![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
  | Eat everything. Concentrate on whole grains. Drink milk. Balance protein with carbohydrates. Avoid processed sugars. Do some exercise. The idea that a diet book making such proposals comes as a pleasant surprise shows just how far afield we've gone in the search for new ways to be fit. | |||
| The American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association have updated their physical activity guidelines. The guidelines for healthy adults under age 65 recommend moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or vigorously intense cardio 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week. You should also do eight to 10 strength-training exercises, eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise twice a week. | ||||
| Not really a diet — more of a healthy eating plan, The Abs Diet is a six-week plan to flatten your stomach and keep you lean for life. The only thing new about this diet by the editor-in-chief of Men's Health is its name, and this, one can presume, is because nowadays, a book simply called "Sensible Eating" wouldn't sell. The book's title is indeed misleading; only the final chapter deals solely with abs. The rest is full of rational recommendations for a realistic diet plan. Eat more and smaller meals; have oatmeal in the morning for a nourishing breakfast; don't starve yourself; drink plenty of water; and stay away from sodas and foods that contain high-fructose corn syrup. Whether readers will, in the end, walk away with abs of steel is not really the point. They'll control their weight in a healthy way, without counting calories, cutting out whole food groups or supporting the beef futures market. Best of all, this book tells readers why it works: increase your body's metabolism, gain some muscle and fat burns away. The authors make this seem like a fresh and very attainable ideal. Strong abs and flat stomachs are the ultimate indicator of overall health. Great abs will help you live longer, sleep better, prevent back pain, and significantly improve your love life! |   | |||
| A tape measure, not just a bathroom scale, may help you better assess your heart disease risk! A recent study found that people with a larger waist-to-hip ratio may be at increased risk for heart disease. People who develop fat around the middle have more atherosclerotic plaque than those who have smaller waist-to-hip ratios. The risk is the same for both men and women who develop abdominal fat. Waist-to-hip ratio has demonstrated stronger correlation for cardiovascular risk than body mass index (BMI). The key message for people is to prevent accumulation of central fat early on in their lives. To do so, they will need to develop lifelong dietary and exercise habits that prevent the development of the ‘pot belly.’ | ||||
 |  The Abs Diet is a sensible eating and exercise plan, not a fad diet. The Abs Diet is designed to make you fit, healthy, and lean for life. If you want to get on top of your game, this is where you start. Remember: Don't cheat yourself, treat yourself... — Dwayne Johnson, The Rock |  | ||
