For Diabetics and the Rest of Us, Do Both Cardio and Weights

A new study shows that people with type 2 diabetes lower their glucose levels more when they do both aerobic and weight training exercises than when they do neither or just one of these types. The research was published in a recent edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Until this study was published, it was unclear what the best exercise routine was for diabetics. The study holds lessons for diabetics and non-diabetics alike.

Timothy Church MD led the nine-month study on 262 sedentary male and female patients with type 2 diabetes. He measured glycated hemoglobin, an accepted measure of how well diabetics have controlled their blood sugar over the past few months, with lower being better. His study has become known as the "Hart-D trial.

" Aerobic exercise included walking on a treadmill for about 150 minutes per week at a moderate pace. Resistance training included working out three days per week with upper body, leg, abdomen, and back exercises. The combination training program included only two days of resistance training per week to keep the total exercise time consistent in all three groups. Therefore, each of the three groups spent about total 140 minutes in exercises each week.

The authors of the study concluded that, although both aerobic and resistance training provide benefits of themselves, only the combination of the two seemed to reduced levels of glycated hemoglobin. In addition, fewer of the people in the combination exercise group needed to increase the amount of medications they required to control their disease. All three of the groups reduced their waists by 1.5 to 2.8 centimeters. Fat mass was reduced by 3 pounds in the resistance training group and 3.7 pounds in the combination training group. But only participants in the combination group were significantly more likely than those in the control group to get to the point where they could decrease hypoglycemic medications or reduce glycated hemoglobin levels.

"We really thought that the walking group and the combination group would be similar, but the combination group was the only group that had significant improvement. They reduced their [glycated hemoglobin] levels, while also reducing the amount of diabetes medications," said Dr. Church, who is director of preventive medicine research at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University System in Baton Rouge.

With obesity and the onset on type 2 diabetes rampant in the United States, the Church study holds lessens for everyone who is concerned with their health. Experts' advice for avoiding diabetes tends to mirror that for treating it. This can be summarized as "lose weight, avoid simple carbohydrates, such as sugar and white bread, and exercise regularly." Now this exercise can be defined as doing both aerobic exercises, as on a treadmill, and weight resistance exercises.

Church's study was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Its results were published in the November 24, 2010 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. See "Effects of Aerobic and Resistance Training on Hemoglobin A1c Levels in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes - A Randomized Controlled Trial" Church, Blair, et al.,JAMA. 2010;304(20):2253-2262. doi:10.1001/jama.2010.1710

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Aerobic, Anaerobic Or Just Exercise

So we can be healthier and more energetic, we decide to get fit, eat right, work out...all of it. Then, just as we're getting started, trying to find out what to do, people throw out technical terms we don't understand. Words like aerobic and anaerobic confuse us and make us feel like we're not smart enough to be healthy. If I've just described you, this article will tell you what the words mean and why, in most cases, they don't matter.

What Is Aerobic Exercise? Aerobic means 'with air'. When a workout routine is aerobic, your body can replenish the needed oxygen (air) to the muscles being exercised. Aerobic exercise is good for heart, lungs, immunity, lower blood pressure, cellular health and helps prevent or control major diseases (like diabetes, cancer, atherosclerosis, asthma, emphysema, sciatica, constipation, etc).

Aerobic exercise is the easiest and the most beneficial. If you feel you need to choose between anaerobic and aerobic exercise, choose aerobic. It's as simple and inexpensive as taking a fast walk 3-5 days per week. Other types of aerobic workouts include swimming, jogging, stationary bike riding, rowing, aerobic dancing (jazzercise), and lifting light weights, quickly. In order to get the full aerobic value, the activity should be sustained for 30 minutes total. Imagine that...2-3 hours per week could add as much as 15 healthy years to your life and make the other years much healthier and productive.

What Is Anaerobic Exercise? Anaerobic means the workout is so strenuous it uses oxygen faster than your body can replenish it. An anaerobic workout is any program that is very strenuous, lifting heavy weights, for example. Other anaerobic exercises include sprinting, climbing, long jump, push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, leg lifts, squat thrusts, etc. Anaerobic workouts build muscle and are needed so you can perform heavy jobs, like lifting things, running away from danger, take a steep hike, etc. It also helps with the symptoms of some diseases (like arthritis and osteoporosis). Some people use it to get that rugged, buff look, but I'm jealous of them.

