Beauty Queens Urge Girls Not To Sacrifice Their Bones

Interesting Statistics from The International Osteoporosis Foundation publication "Move It or Lose It" :
The more hours a woman spent sitting per day, the higher her risk of hip fractures. Women who sit more than nine hours a day are 50% more likely to have a hip fracture than those who sit for less than six hours a day.
Among elderly people, participants who practiced tai chi had 50% lower rate of falling than controls.
Strengthening back muscles can reduce risk of vertebral fractures among postmenopausal women aged 58-75 years.
Strong back muscles are significantly correlated with decreased risk of vertebral fractures and kyphosis.

Seven beauty queens from four continents have appealed to girls and young women to realize that modern ideas of “beauty” can damage their bones and lead to osteoporosis later in life. The women, from Australia, Austria, Panama, Thailand, Turkey and Venezuela, were speaking at “IOF Beauties and the Bones”, an event organized by International Osteoporosis Foundation in Bangkok.
Maximum bone development takes place in girls and boys roughly between ages 11-17. By building peak bone mass during this period, young people "invest in their bones" and reduce the risk of fracture later in life, noted Professor Ghassan Maalouf, an IOF Board member from Lebanon who spoke about the importance of proper diet (including adequate calcium and vitamin D), and sufficient exercise, in building bone strength and mass. He also pointed out that certain lifestyle activities, such as eating disorders, smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, can be detrimental to bone health.

It is very important to know this fact, so if you are in the age between 11-17 and you are starving yourself, you might get osteoporosis when you get older. That's why is very important to be on right diet.
For more information on osteoporosis and IOF please visit: www.osteofound.org

Back to the gym! Workout Tips for this fall season

Martha Stewart is back! Donald Trump is back with Apprentice. Trump gave the first assignment: come up with a new Fitness Plus class for a Bally gym, market it, and hold the class – the team that made the most money, would win.

Are you back to the gym yet?
It is fall season and it is time to return to the gym. If you are beginner, you can start your workout season with some light intensity exercises, use fitness ball and you can incorporate a lot of stretching and balance exercises into your workout routine.

For my clients I start a workout season with light intensity exercises in the first week. In the fall we have a colder weather here in New York and we feel more tired than in the summer, because our body loose a lot of energy to keep up the body temperature. Because of that, metabolism slows down in winter and we tend to gain some fat in winter. Do not allow to your body to fall into a winter dream and slow down. Get moving!
What you can do in fall and winter to keep your metabolism running? Increase your exercise frequency per week. If you have trained 3x per week in summer, now you can start training 4-5X.

Musclehead Humor

This photo is so funny. My friend emailed it to me. Made me smile for a long time.
Hope it will make you smile too.

Avoiding memory loss - get in shape. Fitness and Brain connection

Did you know that strategies that protect you from a heart attack or stroke can work against aging-related memory loss?
Almost anything that raises your risk of heart disease—smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol—also increases your risk of forgetting your name. If you want to keep your brain humming for life, staying fit is job one.

To keep your brain healthy, the Alzheimer’s Association’s “Maintain Your Brain” campaign offers these suggestions:

Head first: Your brain is one of the most vital body organs, so take care of it.
Take brain health to heart: Do something every day to prevent heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke, all of which can increase your risk of Alzheimer’s.
Your numbers count: Keep your body weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels within recommended ranges.
Feed your brain: Eat less saturated fat and more antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables.
Work your body: Physical activity keeps the blood flowing and may encourage brain cell growth.
Jog your mind: Keeping your brain active and engaged increases its vitality and builds reserves of brain cells and connections. Read, write, play games, learn new things, do crossword puzzles.
Connect with others: Leisure activities that combine physical, mental, and social elements may help the most.
Protect your brain: Use your seat belt when you drive, unclutter your house to avoid falls, and wear a helmet if you bicycle.
Use your head: Avoid unhealthy habits — don’t smoke, drink too much alcohol, or use street drugs.


For more info visit Harvard Medical Scool: Heal the heart, the mind will follow
Avoiding Dementia: Fitness and Your Brain - Health For Life

Elliptical machines making fastest gains in use at health clubs

Elliptical trainers on the comeback trail - Diet & Fitness - MSNBC.com

IS BODYBUILDING REALLY A SPORT?

