Planks are one of the most common moves you'll find all sorts of ab workouts, and for good reason. The foundational exercise hones your core's ability to brace, one of the four major functions of the muscle group.

But if your core training sessions are filled with nothing but planksand if you're holding that position for marathon sessions that stretch into minutesyou're approaching your workout the wrong way to accomplish any real strength or aesthetic goals. In this way, planks are overrated. Here, Men's Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S. and MH Advisory Board member David Otey, C.S.C.S., P.P.S.C. break down the aura of the extra long plank hold and offer up even better options for your abs.

The biggest issue that most people have with planks is a lack of progression, says Samuel. People know to grab heavier weights or to ramp up their reps for moves like curls to take the path to progressive overload and muscle growthbut for the plank, the only option guys often turn to is adding more time. That's not effective, and it's also an indication that you're not bracing as much as you should be for the plank's intended benefits.

"There is no virtue to holding a plank for the Guinness Book of World records," he says. "If you want a six-pack, there's a better way to go."

Otey agrees. "One of the key things with holding a sustained plank beyond 30 seconds is you find that your body starts to go into compensatory patterns," he says. "By really focusing on the shoulder girdle specifically, focusing on the lower limbs, and mainly your hip flexors, to try and keep you up for a long period of time."

Ultimately, once you stop squeezing your muscles tight to create full-body tension, you've lost the benefits of the plank. But that's not all. Samuel notes that planks only train that one function of the corebracingwhen you could be exposing your abs to even more movements.

Plank with Shoulder Taps

3 to 4 sets of 40 seconds on, 20 seconds off

Right off the bat, this move adds anti-rotation, another of your core's functions, into the mix. You'll also hone more shoulder stability. As you move through the reps, fight to keep your shoulders level.

Long Lever Plank

3 to 4 sets of 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off

Extend your arms out over your head to bring some anti-extension to your training. As you progress, you can extend your hands even further out in front of you.

Ab Rollout

2 to 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps

Grab a wheel and roll for this variation, which Otey calls his favorite for abdominal training.

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Planks Are Overrated. Try These Six-Pack Ab Workouts Instead. - Men's Health

One thing Ranbir's fitness coach Shivoham applauds him for is his punctuality and his knack for discipline.

"I keep telling everyone, I think one thing which I absolutely admire about you is that no matter what the day is, whether you're training, I mean your work or everything, you're always on time," he tells Ranbir.

He further adds by saying that if discipline is there in one aspect of your life, it will be everywhere.

Referring to the same, Ranbir talks about how he tries and imbibe discipline in his free time or in something that is very valuable to him. He says, "I respect a lot of people who respect time and I expect the other person also to expect that from me. I feel nice when people compliment me about my punctuality. It's something I workout on."

Image credit: Instagram/shivohamofficial

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From his workout routine to his diet regimes, groom-to-be Ranbir Kapoor shares his fitness journey - Times of India

In most modern high schools, P.E. is a complete blow-off class something to take when you dont play a sport, and have to fulfill a health/fitness-related elective. Participants often sit on the bleachers and talk, or half-heartedly play some basketball.

There was a time in this country when P.E. was taken more seriously, however, and it reached its absolute apex at La Sierra High School in Carmichael, California.

During the 1950s and 60s, La Sierra boasted what was arguably the most rigorous P.E. program in the country, if not the world. The so-called La Sierra System was born in a time when World War II was over, the Cold War was still heating up, and prosperity and technological advancements were making life increasingly sedentary and comfortable. In this atmosphere, there existed a national concern over whether Americans were becoming too soft, overweight, and complacent to not only defend their country in war, but to vigorously meet the challenges of peace.

As President John F. Kennedy wrote in The Soft American:

physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body; it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity. . . . [We] know what the Greeks knew: that intelligence and skill can only function at the peak of their capacity when the body is healthy and strong; that hardy spirits and tough minds usually inhabit sound bodies.

In this sense, physical fitness is the basis of all the activities of our society. And if our bodies grow soft and inactive, if we fail to encourage physical development and prowess, we will undermine our capacity for thought, for work and for the use of those skills vital to an expanding and complex America.

Thus the physical fitness of our citizens is a vital prerequisite to Americas realization of its full potential as a nation, and to the opportunity of each individual citizen to make full and fruitful use of his capacities.

To stem the physical deterioration of his fellow Americans and promote the idea of developing a sound mind, in a sound body, JFK utilized the Presidents Council on Physical Fitness to reinvigorate physical education programs around the country, and looked to La Sierra as an example of what was possible in this line.

The first few minutes of the above video will give you a look at what some aspects of the La Sierra program were like.

