Fitness

The ‘disgustingly small’ amount of exercise each day that slashes the risk of cancer: fitness expert

Published

4 months ago

September 4, 2024

The ‘disgustingly small’ amount of exercise each day that slashes the risk of cancer: fitness expert

Exercising a “disgustingly small” amount per day can lower the risk of cancer, according to a fitness expert.

Nutritional scientist and professional bodybuilder Dr. Layne Norton claimed that “four minutes of vigorous activity a day” will greatly reduce an individual’s cancer risk.

“Exercise is one of the only things that you can do, independent of weight loss, that will improve all your health parameters,” Norton told host Dr. Rhonda Patrick on the FoundMyFitness podcast last week.

Citing a study published last year in JAMA Oncology, Norton said that researchers found that “vigorous physical activity” done “cumulative” throughout the day can lower the risk of cancer by 20%.

“I got in trouble because I called it a disgustingly small amount, but it really is,” the fitness expert shared.

He went on to reveal that the study found that exercising for “10 minutes” daily dropped the risk of cancer by 30%.

The study also found that just three short bursts of exercise per day can lead to a 40% reduced risk of cancer and cancer death and a 50% reduction in heart disease death.

“If you just go walk vigorously for 30 minutes in a day you’re killing it,” the nutritional scientist said.

While some may question the findings because it was a “cohort study,” Norton quickly pointed out that “randomized control trials” have found similar indications to exercise and cancer risk.

“We have randomized control trials looking at very short bursts of exercise, seeing improvements in glucose metabolism, blood lipids, inflammation, and then now the cognitive stuff too,” Norton shared.

The fitness guru also shared that short periods of exercise have been shown to improve mental health.

He explained that the “randomized control trial” found that men with “major depressive disorder or general anxiety disorder” who did two 25-minute sessions of resistance training a week for eight weeks saw “significantly improved symptoms.”

“The effect size for major depressive disorder was 1.7,” Norton said, citing a study released last year in Psychiatry Research.

“For those who aren’t familiar with effect sizes, .2 is a small effect size, 0.5 is modest, and 0.8. Anything above 0.8 is considered large, 1.7 is massive,” Norton said.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) — a class of drugs that are commonly prescribed to treat depression — usually fall between 0.3 to 0.8, and “the best you see is about 0.8,” he shared.

The professional bodybuilder clarified he wasn’t suggesting people should stop taking their SSRIs instead of working out but to consider other additional options to add to treatment — like exercising.

“I’m not saying we should get rid of SSRIs and have everybody exercise because sometimes maybe someone needs an SSRI just to get out of bed and actually go exercise,” Norton said. “But if we’re looking at how powerful that lever is, that’s amazing.”

However, nutritional scientists understand that getting started with routine exercise can be challenging and suggest that listeners consider it like “brushing your teeth.”

“Do you feel motivated to brush your teeth? No, you do it because you know if you don’t brush your teeth, they’re going to go to crap,” Norton said. “The same thing happens with your body if you don’t exercise.”

According to Johns Hopkins cardiologist Dr. Seth Martin, the average resting heart rate is between 60 and 100 beats per minute (BPM).

The “sweet spot” for exercise depends on a person’s age, and the target heart rate is “usually between 50 percent and 85 percent” of their maximum safe heart rate.

For a 50-year-old, it’s crucial to calculate the maximum heart rate, which can be obtained by subtracting the age from 220. In this case, it’s 170 BPM, Martin shared.

If someone aims for a 50% exertion level, their target should be 50% of that maximum, 85 BPM.

However, if a person wants to push themself to 85% of the maximum, their target should be 145 BPM.

The target heart rate that a 50-year-old should aim for during exercise is 85 to 145 BPM.

Martin noted that it’s important not to “get overly fixated on numbers” and instead just strive to exercise regularly.

Related Topics:cancer depression doctors Exercise fitness health heart disease lifestyle podcasts

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Fitness

What Is Immersive Fitness? How It Can Be A Game Changer For Your Strength And Health

Published

7 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

In today’s time, traditional gym workouts are being reimagined, combining technology, entertainment, and exercise to deliver a truly engaging experience. This is where ‘immersive fitness’, a revolutionary approach to working out, comes into play. But what exactly is immersive fitness that’s transforming the way people achieve their strength and health goals? Why is it becoming the talk of the fitness world? Let’s understand!

What Is Immersive Fitness?

Immersive fitness integrates Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and cutting-edge audiovisual elements to create a fully engaging workout environment. Imagine cycling through the mountains of the Swiss Alps, boxing in a neon-lit futuristic arena, or participating in a yoga class surrounded by a tranquil digital forest. These experiences are crafted using projectors, screens, VR headsets, or AR glasses that simulate real or imagined environments, making workouts both captivating and effective.

