How Powerful is a Boot Camp?

First, you need to get into my boot camp. Today is the last day of the first week, but you can still register - right up until next Friday!

Second, If you're skeptical of the results you can get from a Boot Camp, read this article.

Finally, the best Boot Camps are fun, challenging, rewarding and most importantly, get results. Exactly what you get here.

Is Vitamin D really that important?

January 11, 2008

This article, published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association concludes that heart disease risk may increase with a lack of Vitamin D.

The benefits of Vitamin D and cancer prevention (bone health too!) have been known for years. In June of last year, I had a blog post regarding this. Actually, the benefits of Vitamin D have been known for a while. Read this excellent post by Dr. Mark Hyman for more details.

There are many others who espouse the benefits of Vitamin D - too many to list here. So let's get to the article.

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More than 1,700 offspring of Framingham participants were involved in the study. Subjects had their Vitamin D levels measured at the beginning of the study and were tracked for 5 years. Health event outcomes included the following: heart attack, heart failure, stroke and additional cardiovascular diseases.

Those with a Vitamin D blood level below 15 ng/mL (nanograms per milliliter) had twice the risk compared to those with higher blood levels of Vitamin D.

"Vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased cardiovascular risk, above and beyond established cardiovascular risk factors," said Thomas J. Wang, M.D., assistant professor
of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Mass. "The higher risk associated with vitamin D deficiency was particularly evident among individuals with high blood pressure."

This is important...

Researchers observed the highest rate of cardiovascular disease events in subset analyses dividing 688 participants according to high blood pressure status. After researchers adjusted for conventional cardiovascular risk factors, participants with hypertension and a vitamin D deficiency had about 2 times the risk of having a cardiovascular disease event in five years.

And this too...

Researchers also found an increase in cardiovascular risk with each level of vitamin D deficiency.

And somewhat disappointing...

"What hasn't been proven yet is that vitamin D deficiency actually causes increased risk of cardiovascular disease. This would require a large randomized trial to show whether correcting the vitamin D deficiency would result in a reduction in cardiovascular risk." Therfore, Wang doesn't recommend physicians check for vitamin D deficiency or that those with a known vitamin D deficiency be treated to prevent heart disease at this time.

This article by Dr. Sears indicates...

Vitamin D has been shown to strengthen lean tissue, is related to insulin sensitivity, pancreatic function and rheumatoid arthritis, and it's beens shown to increase your mood and have a favorable effect on depression.

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So I'd say yes, Vitamin D is extremely important and seems pretty clear cut, regardless of the trepidation from Dr. Wang. What do you think?

So how much Vitamin D should you be getting?

In my post (linked above) you can get all you need with as little as 20 minutes of daily sunshine. This is dependent on your complexion. If you have a darker complexion, it might take a little longer. If you have a lighter complexion, you might require less.

You can also get Vitamin D from foods, like saltwater fish, eggs, cheese and beef.

You can also take a quality supplement. But I'd recommend starting with sunshine first.

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The third week of the New Year starts Monday. Are you still with those New Year's Resolutions? If you need a push or simply want a guaranteed route to success, let me know. I can help!

Take a look at some of my services below. Something there willl help you!

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BSFC Remote Work with me from anywhere! I'll deliver all your workouts and other materials by email. One, 3- and 12-month specials available NOW!

Look, Live & Feel Younger! An online program where you get all the keys to look, live and feel younger! Sign-up for the preview!

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That's all for today. Have a great weekend.

Until then, go outside and get some Vitamin D. It looks like a beautiful day (at least it does here in Houston)!

Brian

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Read this article at our website

Why Women Should Lift Weights

January 07, 2008.

From a recent article posted in the San Jose Mercury News by Melinda Sacks...

I took the liberty of highlighting important benefits in each of the points. The benefits of weight training are numerous and this article does a good job of highlighting some of the more
important ones.

Even though this article is geared toward women, the same benefits listed apply to men. So you guys don't get off that easy.

