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New Study Suggests When To Exercise To Lose More Weight.

6 Mar

Exercise stimulates appetite?  New Research says… WRONG!

This has been a hot topic for a very long time.  In fact, it’s quite possible that cavemen and cavewomen were debating this while sitting around the campfire chomping on Mastodon burgers. The question is:

What’s The Best Time Of Day To Work Out?

Okay.  Fine.  Cave people had a few more important things to worry about like food, shelter, and getting eaten by Saber-Toothed Tigers.

But, if you are trying to lose weight and get in shape TODAY, then the answer to this question may be VERY important to you.

If you are like most people, you have very limited time.  So, you want to get the maximum results from exercise that you can in as little time and with least effort possible.

The good news is that a few recently published research papers may have some answers…

The first is a study published in the October issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.

This research out of Brigham Young University (BYU) shows that 45 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise in the morning actually reduces a person’s motivation for food.  This is contrary to the common belief that exercise STIMULATES appetite.

According to BYU: Professors, James LeCheminant and Michael Larson, measured the neural activity of 35 women while they viewed food images, both following a morning of exercise and a morning without exercise. They found their attentional response to the food pictures decreased after the brisk workout.

“This study provides evidence that exercise not only affects energy output, but it also may affect how people respond to food cues,” LeCheminant said.  The report went on to say, “The 45-minute exercise bout not only produced lower brain responses to the food images, but also resulted in an increase in total physical activity that day, regardless of body mass index.”

One thing of interest was that the women did not eat more food on exercise days than non-exercise days.  In other words, they did not eat more to make up for the calories burned from working out.

“The subject of food motivation and weight loss is so complex,” Larson said. “There are many things that influence eating, and exercise is just one element.”

What About Peak Performance?

There are studies that show the AFTERNOON is the best time for peak performance.  One study published in Sports Medicine in 1995 revealed that, “Performance of physical activity is generally improved in the afternoon or evening, compared with morning.”

Even more important are the results from a study published in Medical Science Sports Exercise in 1998 that found: “These results demonstrate that there is temporal specificity in training to increase work capacity in high-intensity exercise. Greater improvements can be expected to occur at the time of day at which high-intensity training is regularly performed.”

In other words, training at the same time every day yields the best results in regards to performance.

 

Here’s something to keep in mind…  The last two studies mentioned concern performance (strength, speed, etc.)  The first study done at BYU is about appetite and potential weight loss. Once again, science does not give us the clear-cut answer we are looking for.

So, What’s The Bottom Line?

Make an exercise plan and exercise regularly.  That is the number one priority.  Clearly, any workout is better than none.  But, TRY to workout at the same time every day.

These studies used small sample sizes and it is very possible that not everyone fits into these results.  For example, some people are morning people.  They jump out of bed at 5:30 every day cheering.  For others, that is torture.

So, is it possible that these two types of people have different peak performance times?  One early and the other later?  Yes, it is. Once again, try it out for yourself.  Just be consistent and give it a valid shot.  Don’t try something for a week or two and think it did not work. Exercise, weight loss, and athletic performance simply do not work like that.  Neither does health.

All of these things take consistency.  You must do the right things… long enough…  and “long enough” is for the rest of your life.

Sometimes reality can be a little harsh, but the alternative is much worse.

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Are E-Cigarettes Safe?

5 Mar

Marketers claim they are safe, but now research is telling them to pump the brakes with that claim. According to a press release by the
European Lung Foundation, “The results showed that for all people included in the study, the e-cigarette caused an immediate increase in
airway resistance lasting 10 minutes. In healthy subjects (never smokers), there was a statistically significant increase in airway
resistance from a mean average of 182% to 206%. In smokers with normal [breathing], there was a statistically significant increase from a
mean average of 176% to 220%. In COPD and asthma patients, the use of one e-cigarette seemed to have no immediate effect to airway resistance.
airway resistance in our group of participants, which suggests e-cigarettes can cause immediate harm after smoking the device. More research is needed to understand whether this harm also has lasting effects in the long-term.”

One major drawback of this study is that it only included 8 people who had never smoked before and 24 smokers. The limited sample size does not prove if e-cigarettes are harmful, but it does raise important questions and a potential red flag, and shows the need for more research. In the end, the question is not if they are 100% safe with NO side effects, but are they safer (with fewer side effects) than regular cigarettes?

Our tip: It is probably best to do neither.

Alcohol, PTSD, and the Leading Cause Of Preventable Birth Defects.

5 Mar

A new study has been released that shows alcohol use might increase trauma victims’ chances of getting post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Heavy drinkers are at an increased risk to have traumatic events like car accidents and domestic violence, but now research is showing that drinking may affect the brain’s “circuitry” and recovery speed.

According to Andrew Holmes, PhD, at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, “A history of heavy alcohol abuse could impair a critical mechanism for recovering from a trauma, and in doing so put people at greater risk for PTSD… The next step will be to test whether our pre-clinical findings translate to patients currently suffering from comorbid PTSD and alcohol abuse. If it does, then this could lead to new thinking about how we can better treat these serious medical conditions.”

In another study reported by the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Kathleen K. Sulik, PhD, reports, “We now know that maternal alcohol use is the leading known and preventable cause of birth defects and mental disability in the United States… Alcohol’s effects can cause a range of cognitive, developmental and behavioral problems that typically become evident during childhood, and last a lifetime.”

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The Tale Of Two Heroes.

5 Mar

What do you imagine when you think about a hero?  Most envision people with super-human qualities that make them larger than life.  Hollywood movies have trained us to think this way through characters like Batman, Superman, the X-Men, and more.

But, the fact of the matter is, real heroes do exist.  They NEVER have super-human powers.  Ironically, most of the time, they are either completely average or are even challenged in a way that would lead some people to believe they could never be a hero.

