Running stark naked into the ocean in winter might seem loopy. But a new Scandinavian study (where else?) found that cold-water immersion followed by hot sauna recovery can give you an advantage when it comes to losing weight.
In the study, researchers monitored the vitals of a group of young men who had spent at least two years swimming twice a week in cold water and compared them with a non-swimming control group.
They found those who regularly swam then sat in a sauna burned more calories via brown fat (the type that keeps you warm). In short: Cold-water immersion followed by hot sauna bouts can increase energy expenditure and promote weight loss.
If you’re thinking of taking the polar bear plunge this year, consider these tips:
Get naked: Less is more when it comes to clothing. It may keep you toasty on land, but as soon as garments become wet, they cling to skin, making water feel even colder.
Plug your ears: If you’re prone to “ice cream headaches,” use earplugs to keep freezing water from entering your ear canal.
Skip the shot of whiskey: Booze lowers your body temperature, making cold water tougher to handle.
Practice: Sit in ice baths or take a cold shower for 2-3 minutes in the weeks leading up to the plunge.
See your doc: If you have heart issues, check with your physician first, as cold water can cause a spike in heart rate and blood pressure.
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!
You know the feeling; it’s 3:30PM at work and still a couple of hours to go, but the urge to get to the vending machine and pick up a sweet treat is palpable. So why is it that we have such intense foodcravings? And more importantly, how can you take control before you demolish an entire days’ worth of calories in a matter of minutes?
Food cravings can be caused by programming, nutritional inadequacy, fluctuating blood glucose levels or even boredom. One of the biggest issues in attempting to managing a craving is that feeding thecravingwith more of the same stimulus, for example more sweet or salty food, will likely only result in greater desire for more and more of the food you are craving — think of the times you were able to polish off an entire bag of flavoured chips or an entire tub of ice-cream irrespective of hunger. On the other hand, seeking out a smart nutrient combo can get you back in charge of yourappetitein no time.
The combination of protein-rich peanut butter with the natural sweetness of banana on top of crackers, corn cakes or toast is not only delicious, but a nutritional mix that will satisfy your desire for sweetness with the added satisfaction of a little protein and good fat. You’ll be left feeling full and satisfied for several hours, while your blood glucose levels will remain controlled for at least 2-3 hours after.
Ricotta and honey
Not always thought of as a way to combine sweetness with protein, a drizzle of honey enjoyed with a hearty serve of calcium-rich ricotta on a slice of sourdough, rye crackers or some chopped fresh fruit is a calorie controlled, yet sweet and tasty food combo.
It is so easy to overeat crunchy savoury snacks, like flavoured rice crackers, chips and crunchy cheese snacks, which is why portion control is key when it comes to taking charge of your cravings for salty snacks. Try a combo of yellow cheese or thin spreads of white cheese like goats’ cheese or feta teamed with salad veggies like tomato or cucumber on your favourite crisp bread. Here you will have created a delicious, indulgent snack with all the richness of flavoured packet snacks for a fraction of the fat and calories.
Your own trail mix
If you prefer your snacks to be voluminous and a mix of different foods that can be enjoyed over a couple of hours, it is exceptionally easy to make your own healthy trail mix. All you need to do is combine some chopped veggies, with popcorn, some roasted legumes such as edamame and a handful of nuts and seeds for a perfect mix of protein, carbs and good fat. You can even throw in some dark choc bits or choc-coated fruit to add a little sweetness to the mix.
When you have a desire for rich, intense flavours and are trying to steer clear of the high fat, high sugar ice-creams and cakes, the growing range of Greek and protein yoghurts can be your best friend.
Like ice-cream, when frozen you can mix your favourite crunchy additions like choc bits, seeds, nuts or fruit for a delicious yet nutritious snack.
Frozen banana
It is so simple we rarely think of it, but if you have not enjoyed a frozen banana, you are missing out. Rich and creamy like ice-cream, you can even try dipping your banana in a little dark chocolate and nuts for a delicious filling snack and one with a fraction of the fat and calories of other frozen desserts.
AuthorSusie Burrellis a leading Australian dietitian and nutritionist, founder ofShape Me, co-host ofThe Nutrition Couchpodcastand prominent media spokesperson, with regular appearances in both print and television media commenting on all areas of diet, weight loss and nutrition.
You may notice that at certain times of the day, you’ll feel especially drowsy, whereas at other hours, you’re more awake than you’ve ever been.
There is such thing asthe 3pm slump, but the stark difference in alertness as day flows into night and day again can appear to occur with no rhyme or reason, which is somewhat true — alertness, productivity andsleeppatterns are unpredictable for a collective, but individually, it is something you can anticipate and cater for.