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Researchers say that most women who exercise still spend the majority of their time doing cardio, often ignoring the benefits of weight lifting. But unless a doctor advises otherwise, weight lifting can provide enormous advantages for most women, according to studies from such institutions as the Mayo Clinic, Harvard and Stanford universities. As with any new physical activity, check with your doctor if you have any health issues.

Here are the top 10 reasons sports medicine doctors and fitness experts agree weight lifting is good for you:

1. By becoming physically stronger, you will make routine tasks easier and safer to perform, from carrying heavy groceries from the car to picking up the kids.


2. Weight lifting will help you lose body fat and gain lean muscle. As this happens, your body mass decreases, your resting metabolism increases, and your clothes will fit looser. For every additional pound of muscle you gain, you will burn 30 to 50 more calories a day. Weight lifting is often touted as a proven way to keep weight off as women age.


3. Women don't need to worry about bulking up as they get stronger. Unlike men, women do not have enough testosterone to build bulky muscles. Men have 10 to 30 times more of the hormone than women.


4. The risk of osteoporosis goes down as you gain muscle strength. Weight training can increase spinal bone density significantly in just six months.


5. Risk of injury decreases when you are stronger. You will be less prone to everything from back pain to arthritis to depression.


6. It's good for your heart. Lower blood pressure, improved cardiovascular health and higher levels of "good cholesterol" have been found to be the side benefits of regular strength training, according to numerous studies.


7. The risk for diabetes declines because weight training has been found to improve the way the body processes sugar.


8. You can start weight training at any age. Research has shown that even women in their 80s can still build muscle strength.


9. Weight lifting can improve mood and fight off anxiety and depression. One Harvard study found that after weight training for 10 weeks, those suffering from clinical symptoms of depression felt better than those who received only counseling.


10. For women in middle age, strength training can help prevent the predictable metabolic sluggishness that often occurs. Many say it is not dieting, but weight lifting that is the true secret to keeping off middle-age pounds.

I will comment on one thing. In the opening paragraph, the author suggests that a majority of women spend their time doing cardio. I believe this is true. In my humble opinion, walking on a treadmill for 30- to 60-minutes is like Chinese water torture. You're better off cranking up the intensity and going for a shorter period of time.

And don't get me started on the benefits of slow-cardio and fat burning.

It simply isn't a good use of time in a world where we're all busy.

Off the soapbox...

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On Friday I mentioned a new service debuting today. You can find more info on that and other services we offer guaranteed to help you achieve your weight loss goals.

• Looking for a trainer? You found one here. But what if you don't live in or near Sugar Land. What if you are really serious about achieving your goals this year but are hesitant to just hire any old trainer? I don't blame you! What if you're nervous about joining a gym and just want to workout at home?
  

  The answer to all of those questions and more is my newest service, BSFC Remote. When you sign-up, I'll design a workout program specific to you. It will be based on your current abilities and the goals you want to achieve. It will include a daily schedule for weight training, cardio and stretching. Every activity I give you will have illustrations showing you the exact beginning and ending position. Additionally, each activity will have a text description "talking" you through performing it. These two things ensure you will perform the exercises safely and properly - leading you right down the path of success. It's a step-by-step guide to reaching your goals. As if that weren't enough, you'll have unlimited email support throughout your program. Have a question? No problem, shoot me an email and I'll get back to you.

  I know it sounds good and you're ready to go. That's great, but you better sign-up today. I'm having a serious special on this program. A limited number of spots are available and when they are full, I'm raising the rates. So get yours today for an amazingly low price!

If you're like most Americans, you want to get in shape this year. I can't think of a better option than BSFC Remote (unless you want to train with me in person).

• Don't forget, the day after tomorrow (Wednesday) is the free webinar on living, looking and feeling younger. I'll be covering all the keys you need to unlock a more youthful body. But, you can't get those keys without registering. Click here to learn how to live, look and feel younger.
  
