Fitness

It's a fact: One out of eight women will develop breast cancer at some point in their life. But could you be increasing your risk of breast cancer without knowing it? Now research from the Netherlands says women are making one crucial mistake that could be upping their risk for this disease. Reporting at the annual American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting, researchers say that postmenopausal women who diet but don't exercise face a higher risk of breast cancer--by up…
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To lose weight, nutritionists recommend the following: Eat a calorie-reduced diet and get plenty of exercise. But could exercising while obese actually make it harder to lose weight? According to new research published in the Journal of Exercise Physiology, it could--by increasing their physiological stress responses. The research, which will be published in June, says that exercise alone may not be enough for those battling obesity. "It's often said obese people should change their diet and exercise to lose weight,"…
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It's a known fact: Being older and heavier could put you at risk for gestational diabetes during pregnancy, a condition that currently affects around 10 percent of the U.S. population. Worse yet, a gestational diabetes diagnosis could lead to type 2 diabetes down the road. But now researchers say there may be one way to avoid it: By exercising. "This is kind of a hopeful message because they may think they are at a high risk of type 2 diabetes,…
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To reduce your risk of a heart attack, experts recommend eating a heart-healthy diet and getting plenty of exercise. But could too much exercise harm your heart as well? According to German researchers, it could. Two new studies, now published in the research journal Heart, say that those who engage in high-intensity exercise face a higher risk of heart attack or irregular heart rhythm later in life--two conditions with deadly consequences. "As physicians, we often face patients with cardiovascular risk…
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Want to get a six pack? As it turns out, researchers have discovered the one exercise that's best for getting a lean, chiseled core--and it isn't gimmicky machines such as the Ab Wheel or Ab Rocket. Studying a group of men and women who worked out their abs, researchers from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse found that the best exercise for the abs didn't involve any machines at all--instead, the perfect exercise of choice was the crunch. "We spent a…
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It sounds like common sense, but few people follow it: To motivate yourself to exercise, do something that you like to do. Unfortunately, most Americans struggle to even do this on a regular basis, according to recent statistics. How you feel about certain exercises really can help as far as motivation is concerned, however, according to a new study from the University of New Hampshire. "Small amounts of easy, enjoyable activity are best for revving up your energy level and…
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If you're a man over the age of 40, your risk of heart failure increases--especially if you're obese and don't exercise. But if you're planning to pick up exercise as a way to combat this risk, think again: Researchers say you still face a higher risk of heart failure if you still spend most of your day sitting down. The research is published in the journal Circulation: Heart Failure. "In this diverse cohort of middle-aged and older men, low physical…
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Really desperate to drop those last few pounds? Forget eating right and exercise--just wear underwear instead. But this isn't your normal type of underwear. Called the MXP Calorie Shaper Pants, these supposed "weight loss pants"--developed by the Tokyo-based company Goldwin--claim to make the muscles work extra hard while walking, forcing the body to burn more calories to compensate. And of course the more calories you burn, the more weight you'll lose. "The extra muscle strength required to balance the tension…
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For most of us, it's a common occurrence: Mild to moderate stress. But for mothers expecting their first child, stress can sometimes be a daily occurrence, thanks to concerns such as delivering a healthy baby, avoiding gestational diabetes, or even trying to stay financially afloat after giving birth. But now researchers say there may be a way to nip these common stressors in the bud--by doing yoga. This research now study appears in the health journal Depression and Anxiety. "There…
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It's a known fact: As you get older, your risk of a heart attack increases. But is there a way to stop it naturally? According to new evidence from researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health, there is--by getting in more physical activity. The research, led to Luisa Soares-Miranda, Ph.D., is published in the journal Circulation. "Early abnormalities in this system are picked up by changes in heart rate variability, and these changes predict the risk of future heart…
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