Fitzy Bitzy: Fitness Blog – Weight Loss Blog – Trainer Blog

I received this email from a friend and thought it was so interesting that I had to share it with you.  Basically, studies have shown that lifestyle changes that incorporate proper nutrition habits and exercise are just as effective, if not more effective, as taking medications to decrease the risks of type 2 diabetes.  Also, the number of adverse effects associated with lifestyle changes compared to medications was less.  It just goes to show that old-fashioned exercise and proper nutrition are the real "mircale pill".  Here's the email:

Lifestyle changes as effective as drugs in cutting diabetes risk

A university-based controlled clinical trial recently compared the effectiveness of a portion-controlled meal replacement diet (PCD) to a standard diet (SD) based on recommendations by the American Diabetes Association. The focus of the study was to compare each diet in achieving and maintaining weight loss among obese subjects with type 2 diabetes.

A recent meta-analysis published in the British Medical Journal consolidated the evidence from 17 clinical trials that studied the effects of lifestyle, drugs and other methods on men and women with impaired glucose tolerance. Results showed that intervention can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in high-risk individuals, and lifestyle changes seem to be at least as effective as drug therapy. Compared to individuals who received standard advice only, the effect of lifestyle changes resulted in a 49 percent reduction in the risk of developing diabetes. Exercise alone or exercise combined with a healthier diet was more effective than diet alone. Oral diabetic medications were also effective in delaying or preventing diabetes, but were not as effective as lifestyle changes. Orlistat, an anti-obesity drug, was also effective in reducing risk when compared to control groups.

Although both medications and lifestyle changes were effective in reducing the risk of diabetes, diet and exercise were associated with considerably fewer adverse effects than those caused by pharmaceuticals, which were typically gastrointestinal effects and reduced liver function. Since it is fundamentally a lifestyle issue, the authors had concerns about the practice of treatment with a lifelong course of medication, especially since even minor adverse effects become more significant if a medication is to be taken for life. But they also noted that compliance is generally the key when it comes to lifestyle interventions, so strategies to improve compliance need to be enhanced and put into action.

Source: BMJ 2007; 334:299 (10 February)

Thanks Lisa!

So I created a Twitter account, and now I’m getting ready to use it.  One of the ways I’m planning on using it is to be able to meet up with people in the Columbus, OH area, since that’s where I live.  If, you live somewhere other than Columbus, I’d still love to be able to talk, even if it’s only online and not face-to-face.  I’ll try and keep you updated with any news from Twitter … I finally had it explained to me a little more, so I’m going to give it a go.  If you’re on Twitter, look me up.  Just search for danfalkenberg and follow me.  Speaking of online stuff, look me up on MySpace and Facebook; we also have a Your Live Trainers page you can become a fan of on Facebook.

For all you bloggers out there, did you catch the article on FOX News about the “Best Job in the World“?  Blogging in Australia on an island in the Great Barrier Reef.  It’s a 6-month gig that pays $100,000 for you to promote the island to tourists.  Not a bad use of your time.  Are you gonna apply?  It never hurts to try … and if you get it, it could be a 6-month tropical vacation for your family too.  Just the thing to cure the winter blues.  Alright, that’s it for today.  I’d love to hear if you applied.

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Last night, my brother set the all-time scoring record for the Mount Vernon Nazarene University men's basketball team.  Congratulations Ben!  You're unbelievable work ethic has made you so deserving of this accomplishment.  I'm so proud of you!

With that said, I'll be fielding emails from interested agents and scouts now ….

I just wanted to take a moment to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas!  I’m going to take a little break so I can spend some much anticipated time with family.  Because of this, I won’t be back until after the New Year.  I can’t believe this is my last post for 2008.  Thank you so much for your continual reading of what I write.  I really do appreciate you taking the time to read the latest topics I write about week-to-week.  Have a wonderful last few weeks of 2008, cherish the time with your family, and remember to keep your life filled with joy.

Merry Christmas!

Dan

This cracked me up when I saw it, and I knew I had to share it with all of you today too.  This site lists some of the craziest fitness inventions ever invented, and I have to say, some of them are so absolutely ridiculous, they're funny!  But enough said; I don't want to spoil your fun.  You're gonna have to check them out for yourself because it's much funnier looking at the pictures of them too.

