Weight Management/Weight Loss
GLP-1 Medications and Exercise
GLP-1 medications like Wegovy, Ozempic, Saxenda, and Zepbound are changing the game for people looking to lose weight and manage type 2 diabetes. These medications help reduce appetite, control blood…
How Exercise Enhances the Effectiveness of Weight Loss Drugs
In recent years, the landscape of weight management has been transformed by powerful new weight loss drugs such as semaglutide (Wegovy, Ozempic) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro). These medications, originally developed to…
What You Need to Know About the Medical Risks of Weight Loss Drugs
The popularity of weight loss medications like Ozempic (semaglutide), Wegovy, and Mounjaro (tirzepatide) has surged in recent years. Originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes, these drugs have also been…
Focus on Fitness
Fit or fat? The conversation continues. Fit pros know that fitness is important, yet many people focus on weight rather than physical activity. A recent systematic review of 20 studies…
High Intensity Training and Appetite Suppression
Vigorous exercise suppresses hunger more than moderate exercise for healthy adult men and women, according to a small study described in Journal of the Endocrine Society (2024). Among a group…
An Attitude of Gratitude
Cynthia Walker was struggling. Although she’d been trying to lose weight for years, it just seemed like the odds were stacked against her.
“At age 42, she had a TIA (transient ischemic attack) along with high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels,” says trainer E. Faith Bell. “Then, 11 years ago, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. At 4 feet 9 inches tall, she weighed 176 pounds.”
More Strikes Against Eating Too Much Salt
A duo of recent studies are further strengthening the case against dumping high amounts of salt into restaurant fare and packaged processed foods.
Could Gaming Help People Eat Better?
As we become better informed about the potential pitfalls of too much screen time, findings in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine suggest that sitting in front of a computer to play a diet-focused game may drive people to trade in their candy for cauliflower!
Poor Food Choices at Work Can Impact Overall Diet
Since many Americans spend half their waking hours at a job, it makes sense that the food they decide to purchase at work can have a big impact on their overall diet.
Snacking Calories Add Up
With the holiday season comes a bounty of tasty nibbles! But a study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition tells a cautionary tale about eating festive cookies and snacking from those leftover party platters.
Men’s Health Research Review
Men: Are you exercising and eating healthfully but not losing the weight you want? The good news is that there are more benefits to these two habits than just weight loss.
Megan Senger, professional fitness writer/editor and fitness instructor based in North Carolina, has summarized a few studies that center on men’s wellness, with comments on what the findings may mean for you.
Maternal Weight and Pregnancy Complications
Encourage your pregnant clients (if cleared by their doctors) to keep working out with you. A new study shows that maintaining a healthy weight before and during pregnancy is a key factor in avoiding pregnancy complications.
Social Media Influencers Give Inaccurate Health Advice
Have you been frustrated by bad health and fitness advice doled out by social media influencers? You’re not alone, and if you sense that much of the popular online health information is wrong, you’re right! A recent study of key U.K. social media influencers’ weight management blogs—presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Glasgow, Scotland, in April 2019—showed that most influencers were not reliable weight management resources.
Processed Food Linked to Weight Gain
Over the past several decades, fast-food and processed/packaged foods made with cheap ingredients like white flour and salt have come to dominate the American diet. While an established link between eating too much junk food and obesity has been made, there is still a need for more research to suss out the reasons why.
Delicious Danger? A Research Update on Artificial Sweeteners
In human evolution, the preference for sweet taste was beneficial, since it helped to direct newborns toward eating nutritious food. Recent advances in medicine and nutritional sciences suggest that reducing intake of products high in sugar and salt could improve public health. Nevertheless, many people adore sweets and, therefore, artificial sweeteners (AS)—food supplements with chemical structures different from sugar—made their way onto the market.
Myths About Meal Timing and Frequency
Which is better: eating five or more small meals or fasting for 16 hours a day? There are a lot of opinions about the optimal timing of meals. Whether your clients are trying to lose weight or gain muscle, chances are they have heard of meal frequency and meal timing, which are common terms used interchangeably to talk about dietary eating patterns. However, all the talk has created a mythology around the “right” way to eat. It’s time to separate myth from reality by looking beyond opinions and focusing on the science.
2019 IDEA® World Convention: Igniting Passion With Purpose!
Purpose, passion and people! The fitness industry is all about forging relationships that lift others up. Fitness professionals have energy to spare, and they are dedicated to mentoring new generations of pros, networking with peers, and motivating clients and participants every day.
The Weight Debate: Obesity and Health Risks
Think of it as the point-counterpoint discussion on obesity: Is the healthcare profession overemphasizing the negative consequences of extra weight? What are the risks? Is the focus on obesity helping or hurting our clients?
Embracing Health at Every Size
People who have worked to lose weight may have found that achieving short-term weight loss is relatively easy. But weight loss success all too often ends in weight regain. Soon, dieters embark on a new diet, launching a round of weight cycling that wreaks havoc on the body and causes many problems routinely blamed on obesity.
Low-Carb May Not Be Heart Friendly
While Instagram feeds are awash with people broadcasting the weight loss benefits of living off butter and steak, there has been little data addressing the impacts of carb-stingy diets on various health measures down the line. Now we have some indication that there is cause for concern.