New Exercise Guidelines Released: More Strength and Intensity Training

Editors Note: This post is written by our elite performance specialist Andrew Verdon. Andrew has completed a Diploma in Exercise Science, Certificate IV in Fitness, Level 1 Strength Coaching Qualifications with ASCA. He is currently completing a Post Grad Diploma in Applied Science (Elite Sports Training) and will go on to do a Masters in Recovery.

The well known “30 minutes a day” exercise guidelines were released back in 1995. These guidelines have recently been updated and new guidelines for physical activity  were released by the ACSM.

The ACSM is the American College of Sports Medicine. It is the peak body for sports medicine in the world and is the  largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world with more than 20,000 members.

The new guidelines for health adults under 65 years are:

• The basic recommendations are:
• Do 30 mins 5 days a week of  MODERATE intensity cardio or
• Do 20 minutes a day of VIGOROUS intensity cardio, and
• Complete STRENGTH training twice per week

Quite an update- and keep in mind these are the minimum  levels recommended for an average adult to  maintain health and reduce the risk for chronic disease. If your goal is weight loss then they expand these basic levels out to 60-90 minutes of activity per day.

Definitions:

Moderate intensity- this is hard enough to raise a sweat and increase your hear rate but you can still talk. As a guide your hear rate would be 100-130 bpm

Vigorous intensity -  this is an intense cardio session. Your hear rate would be higher than a moderate session and you could NOT hold a conversation. As a general guide your heart rate would be 140 bpm plus.

Strength training - the ACSM  defines as 8-10 different exercises with 8-12 repetitions completed of each.

Changes to the 1995 guidelines:

1. Moderate intensity exercise has been clarified to set a recommended minimum- ie 5 days per week.
2. Vigorous exercise has been specifically incorporated as crucial
3. The light  daily activities of routine life are not intense enough
4. More is better- the fact is emphasised that these are the minimum levels. Exceeding the minimum levels further reduces the risk of chronic disease and improves health. There is a clear dose – response relationship.
5. Strength training is now included and recommended to be completed twice per week as a minimum.

Tips to meet these guidelines:

• Short bouts - You can accumulate 30 mins in short bouts
• Mix it up – combine moderate and vigorous intensity into the one cardio session. Eg you can walk and jog together in one session or walk and climb hills or stairs to increase  the intensity
• Get organised – Set a schedule to set aside a specific day and time to exercise each week.
• A gym is not a necessity- all they suggest you need is a good quality pair of shoes, a plan, some guidance and motivation!
• Get the whole family involved- parents, spouse, kids and friends can all make good exercise partners.
• Variety - Higher intensity physical activity can be accumulated through a variety of activities- do not fall into the trap of thinking you have to run to get your heart rate up. Think outside the trap of the boring “I have to go for a jog.”

As an exercise coach I am happy to see the levels of intensity be specified very clearly as well as the introduction of a strength training recommendation. I believe most people live their lives in 1st or 2nd gear to use a car analogy. You need to get your engine into 3^rd, 4^th or 5^th gear occasionally too. Your body uses different energy systems and different chemical processes at different intensities and all should be used across a week.

I am very strict with all my clients to get some strength training in their week. I have seen some great results from strength training on a variety of clients from teenagers to several clients in their 70’s and 80’s. strength is crucial at all stages of life. It leads to good posture, stability and  independence as we age as well as stimulate healthy lean body mass and tissue for many positive health benefits.

So what does this mean for the average person?

Most people I consult with or talk to are active – vey few people are not aware of the health benefits of regular activity BUT these new recommendations define clearly WHAT  and well as HOW OFTEN we should be active. The minimum is 5 days per week up from 3 days and the type and intensity of the activity have  also been specified. What will surprise some people who go for a brisk half hour walk three times per week is they are NOT meeting the MINIMUM levels of exercise.

How many people do you know who meet the minimum requirements?

This post is written by our elite performance specialist Andrew Verdon. Andrew has completed a Diploma in Exercise Science, Certificate IV in Fitness, Level 1 Strength Coaching Qualifications with ASCA. Should you have any questions for Andrew, please direct them to the ‘Ask Me’ section of www.ameliaburton.com.au

What are the Health Benefits of Tomatoes?

Editors Note: This post is written by contributor Gina Ryan. Gina is a licensed nutritionist and Wellness coach from Hawaii. Read her Bio on the About page or visit her blog Lunch Without Ed.

