Carry
weights. According to Neporent and Schlosberg, the few extra calories
you'd burn aren't worth the risk of injury

•All About MEN: Fountain of Youth for Your Muscles

Your hair may thin and your jawline may seem determined to move
south, but there's one thing you never have to give up as you grow
older: young muscles.

Strength training affects muscle DNA on a cellular level, giving it
the profile of much younger muscle tissue. The result? Pump some iron
and you'll considerably narrow any natural strength gaps that exist
between you and those still-wet-behind-the-ears younger men. (see
below ↓)

Push-Up Power
Remember when 73-year-old Jack Palance did one-handed push-ups on
stage at the '92 Oscars? That could be you. Well, maybe not the Oscar
part. But any guy can be fit past 50 if he strength-trains regularly.
(Try these on-the-go workouts and kiss withered-old-man muscles
goodbye.)

Here's how a recent study proved it. Before going through a
resistance-training program, the older men in a study were nearly 60
percent weaker than the younger guys. But after 6 months of chest
presses, leg extensions, and other resistance exercises, the senior
group's muscle strength doubled! They closed the gap to just 40
percent less strong. Imagine what a whole year of push-ups could
do . . . (Start toning your trunk with these abdominal exercises.)

Turning the Clock Off
Muscles get weaker as you get older for lots of reasons -- and most
of those reasons boil down to the natural aging process. But strength
training halts much of that -- right down to changing the rate at
which muscle cells are programmed to expire.




Moderate Exercise May Beat Intense Workouts
Content provided by Reuters
Tuesday, August 28, 2007







NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Moderate exercise like walking may be as
good as or better than intense workouts when it comes to certain
heart health measures, new research suggests. In a study of 240
overweight, middle-aged adults, researchers found that moderate
exercise, but not vigorous activity, improved participants' levels of
blood fats called triglycerides. Meanwhile, improvements in "good"
HDL cholesterol seemed to depend on how much study participants
exercised, and not how intensely. What's more, researchers found,
both benefits were sustained when exercisers took a vacation from
working out.

All of this is good news for sedentary people who would find it hard
to leap from the couch to a daily run, according to the study
authors.


On the other hand, there's bad news for sedentary people who would
prefer to stay that way. In this study, participants who remained
inactive saw their "bad" LDL cholesterol levels climb over just six
months.


The negative effects don't stop there. Previous work with the same
study group found that inactive participants continued to gain weight
and inches around the waistline, lead study author Dr. Cris A. Slentz
told Reuters Health.


"In overweight or mildly obese sedentary individuals, continuing to
be inactive is worse than previously thought," said Slentz, an
exercise physiologist at Duke University Medical Center in Durham,
North Carolina.


He and his colleagues report the findings in the Journal of Applied
Physiology.


The study included 240 overweight, sedentary men and women who were
randomly assigned to one of four groups. In two groups, participants
worked out intensely on treadmills or other gym equipment, but the
amount of exercise varied; one group got the equivalent of 20 miles
of jogging per week, while the other logged the equivalent of 12
miles.


A third group exercised at a moderate intensity for a moderate amount
of time -- the equivalent of 12 miles of walking per week. The fourth
group remained inactive.


The researchers then looked at the effects each regimen had on
participants' cholesterol and triglyceride levels over six months --
and whether any improvements were sustained after the exercisers took
two weeks off.


On average, they found, only the moderate exercisers showed lasting
improvements in their triglycerides. Lasting improvements in HDL
levels were seen only in exercisers who worked out intensely for a
greater amount of time.


The same HDL advantage was not seen among people who exercised
vigorously for a lesser amount of time per week. So, Slentz
explained, he and his colleagues attribute the benefit to the amount
of exercise, and not the intensity.


The bottom line, according to Slentz, is that "most all of the
benefits" of exercise are related to the amount, rather than the
intensity. An exception is that vigorous exercise, like jogging, is
more effective at boosting cardiovascular fitness -- which, Slentz
noted, may or may not be important in heart disease risk.


So a person's choice of exercise should depend on his or her goals,
according to the researchers. For many people, that will mean
moderate activity.


The "wonderful thing" about such exercise, Slentz said, is that
people need only find a couple of 15-minute blocks of time each day
to take a walk.

