Which burns visceral fat better?

8-25-11: Which of these--aerobic (cardio), strength training, or combination of both--burn visceral (i.e. belly fat deep under the abdominal muscle, not on top) fat the best?

This Duke study, just published, gives you the answer. Bottomline: aerobic burned the most the fastest. The combo burned the same.

Does this mean that I will not recommend strength training? No way!!! Do BOTH!!! Because if you're NOT doing strength training, then you will be losing lean mass (i.e. muscle) even if you're doing cardio, so why not do both and get the benefits of both worlds--burn visceral fat AND maintain (or build up) your muscle and bone!

Then that way, you can maintain a much higher quality of life. Also, having good muscle and bones will help you to do the aerobic better and more safely, too!

So don't throw out the dumbbells or TRX straps just yet...do both for maximum benefits!

53-year study on exercise just published!

Here's an interesting article on an exercise study just published in the October issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

If you don't have time to read the whole article, here's a summary of their research:

"We found that there are cumulative benefits of physical activity across adulthood on physical performance in mid-life. Increased activity should be promoted early in adulthood to ensure the maintenance of physical performance in later life. Promotion of leisure time activity is likely to become increasingly important in younger populations as people’s daily routines become more sedentary."

In other words, if you want to have a higher quality of life when you're older, you better start being physically active when you're younger!!! ;-)

Protecting kids....my talk from 8-17-11

8-17-11: This is a link to my presentation on SlideShare that I gave in Dr. Tonstadt's class today. It was on Physical Activity and Kids.

"Protecting kids against a most deadly disease!"

Protecting kids from a most deadly disease!

View more presentations from Ernie Medina

Enjoy!

Beat the HEAT!!!

7-4-11: Happy 4th to all! Hope you're staying cool and safe out there this holiday weekend. Sizzling temps in the forecast. Went for a mtn. bike ride this AM at 6:30 AM and by 7:00 AM, it was already hot!!!

So I'm thinking that we may need to make a DRASTIC change to the Team Cycle Fit schedule and leave a LOT earlier in the AM to beat the heat. I don't want anyone having a heat stroke while out on Team CycleFit rides, so here's what I'm thinking:

We meet at 6:30 AM and leave by 6:45 AM! That would be for BOTH the bike path rides and the mountain bike rides.

I know that's very early, especially if you have kids, but it's just getting too hot out there and risky to be out exercising after 8:00 AM so I'm going to make this schedule change, starting with our July 10 ride.

So in summary, here's our schedule:

ROAD/PAVED BIKE PATH
Where: Bike Path behind Souplantation
Dates: July 10, July 24 (2nd and 4th Sundays of each month)
Time: Meet - 6:30 AM, leave by 6:45 AM onto path

OFF-ROAD/DIRT FIRE ROADS
Where: Hulda Crooks Park (Exit Mountain View off I-10, head South (away from mountains. Mountain View leads right into Hulda Crooks Park, head left to lower parking lot...I park next to tennis courts tho there is parking at start of trailhead)
Dates: Most weekday AMs, non-bike path Sundays (Check twitter or text (909-747-5935) me around 6:00 AM to confirm if I'm going that AM)
Time: Meet - 6:30 AM; leave when ready!
Level of ride: Beginner - we go up Scott's Ridge, loop about 2.5 miles. Will give tips on how to ride in the dirt if you're new to off-road riding.

I bring Roxy, our bigger dog, on these rides, so if you have pets, feel free!

Feel free to join us on the paved path or the dirt-both are fun!

Have a safe and happy 4th!!!

Interactive tools for fitness

Thx to Steven Yang for posting on our TEN blog! Here's the article of an interview I did. You can read the full article here.

Ford car to check on your health!

Read about what Ford is working on here. A car that will check on your health while you're driving! Since being sedentary (sedentarianism, hypokinetic disease) is one of our major risk factors, will this car check to see if you've been sitting too much and stop the car, force you to get out (eject-a-couch-potato?), and then make you walk or run after it as it drives off?

If all cars did that, imagine the positive impact on the health of our nation!!! We would save BILLIONS of $$$ in healthcare costs, costs associated with hypokinetic disease!!!

I hope someone at this Ford project reads this...but I'm not holding my breath. ;-)

DIY Standing Desk

LOL! Read this on a friend's FB post. Great DIY to fight hypokentic disease! Read about how to make your own low-cost standing desk here.