The La Sierra System had been developed by WWII-veteran Stan LeProtti, who was inspired by the classical, whole man approach to fitness that had been championed by the ancient Greeks. LeProttis program sought to improve the strength, agility, balance, flexibility, power, and endurance as well as the leadership qualities of all the males in the student body, not just those relatively few boys who participated in organized athletics. The program not only incorporated physical exercise a regimen that included an intense 12-minute calisthenic warm-up, sports, games, dance, combatives, gymnastics, running, aquatics, and off-the-ground work on various apparatuses like peg boards but also involved regular meetings to talk about the philosophy the why behind it. Students were taught that the fitness routines in which they engaged not only built their bodies, but prepared their minds for learning and their spirits for tackling lifes setbacks.

The Philosophy section of the La Sierra P.E. handbook includes both Physical Fitness and Psychological Fitness as two of the programs goals, and lists the following among the aims of the latter:

When the producers of The Motivation Factor, a documentary about the La Sierra System, interviewed those who had gone through it in their youth, they reported that the program had delivered on just this desired effect and that it stayed with them into adulthood; when these La Sierra grads had experienced challenges in later years, they returned to their P.E. experiences as a touchstone a reminder that they were capable of doing hard things.

Another unique trademark of the La Sierra System was its use of ability grouping a hierarchy of ranks denoting different levels of physical proficiency. The boys were put in teams based on these levels, and each team/level was identified by different color satin trunks worn by its respective members (sans shirt) while they exercised. All freshmen started out on the White Team, wearing white shorts, and then could work their way up the ranks throughout their high school years. When you tested into the next level, you got to discard your old color shorts for new ones and proudly display your earned achievement. The color system was designed to harness boys natural propensity for competition and publicly-recognized status as a spur towards physical excellence.

One might be apt to wonder if this system didnt shame and embarrass those boys who were at a lower level of fitness, and had to wear the lower-level shorts. Wouldnt the color groups make them feel bad about having to broadcast their position at the bottom of the ladder?

A coach at the time, Richard Chester Tucker, who went on to write his PhD dissertation on La Sierras color system, looked into this very question. He compared the least physically capable third of students at both La Sierra and at a school that had a traditional P.E. program. What he found was that there was no difference between the self-esteem of the boys in each group. But, the boys at La Sierra were more physically fit than those at the other school; for example, on average, the lowest third of boys at La Sierra could do nine pull-ups, while the lowest third of boys in the traditional P.E. program could only do two. In other words, the color-coded shorts system didnt make students feel bad about themselves, but it did inspire them to strive higher; maybe these kids werent ever going to be elite athletes, but the color-code system motivated them to become their best. As Tucker says in The Motivation Factor, We came under a lot of criticism because [people said] Youre making these kids walk around in white trunks. What does that do to their self-esteem? It makes them want to get red trunks!

When interviewed as adults, those who went through the La Sierra program remembered it as being fun and highly supportive; the boys encouraged each other and helped each other reach the next tier.

Within the color system, there were four main levels: White (Beginner), Red (Intermediate), Blue (Advanced), and Navy Blue (Ultimate Athlete). Within the Blue level, there were two sub-levels: Purple and Gold. More than 90% of students were able to advance from the White Team to the Red Team by the end of their freshman year, and 60% were eventually able to make the Blue Team. For every 100 students, only one or two were still wearing white trunks by the time they graduated.

The following benchmarks had to be hit to move beyond the White Team and reach subsequent color levels within the La Sierra System.

Each color level had minimum, median, and ceiling sub-standards; the ceiling standard of one color level was the minimum standard of the next; hitting the ceiling standard within a color level advanced you the next color up. What is listed below is the minimum standard for each main color level:

Red (Intermediate)

Blue (Advanced)

Navy Blue (Ultimate Athlete)

The median and ceiling sub-standards within the Blue level were categorized as their own colors: Purple and Gold. To test for the Navy Blue trunks, you first had to earn your Gold trunks.

Representing the pinnacle of physical fitness, the Navy Blue shorts were obviously extremely difficult to earn, and as a result highly coveted. When a student earned his Navy trunks, his accomplishment was announced over the schools PA system, and the entire student body would erupt into thunderous cheers.

Between 1958 when the Navy Blue level was introduced and 1983 when La Sierra High School closed, only 21 students were able to achieve these trunks. Today, the standard remains as a testament to a time that had high expectations for its youth that believed in their potential and pushed them to reach for as much of it as they could.

Listen to this episode of the AoM podcast for more on the La Sierra P.E. program:

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The Insanely Difficult Standards of History's Hardest P.E. Program - Art of Manliness

Members of the Classic City Roller Girls hold a practice session last month in Athens, Georgia.

