5 ‘No Excuses’ Tricks to Stick to Your Workouts

Photo: Getty Images

We’ve all had those days where we forget our sneakers, or just don’t get moving in time to squeeze in some cardio. But if you find yourself regularly skipping workouts for silly reasons (“I just washed my hair!”), it’s time to organize your life in a way that makes it easier to embrace exercise.

Contrary to popular belief, creating a seamless fitness habit isn’t just about willpower. “Most of getting to the gym comes down to preparation and habits,” says Mark Crabtree, ATC, founder of Ignite Fitness in Naperville, Illinois.

RELATED: The 25 Craziest Workout Excuses Trainers Have Ever Heard

Streamlining your daily routine will help eliminate excuses that might derail you during moments of weakness. “You only have a limited supply of willpower on any given day,” says Christine Carter, Ph.D, sociologist and author of The Sweet Spot. “When something is a habit, you’re running on autopilot, so you don’t have to draw on those limited sources of self-control.”

These easy tricks will pinpoint what’s keeping you from getting fit — and help you learn how to get back on track with your routine.

RELATED: How to Fall in Love With Fitness in 4 Easy Steps

No Excuses: 5 Ways to Stick to Your Workouts

1. You always forget to pack your gym bag.
“If you’re continuously forgetting something so necessary to your workout, each time it is like a little act of self-sabotage,” says Carter. For two weeks, put a Post-it on your sneakers saying, “Do you have all your gear?” Eventually you’ll automatically remember to check, even when your sneakers are sans reminder.

Another clever option is to get a gym bag with separate sections, so you can more easily see if you’re missing something vital. “Bags are individual to each person, but it can help to have one with compartments for your sweaty stuff, for your work clothes, for snacks and water, and for things like keys,” says Crabtree.

2. You’re too ravenous by the end of the day.
“Solve this problem by preparing your meals for each week in one go,” says Carter. (Or, start with these 12 brilliant meal prep ideas to free up your time.) Horrified by the thought of eating a turkey sandwich prepped three days before? Try to at least plan your menus, so you can stock up at the grocery store on Sunday.

Post-work trips to Whole Foods are a surefire way to foil your goal of going to the gym before dinner. One solution could be introducing a pre-workout snack into your routine to tide you over. Not only will it fuel you, but “that food becomes part of your mindset. When you eat it, you know a workout is coming soon,” says Crabtree. If they aren’t perishable, consider putting a week’s worth of snacks in to your gym bag so you don’t have to remember to do it each day.

RELATED: Got 10 Minutes? 3 Fat-Blasting Bodyweight Workouts

 3. You’re digging through the hamper in the morning.
No, we’re not going to tell you to sleep in your gym clothes (just lay them out the night before). Because no matter how comfy those Nike leggings may be, you should designate them strictly for working out. “Don’t wear workout clothes to sleep or lounge around the house in,” says Crabtree. “When your brain ties those clothes only to exercise, it will start to get into the right frame of mind when you put them on.” Plus, there’s less of a chance of your gear being dirty when you need it, if you’re not living in it 24/7.

4. You stay up too late and skip morning workouts.
Ah, the siren song of bypassing bedtime in favor of scrolling through your Instagram feed. Give yourself a hard deadline for when you’ll quit your screens for the day — and publicize it, says Carter. “Tell colleagues, friends and family that you won’t be texting, talking on the phone, or emailing after a certain time,” says Carter. That may sound extreme, but sleep is a key part of making gym time non-negotiable. “Most people would not skip a doctor’s appointment, a meeting with their lawyer, or a work meeting,” says Crabtree. “Treat your workout as if it carries the same importance — it’s a meeting scheduled with yourself.”

RELATED: The 7 Best Strength Exercises You’re Not Doing

5. You get shut out of workout classes because you never register on time.
Self-sabotage strikes again! “When you’re truly motivated to do something that requires a reservation, you’ll make it,” says Carter. Check out these workout motivation tips, then set at least one weekly calendar reminder to prompt your sign-ups (end date: never). It’s best if you can do all your registration at once, says Carter, but feel free to set multiple prompts if you need to. Even better, find a workout solution that gives you access any time of day (hello, DailyBurn 365!).