Aerobic And Anaerobic Exercise Equipment: Aerobic equipment comes in all shapes, sizes and price ranges, the cheapest and easiest is a pair of walking or cross-training shoes for your aerobic walk. Some of the mid-range fitness equipment includes stationary bikes, treadmills, rowing machines, stair-steppers, etc. You can get really expensive, with electronically assisted equipment that simulates uphill climbs and monitors your blood pressure, heart rate, calories burned, along with charting your whole routine and uploading to computer. For me, I'll take the walks!

There are many types of anaerobic exercise equipment on the market at all price ranges. Some examples are dumb bells, free weights, home gyms, thigh and abdominal workout equipment. If you're on a really tight budget, you can buy bungee cords or medical tubing and make your own anaerobic exercise equipment. Frankly, you could use a stick attached to 2, 2-litre bottles of water for various weight lifting workouts.

Whatever type you do, Choosing The Right Exercise Apparel is important to prevent injury. Whether your preferred workout is aerobic or anaerobic, if you want more equipment but don't want to spend the money, go to garage sales. I guarantee you will find a wide variety of almost new equipment at less than a tenth of the new price.

Just Exercise: For the fitness goals of most of us, any workout is good exercise. Both aerobic and anaerobic workouts burn calories, reduce blood sugar, and are useful for weight loss. Both types help with overall fitness. As opposed to no exercise, any workout improves heart, lungs...the whole body. Any routine started slowly and built up over time will safely achieve a healthy lifestyle. The most important thing is that your exercise routine be easy to do and not a dreaded chore. Whatever program you choose, make sure it's something you could do regularly to keep in shape. If you make it fun enough to do it regularly, you don't even need to know whether it's aerobic or anaerobic...you just need to do it.

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How to Choose a Fitness Rowing Machine - Some Considerations

Fitness rowing machines offer an excellent all round training which is kind to the joints yet gives a demanding, aerobic exercise that uses muscles in both the upper and lower body. They are high-priced though so it is a good idea to do research on the different types before you pay money for one to make sure the machine you finish up with is the most appropriate for your needs. The least expensive rowing machine you will doubtless find is approximately $500 and the priciest nearly $2500 so you really want to understand which type to buy and which features you would need.

Considerations When Purchasing a Fitness Rowing Machine

Rowing machines do need quite a lot of room so if you do not have the space to leave one in place all the time you could obtain a machine that can be folded up and put away. You will also want quite a large, well ventilated space to use your rowing machine in, preferably with room for a TV as training can be quite boring when done for extended periods. A number of machines do make quite a lot of noise so if is a concern you may want to consider a magnetic rowing machine as these are a great deal quieter. If you are going to use the machine on a daily basis we would recommend a magnetic rowing machine that is intended for intense use. For infrequent use a hydraulic machine will be suitable as these also are more likely to be much smaller and more convenient to put in a cupboard to store.

Several of the less expensive rowing machine don't have computers for output of readings like time,stroke rate and distance. While not truly necessary these are very good ways to watch your progress and to stop you being bored during training. They sometimes come as optional extras but we would recommend buying them as they will make your work out much more effective and enjoyable.

Variable Resistance Machines

A good number of the rowing machines you can buy have an adjustable resistance so check the range as some are rather limited. A machine with a broad variety is much more functional as you can effortlessly change the intensity of the workout by changing the resistance.

More Considerations Before You Buy

Ensure that the foot plates and seat are totally adjustable and that you fall inside the weight limits of the machine.

Before You Buy a Machine - Try One Out!

Machines differ a lot in their motion and in how easy they are to use. if you can try out some different types of rowing machines at the gym. If you are purchasing online make certain that the seller has a return policy so that if you find the rowing machine is not suitable for you it can be exchanged for a different one.

The Some Different Types of Fitness Rowing Machines

Hydraulic Rowing Machines

These are as a rule the cheapest machines and also are likely to be smaller which makes storage a lot easier. They use cylinders full of oil for resistance. The movement can be somewhat jerky and they do have a tendency to leak after a few years use. We wouldn't recommend a hydraulic rowing machine for intense, daily use.

Air Resistance Rowing Machines

In these machines air flows over a fly wheel to to produce the resistance. Though you can acquire air rowing machines from around $200 we advise spending a small amount more to obtain a superior quality machine at approximately $400. Resistance as a rule covers a broad range which really replicates the sensation of rowing in water and resistance increases as you row faster. On the other hand they do have the drawback of being very noisy particularly at high speeds.

Water Resistance Rowing Machines

In these types of rowing machines, water in a cylinder provides the resistance. They are among the higher priced machines with prices starting at in the region of $900. They give a very smooth movement which is very comparable to the feeling of rowing in water and you can even hear the water moving past you as you row! They do require some maintenance however as you will have to to restore the water occasionally.