• Don't forget #2. Next Monday (January 14, 2008) is the first day of class for my 6-week Boot Camp. Imagine reaching all of your weight loss goals by the middle of February! You can do it with this Boot Camp. In six weeks you will do more for your health and body than you ever thought possible. You'll burn fat, get stronger and leaner, get rid of those aches and
  pains, have more energy, and more. Like I said last week, if you live within 10 minutes of the SW Freeway and Beltway 8, you are making a mistake by not signing up. There is an AM session and a PM session, so I've got your morning and afternoon workout covered. We start January 14 and spots are limited (and filling up fast) so if you're ready to change the way you feel and the way your body looks, sign-up today!

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That's all for today. Make it a great day. I'll see you soon. Until then, break a sweat today. It will do your body good.

Brian

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Uh oh...Baylor gave what to their bears?

go here to find out...6th paragraph down.

Read This!

If you are in the health care industry, whether it be pharmaceuticals, medicine, research, administration, or you're just interested in your own health and wonder what others think, read this article.

If you're somewhat skeptical of medicine, health care and big pharma, and you think the health care system needs revamping, you really should read this. It's long but very provocative.

Resistance training good for heart health?

From the American Heart Association...

"Research shows that when properly supervised and prescribed in the light of a patient's history and condition, whether they have cardiovascular disease or not, resistance training increases muscular strength, endurance, independence, and ability to perform a large range of activities. It reduces disability and enhances quality of life. Other benefits include increase in bone mineral density and lean body mass."

In their recently updated public statement (a full pdf version can be found here) on weight lifitng and heart disease, the AHA has recommended doctors encourage their patients to participate in strength training exercise.

Anyone in the fitness industry worth their credentials on the wall could have told you this years ago. I don't know how many older clients I've trained that walked at least twice as fast once their session was over compared to when it started - no comments about trying to get away from me as fast as possible either :-).

But it's good to know that an organization the size of the AHA is getting serious about weight training for heart health. As we age, health becomes our main concern. And rightfully so. If we can't live independently, the golden years are less enjoyable.

Resistance training increases our ability to live independently. We are stronger. Our joints are more mobile. And, importantly, our balance is better by default. So what other benefits could be more important? If you have some better (or if I've left something important out), please let me know.

If you're not lifting weights, start a program now. It's never too late. There are even fitness centers that cater to those 55 and older. Additionally, most clubs will offer a discount to senior citizens. If the one you're looking into doesn't, go somewhere else.

Until next time, lift weights today and break a sweat. It just might do you some good!

Why exercise is good!

Exercise is good. Inflammation in the body is bad! - it's significantly related to a whole host of cardiovascular diseases.

The most frequently measured biomarker of inflammation in the body is C-reactive protein (CRP). High levels of CRP indicate high levels of inflammation. Essential fatty acids (Omega 3's, for example) are known to reduce inflammation - so eat some fresh, Wild Salmon today :-). Other foods known to reduce inflammation are fresh fruits and vegetables, like berries, grapes, celery and avocadoes (there are more but that's a quick list). Green tea has some anti-inflammatory characteristics too.

Fitness has been shown to be inversely related to CRP, the more fit you are the less CRP in your bloodstream. What hasn't been very well understood, however, is the mechanism that's in play. For example, if you are highly fit and have low CRP levels, is that because you are fit or are the habits of living your daily lifestyle (ie, diet full of fresh fruits, vegetables and healthy doses of essential fatty acids) causing your low levels of CRP.

This study attempted to answer that question.

What they found was that exercise was a significant contributor to low levels of CRP. They looked at sympathetic and parasympathetic tone. The former increases heart rate, respiration, substrate utilization, etc... when you start exercising, while the latter brings these values down, back to resting levels once you stop. Their main finding was a direct relationship between parasympathetic tone and CRP, which means the longer your body takes to get back to resting levels, the higher your levels of CRP. And, conversely, the quicker your body gets back to resting levels, the lower your levels of CRP.

So exercise is good for reducing inflammation in the body. Chalk up another one for the good guys.

Understand this, exercise is good but higher intensity exercise is even better. If you want to work on your body's ability to recover, than do some interval training or other form of high intensity training. It can be cardio, weights, agility drills, anything really, the higher the intensity, the harder your body has to work to recover. Over time, it will recover more quickly and decrease your overall level of inflammation.

