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Editors note: For information about how coronavirus disease (COVID-19) affects pancreatic cancer patients, please see ourblog covering frequently asked questions for patients.

Everyone reacts differently to the stress associated with whats happening in the world right now.

Some people use humor, which can be uncomfortable for others. Some people get angry. Some people feel an overwhelming sense of fear.

Nicole Feingold, MA, senior director of Scientific and Medical Affairs at the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN), shares, We should not minimize peoples feelings or their different reactions.

Its OK to have a range of feelings. Its also OK to not be OK.

We are all navigating this new normal. Although we are social distancing or staying safe at home, we are experiencing and figuring this out together.

During this uncharted time, it may be more challenging to take care of yourself and your loved ones physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

It is extremely important to make self-care techniques a priority during this unprecedented time, Feingold says. We are more resilient and healthy when we build in self-care.

Here are some ways to take care of your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health.

This challenging time is giving us an opportunity to slow down and focus on what we need to replenish ourselves.

Feingold reminds us, Stay calm and virtually connected, while also implementing other self-care techniques to manage this evolving situation.

See the rest here:
Self-Care Tips for Pancreatic Cancer Patients and Their Families - Pancreatic Cancer News & Stories

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The gyms are now closed.

They, and other indoor sporting venues, shut their doors midday local time on Monday, after the state and Federal governments' coronavirus shutdown.

So how can you stay safe AND active right now.

If you're not self-isolating or unwell, the experts agree you and your family can still go outside to exercise at this stage.

But you must practise social distancing, keep up good hygiene practices, and wash your hands when you get home.

This advice may change in the event of widespread community transmission of this coronavirus, said Adam Kamradt-Scott, an expert in the spread and control of infectious diseases at the University of Sydney.

So walking, cycling and running are still on the menu, as are outdoor sports like golf and tennis although you'll likely find your local golf course or tennis club will have implemented extra hygiene measures to abide by.

Many public swimming pools have closed as they're part of larger leisure centres, and some Sydney councils have even closed beaches after crowds flouted social distancing guidelines over the weekend.

"We know that exercising in the outdoors has added health benefits for people," said Carol Maher who researches physical activity and health at the University of South Australia.

Going for a run is also a great way of incorporating some high intensity interval training into your exercise routine, said sports physiotherapist Kusal Goonewardena.

Do one minute of normal pace running, 30 seconds where you're sprinting, and then reduce your speed to a jog again for another minute.

"When you break up the exercises into those intensities, the body really likes it," he said.

"And we have found research wise that you probably only need to do about six to 10 minutes to get the effect of a half an hour exercise, which is very powerful."

More than ever we're going to have to make a concerted effort to be physically active, because these shutdown measures are taking the natural activity out of our days, Dr Maher said.

She recommendsplanning how you're going to get physical activity each dayto make sure you don't get really sedentary during the shutdown, which could be in place for months.

"It's really important to have a routine, even if you're working from home," she said, because we know that people who do better and have higher levels of wellbeing tend to have quite routine lifestyles.

"They'll get up at a particular time and build structure into their day, even if it's not kind of being imposed on us by the usual things of needing to be in the office by a particular time or having the kids at school.

"I'd definitely encourage people to actually create themselves a routine that builds in time for exercise, it's really important for mental health as well as physical health."

Not only can regular physical activity help us deal with the stress and anxiety many of us are feeling, having a strong routine that we're committed to can also keep us motivated during the long months ahead.

Now is also the time to start upping your exercise routine at home.

For kids that can be playing in the backyard, for adults there are lots of apps and online workouts, like on YouTube, that offer everything from high intensity interval training to yoga, Dr Maher said.

Mr Goonewardena suggests beginning with some simple exercises that address one of the problems caused by too much sitting in front of our computers or other devices.

"Sedentary postures cause a few things, one is inactivity of the spine. But there's a tremendous effect of that on mood," he said.

First thing in the morning after you wake up, do some arm swings.

This is where you're standing facing forward but swinging your arms left to right to rotate your spine.

After that, do some side bends.

"The human spine is designed to move forward and backwards, rotate, and also bend sideways," Mr Goonewardena said, "in sedentary postures, those two aspects are missed."

"So you start off by creating movement in those areas, and you only have to do about 20 to 30 reps at the start of the day, but then during the day as well."

From there, you can incorporate some strength training into your home exercise routine by using your own body weight.

"The amount of resistance you can create with your own body, when you think laterally and creatively is tremendous," Mr Goonewardena said.

For example, doing push-ups, squats and calf raises is a wonderful way of building those anti-gravity muscles, and you're continuing to work your legs, arms and shoulders, he said.

Add more resistance by utilising things around the house.

"A typical example is if you're lifting a carton of milk which is one litre, that's approximately one kilogram," Mr Goonewardena said.

If you have a sofa, using the top of the sofa to do push-ups against so you're slightly tilted instead of doing them on the ground still works your upper body.

If you can't do what you would normally do exercise wise, there are lots of opportunities to substitute that with other things that are just as healthy, Dr Maher said.

"You could go out and actually focus on your fitness for a while where you're doing high intensity interval training," she said.

"Or for children if they really can't now play their sports, they could work on their skill development. My boys are working on their soccer juggling skills."

And if you're using to working out with a friend, there's nothing stopping you from having a virtual exercise session together using Skype, FaceTime or another video conferencing platform to make it fun and keep yourself accountable.

"If there's one thing I would suggest people do at home, it would be to dance," Mr Goonewardena said.

"When you put some good music on music that you love and you can dance to you're then utilising different body parts in the right way all the nerves, muscles, joints and ligaments all align in a proper way."

Which can be a great way to break up your Netflix binge sessions.

Now's also the perfect time to get more physically active because we've got more time, Dr Maher said.

"We're saving all this time from commuting and other activities that are now closing down, so it actually does free up some time to devote to exercise."

Link:
Coronavirus has closed the gyms, but are running, walking and cycling still safe exercise options? - ABC News

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Like many CrossFit affiliates and other gyms, Sherman Merricks, the owner of Dynasty CrossFit in Gainesville, Florida, temporarily closed his doors last week.

But this hasnt stopped Merricks, his wife Christina, two sons and daughter from pursuing fitness together at home, family-style.

Merricks continues to work from his home office, servicing his clients remotely through virtual training and nutrition services, while his wife homeschools 11-year-old Kayden, 8-year-old Ariana and 6-year-old Judah. Merricks gym has even been offering virtual classes for kids since closing their physical location.

He admits, they are all going a bit stir crazy, but whats saving them are their daily workouts together in their garage, a one car garage they turned into a gym complete with barbells, dumbbells, jump ropes, bands and a bike.

If we need a break, well do a workout together, or well have a competition, like the first one to do 100 squats gets a piece of gum, Merricks said, a former college basketball player. And as you can imagine, Im overly competitive, so my kids have inherited that gene. Theyll see me and my wife going head-to-head and theyll try to jump in on teams and turn it into a competition.

Other times, Merricks programs less competitive workouts for his family.

