The research is clear on one thing – lack of sleep quality can negatively impact your weight and body composition. How so? When you don’t sleep enough, you release more cortisol and that does undesirable things to your body composition by increasing visceral abdominal fat and breaking down muscle tissue.
Menopause is a time when your body is in transition and a time when the risk for certain health problems goes up. Here are three health problems that become significantly more common after menopause and steps you can take to prevent them.
How’s your metabolism? Having a higher resting metabolic rate makes it easier to control your weight. Unfortunately, some people slow down their metabolism without knowing it. Here are five habits that can slow your metabolism and contribute to weight gain.
Trying to lose weight? Be sure you’re getting enough protein in your diet. Protein is a powerful ally in your battle to shed body fat. Find out what the benefits of protein are when you’re trying to lose weight and how to get them.
Are you too focused on the number of calories you’re burning DURING exercise? That certainly makes exercise less enjoyable and it can also keep you from getting the results you’re looking for. Find out why the number of calories burned during a workout session isn’t all that important – and what is.
Insulin is a hormone that’s vital to life. It helps your body store energy and hold onto body fat. On the other hand, it also helps you build muscle when you work out. Find out more about the science of insulin, how it can work in your favor – and work against you too.
Some people, particularly women, want to get more “muscle tone.” They fear if they lift heavy weights they’ll get bulky. This article talks about the myth of “muscle toning” and why lifting heavy weights combined with high-intensity interval training is best for getting muscle definition without bulk.
Some of the bacteria in your intestines you want to keep around because they help with digestion and may protect against certain types of infections. Now a new study shows that certain types of probiotic bacteria can impact fat loss. Find out more about this intriguing study and the role bacteria may play in controlling body weight.
This is a picture from XTrain Chest, Back and Shoulders showing Amanda and Marlo recording their results between workout sets. In any strength conditioning workout it is important to use the correct weight if you want to maximize your results. Just as we did in STS we use One Rep Max testing in XTrain to help you find the
Exercise can reduce the risk of health problems. It can also prevent some loss of lean body mass and drop in metabolism that occurs with age. Now a new study shows that a combination of lower-body strength training and balance exercises can reduce the risk of falls and injuries as we grow older. Discover why it’s important to work on lower-body strength and balance – and a simple test to see how good your sense of balance is.
The scale isn’t always a good indicator of how healthy you are, and it says nothing about your level of fitness. Find out why this is and two better measures of whether you have a healthy body composition.
Not seeing results from your strength-training program? It may not be your diet or your exercise program – it could be the medications you’re taking. Two common types of medications that many active, young women take can have an impact on your ability to build lean body mass. Find out what they are.