Magnetic Rowing Machine

An adjustable magnet provide some resistance in these sorts of rowing machines. They are fairly small machines which makes them easier to store than some of the others and they are exceptionally quiet. They don't need any maintenance and impart a very smooth motion.

In Conclusion

Purchasing a high-quality fitness rowing machine is a rather large investment so you must ensure before you buy that you are going to use it regularly. If at all possible you will have used rowing machines at the gym so that you are familiar with this type of exercise. Rowing machines are examples of fitness exercise machines that are excellent buys as they give you a very good all-round aerobic exercise which tones all of your muscles at the same time.

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4 Steps To More Effective Aerobic, Streching, and Weight Training Exercise

We all know that well-balanced diets include the different nutrients we need to maintain health and well-being. But did you know that your exercise program needs to be well-balanced, too? There's three types of exercise to include in your work-out diet.

Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic exercise burns energy and oxygen, through continuous movement of the largest muscles in your body (your thigh muscles). Aerobic activities include bicycling, swimming, jogging, and (a great one for beginners or those who are recovering from illness) walking. If you're just starting, try 10 minutes a day four days and increase as it feels comfortable until you're exercising 30 to 60 minutes. Some people find that adding variety to their program (a new route every day; alternating classes and stationary biking) keeps them motivated.

Finding the right pace for aerobic exercise is important. Rambling at too comfortable a pace may not maximize the benefits of aerobic exercising, but overdoing can make exercise "anaerobic" (non-oxygen burning). A good way to make sure you're exercising aerobically is to measure your heart rate. After exercising, put your fingers (not your thumb!) across your wrist (palm up). Count the number of pulses you feel during 10 seconds, then multiply that by six to convert it to a one-minute heart rate. Keep your exercise heart rate to 55 percent to 80 percent of your estimated maximum heart rate (220 - your age)

If that's too much math, you can estimate using the sing/talk test. While you're exercising, carry on a conversation with your gym-buddy or (if you're exercising at home) sing a song ("Yankee Doodle" works well). If you feel just as you would if not exercising, pick up the pace a tad. If you're out of breath and having to puff after each word, you're no longer in the aerobic range - cut back a bit to get the full exercise benefit.

Strength Conditioning or Weight-Training

Strength conditioning can include callisthenics, lifting free-weights, and machine-assisted lifting. Strength condition helps build muscles that can stabilize joints and may help prevent bone loss as you get older.

Strength conditioning seems to help weight loss. Conditioned muscle burns more calories even between aerobic exercise sessions. training seems to assist with retaining if you're And if you're on a reduced calorie (weight reduction) diet, weight training may help you lose more fat and less lean muscle.

Some women are nervous about weight bearing exercise because they are afraid of getting "too bulky" or looking "too masculine." Not to worry: men make testosterone in large amounts, which may contribute to that sort of muscular development; women generally don't respond to strength training the same way and are more likely to lose inches as they work out.

Stretching Is Very Important

Stretching helps retain joint and tendon flexibility while you exercise. In addition, stretching may be an important part of recovery from a previous injury; your healthcare provider may recommend special stretches to part of recovery from an injury or stroke.

How To Stretch Safely:

Keep in mind that overstretching can increase your risks of being hurt during exercise. Here are some tips to help ensure that you are getting the maximum benefit out of stretching before or after exercise:

* Start gently. When you're first starting out, you may not be able to stretch your joints very far. Don't push it or you may end up damaging your tendons, ligaments or muscles

* Stay gentle. The American College of Sports Medicine notes that the "no pain, no gain" method of stretching may destabilize your joints. Try a gentle stretch of the muscles you use for 10 to 30 seconds. If it hurts, there's a reason.

* Match stretches to exercise. If you're an avid dancer, make sure that your legs and ankles have been gently stretched; if you lift weights, stretch your arms and legs.

*Accommodate your history. If you've had a previous injury, make sure that your stretches accommodate rather than exacerbate it. Your doctor or a sports medicine practitioner can help you to finding the right stretches and will often have handouts showing you how to perform them.

Remember, before starting any exercise program, you should consult with your health care practitioner to tailor it to your needs, particularly if you are 40, have existing health issues or a prior significant injury, or have suffered in the past from heart disease or stroke.

"Three things every exercise program should have," American Council on Exercise 2001

Amisola, R.V. "Physical activity, exercise, and sedentary activity: relationship to the causes and treatment of obesity." Adolescent Medicine Volume 14, issue 1, pages 23-35 2003.

