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Don't have time to work out, you say? Don't have access to a gym or equipment, you say? If those are your reasons for not improving your cardiovascular fitness, check this out: New research from McMaster University shows that ten minutes of stair climbing -- ten minutes that includes warming up, cooling down, and recovering between sets -- measurably improved cardiovascular fitness.

Researchers tried two different protocols:

Both workouts were performed three times a week for six weeks.

The results? Both protocols, each involving a total time commitment of 30 minutes a week, increased cardio-respiratory fitness, one metric that is linked to a variety of health benefits, including longevity. (Or, in my case, likely one of the factors that helped me survive a heart attack.)

Best of all, it's an extremely efficient way to improve your health. After all, we're talking thirty minutes a week, all in.

"Interval training offers a convenient way to fit exercise into your life," says Martin Gibala, professor of kinesiology at McMaster, "rather than having to structure your life around exercise."

Keep in mind, "climb vigorously" means different things to different people. If you're in good shape, you may need to sprint up and down. If you're just starting out, "vigorously" may mean more of a jog. The goal is to get your heart rate up. (For more on interval training, check this out -- including how it can help turn back your body's biological clock.)

And there you go: Now you have no excuse to not improve your cardio fitness. All you need is a flight of stairs and ten minutes, three times a week.

No matter how busy you are, you definitely have that.

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The 10-Minute Workout Guaranteed to Improve Your Fitness, According to Science - Inc.com

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VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. Youve probably seen them on social media. Your friends and family who have gotten involved in some type of remote sales situation. Theres Rodan + Fields, Stella and Dot, LuLaRoe, and Beach Body, to name a few.

Stacey Faircloth is a local Virginia Beach woman working as an ICU nurse on the night shift. About five months ago, she started on a fitness journey that has turned into a business opportunity.

It just kind of evolved, says Stacey. [I realized] this has been life changing for me and I want to show other people that theyre not stuck in this spot.

Stacey became a Beach Body coach, inspiring others to adopt a healthy lifestyle with her.

I view myself as an encourager, says Stacey. I check in. I just encourage you to continue making that progress and we kind of support each other in this little network that we have. Thats really how it started, they have all these great programs but instead of just leaving them on the shelf, they made this network of coaches to encourage people to give a support system for each other so that were all in it together.

The coaching is mostly done through Facebook, where Stacey checks in with her team and shares her own fitness journey.

For me, I work out, I eat better and I help encourage other people, says Stacey. I mean, it was a no brainer.

Plus, some extra cash cant hurt.

Im excited about where its going to go. Just the other day, I paid for our familys season passes to Busch Gardens.

This side gig has already changed Staceye life in a number of ways, and shes hoping that only continues.

Eventually, I would like to have the financial freedom that I dont have to go to work as a nurse, that I can go to work as a nurse solely because I love to do it not because I financially have to do it.

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Side Hustle: Selling fitness on the side - wtkr.com

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Personal trainers vs. V.O.D.

by LYNDA VAN KUREN | photo by KATHERINE CLARK

Youve set your fitness goals and even carved out time in your hectic schedule to exercise. Now, how do you reach those goals? Two popular options are personal trainers and video exercise programs. While quite different, both can play a role in your fitness routine.

A number of exercise professionals agree that nothing compares with working with a personal trainer.

First and foremost, they maintain, trainers ensure you are doing each exercise correctly and that your body is aligned. This is critical when you are performing complex exercises or have no background in the exercises you are doing, says FONDA DICKENS (left), personal trainer at SHAPE FITNESS GROUP.

In addition, personal trainers ensure you get a complete workout one that builds your slow and fast twitch muscles, core, aerobic capacity, and muscle strength and that you get the results you want quickly and without injury.

A personal trainer will push you further, Dickens says. They can tell when you have peaked or plateaued.

Personal trainers also keep you motivated. In addition to encouraging you, they determine whether you respond better to a gentle or more challenging approach. With their vast knowledge of exercises, theyll add variety to your routine, too. As a result, you dont get bored, and your muscles must adapt to the changes a must for continuous growth.