Depending where you live in the world you may be swimming in tomatoes right now. Traditionally the overabundance of tomatoes leads to the process of cooking sauce and canning it for the months to come. When the more intricate process of canning is not available it is perfectly fine to freeze your sauce and enjoy it just the same. This post explores the health benefits of tomatoes and shows you how to make your own tomato based sauce from scratch.

If you don’t have a favorite sauce recipe or if this is the first time you may be considering this delightful kitchen project here is a great marina sauce recipe. It even has instructions on how to take out the seeds if this is your first attempt.

Cooked Tomatoes Powerful Benefits

There is something really special about your own homemade sauce and there is something even more special about the cooked tomato!

We have been aware of the wonderful health giving properties of the tom as it contains lycopene, the photochemical which makes them red but which also has significant antioxidant properties.

Lycopene is know as a  carotenoid with some other nutrients in this group like beta-carotene and retinol, which are both found in carrots. Lycopene, in certain foods, is the coloring agent. It also does not have the vitamin A characteristics that beta-carotene and retinol do, but is fat-soluble (so be sure you have some olive oil in  your sauce or your body won’t be able to absorb the lycopene as well) similar to vitamin A. The power of this antioxidant, lycopene is made even more powerful through cooking.

Tomatoes contain 3.1 grams per 100g and watermelon 4.1 grams per 100g of lycopene. Tomatoes also contain amounts of Beta Carotene (which can be converted to A-Carotene) and vitamin C, which fight free radicals in the system. For cancer protection and overall health benefits, tomatoes are a powerful and easy to incorporate into your meals.

What do Tomatoes contain that makes them so good for us?

• Lycopene: Powerful antioxidant that has been linked to preventing skin damage, CV disease, cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes and male infertility.
• Beta Carotene: helps prevent night blindness, skin disorders, enhances immunity, slows the ageing process.
• Vitamin C: Another powerful antioxidant. Increases immune strength, repairs damaged tissues including blood vessels, scar tissue and cartilage.

Lycopene has been considered to be helpful in preventing cancers and specifically prostrate cancer. With Italian men having a low instance of prostate cancer we can see for ourselves how helpful the cooked tomato has been for them.

Promoting health with foods containing lycopene can be easy and delightful if combined with other foods containing antioxidants to make delicious meals that help fight cancer. Garlic and onions, both containing powerful antioxidants, can be cooked with tomatoes to make a healthful sauce. You can add some red peppers to a sauce to increase the antioxidant benefit.

Making your own sauce is a healthy, fun and delicious alternative to bottled/tinned sauces when many contain preservatives and excess salt. Click here for a basic  marina sauce recipe. Or do you have another sauce recipe you love???

You can read Gina’s full bio on the About page or visit her blog http://www.lunchwithouted.wordpress.com.

Weights Room Etiquette: Don’t be ‘That’ Guy!

Here is a hysterical clip of what not to do in the weights room. The obnoxious spotter is my personal favorite!

Don’t be ‘that’ guy!

1. The Show off
2. The Grunter
3. The Sight seer
4. The Machine Lurker
5. The Mirror Flexor
6. The Obnoxious Spotter
7. The No-Towel Guy

My Personal additions;

• The Stinky Guy
• The I’m-too-good-to-put-my-weights-away Guy
• The Shorter than short shorts Guy (doing stiff legged dead lifts)

Have you got any funny gym stories to tell? I used to work at a gym that had ’shirts off Fridays.’ It was usually only the boys who partook!

Our Love Hate Relationship With Fat: What is Fat Good For?

Editors Note: This post is written by contributor Gina Ryan. Gina is a licensed nutritionist and Wellness coach from Hawaii. Read her Bio on the About page or visit her blog Lunch Without Ed.

Fat. The word itself will bring up some emotion for most people and for many it isn’t pretty!  Love it or hate it we find it back in the news, now with the scientific community saying the science was not really there all along.

Take for example this quote from a recent article;

“For more than three decades, we’ve been told that fatty foods are deadly, to blame for a full menu of health hazards, from heart disease to obesity to cancer. Regularly described as the nutritional equivalent of cigarettes, fat has been the target of public-service campaigns and municipal bans aimed at keeping us slender and healthy. But a growing body of international research suggests our obsessive fear of fat may be misplaced. A high-fat diet won’t necessarily make us sick or fat; a low-fat diet may not make us healthy or slim.” from Janet Paskin | June/July Ode Magazine.