Cussler, E.C., " Weight lifted in strength training predicts bone change in postmenopausal women." Medicine and Science of Sports and Exercise , Volume 35, issue 1, 2003

Garry, J., "Physical Activity and Exercise at Menopause," Clinics in Family Practice, Volume 4, issue 1, 2002

Hobson, K. "The stronger sex. Women who lift weights get healthier, better bodies--not, new research shows, bulkier ones." US News World, Volume 132, issue 16, p 52-53

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Aerobics or Strength Training: Which is Better?

Which is better? Aerobic training (long distance running, stints on the Stairmaster) or anaerobic training (weight training & short intense conditioning work)

I've been asked this question hundreds if not thousands of times. First I'll give what I think is best and then I will talk about whether what I think is best even matters.

I my own professional opinion and from my experiences I believe a combination of strength training exercises (with free weights, machines, or bodyweight) and high intensity anaerobic exercise (e.g. Sprinting, running up hills, or stairs etc... have yielded the best results for me and the people I've worked with. I'll take it a step further by just looking at what the elite athletes do. The first thing that comes to my mind when it comes to ideal body composition (low body fat levels) and weight loss are long distance runners and sprinters. Marathoners run and workout for what seems like forever. One hour runs 4 to 6 times a week are the norm for many of them. Combine that with strength training (which many won't do because they're too tired and over trained from running) and you're working out almost everyday. Sprinters on the other hand use short intense workouts to build their speed. Many sprint 2 to 4 times a week for about 30-45 minutes and strength train 2-4x a week for about 30-45 minutes. Many times it looks as if they're not even training hard because they rest a while between their sprint sets.

With out getting too far into the details of the workouts of sprinters and marathoners I'll say this: The sprinters get far more in return for what amounts to less time spent working out. Just take a look at an elite marathoner (they look stringy and many times weak and sickly). Now look over at an elite sprinter and they look like an Adonis (It all boils down to what their training offers them. Long distance running will improve your aerobic endurance but at the cost of you overtraining, possibly having more colds, less muscle, you not looking and feeling your best and also leaving less time to do other things you might like. Sprinting and strength training will not give you the endurance to run 2 hours but you will look better, have more muscle, less fat, have more time to do other things. So I guess it's safe to say that I think strength training and anaerobic work wins in my book. Absolutely! Now does what I believe really matter when it comes to finding what works best for you?

Here's a true story:

I had a client a few years ago that loved to run. When I made my pitch to try and get her to do sprints and strength training she rebelled. She really had no interest in strength training and she truly loved to run as it made her feel like a million bucks. How could I fight that? World famous holistic healer Paul Chek once told me in a seminar that the best exercise is the one you will do and like to do consistently. Ultimately you need to do what works for you and what you like doing. If you do a workout program that you dread many times you'll just stop doing it and sometimes you may even get hurt. So, for those who love to run: I've got nothing but love for you. Have fun, be consistent and keep it up.

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Adopting a Low Impact Aerobic Workout Can Help You Burn Fat Faster

The most effective way to lose weight fast and easy is with a dependable low impact fat burning workout. We're often told that strenuous aerobic exercise is the way to go for losing weight but quite often we are misled into believing that this is the only answer. If you are a novice, you might harm yourself if you get started with high impact high intensity aerobic activity.

For that reason, it is better to start from the beginning at a moderate pace using low impact aerobic activity if you want to be able to get the most advantage from your fat burning routine. Walking for 20 minutes a day initially is a great way to build up your stamina if you have not been working out for very long.

The main goal of low impact aerobics is to get your heart going, and improve your circulatory system without damaging your skeletal structure in the process. I like jumping jacks and the jump rope because they can be done almost anywhere. Even though both involve jumping, they are surprisingly low impact workouts.

They are very easy and safe for beginners and offer progressive options for increasing intensity and skill. You can increase your proficiency and burn calories as well as fat. The point of fat burning workouts is to keep you in the zone for 24 to 48 hours.

Strength training also contributes to fat loss over an extended period. By including resistance training into your weekly the program, you can continue the fat burning process as you improve your muscle density.

High Intensity low impact fat burning exercises are a great way to get the fat burning results in an incredibly short span of time. Here's how to lose weight and keep it off; try a rowing machine workout or the elliptical machine at a steady pace below aerobic capacity for 10 minutes. Gradually increase the intensity for three minutes.

Crank it up to a higher amount for two minutes say about 80% of maximum and then kick it up even further for one minute. Go all out for that one minute then return to the steady pace below aerobic capacity for another 10 minutes. This kind of variable intensity routine will get you burning fat in less time for sure.