“Bodybuilding is much like any other sport. To be successful, you must dedicate yourself 100% to your training, diet and mental approach.”
— Arnold Schwarzenegger

Celebrity diets

"Many popular diets promoted by thin celebrities are not backed up by research and can be unhealthy. Undoubtedly some 'diets' exclude whole foods and important nutrients as well as advocating short term weight loss. Their success is supported by testimonials rather than published research." - Dr Claire MacEvilly, nutrition communications manager with Britain's Medical Research Council.
Many people need role models, so when they want to lose weight or find a diet that can make them look sexy and thin, they look to our favorite stars. Is it a detox diet, atkins, blood type diet, low glycemix index or some sort of fad diet?

Beyonce: "I only eat grilled things and I try to eat five small meals a day rather than big, heavy ones. I don't deprive myself of something if I really want it. But if I'm going to have something bad then I make sure it's a small portion."

Jerry Hall "I never eat between meals and I don't eat junk food. I mostly stick to fish, vegetables and chicken. But I do love chocolate, coffee, red wine and cigarettes..."

Meg Mathews "I've tried them all. The Beverly Hills diet, the pineapple diet, the Scarsdale diet, food combining, the Zone diet and the Atkins diet - which I hated. Now I just eat sensibly. I eat what I like but in moderation and I am not a big dairy fan."

Katie Holmes "I get so sad when I see people who are really thin or really overweight. You can tell their spirit is hurting. We shouldn't do that to ourselves."

Kirstie Allsopp "I'm a working woman with a busy life, and I want to maintain my weight without having to carry a book in my bag to remind me of what I can and can't eat. Instead, I replace one meal a day with a bowl of Special K. It helps enormously."

The list of all the popular hollywood diets:

THE ZONE DIET
Jennifer Aniston
Brad Pitt
Matt LeBlanc
Mathew Perry
Rene Zellweger
Cindy Crawford
Demi Moore
Kristin Davis
Sandra Bullock
Elle McPherson
Sarah Michelle Gellar

ATKINS DIET
Geri Halliwell
Minnie Driver
Sarah Jessica Parker

SUGAR BUSTERS
Tori Spelling
Sharon Stone

SOUTH BEACH DIET
Bill & Hillary Clinton
Bette Midler

GI DIET
Kylie Minogue
Kelly Preston

RAW FOOD, VEGAN OR MACROBIOTIC
Carol Alt
Demi Moore
Donna Karan
Alicia Silverstone
Pam Anderson
Fiona Apple
Madonna
Gwyneth Paltrow

CELEBRITY ENDORSED DIETS
Sarah Ferguson – Weight Watchers
Whoopie Goldberg – Slim Fast
Joy Behar – Jenny Craig
Anna Nicole Smith – Trim Spa
Zora Aldrich – Nutrisystem

Source: Mirror.co.uk - News - YOUR LIFE - HEALTH: WISE WORDS ..ON DIETING

Beans beat cancer

Do you eat beans, nuts and cereals in your diet? If not, you should. It is very healthy for you. Scientists have discovered a new and potent anti-cancer compound in everyday food.
Researchers at University College London say that inositol pentakisphosphate is a compound in beans, nuts, and cereals that inhibits an enzyme involved in tumor growth.
Inositol pentakisphosphate may be an active anti-cancer agent in beans.
"We believe that inositol pentakisphosphate is a promising anticancer tool," said Marco Falasca, Ph.D., of the college's Sackler Institute. Also, he said, "a diet enriched in food such as beans, nuts and cereals … could help prevent cancer." All this was reported in the Sept. 15 issue of the journal Cancer Research.
For more info visit LONDON'S GLOBAL UNIVERSITY

Kevin Levrone - a legend and one of the bodybuilding world's most admired personalities.

I met today Kevin Levrone in the gym. Kevin Levrone, one of bodybuilding's greatest athletes, was born in Baltimore, Maryland to an Italian father and African American mother. He is a really cool guy, easy to talk to. No attitude at all.
I took few pictures with him. As you can see on the picture above he is still in a great shape.

12 years and countless later, Levrone now holds the best record in the 58-year history of the IFBB (International Federation of Bodybuilders). First runner-up in four Mr. Olympia competitions (1992, 1995, 2000, and 2002), he has 22 contest wins, including two Arnold Classic titles and numerous European victories since he went pro in 1991, he is a legend and one of the bodybuilding world's most admired personalities.