More from Life by DailyBurn:

5 Oblique Exercises to Sculpt You Abs

Hate Running? 25 Ways to Learn to Love It

The 15 Most Underrated Exercises

Life by DailyBurn is dedicated to helping you live a healthier, happier and more active lifestyle. Whether your goal is to lose weight, gain strength or de-stress, a better you is well within reach. Get more health and fitness tips at Life by DailyBurn.

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1O7R46E

DIY Yogurt Masks to Solve Every Skin Problem

Whip up a homemade remedy that treats your main complexion concern.

As your base for each mask, use ½ cup of Greek yogurt. Thanks to its fatty acids, antibacterial properties and probiotics, this breakfast staple helps keep skin clear and soft, says Whitney Bowe, MD, a dermatologist in Briarcliff Manor, NY. Just go with the flavor-free, full-fat stuff, she adds, because it’s richest in skin-saving lipids and proteins.

If your skin is dry…

Add in: Avocado and olive oil

The fatty acids in this powerful pair help skin retain water for a so-soft feel.

Scoop out half of the avocado’s flesh and mash until lump-free. Blend with yogurt, then stir in 1 tablespoon of olive oil to form a uniform paste. Apply and relax for 15 minutes while the mixture pumps moisture into skin; rinse with warm water.

RELATED: 5 Foods for Healthy Skin

If your skin is acne-prone…

Add in: Banana and Turmeric

The potassium-rich fruit slows the growth of blemish-causing bacteria, and a spoonful of the spice curbs oil production.

Mash half a ripe banana until it forms a lump-free pulp; mix with yogurt, then stir in 1 tablespoon of turmeric powder. Let the mask sit on skin for at least 10 minutes to de-gunk pores. Rinse with lukewarm water.

RELATED: 15 Home Remedies to Make a Pimple Vanish

If your skin is dull…

Add in: Lemon, honey and cinnamon

This trifecta sloughs off dead cells and boosts circulation for instant radiance.

Combine 1 tablespoon each of freshly squeezed lemon juice and raw honey with yogurt. Add a dash of cinnamon and blend. Slather it on (avoiding the eye area), then wipe off with a warm washcloth after 15 minutes. Feeling tingly? Don’t worry—that’s the cinnamon bringing oxygen-rich blood to the surface of skin, giving you a healthy glow.

RELATED: 18 Skin Care Products That Erase Years

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1L3XwsK

Abused Women Struggle With More Severe Menopause Symptoms: Study

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Older women who suffer abuse may have more severe menopause symptoms, a new Mayo Clinic study suggests.

In particular, researchers found a strong correlation with verbal and emotional abuse and menopause-related problems.

The study included more than 3,700 women who provided information about symptoms they experienced when their monthly periods ended. These included hot flashes and night sweats, sleep problems, sexual dysfunction, bowel/bladder problems, and thinking and memory problems.

The women also reported any physical, sexual and emotional/verbal abuse. About 7 percent had suffered at least one form of abuse within the previous year. Of those, verbal/emotional abuse was reported most often (97 percent), followed by physical abuse (13 percent) and sexual abuse (4 percent), the researchers say.

Compared to those who did not suffer abuse, women who reported any type of abuse had higher average menopause symptom scores and higher scores for each of the menopause symptoms, with the exception of hot flashes and nights sweats, according to the study authors.

“We found that those reporting abuse in the last year had higher mean total MSB (menopausal symptom bother) scores and higher scores for each of the identified menopause symptoms with the exception of hot flashes and night sweats,” said Dr. Stephanie Faubion, director of the Mayo Clinic Office of Women’s Health. “In particular, we found a strong correlation with verbal and emotional abuse.”

However, the researchers only found an association between abuse and menopause symptoms, and not a cause-and-effect link.

