Exercise and Fitness Archive

If you've been diagnosed with heart disease, the FITT approach can reduce your risk for heart attack and stroke.

About half of all Americans have at least one of the key risk factors for heart disease, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and excess weight.

You can address those risks with a heart-healthy diet and medications to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. But perhaps the biggest boost you can give your heart is regular aerobic exercise.

People looking for new ways to strengthen their core can try walk-and-carry exercises, also known as "loaded carries," where they hold weights like dumbbells or kettlebells while walking. This type of movement teaches how to brace the core, which engages much of the entire core musculature, including your shoulders, back, and hips.

Most people know exercise is good for their health, but only about half of Americans meet the recommended physical activity guidelines. Making exercising more fun helps keep people interested, and research has demonstrated that there is a relationship between using activity apps and increased engagement in exercise.

Often, feeling stiff and a little achy when you wake or during the day is related to periods of inactivity, perhaps while sleeping or parked in front of a computer. To counteract this, plan frequent movement breaks and try these stretches focusing on stiff or achy areas.

News briefs

Need a little inspiration? The next time you take a walk outside, note things that spark a sense of wonder or awe. That's what some older adults tried for a small study published online Sept. 21, 2020, by the journal Emotion. Of the 50 people who took part, half went for weekly 15-minute walks outdoors (alone) for eight weeks, and snapped "selfies" along the way. The other half took the same walks and selfies, but visited a new place each time. They were asked, especially, to note things that inspired a sense of awe — like tree colors or leaves underfoot softened by rain. Participants also answered surveys about the emotions they felt on walk and non-walk days. After analyzing responses and photos, scientists found that people who people took the "awe walks" reported less distress and increasing awe, joy, compassion, and gratitude, compared with people on the regular walks. Awe walkers also smiled more and made themselves smaller in their photos, focusing more on landscapes — a sign of a greater appreciation of the world around them. Try it yourself: On your next walk, imagine you're seeing things for the first time. What will inspire you? Perhaps a path lined with trees, the shore of a lake, or an up-close look at skyscrapers. Jot down your observations, and see if you feel a sense of wonder and joy. Happy trails!

Image: © Igor Alecsander/Getty Images

Research we're watching

American adults are gaining weight, according to data from the CDC. Twelve U.S. states now have obesity rates of 35% or higher, compared with just six states in 2017 and nine states in 2018. Experts say the trend is particularly concerning because adults with obesity are more prone to severe outcomes from COVID-19.

According to the CDC report, racial and ethnic minority groups are disproportionately affected by obesity. Prevalence rates nationwide were

The condition is an all-too-real problem for men, and one of the more difficult to treat.

After age 50, men often have periods of discomfort "down there." It could be a cramping, aching, or throbbing pain in and around your pelvis and genitals. You also may have issues in the bedroom and bathroom. While the problems are real, the cause is often difficult to pinpoint.

It's called chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) — also known as chronic prostatitis — and it's one of the most puzzling and difficult-to-manage conditions for older men.

Interrupt your sitting time with a break every hour.

For many people, the effects of the pandemic include less physical activity. But long periods of sitting are bad for health. They're associated with increased risks for obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer, and metabolic syndrome (a cluster of health conditions that include abdominal obesity, unhealthy cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar). Too much sitting is even linked to an early death. The good news: staying active throughout the day helps reverse the effects of too much sitting.

Doctor's orders

"Take a two-, five-, or 10-minute break at least once per hour," advises Dr. Beth Frates, director of wellness programming for the Stroke Research and Recovery Institute at Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital.

You can get a good workout anyway.

The winter months present numerous challenges to maintaining your fitness in a typical year. This year, with the COVID-19 pandemic, it may be harder than ever to get to the gym or your usual exercise class.

What can you do to keep your body in motion and not lose ground as the weather turns colder? The answer, luckily, is plenty, says Dr. Beth Frates, an assistant professor physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School. There are many effective workouts that don't require a large space, a gym, expensive equipment, or even a live instructor.