In addition to motivation, personal trainers can keep you accountable. Having an appointment with a personal trainer helps guarantee youll workout that day, but what about the rest of the week? Many personal trainers check in with you to see that you get multiple workouts in or to find out why not.

A personal trainer helps you discover why you didnt meet your goals and devises strategies to overcome your obstacles, says DANIELLE BAUMAN (right), personal trainer at MOMENTUM ATHLETICS.

Also, while personal trainers may or may not have a degree in nutrition, many have extensive knowledge in the subject and offer nutritional advice and support. The biggest disadvantage to working with a personal trainer can be the cost.

A one-hour session generally runs about $50. To offset the price personal trainers often allow clients to take semiprivate classes. This way, you still get personalized attention but at $25 or so a session. Other potential problems can rear up if you end up working with a personal trainer who is not qualified, who pushes you too much, or whose style does not mesh with yours.

And for others, whether because of costs or daily schedules, video fitness programs make more sense.

You can workout with some of the best instructors in the world with DVDs and online programs, according to CARRIE PAGS (below left), owner of IN BALANCE PILATES and an instructor for PILATES ANYTIME, an online program.

This is especially important when you live in a small town where you may not have access to, or limited access to, high-quality fitness instructors, she says. Another factor that makes video exercise programs a good alternative is their convenience. You can do them anywhere and anytime.

Some gyms, such as ANYTIME FITNESS, have a room dedicated to videos. An exerciser simply selects a program conditioning, strength training, or a multitude of others then follows the video, which is projected on a large screen.

Wexer (a virtual fitness system) has 300 different workouts says BRIAN KENNEY (right), personal training manager at Anytime Fitness in Wilmington. Members come in late and take a twenty, thirty, or sixty-minute class in anything they want.

Video fitness programs are also a popular option for those who are learning a new type of exercise such as Zumba, Kenney says. Newbies can put in a beginner DVD and slow it down or stop it until they are comfortable with the steps. Then, they can confidently join a live class.

Another advantage to video fitness programs is that they are inexpensive. You can get a single DVD for about $25 and use it for months, and online fitness programs generally run about $20-$30 a month.

The biggest drawback to these programs is that no one is watching to see that you are doing the exercises correctly. Also, some video instructors dont give clear cues, which can lead to injuries, or provide modifications for the exercises.

In the end, using a personal trainer and exercise videos can be an ideal way to reach your fitness goals. And either option is better than doing nothing at all.

Working with both a personal trainer and with video programs is optimal, Pags says. I believe in doing whatever you can do to get three or more workouts a week in.

To view more of photographer Katherine Clark's work, go towww.katherineclarkphotography.com.

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Training Weigh Ins - Wilma Magazine

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Hadeel Haider has lost enough sleep in the past decade.

The Iraqi refugee had nightmares in her native country when it was ravaged by war. She heard explosions 24 hours a day. Her husband received death threats, and they walked their children to school so they wouldnt be kidnapped.

In her new Omaha home, she tossed and turned after she was diagnosed with cancer.

Now, in remission and settled into life in America, she stays awake imagining choreography to the upbeat Latin tunes playing in her head.

While recovering from chemotherapy treatments, Haider, 48, discovered Zumba. The dance fitness classes set to Latin music are more than exercise to her. Zumba has become a rewarding way to connect with others, and it helped her transition from a cancer patient to survivor. Now Haider is a certified instructor.

When I teach a class, I feel like Im on top of the world. American people following a refugee from Iraq teaching them dancing it was something out of my wildest dream, Haider said.

Haider moved to Omaha in 2009. It took nearly three years for her to adapt to life in the U.S. She had to learn English and adjust to a new culture. She balanced working 12 hours a day at two jobs.

And the family would soon encounter health problems, first with her 18-year-old son. He developed a bump on his head that his parents worried was cancer. After several tests, doctors determined it was benign.

While dealing with that, Haider put herself second. For months, she pushed aside her own health problem: an itching and swelling in her groin.

At the urging of her husband, Haider met with doctors at the Nebraska Medical Center. In 2012 she was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma.