Many of us have walked to take breaks from work, burn calories and be more active outside during the pandemic. As we gear up for warmer weather, perhaps you're looking for a fun way to take your walk up a notch. As a cardio and strength-training full-body workout, roller-skating is a heart-healthy way to get outside and get moving. It may be just the type of workout you need to kick your outdoor time into high gear.

Like many recreational sports, once you get the hang of skating you may start doing it on a daily basis. Whether you skate for fun or skate to a destination, skate assured that the American Heart Association recommends roller-skating as a way to stay active and heart-healthy. Plus, because skating is a whole-body aerobic resistance training exercise, you'll improve muscle strength and aerobic fitness, according to research.

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Finally, you don't need to commit to 30 or 60 minutes of skating to get positive effects on your mood. In fact, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, only about five minutes of aerobic exercise is needed to begin to stimulate anti-anxiety effects.

Pushing off one foot and then the other while skating requires that you use your glutes, hamstrings, quads and calves each time you pick a foot up to move. Alternatively, when you glide with both feet on the ground, your lower body still works, but it stabilizes you rather than pushes you forward. This type of movement is like using an elliptical or other cardio machine at the gym but even better because your body is working with both feet stationary as well as both feet in motion. Plus, the stability required in the ankle, calf and foot to balance on one elevated skate each time you take a stride is more intense compared with having your foot flat on the ground while running or on a cardio machine.

Before hitting the outdoors with your skates, there are a few things to consider in addition to the benefits of skating. Read on for tips to get started safely.

Benefits

Besides being fun, roller-skating can build core strength and improve stability in the lower body.

Roller-skating and rollerblading build core strength and improve stability in the lower body. Skating also improves upper body strength and mobility due to the pumping and swinging motion of the arms. As you're rotating your torso by using your core muscles, you're using your shoulders and arms to help propel you forward. The legs and glutes push you forward, too. Not only are you moving forward, but also you're moving side to side, which improves hip mobility and strength. Your quads, hamstrings, calves, glutes and hips work in unison to start skating, stop skating, speed up and slow down.

Getting started

As a fitness coach, I always recommend having the right gear before you start a new workout activity. Whether you rent skates or buy them, test out roller skates and in-line skates to see which you feel more comfortable with.

Roller skates have four wheels that are lined up like car wheels: two in the front and two in the back. The wider base makes these skates a little bit easier for beginners. When standing still, you'll feel more stable because of the base of the skate. However, it's more challenging to speed up with roller skates compared with in-line skates.

The wheels on in-line skates allow you to have a smoother ride and skate faster.

Most in-line skates typically feature four wheels lined up front to back and a break behind the back wheel, and the upper boot of the skate fits snugly. The wheels allow you to have a smoother ride and skate faster.

As a kid, I learned how to skate with roller skates. I twisted and turned around the indoor rink and practiced skating up and down my driveway. As I became an adult, I opted for in-line skates because I could skate over to my friend's house a mile away and show off my speed in the indoor rink.

I recommend these steps for adults, too a testament to the design, structure and stability of the different types of skates. Start off on roller skates for fun and then move on to in-line skates once you feel comfortable on wheels.

Safety tips

Make sure you have the right gear such as helmets, kneepads, elbow pads and wrist guards for safety.

Helmets, wrist guards, kneepads, elbow pads they are all necessary for skating. Falling down and scraping your knee is one thing, but falling sideways onto your wrist or landing on your head could be a traumatic injury. The most common reasons for falling are a loss of balance or trying to swerve to avoid a collision or an object in your way.

As a kid, I was always embarrassed to wear so much gear. But as I got older, I realized that I looked more serious with my gear. Plus, I felt more confident to go fast, knowing that I had taken protective measures to keep safe.

For beginners, find a safe place to skate. Start off on a smooth, level surface, like an empty parking lot or even a tennis court. Make sure you pick a place that is well lit, without traffic or obstacles in your way. Avoid skating in the rain because the slippery surface can cause you to fall more easily.

Skate forward and aim for stability, not speed. Get used to starting and stopping. Then start to skate to the right for a few feet and then change directions to the left. Continue this swerving pattern as training.

Ultimately, listen to your body and do what feels best for your current fitness level.

A licensed and credentialed trainer can design a personalized program and teach you proper form and technique. Get referrals from local gyms, and many trainers now offer virtual workouts. After you learn the basics, you can work out on your own.

