Students and therapists often ask us about where to go to get current research. There are of course the old favourites of PubMed and ScienceDirect. What many people don't realise is that there are a plethora of highly respected peer reviewed journals whose content is available for free on the web. These are known as 'open access journals'. As there are literally thousands of such journals available searching for them can be daunting. The good news is that there are two very good directories that list these journals and provide links to their respective websites.
The first is the Directory of Open Access Journals. This gives a comprehensive list of all scientific and scholarly open access journals available.
The second is BioMed Central. The list here is more focused on science, technology and medicine.
Both have very good search facilities that allow you to search through their entire catalogue of journals looking for relevant articles. Have a look around and enjoy the wealth of knowledge to be found for free on the internet.
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Tuesday 29 March 2011
Typical Calories Used in Exercise
Ever wondered how many calories are used up in exercise? Here's a brief guide that you and your patients may find useful:
Typical number of calories used
Running (calories per hour at 8-minute mile pace) 913
Swimming (calories per hour for continuous laps) 730
Uphill walking at a 10% gradient (calories per hour ) 694
Rowing (calories per hour at a moderate pace) 611
Cycling (calories per hour at 12-14mph pace ) 584
Jogging (calories per hour at 12-minute mile pace) 511
Walking (calories per hour at 15-minute mile pace) 365
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Typical number of calories used
Running (calories per hour at 8-minute mile pace) 913
Swimming (calories per hour for continuous laps) 730
Uphill walking at a 10% gradient (calories per hour ) 694
Rowing (calories per hour at a moderate pace) 611
Cycling (calories per hour at 12-14mph pace ) 584
Jogging (calories per hour at 12-minute mile pace) 511
Walking (calories per hour at 15-minute mile pace) 365
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Monday 28 March 2011
Fat Burning Exercise Tips to Help Your Patients
As we all know, one of the not-so-secret secrets of effective weight management is to exercise regularly. To that end, here are some exercise tips to help your patients burn off some of that excess fat. Of course, your patient must always check with their doctor that it is safe for them to take up more exercise.
Be intense with your exercise
Don’t be fooled by the so-called fat-burning zone. This is the misguided notion that working at a lower intensity is better for fat burning than working at a higher effort level (say, for example, walking instead of running.) The harder you exercise, the more calories you will burn and it is this that really counts when it comes to losing fat.
Don’t be fooled by the so-called fat-burning zone. This is the misguided notion that working at a lower intensity is better for fat burning than working at a higher effort level (say, for example, walking instead of running.) The harder you exercise, the more calories you will burn and it is this that really counts when it comes to losing fat.
Choose your exercise carefully
There is no such thing as the ‘ultimate’ calorie-torching activity. Energy burned is dependent not just on the activity itself, but on how much effort you put in, how skilled you are at it, how long you do it for, and how often. So choose something that you are going to do regularly and consistently. That means an activity that you actually enjoy (unless you want your workouts to involve untold misery and boredom!) and one that is practical and accessible.
Exercising larger muscles
Serious fat-burning activity uses the large muscle groups of the body – the thighs and bottom, chest and back. The greater the overall recruitment of muscle, the higher the calorie expenditure. So in the gym, you are much better off using, say, the rower than one of those arm-cranking machines.
Serious fat-burning activity uses the large muscle groups of the body – the thighs and bottom, chest and back. The greater the overall recruitment of muscle, the higher the calorie expenditure. So in the gym, you are much better off using, say, the rower than one of those arm-cranking machines.
Sustainable exercise development
To fire up the calorie furnace, fat-burning activity has to be sustainable for a reasonable period. So while skipping is great exercise, it’s not much use if you can only do it for three minutes. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 20-60 minutes per session, three to five times per week. It doesn’t have to be continuous effort, however …
To fire up the calorie furnace, fat-burning activity has to be sustainable for a reasonable period. So while skipping is great exercise, it’s not much use if you can only do it for three minutes. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 20-60 minutes per session, three to five times per week. It doesn’t have to be continuous effort, however …
Interval training
Interval training, in which you mix hard efforts with bouts of recovery, is one of the best ways of maximising calorie expenditure, improving aerobic fitness and making use of limited time. To get the most out of an interval session, ensure that you work outside the comfort zone on the efforts and ease right off during the recoveries. Try a 2:2 rest/work ratio to start with.