Lymphomas are a type of blood cancer that occur when white blood cells behave abnormally. Hodgkin lymphoma is a more treatable form.

We were waiting, crying and praying, Haider said. It was mixed feelings because I was very ill and very sad. But at least it was Hodgkin.

Haider would require six months of chemotherapy treatments. After three months, doctors wanted to give her a stronger dosage.

I was devastated all over, just like the first day, Haider said. The doctor said, Its treated, but not cured. I want you to be cured.

By the time Haider started the second round, her hair was long gone. Her skin was dark and dry. Her mouth was full of sores.

She also started feeling extreme pain in her muscles, joints and bones. She frequently felt weak and passed out, requiring blood transfusions.

Dealing with her diagnosis was challenging, especially after being uprooted from her home in Iraq.

We were still new. Im still learning, Haider said. It was tough, but at the same time, when we heard that this is the right place for treating lymphoma, we were also relieved.

By November, Haider was done with treatments and declared free of cancer. For nearly two months after treatment she attempted to regain her strength. But she still struggled to feel like herself.

Walking across the room felt taxing. Bending over to pick up something from the floor made her feel like she was 90.

Haider packed on about 35 extra pounds during her treatments. Some patients gain weight during treatments and others lose weight, said Dr. James Armitage, who treated Haider.

Exercise is particularly helpful to cancer patients and survivors, Armitage said. Studies show cancer patients who exercise have a better quality of life, in addition to its more well-known benefits, according to the American Cancer Society.

Maintaining a healthy weight, eating right and being physically active may help reduce the risk of a second cancer as well as chronic diseases, according to the organization.

The cancer society recommends that survivors take part in regular physical activity, return to daily activities as soon as possible after diagnosis, exercise 150 minutes a week and include strength training exercises twice a week.

A friend encouraged Haider to try the Livestrong at the YMCA program. The 12-week exercise program is designed to help cancer survivors reclaim their health by building muscle and strength, increasing flexibility and endurance, as well as improving confidence and self-esteem.

The program isnt designed as a support group, but participants often use it as one, said Amy Roux, project manager for the program.

Haider and her group members asked questions such as how to deal with muscle cramps, whether to call themselves survivors or how to receive a compliment on a wig.

It really helped me because we are sharing the same symptoms, the same side effects, the same feelings, Haider said.

The goal of the program is for participants to find a type of exercise they enjoy and will stick with. For Haider, it was Zumba.

Haider started taking classes about a month after the Livestrong program ended. She attended classes three to four days a week. She worked her way from the back of class to the front about six weeks later. Eventually, she realized she could lead class.

By the time Zumba training rolled around, Haider had lost some of the weight she gained during chemo, and her hair was growing back. After she earned her certification, Haider landed a class as an instructor at the YMCA in Valley and two classes at the Maple Street YMCA, 7520 Maple St.

Helen Bartee has been attending Haiders Zumba classes at the Maple Street location for about two years. Haiders fun-loving attitude keeps Bartee and other attendees coming back.

Bartee was one of six participants in a class on a recent Thursday. They faced a mirror-lined wall and watched as Haider went through the fast-paced routines, tapping her toes, clapping her hands and waving her arms above her head.

She breaks it down and keeps throwing new things at us, Bartee said. Shes just so personable.

Organizers of YMCA programs and class members have been struck by Haiders energy and her passion to connect with others. Her resilience to overcome cancer and channel her enthusiasm into Zumba has been inspiring, they said.

People discover they really like yoga or Zumba or water aerobics. But for her to take it to that next level, thats very inspiring, Roux said. To really have a success story like hers, its heartwarming.

kelsey.stewart@owh.com, 402-444-3100, twitter.com/kels2

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Or maybe youve hit your 40s and are now struggling to keep your waistline in check (when in the past you could eat what you wanted without gaining a pound).

Both are common problems and the natural response for many is to blame it on a slow metabolism.

Its common for people to think there must be something wrong with their metabolism if theyre struggling with their weight, says dietitian Juliette Kellow.

But while everyones metabolic rate the speed at which we burn calories varies and does start to drop as we get older, its important not to fall into the trap of automatically thinking its the main reason for piling on the pounds or battling to stay slim.

