Fitness

Do you dread going to the gym for what feels like hours at a stretch? Or do you avoid working out altogether because you just don’t have the time? Then what I’m about to tell you should be music to your ears: sometimes when it comes to exercise, less is more.

It’s becoming increasingly clear that too much exercise, particularly long bouts of cardio, can cause more harm than good…

One of the most basic requirements for an effective exercise session is good oxygenation of your muscles and organs. You can actually control how well your tissues are being oxygenated by how you breathe.

But if you’re like most people, you take your breathing for granted. After all, it’s so automatic! You may not realize that there is an optimal way to breathe to increase body oxygenation and improve your health. There is a chance you may be doing it the wrong way without even realizing it…

Aside from the food you eat, exercise is one of the most important factors in being free from chronic disease. It is also something that can be added to almost any lifestyle because there are so many different ways to get your daily exercise.

Pilates and yoga are two popular routines and each has benefits over and beyond strengthening your core. I’m also partial to Foundation Training, as it not only builds strong core muscles but also…

I believe that strength training is an integral part of a well-rounded exercise program and most experts recommend them for people of all ages, including children and seniors.

Using a pair of dumbbells and/or kettlebells is an excellent way to perform a broad range of exercises that will help you build muscle mass, while improving your cardiovascular health and strengthening your body from head to toe…

Is it a good idea to “starve” yourself just a little bit each day? The evidence suggests that yes, avoiding eating around the clock could have a very beneficial impact on your health and longevity.

What we’re talking about here is generally referred to as intermittent fasting, which involves timing your meals to allow for regular periods of fasting…

Testosterone, a hormone produced primarily by the testicles, is often associated with the epitome of “manhood” (although women have testosterone, too).

Indeed, it does play a large role in male sexuality and reproduction, impacting such factors as sexual and reproductive function, muscle mass, and hair growth, but also has some less “flashy,” albeit equally important, roles like maintaining bone density, levels of red blood cells and a sense of well-being…

Less than 25 percent of Americans over the age of 45 engage in strength-training exercises,1 which are actually among the most important exercises to stay fit and healthy. It’s a matter of fact that your muscle strength decreases with age… unless you do something to stop it.

That “something” is strength training. Without it, by the time you’re in your 70s, your muscle strength and tone will have declined by roughly 25 percent…

Exercise has been one of my passions for 45 years now. It’s one of the reasons why I wanted to go to medical school, as I intended to use exercise as a therapeutic modality to improve people’s health. I eventually shifted more to using nutrition as my primary tool, because I realized the fuel you provide your body is really crucial to obtain optimal health.

But you really cannot be optimally healthy without exercise. More recently, I’ve become convinced that non-exercise movement…

Intermittent fasting or “scheduled eating” is one of the most powerful interventions I know of to shed excess weight and reduce your risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease.

These health benefits are more or less beneficial “side effects” of shifting your body from burning sugar to burning fat as its primary fuel. I’m really pleased to see this approach now receiving more mainstream media attention, as it’s such a potent health-promoting tool…

If optimal fitness is your goal, there’s no getting around your diet. That’s right, fitness is not all about designing the ideal workout plan, as your diet can easily make or break an otherwise excellent regimen.

Knowing which foods and specific nutrients deliver the most bang for your buck in terms of supporting your fitness goals can go a long way.

First and foremost, however, keep in mind that while pre-packaged processed foods may be convenient, cooking from scratch using…