What Is Muscle Atrophy and How Can You Prevent It?

What Is Muscle Atrophy and How Can You Prevent It?
Strength training isn't a sometimes type of thing; rather, it's an integrated part of life. Failing to lift on a consistent basis can lead to muscle deterioration, which is also referred to as "atrophy."   read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Upper Table Rock Run and a Delt/Bi/Tri Workout
After taking care of business earlier in the day, I headed out into the heat of the afternoon sun for a run on Upper Table Rock.  Later, in the evening, I did a delt/bi/tri workout......I started with a triset of DB shoulder presses, DB curls and cable pressdowns, and followed that with a suspension trainer triset of rear delt flyes, overhead tricep extensions and bicep curls.

~Feelin' Alive!~

The One Exercise That Just Might Change Your Running Forever

The One Exercise That Just Might Change Your Running Forever
What if all it took to improve your running immeasurably was a few minutes marching in place?
In a 2011 New York Times Magazine feature, Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Super Athletes and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen experimented with just that.
"I was leafing through the back of an out-of-print book, a collection of runners' biographies called 'The Five Kings of Distance,' when I came across a three-page essay from 1908 titled 'W. G. George's Own Account From the 100-Up Exercise,'" he writes. "According to legend, this single drill turned a 16 year old with almost no running experience into the foremost racer of his day."  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Back Workout and Heavy Bag
I tried to take advantage of my free time again today and managed to do a workout of weighted chinups, DB rows, bodyweight pullups, and hanging scapular depression/retraction.  Later I spent 30 mins on the heavy bag.

~Feelin' Alive!~

How to avoid weight gain as you age

How to avoid weight gain as you age
Chances are you've heard people say that their metabolism slowed down and fat started to accumulate after they turned 40. The clear inference here being that this is just part of aging, something we can't avoid, something that is inevitable and as predictable as the sun rising each day.
This simply is not true.
There is no biological reason for adults to get fatter as they grow older. Increases in body fat are more a function of activity and lean muscle mass than age.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Lower Table Rock Run and a Chest Workout
I took advantage of every bit of free time today and had a fantastically active day.  I started with a good run on Lower Table Rock, then I finally got the lawn mowed (long overdue) and finished with a workout of BB bench presses and DB flyes......as an afterthought, I threw in a few sets of pushups.

~Feelin' Alive!~

The Paradox of Obesity and Produce

The Paradox of Obesity and Produce
People have been eating more fruits and vegetables as the obesity epidemic has worsened. They've been eating more of everything else, too.  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Upper Table Rock Run
I got my day off to a fantastic start with an Upper Table Rock run.  Unfortunately, things kind of went downhill after that.......half way home, I got a flat tire, and that set me back quite a bit for the day.  So, once again, life conspired against me getting to some heavy lifting again......but there's always tomorrow!

~Feelin' Alive!~

Yogurts With More Sugar Than A Twinkie

Yogurts With More Sugar Than A Twinkie
We all like to think of yogurt as a healthy breakfast, but as it turns out, many of the most popular yogurt brands have more sugar than a junk food you'd never consider eating.
The American Heart Association recommends that men eat no more than 36 grams of sugar per day, and women no more than 20. One Twinkie makes a big dent in that recommended daily max, packing 19 grams of the sweet stuff, Time reported. Many of the top-selling yogurts have even more.  read more

   

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Lower Table Rock Run
After morning sessions, I made time for a good run on Lower Table Rock before it got too hot.  I had intended on doing some heavy lifting later in the evening, but life conspired against me and I never got to it.

~Feelin' Alive!~

TOPFIT Daily Activities Review

It was another much needed week of reduced volume and intensity, but I still made time for:

3 trail runs/hikes
3 heavy bag workouts
1 leg workout

What did you do this past week to maintain or improve your health and fitness?

~No Challenge, No Change~

Six Habits That Could Prevent You From Losing Weight

Six Habits That Could Prevent You From Losing Weight
It happens with age. Each decade a few more pounds are gained around the midline and although you’re exercising and feel like you’re eating healthy, the pounds keep adding up. But in many circumstances, the things you are doing on a consistent basis could be hindering your best efforts.

• Do you watch the late night talk shows and then get up early for a morning run?
• Are you trying to listen to your body and feel hunger pangs before you eat?
• Are your eyes bigger than your stomach?

Here are six habits that might be keeping you fat!  read more

TOPFIT Daily Activities --- Leg Workout and Heavy Bag
It was a bit of a lazy day, but I still made time for a light leg workout of BB squats followed by circuits of plyometric alternating lunges, SB leg curls and calf raises.  A little later I spent 30 mins on the heavy bag.

~Feelin' Alive!~