The Cooper Institute

  The Cooper Institute in Dallas Texas is many things.  In fact, its name has been expanded to include Cancer Prevention and Research.  This makes sense.  The institute provided the very first evidence on the benefits of physical activity.  Now we know that being physically active is one of the three most important things a person can do to prevent cancer.  The others are consuming a quality diet that meets your energy needs and not smoking.
   The scientists, physicians, exercise specialists and health promotion experts affiliated with the Cooper Institute concentrate on individual level factors and programs.  They have determined  the most successful strategies for losing weight, maintaining weight loss, becoming physically active and staying physically active.  Not only do they have programs and tools to help people achieve their goals, they also train the people who will assist you.
   In fact, I received a Wellness Promotion Director certification from them several years ago. My attendance at the week long training is among my top 10 best experiences.
   I introduced the Institute so that I could let you know that they have updated their website.  It provides many tools - and the research to support them - for the public and for professionals.  
    Please click here and explore their new website if you have any struggles with eating well, maintaining a healthy weight or exercising.  In order to have the best chance of a healthy, active, long life - you need to do all three - and not smoke.
   Of note - I do not agree with every thing on their website.  To be fair, my area of interest is policy and not individual behavior change, which is their specialty.  For instance, I noticed that they made a very low daily calorie recommendation for weight loss and I think that is inappropriate.  On the positive side, they have information on realistic calorie expenditures for persons who weigh around 150 pounds.  Also they have a calorie needs estimator which appears to be accurate.  It said that I need just over 1600 calories a day to maintain my weight at my high activity level.  So play around with the site, use what you like, leave the rest but ALWAYS think things through and make informed choices.

Push Up Variation

When I was in the gym on Monday, I saw a way to do a push up, (there are dozens!) that I had not seen previously.  
I will do my best to explain it in words, with a little help from two pictures.
What you will need in order to do this pushup - (which still employs your own body weight, but adds a strong core component) - is a bar bell and a dumb bell.  A who what???  See below.
The long one is the bar bell and the short ones are dumb bells, but you only need one dumb bell.  You lay the bar bell across the smaller bar of the dumb bell and place your hands wide on the bar bell, then proceed to your pushups!  Cool, huh.