This is enough to make one think there’s a conspiracy theory out there! The reality is that things are often simply taken to the extreme. If a little is good then a lot must be great type of thinking has gotten the nutrition community into a lot of hot water.

The low fat craze began with the best of intentions and for those who were overindulging in the macro nutrient (Proteins, carbohydrates, fats), lowering their fat intake was probably a good idea. The trouble began when people began to cut the entire nutrient out of their diets. Going from low fat to no fat and fake fat -all the while the population got heavier and yes fatter. Not everyone- just those caught in the cracks. By cracks I am speaking of people who listen to the advertisers.

Reading a no fat box of cookies made one feel they could enjoy the treat free of concern of the impact it may have on their health, because low fat or non fat was the new way to be eating for weight loss and heart health. That is what the makers of the no fat cookie wanted you to believe. Yet it was not true. That box of cookies gave no satisfaction and hence the entire box could have been eaten to try to get the sense that something yummy and satisfying was just eaten and it was full of sugar.  Food consists of micro and macro nutrients and the fact is fat is one of the three macro nutrients and the health and well-being of the human body depends on a regular amount of it, the real thing.

How much fat do we need?

Guidelines suggest that 10-30% of your daily calories should come from fat. The World Health Organization recommends a maximum of 30%, whilst other health organizations recommend only 10%. A guideline is around 40g (1.5 ounces) fat per day for women and 60g (2 ounces) fat per day for men.

Nine fat payoffs

Besides making your bum look big, here are nine more productive ways your body utilizes fat.

• Brain Fats compose 60% of the brain and are essential to brain function, including learning abilities, memory retention and moods. Fats are especially important for pregnant women, since they are integral to fetal brain development.

• Cells Fatty acids help your cells stay flexible, as well as building cell membranes.

• Digestion Fats slow down the digestion process so the body has more time to absorb nutrients. Fats help provide a constant level of energy and also keep the body satiated for longer periods of time. Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) can only be absorbed if fat is present.

• Eyes Fats are essential to eye function

• Heart 60% of our heart’s energy comes from burning fats. Specific fats are also used to help keep the heart beating in a regular rhythm.

• Immune System Some fats ease inflammation, helping your metabolism and immune system stay healthy and functioning.

• Lungs Lung surfactant, which requires a high concentration of saturated fats, enables the lungs to work and keeps them from collapsing.

• Nerves Fats compose the material that insulates and protects the nerves, isolating electrical impulses and speeding their transmission.

• Vital Organs Fats cushion and protect your internal organs.

So take another look at your fat intake and let it be from the most natural state possible, this will help eliminate the trans fats without even trying! Look at using butter, ghee, cold water fish, avocado, nuts, eggs with the yolks, coconut oil and olive oil to name a few. Using fat in a balanced manner is the key to a healthy and satisfying diet for life.

You can read Gina’s full bio on the About page or visit her blog http://www.lunchwithouted.wordpress.com.

Resistance Training for Runners to Prevent Injury, Run Faster and Further

What’s your training program like? Do you focus on increasing your miles each week, maybe a bit of speed work here and there, and of course a token stretch at the end of each session? Well hats off to you because unlike 85% of the population at least you are doing something! But whether you are an amateur runner or a competitive athlete, adding a resistance session each week might just be the thing you need to take your further, faster and with fewer injuries.  This article looks at the reasoning behind resistance training for runners and identifies the top resistance training exercises all runners should do.

What is Resistance training for distance running?

Conventionally we think of resistance training as weights machines, dumbbells, slow movements and heavy weights (with lots of grunting).  Resistance training for runners is quite different. It’s about loading the muscles in a manner that replicates running to improve their strength power, endurance and most importantly coordination. It’s about identifying the weaker muscles in the body and developing them to prevent injury. It is NOT about building unnecessary bulk or damaging already fatigued tissue and I must stress that incorrect resistance training can tighten you up and slow you down.

What purpose does it serve?

There are four key areas that resistance training will help you with: Speed, muscular endurance, efficiency of running technique, and injury prevention.