Here's the site:

The Craziest Fitness Gadgets

Being that it’s almost Christmas, and the fact that I’m in the fitness industry, I figured I’d throw out some ideas about what you could get a loved one if you wanted to stay with a fitness theme this Christmas.

The first gift idea could be a box of chocolates … Just kidding.  Actually, not buying chocolates or any other candy for Christmas could be a gift in itself.  We already get enough sweets as it is, why continue to pile it on with more gifts of sweets?  But, I don’t want to use my first gift idea on something that doesn’t require giving a gift, so number one could be a gym membership.  Now, I know that a lot of people out there have gym memberships and don’t use them, but I have to believe there are some people out there who would love a gym membership but can’t swing the monthly payment.  What better way to bring a smile to your gift receivers face than to pay the membership for them.  If you think this is a great idea, just go to the front desk of the gym and pick up a gift card.  The gift card can then be used to pay for a membership.  Pretty cool, huh?

Okay, number two has to be a personal training membership.  Again, go to a gym or training studio and pick up a gift certificate for a certain number of training sessions.  Or, make up your own gift certificate for a Your Live Trainers monthly membership, and on Christmas Day, sign you family member or friend up for in-home training over the Internet.  Now that’s convenient!

Number three, buy some exercise DVDs or the Fat Dissolver Program.  If the person you’re buying for loves to follow along to pre-structured workouts, exercise DVDs can be a great gift.  If they have a video iPod or iPhone, or if they would love to have exercises on their computer, the Fat Dissolver Program would be perfect for helping them stay fit.

Number four, a gift certificate for a massage.  I don’t know about you, but I love when I’m able to get a massage.  Massages are great for loosening up any tight muscles; they’re great for relaxing the body, lowering stress, and for reducing pain.  Just like exercise, there are so many great benefits that come from a good massage.

Number five, a set of nice pillows or a featherbed/memory foam mattress pad.  Sleep is extremely important to improved health.  A better night’s sleep leads to a better day’s performance.  Lack of sleep causes all kinds of problems, so the sooner you can sleep better, the sooner you’ll be able to achieve better fitness results.  My wife and I just got a down comforter and featherbed, and boy oh boy do we sleep better!

Number six, an exercise ball.  You know what I’m talking about; those big blow up balls you see in sporting goods stores.  Exercise balls are a great piece of equipment for improving balance and stability by challenging the core muscles.  And don’t worry, most exercise balls come with a DVD of exercises that are specific for the ball, so your gift receiver won’t be lost when they go to use the ball.

Number seven, and this is a big one … a treadmill or an elliptical machine.  From personal bias, I prefer treadmills over ellipticals because I feel they challenge me more, but for someone who has joints problems, an elliptical can be the best choice because it is a lot lower impact than a treadmill.  Now you may be thinking that these machines are way too much for you to afford, but you would be surprised what you can find on craigslist.  Give it a shot, and see if you can give the gift that everyone will be talking about this Christmas.

Number eight, a new workout outfit, or a gift certificate to a fitness shoe store.  This idea may seem dumb, but surprisingly enough, a good pair of training shoes and an outfit that is made with workout-friendly material can make all the difference in the world for someone who exercises, especially runners.  The right shoes are vital for helping prevent running injuries, and a good running outfit can help prevent overheating, excessive sweating, rashes, etc.  Plus, besides exercise videos, this is one of the less expensive options for a gift.

Number nine, a pair or set of exercise tubes.  Exercise tubes are some of the most underrated pieces of fitness equipment out there.  They’re extremely versatile, unbelievably cost-effective compared to things like dumbbells and weight equipment, and the workout you can get with them can produce just as good, if not better, results than traditional resistance training equipment.

Since I have a few more ideas, and only one number left, I’ll combine them into this last one.  For number ten, a nice stopwatch, a heart rate monitor, or an Omron Body Fat Analyzer are a few more gift ideas for those who love fitness.  A stopwatch is great to have while exercising since you can time your workouts intervals with one; a heart rate monitor can help you determine where your exercise intensity is during your workout, and a hand-held body fat analyzer is a quick and convenient way to measure your body fat, a number that is a lot more important than your weight on the scale.