Training with free weights, like dumbbells, kettlebells and barbells, is often better for muscle building than machines, Shawn Pedicini, a physical therapist at Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, says. However, machines are ideal if you have balancing issues or other limitations that make it safer to sit during weight training, he says. You can also go back and forth between free weights and machines depending on the type of exercise and which muscles you are working on.

While you need full-body workouts that address all your major muscles, older adults should pay special attention to their leg muscles: quadriceps and hamstrings (in the thighs), the gluteals (in the buttocks) and the calf muscles. These are involved in many daily functional movements like squatting and climbing stairs, Pedicini says. Compound exercises that work different muscles in one movement like squats, deadlifts and lunges are great for building leg muscles.

Pedicini says fewer reps with heavier weights helps you gain the most muscle. An ideal routine would be eight repetitions for each exercise for three sets total. But you can adjust this as needed. People with movement issues might need to use lighter weights and do more repetitions.

Lifting should be done at a seven-second tempo. That means three seconds to lift the weight, a one-second pause and three seconds to lower it. If you cant lift the weight at least eight times, use a lighter weight. When you can comfortably perform eight reps without completely tiring the muscle, increase the weight. Muscles grow stronger only if you keep adding resistance, Pedicini says.

Ideally, you should do weight training at least twice a week. Two days of full-body training can produce measurable changes in muscle strength, Pedicini says. You often can feel results after four to six weeks of consistent training.

Always allow at least 48 hours between sessions for muscle recovery. Some people prefer to break their workouts into two parts: upper body and lower body. In that case, you can perform upper-body exercises one day and lower-body the next.

Use enough weight so that the last few reps of a lifting routine are challenging.

Dont forget to consistently challenge yourself as you progress, Pedicini says. Its necessary to gain the muscle and strength changes you want and need.

Stephanie Mansour, host of "Step It Up With Steph" on PBS, is a health and wellness journalist and a consultant and weight loss coach for women.

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How to make skating a good workout | Health/Fitness | journaltimes.com - Journal Times

CHENNAI: This World Health Day, Evergreen Club, an online community for older adults, has launched a campaign #WhatsYourHealthy.The digital campaign features a video with the young and the elderly engaging in different routines for a healthy lifestyle, emphasizing the fact that there is no one version of being healthy. Everyones definition of a healthy lifestyle is not the same. The way you lead life, and the choices you make along has a direct effect on our mental and physical health. And we want to showcase different ways that the elderly are staying active, says Tapan Mishra, the clubs founder. Evergreen Club provides a variety of sessions that are specially designed for the overall wellbeing of older adults, above the age of 50, considering every aspect of healthy living, be it mental or physical. The experts and hosts of sessions on this platform are trained to keep reiterating to the members to listen to their body while they take in account the feedback from members to accommodate and change session routines.Evergreen Club is designed to help seniors live a more fulfilled and empowered life, while catering to their social needs and providing a sense of belonging.

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World Health Day: Evergreen Club launches #WhatsYourHealthy campaign - Times of India

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As a health editor and marathon runner, I put them to the test.

When I first heard that lululemon was launching female-first footwear, I was intrigued. Im a runner, you see, and I know how fussy we runners can be about our footwear. Are they springy enough for race day? Supportive enough for long runs? Simple enough to be functional, but also stylish enough that you could wear them with your work outfit?

Launching a whole new category and contending with the likes of Nike, adidas, and New Balance (all of who feature on my round-up of the best running trainers for women) seemed like a bold move. So I jumped at the opportunity to be one of the first four UK journalists to try them.

Some stats on the shoe for you, before I share my review: the blissfeel running trainer was designed from the scans of over a million foot scans, and is unique in that its one of the first-ever shoes (just behind the adidas female-focused ultraboost last December) to be designed specifically for women. Mad, isnt it, that in 2022, the majority of shoes are still designed for the male fit.

Thats where the blissfeel promises to be different and where my interest, as a health editor, was piqued. Could a clothing brand truly design shoes well? And would they stand the test of time over a longer distance?

Keep scrolling for my honest review.

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Womens blissfeel Running Shoe 138 | lululemon

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First up: know that the shoes were developed over a period of four years with a team of designers, biomechanics experts, foot morphology pros, and more. Based on over a million womens foot scans, they created what they thought was the perfect shoe then enlisted hundreds of volunteers to actually put them to the test over thousands of miles.

They share that they let the feedback shape the shoe thats now on sale which all sounds pretty snazzy, right? But did the shoe stand up to the test when I tried it?

Initial thoughts and point one of my lululemon blissfeel review: the shoes are gorgeous, and come in a range of ten colourways, including a green ray the pink and green pictured above water drop blue, mink berry pale pink, and triple black (yep, you guessed it) all black.