The trick is to know yourchronotype, and once you do, you can hack your sleep schedule to maintain your energy levels to be optimal.
A chronotype is the physical, mental and behavioural manifestation of the sleep circadian rhythm, which is a natural process that responds primarily to light and dark, and runs on a 24-hour cycle.
Your chronotype is what dictates your propensity to sleep at certain times during the 24-hour cycle, and there are four different chronotypes.
One such type is The Dolphin, named for the aquatic mammal due to the fact that they rest in a unihemispheric sleep, meaning one side of their brain is completely awake to allow the other side to sleep, and then they switch.
If you notice that you’re sleeping sporadically and anxiously, you may be this chronotype. Usually, The Dolphin — the rarest chronotype — is always feeling an underlying tiredness after they wake generally around 6:30am, but have bursts of energy throughout the day. Optimal focus time for this chronotype is from 3pm to 9pm.
Quite the opposite is The Lion, who, while they too awaken early — usually 5.30am — they have a lot of energy at the beginning of the day, which peaks at noon. By the time night comes, it’s lost, and consequently, their prime focus time is from 8am to 12pm.
12 common reasons you can’t sleep (and how to fix them)
Like the fluffy yet ferocious woodland creature, The Bear — the most common chronotype — is someone who follows the sun. Usually waking at 7am, they will be someone who is especially groggy if they don’t rest for a full eight hours, and thrive in the regular nine to five office hours, as they’re most productive between 10am to 2pm.
Lastly, we have The Wolf, though you may be more familiar with its colloquialism, the night owl. These are the troopers who love to hit snooze, and burn up the midnight oil. Mentally, they’re asleep until noon, but at night time, their energy levels thrive.
Chronotypes are linked to circadian rhythms, so there are biological elements at play when it comes to what determining what category you fit into. Nevertheless, according to sleep expert and founder ofWowbedsGary Ginsberg, there are natural ways to boost your energy levels and hack your productivity in conjunction with your chronotype, so you can minimise the drawbacks of low energy levels.
Get the necessary amount of kip for you
Understanding your chronotype allows you to also facilitate an optimal sleep schedule, a necessity for getting an actually refreshing chunk of rest.
The Wolf knows that their optimal hours of productivity skew towards the evening, and if they have the flexibility at work, it may be prudent for them to sleep instead from 1am to 10am, and work through their optimal productivity hours.
A key element to securing a good night’s sleep, according to Ginsberg, is ensuring you have the right equipment to assist you.
“Whatever kind of ‘mammal’ you are, the principles are the same when choosing the right mattress for a good night’s sleep,” Ginsberg tells 9Coach, pointing to theDuomattress.
“Your spine needs to be as straight as possible in a neutral position with no pressure being exerted on the pressure points of your body,” he continues.
“What you should be looking for is a spring system that provides sufficient support with comfort layers that ‘take the edge off.’ Pocket springs (the more the better) along with a combination of memory foam and comfort foams will do the best job.
“Make sure you sleep cool by looking for a well-ventilated mattress that will ensure an undisturbed sleep. The end result will be a comfortable mattress that is not too hard or too soft, but rather perfectly supportive for a sound sleep.”
When paired with a regular sleep schedule, light therapy works wonders both on your standard of sleep and energy levels. A practical way to add an extra dose of Vitamin D is to take a morning walk, or a stroll on your lunch break.
Change up your diet
Planning your meals to align with your chronotype’s best time to sleep will see your energy levels naturally adjust in conjunction — meaning your meal time can help put you to sleep and keep you awake on schedule, and get you a quality rest.
Pushing their limits, students in a 7 a.m. Cycle and Shred class spin their hearts out. The class instructor, first-year Brooke Carter created a cycle circuit for the first 20 minutes of the class and an off-the-bike workout for the rest of the time. Photos by Mary Caulfield
Campus Recreation aimed to raise awareness of these group fitness classes by giving 15 to 20 minute classes at Mullin Town Square on Feb. 17. Beyond tabling, instructors and students in classes gave insight into what Group Fitness Classes are.
“I feel like it’s a great opportunity to meet new people, get to work out and start your day productively,” first-year instructor Brooke Carter said. “I feel like not enough people take advantage of what we have, especially because they’re free.”
First-year Hailey Emmons said since fall 2021, Campus Recreation has changed its schedule, staff and fee for more student-friendly classes. The $75 cost is now a free-of-charge membership.
“I was hoping more people would come,” Emmons said. “It’s really fun doing it with a lot of people and not just suffering by yourself.”