The findings were to be presented Wednesday at the annual meeting of the North American Menopause Society in Las Vegas. The results should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.

“This study highlights the need for health care providers to find ways to allow and encourage women to report abuse,” Dr. Wulf Utian, executive director of the menopause society, said in a society news release.

More information

The American Academy of Family Physicians has more about menopause.

---

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1GgWzrL

Less Sleep May Mean Less Sex After Menopause

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Too little sleep may lead to too little intimacy for postmenopausal women, a new study finds.

The study included nearly 94,000 women who were asked about their sleep habits during the previous four weeks. They were also asked about their sexual activity during the past year, and their levels of sexual satisfaction. The women were all between the ages of 50 and 79, the researchers said.

Thirty percent of women had high insomnia levels, the study found. These women were less sexually active than those without sleep problems, the researchers said. The investigators also found that getting less than the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep a night was associated with less sexual activity and sexual satisfaction.

Although the current study found an association between a lack of sleep and sexual activity and satisfaction, it didn’t prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

The study is to be presented Wednesday at the annual meeting of the North American Menopause Society in Las Vegas. Findings presented at meetings are generally viewed as preliminary until they’ve been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

“We found that insomnia was associated with lower sexual function,” study author Dr. Juliana Kling, of the Mayo Clinic, said in a society news release. She added that the next step in her research will be to see how sleep and sexual function relate to each other over time.

Dr. Wulf Utian, executive director of the North American Menopause Society, said in the release, “What’s important for postmenopausal women to know is that they are not alone in this, and current treatments exist for those looking to improve their sleep habits and the intimacy in their relationships. They just need to talk to their doctor to find out what works for them.”

More information

The American Academy of Family Physicians has more about older adults and sexuality.

---

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1L3XtNR

Earlier Hormone Therapy May Pose Less Risk for Menopausal Women

By Amy Norton
HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Women who start hormone therapy toward the beginning of menopause may have a lower risk of developing heart disease, new research suggests.

The study, of over 74,000 Swedish women, found that those who started hormone therapy within five years of beginning menopause typically stayed free of heart disease for a longer time than non-users. In contrast, women who started hormone therapy later showed an increase in their heart disease risk.

“This is in line with what a number of studies have shown,” said Dr. Sonia Tolani, of the Women’s Center for Cardiovascular Health at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, in New York City.

“There does seem to be a relationship between the timing of hormone therapy and heart disease risk,” said Tolani, who was not involved in the study.

However, she stressed, that doesn’t mean women should routinely use hormones when menopause begins. For one, studies like the latest one don’t prove that early hormone therapy, itself, lowers heart disease risk; they can only show an association between these factors.

And, for over a decade, experts have been advising limited use of hormone therapy, the U.S. National Institute of Aging (NIA) says. Hormone therapy is usually considered an option only for women with more severe menopause symptoms, the NIA noted.

“It should not be used to prevent heart disease,” Tolani said.

The findings were to be presented Wednesday at the annual meeting of the North American Menopause Society, in Las Vegas. Study results presented at meetings are generally considered preliminary until they’ve been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

At one time, menopausal women were routinely prescribed hormone therapy to help ward off heart disease. That all changed in 2002, when researchers reported the findings from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), a large U.S. clinical trial that tested oral hormone therapy against a placebo.

Contrary to everyone’s expectations, the trial found that hormones — in the form of estrogen plus progesterone — raised women’s risk of blood clots, heart attack, stroke and breast cancer.

As a result, prescriptions for menopausal hormone therapy plummeted.

However, many women in the WHI were well past menopause — in their early 60s, on average. And a number of studies since have suggested that hormone therapy is safer for younger women, and may even lower their heart disease risks, Tolani explained.

The new findings add to that evidence, she said.

For the study, researchers led by Dr. German Carrasquilla, of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, combined the results of five Swedish studies. The studies began between 1991 and 2006. They had information on nearly 75,000 women who were followed for up to 23 years.