Once Id put them on for my first test in them a 5km along the Hudson River in New York I noticed that theyre cushioned and springy without feeling too, well, cushioned. Ever tried shoes on and felt a bit like a clown because of how much youre suddenly bouncing around? These pave a good middle ground, and when you run in them, you clearly feel the return.

Wearing them to an early morning high intensity interval training workout the next day highlights one of the standout pros of the trainer, for me. While theyre been designed with running in mind, theyre a great all-rounder, IMO cushioned enough to support you through mid-distance runs, but not so cushioned that they wont work for weight training, too. Winner, winner.

MC health editor Ally Head with Track & Field athlete and lululemon ambassador Coleen Quigley

Theyre designed for neutral runners again, ticking the all-rounder box and my feet felt supported but also comfortable, too. I have slightly wider feet and there was no issue with the upper being restrictive or too tight. Support-wise, theyre most similar to an ON Running Cloudstratus shoe or HOKA Mach, and on the comfort front, theyre definitely parallel with my forever favourites, the adidas Ultraboost.

I think one review on Shape sums it up quite well They felt light, bouncy, supportive, and exactly what I look for in a running shoe as someone who runs more casually (aka I dont run races or long-distance, typically). Theyre absolutely great all-rounders for lulus demographic women who run semi-regularly who likely head to Reformer Pilates, yoga, and the occasional HIIT class too.

My honest lululemon blissfeel review? Im a big fan of the design for short to mid distances and to lace up for 5km, 10km, and half marathons soon. Not forgetting to wear to the gym, work, and every event in between..

I really rate the blissfeel as an all-rounder, but Id opt for a slightly more cushioned shoe for things like sprints or speedwork same for seriously long-distance runs or marathon training.

They also run a little small, so do make sure to size up at least half a size or even a whole size when buying. Better still head in-store to try them on for yourself, but do remember that youre meant to go up half a size with workout shoes anyway to account for foot swelling.

Do keep an eye out later in the year for the Chargefeel, a hybrid shoe designed for both high-intensity gym training and short runs, the Restfeel, an elevated slide for post-workout, and the Strongfeel, a training shoe designed for multi-directional movement.

What do you reckon? *Adds to basket immediately*

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lululemon blissfeel review: I'm a health editor and this is my honest take - Marie Claire UK

No matter what classic bodybuilding exercise you can think of, theres a likely chance it can be traced back in some way to the sports GOAT, Arnold Schwarzenegger. In this instance were talking about that very popular arm-pump finisher called 21s, a protocol Schwarzenegger often incorporated in his biceps routine.

For those not completely familiar with this dumbbell curl variationwhich utilizes both full and partial reps to maximize blood flow to your biceps to give you an Olympia-size pumpit goes like this: Starting with hands fully extended at your sides, perform seven partial reps from the bottom to the midpoint of the lift, when your forearms become parallel with the floor. From there, do seven more reps from the midpoint to the top, before finishing with seven full reps.

If done properly, your arms should be torched by the time you reach rep 21, with your biceps especially screaming. But oftentimes, because it is such a taxingly tedious move, guys get sloppy in the final sprint of full reps and fail to reach the 21s total potential.

There's just no discipline in the way they're done, people rush through them, says Mens Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S.. And as a result, they don't get the biceps pump they should, and they don't develop the mind muscle connection that they really can.

It may seem like biceps blasphemy to tweak a move Schwarzenegger worked to perfection, but this quick curl correctionwhat Samuel calls a Pause Biceps Curl 21will extend the work time for this set to allow you to maximize your biceps pump. That should be your main focus when you're including something like 21s in your training, after all.

To improve your biceps-ballooning mechanics, Samuel suggests these fixes:

By working this way and adding these pauses," he says. "Your set is going to take longer and you're going to have to go lighter, but you're going to get a much more vicious pump out of this.

For more tips and routines from Samuel, check out our full slate of Eb and Swole workouts.

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Pause on Your Bicep Curl 21s Workouts to Build Bigger Arm Muscles - Men's Health

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders among women of reproductive age that affects at least one in every 10 women in India and its symptoms include missed, irregular, infrequent or prolonged periods and excess androgens that cause acne and unwanted body and facial hair in girls. It increases the risk of other health problems like diabetes and high blood pressure, darkened skin or excess skin on the neck or in the armpits, mood swings, pelvic pain and/or weight gain but not all women suffering from PCOS may have cysts on their ovaries.

