The Importance of Resistance Training

Most of the literature incorporates both strength and endurance training into one category called “Resistance Training”. Regardless of whether training is done to improve strength or to improve endurance, it is important to include as part of a regular exercise program.
Most adults lose about ½ pound of muscle each year after the age of 20. Muscle mass is associated with metabolism. Muscle burns calories at a higher rate than fat, so the more muscle you have, the more efficient you are (and the more you need to eat). Resistance training builds muscle to prevent or reduce muscle loss and help improve metabolism – a key to maintaining your weight.

Benefits of Resistance Training
In addition to the physical appearance benefits, here are some of the other benefits shown in the literature:
Improved blood pressure
Increased bone density
Improved metabolic function
Improved balance and shock absorbency
Improved body composition
Increased strength of muscles and connective tissue which decreases the risk of injury.

http://www.nwhealth.edu/healthyU/getMoving/resistance.html

In-Home Workout Equipment

I have had a lot of people this week asking me where to get some good at home equipment without the thousand dollar+ price tag. I did a bit of research and to my surprise, I was pleasantly enlightened. Here in Utah, we have a great classified resource. KSL provides a wide variety of used exercise equipment at a fraction of the retail cost.

Even at the local superstore, Dumbbells are not a rip off, but they are not exactly cheap. So these are a resource I recommend looking into. For those of you not in the state of Utah, I recommend checking your local Craiglist, or other local shops. Your health and fitness is definitely an investment. You can take the education and lifestyle and put it to work for you. You can learn how to make this equipment contribute to a better life and not end up like the other 250 million home gyms in our nation that only contribute to dust collection in the basement.

Here are the links:
KSL Classifieds http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=486&cat=186
CRAIGSLIST http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites.html

You all are inspirations to the world. Keep up the hard work.

-As always, - Jared

PowerBlocks

PowerBlocks are the world’s best Dumbbells.
Why? PowerBlocks are perfectly balanced. They are the heaviest, most compact and easiest to use quick change dumbbell. PowerBlock is the only dumbbell system that can expand to meet your strength needs. Start with a 50 lb set, expand to 90 lbs, expand again to 130 lbs. Dumbbells are the most versatile and effective exercise tool ever developed for strength training. Now you can have rapid access to a whole rack of dumbbells at home in the space of just 1 pair, and at a fraction of the price of conventional dumbbells.
http://www.sportblock.com/

Is Carbonation Bad?

I can give you a number of reasons to avoid drinking colas and other sodas but the carbonation they contain is not one of them. The notion that the carbonation in sodas is bad for bones comes from studies performed in the early 1990s which suggested that drinking carbonated beverages, specifically colas, raises the risk of bone fractures among adolescent girls and older women (former college athletes). No such association was found for non-cola drinks. The researchers also found that a high intake of calcium was protective.

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (September 2001) looked at the question of whether carbonated beverages increase urinary excretion of calcium. If so, this effect might provide a plausible link between consumption of carbonated beverages and an increased risk of fractures.

Researchers from the Osteoporosis Research Center at Creighton University found that excess urinary excretion of calcium occurred only when the carbonated beverages consumed contained caffeine. At least one earlier study had suggested that caffeine consumption can have a deleterious effect on bone health if not counteracted by sufficient calcium. The Creighton researchers found that the caffeine effect they saw was balanced by less excretion of calcium later in the day so that the net result was only a negligible loss of calcium. This led them to conclude that any effect on bone associated with carbonated drinks would stem from lowered calcium intake due to displacement of milk as a beverage. Incidentally, this study was sponsored by the dairy industry, which would have had an interest in the opposite result.

I wouldn't worry about the carbonation in sodas. My concerns about consumption of soft drinks focus more on the unhealthy amounts of sugar, artificial sweeteners and caffeine they contain. The carbonation itself is not a problem, and Perrier and other carbonated mineral waters are perfectly safe.

Andrew Weil, M.D. http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA157077

Way to go Paul!

Way to go Paul! 7 Weeks of strictly muscle gain.

In the process of gaining 16 lbs of muscle Paul lost 8.8% Body fat (14lbs fat.)

Live Internet Seminar, Fat Loss vs. Weight Loss

I will be teaching a seminar over the Internet in the next couple of weeks. You are invited to join on your computer and invite anyone you know to join from the comfort of their own homes. There will be no cost, just loads of education. The date is not yet solid, but this gives you a chance to talk to your friends about what you are doing to improve your body and your health.

It will be live and identical to a classroom setting, so you will be able to ask questions and interact as if you were there. We will be discussing the truth about weight loss vs fat loss and why 95% of the United States is failing in their attempts to improve their physique. As many of you know, the population of our country as a whole is approaching 70% overweight. It is projected that in the next 20 years, we will surpass 90%.

Please start telling your friends and family and I will get you more information soon.

Thanks everyone! Keep up the hard work.

-Jared