• Increase strength of your prime movers for speed and distance: The stronger your quads, glutes and hamstrings are the faster your will go and the longer you will be able to maintain your pace. Obviously nothing beats running to strengthen these,  but resistance work involving sprints, uphill and downhill running improve their strength much faster.
• Prevents injury by Increase strength of your stabilisers: Your prime movers can only work as hard as your stabilisers will allow. It doesn’t matter how strong/fit you are, if you have poor hip knee and ankle stability, you will never reach your full potential in both speed and endurance.
• Increase coordination: Similar to stability, the faster you fatigue the sooner your coordination goes. Look at a distance athlete and how smooth their running style is. That is good coordination. All muscles, tendons, ligaments and joint actions are working in smooth unison to create effortless strides. The more fatigued you get the worse these actions interrelate creating a less economical stride which slows you down and increases your chance of injury.
• Increase stride length: As you fatigue, your stride naturally shortens, your muscles tighten and you slow down. By increasing your stride length (within reason) you can maintain a faster pace and waste less energy through excessive foot strikes.

Two Training Programs for Runners

Click here for a printable program you can take to the park/oval for your resistance session. Ideally you will need a stop watch and a skipping rope, but exercises can be performed without them.

Click here for a printable program for Core Stability and VMO/Glute Activation. You will need a swiss ball and leg extension machine for these.

The below animations will help you understand the exercises in the programs. Familiarize yourself with these exercises before printing out your workout sheets:

Skipping/Hopping

Bounding

Jumping on/off step

Plyometric Lunges

Burpees

1. Start in a standing position and bend your knees and place your hands on the ground.
2. Extend your legs back into a push up position. Bring your knees back in towards chest and explosively jump in the air.
3. This should be a continuous motion and be fluid.

Walking Lunges (Hand weights optional)

Single Leg Squat (Try not to hold on and I prefer foot to balance in air not across other leg)

What are the best muscle balancing exercises for injury prone runners?

Leg Extension: from 15-30degrees, toes turned out slightly, focusing on VMO activation. Light weight. 3 x 15-20 reps.

Lunges: Focus on the VMO of the front leg and glutes of the front leg. Keep your knees tracking straight and don’t let them internally rotate as you lower.

Core Stability exercises: Click here for a printable program

1. Alternating Single Leg Bridge

3 x 15 reps

2.Double Leg Pike:

2 x 2 min

3. Alternate Arm Swings and Single Leg Raises

3 x 15 reps

4. Side Raises on Ball

3 x 12 each side

Click here for Printable resistance program. Click here for printable Core and VMO/Glute activation program

For more detailed core stability exercises,  click on my core stability four part series linked here.

• Core Stability Part 1- A Remedy For Back Pain
• Core Stability Part 2: The spinal neutral test
• Core Stability Part 3: Challenging your core muscles
• Core Stability Part 4: Functional Exercises -the plank and its wacky variations
• Abdominal Exercises: Exercise Your Oblique Muscles to Get Rid of the Love Handles

Have you got any other Resistance training exercises that would be good for runners? Link to them in your comments below.

5 Great Video Games That Help You Lose Weight

Editors Note: This post is written by blogger Mary Ward who writes about various health care career topics.

Many people attribute the onset of childhood obesity with too much video game playing. There is definite truth to that as kids have gone from playing outside all day long to sitting constantly in front of the screen and playing video games without taking a breather. There is however a new evolution of video games that are actually good for you and/or your children that can help you to burn calories and ultimately lose weight. Who would have thought it? Here we look at the top video games that can help you stay active, burn some calories, and ultimately shed the unwanted weight.

1. Wii Fit:

This is like a whole new movement and nobody wants to be left behind! The Wii Fit is the hottest new game in town and this is the most enjoyable way to burn some serious calories. The Wii was already a popular gaming system with interactive games that made parties fun and kept people jumping. With the addition of the Wii fit, individuals can create customized workout plans or enjoy some excellent plans. You can get some serious calorie burning in on this enjoyable game that makes sweating it out actually enjoyable!

2. GameRunner:

This is essentially a treadmill tied to the screen of a video game, but the fun and the calorie burning are far beyond expectations. You take on a character and move along throughout the game in a rather interactive manner that helps to burn some serious calories in the process. This has gained in popularity so that people of all ages and walks of life that enjoy a good work out and a fun video game can truly have it all.

3. Exer-Station:

This is a big life-sized joystick that allows you to enjoy a workout right in front of your video game monitor. You get a full body workout due to the resistance that this device provides, so once you strap in you can enjoy some music and get a fun little workout in without even feeling like you’re breaking a sweat. This is an excellent way to burn some calories and enjoy a fun video game in the process-fun for kids of all ages!