So, really, go out and break a sweat today! here in Houston today, that won't be too hard :-)

Dr. Brian


PS. If you need some guidance on your exercise program, sign up for one of our FREE newsletters. If you are a golfer and want to knock 4-5 strokes off your game, get a copy of the Golf Fitness Boot Camp, you can even download it to your computer right now! It will improve your game and the inflammation in your body.

We can do this for you...

A hard-copy workout program, with a daily schedule and other physical activity related material, including instructions, photos, motivational techniques and more has been found to be more effective at increasing and maintaining physical activity levels than phone-based methods.

The results of this study are encouraging on several fronts. First, proper instruction is vitally important. I think, at least intuitively, we all know that a large part of a personal trainer's job is instruction. When it's done properly, everyone wins.

When it includes the social/psychological issues associated with starting or maintaining a physical activity program, it's even more successful. For example, developing strategies to overcome barriers, finding social support, dealing with negative thoughts, etc... are important social and psychological issues that can sabotage the best laid plans.

That is the major reason (at least in my eyes) the study found significant differences in print materials versus the phone. When you get off the phone, without something in your hand, sitting on your desk or the counter at home, it's out of sight, out of mind.

The print materials are different. They are sitting there as a constant reminder of what you intend to do. Sort of like Stephen Covey taking on exercise - that plan is your "7 Habits!"

It's also why I think the internet is a valuable resource in your quest to get better. Wheter you want to lose weight, play better golf, improve your health or simply feel better, the internet can help you do this. There are a number of trainers that will train you over the internet and the beauty of it is that you can live anywhere and use a trainer from anywhere.

Don't like the trainers at your local box-store fitness center? No problem. Get on the internet and find someone you do like. Do your homework. Make sure what they offer is what you want.

One aspect of online training that you should address is interaction. There isn't anything quite like a face-to-face meeting between a trainer and a client. For the most part, this can be alleviated with excellent support materials and access to the trainer. That can come through email, individual phone consultations or seminars via the phone or internet.

Another aspect of this is the ability to deliver materials that help you along the way. For example, are there workbooks or handouts that can help you deal with any psychological and/or social issues you may run into?

When you have satisfactory answers to these questions, you will have found a good source for online training.

In conclusion, we are in the process of developing our online training program. It will come complete with all the support you need, in the form of the Achieve! manual, which is based on social cognitive theory and transtheoretical model. It's a step-by-step guide for getting and staying physically active. Additionally, you get workouts with photos, text descriptions, videos (coming soon), monthly teleseminars and more.

For more information, check out our current online offering, if you are already a member, check out the monthly improvement programs we have.

If you'd like to stay abreast of changes, offerings and the like, sign-up for one of our newsletters.

Personal Training School in Houston

Last week the Fitness Center signed an agreement with the National Personal Training Institute (NPTI). NPTI offers a diploma program in Personal Training. The curriculum is very comprehensive, 500-hours including 300 in the classroom and 200 in the fitness center.

As with the Vortex Equipment, signing this agreement means we are the first in Texas once again. There are no NPTI Schools in Texas, further evidence we are leaders in the fitness field!

Offering a school for personal trainers ensures confidence amongst membership, trust within the community and consistent access to quality personal trainers. Over time this will positively impact the fitness center.

I'm excited as this is a great opportunity for the Fitness Center. It's also a great opportunity for those living in the Houston area wanting to become Personal Trainers.

The next step is to get approval from the State. Once accomplished, we'll be ready to offer our first class.

Go to the NPTI website for more information on the school.

For those of you wanting updates on our first class, we'll do our best to post those on the blog. However, we'll certainly keep subscribers to our newsletter up-to-date. BSFC Monthly is published the first of each month. It's absolutely free and when you sign up, you'll get a couple of bonus gifts, including a free workout and a copy of my nutrition Ebook, Food & You.

Feel free to also post questions here.