We worked out yesterday and just did some burpees and sit-ups in the garage and a little bit of running to get some fresh air, he said.

Though working out all together from home is somewhat new to the Merricks family, CrossFit is not. All three of his children have essentially been doing CrossFit for as long as they have been able to walk. Merrick is adamant, though, that he didnt push them into it.

It has come from them, he said. Theres no pressure from us. We just want them to have fun, so we always try to keep it really fun.

He added: We dont care what they do for fitness or sports. We just want fitness to be a part of their lives. We want them to know what it feels like to feel good, so were a really healthy family.

And right now, a regular fitness routine is especially important for his entire familys mental health, Merricks added. Especially for him, considering hes dealing with potential financial damage to his business.

Im OK right now, but if this thing drags on for another 12 weeks, itll get harder, he admitted. So working out is helping a ton. Were taking care of the kids from home, so having a break to go into the garage for 60 to 90 minutes is a big deal.

Merricks added: Its a game changer. For everyone.

See the original post:
Exercising Together Is This CrossFit Familys Secret Weapon for Social Distancing - BarBend

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Lately Ive been finding hope in making small improvements.

Do you ever notice when youre bouncing from goal to goal that you often put bandages over or maybe completely ignore imbalances and weaknesses that have crept in? During this forced pause of organized running, in the same way I look around and suddenly see the dusty corners and cluttered drawers in my house, the areas of my running that need some work seem to highlight themselves. I tend to put these on the back burner during the never-ending racing seasons.

Some areas that I find get overlooked are exercises for physical imbalances and weaknesses, shorter speedwork and form work like drills and strides, and even efforts to strengthen your mind.

Anyone who runs a lot or for enough years will eventually pick up some imbalances or overuse from the repetitiveness of the sport. Because we love it and because its what were good at, running is often the only kind of exercise we runners ever do. These are the areas Ive been focusing on lately; maybe youll find youve also overlooked them in favor of extra miles and workout reps.

Plyometrics or drills: Be careful diving into these as theyre meant to be dynamic and explosive, so injuries are a risk if you never do these kinds of exercises.

But a little goes a long way in this area. You really only need some of the following: a soft area like smooth grass or turf, some chalk and pavement, a sturdy place to jump on to, or a jump rope. I like to chalk out a speed ladder in my driveway, and have also done a basic bounding series and occasional box jumps in my gym circuit.

These are best done warmed up but fresh so your legs arent too tired. The objectives are to practice putting force into the ground during exercises like jumps and bounds, and for short, quick contact on the ground during things like speed ladder or jump rope.

Casey B. Gibson

There are also basic drills, like A and B skips, side shuffling, and butt kicks, that help put you through bigger or new ranges of motion than the mileage shuffle that can happen to very experienced runners.

Mobility: I struggle with hip, ankle and upper back mobility. Im told theyre commonly stiff areas in distance runners. At-home yoga has become a routine as well as some specific hip and back mobility series like hurdle step overs, the Myrtl series, and thoracic spine openers on the foam roller. These help to combat the sitting and running postures in which I spend much of my life.

Gym work: For some reason, high mileage can indirectly lead to form-sabotaging things like glute weakness and adductor tightness. I guess not all adaptations to running a bunch are great for performance!

Ive found doing exercises to target lateral motion and proper glute and core work are helpful in reversing some of these overuse patterns. Im often too tired to add them into the day during heavy marathon training, and I dont like being sore before workouts or especially close to races, so I dont do them as often as I need to. Plus, they can be a little tedious.

Im prioritizing them now, as I feel like marathon training has accelerated a lot of my biomechanical problem areas. I think if I can hyper-focus on correcting them before I dive into heavy workouts, Ill be able to move smoother and easier. (Although I think of them as gym work, they can be done at home, so there goes that excuse for not doing them while most gyms are closed!)

If any of these are new to you, that may even make them a more efficient workout. We can all benefit from new workout stimuli, and this is a good time to adapt to new programs and even experiment with different workouts, even if they make you a little sore.

Courtesy of Molly Hudlle

My gym routine usually includes a lot of resistance band work for hips and glutes, core work like planks and medicine ball throws, and upper back strength like TRX exercises. I dont do many Olympic lifts other than back squats and deadlifts because my form isnt good, but now may be a good time to learn a few more of those.

[Stay injury free on the road by getting on the mat with Yoga for Runners.]

Meditation, mantras, and practicing positive self talk are popular buzzwords in the sports psychology sphere, but how many have you practiced? It seems like Im usually preoccupied with things like gear testing, race planning, and travel logistics. Who has time to sit quietly and do nothing?

Well, a lot of us do at the moment. If this current state is like a type of forced meditation, maybe we can benefit from it by actually practicing the mindfulness and stillness that make it so empowering. (Ive honestly never felt like I got meditation, but Im going to try!)

Now is a good time to step into some of these practices, for what they can offer your mind when you compete next, and also for how they can help you manage anxiety.

One thing I often dont make dedicated time for in my schedule are fast strides and short workouts that prioritize speed and form. It always felt like those workouts had small rewards compared to the big fitness jumps I could make from piling on the V02 max sessions and threshold workouts.

Even with the strides Im supposed to do two or three times a week, I would often be too tired to do well or sometimes at all. We all have our strides-shirking excuse. The road near my house is kind of lumpy or hilly, my neighbors will think Im weird, Im tired, etc. The last few weeks Ive been able to focus more on a few of these as workouts. Theyre actually super fun. If youre able to find an empty track or smooth, quiet 200-meter stretch of road (or even a hill), its fun to unleash, take full recovery and not have to hit a really high volume of reps.

Similarly, sometimes during big training weeks I get lazy with my warmup drills because I just want to get the beast of a workout going. With these shorter, quicker workouts, the warmup is not only more important, but you have more energy to do the drills, and theyre actually considered part of the workout.

For now, though in solitude, were lucky to be able to run. Whether its on unpopulated roads, remote trails, or personal treadmills, we can still physically and mentally center ourselves every day. Most of our relationships with running have more dimensions than training and striving. So without a target, we run anyway, to move our bodies.

As distance runners we arent dependent on a team or facility, and I think more people are realizing this and lacing up to strengthen their hearts, calm their minds, and find their breath. Although were sad to not have races to immediately look forward to, we know we will race again. We may not be able to do what we love to do right now, but we can do what we need to do, and thats not a wasted effort.

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Originally posted here:
How to Improve As a Runner - Molly Huddle's Guide to Being a Complete Runner - runnersworld.com

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The images from Europe are eerie. Venice, a city that has in the past run the risk of almost sinking under the weight of tourists, is empty. St. Peters Square in the Vatican is all but abandoned, save for a few furtive locals. Paris has shuttered once crowded cafs and bistros, where the din of conversation and clinking of glasses has for centuries provided a continuous soundtrack. The coronavirus has torn its way across the globe, leaving ghost towns from Asia to Europe in its wake, with sweeping cityscapes reminiscent of the opening scenes of 28 Days Later. Meanwhile, medical personnel and government authorities in the United States are bracing for a rapid rise in COVID-19 cases and, like their counterparts on either side of the Atlantic and Pacific, Americans are opting or being instructed to stay home. For many, the workplace for the foreseeable future is the home.

