Just because the summer season has reached its end, it doesn't mean that it's time to let our exercise programs go. People tend to put on more weight during the colder months for a few reasons: 1) Because they probably won't be donning their bathing suits at the beach for quite some time, and 2) Because our bodies are designed to slow our metabolism down -- a carry-over from our more primitive days when food sources became more scarce during the cold season. For these reasons, and probably about eight thousand others, it's a smart idea to keep stoking the flames of your metabolism right through the upcoming frost. So, to help you do just that, I'm showing you an exercise this week that will help you burn some serious calories while toning up your legs.

Called the Step-Up, this cardiovascular movement will help you speed up your metabolism as you strengthen and tone your quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, and even your calves. To perform this exercise, start by standing in front of a weight bench or any safe substitute for one (tip: take two milk crates, spread them apart, and place a firm, wooden board over them -- a great, makeshift bench). Next, take your right foot and place it on the surface of the bench. From there, step-up onto the bench, using your right leg to power the rest of your body up. Once you are standing firmly on top of the bench with both feet, step back down with one leg and follow with the other. Then, step up onto the bench with your left leg, following with your right. Repeat this movement for several repetitions, increasing speed and perhaps even adding small weights (dumbells in hand work well, as does holding a medicine ball) as you get stronger and more familiar with the movement.

I found a very good video demonstration for the Step-Up on ShapeFit.com. To view it, click HERE.

Note: The content presented in this post is for informational purposes only. Please consult your doctor or fitness professional before starting a physical fitness program.

A new report says physical activity is critical for kids with type 1 diabetes because it helps prevent heart trouble later in life. The German and Austrian researchers behind the study reached this conclusion after crunching the numbers for more than 23,000 kids between ages three and eighteen, comparing their health with activity levels. As you would expect, the most active kids had the healthiest hearts and lower levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. By comparison, thirty-six percent of children who were active only once or twice a week had high cholesterol and triglycerides.

For type 1 kids, activity levels relate to HbA1c levels: fit children had lower HbA1c levels. High HbA1c levels in childhood practically guarantee your child will experience heart problems down the road. Says lead researcher Antje Herbst: "Clearly, getting off the couch and out of doors, where they can be more physically active, is good for all kids. But for children with type 1 diabetes, the need to stay physically active is even greater due to the increased risk for heart disease."

Parents: you don't have to sign your little ones up for triathlon training, boot camp or anything like that. Vigorous exercise is not necessary to reap the benefits. Regular periods of normal play are adequate. Even half an hour a day can make a difference, the researchers say. Common sense, however, suggests this is a case where more is definitely better.

The results of this study appear in the latest Diabetes Care (August 2007).

The FDA has approved a new over-the-counter weight loss drug called alli (orlistat) that is designed to absorb 25% of the fat from your meal. However, nutrition and fitness expert Dr. Len Lopez, author of "To Burn or Not to Burn, Fat is the Question" shares his reasons why the new approved weight loss drug may not be beneficial to your health.

New research is showing that medications don't make us healthier. Research is showing that losing weight with medications doesn't decrease the rate of heart attacks, strokes or diabetes. Add that to the fact that your body loses nutrients with these medications and you can easily see how these new weight loss drugs can hamper your health. Dr. Lopez discusses practical steps to losing weight which includes diet and exercise, but also covers how stress and adrenal fatigue can disrupt our hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline. These hormonal imbalances can throw off our metabolism and take us out of our fat burning mode.

Both of Dr.Lopez's books cover a good deal of information to understand how we can correct our imbalances in piecing together the weight loss puzzle. His knowledge explores the roles of insulin and cortisol in weight gain, cravings, fatigue and more. He also explains how stress can take you out of your fat burning zone and helps you regain your blood sugar balance, as well as implementing the "Five and Two" dieting plan.

Say NO to the weight loss drugs and say YES to the empowering knowledge Dr. Lopez has to share.

Two doctors from the UK warn athletes who take growth hormone in an effort to enhance their performance increase their risk of developing diabetes.

The doctors describe what they believe is the first reported case of diabetes associated with taking high doses of growth hormone. A 36-year-old professional body-builder was admitted to the emergency room and treated for chest pain. He told his doctors that in the past year he had lost 88 pounds and noticed that he had to urinate excessively and was constantly thirsty and hungry. The man admitted to using anabolic steroids for 15 years and high doses of growth hormone for the past 3 years. He said he went on insulin a year after starting growth hormone in an effort to counter the effects of high blood sugar, but he stopped taking insulin after a couple of episodes of sudden low blood sugar while at the gym. Tests showed that the man's liver was inflamed, his kidneys were enlarged and that he had very high blood sugar. He was also dehydrated, and was diagnosed with diabetes. He was admitted to the hospital, treated with intravenous fluids and insulin for five days and then sent home. His symptoms resolved completely, and he was no longer diabetic.

The use of growth hormone has become popular with athletes because it is easy to buy online and difficult to detect in screening tests, unlike anabolic steroids. The internet gives easy access to these drugs as well as the 'best' means to take them. The reporting doctors warn physicians should not dismiss such users as being naïve. They have extensive pseudo-medical knowledge. Sadly, the short term risks are instantly addressed. More concerning is the reality of long term complications. The efficacy of growth hormone for enhancing athletic performance is debatable. The conclusive suggestion is anyone taking high doses of growth hormone should get their blood sugar levels checked regularly.

Researchers found that offering seniors with diabetes the opportunity to participate in a subsidized community-based exercise program may help lower health care costs.

The researchers analyzed 163 seniors with diabetes who participated in a community-based fitness program that was fully subsidized by the HMO. For comparison, the study also included 364 seniors who did not participate in the fitness program. After 12 months, the researchers found that total health care costs did not differ among the two groups of seniors. However, among those in the HMO subsidized exercise group, those who attended more exercises classes per week than the rest of the group had health care costs roughly 41% less than the average of the group.

The study found that health care costs can be greatly reduced among a previously sedentary older adult who engages in moderate physical activity three days a week or more. One in five Medicare recipients has diabetes. That's a pretty significant number. Diabetes-related health care costs account for about a third of total Medicare expenses. Exercise can reduce health care costs and increase physical functioning. Any amount of physical activity is beneficial for everyone and it is even more so for people with diabetes, regardless of the effects on health care costs. What's the going rate for well-being these days, anyway?