Dr. Brian

If finally happened yesterday,

I got to play golf!

It was the first time since July of last year - way too long. If you recall, in July I suffered the painful and uncomfortable neck impingement. Just when I was fully recovered and ready to play again, the Nationwide Tour Championship headed down here to Houston. Since I gave some golf-fitness talks, I was busy preparing and unable to play.

Then soon after that, I bought the fitness center and really haven't had time play.

Until yesterday.

I played with my brother and some of his buddies at Pecan Grove Country Club. It's a nice, mature layout that puts a premium on accuracy - not exactly what you want when coming back from nearly a year off.

The front 9, not so good: five lost balls, 2 wins, 6 pushes (no carryovers) and a loss in Wolf. I was happy with the way I hit the ball, most shots went straight - no draw or fade action. I was just too handsy and pulled everything left. Shorter irons were the worst - I'd hit wedge from 115 and completely miss the green.

Regroup on the back 9.

It was much better: only 1 lost ball (crushed a drive that went through the dogleg and straight into a backyard!), 2 more wins and 7 pushes in Wolf. Overall Wolf results, net loss of $3 - damn!

But back to my game...

I relaxed my hands and that seemed to alleviate the pulls. Shorter irons still needed some help but I had three legitimate birdie putts - even though I didn't make a single one. I was pleased with the back 9 and shooting a 43, all things considered.

I won't tell you what I shot on the front - it was worse than that :-) but going into the round, given my layoff I told myself that I'd be happy with an 85. Double the back and it's 86, so I'm pretty pleased.

Now, it's Monday morning, 8:30am. I'm at the check-in desk, greeting and talking to members, and watching the rain through the window.

As my mind drifts back to yesterday, I'm thinking it sure would be nice to be playing again.

Even in the rain!

Can a daily dose of sunlight prevent cancer?

According to this summary and proponents of vitamin D, yes your risk of cancer (and many other diseases) can be significantly reduced with normal levels of vitamin D.

But what does that have to do with sunlight, you ask?

Good question. After all, cancer institutes, dermatological societies and even sunscreen manufacturers extoll the benefits of sunscreen and limited exposure for skin health. Skin cancer is dangerous and can be fatal. So if sunlight is the main culprit, how can it be helpful?

Our bodies make vitamin D when exposed to the sun. In fact, significant rises can be seen in as little as 15-20 minutes.

But there is a catch...

Get a daily dose without sunscreen...it blocks vitamin D production.

How much exposure? At least 15 minutes and some say up to 1 hr. Any more than that and you will need the sunscreen.

Why do they do this?

"Scientists in Indiana are reporting progress toward development of low glycemic and slowly digestible starch, a form of starch that would be less apt to cause the spike in blood sugar - and perhaps sharp hunger pangs - that many individuals experience after eating bread, baked goods, and other high-carbohydrate foods."

The rest of the summary can be read here.

My only question is why?

I can understand the need for people to consume healthier foods - particularly than those listed in the quote above. But what if we just ate less of that food and more fruits and vegetables, healthier meats and drank more water? What if we just ate grains as they grow in the field?

Look in your pantry. Foods in plastic bags and carboard boxes are loaded with things that used to be good, healthy foods. Take enriched white flour for example. Out in the field, its a perfectly healthy and natural food.

To end up as a cake, bread or other food, it gets processed. The problem with processing is that it removes the good stuff, mainly the fiber, vitamins and minerals. As the end-product food stuff, it's a plain-old, bland, quickly digesting starch.

Now, based on the objectives of these scientists, a new, more slowly digesting starch is being manufactured. And they're making progress. I don't know if I should jump for joy or just ask the question: "What is wrong with this picture?"

If we have a perfectly healthy food, process it and turn it into something that is not good for our digestive system, why do we want to further alter it so that it is better for our digestive system? Before you answer, think about the steps being taken to make the food better.

Is this coming full circle or am I just missing something completely obvious here? Please enlighten me!

Is your testosterone low?