While some ambitious academics have attempted to reassure themselves of this workday change by caustically highlighting Isaac Newtons productivity in quarantine during the plague he famously used the opportunity to develop theories of gravity, optics, and even early calculus the reality of the situation is that a lot of people are going to hunker down in front of their TV, laptop, or a gaming system. Indeed, if other countries experience with pandemic-driven isolation is at all instructive, online gaming is set to explode. Military personnel, like many others, will be part of that trend passing the quarantine or social distancing blues playing Flying Tigers, World of Warships, or MisBits, among many other video games.

In an attempt to curb the coronavirus spread, the Pentagon has shuttered recruitment centers, restricted travel, and canceled or significantly scaled back training events, from drills to large-scale exercises, like Exercise Defender- Europe 2020. This has led some to question what may be the long-term implications of the crisis on future military readiness. Indeed, as training and military professionalism are increasingly highlighted as key factors in overall battlefield effectiveness, how can the military maintain its training regime in the midst of a global pandemic?

One simple remedy may be to double down on what the troops already know, love, and likely will be doing anyway during the pandemic video gaming. Indeed, the military has a long history of leveraging the gaming proclivities of warfighters to its advantage. From the Marine Corps 1996 modification of Doom, to the Armys creation of first-person shooter game Americas Army, and more recent use of an Army esports competition team, video games have emerged as a key avenue for military recruitment, community engagement, and training. As the coronavirus deepens its global reach, the military can deploy training virtually at the point-of-need to help maintain troop readiness.

Parsing the Pandemic Training Challenge

It is no surprise that the military has elected to cancel or cut back many live training exercises. During an epidemic, training events, like basic training, can disseminate the virus, potentially on a massive scale. Large exercises require the movement of people via planes, trains, and automobiles to a set location, raising the specter of viral spread. Participation in exercises, like the U.S. Air Forces premier exercise, Red Flag, is global, rendering any attempt to contain a virus obsolete. Naturally, this will present readiness dilemmas from dulled skills to a potential contraction in allied engagements and interoperability. The challenge, however, may be even more significant than initially realized. Decreased training is not solely a function of a reduction in live training exercises. Indeed, many of those tasked with provisioning training at mission training centers are no longer physically clocking into the office.

In response to the pandemic, President Donald Trump announced a national emergency, setting the stage for the Office of Management and Budget to issue guidance to maximize telework flexibility in the federal workforce. Last week, the Department of Defense reduced its on-site federal workforce by 50 percent. The defense industrial base as a critical infrastructure workforce has, likewise, adapted to promote increased remote work. Many defense personnel are now working from home, along with a large number of defense contractors charged with furnishing training.

Mission training centers are often operated by military contractors, who are typically tasked with setting up, planning, operating, and running a training scenario. Modifications to training simulators or the software within a training center are handled by those same individuals, placing any training changes or customization in civilian hands. The dependence on civilian contractors has been highlighted as a challenge in the past. Indeed, as one soldier noted: if there was a problem and [the simulators] broke down, we couldnt do anything because they were civilian-run. Were stuck just sitting there wasting training time, which is very precious. New soldier-centric design training programs, like those run by Army Futures Command, are seeking to rectify this problem. However, they havent yet been implemented at scale. In the interim, absent contractor support, mission training centers may very well be slowing down or in certain circumstances grinding to a halt.

Point-of-Need Virtual Training

Distributed virtual training is a natural solution to the challenges posed by the current pandemic. It can be deployed at the point-of-need, allowing warfighters in disparate locations from the comfort of their living room couch, to a military base or a deployment to train for individual and collective skills. Indeed, many virtual training solutions already exist or are under development.

Individual Training

At present, the military utilizes desktop classroom training for a significant portion of its individual training needs in the early stages of instruction. Training for pre-deployment safety, equipment, and medical procedures is provided in both traditional and computer-based formats. Desktop training applications provide warfighters singular insight into the switchology of their system, from an AH-64 Apache helicopter to a P8-A Poseidon aircraft. Computer-based training games allow submariners to develop a mental map of the inside of the future assigned submarine. New programs, like the U.S. Air Forces Pilot Training Next or the Armys Aviator Training Next, combine emerging virtual reality and augmented reality technology with commercial off-the-shelf systems to develop low-fidelity simulators that can be utilized for training anywhere, at any time from the dorm room to a classroom.

Collective Training

Likewise, virtual solutions also exist for collective training needs from mission preparation to mission rehearsal. Virtual Battlespace 3 is a multiplayer battlefield virtual simulation system that allows users to train for individual, crew, team, platoon, and company collective warfighting tasks. Users enter a virtual and ever-changing world that can map to current or future operational environments. The Armys Synthetic Training Environment is focused on developing plug-and-play peripheral devices, allowing soldiers stationed in different locations to connect into a common synthetic training environment with just a network plug-in. For instance, soldiers in separate locations could conduct crew operations of an M1 Abrams, with each of their warfighting stations virtually replicated. Similarly, linking low-fidelity simulators, like those provided by Pilot Training Next, allows pilots who may be worlds apart to feel as if they are right next to each other whether they are practicing refueling or engaging in a dogfight. Networks, like the U.S. Air Forces distributed mission operations network, support these connections, allowing simulated platforms, regardless of their physical location, to interconnect including potentially with allies.

It is not just warfighters at the tip of the spear, however, who can benefit from these virtual solutions. Virtual training applications are available to those tasked with logistics, maintenance, medical support, intelligence, cyber, and many other areas.

What Can Be Done Now?

The truth, however, is that the military is not currently set up to deliver distributed virtual training at a large scale. If the coronavirus causes longer-term exercise cancellations and base closures, the militarys state of readiness could be severely impaired. Yet, there are some short-term solutions that could be implemented to deliver training now, at the point-of-need.

Many of the training applications previously mentioned require a warfighter to visit a designated training facility, but transferring training off-base is technically possible. Converting classroom-based instruction, such as pre-deployment medical or equipment training, to a web-based program, such as WebEx, is a simple solution. Unclassified game-based training programs could also be made available to warfighters remotely at their point-of-need, with web-based contractor support.

For instance, the U.S. Army Games for Training program provides suites of gaming-quality laptops, networking infrastructure, and first-person, multiplayer, game-based training applications within a classroom setting. Schoolhouse desktop training solutions, like the previously mentioned Virtual Battlespace 3, fit under the Games for Training rubric. Games for Training can meet some training needs in the short term, but a key limiting factor is the availability of requisite hardware for soldiers (i.e., whether they have a gaming-quality computer that is common access card-enabled and cyber security compliant) along with necessary training support for exercise setup and operation. To deploy Games for Training to a wider audience in the midst of the pandemic would require wading through some thorny but ultimately solvable acquisition/procurement issues.