4. Dance Dance Revolution: (see above you tube clip)

If you’ve always been a fan of dance or just want to enjoy some dancing in the comfort of your own home without anybody observing or judging, then this is a great option. You can participate in any one of the fun and exhilarating programs within this video game and burn the calories while you laugh it up at your results. This is a lot of fun and great for groups or regular physical activity that doesn’t need to feel that way.

5. Tetris Weightlifting:

This is definitely kicking it back old school, but that doesn’t lessen the effect of this game. You can sit at the monitor and decide upon how much resistance you want to enjoy the utmost in weight lifting through a virtual video game experience. Not quite sure if this one is meant to be taken seriously!

Who says exercise can’t be fun?  Certainly not the creators-or users-of these 5 video games; with them, you and yours can be well on your way to fit without ever feeling like it’s a chore.

Mary Ward writes about various health care career topics, including how to choose among surgical technician courses.

Ask Raphael: Effective Weight Loss

Have a question about your routine or anything fitness-related? Send it Raphael’s way at askraphael@ediets.com.

Raphael,

I know that I can’t spot reduce but surely there is a way to work on one area and the rest of the body will follow. I used to stand with a dumbbell in each hand and twist from side to side, swinging my arms back and forth like a lawn sprinkler motion.

Someone at the gym told me that would add muscle to my waist, and I would not accomplish the look that I am after. Is there anything wrong with what I was doing? Because it really felt good when I did that. – CR

CR,

The exercise you were performing works the oblique muscles (love handles) to some degree but if you’re looking to lose body fat, it won’t accomplish a lot. And, if you’re trying to make your waist smaller it won’t work. In fact, yes, it can increase the size of the waist if the weight is challenging.

I realize your question has a bit different slant because you’re asking if working one area such as the obliques will affect the rest of the body and create fat loss. Without being sarcastic, the answer is yes — if you did it for hours and hours each day. That’s what it would take to burn the amount of calories you’d need to create the loss you desire. In reality, it’s an inefficient way to approach the goal.

The truth is there is a system for losing fat that works for everyone. It’s important that you understand that it is in fact a system — not simply one exercise.

I’m outlining the system point by point. If it doesn’t seem impressive and it appears overly simple,that’s because it is. It may not necessarily be easy at the start, but it will work with consistency on your part. Also, it will become easier as you gain more discipline and see the fruits of your labor.

1. Nutrition: This is, in my opinion, the most important component to losing fat. Nothing is more important than food.

You’ll need to control blood sugar levels in order to lose body fat. This is best accomplished by consuming 4-6 small meals and snacks per day combined of protein, carbohydrates and some good monounsaturated fats. eDiets Glycemic Impact meal plan accomplishes this beautifully.

2. Ratios: It’s unlikely that you’ll lose body fat by consuming 70-80 percent of your calories from carbohydrates (rice, pasta etc.). Ratios can vary quite a bit, but consuming more than 55 percent of your calories from carbohydrates will not be optimal for fat loss.

Many people do quite well on extremely low-carbohydrate plans and others on more moderate plans. As long as you follow the “not more than 55 percent of calories from carbohydrate” rule, you’ll be at a good starting point.

3. Timing: I realize 4-6 meals/snacks sounds like a lot, but this strategy helps to control blood sugar, which is the most effective way to lose body fat from a nutritional standpoint.

Think ahead and prepare meals beforehand. Buy a small cooler and place some healthy snacks in it when you know you’ll be gone for long periods on a weekend day, for example.

4. Calories: It doesn’t matter how healthy your nutrition program is if you’re eating too much.
It’s important that you find maintenance calories first. Maintenance represents the amount of food you consume without any change in your weight. This will take some experimentation and some effort. You’ll also need to document your foods: total calories as well as grams of protein, carbohydrates and fats.

Sounds like a lot of work? It can be at the start but with the vast array of online tools available and the fact that food packages list nutrition information, it won’t be that difficult.

5. Slight Calorie Deficit: If you wish to attempt it on your own, simply reduce your calories by 200 after you’ve found maintenance calories. The goal is to have you eating as much as possible and still losing fat and retaining muscle. I don’t want you eating as little as possible (thereby slowing the metabolism and losing valuable muscle tissue).

6. Exercise: Just 2-3 strength training sessions lasting no more than 30-35 minutes will do the trick. Make sure to work the entire body (legs, calves, chest, back, shoulders, biceps, triceps and abdominals).