Now that more instructors and classes are available, Emmons said students can exercise in many different ways to fit however their mind and body are feeling.
“If I’m sore, I want a yoga class, and Summer Xia is good with her yoga class, Yin Yang Yoga,” Emmons said. “[In spin class] Mikayla de la Flore does a dance thing [with] more arms and lifting off. Then, circuit [training is] really fun because you get to do a whole lot of different things and you’re just working against yourself.”
When first-year Gabby Johnson’s alarm goes off at 5:30 a.m. for her to get to a spin class by 6 a.m., she said her first instinct is to text her roommate. Johnson said having accountability helps her get up in the morning and stay consistent. But, accountability doesn’t stop when arriving at classes.
“I love working out with other people — like a little community that keeps you accountable and makes me want to work harder,” Johnson said.
First-year Daniela Sandoval said she is just starting to explore the different classes and has loved making the time to be active and finding a positive mindset.
“For me, I don’t work out at all, so it’s just making the time to come here,” Sandoval said. “Also, finding a balance and being OK with not being able to weigh as much as other people because you’re just getting started. It’s just motivational and inspiring to take time out of your days and try to be active.”
First-year Melia Wade said exercising for the first time can be an intimidating experience, especially if you’re not a “gym person.” Wade said she has found the classes help her as she begins her exercise journey.
“[The classes] help me stay active, make me manage my time better and keep me accountable,” Wade said. “I’m not really a gym person. I respect and commend those who are, but I’m just not. So, I think a class is more structured, and I need that.”
Students new to the class aren’t the only ones nervous in their first experiences at group classes — Carter said she laughs when looking back at her first time instructing a 5:30 a.m. spin class over Zoom.
“Everything went completely opposite the way I wanted it to go,” Carter said. “I would forget to call out what exercise was next and forget to turn up the music. But now, looking back, I always joke about my first class.”
Emmons, Johnson, Sandoval, Wade and Carter all said their advice for students on the verge of going to a class is: Just try it.
“Just showing up is half the battle, so definitely just try it, and if you don’t like it, at least you can say you tried it, and if it’s just not for you, then find something else,” Wade said.
Kevin Muscat’s Yokohama F. Marinos will be among Sydney FC’s AFC Champions League opponents after the Sky Blues’ playoff success.
Kevin Muscat’s Yokohama F. Marinos await Sydney FC after the Sky Blues thrashed Filipino outfit Kaya FC 5-0 to reach the group stage of the AFC Champions League.
In wet and windy conditions that at one stage led to doubt whether the playoff would go ahead at Netsrata Jubilee Stadium, the Sky Blues were rarely threatened by the underdone visitors, whose domestic campaign is yet to start.
Second-half braces from Bobo and substitute Adam Le Fondre, and a first-half goal from Trent Buhagiar secured the Sydneysiders qualification in Group H of the Champions League.
Sydney’s group matches will take place during a two-week period next month in Vietnam, where they will meet Japan’s Marinos, who are coached by former Melbourne Victory mentor Muscat, South Korean outfit Jeonbuk Hyundai and Vietnamese side Hoang Anh Gia Lai.
The Sky Blues dominated early but it took them until the half-hour mark to grab the lead.
Buhagiar, who had earlier hit the crossbar, was the scorer following an impressive build-up involving right back Connor O’Toole and New Zealand international attacker Kosta Barbarouses.
A hesitant Bobo then wasted an opportunity on the stroke of half-time to double Sydney’s lead.
However, the Brazilian veteran made amends in the first five minutes of the second half which all but ended the match.
His first was a simple tap-in after Kaya goalkeeper Zach Banzon – who kept his side in the match in the first half – had parried a Max Burgess shot into the South American’s path.
Bobo’s second and Sydney’s third came from the penalty spot after a foul from Fitch Arboleda on Sky Blues right back Rhyan Grant.
English marksman Le Fondre then came off the bench to provide the icing on the cake with goals in the 71st and 81st minutes.
Comments Off on Muscat’s Marinos await Sydney FC SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 08: Adam Le Fondre of Sydney FC celebrates scoring a goal during the AFC Champions League match between Sydney FC and Kaya FC-Iloilo at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium on March 08, 2022 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
When spring hits, we reacquaint ourselves with old friends like IPAs, pale ales, wheat beers, pilsners, and lagers. But there’s one type that’s more synonymous with spring than the rest: bock beers.
This traditional German beer is a malty, bottom-fermented style originally brewed by monks in the winter, bottled aged, then imbibed in spring while they fasted for lent.
Nowadays most people don’t drink beer in place of food (and many bock beers are brewed throughout the year), but it remains a springtime favorite with many brands releasing seasonal bocks in February and March.