During that period, more than 4,700 women developed or died from heart disease. But compared with women who’d never used hormone therapy, those who’d begun it within five years of their first menopause symptoms remained free of heart disease longer — 1.3 years, on average, the study said.

That advantage was seen even when the researchers accounted for some other major factors, like age, education level, smoking habits, weight and high blood pressure.

However, the study cannot prove hormones deserve the credit, Tolani pointed out. “This isn’t going to change practice,” she said.

Carrasquilla agreed, and stressed that the study looked only at the risk of heart disease.

He said more research is needed to see how the timing of hormone therapy affects women’s risk of stroke, blood clots and breast cancer.

Still, Tolani said, the findings may help reassure women who have severe menopause symptoms who could benefit from hormone therapy.

“There are women who get terrible hot flashes, and that would typically happen early in menopause,” she said. “The evidence suggests that if they use hormones for a short time, their risk of coronary heart disease is probably not elevated.”

Why would the timing of hormone therapy matter? Carrasquilla said animal research has shown that early hormone therapy helps prevent the buildup of artery-clogging plaques, while delayed therapy does not.

The theory, Tolani said, is that younger women can reap the protective effects of hormone therapy, which include lowering “bad” cholesterol. But hormones can also create inflammation, she noted. And older women are more likely to already have artery-clogging plaques, which could worsen or rupture if there is added inflammation in the blood vessels, she said.

More information

The U.S. Department of Health has more on menopausal hormone therapy.

---

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1GgWBzS

Surgery Patients Like Online Follow-up, Study Finds

TUESDAY, Sept. 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Online postoperative care is preferred over in-person care by a majority of patients who have routine, uncomplicated surgery, a new study finds.

The study included 50 patients who had both online and in-person care visits after elective gallbladder removal or hernia repair. Seventy-six percent said online care was acceptable as the only form of followup.

For 68 percent of the patients, online and in-person visits were equally effective, according to authors of the study published online Sept. 23 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

The researchers approached the study wondering whether postoperative care always needed to take place in-person, or whether online visits could sometimes be used, said lead author Dr. Kristy Kummerow Broman. She is a general surgical resident at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.

Patients in the study uploaded images of their incision sites to a secure, online portal, and their surgeons responded to the patients’ photos and symptom reports. Patients and surgeons did not need to be online at the same time.

The researchers wrote that the study identified potential advantages of online care, “including convenient access for patients, decreased patient travel times, and surgeon efficiency gains.” They added, however, that “these [benefits] must be carefully weighed against potential detriments of using patient-generated data to provide clinical assessment, including concerns about liability, provider work burden, and modified patient-provider relationships.”

They said some operations require an in-person assessment. “We think the key is designing our tools for online care and developing appropriate standards for adequate online assessment so that providers can determine when online care is adequate and when in-person care may be needed,” Kummerow Broman said.

She noted that the study was designed to assess patient acceptance of online postoperative care, not to measure safety or quality of care.

“We wanted to first establish whether this method is something that patients wanted, and now that we feel we have done so, we are continuing our research in this area trying to develop ways to measure safety and quality,” Kummerow Broman said.

More information

The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more about postoperative care.

---

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1iZSvHv

More Than 670 Illnesses Reported in Latest Salmonella Outbreak

TUESDAY, Sept. 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A salmonella outbreak that has been linked to contaminated cucumbers imported from Mexico has now caused 671 illnesses in 34 states, U.S. health officials said Tuesday.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the cucumbers were distributed in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas and Utah. Distribution to other states may also have occurred, the agency added.

Three deaths have been reported in the outbreak: one in Arizona, one in California and one in Texas.

So far, 131 people have been hospitalized, CDC officials said Tuesday.

Fifty-one percent of the illnesses reported have been in children under the age of 18, agency officials added.

On Sept. 4, the company considered the likely source of the tainted cucumbers, Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce of San Diego, recalled its “Limited Edition” brand cucumbers because of their connection to the outbreak, the CDC reported.

