This May Prevent Some Damage With Weight Gain– This study focused on a group of people who were asked to eat 4 additional muffins a day so researchers could gauge the effect of polyunsaturated fat vs saturated fats. It is interesting to see the findings and also to see what an additional 4 muffins a day can do. “This small study highlights what we already know about saturated fats, and how quickly a relatively small amount of saturated fat can cause health disturbances.”

Should Your Workout Kick Your Ass– I really liked this article. The author emphasizes the importance of nutrition along with exercise to really see results. I for one can back this up from personal experience. I worked out everyday for 5 months with no results, mainly because I was not focusing on what I was eating as well. It is important to look at both variables. “The take-home is that exercise isn’t nearly as important as diet for pure fat loss, so no matter how hard you work, you won’t see results until you’re eating smarter. (However, exercise is still an important part of the equation.)”

The Dangers of Thinning Bone as Men Ag– “In fact, 1 in 5 men over the age of 50 years will sustain a fracture due to osteoporosis in their lifetime.” This is in contrast to 1 in 3 women over 50 who will have  an osteoporosis-related fracture.”

Whats Your Fitness Age– This article just makes sense. Also the test is fun. I am proud to say I have the fitness age of a teenager. What is yours? “A new study of fitness and lifespan suggests that a person’s so-called fitness age – determined primarily by a measure of cardiovascular endurance – is a better predictor of longevity than chronological age.”

The Exercise Cost of Soda vs Juice– I really like this idea. When I was learning about calories having something tangable to measure against helped me. So for every mile I ran was one more additional glass of wine. “In the study, researchers posted signs next to the soda and juice in Baltimore corner stores that read: “Did you know that working off a bottle of soda or fruit juice takes about 50 minutes of running?” or “Did you know that working off a bottle of soda or fruit juice takes about five miles of walking?” (And, long as those distances and times may seem, they may even underestimate the magnitude of the metabolic insult of liquid sugar.) The signs were a proxy for an actual food label, but they made the point. They effectively led to fewer juice and soda purchases, and to purchases of smaller sizes (12-ounce cans instead of 20-ounce bottles).”

Photo From Huff Post

Food Color Trumps Flavor– Had anyone else heard about the new black burger at Burger King in Japan? This story starts with an introduction to this product, which I find very intriguing. It pulls you into the article and makes you want to know more.  “Researchers have known for some time how powerful color is in influencing our perceptions and desires for food. Studies have shown, for example, that when it comes to our experience of food, color is more important than product labeling and even taste.”

How Exercise May Protect Against Depression– This article is a little technical and focuses on research done on mice in regards to depression and exercise. Essentially the research found that exercise does help curb symptoms of depression.  So moral of the story if you start to feel stressed exercise will be your best way to combat depression symptoms.

 Sense of Humor Changes with Age– It is interesting because even now at 31 I see my humor has changed slightly from where it was a decade ago. How does our sense of humor change? “What the authors found was that older adults were much less likely to be fans of the aggressive style of humor—laughing at the expense of others. Young adults were also more likely to smirk at the clips that showed self-deprecating humor, while The older participants, meanwhile, liked affiliative humor—the kind of jokes that bring people together through a funny or awkward situation.”

How to Manage Sore Muscles and Joint Pain– I for one have frequent sore muscles as I tend to switch up what I do for exercise or push my intensity limits. I find even taking more than one week off from strength training will cause my muscles to get worked when I start back up again. I am a big believer that you can work through sore muscles as long as you are doing a different exercise then what caused the soreness in the beginning. So after a barre class that leaves my legs a little shaky, the next day usually a run will make me feel better. This article is quick and walks you through what causes muscle soreness and how you can help it.

Photo from Huff Post