A recent study presented at the Endocrine Society Annual meeting suggested that males over 50 with low testosterone had a 33% greater risk of all-cause mortality than those who had higher levels of testerone. Low testosterone was identified as the lower-limit found in healthy young males.

The study followed 800 men for 18 years on average, a large sample size for a very long period of time. The low testosterone group had the following characteristics:

• higher levels of inflammation markers, which contribute to several forms of cardiovascular disease
• larger waist measurement (greater than 40 inches)
• metabolic syndrome - low HDL cholesterol, high triglycerides, high blood sugars and hypertension.

Over the 18-year period, men in the low-testosterone group had a 33% greater risk from all-cause mortality than the normal / high testosterone group. This is a stout finding given the characteristics of the study, indicating that even if problems exist in methodology the results are likely portable in more controlled studies.

So what does this mean for you? If you are male, over 50 and taking prescription medication for hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes and have a waist over 40 inches, get your testosterone levels checked. If you aren't taking medication for anything listed above but have any of the symptoms below, get them checked too. Preferably by an MD trained in Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy. The synthetic hormones cranked out by big pharma just don't seem to work as well.

Other symptoms of low testosterone include:

• reduced quality of sleep
• easier to lose your temper
• lack of drive
• reduced sex drive
• significant decrease in muscle mass
• significant increase in body fat

The symptoms above can happen from time-to-time but persistent appearances indicate something beyond the natural aging process.

If you notice these symptoms, the best thing you can do is, again, have your testosterone levels checked, start an exercise program and modify your diet.

Article Updates

Here are some links to a few golf-fitness articles I found while doing some reading. Hope you enjoy.

Brian

7 Fitness tips to optimize golf performance

The Golf-gym workout

For you guys with bad thoughts in your head: a day in the life: Natalie Gulbis

Answering this research question

Reading this summary, I felt an urge to blurt out: "No blank, Sherlock!"

A recent study published in JAMA, a leading pillar of medical research dissemination, compared low GI diets with low-fat diets on insulin secretion in high insulin secreters.

On the surface, this appears to be a legitimate research question. Insulin is related to glucose metabolism and given the current state of obesity and type II diabetes in America, this might be something we should know.

However, most people in the medical fields should intuitively know this. The glycemic index of any food indicates the level it raises blood sugar when consumed. The higher the glycemic index, the higher the blood sugar response. For example, twinkies rate rather high on the glycemic index. Consume two or three of them and your blood sugar will spike.

At least for a while. In response, your body will release (secrete) insulin to bring it back down to normal.

If you are a high insulin secreter, you're either type II diabetic, pre-diabetic or have a non-lifestyle related condition effecting your ability to metabolize blood sugar. You have to secrete more because the insulin you do release is becoming more and more insensitive to blood sugar. When this starts happening, the amount you secrete increases just to get your blood sugar back to normal. Over time your ability to regulate blood sugar becomes difficult and you become type II diabetic. For more info, go here.

But back to the study...

All markers of cardiovascular health were improved following low GI diet when compared to a low-fat diet. Again, this makes perfect sense. You're not obese or diabetic because you eat a low-fat diet of whole, natural foods. You're obese or diabetic (even if you eat a low-fat diet) because you are consuming overly-processed foods - cardboard boxes and plastics bags. The fat they contain is not healthy (trans fat) and to increase palatability (here) and shelf-life, sugars and preservatives are added.

The end result is a low-fat food that has a high GI, which increases insulin secretion when consumed. And the cycle continues...

I'll conclude by saying that as a former academic, I'm well aware the importance peer-reviewed publications play in the tenure process. So in some ways, I understand why this paper was published. Without knowing all the details, I can only hope this paper was part of a larger study with these data points already collected, making the question easy to answer.

Until next time...

Finally back to posting!

It's good to be back!

I know, it's been a while but I have a good excuse - I bought a fitness center.

Unfortunately, that kept me from finishing my journey. But in case you were wondering, I've fully recovered and have no ill effects! Now, if I could just find the time to get out on the course.

