Though the idea of interval-type exercise has been around for more than a half a century and has helped countless athletes achieve record performance, the last decade has witnessed an explosion of interest by researchers and excitement for individuals aiming to get in better shape.

The recent enthusiasm for interval-based exercise can be traced to research from Canada and Europe in the early 2000s. The research in Canada started with exercise protocols that required participants to pedal at an all-out intensity for 30 seconds before recovering for a few minutes and then doing it again and again several more times. In contrast, the European research utilized relatively long but less intense intervals in cardiac patients. Findings from these studies demonstrated that interval-based exercise is a powerful tool for improving exercise performance and health.

The workout by any other name would still be effective

This form of training is so flexible that it has produced an endless number of training options and several different names to describe it. High-intensity interval training (or HIIT or HIT) is likely the most common name but several other labels exist as well, including sprint interval training (or SIT) or high-intensity interval exercise (or HIIE).

One other aspect of flexibility around HIIT relates to the style of exercise. Most of the original HIIT workouts focused on what many call “cardio HIIT” in that it utilizes traditional cardio-based exercise options such as running and cycling. However, much of the contemporary use of HIIT is perhaps best described as “body weight HIIT” and includes some combination of resistance exercise and calisthenics. Most of the research to date is based on cardio types of HIIT but all signs point towards both forms of HIIT being highly beneficial. 

Get your motor running

The important idea behind all forms of HIIT is providing an intense phase of exercise followed by a period of recovery. Each phase can range from a few seconds to a few minutes and are conducted across a range of intensities. The number of ways that HIIT can be configured is almost too numerous to count and perhaps this multitude of options is one of the reasons that so many people across a wide range of age, fitness and exercise experience seem to prefer this form of exercise over continuous exercise. Though planning and implementing HIIT is somewhat more complex than continuous exercise, its flexibility makes it a very attractive option for both new exercisers and the hardcore fitness junkie.

One important consideration around HIIT is that it provides the exerciser the opportunity to experience the extra benefits of intense exercise without creating an experience that is negative or unpleasant. While there is no magic recipe for creating the perfect HIIT experience, research suggests that a good approach is to avoid the combination of work intervals that are both long and extremely intense. Longer intervals should be paired with high intensities, while shorter intervals can be paired with very high intensities.

Exercisers should seek to create a HIIT experience that provides a great workout while simultaneously building confidence and producing positive attitudes and emotions.

HIIT is an approach to exercise that provides a great opportunity to boost health and fitness in a variety of populations. All that is needed is a bit of patience in finding the right style and approach to HIIT and a willingness to try new versions and variations to keep things fresh and interesting. 

HIIT has been named the #1 Fitness Trend for 2018 via ACSM's Worldwide Survey. To learn about the other trends, check out this article in ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal. 




Dr. Marcus Kilpatrick earned his bachelor’s degree from Florida State University in 1994, his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Texas at Austin in 1996 and 1999. He joined the faculty at USF in 2004 after spending five years at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana. Dr. Kilpatrick’s teaching efforts are linked to the undergraduate and graduate Exercise Science programs. His teaching experiences and responsibilities are varied but primarily focus on sport and exercise psychology, exercise testing and prescription, and research methods.

Ah, a good night’s sleep is so sweet. Don’t you just wish you could save some of that feeling for when you haven’t slept well? This, of course, isn’t possible so experts recommend planning ahead so that what you do during the day will help you sleep better at night. Getting enough physical activity earlier in the day may be one of those things. But, what if you have had cancer and haven’t slept as well since your diagnosis and treatment? Can physical activity help, even then? The answer is yes, based on a recent scientific study published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. In this study, breast cancer survivors receiving a three-month physical activity intervention reported better overall sleep quality at the end of the intervention and three months later.

How important is sleeping well for cancer survivors?

Many cancer survivors have trouble sleeping well after their cancer diagnosis and treatment. Although this may improve over time, some cancer survivors struggle with trouble sleeping for months, or even years, after their diagnosis. This reduces their quality of life, worsens fatigue and depression, and increases risk of health problems. We don’t know for sure if sleeping well improves a cancer survivor’s chance of long term survival, but we do know that sleeping better is associated with living longer when measured in the general population.

What is physical activity?

Physical activity can be any movement that increases the number of calories your body burns. Although most people typically think of physical activity as walking on a treadmill, swimming laps, or going for a run, physical activity can include other activities such as gardening, walking your dog, parking further from the door, taking the stairs, etc. Our recent study focused on walking, because it is the form of physical activity most commonly preferred by cancer survivors. However, other studies have demonstrated yoga as another type of physical activity scientifically proven to help cancer survivors sleep better.

What will be your next step?  

