New Gene Test Tells You How Effective Your Workout Routine Is

Want to know how much you'll benefit from a regular exercise routine? Well now there's a new genetic test that can predict whether or not you are likely to get aerobic health benefits from exercise. Genetic differences are the reason why some people can lose weight and get fit in a matter of weeks while others need years to receive the same results (if they can get significant results at all!).

The test is sold by a UK company called XRGenomics and all you have to do is send them some cheek skin cells. Within a few weeks they'll send you the results. So you can know whether it's worth it or not to stay on that Zumba, P90X, CrossFit, or Brazil Butt Lift routine!

More here: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/10/are-you-likely-to-respond-to-exercise/

More Exercise = Less Anxiety & Stress When SHTF

Want to be able to deal with stressful events better? Do more exercise! A new study found that people who exercise experience much less anxiety during high-stress events than those who don't. According to one of the researchers:

"We found that exercise helps to buffer the effects of emotional exposure. If you exercise, you'll not only reduce your anxiety, but you'll be better able to maintain that reduced anxiety when confronted with emotional events."

Maybe this is why soldiers who do high intensity exercise on a regular basis are able to stay cool even when sh*t hits the fan on the battlefield!

More here: Stressed? Exercise may help ward off anxiety

Lebron James' Pilates Warmups

How does Lebron James warmup before big games? By doing Pilates.

No really. Check it out: LeBron James does Pilates to prepare for game (Photo)

Does the Korean Horse Riding Workout Machine Work?

"Horseback riding" workout machines aren't exactly new but there's a very unique version of the product from Korea that is like nothing else we've ever seen. Words can't (or shouldn't) really describe the "Fitness Ace Power" device so you'll just have to watch the infomercial for yourself.

Here you go:



Hope you enjoyed that as much as we did.

Has anyone actually tried this thing? We would LOVE to get a few reviews from real users. We'd also love to see someone riding this while using a Shake Weight at the same time!!

How to Get Stripper Abs Like Magic Mike

Have you seen the new male stripper movie Magic Mike? Apparently lots of guys -- or, more likely, their wives and girlfriends -- want to know how to get 6 pack abs like the dudes in the movie. According to one personal trainer, it all comes down to:

• Eating clean, unprocessed carbs
• Controlling portion size
• Eating lots of lean protein
• Eating 5 or 6 small meals per day
• Avoid peanuts

Yes, avoiding peanuts. Why? I have no idea.

Oh and you also have to exercise... a lot. First on an empty stomach in the morning and then a total body strength/weightlifting workout later in the day. And then lots and lots of ab exercises to bring out that six pack. 

Read some more: Get six-pack abs like the guys in 'Magic Mike'

Daily Fasting Keeps You Lean, Fit, Healthy (Even On a Poor Diet!)

Not eating for most of the 24-hour day might be really good for your health and keep you from becoming obese, according to new research. Fitness scientists from Salk Institute for Biological Studies found that people who increase their "fasting hours" every day can avoid the bad health effects of eating a diet high in fat. In fact, mice who did exactly that were able to avoid becoming obese, getting diabetes, and developing diseased livers -- all normal effects of eating a high-fat diet on a regular basis. More specificially, mice who could only eat during an 8-hour period were much healthier (and leaner) than mice who could eat freely throughout the day, regardless of what they ate. According to one researcher:

"Our findings, however, suggest that regular eating times and fasting for a significant number of hours a day might be beneficial to our health."

Read more: Extended Daily Fasting Overrides Harmful Effects of a High-Fat Diet

Snoring Gives You Cancer

Yes you read that right: snoring a lot can greatly increase your risk of getting cancer, mainly because it reduces the amount of oxygen in your body.

The good news is that maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, and doing regular exercise can really reduce snoring problems. Through in a healthy diet filled with anti-oxidant rich fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, etc and you will really cut down on your cancer risk anyway!