You might be wondering why your favorite bock beer is adorned with a picture of a goat. Well, that’s because of dialectical error hundreds of years ago. As long ago as the 1400s, bock beer was brewed in the Northern German city of Einbeck. This malty, sweet beer started gaining popularity and eventually made its way south to Munich. This is where the confusion began. For some reason, the name “einbeck” was pronounced as “einbock.” For those who never studied German, “ein bock” translates to “Billy goat.”
While you likely see the term “bock” and nothing else on bottles and cans of beer at your local beer distributor, there are actually a few different iterations including maibock, doppelbock, weizenbock, and eisbock.
Below, you’ll find 10 of our favorite bock beers to drink in the early spring. The list includes both American and German beers.
1. Weihenstephaner Korbinian
Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan is the oldest brewery in the world with its history traced back to 1040. The brewery named this award-winning doppelbock in honor of Saint Korbinian, the founder of Weihenstephan monastery. It’s known for its bold, rich flavors of figs, toffee, chocolate, and a gentle nutty sweetness that will warm you until the ground finally thaws.
London-based fitness chain Virgin Active is expanding from a gym company to a wholesale “combined fitness and nutrition” operation. To do so, the company has made two major moves: a capital raise and an acquisition.
The capital raise totaling $118 million included retail billionaire Christo Wiese — who contributed $65.6 million to the effort — as well as the owners of Real Foods Group, who gave $23.8 million.
Virgin Active also acquired the “nutrition assets” of Real Foods for $35.1 million.
The brands acquired include Kauai and NU restaurants.
Real Foods Group CEO, Dean Kowarski will also assume the role as Virgin Active’s CEO.
The acquisition isn’t final, however, and still has to meet regulators’ approval.
Post-Pandemic Rebound
Virgin Active, which is owned by Virgin Group Ltd and the private equity firm Brait SE, is bouncing back after major financial problems during the pandemic.
The company saw many gyms close in South Africa and the U.K., all while rent costs piled up. It went through a restructure in May 2021 following the losses.
Now, Virgin Active hopes to use pandemic-induced changes to consumer habits as a selling point. “The pandemic has accelerated people’s appetite to lead a healthier lifestyle,” the company said in a statement.
Australian long-distance runner Jack Rayner has obliterated the national men’s 10,000m record, registering a blistering time in California.
Australian long-distance runner Jack Rayner has obliterated the national men’s 10,000m record, registering a time of 27:15.35 in California on Monday AEDT.
The 26-year-old bettered the previous record time of 27:22.55, set by Patrick Tiernan in December 2020, by more than seven seconds at Sound Running’s “The Ten” meet in San Juan Capistrano.
Rayner improved his personal best by 44 seconds and set a new Oceania 10,000m record — it was also enough for the Victorian to meet the standard for the World Athletics Championships and Commonwealth Games.
Rayner finished third while Tiernan placed 14th; American Grant Fisher won the race with a stunning time of 26:33.84.
“I knew I hadn’t run anywhere near what I should be running on the track until today, so I’m super stoked to get something good on the board,” Rayner said.
“For years I feel like I was thrown to the marathon because I wasn’t quite good enough on the track, but now I’m stronger and know that I can do it.
“I don’t think I would call myself a marathon runner. I’ve done one good marathon where I hit the Olympic standard of 2:11, but that’s not very good anymore. It’s still a good time but I think I’m better than that, I haven’t run the right race or put in the proper training – that’s definitely something I will do in the future.”
Earlier this year, Rayner won his first national 10,000m title at the Zatopek Classic in Melbourne.
At last year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo, he failed to finish the marathon event after a femoral stress fracture.
“Coming off Tokyo was pretty dismal,” Rayner said.
“I was not conditioned for running at all so I had that motivation coming off an Olympics where I didn’t finish, I wanted to get back into training and find some form again.”
Rayner is expected to compete at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, but will next race in Sydney Track Classic’s 3000m event on Saturday.
Comments Off on Aussie Olympian Jack Rayner obliterates national men’s 10,000m record CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 27: Jack Rayner of Victoria finishes second in the Mens Open 10km Run during the Australian World Cross Country Trials at Stromlo Forest Park on January 27, 2019 in Canberra, Australia. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
You might have heard that strengthening exercises most benefit your muscular and skeletal health, but they could have two other big perks: helping you prevent disease and live longer.