On Sept. 11, Custom Produce Sales voluntarily recalled all cucumbers sold under the Fat Boy label starting Aug. 1, the CDC said Tuesday. Unlabeled cucumbers packed into a black reusable plastic container, and sold in Nevada since Aug. 1, are also covered by this recall. These cucumbers were sent to Custom Produce Sales from Andrew & Williamson, the agency said.

If you don’t know if your cucumbers were recalled, the CDC suggests asking your supplier. Or, if you’re in doubt, throw them out.

Symptoms of salmonella include fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps. Illness typically lasts about a week, but infections can be serious. Children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems are most vulnerable to having severe illness.

According to the CDC, the states where salmonella has been reported include: Alabama (1), Alaska (13), Arizona (112), Arkansas (9), California (164), Colorado (17), Hawaii (1), Idaho (22), Illinois (8), Indiana (2), Iowa (5), Kansas (2), Kentucky (1), Louisiana (5), Minnesota (34), Missouri (10), Montana (14), Nebraska (5), Nevada (13), New Mexico (30), New York (5), North Dakota (3), Ohio (2), Oklahoma (12), Oregon (19), Pennsylvania (2), South Carolina (9), South Dakota (1), Texas (33), Utah (51), Virginia (1), Washington (21), Wisconsin (38), and Wyoming (6).

More information

Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more on salmonella.

---

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1iZSvHp

Higher-Protein Diet May Help Some With Type 2 Diabetes

By Amy Norton
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Sept. 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — People with type 2 diabetes may benefit from a higher-protein diet, but it likely depends on whether or not they have a particular gene related to vitamin D metabolism, new research suggests.

The study of overweight adults with type 2 diabetes found that people lost a similar amount of weight over two years whether they followed a high-protein, low-protein, low-fat or high-fat diet.

But differences emerged when it came to dieters’ levels of insulin — a hormone that regulates blood sugar. In type 2 diabetes, the body loses its sensitivity to insulin, which triggers spikes in blood sugar and insulin production.

In this study, some people showed bigger reductions in insulin and improved insulin sensitivity when they ate a higher-protein diet: namely, people with a particular gene variant that boosts blood levels of vitamin D.

It’s not clear yet what it all means, said lead researcher Qibin Qi, an assistant professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, in New York City.

For one, the information is not practically useful since people do not know the genetics behind their personal vitamin D metabolism.

“Right now, we’re just in the ‘concept phase’ of this research,” said Qi.

The study is published online Sept. 29 in the journal Diabetologia.

Vitamin D is best known for its bone-building effects, but it has wide-ranging jobs in the body, such as helping to regulate cell growth, immune function and inflammation, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

Studies have linked low vitamin D levels to an increased risk of various chronic health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, Qi pointed out.

For the current study, his team wanted to see whether genetic variations in vitamin D metabolism made a difference in how people with type 2 diabetes responded to different weight-loss diets.

The study included 645 overweight and obese adults who spent two years on one of four reduced-calorie diets. Two diets were relatively high in protein, with 25 percent of daily calories coming from protein; the other two had “average” levels (15 percent of calories from protein), the study said.

The amount of fat in the diets also varied — with two having relatively low amounts (20 percent of daily calories), and two were high-fat (40 percent of calories), the researchers said.

When it came to weight loss, all of the diets were similarly effective — helping people shed an average of 8 to 10 pounds. And differences in vitamin D-related genes showed no influence on people’s weight loss overall.

Genes did seem to matter, however, when it came to improvements in insulin, Qi said.

The gene that stood out is known as DHCR7, and it helps the body synthesize vitamin D, the researchers said. Most of the study participants had at least one copy of the “T” variant of that gene — which boosts blood levels of vitamin D, the study revealed.

And those people tended to show greater improvements in insulin levels on the higher-protein diet, versus the average-protein diet. They also responded better to the higher-protein plan compared with people who did not carry the “T” variant, the study found.

It’s not clear why, according to Qi. But, he said, some high-protein foods — such as certain fish and fortified dairy products — are good sources of vitamin D. And it’s possible that people with the “T” variant derive more vitamin D from those foods, versus people without the variant.