Games for Training suites are currently fielded in limited quantities across military installations in a civilian-managed classroom setting and must be reserved in advance by soldiers. Increasing the availability and utility of Games for Training software and hardware to provide a more turnkey training solution directly to soldiers and their units would require a major contract modification or implementation of a more rapid nontraditional procurement instrument, like an Other Transaction Authority. While competitive procedures are still typically used to the maximum extent practicable when awarding funds under an Other Transaction Authority, in the event of exceptional circumstances, such as a national emergency, a senior procurement executive may choose to waive that condition. The Middle Tier of Acquisition pathway, likewise, could provide another avenue for fielding proven virtual training technologies. In line with such procurement strategies, other training solution sets, like the rapid acquisition of commercial training peripherals, such as plug-and-play low-fidelity vehicle simulators, could also take place.

Procuring a training solution, however, is only half the problem. The military would then have to deploy it, getting it into the hands of those warfighters who may be physically scattered because of social distancing. From a software standpoint, this isnt challenging. Games for Training maintains the MilGaming web portal, which provides soldiers direct access to government and commercial software video game products, in addition to technical support and online instruction. With proper hardware, warfighters could simply log on and download what they need.

Getting the hardware most notably low-fidelity peripherals, like a steering wheel into the hands of those who need access is slightly trickier. However, the U.S. Armys recruitment experience may provide an interesting model that could be deployed for distributed training with plug-and-play peripherals. Indeed, U.S. Army Recruiting Command brings portable simulated weapon systems that can be set up in less than 10 minutes to recruiting events, allowing potential recruits to explore multiple occupational specialties. This same model of portability could be applied to peripheral training devices. After rapidly acquiring gaming-quality computers and low-fidelity peripherals, the devices theoretically could be shipped or dropped off at warfighter locations. This is largely the vision for the U.S. Armys new Reconfigurable Virtual Collective Trainer prototype project, but on a much larger scale.

Scaffolding the Militarys Future Training Needs

More than simply challenging military readiness, however, the coronavirus can also act in many ways as a driver to better meet the militarys future training needs. Virtual training solutions and protocols put in place for the purposes of this crisis might pay warfighting dividends later. Indeed, while a rich debate is ongoing within the corridors of the Pentagon on the character of future competition and combat, there is a shared recognition that the future joint force must acquire the ability to fight across and through multiple domains. The goal is to inject greater fluidity into joint operations and improve overall combat effectiveness in a military environment marked by rapid cycles of disruptive technological change. However, such a goal is arguably aspirational without a realistic test, experimentation, and training environment, which the live environment will fail to provide.

From the employment of fifth-generation platforms in combat, to the tactical or operational integration of the cyber and space domains, and the increased use of artificial intelligence in military platforms and systems, the military will be increasingly pushed to experiment and train within a synthetic virtual and constructive environment. The increased use of a synthetic environment can be chalked up to cost savings, security, and the mitigation of safety risks. More importantly, however, the employment of a synthetic environment also provides a higher-fidelity and more immersive experimentation and training experience, allowing warfighters to fail, regroup, and adopt new innovations before the first shot is fired or the first sortie is deployed.

Moreover, the increased employment of a synthetic environment may have broader strategic warfighting benefits. Indeed, while exercises can serve multiple purposes in times of peace and war such as demonstrating resolve, reducing tensions, or deterrence they can also, in certain circumstances, alert an adversary to emerging innovative technologies, concepts of operations, or more tailored force structures. This could provide an adversary the needed intelligence to develop countermeasures or, potentially, emulate those innovations within its own force. Perhaps more problematically, revealing sources of strength within a live exercise may sacrifice future tactical, operational, or even strategic surprise. Indeed, history is replete with examples from the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941 to the unexpected Arab invasion of Israel in 1973 of how surprise has provided an assailing force with a critical advantage, even if only temporarily. As former Naval War College professor Michael Handel notes,

From a military point of view, the advantages to be derived from achieving strategic surprise are invaluable. A successful unanticipated attack will facilitate the destruction of a sizable portion of the enemys forces at a lower cost to the attacker by throwing the defense psychologically off balance, and hence temporarily reducing his resistance.

As near-peer competitors and adversaries particularly Russia and China undergo protracted periods of military modernization and reform, utilizing surprise to Americas advantage may become increasingly important. As a result, conducting mission preparation and mission rehearsal within a synthetic environment may be critical, as it would allow complex military preparations to be conducted more rapidly and seamlessly until just before combat. Indeed, a (cyber secure) synthetic environment may provide a modicum of operational security, in a way the live environment does not.

In 2001, the Defense Science Board noted that training superiority is ours to lose and for others to gain. This statement rings particularly true today. In the midst of the pandemic, maintaining readiness while also respecting strict social-distancing guidelines is paramount. Virtual training, with some effort, can meet todays needs, while also creating the scaffolding of the militarys future synthetic training needs.

Jennifer McArdle is a non-resident fellow with the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments and a Ph.D. candidate in War Studies at Kings College London.

Thomas Kehr is a Ph.D. candidate in Modeling and Simulation at the University of Central Florida and the former government project manager for the U.S. Army Training andReadinessAccelerator.

Gene Colabatistto is a 30-year defense industry executive having previously served as a Marine infantry officer. He most recently served as CAEs president of defense and security from 2012 to December 2019.

Image: U.S. Army (Photo by Sgt. Timothy Hamlin)

Link:
Pandemics and the Future of Military Training - War on the Rocks

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Several different Big Ten schools are handling the COVID-19 situation differently. Multiple publishers from the Rivals.com network gave their take on what's going on.

How many guys stayed back and how many went home? Are the weight rooms still open for small groups to use? What kind of food services are still being provided on campus? In what ways are their coaching staff still trying to recruit? What is each school's best-case scenario outlook? Could we see June spring practices?

All of these topics were addressed here from 13 different Big Ten publishers.

"Nebraska gave all of their football players the option to stay or go home. It was completely up to how each guy wanted to handle it based on their own personal situations. They continued training table services on a take-out basis only. Last week, the weight room was open for small groups and then heavily sanitized after they were done. However, on Thursday I was told the weight room was officially shut down. This week was supposed to be UNL's spring break before the shutdown happened.

"Nebraskas coaching staff continues to do what they can to recruit, as kids are very easy to reach right now. Their other big priority is setting up some sort of online meeting software so the team can take part in interactive meetings to go over the offense and defense. Nobody knows where this is going to all go, but the optimistic thought right now is maybe you can have spring practices in June and the newcomers will be involved in those as well. You have to think the NCAA is going to be flexible with this once or if we get to that point. Before the shutdown, Nebraska was able to complete two spring practices."

-Sean Callahan

"Purdue's immediate response was to sort of shut things down, as I'm sure was the case a lot of other places. This coincided with the university's spring break and those who went home were told that they should only return to campus if they have a very specific reason they need to be on campus, whether it's recovery from injury, academic support, food or whatever. Purdue has gone online for classes the rest of the semester, so the athletes who went home for spring break can take care of their academics from there.

"Those who are on campus won't have access to athletic facilities through April 6, as Purdue has shut down its weight rooms, etc., indefinitely, and that order at Purdue went into place before the state of Indiana issued what amounted to a stay-at-home order.

