I don’t believe everything I read.
If I believed everything I read in the last few months then I’d be on a cookie, baby food, grapefruit, and cotton ball diet STAT. You can’t kid a kidder, I’ve tried.
However, I have a tendency to take a closer look at articles backed by reliable sources. Women’s Health magazine does a great job of pulling out some thought-provoking research that sometimes confirms what I’m doing is on the right track, challenges my methods, or simply makes me want to hit the gym. Like these statistics for instance:
- You burn approximately 33% more calories doing supersets (back-to-back sets of two different exercises) compared with sets that let you rest between moves, according to The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. [Score one for me!]
- EGCG, a substance in green tea that increases the amount of oxygen your body uses, improves endurance. Subjects that took an EGCG supplement (equivalent to 3 cups of green tea) were able to work harder than those who took the placebo, according to Medicine & Science in Sports & Endurance. [Ok, I totally don't do this but I stocked up on green tea this weekend to give it a test run ride.]
- It takes 15 minutes of exercise to improve your mood, according to a study in the Journal of Sports and Exercise Psychology. [Can I get an Amen? Great! Now drop and give me 15!]
What about you, have you read any interesting stats or wacky diet plans lately?
Now I really must go have a shake for breakfast, a shake for lunch, and a sensible dinner. KIDDING!
Miz says:
June 29th 2010hmmmmmm, no?
or is it just that nothing surprises this misfit anymore? :)
I shall ponder and return….
Jessica@HowSweet says:
June 29th 2010I love doing supersets. You covered all the good stats here!
Lindsay says:
June 29th 2010oh yes, supersets sure do feel like they burn more. Glad to know they do! Now I’m going to go make some green tea….wish I liked it more. :)
Anna @ Newlywed, Newly Veg says:
June 29th 2010My new trainer has me doing supersets, and DAMN! They better work, ha!
Marisa (Loser for Life) says:
June 29th 2010I didn’t know about supersets!!!! Burn more?! I’m in! Thank you!
I try not to read about wacky diet plans anymore, as I have (embarassingly) tried them all in my dieting past. No more for me :)
Jody - Fit at 52 says:
June 29th 2010My workouts are always a circuit type thing… not supersets all the time but in a way that I do not rest between exercises… every weight workout! Has been very successful for me & since I don’t want to get bigger, muscle wise, works for me.. keeps me leaner as you sited in your stats about burning calories. And yes, that weight lifting makes me happy! :-)
As for crazy stuff out there.. too much to even write about! :-) I so wish that cookie diet worked! Love cookies! :-)
sian-girlgetstrong says:
June 29th 2010I love my supersets! What are you saying the National Enquire is not TRUE? Say it ain’t so…haha
Brittany says:
June 29th 2010I recently received an email for the ice cube diet. I wish I was kidding!
amanda says:
June 29th 2010i Haven’t tried anything wacky but the baby food diet sounds interesting that some celebrities are trying. Like baby food is very natural and great for portion control. However the calories in are very low for people and that is why they are losing weight. No brainer
Jennifer @ shesafitchick says:
June 29th 2010I am the same way, I always question things like this, but the ones you pulled sound trust worthy to me! :)
Fit Chick in the City says:
June 29th 2010The last fact is my favorite fact of all time regarding exercise and it is so TRUE!
april says:
June 29th 2010I did a bunch of supersets today an I’m sure feeling it!
Kelly Olexa says:
June 29th 2010It cracks me up that people fall for ideas like drinking ice cold water “burns 500 calories”. So they will actually calculate that in to their diet plans and wonder why they aren’t losing. #MORONS
kalli@fitandfortysomething says:
June 29th 2010so much BS out there it makes me ill! love supersetting and love eating good, wholesome meals-no wacky diet shakes!
Laury @ thefitnessriot says:
June 29th 2010Super-setting is my true love in the gym…time saver and calorie burner!!!
The banana and peanut butter diet is pretty silly…although tasty ;-)
FatFighterTV says:
June 29th 2010The cotton ball diet? That one sounds like a good one for sure!
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