I'm still deciding on how to best utilize my blog. There certainly will be fitness center updates, videos of workouts and camps and more. You can subscribe to the feed for updates - just use the Atom Syndication below and to your right. Alternatively, you can sign up for Brian's Report, my golf-fitness newsetter.

One idea I've been thinking about are health related posts. I subscribe to several medical news alert services. Nearly everyday I see a headline that makes me scratch my head or simply say "Duh!" I'm thinking about publishing these to the blog 3-4 times per week. Hopefully it will be entertaining and educational for you.

What do you think?

Any ideas?

The fallacy of "fat-burning" zones and low-intensity exercise

Press Release 1: Walking not enough for significant exercise benefits.
Press Release 2: "No time to exercise" is no excuse, study shows.

By most publications, walking is the most popular form of physical activity. And why not? It's easy to incorporate walking into your daily routine. You can make a concerted effort to take the stairs rather than the elevator, walk down the hall to speak with a colleague rather than emailing or phoning them, or even take a quick 10 minute walk on your lunch hour.

For the longest time, many health-related organizations trumpeted the healthy effects of walking on cardiovascular disease, chronic disease, mental disorders and weight control. In fact, Shape Up America has dedicated a large part of their mission to their 10,000 steps a day program. The main message of this program (and others like it) is to accumulate 10,000 steps (about 5 miles) each day and your health will improve.

But are we missing something?

"Generally, low-intensity activity such as walking alone is not likely to give anybody marked health benefits compared to programs that occassionally elevate the intensity," says Dr. Vicki Harber, lead author of the study in the first press release.

Their study compared traditional exercise (using treadmills and stationary cycles) at a moderate-intensity with the 10,000 steps a day program, where subjects accumulated 10,000 steps per day.

The most significant finding was that fitness levels in the traditional exercise group improved at a rate 2.5 times that of the 10,000 steps per day group.

A separate study confirms these findings.

One group followed an interval training protocol while the other performed continuous, moderate-intensity stationary cycling. Over the study period, the interval training group trained for a total of 2.5 hours while the cycling group trained for 10.5 hours.

The results?

No significant differences in health or fitness markers between the groups.

"The most striking finding from our study was the remarkably similar adaptations induced by two such diverse training strategies," says Martin Gibala, associate professor of kinesiology at McMaster University.

My thoughts
People in the service side (personal trainers, coaches, instructors, etc...) of the fitness industry have known for a long time that harder exercise provides better results. Those doing research on physical activity and health (I used to be one of them) realize this too. However, those doing research also understand that a continuum between the benefits of exercise and the intensity of exercise exists.

So much of the American population is completely inactive that getting up and following the 10,000 steps per day program will provide health benefits, which explains the major campaigns. But it's important to realize too, that once you leave the "couch potato" behind, increasing the intensity of exercise will do more (and in a shorter period of time) than simply walking. So the continuum is getting people off the couch to doing something and then getting them to do more.

All of this leads us to walking and "burning calories." Earlier I mentioned a few of the reasons why walking is the most popular form of exericse. I intentionally did not mention fat loss (although I mentioned weight control, which is a completely different issue). You can readily verify the tie-in between walking and fat-burning zones by reading magazine headings, talking with any un-informed trainer or reading the "charts" in the fitness center or on the treadmill.

What do the headlines, trainers or chart say (or show)?

That fat-burning zones are of lower intensity than "cardio-training" zones. This may be true for "in-the-moment" metabolism, but completely off the mark in every other regard. Higher intensity exercise burns more calories, can be done in a shorter period of time and provides better health benefits than "fat-burning" zone exercise.

There is a ton of research to suppor this claim but the health conditions that receive the most benefit from higher intensity exercise are cardiovascular diseases. These include hypertension, type II diabetes, high cholesterol, metabolic syndrome and obesity.

Your take home message
Don't give up on walking!

Instead, replace some of your walking with higher-intensity exercise. Make your body huff-and-puff a little. You'll be better off in the long run.

Isn't it better to get the same (or better) results in a shorter period of time?

Of course it is. That's why working out harder is better than the alternative.