The intervention reported in the study also involved support from research staff and other cancer survivors—so choosing activities that connect you socially and help you feel less alone may help, too. The bottom line is that your good night’s sleep starts earlier in the day, so find a friend or family member and get moving!

Dr. Laura Rogers is a Professor in the Department of Nutrition Sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and a Senior Scientist in the UAB Nutrition Obesity Research Center (NORC), Center for Exercise Medicine, and Cancer Control and Population Science Program of the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center. She is a board certified internal medicine and obesity medicine physician in the UAB Weight Loss Medicine clinic. Her research focuses on exercise promotion and benefits in chronic disease populations, especially cancer survivors.

ACSM recertification has been updated and simplified for 2019 and beyond.

1. A "How To Recertify" walkthrough has been created.

2. Updates to the late fee structure have been made.

Below lies information for 2018 and earlier.

As a health fitness professional, we know how important it is for your career to stay up-to-date - whether it's keeping up with the latest exercise discoveries, stretching yourself to learn new skills for your clients, or even adding a new specialty to your repertoire.

1. There are two ways to renew: submit an online renewal form or submit a hard copy renewal form. Submitting the online renewal form is the recommended option as it automatically updates your profile and reflects your new 3-year cycle date immediately. It also sends you a verification/receipt of the financial transaction for your records. Submitting a paper form requires more manual processing, thus extending the turn-around time to receive your certificate in the mail.

2. You do not have to wait until December 31st. If you have the required CECs to renew and your CPR/AED is up to date, you may renew at any time during the calendar year in which you are due for recertification. Renewing early adds additional time to your next cycle, and you beat the rush.

3. Your certification renewal is due on December 31st by midnight in your time zone. If you do not submit your recertification by the expiration date, you are granted a 6-month grace period that ends June 30th. You must pay an additional $75 late fee.

4. If you have multiple certifications, you must only earn the CECs required for the highest certification you hold and pay the renewal fee for the highest certification plus $5 for each additional certification.

5. Membership and Certification are not the same thing.  Holding an ACSM membership does not make one certified, and earning a certification does not make one a member.  At the same token, renewing one does not renew the other.  Membership dues are due annually, and certification fees are due every three years. 

Viewpoints presented in this blog post reflect opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect positions or policies of ACSM.

A recap and Q&A of the webinar presented by the Egg Nutrition Center on September 20, 2017.

When you think of protein, you might think of powder mixed with water in a shaker bottle. Or maybe it's eggs, chicken or steak. All can have their place "on the table," but they're certainly not the only options.

Protein comes from many different sources and also does more for the body than just repair muscle. Protein is made up of amino acids and is required for nearly everything that your body does to function properly. Amino acids are referred to as the building blocks of protein - imagine the structure of a brick wall. One brick by itself only has so much strength, but many stacked on top of one another can create an entire wall, build houses or even buildings. The same goes for amino acids - individually, they're not as "effective" - but when strung together to form an entire protein, they can ultimately help build and repair muscle along with assisting with their many other "jobs" in the body.

Amino acids are classified into two categories - essential and nonessential.

Essential amino acids, which make up almost half of the 20 amino acids, refer to those that must be ingested since our body doesn't produce them. Without eating these nine essential amino acids, our bodies are not able to function properly.

Dietary protein refers to the foods we eat that have at least some of the essential amino acids. Not all dietary protein is the same. Though all protein contains 4 calories per gram, just like carbohydrates, there are three different classifications based on the essential amino acid profile - complete, incomplete and complementary.

NOTE: Incomplete proteins, like those mentioned above, aren't "bad" or useless, they just don't provide all essential amino acids when eaten independently.

Complete proteins are primarily found in animal sources such as meat, poultry, fish, dairy, pork and eggs. There are exceptions, like soy. When you eat these foods, you're getting all of the essential amino acids the body needs to carry out the many jobs amino acids have in the body such as regulating body processes, enzymes and hormone function and building muscle tissue, to name a few.

Incomplete protein are plant based proteins, which are usually limited in one or another amino acids. Beans, for example, are low in methionine. When combined with rice, which has more methionine but is instead lower in lysine, they complement one another and make a complete protein.

The logical question, then is:

Can vegetarians eat enough protein?

Let's first go over the different types of vegetarian diets you might see.

It is possible for individuals to consume enough protein when eating a plant-based diet of any kind, including a vegan diet. The challenge is that plant-based foods have less protein than animal-based foods and they are higher in fiber so it can be more challenging to get the appropriate quantities. For example, 1 ½ cups of beans would give you the same amount of protein (21 grams) as a palmful (3oz) chicken breast or fish.