Harry Moseley is a perfect example.  Harry was a cancer stricken Birmingham, England youngster who is the subject of a new book written by his mother.

Harry was only 11 years old and struggled with a brain tumor.  At a time when many people feel sorry for themselves and give up, Harry dedicated his life to helping others.

He made bracelets to raise cash for several charities.  He also donated gifts sent to him from other people and went to schools to talk to students.  From doing all of this, he raised more than £650,000 for charity.

Harry’s legacy will live on partly because of what he did and partly because his mother has authored a book about her son with the help of a ghost writer. She said, “He would have been so proud of the book.  I only wish that it was an autobiography rather than a biography. I’m just writing it on his behalf…  It has been a real labor of love to put together. There have been emotional moments, and I cry whenever I have to read through it again, but I believe Harry deserved this.”

She added, “The story relives Harry’s life, but focuses more on when he was diagnosed and how he selflessly helped others. A lot of people know about the bracelets, but they don’t know about the other things he did… I wanted to tell people about his work and this was the perfect way to do it.”

Harry is not alone.  Paul Oxley has a story that is equally impressive.  Paul suffered with cystic fibrosis his entire life, but he did not let his illness get in the way of helping others.

He belonged to a site called “post pals” and took time every single day to help other sick children.  He constantly encouraged the children to make the most of their lives and stay positive despite their illnesses.  Even with everything he did, Paul still had time to play football or referee the games.

Not only that, over the years he raised more than £12,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust in the hopes of helping other sufferers with the condition. He was named a Herald Young Hero in 2010 and received the Marjorie Lynden Stannator Award for his charity work. The devoted youngster also received a Lifetime Achievement accolade at the Pride of Plymouth awards in 2009.

All this time, he was struggling himself and waiting for a transplant that never came.  Several times he got the call saying they had found a donor, but each time they ended up not being compatible.

Paul Oxley passed away at the age of 21, still waiting for that transplant.

That’s why his parents are making a plea to change organ donor laws.  They would like to see it changed to an opt-out system.  In other words, everyone is automatically an organ donor and must opt out if they do not want to do it.

 

Our Excuses Are Invalid. Here Is Why…

2 Mar

Most people have heard of Facebook.

Chances are, you have also heard of Pinterest.

It doesn’t matter if you have or not, what matters is this… On both Facebook and Pinterest there is a viral theme called, “Your excuse is invalid.”

Basically, people post pictures of someone doing something that by all appearances, they shouldn’t be able to do.

For example, consider the South African sprinter who just became the first double amputee to compete in the Olympic games.

He had both his legs amputated at 11 years old and now runs using carbon fiber “legs.”

His nicknames are: The “Blade Runner” and “The fastest man on no legs.”

Think about this for a minute, the guy has NO LEGS and yet, he made the South African Olympic track team.

How many times have you started to eat well… and then quit?

How many times have you started an exercise program… and then quit?

How many times have you decided to improve your health and life… and then quit?

Why did you quit?

Not enough time? Too tired? Was it too hard?

ENOUGH!

Just think about the Blade Runner. That’s right, your excuse is invalid. It’s 100% made up in your head.

Not everyone has the genetics to run in the Olympics. But we can all be BETTER. We can all be HAPPIER. We can all be HEALTHIER and in BETTER SHAPE.

Lastly, your excuses (and mine) are invalid. ☺

Sincerely,

Dr. Binder

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Are You A Dog Lover?

1 Mar

If you are a dog lover, here’s a silly question… If your dog was in pain, what would you be willing to do to take away that pain? The answer (of course) is ANYTHING. You would do anything it takes to make your loving pet feel good. That’s why it was no surprise that this story went viral on the internet. The post about it on Facebook got over 207,000 likes and 116,000 shares almost instantly.

The story is about a Wisconsin man, John Unger, and his dog, Schoep. John rescued Schoep 19 years ago when he was only 8 months old. They instantly became best friends and went through almost two decades of ups and downs together.

In his old age, Schoep has become riddled with arthritis. It is so bad that he has a very hard time sleeping. John discovered that Schoep feels better in water, so he takes him into Lake Superior at night and holds Schoep up while he sleeps.

A photographer, Hannah Stonehouse-Hudson, is John’s friend and captured one of the “Schoep sleeping moments” with an incredible picture. In the picture, Schoep is out cold with his head resting on his owner’s chest. Partially submerged, the warm lake water soothes Schoep’s aches and pains enough so he can rest peacefully.

It is a picture of polar opposites; both heartbreaking and wonderful all at the same time. It’s heartbreaking to see Schoep in the final stages of his life, and wonderful to see such an incredible loving bond between a man and his dog. Because Schoep trusts John enough to fall asleep while his owner holds him up in the lake, you instantly know the love that was given during all those years to create that trust.

John Unger is reported as saying that he will do whatever he has to do to give Schoep relief from pain. He credits Schoep with saving his life 19 years ago when a relationship failed.

According to an interview with John Unger in the Huffington Post: After breaking up with his former fiancée, Unger had been having suicidal thoughts. “To be honest with you, I don’t think I’d be here if I didn’t have Schoep with me (that night)… He just snapped me out of it. I don’t know how to explain it. He just snapped me out of it… I just want to do whatever I can for this dog because he basically saved my [behind].”

Every night, John carries his dog into the waters of Lake Superior and holds him up while he sleeps. Yes, he stands in the lake water while his dog sleeps every single night.

Photographer Hannah Hudson said, “I want people to identify with this photo, and remember a time when they felt safe, loved, and cared for… Then I want them to channel those feelings and pay it forward! There is way too much negativity in this world – maybe with this one photo we can start to change things just a tiny bit.”

We just “paid it forward.” You should, too.

To watch the video and see the picture, go here.

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