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Nutritionist Nikita Oswal shared, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a complex condition that affects a womans hormone levels. It causes a womans body to produce higher than normal amounts of male hormones than female hormones. This hormone imbalance causes their body to skip menstrual periods and it becomes harder for them to get pregnant and even causes early-menopause. Many women miss their periods or are worried about a late period because of their sudden lifestyle changes like eating habits, too much stress, anxiety, night shifts, or lack of physical exercise in daily life which contributes to PCOS."

She added, PCOS is one of the most common hormonal disturbances affecting women all over the world. While obese or overweight women are at greater risk for PCOS, some women with normal weight may be affected by hormonal status as well. PCOS not only affect a woman's hormonal levels but can impact her appearance. The abnormal flow of your hormones can also affect your skin and hair.

Dr B Gowthami, Consultant - Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Milann Fertility and Birthing Hospital in Bangalore's Kumarapark, revealed, PCOS is the most common hormonal disturbance not only manifested as menstrual irregularities and infertility and also affect skin and health hair in the form of acne, excess facial hair, thinning of hair etc. The main trigger for PCOS is believed to be insulin resistance that means body does not respond normally to insulin and thereby insulin secretion from pancreas which again triggers inflammation and weight gain. These high insulin causes anovulation and also promotes testosterone secretion from ovaries.

Effects of PCOS on skin:

Highlighting that women with PCOS often face unique challenges with their skin that leads to depression and lack of confidence in women, Nutritionist Nikita Oswal shared a few skin issues that are extremely distressing:

1. Acne-: Acne-prone PCOS usually appears on the lower part of the face, including the jawline, cheeks, chin, and upper neck. There are a few tips related to diet like, try including foods such as tomatoes, green leafy vegetables, nuts, salmon, olive oil, berries and turmeric that contain anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Women who have had acne since adolescence or for the first time after 25 should get tested for PCOS.

2. Acanthosis nigricans-: This is a skin disease characterised by a dark brown colour, with excess of the skin showing a green, prominent firmness. It affects skin folds in the armpits, groin and back of the neck. Insulin resistance and obesity are two contributing factors, which lead to this skin condition. Also in PCOS, the body does not normally respond to insulin, thus increasing insulin secretion from the pancreas.

3. Hirsutism-: It is the result of excessive release of male hormones, also known as unwanted facial hair, which is very common in PCOS patients. The condition of the skin mainly affects the chin, chest, thighs and sides.

4. Seborrheic dermatitis-: A common skin condition, seborrheic dermatitis, can cause a rash on a scale with shiny spaces. It affects the oily areas of the skin such as around the nose, between the eyebrows and behind the ears. It can also cause oily skin and dandruff.

Echoing the same, Dr B Gowthami, said, Acanthosis nigricans is a skin disorder characterised by black patches on the back of neck , armpits and other skin folds. It is due to insulin resistance and obesity. So PCOS patients might have these kind of skin patches. With weight reduction and low glucose diet and regular workout we can decrease insulin resistance and so its manifestations.

She added, Most common skin problems in PCOS are acne and pimples. Causes for this are also due to high androgen levels which stimulate sebaceous glands in skin to secrete more sebum, clogging, inflammation and thereby acne flare up. Acne in PCOS are generally resistance to standard acne treatment and they may need at least 3 months intensive treatment. Other problems are seborrheic dermatitis dandruff, female pattern hair loss etc.

Effects of PCOS on hair:

According to Nutritionist Nikita Oswal, as a womans body begins to produce more androgens during PCOS, it can promote unwanted hair growth and can also lead to hair loss or hair thinning, present mainly in the crown and frontal area but is often ignored until a major portion of the scalp becomes visible but is a very common symptom of PCOS. She listed the most common areas of excess hair growth that include:

Over the lips

The location of the beard (jawline)

Breasts

Lower abdomen

Inner thighs

Lower back

Dr B Gowthami shared, Unwanted facial hair is the annoying cosmetic issue in PCOS patients. It is also known as Hirsutism and it is a result of excess male hormone secretions. For this also, weight reduction works by controlling serum sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) in turn to control male hormones. In uncontrollable cases androgen lowering medications are available.

