Exercise has been shown to lengthen lifespan by as much as five years. A small new study suggests that moderate-intensity exercise may slow down the aging of cells. As humans get older and their cells divide over and over again, their telomeres—the protective caps on the end of chromosomes—get shorter. To see how exercise affects telomeres, researchers took a muscle biopsy and blood samples from 10 healthy people before and after a 45-minute ride on a stationary bicycle. They found that exercise increased levels of a molecule that protects telomeres, ultimately slowing how quickly they shorten over time. Exercise, then, appears to slow aging at the cellular level.
Challenge yourself with 2-2-2 push ups. If you feel comfortable with tricep push ups, you may want to try a variation on tricep pushups. The “2-2-2” push ups refer to 3 sets of 2 push ups using different hand placements: narrow, regular, and wide. The narrow push ups will work your tricep muscles and the wide push ups will work your chest muscles.
Toning your arm muscles will certainly get you the definition you seek, but adding some extra protein to your diet will get you there even faster. Research published in The Journal of Nutrition reveals that packing on the protein increased muscle synthesis by as much as 25 percent, meaning that you can build stronger muscles faster, right in the privacy of your own home.
"Losing weight, stopping smoking and doing more exercise are associated with better sexual health," says Dr Andrew McCullough, director of Male Sexual Health, Fertility and Microsurgery at New York University Medical Center in New York City. "We talk so much about treating, treating, treating. Here we're beginning to see an increasing body of evidence that we can modify the appearance of this by changing lifestyle."
Plyometrics are high-intensity bodyweight exercises that improve power, speed and physical performance. Think of burpees, jumping jacks, plank jacks and box jumps. These movements engage the whole body and raise your heart rate, sending your metabolism into overdrive. During a typical workout, your muscles are stretched and then contracted quickly to produce explosive force.
Whether we’re fully conscious of it or not, we’re always looking for how to be happy. And exercise is one of the most obvious steps to take, as it’s not a coincidence that you feel better after a good workout: It’s science. A Penn State University study found that people who exercised, whether it was a mild, moderate or vigorous workout, had more pleasant feelings than those who didn’t. (1)
Even when you have the best intentions, sometimes, it can be really, really hard to drag yourself to the gym. Whether your bed or brunch plans are calling your name, sidestepping workout plans is all too easy when you’re feeling tired, stressed, and your willpower is running dangerously low. Finding the motivation to work out doesn’t have to be about getting stronger or leaner. Sometimes those are goals, and sometimes they aren't, and there are a 1,001 other amazing reasons to lace up your sneakers or unroll your yoga mat that have absolutely nothing to do with losing weight. Here are 11 of our favorites.
If you've decided that it's time to learn how to lose arm fat, use this guide as your go-to resource. You'll learn which exercises to do, what eating plan works best and what to do about arm fat when diet and exercise don't work. Pick one workout to do each day, but try to do something on most days of the week to get results that you (and your friends) will notice.
I am SO happy that you are here! This site was launched with the same intentions that drove me to write The Body Book & The Longevity Book: to merge information with action, so that we will all know how to take care of this machine that we call our bodies, from eating to moving to getting enough sleep to everything else that impacts our health and happiness. If you want to live better and feel better, you’ve got to get real, get knowledgeable and get on it. I know you can do it!
Fruits and vegetables are highly nutritious and keep your metabolism active. Therefore, more fruits and vegetables should be incorporated into your diet. Eat at least two types of fruits every day. Unhealthy items like colas, alcohol, and processed foods like chips and cookies should be eliminated. Mono and polyunsaturated fats from sources like olive oil, flaxseeds, walnuts, trout, and salmon should replace the unhealthy saturated fats. Reduce the intake of flour and refined sugars and consume more of whole grains.
Check out our Nutrition Calculator, where you can plug in all your information and it'll spit out the right number of calories and macronutrients you should be consuming to hit your goals. If you need help using the calculator, take a look at our video tutorial that shows you how to enter all of your information to get the right metrics. If you get that nutrition on point for an extended period of time, you will lose body fat in general which will lead to you losing the fat on your arms.
Strength training at the gym or taking a class at a fitness studio is great, but sometimes, you just want to get in your workout at home—or on vacation, or on a work trip, or wherever you may be. While most of us don't have round-the-clock access to a full gym stocked with weights and machines, the truth is that you really can work your entire body without them. Of course, equipment can help and is great for progressing and diversifying a workout program. But if you want to just get moving and do some strength and cardio work wherever you are, that's completely doable with a bodyweight workout.
Jessica Matthews, M.S., E-RYT500 is faculty in kinesiology and integrative wellness at Point Loma Nazarene University and professor of yoga studies at MiraCosta College, where she helps to grow and mentor the next generation of health and wellness professionals. A dynamic speaker, respected educator, fitness industry veteran and featured wellness expert, Jessica is a trusted and recognized go-to media resource, regularly contributing to numerous publications and outlines on topics ranging from fitness and yoga, to health coaching and career development. Additionally, she serves as ACE’s senior advisor for health and fitness education, and is the lead editor and author of the ACE Group Fitness Instructor Handbook: The Professional’s Guide to Creating Memorable Movement Experiences. You can connect with her at www.jessica-matthews.com, @fitexpertjess (Twitter and Instagram) and www.facebook.com/fitexpertjess.
When it comes to these pushups, make sure your left and right hands are shoulder-width apart to keep proper form. Keep your left elbow and right elbow in as well so you can activate not only your triceps but also your chest. This exercise is great because it helps you protect your rotator cuff, which is upon your shoulders. Shoot for 15 to 20 reps in this 30-second set. Don't go for high speed, go for perfect form.
If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you know that exercise should be an essential part of your routine. But the benefits of physical activity go far beyond just physical fitness. Increasingly, more and more research is showing that working out regularly can boost other aspects of your health as well, including cognitive function and emotional well-being.