"I know that coaches and staff have been encouraged to work remotely as much as they can. Coaches have been encouraged to keep in constant contact with their athletes who are off-campus, to get creative in recruiting and to work on things that they might not otherwise have had time to work on."

-Brian Neubert

"On March 12, the University of Wisconsin announced it would suspend in-person classes for at least three weeks. And just last week, it was decided that all instruction and exams would remain online through the end of the spring semester. With those parameters in place, the vast majority of student-athletes on the Badgers current roster are at home, according to a spokesman from the athletic department. With the exception of sports medicine and mental health services, all facilities on campus are closed. That includes training tables and fueling stations. Monday, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers ordered non-essential businesses to close statewide in response to COVID-19. The Badgers did not participate in any spring practices prior to (or since) the announcement on March 12.

"On the recruiting front, things have been pretty quiet. No new offers have been extended, but Wisconsin did receive a recent commitment from linebacker Jake Chaney in the 2021 class. UW also benefited from two big junior days (Feb. 1 and March 1) prior to recruiting being suspended on campus."

-Jon McNamara

"The state of Illinois is on a shelter in place order due to the COVID-19 outbreak, so naturally, the campus at the University of Illinois is shut down and all of the sports facilities are closed. Like most of the rest of the student body, Illinois athletes went home for spring break and never returned. The dorms are closed but accommodations are being made for international students and others who cant practically go home during the epidemic. Students are continuing the spring semester with online classes.

"The cancellation of spring sports presents an array of challenges for the football coaching staff, including ensuring offseason workouts continue. Without structured workouts and the facilities on campus, the Illini have an entirely different challenge in building the strength needed to climb that ladder in the Big Ten. Assuredly, strength coach Lou Hernandez will send workout schedules. Then its up to the Illini to motivate themselves to push as hard as if coach Lou was in the room.

"Recruiting completely changes under these conditions and the NCAA-mandated emergency dead period. These Illini recruiters can talk the talk, especially on those recruiting trips back to St. Louis and Chicago. But what happens when they cant leave campus? More importantly, what happens when the Illini cant show off the new digs at the Smith Football Performance Center? In the arms race known as college football facilities, Illinois might be the newest and perhaps the most impressive in the Midwest. A ban on recruiting visits on campus will force Illini coaches, like others elsewhere, to be more innovative.

"Big Ten football is going more digital. Social media platforms are becoming more valuable with growing budgets. Coaches are working FaceTime with recruits. Virtual tours of facilities and campus are a hot topic."

- Doug Buschon

Iowa had not started spring practice when the University was shut down due to the COVID-19 Virus. They had just concluded their winter workout program and spring break took place last week. Student-athletes were encouraged to stay home and not return to campus, which most have done. Currently, campus facilities are closed to students, except for medical needs.

In-person classes have been canceled and students will complete the semester via online instruction. Really undetermined as to if there will be any sort of organized team activities in June.

As far as recruiting, Iowa has been in touch with recruits and extended a few new offers. They hope to still have their big spring recruiting event in late June, but right now that is TBD.

-Tom Kakert

Northwestern was fortunate to complete eight spring practices before the school was shut down on March 12. The Wildcats have officially missed only one practice, which was scheduled for March 14. The players and coaching staff were supposed to be off last week and this week, anyway, for finals and spring break.

The state of Illinois was put under a stay-at-home order on March 21 that will last at least until April 7. An athletic department spokesperson said that virtually all Wildcat athletes have gone back to their hometowns. Academic advisors, trainers and strength coaches have all been in regular touch with athletes to make sure they have workout plans wherever they are. Obviously, with virtually all gyms closed, athletes will have to be creative to figure out ways to work out at home, but the strength staff is confident that they will manage to get it done.

The university extended spring break by one week and announced that the first three weeks of the spring academic quarter will be conducted remotely, so the earliest that students will be back on campus is April 27. Northwestern president Morty Schapiro is expected to announce future plans for the university on or around April 17.

The coronavirus and the NCAA-implemented dead period havent really slowed down NU football recruiting activity. The Wildcats landed offensive lineman Josh Thompson of Fenton (Mich.) on Tuesday and have offered several 2021 prospects over the last couple weeks.

-Louie Vaccher

"Right now the State of New Jersey is in full quarantine mode, with restaurants (only open for take out) and bars, gyms, movie theaters, etc. all closed down for the time being.

"As for the Rutgers Football team, most guys are either home or in the process of moving back home. All of their classwork will now take place remotely for the rest of the semester and every on-campus event, including graduation, has been canceled. In regards to the weight room, it has been closed, but some players who are still on campus, have been able to mess around with the football a little bit over the past couple days or so. At the moment, fans are seeing a lot of the players on social media doing personal workouts, working with trainers on the side and most recently holding positional meetings via video apps such as skype and zoom.

"When it comes to recruiting, the Rutgers staff has still been working the phones nonstop. Covid-19 seems to be helping Greg Schiano and his staff on the trail, especially with in-state kids. A lot of them have moved up their commitment dates as they are now looking to stay closer to home to be near their families. Rutgers has picked up four commitments since 3/18, three of which were from in-state kids. They are also in a good spot with a handful of others who could make a decision in the coming weeks.

"As for whats next, the school doesnt really know what to think. Its basically a wait and see approach. Ideally, the staff would love to be out there as soon as possible, but with everything being the way it is, no one really knows when football will return to normal."

-Richard Schnyderite

"Penn States players and coaches are at home. According to athletic director Sandy Barbour during a podcast appearance last week, of Penn States 800+ student-athletes, ~25 remain living in their on-campus accommodations while another ~45 have stayed in their off-campus living situations. Medical and academic support also remains, but the university has gone completely to remote learning through the rest of the semester, and social media posts all make clear that Penn State has largely disbanded for the indefinite future.

"That doesnt mean that the football operation has stopped, though. If anything, with a limited framework to go by in terms of recruiting restrictions and protocol, Penn State has seemed to take the approach that this is an opportunity to differentiate from everyone else. Whether thats through social media and a constant presence in that realm, or through other means, the reality here is that among the few controllables anymore is the ability to maximize the work that you do.

"For as much as that encompasses recruiting, which has obviously demonstrated nation-wide that it never stops even through a global pandemic, it also pertains to Penn States current players. Within the first day of remote learning, players were posting videos of themselves conducting workouts and individual drills. Who knows where this thing goes from here, but two things stand out about the present situation: First, this thing will eventually pass. And second, when it does, the question for everyone is going to be about how much they maximized this time."

-Nate Bauer

"The state of Ohio has been ahead of the curve in many regards in relation to restrictions of groups of 10 or more, building closures and other emergency measures under Governor Mike DeWine. With that being said, the football offices have been closed for some time now, there is no access to any of the workout facilities in the WHAC or even a public gym under recent closures.

"Members of the football team have been urged to either return home or to their off-campus accommodations as all dorms have been closed at Ohio State. That means that student-athletes are spread out all over the country and we have seen several go-to social media in one form or another showing where they are at this time of crisis.