Me and Kevin Levrone - sorry for the bad photo quality. It is done with my phone cam.

Anti-aging tips

We are want to stay young and look good but what we do for it?
I will give you my anti aging tips:

1. Do Cardio 30 min. per day - ride bike, run, swim, hike. It will make your heart stronger and keep blood pressure under control. Catdio improves the blood circulation.
2. Reduce calories. Eat low fat foods, veggies, fruits and fish.
3. Supplement with multivitamin, Vitamin C, E , Coenzym Q 10.
Zinc for the immune system, copper for the metabolism, calcium for the bones and magnesium for muscles and nerves make the prefect "Anti Aging-Cocktail"
4. If you can not sleep supplement with melatonin. At night melatonin is produced to help our bodies regulate our sleep-wake cycles. The amount of it produced by our body seems to lessen as we get older. Scientists believe this may be why young people have less problem sleeping than older people.
5. Check your DHEA levels with your MD. DHEA increases drive and Libido, fights stress and promotes the brain functions.
6. Sleep - During sleep your body regenerates yourself. So make sure you have a good sleep.
7. Get into shape and keep yourselves slim. Slim people live more.
8. Avoid animal fats. I do not need to explain this one.
9. Stop smoking!
10. Train your brain. Always learn something NEW! Learn new languages, dancing, try some new sport that you never played in yor life, learn how to cook...
11. Have friends. Be social. That will keep your spirit young.
12. Be in love. Love will keep you young and fresh.
13. Drink green tea
14. Exercise with weights - The first way of stimulating growth hormone release naturally is training.
Growth hormone is released by the pituitary gland in the brain. GH is responsible for enhancing muscle growth, burning fat and maintaining the immune system. Many scientists have linked the changes seen with aging--loss of lean body mass, thinning of the skin and an increase in adipose (fat) tissue - to the decline in growth hormone that begins in the human body by the age of 30

Men better at slimming than women

Men may be better at losing weight than women, research suggests.
"Slimming groups are a predominantly female environment but they don't have to be" - Slimming World nutritionist Dr Jacquie Lavin
Read more

Workout clothes: Muscle T-Shirts and Tank Tops

Are you looking for workout clothes, muscle t-shirts or tank tops for your next workout?
Muscle Papi is a fitness apparel company based in New York City. MusclePapi.com is totally dedicated to bodybuilding & fitness shirts and tank tops - has established a worldwide reputation for great fitness apparel products, speedy deliveries and excellent customer service.
IFBB Pro Bodybuilders love to wear Muscle Papi Apparel. You can recognize unique Muscle Papi apparel in gyms across America.

Our Diet is Killing Us

Fat of the land is killing more Americans than cigarettes. Today I was watching on TV cooking shows and most of the cooks use tons of butter and heavy cream for almost every meal. They even put steak in a butter sauce. I really do not like an idea of cooking with butter or heavy cream. I never use it for my cooking. Do they know how to cook a simple meal without a pound of butter? I guess if you do not know how to cook just let it swim in butter and it will be just fine.
Butter has 0.3 grams of trans fat per tablespoon, and 7.2 grams of saturated fat.
TRANS FAT is dangerous because the body is not sure what to do with it, and it ends up clogging arteries and disrupting the immune system.

Inspiration

'In moods of discouragement or despair,
never forget that the sunshine will ultimately come back,
that it's absence never is permanent.
Hang onto your faith, knowing that soon
you will rise into the sunshine again.'
~Norman Vincent Peale~"

Livin' La Vida Low-Carb: Arnold Schwarzenegger banned sodas from high schools in California

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (former bodybuilder) signed legislation on Thursday to ban carbonated soda in state high schools as part of an effort to stem teen obesity. One bill will ban soda and junk food from school campuses, and add more fruits and vegetables to school meals.
"Working as a unified team, we are going to do it. We are going to terminate obesity in California once and for all. And we are going to make California the nation's model for health nutrition and fitness," Schwarzenegger said.

All I can say that Arnold showed his muscles once again.

Aspartame kills

Diet soda is NOT a diet product! It is a chemically altered, multiple
SODIUM (salt) and ASPARTAME containing product that actually makes you
crave carbohydrates. It is far more likely to make you GAIN weight!
These products also contain formaldehyde, which stores in the fat
cells, particularly in the hips and thighs. Formaldehyde is an absolute toxin and is used primarily to preserve "tissue specimens."
Aspartame is, by far, the most dangerous substance on the market that is added to foods. If you would like to read more about aspartame click here

Fitness motivation story: From couch potato to marathon runner

I was reading this morning in Newsweek very nice story. One woman's journey from college couch potato to competitive marathon runner.