Good Attitude May Make Exercise Less Painful
Content provided by Reuters
Saturday, August 25, 2007


NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The right attitude may take some of the
aches and pains out of vigorous exercise, new research suggests. In a
small study of young, physically active women, researchers found that
those who firmly believed they could tolerate the pain of a tough
workout actually did feel less muscle soreness as they exercised. The
findings suggest that boosting people's feelings of "self-efficacy"
could help them keep up an active lifestyle, the study authors report
in the Journal of Pain.

Self-efficacy refers to a person's belief that he or she can
accomplish a goal. The theory is that people with high self-efficacy
tend to approach challenges, like exercise, as something to be taken
on and mastered, rather than avoided.


For people who dabble in exercise, muscle aches may keep them from
coming back. So researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-
Champaign looked at whether exercisers' beliefs about their ability
to withstand pain affected their actual experience of pain.


The study included 16 physically active young women who were asked to
exercise to their maximum on a stationary bike. Before the workout,
the women rated their own ability to keep cycling even if they
developed pain in their thigh muscles. Then, as they pedaled away,
they repeatedly rated the amount of pain they were actually feeling.


In general, the researchers found, women who had greater faith in
their own pain tolerance before the workout reported less pain as
they exercised.


This finding is consistent with what's known as social-cognitive
theory, according to lead study author Dr. Robert W. Motl, an
assistant professor of kinesiology and community health at the
university.


It's thought that people who are more confident in their coping
abilities should be able to "organize the appropriate resources for
minimizing pain and discomfort," Motl told Reuters Health.


For those who have little faith in their ability to deal with
exercise aches, the good news is that it is possible to boost self-
efficacy, according to Motl.


One way, he noted, is "social modeling," which essentially refers to
witnessing a friend or someone else similar to you accomplish an
exercise goal -- the "if she can do it, I can do it," principle.
Getting some deserved words of encouragement on your efforts might
also help.

Boost Your Metabolism: 24 Hours to the Body of Your Dreams
By Selene Yeager for Prevention

Metabolism is a mystery. You may know that mastering it is the key to
losing weight, but what is it? And where is it? Turns out it's the
engine that drives every cell, and that means it's everywhere. Your
metabolism helps you walk, talk, fight off illness, even read this
magazine. Its fuel is calories. Each one you consume goes into the
metabolic tank that powers the machine that is you. Keep that tank
filled and you're good to go, right?

If only it were that simple. As you age, your body becomes less
effective at burning calories, mostly because of a gradual decrease
in activity and resulting loss of muscle. Your metabolism can dip as
much as 25 to 30 percent over your adult life, says Miriam Nelson,
PhD, director of the John Hancock Center for Physical Activity and
Nutrition at Tufts University. As a result, your body tends to store
excess calories in the form of -- you guessed it -- body fat, and
that extra weight only slows you down more.

You don't, however, have to resign yourself to a life of forgiving
jersey fabrics and shape-disguising tunics. For most women, strength-
training can help boost metabolism by as much as 10 percent in 12
weeks by rebuilding muscle. You can increase it further by making
small but targeted lifestyle changes. "Anything that energizes you --
a good night's sleep, fresh air, sunlight, a healthy diet, regular
exercise -- ultimately helps drive metabolism," explains Nelson.

With that in mind, we've designed a round-the-clock plan that will
tune up your fat-burning engine, boosting its efficiency and
maximizing calorie burn morning, noon and night. By shifting your
body into high gear, these timely tips will help you burn 200 to 300
more calories a day. (And that doesn't even take into account your
regular exercise routine.) Can't do it all? Don't worry -- employing
even a few of these steps will confer benefits. Now let's get going.

Morning
Eat a 300- to 400-calorie breakfast
In the AM, your energy stores are depleted by as much as 80 percent
from the night before. Without food, your body shifts into starvation
mode, which means it begins to conserve energy and burn fewer
calories. (In other words: Your metabolic rate takes a nosedive.)
That may be why, in one study, breakfast skippers were 4 1/2 times
more likely to be obese than breakfast eaters. For more long-lasting
energy, include whole grain complex carbohydrates like oatmeal.

