I am sure you have already noticed the many internet articles and ads popping up about keeping your New Year’s Resolution. But, what about why we break and abandon our resolutions? I came across a really cool 1972 study by Drs. Marlatt and Kaplan.4 They examined 135 people and their resolutions over a 3-month period. The majority of resolutions were a desire to lose weight – interestingly, with an average starting weight of only 138 pounds (all women)!...
The clothes we wear can make a strong impression on others. We learn early on in our careers to ‘dress for success’, and TV shows, such as the Today Show’s ‘Ambush Makeover’, emphasize the power of clothes to create favorable impressions. From drab...to fab. The effort to manage the impressions we make on others is called ‘self-presentation’, and clothing is a great way to manipulate such impressions. For example... Teaching assistants in formal clothes are perceived...
If you were interested by our previous post, Exercise Doesn't Help with Weight Loss – a review of a controversial editorial, "It is time to bust the myth of physical in activity and obesity: You cannot outrun a bad diet," – you might also be interested to read some recent comments and responses by other experts regarding this article, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (click below). It is Time to Bust the Myth of a Catchy...
Years ago, we figured out that listening to music, watching TV, or both provided a distraction or dissociation from the discomfort that comes along with exercise. For many people the discomfort is not enjoyable, and can be a big deterrant to exercising. Research tells us that we all respond differently to the physical side of exercise (e.g. fatigue, muscle discomfort, increased heart rate, breathing fast, and sweating). Some respond negatively, especially those who do not have...
The common idea that 1 pound of fat is equal to 3,500 calories most likely comes from original research in the late 1950's on the effects of fasting in obese individuals. Well, it stuck, and is the basis for our current, simple prescriptions for weight loss. The subsequent rule, then, is to expend, 'burn', and/or reduce intake of 3,500 calories to lose a pound of fat. Commonly, this deficit is accomplished by expending and/or cutting 500...
An editorial was recently published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, claiming that "you cannot outrun a bad diet". This editorial (not a research study) has spawned a media frenzy of posts that presumably confirm that exercise is worthless in weight loss. Study says exercise doesn't help with weight loss Science says exercise isn't actually helping lose weight Going to the gym isn't helping you lose weight Exercise doesn't promote weight loss: Research Secret to weight...
We know that physical activity is a key component to successful weight loss and maintenance, especially when paired with healthy food (energy) intake. However, some research suggests that differences in weight loss might be explained (at least partially) by an increase in energy intake to compensate for the energy expenditure of physical activity.2 So, does exercise cause us to eat more? To see if this is true or not, recent interest has focused on the effect...
We have all seen them before, pacing the perimeter of the mall in a tight-laced pair of walking shoes. I have personally been lapped, twice, by a mall walker at Post Oak Mall in College Station, Texas. Mall walking hit a peak of popularity in the 1990s, yet is quickly coming back as a popular choice for physical activity. I am happy to see it's revival, but can mall walking be of any benefit? Mall Walking...
Tis the season for cardio machines to be full – inspired by new year's resolutions or guilt from holiday splurges. With no time to dissect the motivational or emotional aspects of these efforts, I turn attention to the virtue of honesty. Are cardio machines lying to you when estimating energy expenditure (calories) from a workout? I will focus on treadmills and ellipticals. Prediction Equations: How They Work All cardio machines depend on equations to 'predict' how...
You might be surprised how much I have been asked this question. I know I am! Some of these women who do ask (no men have asked me yet) have unfortunately eliminated running or excessive walking from their daily routine, in fear of getting saggy breasts. What Does the Research Say? There is no current evidence to support the notion that running CAUSES sagging (ptosis) of the breasts. No studies have directly correlated breast sagging with...