Biggest diet mistake - skipping exercises

Are you skipping exercises? But just as important, says Cedric Bryant, Ph.D., chief exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise, is what exercise does for your resting metabolism. It takes more energy to maintain lean tissue than it does to maintain fat. So, by building your lean tissue, exercise helps you burn calories even when you are not moving. Because of this, Bryant adds, research shows that people who are physically active are more likely to keep weight off once they lose it.

Stretching in the office

Sit on the ball or if you do not have a ball, stand up and lift the arms above your head like on the picture.
Move your hips left right (like a hoola hoops dance) while you are trying to slowly stretch your body towards the siling. Extend your arms as far as possible.

Jessica Simpson changed her body with a help of a personal trainer

Jessica Simpson had to get her body into Daisy Duke shape and that meant hiring a personal trainer, plenty of time in the gym and a diet without buffalo wings.

"The real work for me was working out with my personal trainer to make sure I looked good in the Daisy Dukes, because they really don't cover much," she said.

"I worked out two hours a day and cut sugar and fried foods out of my diet."

The hard work was worth it as Simpson shocked the mostly all-male crew when she first walked on the Baton Rouge, Louisiana, film set.

Read full story

Fitness inspiration

My client told me a story that is simply amazing. He was 330 lbs and now he is 175 lbs. He looks now like a model. You would be scarred if you would see his driving licence photo. He told me that every morning he wakes up and goes to trademill and sometimes his mind does not cooperate. He told me:"You know what Joe, I do not care if I drop dead now here on treadmill, I will finish my cardio and go home even if my mind tells me to stay in bed. I do not listen to my brain because I know what I have to do." No wonder he lost over 150 lbs because he never gave up.
Body is so amazing! Even though there will be times when you think you can't go any further and you're about to break down, if you just hold on a little bit longer incredible things can, do and will happen for you. So don't ever give up and always go that extra mile.

Don't stop believing in yourself even if everyone else does!

Pain is my friend, it lets me know I'm not dead yet. And as long as I'm not dead, I'm still in the fight.
My dad has always used to tell me when I was complaining about how my body was aching after swimming training: Joe if you wake up in the morning and nothing hurts, you are dead! And he was right! :)

Stretching and exercises in the office

My clients are doing some exercises and stretches in the office. If you are sitting all day long in the office, than it is time to do some stretching and limited exercises that you can do in your own office.
I used to work for corporate America and I know how it feels to sit for more than 8 hours at the desk.
It is very hard on your body and spine if you are sitting in the chair all day long. Do you have wrist pain, sore necks and backs, stiff joints and poor circulation? Are you feeling aches and pains at the end of the day? Human bodies are made to move. So let's move!
You can buy a fitness ball and start stretching. Stretching can relieve stress and make you feel better all over. Do the same position as on the picture above and build a bridge with your body. Stay at this position for few moments. And you can repeat it several times per day! It will stretch your back and it will help you if you have headache and high blood pressure. Stretching will help combat the aches and pains of sitting at a desk or keyboard. Let me know how it works. I will post more exercises and desk stretches soon. Stay tuned.

Arm Training - the latest routine I follow

If you like you can try my latest arm training routine. I will follow it for the next 2-3 weeks.
Do 3 sets of each super set. Do 6 reps per set. Use the weight that you can not lift more than 6 reps. Rest for 90 seconds between the sets.
1.Biceps curl, supersetted with Reverse Biceps curl 3 sets 6 reps
2.Preacher curl, supersetted wuth Overhead Triceps Extensions 3 sets 6 reps
3.Skull-crushers, supersetted with Two-hand Dumbell Extensions behind the head 3 sets 6 reps
4.Concentration Curl, supersetted with Rope pulldowns. 3 sets 6 reps

Have fun.