Dr Thomas Barber, an obesity expert and associate professor in clinical endocrinology at the University of Warwick, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, agrees.

Only a small minority of obese patients have an underlying condition contributing to a slow metabolism, he says.

So the majority of us have no excuse to blame our excess weight on a slow metabolism but that doesnt mean there arent things we can do to give it a boost. Heres how:

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In theory, every time we eat we enhance our metabolism. Everyones metabolism goes up for two to three hours after any meal because of the extra metabolic processes required to digest food and absorb its nutrients, explains Dr Barber.

The key to keeping your metabolism fired up is to space meals out

Juliette Kellow, dietitian

Its one of the many reasons experts recommend eating regularly and not skipping meals. Going for long amounts of time without eating means your body thinks its about to be faced with a famine, so your metabolism slows down in preparation for this, adds Juliette.

The key to keeping your metabolism fired up is to space meals out regularly throughout the day, so you benefit from the calories burned through digesting and absorbing meals.

Thats not to say you should constantly graze. Relentless munching and mindless eating can mean a stack of calories far more than even a stoked metabolism can burn off, with the result that the weight piles on.

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Certain foods, such as chillies, are associated with a heightened thermogenic effect (the amount of calories needed to process the food weve eaten), explains Dr Barber.

Other foods, including ginger, pepper, grapefruit, coffee and green tea, have also been linked to speeding up our metabolism. However its unlikely eating these foods alone will affect weight.

Positive findings are usually too insignificant to conclude eating X or Y food will burn more calories, Dr Barber confirms.

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So enjoy them as part of a healthy, balanced diet but remember that eating them in excess wont help you lose weight.

Include protein-rich foods lean meat, fish, poultry, eggs, tofu and Quorn, for example at each meal.

Studies show protein-rich foods cause a 20-30 per cent rise in metabolic rate compared with just a 5-10 per cent increase for carbs and less than three per cent for fat.

One study found a high-protein, low-fat diet produced double the fat burning effects of a high-carb, low-fat diet.

A study published this February compared a group of people eating wholegrains with a group who ate refined white grains.

After six weeks, the researchers found those in the wholegrain group passed more stools with a higher calorie content and had a slightly higher BMR (basal metabolic rate) than those in the refined white grains group.

After adjusting for other factors, the average daily loss for the wholegrain group was 92 calories a day.

More studies are needed to confirm these findings and identify whether this is an effective way to boost our BMR.

But we already know wholegrains provide good amounts of fibre (we should aim for 30g a day) and are associated with a number of other health benefits, including a reduced risk of bowel cancer.

So choose brown rice or pasta, wholemeal bread, wholegrain cereals and oats if they boost our metabolism, even better.

It may not be what we eat but how we eat it that has an impact on how many calories we burn.

In one study, adults who ate a meal over 10 minutes burned 30 calories.

When they ate the identical meal on a separate day over 40 minutes they burned 81 calories. Slowing down also gives the brain the time it needs to receive the Im full message from the stomach and helps to keep us fuller for longer, which reduces the amount we eat.

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How to lose weight without going to the gym

Eat each meal slowly and give it your full attention that means no television, smartphones, computer screens or other distractions.

Take your time chewing and put your cutlery down between mouthfuls.

Crash dieting and extreme calorie reductions slow metabolism as our body thinks food is in short supply and so responds by conserving energy exactly the opposite to what we want to achieve when were trying to lose weight.

In times of starvation (which is effectively what happens with a crash diet), the body starts to break down muscle as well as fat to provide it with the calories it needs to function.

This is bad news for our metabolism because the less muscle we have, the slower our metabolic rate and the fewer calories we burn.

Then, when we go back to eating normally, a slower metabolism means we dont need as many calories as before, so we pile weight on more quickly.

Instead, follow a healthy eating plan which reduces calories slightly and exercise regularly to burn calories and strengthen muscle.

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The benefits of exercise are two-fold. First, aerobic activities such as running, cycling and brisk walking increase the amount of calories we burn.