Higher vitamin D levels, in turn, might improve people’s insulin sensitivity, Qi said.

It’s not clear, however, whether that’s the case. One limitation of the study, Qi said, is that the researchers did not measure dieters’ blood levels of vitamin D.

What’s more, the study says nothing about the ultimate impact of a higher-protein diet on people’s long-term health.

“Overall, the effects of the different diets on weight loss were similar,” Qi said. “I do think it’s the overall diet pattern that matters most — not a single nutrient. People should eat a balanced diet and get regular exercise.”

Dr. Maria Pena, a weight management specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, agreed.

“At this point, we can say that eating a balanced diet — high-quality proteins, healthy fats and fiber-rich carbs, rather than processed carbs — is the most important thing,” said Pena, who was not involved in the study.

She pointed out that the “high-protein” diets in this study actually contained moderate amounts. “You really should get around 25 percent of your calories from protein,” Pena said. “It’s just that most people don’t.”

She also recommended that people make sure they get the recommended amounts of vitamin D, either from food or a multivitamin. The daily recommendation for vitamin D varies slightly with age. However for most people, the U.S. government advises 600 international units a day.

As for the gene findings, Pena said, that information is not practically useful right now. But in the future it could be, she added. Researchers do hope to one day tailor diet plans to better fit people’s genetic profiles, Pena said.

More information

The American Diabetes Association has advice on healthy protein choices.

---

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1M0j3PC

Added Calcium May Not Help Older Bones: Studies

By Alan Mozes
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Sept. 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Extra calcium may not protect your aging bones after all.

New Zealand researchers who analyzed more than 100 previous investigations say guidelines advising seniors to consume at least 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams of calcium a day are misplaced.

No proof was found that boosting calcium intake beyond normal dietary levels strengthens older bones or prevents fractures, said researcher Dr. Mark Bolland.

“We’ve gathered all the clinical studies of calcium supplements and dietary calcium intake for both bone density and fractures,” said Bolland, an associate professor in the department of medicine at the University of Auckland.

“Taken together, we think this is the strongest possible evidence that taking calcium supplements will not be beneficial unless there are clear medical reasons that a calcium supplement is needed,” he said.

Moreover, excess calcium supplementation can be harmful, he and other experts said.

Bolland said the findings probably will surprise clinicians and patients, “because they have received very strong messages for many years about the importance of calcium for bone health in guidelines for osteoporosis management and by osteoporosis advocacy groups.”

Osteoporosis causes bones to become weak and porous with age, so that even mild stress can lead to fractures.

Bolland led one study review, and was a member of the second study review. The findings appear in the Sept. 30 issue of BMJ.

One review focused on two dietary studies that compared how patients over 50 years of age fared when instructed to consume higher versus lower levels of calcium. The research team also looked at 44 studies that explored how long-held calcium, milk, dairy and/or supplement routines affected fracture risk. Another 26 studies examining the impact of calcium supplements were also analyzed.

The conclusion: None of the research provided any evidence that calcium intake is associated with fracture risk.

The second review focused on 59 studies that looked at the effect of calcium from either food or supplements on bone mineral density in patients over 50.

In that study, boosting calcium intake in whatever form was associated with a small uptick in bone mineral density, but investigators concluded that the 1 to 2 percent increase detected had no meaningful impact on fracture risk.

Clinical trials have shown that calcium supplements often cause minor gastrointestinal side effects such as constipation, Bolland said. “They also cause a small increased risk of kidney stones, heart attacks, high calcium levels and hospitalization with acute gastrointestinal symptoms,” he said.

“The small risk of these important adverse effects, together with the moderate risk of minor side effects such as constipation, outweighs any benefits of calcium supplements on fracture,” he said.

Duffy MacKay is senior vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs for the Council for Responsible Nutrition, which represents supplement manufacturers. He disagreed with Bolland’s conclusions, and countered that scientific evidence does show that calcium reduces fracture risk.