Instead of staring at a blank wall or counting down the minutes on a treadmill, you are transported to another world, where the focus shifts from the effort of the workout to the experience itself. People who have experienced this fitness routine highlight that this gamified, sensory-rich approach helps boost motivation and makes working out enjoyable for people of all levels.

Also Read: Nana Patekar’s Fitness Secrets At 75: Simple Tips For Staying Active And Healthy

Key Benefits of Immersive Fitness

Additionally, there are other benefits of immersive fitness. These may include:

1. Enhanced Motivation And Engagement

Traditional workouts can sometimes feel monotonous. Immersive fitness breaks that cycle by offering a dynamic, ever-changing environment. The sense of adventure and accomplishment keeps one coming back for more, significantly increasing long-term commitment to their fitness routines.

2. Improved Physical Performance

By drawing participants into an engaging narrative or setting, immersive fitness can help individuals push their limits. For example, racing through a virtual cityscape might encourage you to pedal harder, while a strength challenge could inspire you to lift more weight. The distraction of the immersive environment often reduces the perception of effort, enabling users to achieve more than they might in a traditional workout setting.

Also Read: Nana Patekar’s Fitness Secrets At 75: Simple Tips For Staying Active And Healthy

3. Mental Health Benefits

The combination of movement and immersive environments has been shown to reduce stress, boost mood, and enhance mental well-being. Activities like virtual mindfulness or yoga in serene digital settings can help participants relax and rejuvenate, offering a dual benefit for both body and mind.

Examples Of Immersive Fitness Experiences

A few examples of immersive fitness activities may include:

Virtual spin classes
Boxing simulators
Immersive yoga and meditation
Full-body workouts in VR

Bottomline

Whether you’re looking to shake up your routine, find new motivation, or simply make fitness more fun, immersive fitness has something to offer. It’s not just a workout rather it’s an adventure, a game, and a journey toward better health all rolled into one.

Fitness

5 Ways Britany Anderson in Ab-Bearing Exercise Gear Stays in “in Good Shape”

Published

15 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

5 Ways Britany Anderson in Ab-Bearing Exercise Gear Stays in “in Good Shape”

Britany Anderson is a professional hurdler from Jamaica. She competed in the 2020 Olympics. Anderson has also won a silver medal in the 100 meter at the 2022 World Championships. Last month, Anderson shared a photo on Instagram of herself at the track. She captioned the post, “End of an amazing week! I’m feeling really positive and excited for the upcoming season. Also really grateful to start this new season healthy and in good shape… 💜💜🦄💓🌸💓💖💕💓🦄💜🦄💜🦄”

She Uses Weights

Anderson shared some of her favorite workouts in this Instagram video. In it, she is seen using weights. According to ACE Fitness, using weights has a lot of health benefits. “Using heavy weights increases intramuscular coordination, the number of type II motor units and the amount of muscle fibers engaged within a specific muscle. Have you ever felt your muscles shaking while lifting heavy weights? This is because you are recruiting and activating the larger type II muscle fibers, which are only stimulated to work when a muscle is challenged with heavy resistance or working to fatigue.”

She Does Squats

Britany Anderson/Instagram

Anderson is seen doing jump squats and squats with a barbell in the previous Instagram video. The Cleveland Clinic states that squats have a lot of health benefits. “Engaging large muscle groups helps burn calories both during and after exercise. One study found that squats burn about 35 calories per minute, aiding in weight management and fat loss.”

She Does Lunges

Britany Anderson does lunges.

Britany Anderson/Instagram

Anderson is also seen doing lunges in the previous Instagram video. Lunges are very beneficial. The Mayo Clinic states, “The lunge is a body resistance exercise that works the leg muscles. Specifically, the lunge targets the quadriceps and the hamstring muscles in the thigh, the gluteal muscles in the buttock, and to a lesser extent, the lower leg muscles. The lunge is a great conditioning exercise for many sports, especially those that involve lunging movements, such as tennis, basketball or soccer.”

She Does RDL’s
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Anderson shared this video of herself working out on Instagram. One thing she is seen doing in it is RDLs. ACE Fitness states that RDLs have a lot of health benefits. “The most important benefit of the RDL is that it teaches the proper movement and biomechanics of standing hip flexion and extension. This is the foundational movement for squatting, whether the movement is performed with a weight in the gym or while bending over to pick an object up from the floor.”

She Does Leg Extensions

Anderson is seen using the leg extension machine in the previous Instagram video. Asphalt Green states that doing this has a lot of benefits. “Leg extensions using this exercise machine work your thighs. In fact, that’s basically the only thing that they work. That’s great if you want to build strength and mass quickly.”