Throw in a cup of halved strawberries
Research suggests that getting enough vitamin C -- 75 mg a day -- may
be essential for optimal fat burning. The strawberries provide 90 mg.

Get a dose of sunlight
"Exposure to bright light decreases melatonin and increases
serotonin, shifting your body from sleep to awake mode and, in turn,
revving your metabolic furnace," says health and psychology
researcher Robert K. Cooper, PhD, author of the metabolism book 'Flip
the Switch.'

Take your multivitamin
Antioxidant nutrients help protect mitochondria, tiny structures
found in every cell, from damage; they're the microscopic fat-burning
furnaces that convert food into fuel.

Move at the office
"Moving throughout the day -- even if it's just walking to a
colleague's office rather than sending an e-mail -- keeps your
metabolism higher than doing a workout and then remaining sedentary,"
says James O. Hill, PhD, director of the Center for Human Nutrition
at the University of Colorado at Denver.

Sip a cup of coffee or tea
Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant that moderately boosts
metabolism, helping you burn about 20 extra calories.

Have a midmorning snack
Good choices are a reduced-fat cheese stick or a cup of low-fat
yogurt and a piece of fruit. Every time you eat, your body burns
additional calories to digest the food. Take advantage of this
automatic boost by eating something -- even if it's very small --
every 3 to 4 hours.

Your AM Routine: Energizing Yoga
Accelerate the natural metabolic boost that occurs when you wake up
by doing these poses. Yoga can also help control levels of the stress
hormone cortisol, which begins to rise after waking and can
contribute to muscle loss and a resulting dip in metabolism.

Downward Facing Dog
Kneel with hands directly beneath shoulders, knees beneath hips, and
toes tucked. Press palms into floor and lift tailbone toward ceiling,
straightening legs so body forms an inverted V, as shown. Keep
shoulders away from ears and relax head between arms. Hold for three
to five breaths. Bend knees and relax down to floor.

Cobra
Lie facedown with legs extended, toes pointed. Place hands on floor
beneath shoulders, elbows close to torso. Press feet, thighs, hips,
and pelvis firmly into floor and straighten arms, lifting chest as
high as comfortably possible, as shown. Keep shoulders down and back,
lifting through breastbone, opening chest, and lengthening spine.
Hold for three to five breaths. Tuck toes under and push back into
Downward Facing Dog. Repeat moves three to five times.

Afternoon
Eat a protein-packed lunch You'll burn more calories digesting your
midday meal because protein is more difficult to break down than
carbohydrates or fat.
Try:
? roast turkey breast with sliced veggies and hummus wrapped in a
whole wheat tortilla; add a piece of fruit
? salmon salad (like tuna salad but with canned salmon) topped with
lettuce and tomato on a whole wheat bun; carrot sticks and grapes on
the side
? chicken-vegetable soup with a whole wheat roll

Snack on nuts
As your blood sugar and energy levels hit the postlunch slump, your
metabolism also takes a dip. The protein and fiber in a handful of
nuts (about 20) can help stave off hunger and keep you energized
until dinnertime. "Nuts also contain monounsaturated fats, which have
been found in studies to stimulate fat burning," says Cooper.

Laugh it up
Laughing eases stress and boosts calorie burn up to 20 percent,
reports a Vanderbilt University study of 90 men and women. Need a
little inspiration? Check out The Onion, an irreverent -- and
completely fake -- news site.

Take the stairs
Climbing stairs quickly elevates your heart rate for a metabolic jolt
that burns 8 calories per minute -- twice as much as brisk walking.
Try to accumulate 5 to 10 minutes during the afternoon.

Brew some green tea
Studies show that the polyphenol compounds in 2 to 4 cups may help
raise metabolism by as much as 35 percent and encourage fat burning.

Commute -- with a CD
Relaxing music has been shown to reduce cortisol, a key metabolism-
tempering hormone. Once tension has been tamed while on the highway,
switch to more energizing music; upbeat tempos raise your heart and
breathing rates and metabolism. And you'll be ready to tackle
whatever awaits you when you arrive at home.

Stretch at your desk
Counter the metabolism-depressing effects of midday stress by
boosting circulation and easing upper-body tension. And take deep
breaths while you stretch to provide cells with the energy-producing
oxygen they need to burn fat.