To ensure vegetarian athletes are consuming enough of the right types of proteins, combine foods to create complete proteins. Ideally this will be done at each meal. To highlight how nutrition research changes, it was first thought that complementary proteins had to be eaten at the same meal (e.g., beans and rice). The school of thought then changed to suggest that these proteins could be eaten within a 24-hour period (e.g., beans for breakfast, rice at dinner). Now that it's understood that we do not store protein, or subsequently amino acids, researchers are starting to think it would be best if they could be eaten at the same meal to maximize the benefit.

Fortunately, we have access to a variety of protein sources and are not just limited to one or another. Variety is key when it comes to protein, as this balance provides the nutrition we need to thrive and benefit from the protein we consume.

To watch the complete webinar, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvkZVln3N20&feature=youtu.be

If you are a registered dietitian and would like to receive one continuing education credit for watching the full webinar, visit: www.eggnutritioncenter.org/ContinuingEd

Below are answers to questions asked during the webinar:

Q: You mentioned how we get complete proteins. Why is a complete protein better for the body as opposed to an incomplete protein?

A: Complete proteins offer all of the essential amino acids. Incomplete proteins do not, so they need to be combined with other proteins to get all of the essential amino acids (EAAs) (beans and rice, for example). Beans are low in methionine, while rice is low in lysine. Put them together and you have the EAAs that you need.

Q. How does cooking eggs, versus drinking egg whites raw, effect the ability of the body to absorb the nutrients (protein)?

A. Cooking eggs improves protein digestion. The availability of egg protein is 91% with cooked egg and only 50% with raw egg. That means if you eat a whole egg raw, you're only getting about 3 grams into your system versus eating a whole cooked egg which would provide almost 6 grams of protein.

Q: Can you elaborate on the statement "we don't need that much protein?" It is easier to fill up on protein and feel full on fewer overall calories than it is on carbs. So would you not want someone having a relatively high (~30%) protein intake? If the excess gets excreted, wouldn't it be a better option than having too many carbs, which turn into fat?

A: Research suggests people should aim for about 25% to 30% of their total calorie intake from protein. Protein is filling and is necessary to build and maintain muscle. And this total intake should be balanced with quality carbs and quality fat.

Q. Can you elaborate on the difference in egg white and egg yolk, for example how choline negatively effects for prostate cancer and growth (nutritionfacts.org and Ornish Study)?

A. All of the choline is found in the egg yolk. While I am not familiar with the research you reference, neither the International Agency for Research on Cancer nor the American Cancer Society mention choline in their cancer prevention or treatment recommendations. In fact, most of the research has demonstrated many positive associations between choline intake and health outcomes such as the nutrient's impact on fetal brain development and brain health later in life as well.

Q: What is your opinion of ultra-filtered skim milk (i.e., Fairlife) with increased protein and decreased lactose?

A: I think they're a great way to boost protein, particularly around meals that may otherwise not have too much (like cereal, for example). And, if a person is lactose intolerant, this offers them a nice option to get the nutrition from milk without the lactose.

For more information on protein intake:

http://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Fulltext/2016/03000/Nutrition_and_Athletic_Performance.25.aspx

http://www.eatrightpro.org/~/media/eatrightpro%20files/practice/position%20and%20practice%20papers/position%20papers/vegetarian-diet.ashx

One of the most difficult concepts to understand in the exercise industry are the terms "certification", "certificate", and "certificates of completion." They are often used synonymously, when, in fact, they mean very different things.

• Professional certifications identify folks who have demonstrated the minimum knowledge, skills, and other competencies (e.g., academic degree, experience) to perform a job. These jobs can be found on the Bureau of Labor and Statistics and often require professional certifications or licensure to practice; for example, exercise physiologist. In addition, certifications require that folks to demonstrate continued competence by meeting continuing education requirements or by retaking and passing the certification exam. Certificants are awarded acronyms for use after their name. The letters may be used only by those who successfully passed the certification exam AND currently meet the recertification requirements.

• Educational certificates identify those who have met the learning objective of an education and training class. Content of the course is developed and delivered by subject matter experts or qualified individuals. Educational certificates do not have an expiration date, nor are continuing education credits (CECs) required to maintain them. Educational certificate holders are not awarded acronyms or letters after their name.

• Certificate of completion is a document that is provided at the end of an educational event that includes the course title, related dates, and the name of the educational provider. The document is used to demonstrate continued competence to a certification organization. CECs are necessary to meet recertification requirements that keep a professional certification active.

In summary, professional certifications indicate that you can perform a job, educational certificates demonstrate that you successfully met the learning objectives of a course, and certificates of completion identify when you attended a course.

Resources:

http://www.credentialingexcellence.org/programdifferences 
http://www.credentialingexcellence.org/p/cm/ld/fid=524
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/ 
https://www.onetonline.org/