“The degree of benefit varies from study to study,” he said. “However, the largest benefit is generally found in those who take their calcium supplements throughout the entirety of a study. Other important factors that influence the benefit of calcium supplementation include giving calcium supplements with other important bone nutrients including vitamin D and vitamin K.”

MacKay added that government data shows that Americans don’t get enough calcium from diet alone, and said supplements can fill those gaps.

Dr. Karl Michaelsson, author of an accompanying journal editorial, said the review findings are clear: More is not necessarily better.

Too much calcium and/or vitamin D, which is usually recommended with calcium, can lead to “more hip fractures and an increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease,” said Michaelsson, a professor in the department of surgical sciences at Uppsala University in Sweden.

For clinicians and researchers, he offered this advice: “Move the focus from a general recommendation to increase intakes of both calcium and vitamin D to very high levels to instead define a valid insufficiency level for calcium intake and to better determine a low vitamin D status.”

More information

There’s more on calcium and bone health at the National Osteoporosis Foundation.

---

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1M0j3Py

4 Rules for Hiring a Personal Trainer

In my experience, everyone can benefit from a personal trainer—even personal trainers have trainers! Having a pro by your side is not only a way to stay motivated, he or she can also keep you safe from injury when you’re taking your fitness to a whole new level.

The problem: a good trainer is hard to find. Once you decide to spend the money, it’s very important that you hire someone with the right training, experience, and personality. It’s like finding a good doctor all over again. That’s why I’ve created a list of the 4 essential steps for hiring a personal trainer.

RELATED: 9 Fitness Trainers to Follow on Instagram

Research, research, research

Most people start by asking after trainers at their local gym. It’s not a bad way to go, especially if you like your facility and the people there. But you should still do some extra due diligence.

Most personal trainers these days have web sites to promote themselves and their services. Look over their site, paying close attention to any certifications they have. National Strength and Conditioning (CSCS) is considered the gold standard, but certifications from the American Council of Exercise (ACE) and National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) are also widely respected.

You also want to note what they say about their training style. Look for someone who offers a customizable approach, and stresses how they’ve helped people with a variety of different goals. This suggests they have plenty f experience and they know how to adapt.

RELATED: 4 Things Your Personal Trainer Wishes You’d Do

Talk to former clients

Next, ask the trainer for references. A pro will be happy to provide you contact information or testimonials with a few happy customers. Even better, though, is if you have friends or friends-of-friends who’ve trained with this person. So ask around! This way you can find out what people are saying, both good and bad.

Book a consultation session

When you believe you’ve found someone you want to work with, book an introductory session with the trainer to see if it’s a good fit. Most trainers will do an initial session for free or at a very reasonable price. This is a good time to ask questions and get a feel for their training style.

Keep looking

Don’t be afraid to “shop around” if something doesn’t feel right with the first person you see. After all, if you’re going to pay someone money to train you, you want to make sure you get along well and that they are there to help you achieve your goals, not theirs.

And if, for whatever reason, you’re not seeing results after a while or it turns out she shows up late or he’s not pushing you hard enough. Repeat this process as needed until you find your perfect match.

While having a personal trainer year-round may not be necessary, when you’re looking to kick things up a notch, are stuck at a plateau, or just in need of some fresh ideas, having the right personal trainer can be one of the best investments you’ll ever make.

RELATED: Tone Your Legs & Abs in Just 1 Move, From Celeb Trainer Erin Oprea

If you’re looking for more tips, check out this article: Working Out and Still Not Losing Weight? Here Are 7 Reasons Why

Jennifer Cohen is a leading fitness authority, TV personality, entrepreneur and best-selling author of the new book, Strong is the New Skinny. With her signature, straight-talking approach to wellness, Jennifer was the featured trainer on The CW’s Shedding for the Wedding, mentoring the contestants’ to lose hundreds of pounds before their big day, and she appears regularly on NBC’s Today Show, Extra, The Doctors and Good Morning America. Connect with Jennifer on Facebook, Twitter, G+ and on Pinterest.

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1O6AAeZ