Interval training, in which you mix hard efforts with bouts of recovery, is one of the best ways of maximising calorie expenditure, improving aerobic fitness and making use of limited time. To get the most out of an interval session, ensure that you work outside the comfort zone on the efforts and ease right off during the recoveries. Try a 2:2 rest/work ratio to start with.
Carry the exercise load
Activities that are weight bearing, such as walking and running, use more calories than those in which your weight is supported (such as swimming or cycling), simply because you have to shift your own body weight against gravity.
Activities that are weight bearing, such as walking and running, use more calories than those in which your weight is supported (such as swimming or cycling), simply because you have to shift your own body weight against gravity.
Running on empty?
You may have heard that exercising on an empty stomach in the morning burns more fat. It is true that the body has to rely on fat stores if you don’t break the overnight fast, but then again, the lack of a ready energy supply may mean that you don’t work out for as long, or as hard, as you may have otherwise done.
You may have heard that exercising on an empty stomach in the morning burns more fat. It is true that the body has to rely on fat stores if you don’t break the overnight fast, but then again, the lack of a ready energy supply may mean that you don’t work out for as long, or as hard, as you may have otherwise done.
Go for the afterburn
One of the best things about exercise is that the fat-burning benefits continue long after you’ve got out the shower. This ‘afterburn’ (increased calorie expenditure) is far greater following exercise at 75% of maximum heart rate, or higher – another reason to eschew those low-intensity workouts!
One of the best things about exercise is that the fat-burning benefits continue long after you’ve got out the shower. This ‘afterburn’ (increased calorie expenditure) is far greater following exercise at 75% of maximum heart rate, or higher – another reason to eschew those low-intensity workouts!
Increase exercise intensity
If you want to keep seeing results in your fat-burning programme, you must keep increasing the intensity. This isn’t the same as increasing your effort, because as you get fitter, your body will be able to cope with increasing demands. If you rest on your laurels, the benefits will begin to tail off.
If you want to keep seeing results in your fat-burning programme, you must keep increasing the intensity. This isn’t the same as increasing your effort, because as you get fitter, your body will be able to cope with increasing demands. If you rest on your laurels, the benefits will begin to tail off.
Keep moving
Maximise your daily fat burning by moving! Researchers at the Mayo Clinic have found that leaner people tend to stand and move more than overweight people in normal daily life. Their ‘non-exercise activity thermogenesis’ (NEAT) was as much as 350 calories higher each day. So don’t just sit there, wiggle your toes, shake a leg, get up regularly and move your body!
www.lcch.co.uk
Maximise your daily fat burning by moving! Researchers at the Mayo Clinic have found that leaner people tend to stand and move more than overweight people in normal daily life. Their ‘non-exercise activity thermogenesis’ (NEAT) was as much as 350 calories higher each day. So don’t just sit there, wiggle your toes, shake a leg, get up regularly and move your body!
www.lcch.co.uk
Wednesday 16 March 2011
Top Tips For Mental Wellbeing
The Mental Health Foundation in the UK recently released the following tips for improving mental well being. They are worth reading as they can provide a template for that feel good factor not only for ourselves, but for our patients too:
- Eat a balanced diet and drink sensibly: Improving your diet can protect against feelings of anxiety and depression.
- Maintain friendships: Just listening and talking to friends who are feeling down can make a huge difference. So make sure your devote time to maintaining your friendships both for their sake and your own.
- Maintain close relationships: Close relationships affect how we feel - so nurture them and if there is a problem within a relationship, try and resolve it.
- Take exercise: The effects of exercise on mood are immediate. Whether it is a workout in the gym or a simple walk or bike ride, it can be uplifting. Exercise can also be great fun socially.
- Sleep: Sleep has both physical and mental benefits. Physically it is the time when the body can renew its energy store but sleep also helps us to rebuild our mental energy.
- Laugh: A good laugh does wonders for the mind and soul.
- Cry: It is good to cry. Even though it may feel terrible at the time, a good cry can release pent up feelings, and people often feel better afterwards.
- Ask for help when you need it: The longer you leave a problem, the worse it will get. Don't be scared to ask for help from a family member, friend or professional.
- Make time for you: Do you sometimes feel like you have no time for yourself?
- Make time for your hobbies and interests.
- Remember, work isn't everything: Ninety one million working days a year are lost to mental ill-health in the UK so take it easy.
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