Daily Fitness

Want to cut down on all those calories but don’t know how? Well, working out might be the answer, for researchers have found that aerobic exercises increase a blood protein that may suppress appetite.

Researchers at the University of Chile Clinical Hospital in Santiago conducted a study in which they found that aerobic exercise decreases body fat and calorie intake in overweight and obese people.

They believe that this happens because exercise brings about changes to a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF, whose main role is promoting the growth and survival of nerve cells.

The boffins conducted the research over a three-month period during which they evaluated blood levels of BDNF in 15 overweight or obese men and women.

At the end of the study, it was noted that the participants had not only shed some of their weight, had decreased waist circumference, and blood pressure, but that they also consumed fewer calories than at the beginning of the study.

With exercise, it was found that BDNF levels greatly increased, which in turn led to less calorie intake and greater the weight loss, said lead author A. Veronica Araya, MD, assistant professor.

Based on the findings she said that it was thus "important to clarify the factors involved in the response to different weight loss therapies because we could find a marker to predict response to the intervention" as it might help healthcare providers select who will benefit from exercise.

Moderate exercise during pregnancy does not contribute to low birth weight, premature birth or miscarriage, according to a new study, which claims that physical activities during the period may actually reduce the risk of complications.

A Michigan State University professor and team have contributed to the U.S. government’s first-ever guidelines on physical activity.

Kinesiology professor James Pivarnik and doctoral students Lanay Mudd and Erin Kuffel wrote the section on pregnancy and postpartum activity as part of the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines unveiled Oct. 7 in Washington, D.C., by the Department of Health and Human Services.

"There has been quite a dramatic change in regards to pregnancy and exercise," said Pivarnik.

"While it used to be thought that avoiding exercise meant avoiding harm to the fetus, research now shows physical activity can not only improve health of the mother but also provide potential long-term benefits for the child,” the expert added.

Specifically, the guidelines call for women to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week during pregnancy and the postpartum period, preferably spread throughout the week. In addition to health benefits, moderate physical activity also may reduce the length of labor, evidence suggests.

The guidelines call for women to avoid doing activities that involve lying on their back after the first trimester and activities with high risk of falling or abdominal trauma.

During the postpartum period, regular physical activity continues to benefit a woman’s overall health, according to Pivarnik’s research, by increasing her cardiorespiratory fitness and improving her mood.

Physical activity after pregnancy also helps women achieve and maintain a healthy weight, and when combined with appropriate caloric restriction, promotes weight loss.

"In the time I have been performing research on exercise during pregnancy, we have shifted from cautious conservatism to the current guidelines, which encourage women to be active throughout gestation," Pivarnik said.

Also as part of the new guidelines, the government recommends 150 minutes of activity for adults per week.

via: Times of India

Drinking coffee after a workout can help refuel muscles and recover quickly from rigorous exercising.

Glycogen, the muscle’s primary fuel source during exercise, is replenished more rapidly when athletes ingest both carbohydrate and caffeine after rigorous exercise, thus improving their performance.

The researchers found that athletes who ingested caffeine with carbohydrate had 66pct more glycogen in their muscles four hours after finishing intense, glycogen-depleting exercise, compared to when they consumed carbohydrate alone.

"If you have 66% more fuel for the next day’s training or competition, there is absolutely no question you will go farther or faster," said Dr. Hawley, the study’s senior author.

Despite coffee, caffeine is also present in common foods and beverages, including, tea, chocolate and cola drinks.

The study involved seven well-trained endurance cyclists, wherein they were asked to ride a cycle ergometer until exhaustion, and then consume a low-carbohydrate dinner before going home.

The study was conducted in four sessions. This exercise reduced the athletes’ muscle glycogen stores prior to the experimental trial.

The athletes did not eat again until the next day for the second session, when they again cycled until exhaustion. The participants were given a drink that contained carbohydrate alone or carbohydrate plus caffeine and rested in the laboratory for four hours. Both the processes were repeated 7-10 days later.

The researchers found that one hour after exercise, muscle glycogen levels had been refilled to the same extent whether or not the athlete had the drink containing carbohydrate and caffeine or carbohydrate only.

However, four hours after exercise, the drink containing caffeine resulted in 66 pct higher glycogen levels compared to the carbohydrate-only drink and caffeinated drink resulted in higher levels of blood glucose and plasma insulin.

Several signalling proteins believed to play a role in glucose transport into the muscle also elevated to a greater extent after the athletes ingested the carbohydrate-plus-caffeine drink, compared to the carbohydrate-only drink.

But the researchers warned that athletes who want to incorporate caffeine into their workouts should experiment during training sessions well in advance of an important competition to find out what works for them.

Injuries sustained while engaged in fitness activities are more common then you might think, but many of the injuries can be avoided if the individual is knowledgeable and is willing to take the time to implement specific precautions. Listed below are the sources of many common fitness related injuries and suggestions on how to avoid them.

• Insufficient Warm Up
• Poor Stabilization
• Exceeding Limits
• Equipment Use
• Defective Equipment

Warming Up

The muscles work the best and can perform at optimum levels when they are warm. Cold muscles are tight, tense and inflexible. Exercise warms, loosens and makes the muscles more pliable. Muscles that are warm have a higher degree of flexibility then muscles that are cold.

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