"Recruiting has not been a concern for Ohio State however during this time, even with the suspension of both off-campus coaching visits as well as on-campus recruit visits. Ohio State landed four recruits within a 72-hour period recently and could be on the verge of a couple more big names during this national shutdown. Fortunately for Ohio State, the Buckeyes have been aggressive through the years of getting players down for junior days and things of that nature and there is already a familiarity with many of these players and the Ohio State staff. But we are also seeing players who have never been on campus pulling the trigger for Ohio State as well, a true indication of what a strong job the coaches have done to connect not only with these players but their families as well to earn a pledge somewhat sight unseen.

"There really is not a prevailing thought as to what is going to be next, when things are going to re-open and resume even on a limited schedule. As I said earlier, Ohio has been one of the more aggressive states in terms of the timelines of some of the shutdowns and while there is not an official Shelter-In-Place order, I dont expect to see Ohio being the first state to open things up when an all-clear is sounded. This will either end up with some sort of potential June spring practice session or if more time is needed, maybe an elongated July session that rolls right into fall camp. A lot of unknowns currently and very few answers."

Kevin Noon

"Michigan States football program resides in a state that officially adopted a Stay Home, Stay Safe order on March 23. Michigan State coaches have been communicating via Zoom with players individually and collectively since the university ended face-to-face classes and meetings on March 13

"Position coaches have conducted group meetings via Zoom, as new head coach Mel Tucker and his staff work to install their playbook.

"Players were encouraged to go to their permanent homes of residence beginning on March 13. An exact number of players who stayed in East Lansing is not available, but its believed to be a low count.

"The athletic weight rooms were closed on March 13. MSUs academic support center was open for tutorials until the Stay Home, Stay Safe order was issued. It is now closed. The option of online tutorials started the week of March 16. All tutorial support for players is now being conducted online.

"Residence halls are still open for food (carry-out only). There are no organized team meals at this time.

"The coaching staff is recruiting through phone calls and social media. Under Tucker, Michigan State has issued many more early scholarship offers to out-of-state juniors than was customarily the case under Mark Dantonio."

-Jim Comparoni

In Ann Arbor, all competitions and practices have officially been canceled through April 21, associate Athletic Director Kurt Svoboda said March 24.

"Anything after that will be decided upon in the future, he added. "Right now, April 21 is the date that is on the books.

The university announced March 12 it had terminated the remainder of its winter and spring sports seasons, with the NCAA revealing that senior athletes who fell into the latter category would be allowed to return next season across the country. Currently, U-M student-athletes are not even being allowed into Michigan's athletic buildings. Signs have been placed on all the doors around campus clearly prohibiting access.

We did our best to attend every single team meeting to provide support on the spot during the grieving process, Abigail Eiler, a professor in the school of Social Work, said.

The athletes, meanwhile have found various ways to train on their own, U-M Senior Associate AD and Chief Health and Welfare Officer Darryl Conway said. The various strength and conditioning coaches of U-M's sports teams are still working with their athletes from afar, and presenting them with workouts to do from home.

Our strength coaches have worked hard to develop home exercise programs for them," Conway said. "Its amazing what you can do with bodyweight, a simple can of soup or a textbook, or different items from a pantry or in your house. You can lift various things in and around your garage as well. Weve been sending out rehab packs to student-athletes, so some have received recovery machines in order to help them with strength training.

"Our strength coaches are very good at devising ways to get things done. Student-athletes can still go outside, and there are always things around the house like bricks, tires and cinder blocks you can use."

Michigan student-athletes will also be taking their classes online for the next six months, something that has not been an option at the university until now.

-Chris Balas

"The coronavirus caught Indiana at a fairly vulnerable time, after David Ballou and Matt Rhea left Indianas strength and conditioning program to run the show in Tuscaloosa. A week later, on March 8, news broke of the Hoosiers hiring former New York Giants strength coach Aaron Wellman as their next strength and conditioning coach. Four days later, the Big Ten tournament was canceled, and shortly after, the campus facilities were closed along with the cancelation of spring seasons and the rest of the in-person classes at Indiana.

"Wellman said during his introductory press conference Tuesday that he is meeting individuals where they are, in terms of how to keep them in shape and improving physically, particularly in the case of redshirt sophomore quarterback Mike Penix, when not only are on-campus facilities closed and players are at their homes but also when gyms are closed in general. He, and the limited staff who are leftover from Ballous staff since Wellman has not had time to hire his own staff yet, have assessed each players equipment at home and put together case-by-case workouts for each of them to do before hitting campus again.

"For recruiting, Indiana just squeezed in its second junior day on March 7 and hosted a couple key quarterback prospects in the days leading up to COVID-19s peak effect on collegiate sports. Indiana had a wildly successful junior day in late-January for a historically impressive 2021 in-state class, and its March junior day was focused on key out-of-state prospects. This class is going to be extremely small for Indiana as well, so if there was a year for these events to take place during Indiana Football recruiting, this was the optimal year.

"As far as keeping his teams morale high, Tom Allen has really been pushing the mantra We dont blink. Its obviously a cliched phrase in some regards, but Allen pulled it from his days at Ole Miss when he wanted to bring back the landshark tradition around 2014. He researched sharks and discovered that they dont blink. With all of the losses Indiana has suffered this offseason, this phrase has defined the way he wants his players to approach 2020, including throughout all of this COVID-19 madness."

-Teddy Lehman

"Maryland students, including many football players, have essentially been away from campus since the start of the coronavirus pandemic due to the timing matching up with the schools spring break. The universitys initial response was to extend spring break and have students complete coursework online for several weeks. But things quickly changed and the campus has since been shut down for the remainder of the semester.

"Spring football was originally set to begin after spring break on March 24, so to that point, not a whole lot has changed. But now as players would normally be preparing to put the pads on for spring practices, instead they are looking for ways to remain in shape and work on their conditioning away from campus and at home.

"The coronavirus has also hit Maryland Athletics specifically, as a person who is contracted part-time by both the University Health Center and the athletics department learned on March 20 that they had tested positive for the virus. This person had been in close contact with both student-athletes and athletics staff, according to athletics director Damon Evans. Given this fact, it is likely Maryland will use extra precaution when making future decisions about when and how to get all of the various sports back up and running again.

"As for football recruiting, Maryland continues to hit the phones hard and put out offers. Obviously, in-person recruiting is no longer happening, but the staff continues to build relationships via other ways, including phone calls and social media."

-Scott Greene

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Around the Big Ten: How are different schools handling COVID-19? - Rivals.com

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Human Growth Hormone impacts the cells in a manner that advances the development of body tissues. It is discharged all through life anyway its belongings are generally sensational during adolescence. HGH at last lessens muscle to fat ratio and builds bulk. Be that as it may, how can it work? Furthermore, in what capacity will it help us in accomplishing sound and characteristic weight reduction without the need to slim down? With every supper we experience a three phase pattern of gala and quick. In the principal hour subsequent to eating glucose rises and insulin is discharged. This energizes stockpiling of overabundance starches as fats. After the second hour HGH is discharged and the degrees of insulin and glucose begin to fall. It is at this stage the hormone demonstrations to develop muscle protein which is upgraded by the nearness of insulin.