Weight training does not need to be long and arduous. Keep things brisk and always use proper form. Hiring a trainer for five sessions or so may also be a good way to start on the right path.
Perform 3-4 days per week of moderate cardio exercise for approximately 30-40 minutes and find an activity you enjoy.

I realize this is a lot more than you asked for in a response, but it’s very important that you have an appreciation for the process because I would hate to think that you would continue the oblique twist in the hopes of losing fat or reducing any area of your body.

Best of luck in your health and fitness goals, and thanks for submitting your question.

Have a fitness question you want answered? Email Raphael at askraphael@ediets.com and you could have your question picked! And if you missed a previous column, see the archive here.

Make NOW your time to do something about your weight. eDiets can help make weight loss a little easier. Let our nutritionists and fitness pros guide you! Click here to find out more and save big!

Ask Pam: Surviving the Holidays

For all you members: Come join our next online meeting “Living with Diabetes” on Nov. 2 and Nov. 5, 2009 at 9 a.m. EST with Denise and 8 p.m. with Kimberly! Visit your community to talk live and in person. Get all your nutrition questions ready! Can’t wait to see you there!

How can I make it through the holidays without tacking on those pounds?

If you can answer this one simply, definitely let me know! Seriously, for most of us, the time between October and the new year are tough. With all the candy, food, treats, beverages (the list goes on…), it can be a challenging time to say no and grab an apple instead.

If you have that willpower to avoid all those temptations, that’s fantastic. But if you’re like me and can’t say no to things like chocolate or yummy dishes, there are a few easy ways to make it through the holidays without feeling the guilt.

My best advice to this question during these holiday months is to try and maintain. I am not sure about you, but for most of us, dieting or weight loss is hard this time of year — try to keep to it normal.

What I mean by that is if you are normally eating several small meals a day, exercising, drinking your water… try not to deviate from that too much. Tell yourself that this isn’t the time to change your behaviors or make additional goals — just keep it steady.

If you can get through the holidays without adding any unnecessary pounds or changing your healthy routine from what you currently do,you have made a huge achievement!

Remember these simple tips to keep you on track in the upcoming months:

- Don’t Sway From the Norm: I know right now everything is so much more tempting, and it is holiday time. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying here and there — just be mindful and make the most of what you take in.

- Pack that Lunch: Continue to make or pack your lunch, dinner or snacks. It’s much easier to stay on track when your food is ready for you (less nibbling on other stuff). If your friends or colleagues are heading out to lunch (or any meal), joining them is fun but just remember to keep an eye on what you order.

- Sweets All Around: Nothing wrong with having a taste — keep it to a bite or two. Remember those pieces here and there add up to empty calories in your body.

- Parties, Dinners, Gatherings: Remember the easy rule of sticking to the fruit and vegetable platters (watch those dips), having the grilled items verses the fried or breaded, and keeping it all on one plate (easy way to portion it out). Always bring a dish (don’t go empty-handed) that you can enjoy and is healthy.

- Move it, Move it: Keep moving. You can kick up your workout a bit to burn some of those extra calories off (my trick), but also keep moving, talking… whatever it is to keep the focus from eating extra.

We love the holidays! Enjoy them with family and friends and focus on the important things — good conversation, and fun and memorable times!

Have a diet question for Pam? Email askpam@ediets.com and check back to see if your question is picked! And if you missed a previous column, click here to see the archive.

Looking for a way to make weight loss easier? With personalized meal plans and fitness routines, eDiets can help! Join now and save 25%!

Tweak of the Week: Boost Your Metabolism

By Shawn McKee
Staff Writer

Growing up, my brother was “big-boned.” I was skinny. My dad affectionately called us the stick and the brick. As we got a little older, my brother’s bone affliction was redefined as a slow metabolism and his problem was at least identified.

Unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do about a slow metabolism…right?

The truth is that genetics do define our metabolic rates to some degree but, like other genetic predispositions, there are factors that we can control. Diet and activity levels are lifestyle choices that affect metabolism, according to eDiets Director of Nutrition Services Pam Ofstein.

“Even if slow metabolism is in your genes, you can do things to help increase it. Focus on exercise (to build lean muscle) and eat more often,” says Pam. “Yes, I definitely said to eat more. Each time you eat, you stimulate your metabolism and feed your muscles. If you starve your body, it actually stores more fat. You defeat the purpose and can actually gain weight.”