Plus, aerobic exercise can lead to the afterburn effect, where the body continues to burn calories faster for many hours.

Strength training also helps to build lean muscle. Muscular activity is a very good way of burning calories and enhancing metabolic rate, says Dr Barber.

The more muscle we have, the higher our BMR. Exercising regularly is even more important as we age.

By the time we are in our 30s, our body starts to lose muscle and the more inactive we are, the faster this happens.

The full version of this article appears in the May edition of Healthy Food Guide.

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As much as you might hate the daily restrictions of a conventional diet, a new study shows that fasting one day and eating what you want the next may not be a better way tolose weight.

After one year, researchers found that weight loss on either type of diet was about the same about 6 percent of body weight on an alternate-day fasting diet and 5.3 percent for those on the daily restricted-calorie diet.

"We thought the alternate-day fasting group would do better. It allows people to have a break from dieting every other day, so we thought their adherence would be better," explained lead author Krista Varady. "But it turns out people in both diets lost the same amount of weight."

Varady, who is an associate professor of kinesiology and nutrition at the University of Illinois at Chicago, said people seemed to have trouble sticking to the fasting requirements. Dieters were supposed to consume only 500 calories on fast days.

"People in the alternate-day fasting group were eating more than the 500 calories prescribed on the fast day, but a lot less than the calories prescribed on the feast day. That's why they lost the same amount of weight," she explained.

However, "people who stuck to the [alternate-day fasting] diet lost 20 to 50 pounds in a year," Varady added. "It does work for some people."

In the study, Varady's team randomly assigned 100 obese people to either an alternate-day fasting diet, a conventional diet involving a 25 percent reduction in calories every day, or no diet at all (the "control" group).

People on the conventional diet were able to stick to their goals better than the alternate-day fasting group, the researchers found.

The dropout rates proved the point: 38 percent of the alternate-day fasting group quit, while only 29 percent of the conventional diet group and 26 percent of the control group gave up.

It's hard for people to stick to only 500 calories in one day, Varady explained. "Certain people are suited to this type of diet. If someone were to pick this diet for themselves, they probably would do better," she said.

The fasting diet appeared to be safe, she added. People on the plan were encouraged to eat a lot of protein on their 500-calorie days, because protein makes you feel full, she said.

In terms of weight loss, all calories are the same, but not all calories are healthy ones, Varady said. On days when people could eat what they chose, some ate bags of chips and still lost weight, she noted.

"If you are reducing your food intake, you are going to lose weight, but in terms of health benefits, people should try to eat less processed foods and more fruits and vegetables," Varady said.

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Some people really love this lifestyle and have been on the fasting diet for years, but it's not for everyone, Varady said. "People should find what works for them," she added.

The report was published online May 1 in the journalJAMA Internal Medicine.

One specialist not involved in the study, however, isn't convinced that a long-term fasting diet is healthy.

"There are some experts who suggest that intermittent fasting may help with weight control, but for markers for heart disease and diabetes management, the jury is still out especially on how healthy and sustainable this approach is," said Samantha Heller, a senior clinical nutritionist at New York University Medical Center.

Fasting on alternate days feels punitive to many, and may exacerbate an already difficult and complex relationship someone has with food, Heller explained.

In addition, the body does not know that restricting food is a choice and views severe calorie restriction as a crisis, Heller said.

"Intermittent fasting does not teach strategies for making healthy choices and managing life's ups and downs," she added.

"A lifestyle overhaul one that a person can maintain for long term that provides a healthy, balanced diet as well as pleasurable foods is what I would like to see people embrace," Heller said. "These kinds of changes take time, motivation and ongoing support."

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Could fasting every other day help you lose more weight? - CBS News

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Women's Health

How Much Cardio Do You Need To Do To Lose Weight? Women's Health When you're hitting the gym to burn extra calories and lose weight, it's good to have a game plan in mind. But if you're trying to figure out how many minutes on the treadmill you'll need to clock before seeing a difference on the scale, you should ...

