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Aging & Health

Sitting – The New Smoking?

Dr. James Levine, the director of the Mayo Clinic at Arizona State University says that “Sitting is the new smoking“. Smoking, once a popular activity, was not recognized as the extreme health danger it was, until many years later. And now sitting may be in the same category. At first, this sounds ridiculous. But there’s a bevy of studies backing this statement up – and a possible logical explanation for why sitting for long duration is unhealthy. First, we’ll spoil some of the surprise – it’s not sitting in particular, but extreme sedentary habits that seem to be the risk factor. Secondly, it appears that being sedentary all day, then hitting the gym is not an effective solution. The extended [Read more …]

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Aging & Health

The Importance of Sleep for Health

Everybody needs sleep. But did you know that a lack of proper sleep can increase the risk of diabetes and other risks? Having good sleep habits is also known as sleep hygiene. The Physical Effects of Not Getting Enough Sleep You probably know that if you miss too much sleep you feel tired the next day. That’s obvious, but what is less obvious is the impact on your hormonal systems that can also occur. Increased Risk of Type 2 Diabetes If you are chronically missing too much sleep, you are raising your risk for Type 2 Diabetes. How does this happen? Through research, it has been shown that not getting enough sleep (for example only 4 hours a night or [Read more …]

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Exercise

Starting Strength Dictionary

FitAtMidlife’s Starting Strength Routine Dictionary It’s no secret – we love Mark Rippetoe’s Starting Strength routine. It’s the efficient, science and logic based training program that is made for beginners of any age to develop strength. Starting Strength utilizes the barbell. The barbell is the most efficient means to build strength – because it’s the device that can carry the most weight. That may sound intimidating, but it shouldn’t be. You start light and through the magic of linear progression you get strong – and build muscle mass at the same time. Starting Strengh places great emphasis on proper form, and it’s safe for the joints. Lastly, it’s targeted to novices – people who have never lifted before. And all [Read more …]