Pam recommends eating 5-6 times a day (every 2-3 hours). It will keep your metabolism running smoothly and help you avoid the pitfalls of hunger, such as overeating because you’re starving. Proper nutrition is the first step of supercharging your metabolism, but to really get your metabolism firing on all cylinders, you will also need to add a fat-blasting workout.

Many people looking to lose weight incorrectly assume that lifting weights will lead to a bulky look and they can achieve their goals with cardio alone. This is a fallacy. While cardiovascular exercise is crucial to weight loss, weight training is crucial to boosting your metabolism.

Experts agree that resistance training is the best way to build and preserve lean muscle mass, which speeds up your metabolism. You can get the most fat-burning benefits by using a combination of strength and cardio training to lose more weight.

“There’s a fitness term called the ‘after burn’,” says eDiets Chief Fitness Pro Raphael Calzadilla. “This refers to the calories that you burn 24 to 48 hours after your exercise session. What that means to you is a faster metabolism that burns fat at an accelerated rate.”

Not only will exercise speed up your metabolism after your daily workouts but, if you are building lean muscle mass, it will increase over the long run as well. This is crucial because your metabolism actually decreases as you age.

“Unfortunately, our metabolisms slow as we age — especially for us women,” says Pam. “But eating right and exercising can help speed up that slowing metabolism and help reduce a number health risks like heart disease and osteoporosis.”

Pam is also quick to point out that it’s important to make sure your caloric intake meets your needs. You may need to reassess your caloric intake as you lose weight and adjust it higher or lower. Often, eating more of the right foods will stimulate your metabolism.

Ultimately, we discovered my brother’s weight issues were due to a combination of his diet of sugary treats and salty snacks and a fairly excessive cartoon habit. But, don’t worry, this story has a happy ending.

My little brother joined the Marines, where he got all the exercise he could handle. When he came home he was a lean, mean fat-burning machine. I, on the other hand, went to college and — without sports to keep me active — focused my efforts on fast food, beer and my studies (read: girls).

I couldn’t blame my ballooning waistline on genetics or a rare bone-enlarging phenomenon. I had to face the facts and get myself back in shape. I ate better, moved more and got myself back on track for better health.

Your metabolism can either be your ally or enemy. If you can get it to work with you, it will make weight loss much simpler. It’s never too late or too early to change how your body looks, runs and feels — so get started!

When it comes to losing weight, the more you know, the more you lose. eDiets has more than 20 personalized plans and a team of nutritionists and fitness professionals ready and eager to tackle your extra pounds. Click here to take our diet quiz and see how you can lose the most weight!

Ask Raphael: Protecting Your Knees

Have a question about your routine or anything fitness-related? Send it Raphael’s way at askraphael@ediets.com.

Hi Raphael,

I am a 70-year-old male. I have had both hips replaced and consequently my quads have wasted away. I have been told that the exercise I am doing — leg extensions — are bad for the knees as they put too much strain on the knee joints. Is this true?

I am very active and train 4-5 times a week, albeit with only 20-pound dumbbells, and I play golf regularly. I have been doing your back exercises now for about five years, (e.g., the plank), and the core tightening, with pulled in stomach on your hands and knees, ever since I read your article some years ago.

Since then, I have had no trouble with my back and tell everyone who has back trouble to try these out; they really helped me. Thanks. – Brian

Brian,

Thanks and I’m very glad the back exercises I recommended helped ease your back pain. Reading that made my day!

Concerning your question related to machine leg extensions: The very top of the motion does place a degree of force directly on the knee joint and this isn’t necessarily good for the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The ACL is one of four major ligaments of the knee joint. However, if the movement is performed in a controlled manner with moderate weight then it’s perfectly acceptable.

The people who use heavy weight on leg extensions and heave the weight up with momentum are the ones most at risk with this type of movement, due to the excessive force directly on the knees. So just be sure to use control, focus on precise form and use moderate weight that allows for 12-15 repetitions.

The leg extension is a good exercise and it does isolate your quads, but it’s not a real significant muscle builder. However, based on your hip replacements and limitations, it’s a good option for you. Just make sure your doctor knows about it and recommends it.

I’m very impressed with your level of activity and that you don’t allow your hip replacements to interfere with a consistent and enjoyable program. You are a sensational example to everyone who makes excuses for not exercising.

I wish you the best of health and continued success!

Have a fitness question you want answered? Email Raphael at askraphael@ediets.com and you could have your question picked! And if you missed a previous column, see the archive here.

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