My dog is on the post stamp

My dog came a long way and now she is on the post stamps. 2 years ago I adopted the poor girl from the local shelter. Nobody wanted her. Everybody was scarred of her because she is a pitbull/boxer mix. I fall in love with her and since than we became buddies. She really like to chew on dumbells in my house. Thats why she is holding a dumbell in her mouth on the picture. She is a perfect for fitness fanatics, because she never gets tired running around. Oh boy she has so much energy.
I will keep you updated if you would like to buy US post stamps with the image of my dog on it. Will post a link to the website to purchase stamps.

Fitness cooking with the right cookware

If you want to cook right for your fitness goals, you need a good cookware or you can forget about the cooking.
I would recommed to you Le Creuset cookware. I personally use it when I perepare my meals. It is made from enameled cast iron. Cast iron has been used for cooking utensils since the Middle Ages. The Le Creuset factory is at Fresnoy-Le-Grand in Northern France. Le Creuset is consistently chosen by leading chefs, restaurateurs, and those who just enjoy cooking; all of whom appreciate its performance, cooking advantages and style.
It is a bit pricey, but worth every penny. They offer Lifetime Limited Warranty, so you do not need to worry if something happens.
Benefits Associated With The Weight Of Le Creuset:
Distributes the weight more evenly.
Ensures moisture and flavors are sealed in by heavy, tight fitting lids.
Prevents pans from 'dancing' on the stovetop.
Increases pan's longevity by preventing warping or distorting.
Increases fan's longevity by preventing warping or burning.
Retains heat longer, which keeps food hot when serving.

Italians do it better

Yesterday I went to Little Italy and I saw this funny t-shirts. Pretty cool!

Testosterone therapy linked to prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer developed in 20 men within months to a few years after they began testosterone supplementation to correct a deficiency of the hormone, investigators report.
Small study finds male hormone supplementation associated with disease

Personal power

The pain of discipline is nothing like the pain of disappointment.

A Discussion With Top Trainer, Joe DiAngelo

BodyBuilding.com is featuring an interview with me.

Joe DiAngelo Interview

A robot dog keeps dieters on a leash

I love my dog. I can always learn something from her.
But how about A ROBOT dog that monitors your daily food intake and exercise levels and warns you not to eat that cheesecake? The health-conscious pooch connects wirelessly to the dieter's pedometer and an electronic diary of their eating habits, to calculate their daily calorie intake and expenditure.
While it may sound frivolous, its US developers hope the robot, a souped-up version of Sony's dog Aibo, could ultimately help in the fight against the western world's obesity epidemic.
It is coming soon to Boston and New York.
Read the full story

Olive oil as pain killer. Food as medicine

EXTRA-virgin olive oil has the soothing powers of a popular painkiller, a study has found.
Scientists believe it could explain why the Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil protects against heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer's.
Chefs and food writers often recommend buying the best olive oil that can be found - but a new reason to do so is that newly pressed extra-virgin olive oil also contains a compound that mimics the pain-relieving activity of ibuprofen - a member of the class of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Dr Paul Breslin and his team at the Monell Chemical Senses Centre in Philadelphia have discovered olive oil contains the compound oleocanthal which suppresses the same pain pathway as ibuprofen.
"Structurally, it's not similar but pharmacologically it's very similar," says Dr Breslin, whose findings are published in the journal Nature.
The researchers calculate that a 50g daily dose of olive oil is equivalent to about 10 per cent of the dose of ibuprofen recommended for adult pain relief.
So although it won't cure a headache, regular consumption of olive oil could confer some of the long-term benefits of ibuprofen - such as reduced cancer risk.
The researchers say this could help to explain some of the often-quoted benefits of a Mediterranean diet.
Inflammation increasingly is believed to play a key role in a variety of chronic diseases.
"Some of the health-related effects of the Mediterranean diet may be due to the natural activity of oleocanthal from premium olive oils," says Dr Gary Beauchamp, a Monell biologist.
The scientists were led to the discovery after realising fresh extra-virgin olive oil irritates the back of the throat in a unique and unusual way.
"I had considerable experience swallowing and being stung in the throat by ibuprofen from previous studies on its sensory properties," said Dr Beauchamp.
"So when I tasted newly-pressed olive oil while attending a meeting on molecular gastronomy in Sicily, I was startled to notice that the throat sensations were virtually identical," he said.
Taking their lead from the cues provided by olive oil's throaty bite, the scientists systematically evaluated the sensory properties of an unnamed chemical compound believed to be responsible for the throat-irritating property of premium olive oils.
This is a great news for all people who live Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Lifestyle. You can read more about olive oil's health benefits