The last stage happens over four hours subsequent to eating the fasting stage. The grouping of hormone stays high while the insulin has nearly vanished this permits the hormone to act exclusively to activate the bodys fat stores for consuming as fuel. In the youthful the degrees of development hormone are high concerning insulin. The human development hormone goes about as a brake on insulin keeping its fat creation at any rate for example insulin makes fat whilekrople idealica do utraty wagi separates fat to use as vitality Insulin is a basic hormone required for the digestion of sugar we cannot make do without it. Insulin additionally attempts to invigorate muscle development however to an a lot lesser degree than HGH. In the event that levels are too low insulin is allowed to transform each calorie you do not consume into fat for sometime in the future.

On the off chance that you need to guarantee a long life and solid future for you and your children, at that point you should guarantee that you embrace and follow a sound, regular and nutritious eating regimen limiting the utilization of handled nourishments. By permitting 4 hours among suppers and seriously confining snacks between dinners you will guarantee that the three phase cycle is followed and that the normal harmony among HGH and insulin is kept up so the two of them cooperate inside the dining experience quick cycle. Recall when HGH and Insulin are in the circulatory system together they help to invigorate protein combination and development of bulk. Simultaneously the more significant levels of human development hormone work to square insulins fat stockpiling impact along these lines during stage 3 for example 4 hours in the wake of eating when insulin vanishes from the circulation system HGH would then be able to process the fat without impedance. Corpulence is the common result of following an unnatural and undesirable way of life.

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Comprehend the healthy weight maintenance - The Cowley Press

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COPENHAGEN, Denmark, March 25, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ascendis Pharma A/S (Nasdaq: ASND), a biopharmaceutical company that utilizes its innovative TransCon technologies to address unmet medical needs, today announced that the company will hold a conference call and live webcast onWednesday, April 1, 2020at4:30 p.m. Eastern Time(ET) to review its 2019 financial results and provide a business update.

Conference Call Details

A live webcast of the conference call will be available on the Investors and News section of theAscendis Pharmawebsite atwww.ascendispharma.com. A webcast replay will be available on this website shortly after conclusion of the event for 30 days.

About Ascendis Pharma A/S

Ascendis Pharmais applying its innovative platform technology to build a leading, fully integrated biopharma company focused on making a meaningful difference in patients lives. Guided by its core values of patients, science and passion, the company utilizes its TransCon technologies to create new and potentially best-in-class therapies.

Ascendis Pharma currently has a pipeline of three independent endocrinology rare disease product candidates in clinical development and is advancing oncology as its second therapeutic area of focus. The company continues to expand into additional therapeutic areas to address unmet patient needs.

Ascendis is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, with offices in Heidelberg, Germany and Palo Alto, California.

For more information, please visit http://www.ascendispharma.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release regarding our future operations, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. Examples of such statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to (i) our ability to apply our platform technology to build a leading, fully integrated biopharma company, (ii) our expectations regarding our ability to create new and potentially best-in-class therapies and (iii) our product pipeline and expansion into additional therapeutic areas. We may not actually achieve the plans, carry out the intentions or meet the expectations or projections disclosed in the forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions, expectations and projections disclosed in the forward-looking statements. Various important factors could cause actual results or events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements that we make, including the following: unforeseen safety or efficacy results in our TransCon hGH, TransCon PTH and TransCon CNP or other development programs; unforeseen expenses related to the development of TransCon hGH, TransCon PTH and TransCon CNP or other development programs, general and administrative expenses, other research and development expenses and our business generally; delays in the development of TransCon hGH, TransCon PTH and TransCon CNP or other development programs related to manufacturing, regulatory requirements, speed of patient recruitment or other unforeseen delays; dependence on third party manufacturers to supply study drug for planned clinical studies; and our ability to obtain additional funding, if needed, to support our business activities. For a further description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to our business in general, see our current and future reports filed with, or submitted to, theU.S. Securities and Exchange Commission(SEC), including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year endedDecember 31, 2018, which we filed with theSEConApril 3, 2019. Forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future in-licensing, collaborations, acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, joint ventures, or investments we may enter into or make. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

Ascendis, Ascendis Pharma, the Ascendis Pharma logo, the company logo and TransCon are trademarks owned by the Ascendis Pharma group. March 2020 Ascendis Pharma A/S.

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Ascendis Pharma A/S Announces Full Year 2019 Financial Results and Business Update Conference Call on April 1 - BioSpace

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IF YOU'VE been trying to shift some weight and have been doing all the right things changing your diet, doing more exercise it can be frustrating if you feel as if you've plateaued, or even put a bit back on.

Here are some common mistakes dieters make, according to experts.

1. You're eating 'diet' foods instead of whole foods

"'Detox' products won't work for weight loss," says dietitian Sophie Medlin. "Remember, if there was a drink or a supplement you could take that worked safely and effectively for weight loss, we wouldn't have an obesity epidemic."

She says to beware of brands and celebrities selling any 'miracle' weight-loss products.

On the subject of diet influencers, Medlin says the 'eat like me to look like me' ideology is deeply flawed. "We all have different genetics and lifestyles we can't all look the same.

"Dietitians haven't been saying anything new for a very long time, because nutrition is about balance. It's not about cutting things out, it's not about making people feel guilty for eating normal food.

"I tend to tell people to base their diet around fruit and vegetables, lean protein, have some nuts and seeds and things like pulses."

2. You aren't eating mindfully

While you might have upped your exercise and switched to a healthier diet, how we eat is sometimes just as important as what we eat especially if you're looking to shed a few pounds.

In our busy society, it's become the norm to eat meals in front of the TV, while simultaneously scrolling through our phones or replying to emails.

Georgie Murphy, a nutritionist at personalised vitamin service, Vitl (vitl.com) explains: "If while eating, our mind is distracted by deadlines and headlines, a cascade of physiological stress responses will put us in 'fight or flight' mode. Research suggests over time, this can negatively influence our appetite and eating behaviours towards obesogenic habits, such as comfort eating and bingeing."

Meanwhile, mindfulness she says has been shown to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, critical for the state of 'rest and digest', "increasing communication between the brain and our gut, to support the physiological processes necessary for optimal digestion".

3. You're overestimating the impact of working out

Although exercise can help you lose weight and it's vital for overall health personal trainer Mark Fox says many people believe it's the only way to lose weight.

"They think if they exercise constantly and burn more calories, they'll eventually achieve their ideal weight. Unfortunately, what people don't realise is that the more they exercise, the more their appetite will increase, to compensate for the increased energy required. As the saying goes, 'You can't out-exercise a poor diet'."

Exercise, he says, will certainly help you lose weight, "but you still have to work on your calorie intake, improving the quality of foods and reducing alcohol".

4. You're forgetting about moving outside of the gym

Sure, you might be spending half an hour or even an hour exercising every day, but if you're sitting for the other 15, you won't be giving yourself the best chance of weight loss.