Fitness

Rohman Shawl spills his diet and workout secrets for those washboard abs; reveals ‘instant’ trick for burning fat

Published

23 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

Rohman Shawl spills his diet and workout secrets for those washboard abs; reveals ‘instant’ trick for burning fat

Rohman Shawl is nothing if not dedicated to staying fit and healthy. The model-turned-actor, who was recently seen in the Tamil film Amaran alongside Sivakarthikeyan and Sai Pallavi, believes in eating clean, training hard, and training smart. His workout routine is proof that hard work and effort pay off – have you seen those perfect abs and big set of biceps? Also read | Srishti Dixit reveals her diet and fitness secrets, what triggered her weight loss journey: ‘I eat everything but…’

Rohman Shawl shares his secret to crushing his workouts and staying fit despite an insatiable sweet tooth and giving into his cravings once in a while.

When it comes to health and wellness, we should all take a page out of Rohman’s book – his approach isn’t about losing weight or building a ripped physique; it’s about feeling healthier. Don’t miss his tips and tricks for motivating yourself the next time you feel like swapping gym time for couch time.

In an exclusive interview with HT Lifestyle, Rohman shares his fitness mantra, workout routine and diet secrets. Excerpts:

Do you work out in the morning or evening; and why?

I am usually an evening person, as it helps me get better sleep at night. But I have a ritual of waking up in the morning, stretching my body, and doing 60 push-ups (3 sets of 20 reps each) on a daily basis. It helps me start my day on a high note, and I feel a sense of accomplishment.

If not working out in a gym due to travel or work commitments, how do you stay active?

I haven’t been to a gym in a long time. For my film Amaran, I had to follow a particular body type of being lean and not so shredded, so I changed my exercise routine!! I am into callisthenics and yoga now, which can be done anywhere. Also, if there is no space, I go for a run!! Another important thing that I have included in my routine is to play football with friends once a week. It has helped me be healthy both physically and mentally. I will return to the gym if my next project demands it, but otherwise, I am quite happy following the current routine.

How do you stay motivated to exercise when you don’t feel like it?

For me, exercise is a way of being healthy rather than looking fit. You can have all the Money, name, and fame in the world, but if you aren’t healthy, you won’t be able to enjoy all of that. There can’t be a better motivation than that!

What’s your trick to burning more calories and fat?

For me, that would be a run of 7-8 km, which includes 3 sets of 200-meter sprints at different intervals (I have always been a sprinter; I can still cover 100 mts in around 11 seconds). It gives me instant results.

Do you push yourself too hard for your workouts sometimes?

I used to, not anymore. With age and experience, you realise that your body needs rest, so you go easy on it !! The more recovery time, the better the results. Having said that, that’s what works for me, as I have a certain body type. This might not work for everyone.

How do you manage to stick to your exercise regime and diet plan?

Realising the mere fact that to reap the most of this precious life that you have been given, the least you can do is to feed your body, mind and soul in the best possible way! Once you love yourself, it’s not hard to manage it.

Are you on a particular diet? No sugar, intermittent fasting or any other?

I am not someone who counts calories, but I do follow a 2-meal-a-day plan. I only have brunch and then dinner. Since I have started doing it, I feel my body has become more active, and I feel fitter than ever. Also, I try to avoid sugar as much as possible, but I do have a sweet tooth, so sometimes I do indulge.

Any diet tips and tricks of yours that fans can learn from?

First of all, it’s very important to be aware of what your body is trying to tell you, because it does speak to you by giving signs. What might work for me may not work for you, so don’t just follow someone blindly. Get regular tests done and know your body type before you go on a diet. Trust me, it’s not so hard; you just need to believe in yourself!

What are the staples of your diet? What’s the first thing you eat/drink when you wake up and the last thing before you sleep?

I have a very basic diet, I wake up and drink at least 2 glasses of water, and then I wait for 40 minutes before I make my own breakfast (it’s a ritual, I have to make my own breakfast), which includes 4 pieces of avocado toast, 2 sunny-side-up eggs and some coffee that keeps me going throughout the day. Then, for dinner, I usually have rice and dal with some curd and tandoori chicken. That’s the last thing that I eat unless I am in the mood to indulge, then I do have some dessert. Just a reminder: Since I am only maintaining my current body shape, I am following this. To make any changes, I will have to change my diet for sure.

What is your daily workout like, and how many days a week do you work out?

I wake up, stretch and do 60 push-ups (20×3 reps). Then, the evening would be callisthenics and yoga (usually 3-4 times a week). Every Wednesday evening is booked for football for 90 minutes, which I feel has helped me immensely, both physically and mentally. I would like to request you all to please find a sport of your choice and play it at least once a week, no matter what. It will help your fitness journey on another level. Then, once a week, usually on Sundays, I go for my run, which is usually 7-8 km and involves pace walking and sprints.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.