So there you go!  Ten fitness gift ideas to help you out this Christmas.  I must warn you, though, it might be a little awkward if you give one of these gifts to someone who isn’t into fitness.  I can just see Aunt Jane getting a body fat analyzer and being offended that you would even dare give her such a hint about her weight problem.  For safety reasons, you might want to stick with giving these gifts to your family and friends who enjoy fitness, but hey, if you really care about their health, then it might not be a bad idea to give these gifts no matter what.

Good luck, and Merry Christmas!

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I almost hesitated to tell you this today, but the new Your Live Trainers site is up!  Remember how I told you it would be up by October?  Well, it just made it.  I think you're going to like the new site; it is sooo much better and easier to follow.  The reason I didn't want to tell you about it yet is b/c it is still in Beta 2 version.  There are still some areas of the site that need to be completed, such as the really cool video on the homepage, but the gist of the site is done.  I'll let you know when everything is a go, but in the meantime, head on over to YourLiveTrainers.com and check it out.  Have a great weekend!

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So Game 5 of the World Series was suspended due to the steady rain that kept coming down.  I'm surprised how well the field actually held up before they had to suspend the game.  Even though there were puddles here and there on the infield, it could have been a lot worse.  It brings me to a good question, though.  With baseball, it seems like at the first drop of rain, the game is usually suspended, and rightfully so.  You don't want the infield to turn into mud, but what about other sports like soccer, football, cross country, and track & field.  When is the cut off line with those sports?  Is there a cut off line?

I know that having played soccer and run cross country and track in college, it didn't matter what the conditions were like, as long as there wasn't lightening.  It could be snowing or pouring down rain, and the event would still go on, but what about practice?  The game is one thing, but for the majority of us, we aren't playing competitive sports in a league; we're out just trying to stay active and fit.  In that case, if it's like last night during the World Series, 40 degrees and a cold steady rain, is it worth being active outside in it?

Back to when I was in college …

I remember days like that during practice.  There were plenty of days we practiced outside in snow, rain, even thunderstorms … shh, don't tell anyone.  The few times that we got stuck in thunderstorms was pretty crazy.  I don't know how many of you have been out on a soccer field or 3 miles into a run, and it started to lightening all around you. … Yeah, I was praying that we would make it to practice the next day.  But anyway, even though we practiced in all sorts of conditions, I can also remember that the days when it was around 40 degrees with a steady rain, a lot of times we didn't practice.  What was the reasoning?  It would actually do more harm then good. … We actually didn't not practice at all those days; we practiced inside instead of outside.  The reasoning for not practicing outside was because for one, practicing while wearing clothes that weighed a ton being soaked in water was not the most effective way to practice.  Two, you aren't very effective on a slippery/sloppy field or road.  But the main reason was because of the temperature, combined with the rain.  There was fear of us getting sick, not because it was cold (we would practice in 0 degrees by wearing enough layers), but because it was cold and wet.  The fear was that the cold air running over wet clothes would lead our bodies to getting sick easier; it would keep the muscles from being able to stay properly warmed up, and because of this, they couldn't react as fast.  Since they wouldn't be able to react as fast, especially if you slip, there was the fear that it would be easier to pull a muscle.  Those were the days we stayed inside, the days like last night at the World Series.

So what do you think?  For those of you that are truly dedicated to being active and fit, is it worth skipping a run or playing another outdoor sport for a day, if it is cold and rainy?  Do you feel the risk of getting sick and pulling a muscle is high enough that it's better to skip the day?  I'll be interested to see how you feel about this.

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Can you believe it!  It’s already been one year since I started Fitzy Bitzy.  Thank you very much to all of you who take the time out of your busy schedules to read what I have to write.  You truly are appreciated.  I look forward to the next year to come, and hope that you only find Fitzy Bitzy even more entertaining and your source for everything fitness.  Thanks to all, and have a great night!

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So I got this new Twitter account.  I have to say, I'm not so convinced on it yet, but I keep hearing, "You have to get a Twitter account."

"Twitter rocks!"

"Make sure you sign up for Twitter today."

…

So, I did.

I'm still getting used to this thing, but eventually, I'll probably get it up on this site.

Anybody want to try and explain why Twitter is the new, hot commodity?  I'd really appreciate it …

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