Now we may know how much time to spend on those exercises, according tonew researchpublished Monday in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Compared with people who didn’t do muscle-strengthening activities, those who did 30 to 60 minutes of resistance, strength orweight trainingweekly had a 10 per cent to 20 per cent lower risk of early death from all causes, and of getting heart disease, diabetes or cancer at all, the research authors found. These types of exercises are designed to improve muscular fitness by exercising muscles against external resistance, according to theAmerican College of Sports Medicine.
Combining 30 to 60 minutes of strengthening exercises with any amount of aerobic activity enhanced the benefit, resulting in a 40 per cent lower risk of premature death, a 46 per cent lower incidence of heart disease and a 28 per cent lower chance of dying from cancer. The research is also the first to examine long-term links between muscle-strengthening activities and diabetes risk, the authors said.
“Many previous studies showed a favourable influence of muscle-strengthening exercises on non-communicable diseases and early death risk,” said the study’s first author Haruki Momma, a lecturer in the department of medicine and science in sports and exercise at Tohoku University in Japan, via email. “We could expect our findings to some extent because this study was planned to integrate previous findings.”
The new research is an analysis of 16 prior studies, which amounted to a pool of data from nearly 480,000 study participants. They were between 18 and 98 years old, and most were based in the United States. Participants either self-reported their engagement in muscle-strengthening activities or answered questions during interviews.
“The study methods are sound and the findings are important, but not surprising to me,” said Dr. William Roberts, a professor in the department of family medicine and community health at the University of Minnesota, via email. He wasn’t involved in the study. Thirty to “60 minutes per week sticks out as a doable amount for most people and makes me feel good about the 5 to 15 minutes of strength exercises I do every morning.”
The findings are “great news for people who are active and greater news for those who are inactive as they can improve their health with a small time investment,” added Roberts, who is a past president and current fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine. “That said, people should start slow and build slowly to avoid the pain of too much activity too soon.”
Important note:If you experience pain while exercising, stop immediately. Check with your doctor before beginning any new exercise program.
The new research didn’t explore why strength training is so effective in lowering risk of early death and certain diseases. But this type of exercise is important for reducing body fat and building lean muscle, which can help with balance, posture and regulating cholesterol levels, said Dr. Nieca Goldberg, the medical director of Atria New York City and clinical associate professor of medicine at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine. Goldberg wasn’t involved in the study.
“We know that individuals with obesity are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease, glucose intolerance and some cancers, so improving that (health) profile is beneficial,” Goldberg said. Additionally, “people who participate in regular activity … may also have a healthier outlook and have other healthy lifestyles.”
The stronger benefit from mixing aerobics with strengthening exercises could be because the two “appear to work together and help each other move toward better outcomes,” Roberts said. “A balanced program of strength and aerobic activity is probably best and probably more closely mimics the activities of our ancestors, which helped determine our current gene sets.”
Aerobic exercises include walking, dancing, running or jogging, cycling, and swimming, Goldberg said.Weight-training exercisesyou can do for 30 to 60 minutes include deadlifts, overheard dumbbell presses and dumbbell lateral raises, which involves using your back and shoulder muscles to lift light dumbbells so that your arms and body form a T shape.
Most participants didn’t benefit from doing the strengthening exercises for longer than one hour, but the research didn’t examine why that was the case.
However, results of previous studies have varied, Roberts said: Some have shown improved health at higher activity levels.
“This is pool data, meaning it’s several studies put together. So when you do one study with a lot of people, you could measure for other variables that could potentially cause (the worse outcome beyond 60 minutes),” Goldberg said. “We can’t explain it based on this study. More studies will need to be done.”
The finding concerning lower diabetes risk could be explained by muscle-strengthening activities increasing or preserving skeletal muscle mass, which has a major role inregulating blood sugarlevels, the authors said.
Overall, the main takeaway is to get active and stay active with an exercise program you like and can stick with, Roberts and Goldberg said.
“You do not need to train for the marathon to be healthy and improve your health,” Roberts added via email. “A combination of 5-10 minutes of strength exercise and 30 minutes of walking most days of the week will produce great health benefits across the population.”
Good nutrition is not just about diets and weight control. Rather, eating well is about getting all of the key nutrients to support your body in functioning at its best. Busy lives can mean that our nutrition can take a back seat, with us reaching for quick and easy options that can be more processed and lower in nutrients than whole, fresh foods.
The good news is that it is also easy to supercharge your nutrition with a few simple swaps that boost your intake of fibre, iron and Omega-3s along with plenty of vitamins and minerals.
AuthorSusie Burrellis a leading Australian dietitian and nutritionist, founder ofShape Me, co-host ofThe Nutrition Couchpodcastand prominent media spokesperson, with regular appearances in both print and television media commenting on all areas of diet, weight loss and nutrition.