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How Much Cardio Do You Need To Do To Lose Weight? - Women's Health

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SewCream/ShutterstockBreakfast is the most important meal of the day, right? So why not have two? Theres a growing trend promoting a second breakfast as a weight-loss mechanism. The idea: If you eat more in the morning, youll be less likely to snack at night, when, according to research, its harder to burn off calories. Now theres research adding weight to this claim.

A study conducted by researchers at Yale and the University of Connecticut suggests that eating something small to jump-start your metabolism followed by a slightly larger meal an hour or two later can keep you satiated until lunchtime and help prevent overeating throughout the rest of the day. The study, published in the journal Pediatric Obesity, tracked the weight and breakfast-eating patterns of students from 12 randomly selected urban area schools over the course of two years. The team looked at six different eating patterns: frequent breakfast skippers, inconsistent school eaters, inconsistent home eaters, frequent school eaters, frequent home eaters, and double-breakfast eaters. They found that it was the frequent breakfast skippers who showed increased odds of becoming overweight or obese compared to the double-breakfast eaters.

Osinga suggests frontloading the beginning of your day with food to avoid this. I think the idea of a second breakfast is a great idea. We are most active during the first two-thirds of our day anyway, and need more energy from food during this time. She suggests having a banana with peanut butter or protein bar as your first breakfast, and then a mini veggie egg breakfast muffin or berry with oats over Greek yogurt for a second breakfast.

Registered dietitian Marisa Moore advises people to proceed with caution. Its important to eat when youre hungry and the idea of a second breakfast is not very different than a mid-morning snack. If you choose to eat a breakfast and snack or second breakfast, just keep the portions in check, she says. You might even simply split your usual breakfast in half to satisfy hunger when it strikes. Have half an egg sandwich upon waking and the other half mid-morning. Cut a nut butter or avocado toast in half and do the same.

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Could a Second Breakfast Help You Lose Weight? | Reader's Digest - Reader's Digest

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Body positivity blogger Jessica Weber (follow her at @jessica_vsg44 ) has worked hard to get in shape. The 23-year-old Illinois native has lost 180 pounds, and she's candidly updated her followers on social media about how challenging the weight loss process can be.

Recently, Weber uploaded an Instagram post that highlights a hidden reality of weight loss: When you lose weight, your skin doesn't always shrink to adjust to your new size. Instead, you might end up with excess, loose skin in places where you've lost weight. While this is a normal part of losing a significant amount of weight, people don't often discuss it. And Weber hoped her honest Instagram would open up the conversation for followers experiencing the same thing.

Weber's post shows side-by-side photos. In the image on the left, Weber is smiling softly and has her shirt pulled over her stomach. In the image on the right, her shirt is lifted, the skin on her stomach is visible, and she's making a surprised-looking face. "This is my reality!" Weber wrote in her caption . "This is my life! When you lose 180 pounds, the skin doesn't just suck back up! I have been learning to deal with it, even with wanting to lose a bit more weight and have surgery! This is my life until then and I will not hate my body anymore!"

Weber told ATTN she wanted to highlight "how much she put her body though" and show how obesity has impacted her over the years. "But I also wanted to show that I still loved [my body], because I worked hard to get to this point."

Weber's post resonated with social media usersracking up nearly 26,500 likes and countless comments. Many of her followers thanked her for "sharing real life struggles" and told her the post was "the bravest thing they've ever seen."

See some of Jessica Weber's Instagrams below.

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You might also like: 5 Shocking Things No One Tells You About Your Body After You Have a Baby

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This Instagram Highlights a Hidden Side of Weight Loss - SELF

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CNN

Fasting diets could be more effective than other weight loss plansif we weren't so wired for consistency Quartz In the long-run, though, fasting diets may be no better than regular calorie-restricting dietsbecause they're harder to follow. A study published May 1 in JAMA Internal Medicine by researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago, Stanford, and ... Does fasting on alternate days work? A new study weighs inCNN Fasting every other day isn't as good of a weight loss method as you ...The Verge New diet trend not a sure betWZVN-TV CBS News -Medical Daily -The Australian -The JAMA Network all 37 news articles »

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Fasting diets could be more effective than other weight loss plansif we weren't so wired for consistency - Quartz

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