This is perhaps the simplest way to lose weight for many people who are challenged with low metabolism. You'll be able to boost your strength through these assorted workouts and are less likely to get bored if you are doing several movements from day to day.

Always get a check up from your physician when starting a new fitness program. If you want to lose weight fast and easy, adopting a low impact aerobic workout might be a fantastic way to go.

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New HIIT Training Technique - Not The Same 'ol HIIT!

Yes, there's already a new HIIT training technique.

I know the entire concept of high intensity interval training is fairly new in and of itself, but things change quickly -- hopefully not as frequently as new iPod models, or you may be changing techniques three times before you're even warmed up!

There are already several variations of HIIT, but the changing variables tend to be either the duration of the intervals or the different equipment/methods (exercise bike, sprinting, elliptical machine, etc.).

You don't have to completely abandon your "old school" HIIT training, because let's face it: any technique is better than none. In fact, the old way is still amazingly effective, and you may actually prefer it, but I've absolutely fallen in love with the "new school."

HIIT Training 2.0

This new technique is most effective and easiest to perform on an exercise bike, which just happens to be my weapon of choice for my HIIT workouts. You can adapt this method to sprinting or ellipticals as well, but I've always liked the exercise bike, because I can use it anytime right here at home (none of those "I don't have time to drive to the gym excuses"!).

Ok, so keeping with the exercise bike example, I, along with most other HIIT'ers, would (back in the old days of about two weeks ago) pedal along at a high intensity pace (100-150RPM) for a certain amount of time (30-60seconds), followed by a low intensity pace (50-75RPM) for a bit, then rinse and repeat.

As I said, this works wonders for anyone who can really keep up the intensity for a relatively short amount of time. Most HIIT sessions take only about 10-20 minutes; if you're lasting longer than that, then you probably overlooked the "high intensity" portion of H.I.I.T.

The only problem I was having, as my endurance increased and my intensity got higher and higher to keep up, during my high intensity intervals, I was topping out over 160-170RPM (rotations per minute).

Not only did this make me look like a bouncing, schizophrenic lunatic, it put unnecessary stress on my knees and hips.

But, how can I keep up the intensity without continuing to increase my RPM?

Viva La Resistance

Resistance. So simple, yet I never thought of it, until I was browsing and read an article by Craig Ballantyne.

Craig knows his stuff, so the idea really intrigued me. He writes for several health and fitness magazines, including Men's Health and Men's Fitness, and he creates some excellent workouts for everyone from beginners to elite athletes (heard of the Bodyweight 500? you can thank Craig for that one as you struggle to pick yourself up off the floor).

So, by keeping the RPM constant and adjusting the resistance up and down for each interval, you get the same benefits of high intensity vs. low intensity, but without the potential joint stress.

If you're already doing HIIT on a regular basis, try it out as a change-up to your regular routine. For the first-timers, be sure to read the original HIIT article for more background on the training method itself, then try out both techniques.

HIIT By The Numbers

We're all at different fitness levels, but I'll give you my numbers as something to compare to if you need to figure out how your current RPM technique will convert to the resistance technique:

"Old School" (adjusting RPM)

Low intensity intervals: 70RPM on resistance level 5 for 30 seconds
High intensity intervals: 150RPM on resistance level 5 for 30 seconds

Here's what I do now to achieve the same level of intensity and workload while keeping the RPM constant:

"New School" (adjusting resistance level)

Low intensity intervals: 100RPM on resistance level 3 (out of 10) for 60 seconds
High intensity intervals: 100RPM on resistance level 8 (out of 10) for 60 seconds

Again, you can play around with the numbers since everyone's body and equipment is going to be different, as long as you stick with the basic idea of adjusting resistance levels while keeping RPM fairly constant.

Adapting To Other Methods

If you usually do cardio on another type of machine, like an elliptical for example, then adapting this technique to your workout should be fairly easy, as most exercise equipment has an option to digitally or manually increase resistance.

For example, on a treadmill, rather than increasing the speed, you could increase the incline during your high intensity intervals, then bring the incline back down during the low intensity intervals.

If you're not part of the pasty, digital-world bunch, and you prefer to actually run out in the real world, things get a little bit trickier.

When you're using running as your HIIT method, your high intensity intervals are going to be significantly shorter, because not many people can maintain a true sprinting pace for 30-60 seconds.

You can always experiment with those attractive running parachutes to increase resistance, but you may find them to be a bit impractical with the shorter intervals, in which case you can just keep it "old school."

No matter what method, technique, or variation you choose, you simply can't go wrong with any type of HIIT training.

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