Chair reach and drop
A. Sit on edge of chair, feet flat, back straight. Extend arms
overhead, palms facing each other, and gently arch back as far as
comfortable. Hold 1 to 2 seconds, then sit back up and lower arms out
to sides.

B. Clasp hands behind back and lean forward from hips, bringing chest
toward thighs, arms toward ceiling. Hold 10 to 15 seconds. Release
and repeat.

Good Attitude May Make Exercise Less Painful Content provided by Reuters Saturday, August 25, 2007      NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The right attitude may take some of the aches and pains out of vigorous exercise, new research suggests. In a small study of young, physically active women, researchers found that those who firmly believed they could tolerate the pain of a tough workout actually did feel less muscle soreness as they exercised. The findings suggest that boosting people’s feelings of "self-efficacy" could help them keep up an active lifestyle, the study authors report in the Journal of Pain. Self-efficacy refers to a person’s belief that he or she can accomplish a goal. The theory is that people with high self-efficacy tend to approach challenges, like exercise, as something to be taken on and mastered, rather than avoided. For people who dabble in exercise, muscle aches may keep them from coming back. So researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign looked at whether exercisers’ beliefs about their ability to withstand pain affected their actual experience of pain. The study included 16 physically active young women who were asked to exercise to their maximum on a stationary bike. Before the workout, the women rated their own ability to keep cycling even if they developed pain in their thigh muscles. Then, as they pedaled away, they repeatedly rated the amount of pain they were actually feeling. In general, the researchers found, women who had greater faith in their own pain tolerance before the workout reported less pain as they exercised. This finding is consistent with what’s known as social-cognitive theory, according to lead study author Dr. Robert W. Motl, an assistant professor of kinesiology and community health at the university. It’s thought that people who are more confident in their coping abilities should be able to "organize the appropriate resources for minimizing pain and discomfort," Motl told Reuters Health. For those who have little faith in their ability to deal with exercise aches, the good news is that it is possible to boost self-efficacy, according to Motl. One way, he noted, is "social modeling," which essentially refers to witnessing a friend or someone else similar to you accomplish an exercise goal -- the "if she can do it, I can do it," principle. Getting some deserved words of encouragement on your efforts might also help.

Breaking Up Workouts May Burn Fat Faster

Content provided by Reuters

Friday, August 24, 2007

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Breaking up an exercise session, by adding a rest period in between, may boost a workout’s fat-burning efficiency, a team of Japanese and Danish researchers reports. When men exercised for two 30-minute stretches, taking a 20-minute rest break in between, they burned more fat than when they exercised for a single 60-minute session, and then rested afterward, Dr. Kazushige Goto of the University of Tokyo and colleagues found. Current recommendations on exercise for preventing or treating obesity emphasize longer exercise sessions, Goto and his team note in the Journal of Applied Physiology. But there is evidence that following one exercise session with another workout may increase fat metabolism, they add. To investigate, the researchers had seven healthy men complete one long workout and then two shorter workouts on exercise bicycles, measuring several different indicators of fat metabolism. All exercised at 60 percent of their maximum level of exertion. When the men performed the two shorter exercise sessions, their blood levels of free fatty acids and other substances rose during the rest period, indicating greater fat metabolism. Levels of these substances also were higher during an hour-long rest period after the two-part exercise session. Greater fat metabolism was recorded during each of the rest periods in the two-part session than during the rest period following the single, longer workout. The men also showed lower levels of insulin and blood glucose during the second phase of the two-part exercise session. While the proportion of total calories burned did not differ between the two workouts, fat represented nearly 77 percent of the calories burned in the recovery period after the two-part exercise session, compared with about 56 percent of calories burned in the recovery period after the single long exercise session. Although a single bout of prolonged exercise is often performed in response to a physician’s advice to exercise more, exercising for the same amount of time but with rest periods in between may be more effective, especially for sedentary or overweight individuals, the researchers conclude. SOURCE: Journal of Applied Physiology

Need more reasons to get moving? Check out this head-to-toe list of exercise cheers.