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Fitness experts reveal effects of PCOS on skin, hair health - Hindustan Times

Diabetes is on the rise and nobody is really talking about it. According to the World Health Organization, "The number of people with diabetes rose from 108 million in 1980 to 422 million in 2014. Prevalence has been rising more rapidly in low- and middle-income countries than in high-income countries." Chances are you know someone with diabetes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states, "37 million Americans, or 1 in 10 people have diabetes" and describes the diabetes as "a chronic (long-lasting) health condition that affects how your body turns food into energy. Most people's bodies naturally produce the hormone insulin, which helps convert sugars from the food we eat into energy that the body can use or store for later. When you have diabetes, your body either doesn't make insulin or doesn't use its insulin well, causing your blood sugar to rise. High blood sugar levels can cause serious health problems over time. With type 1 diabetes, the body can't make insulin. If you're diagnosed with type 1, you'll need to take insulin every day to survive. With type 2 diabetes, your body doesn't use insulin well. The good news is that type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed with healthy lifestyle changes." Eat This, Not That! Health spoke with Dr. Seema Bonney, the founder and medical director of the Anti-Aging & Longevity Center of Philadelphia who explained signs of diabetes to watch out for and why cases of the disease are increasing. Read onand to ensure your health and the health of others, don't miss these Sure Signs You've Already Had COVID.

Dr. Bonney says, "When your body is making more insulin in response to excess glucose, you become insulin resistant. One of the signs of this is weight gain, often in the abdominal area. So if you feel your clothes fitting snugger and more uncomfortable, this could be a sign. However weight loss without trying is a sign of type 1 diabetes which usually occurs earlier in life."

Dr. Bonney explains, "If you have excess glucose floating around, your kidneys are working overtime to filter and absorb excess glucose. When your kidneys ability to do this is overwhelmed, the extra glucose is urinated out which drags fluids with it, and causes you to be dehydrated. This dehydration triggers your third mechanism."6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

According to Dr. Bonney, "In a person with diabetes, fluid can move into and out of the eye due to high blood sugar levels, which causes the lens of the eye to swell. As the shape of the lens changes, blurriness results because the lens isn't able to focus light properly on the back of the eye."

Dr. Bonney says, "Rising rates of obesity are a major contributor here. We tend to eat on the go and treat meals as something that needs to be quickly checked off instead of being intentional about what we eat. We have more options these days as far as fast foods go so if you're in a rush or ordering in at the office, choose salads and bowls with healthy options."

RELATED: Habits Secretly Increasing Your Abdominal Fat, Say Physicians

Dr. Bonney emphasizes, "Not eating smart. Eating sugary foods, foods full of simple carbs instead of plates mostly full of vegetables is a risk factor.Another risk factor is physical inactivity. make sure to build a plan for some type of daily exercise whether it be a brisk walk or a bike ride. Track your steps so you know where you stand. Knowledge is power."

RELATED: The #1 Sign Your Blood Sugar is "Way Too High"

"Lifestyle changes are key here with diet being the largest contributor here the foods you eat or don't eat will help you avoid developing diabetes," says Dr. Bonney. "Building a plan for fitness and making it part of your lifestyle is key. Making sure you keep an optimal BMI incorporating both a healthy, smart diet as well as a plan for fitness keeps weight in check."

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"Consequences of long term diabetes include weight gain which is not only inflammatory in and out of itself, it also increases your risk of every disease process," Dr. Bonney shares. "It can also cause neuropathy where you have numbness and tingling of your extremities which cause difficulty with physical activities.It also increases risk of infection."

More here:
I'm a Doctor and Here's the #1 Sign You Have Diabetes Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That

I'm going to go out on (a very short) limb and say that, if you've been working on your fitness, you've probably heard the term resistance training by now. You've probs even heard it used interchangeably with strength training perhaps. They are, in fact, very similar to the whole rectangle and square sitch you learned about in geometry class.

That is to say, strength training is a type of resistance training, but not all resistance training is going to help you get stronger. So, you can think of strength training as a subset of resistance training, in which you have a specific goal in mind," says Sohee Lee, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and Womens Health advisory board member.

What is resistance training, then? Simply put: Resistance training encompasses any type of exercise in which your muscles have to overcome some sort of oppositional force, whether from equipment (like dumbbells, kettlebells, or resistance bands) or even just your bodyweight, Lee explains. That means HIIT, plyometrics, Pilates, and yoga all count as resistance training, too.

Some types can help you get stronger, while others will aid in improving your muscular endurance, speed, agility, power, or reaction times.

Resistance training can help you improve your health and fitness in a number of different ways. "With resistance training, you can change your body composition (i.e. your ratio of lean muscle mass to body fat), improve your cardio fitness level, boost your mental health, and just have fun, says Lee.

Yesyou heard that right. Exercise. Fun. (And as someone who adopted powerlifting, I can fully attest that there is no more exciting adrenaline rush than picking up and slamming a barbell. Promise.)

In case you need some more convincing, though, here are five of the most prominent benefits youll see from a resistance training routine.

Less than an hour of lifting weights per week may reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke by upwards of 40 to 70 percent, according to one Similarly, Iowa State University study.