"A better approach is to slightly increase your energy expenditure through a mixture of exercise and NEAT (none-exercise activity thermogenesis)," says Fox, "which is the energy expended from daily, non-sports-like activities, such as walking instead of driving to work, or cleaning the house.

"This way, your body is less likely to significantly increase your appetite and hunger, helping you stick to your nutrition plan."

5. You're only doing cardio

Cardio like running, cycling and hiking is amazing; it burns calories, it improves your heart health, it's important for aerobic fitness and it makes you feel great. But if you're only doing cardio to lose weight, you could be missing a trick, says Fox.

"Resistance (strength) training tends to burn fewer calories as you perform it, so many people ignore its ability to assist in weight loss. What they don't realise, is that if you build more muscle, your body requires more calories to maintain that muscle. This results in a higher calorie burn each day, even at complete rest." In other words, with a bit more muscle, you'll be burning more calories even when lazing on the sofa.

"A combination of the two [cardio and resistance] provides better results," he says.

6. You're binge-eating healthy food

Switching to a more nutritious diet, packed with fresh fruit, veg, nuts, beans, pulses and lean protein, is a hugely positive step towards better health, but just make sure all your hard work isn't being undone by unwittingly consuming more calories than you mean to.

"If the goal is weight loss, moderation is important," says Murphy. "For example, being mindful of portion size of healthy foods such as nuts and avocados, can go a long way in supporting your weight-loss regime."

7. You aren't sleeping enough

Experts believe there is some link between overeating when you've under slept. "Sleep regulates two hormones called ghrelin and leptin that are essential in appetite control. Sleep deprivation has been shown to decrease leptin and increase ghrelin, leading to an increase in overall hunger. Therefore, a better night's sleep may support you to eat wisely and avoid mindless grazing," Murphy says.

Plus, if you're increasing your exercise, your muscles need to properly rest and repair overnight. Getting a solid eight hours might be the simplest weight loss advice out there.

:: Always speak to your GP before undergoing any new weight-loss programme.

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Nutrition and exercise experts offer 7 reasons why you may not be losing weight - The Irish News

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Staying quarantined at home means you're typically less active and potentially pay little attention to what you're eating. Although that can be harmless over a reduced period of time, it's not sustainable over several weeks. Because we care about your health and wellbeing, we've put together a list of apps that can help you maintain a healthy diet and even provide meal recommendations.

We often don't realize the number of calories we're eating versus how many we need to sustain our weight. Thankfully, this app helps you get the right amount in by calculating the number of calories you need based on your weight and goals. This is particularly helpful considering most of us are stuck at home without moving.You do have you to record everything you're eating, but there's a vast database that makes it easy to find the right items. You can also scan barcodes to automatically add food to your diary, making the overall process a lot faster.

Lose It is an alternative that's quite similar to MyFitnessPal but offers a more intuitive interface, in my opinion. It doesn't sync with as many apps, but has a more visual interface and is easier to use. Most importantly, it lets you take a picture of your food to automatically recognize what you're eating, which takes away the painstaking logging process. The app also comes with added features such as built-in recipes and workout guides, as well as insights on your eating patterns.

If counting macros is essential to you, Runtastic Balance makes this easier, as it displays them directly in your diary, without having to access a specific page. The interface is also quite intuitive, and there's a bunch of free plans you can pick from based on your goals. If you use other Runtastic apps, you'll be able to sync your activity automatically, but it's a bit disappointing there's no option to connect to more services.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2i7ZgVvRdI&feature=youtu.be

Tracking your diet can be a complicated task if you don't know what you're supposed to eat. Thankfully, Lifesum provides complete meal plans and healthy recipes to help you create a balanced diet. It also offers a built-in calorie tracker with a sleek UI and lets you view macros and calories at a glance. Unfortunately, you'll need a paid subscription to sync with third-party services, which can be a roadblock for some.

We've been quarantined with my partner for about ten days, and every morning we're wondering what to eat for lunch and dinner. Mealime makes the overall process a breeze by offering recipes that match your goals, but also your taste. Thanks to an advanced search engine, you can filter results based on calories, allergies, ingredients, and much more. Once you've decided what you want to cook, the app automatically creates a categorized grocery list, which makes it so much easier to get what you need from the store. There's even a paid subscription that brings advanced features such as detailed nutritional information, meal plan tracking, and exclusive recipes.

Freeletics is popular for its bodyweight training app, and has more recently released a nutrition one to help you reach your goals, whether it's losing weight, maintaining your current one, or gaining mass. It comes with built-in recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so you can use them as inspiration if you're struggling to find ideas. Freeletics Nutrition also learns to adapt to your dietary requirements, and is a great option for vegetarians, vegans, or pescatarians. Some people may not appreciate the fact that Freeletics Nutrition's philosophy is not to count calorie, but that's also a good way of forgetting about numbers and focusing on results and pleasure instead. Lastly, you can also get a customized nutritional coach with a paid subscription, which can be handy if you have more specific goals.

If you'd like an app to help you start an intermittent fasting program, BodyFast is worth considering. It's relevant for both beginners and experienced fasters alike and can create a weekly personal plan for you. It features a built-in fasting tracker and timer, as well as a weight and body measurement log to follow your progress. You can also take the experience further by signing up for coach, which can help you get customized recommendations.

If you're more into ketogenic diets, you should give Senza a try. It helps you with keto-specific tracking, as well as macros, and can also handle intermittent fasting. It comes with built-in guides for beginners, keto-specific recipes, and restaurant menus, and can provide daily recommendations for you. It also has advanced features like potassium, sodium, magnesium, glucose, and ketone intakes. Lastly, instead of getting a virtual coach, you can even speak with live nutritionists for advanced support.

Yuka is slightly different than the rest of apps, as it's built to help you understand the impact of various products on your health. You can scanfood & personal care products to understand their ingredients and whether they're good for you thanks to a simple color code. If you happen to scan a product that could be harmful for you, Yuka will recommend a item product that's better for your health. Although it's not necessarily at helping you lose or maintain weight, it's a great way to better understand what's going into your body, and it can be a fun game to play while quarantined.

Noom is more complete than a simple calorie tracker. It offers a uniquepsychology-based approach to identify why you're eating and helps you build a plan to become more healthy. It's probably well-adapted to the current situation, in which most of us are just a few feet away from the kitchen, and therefore temptation. Like most apps, there's also a built-in weight and food tracker, so you'll also be able to keep on eye on your progress. If you're allowed to go out or are lucky enough to have a yard, there's also a built-in pedometer to automatically log your steps.

We need to stay home as much as possible and limit our grocery shopping. Some of these apps are great for preparing nice recipes based on what you already have at home, while others can help you identify the ingredients you need, to avoid returning to the store too often. It's also important to stay active, even if it means exercising at home. Make sure you also check out our selection of apps that can help you work out at home to start preparing your summer body, even if you're confined at home.

Originally posted here:
Best apps to track what youre eating and maintain (or lose) weight while quarantined - Android Police

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