• Eureka! Exercise boosts brain function by ramping up blood flow, so oxygen and nutrients get around to all parts of your body better, including your brain.
• Love it! Exercise stimulates the release of mood-boosting endorphins and eases anxiety and depression. It can help improve your sleep, too, so you’re less drowsy and irritable.
• Phew! Stamina exercises like swimming, hiking, running, and brisk walking strengthen your heart and lungs and make arteries more elastic. Regular exercise helps keep blood pressure in check, too.
• Relief! Constipated? Exercise helps get things moving and promotes normal bowel function. (Are you "regular"? Take this quiz.)
• Ahhhh. Exercise builds muscle, promotes flexibility, makes bones stronger, and helps relieve muscle tension

Rise and Shine: Top 5 Morning Exercise Benefits

By Jennifer Gruenemay, ACE-Certified, LifeScript Staff Writer

When is the best time to exercise? Most experts would say that any time you can find to exercise is the best time. For some people, it’s nearly impossible to find the time to exercise at all, and for others there’s no way they can break a sweat until the evening. But if a.m. exercise may be an option, we’ve got a five reasons why working out in the morning is best. Plus: Find out what your fitness style is… It’s a fact that burning 500 calories at 6 a.m. is no different from burning the same amount at 6 p.m. So what difference does it make what time you choose to do your workout? For you night owls out there, working out in the evening may be the best thing for you, but for the majority of people looking to get in shape, the morning looks a lot brighter for making true gains in your fitness and weight loss goals. Why? Well, for these sensible reasons:

Exercise Has Profit Potential Taking time away from work to squeeze in some exercise? Good for you -- and your company. That’s right. The less time you spend sitting on your bottom, the better your -- and your company’s -- bottom line. Here’s how and why. (see below ↓) Fit and Confident Researchers suspect that the boost in confidence and energy that people get from regular exercise may spill over into their careers, giving them an edge. So not only does exercising keep your weight in check, but it also may give you a better shot at reaching your personal and professional goals. Run Up Your Sales But it may require more than a 10-minute walk at lunchtime to be a real go-getter. In a study of entrepreneurs, the business owners that ran regularly were the ones who enjoyed personal and professional side benefits. Not the runner type? Strength training also was linked to better personal-goal progress (although pumping iron didn’t affect company performance). Introduce your body -- and bottom line -- to the quickest, easiest workout on the planet: The RealAge 20-Minute Workout. How do your finances affect your health? Take this quiz and find out.

Exercise More to Live Longer: Study

Content provided by Reuters

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Following national recommendations for physical activity can lengthen your life, results of a study indicate. In the study, people 50 to 71 years old who got at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least five days a week -- as recommended in U.S. national guidelines -- were 27 percent less likely to die over the next six or seven years, Dr. Michael F. Leitzmann of the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland and colleagues found. People who engaged in 20 minutes of vigorous exercise at least three times a week cut their risk of death by 32 percent. Smaller amounts of physical exercise appeared to be associated with a 19 percent reduced risk of death. "Our study really does lend support to the current physical activity recommendations," Leitzmann told Reuters Health. While past research has found longevity benefits for exercise, he noted, the current study is unique in that it looked at the effects of physical activity for several subgroups of the general population. And no matter what a person's body mass index, gender, ethnicity, education level or smoking status, exercise was equally beneficial. "Physical activity will benefit practically everyone," Leitzmann said. "There's not any specific subgroup in which this association would not be operative." He and his colleagues looked at 252,925 men and women participating in the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study. Mortality risk was most dramatically reduced when people were at least moderately active for a half hour at least five days a week, and engaged in vigorous activity, meaning exercise that increases heart and breathing rate or causes a person to break a sweat, at least three times a week for 20 minutes. On average, people who were this active were 50 percent less likely to die during follow-up than people who didn't get any exercise. Even people who were moderately active but didn't meet recommendations for physical activity showed some benefit; they were 19 percent less likely to die during the study's follow-up period than sedentary individuals. "Engaging in any level of activity is better than not engaging in that activity," Leitzmann said. "That's kind of an encouraging piece of information for people who feel they might not be able to meet the guidelines." SOURCE: Archives of Internal Medicine, Dec. 10/24, 2007.