What's more: Weight bearing exercises improve bone density and prevents bone loss, which is a key factor in preventing age-related fractures down the line, according to research published in the journal Endocrinology and Metabolism.

Stronger muscles dont just mean extra strength and power. Resistance training actually increases your ligaments' flexibility and promotes balance among your muscles, which help you avoid common movement-related injuries, according to a British Journal of Medicine study.

If one your fitness goals is to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time, then adding resistance training to your workout routine is essential, according to experts. Building muscle is actually quite difficult, says Lee.

And, good news for beginners: The less experience you have, the faster your gains will be in the beginning, Lee says. Basically, you'll see a satisfying change in your body composition (how much muscle versus fat you have) straight away after embarking on a resistance training program.

For more advanced exercisers, the key is to consistent with your workouts and continue to progressively challenge your bod. This could mean lifting with heavier weights, working at different tempos, or increasing your rep volume or intensity level on the regular.

Build your booty with this dumbbell workout from Kelsey Wells:

4. It can help boost your mental health

While improved body composition, heart and bone protection, and injury prevention are obviously worthy reasons to start resistance training, the biggest, possibly most important benefit is a bit more intangible.

People with mild to moderate depression who resistance trained at least two days per week experienced a significant reduction in symptoms, according to one 2018 JAMA Psychiatry study. And in people who werent flagged for depression beforehand? A single workout equaled a substantial mood boost.

Not only is this the most accessible form of resistance training, but it's the ideal place for beginners to start getting familiar with common movement patters so that they can perfect their form and avoid injuries later when they start lifting heavier loads.

Start with this ultimate, 4-week bodyweight challenge to sculpt yourself from head to toe.

Pro tip: Make bodyweight exercises harder by slowing down their eccentric, or lowering, phase.

Resistance bands are easily portable, low-cost, can be used anywhere, and are ideal for beginners, explains trainer Norma Lowe, CPT. They offer a very safe level of resistance. Plus, they're a great alternative to free weights because the added instability they supply increases muscle activation, making them as effective as dumbbells for upper-body moves, in particular, per recent research published in the Journal of Human Kinetics.

Start with the 22 best resistance band exercises for a total-body workout. Enjoy!

This is Lees fav type of resistancefor good reason. Using weights offers you a straightforward way to measure your progress overtime, she notes. As you add more weight, you know you're getting stronger. If youre looking to achieve a toned look, weights should be your go-to.

Dont feel like you need dumbbells, kettlebells, or barbells, either. Household objects like filled backpacks and gallon jugs work just as well. Medicine balls, ankle weights, and weighted vests also fit the bill.

Start with any of these at-home workouts.

If you're going to the gym and don't want to rely on a spotter to help you resistance train, learning to lift with machines is your best bet.

Your go-to machines: Hamstring extension machine, quad extension machine, lat pull-down machine, back row machine, and cable machines (for triceps extensions or chest flys).

Now that you're sold on resistance training, I've got more encouraging news for you: Theres no right or wrong approach. Depending on whether you have access to a gym or equipment, your work schedule, or any other uncontrollable external factors, you might only have time (and space) for 10 minutes of bodyweight squats every other day. And thats perfectly fine, Lee and Lowe agree.

If you want to get started with a bit more structured, regimented approach, though, Lowe's got some advice for you: Dont worry about how long you train for. More important than your total workout time is the tension put on your muscles. In other words, worry about hitting a certain number of repetitions or sets, instead of working out for, say, an hour.

With that in mind, get started with this sample strategy:

During weeks 1 through 4, do mostly compound movements. These exercises incorporate multiple muscles at once (think squats, lunges, pushups, and chest presses) and offer the most benefits. Aim for 2 to 4 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions of each move. When 15 repetitions feels easy, increase your weight or resistance. (Periodically upping your workload, called progressive overload, is the key to results.)

Then, during weeks 5 through 8, alternative between upper-and lower-body exercises. Aim for 3 to 4 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions. Once 12 repetitions feels light, increase your resistance.

Next, during weeks 9 through 12, aim to work your back, chest and core, legs and core, shoulders, and arms on separate days. Complete 4 to 5 sets of 6 to 10 repetitions. When 10 repetitions feels light, up your resistance.

Progressing your approach in this way ensures you'll continue to see results, Lowe says. Of course, though, it's important to listen to your body (and to keep in mind that your muscles need about 48 hours of recovery time between intense workouts).

The bottom line: You can do resistance training with your bodyweight, resistance bands, weights, or machinesand reap benefits like a more-toned bod, stronger bones, a healthier heart, and a boosted-mood.

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What Is Resistance Training? Benefits, Examples, And How Start - Women's Health