Read more: Snoring 'can raise cancer risk five-fold'

Drop Dead Health and Caveman Workouts

"Stunt book" author AJ Jacobs decided to get into shape when his body began looking like "a snake that swallowed a goat" and his wife started worrying about him dying at a young age. So he began a months-long quest to lose weight, build muscle, be healthier, and get fit... and chronicled it all in his new book Drop Dead Healthy.

I've read part of it and it's definitely good fitness reading, especially for regular joe's looking for motivation and advice for getting into shape. Plus it's just funny as hell. Jacobs recently did an interview with MNN.com where he talks about his book and his fitness journey.

The best part:

"I loved the Caveman Workout, in which my fellow cavemen and I went into Central Park, took off our shirts and shoes, and tossed boulders and stalked imaginary prey."

We love caveman-style workouts too because they're a great excuse to throw big rocks and sticks at trees, animals, and the occasional human.

Read the interview!

Natural "Brain Drugs" Turned Us Into Endurance Athletes

Ever wonder why us humans (well some of us at least) love to go for long runs and do other forms of endurance exercise? Most animals don't share that trait, so what sets us apart? New research has found that the natural brain drugs responsible for the "runner's high" effect -- called endocanabinoids and endorphins -- caused us to evolve into biped distance runners.

Very intesting stuff here: Runner's High Motivated the Evolution of Exercise, Research Suggests

Exercise & Caffeine Both Do Good Things to Muscle DNA

Here's some good news for coffee lovers, energy drink junkies, and exercise fanatics: caffeine and exercise seem to affect muscle DNA in similar ways. Researchers from the University of Barcelona have found that exercising for even just a few minutes causes rapid beneficial changes to muscle DNA. The incredible thing is that consuming caffeine appears to cause similar changes!

This is great news for those of us who like a little pick-me-up energy booster before our HIIT cardio sessions. The study focus on people who didn't workout regularly but experts believe the positive effects are seen in more fit people as well.

The bottom line: We already know caffeine has some big benefits for athletes and people who exercise regularly. So why not do both -- get in some intense exercise and drink some delicious caffeine -- almost every day?? :)

 Read more: Exercise and Caffeine Change Your DNA in the Same Way, Study Suggests

Short Walks = Less Chocolate Cravings

Want to reduce your cravings for chocolate and possibly other high-sugar, high-fat junk foods? Go for a 15 minute walk!

Researchers from the University of Exeter found that people who went for a short walk reduced their intake of chocolate at work by 50%, a pretty big reduction in calorie intake. They say the short burst of activity greatly reduced appetite and junk food cravings in the study participants. The best news is that even "stressed out" people ate less. Exercise is a proven energy booster and mood elevator. Now that we know it's a craving killer we'd be crazy not to do a little more of it. I'll be back right after I walk around the block!

 Short Walk Cuts Chocolate Consumption in Half

Weight Watchers a Scam? (A REAL Review from Charles Barkley)

Is Weight Watchers really as good as Charles Barkley and other highly-paid spokespeople say it is? Or is it just another weight loss diet rip-off scam?? Charles was caught on tape saying that getting paid just to lose 2 pounds a week is some of the easiest money he's ever made, even going so far as to call Weight Watchers a scam. Check it out:



Some people are saying the slip up is a real review of the Weight Watchers system, which has been called over-priced and only marginally effective (among other complaints) for years. Here's the thing though: this could actually be a great freaking endorsement for the WW plan! I mean, isn't the whole point of these commercial diet programs to make it easy to lose weight?? If I were Weight Watchers marketing boss I'd give Sir Charles a nice little raise.

What do you think?

Exercise = Better Students

Want your kid to actually pay attention in school and be a better student? Make him or her exercise, according to a big new study. Scientists found that children who get regular exercise tend to do much better in school. Apparently it doesn't matter where the exercise comes from -- recess, phys ed/gym classes, sports, or even walking to school -- the benefits are the same.

 The funny (and sad) part is schools all over the US are cutting their phys ed and sports programs to cut costs. Even funnier/sadder: many schools cut gym classes in favor of academic test prep classes.

Good job "No Child Left Behind"!

 Find out more: Want your kids to do better in school? Try exercise