One of the biggest problems with diets is that while many while succeed initially, people often regain back the weight...and sometimes they regain to become even heavier than they were when they originally started. That's why maintaining a weight loss is so important. Scientists recently did a study to find out how much exercise you should be doing every day in order to maintain a body weight loss of 10%.

A new (and not terribly surprising) study has shown that it takes about an hour a day to maintain at least a 10% weight loss.

To whatever genius decided to perform that study, I say thank you Dr. Captain Obvious. :)

Photo by Flickr/Mahidoodi. 

FitCeleb and Model Beth Ostrosky is planning a mammoth 18-mile (28.9-kilometre) run the day after her wedding to U.S. shock jock Howard Stern.
The couple, who got engaged on Valentine's Day 2007, will wed before family and friends in The Hamptons, New York next month (Aug08) and then stage a more intimate affair in October (08). And Ostrosky, who is currently training for the New York City Marathon in November (08), isn't going to let the nuptials interrupt her running schedule. The beauty has confirmed she is planning to complete an 18-mile practice session the day after the wedding, according to New York Post gossip column PageSix.

Giving the transplant drug cyclosporine to heart attack patients can prevent the injury that's caused by blood rushing back to the damaged heart, French researchers report. The trial of cyclosporine involved 58 people whose blocked arteries were reopened after heart attacks. It was spurred by several lines of research, noted study lead author Dr. Michel Ovize, professor of physiology and cardiology at the University of Lyon. One is the finding that some of the damage in heart attack survivors is caused by what is called reperfusion injury - ” the unavoidable damage that comes when blood flow is suddenly restored to cardiac tissue through techniques such as balloon angioplasty.

"Recent studies, including some from our group, showed that tissue damage is due at least partially to the reopening of occluded arteries," Ovize explained. "This was new, because it was believed for a long time by doctors that all the damage was due to ischemia [blockage], not reperfusion."

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People whose mothers have had Alzheimer's disease may be predisposed to the mind-robbing condition, a new study finds. The link may be a dysfunction in how the brain handles sugar - ”something that's probably genetic and starts years before symptoms of Alzheimer's appear, researchers say.

"Overall, these findings show that their brains are not working properly to start with, and the metabolic impairment gets worse over time," explained lead researcher Lisa Mosconi, a research assistant professor of psychiatry at the Center for Brain Health at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City.

There is evidence that having a parent affected with Alzheimer's disease increases the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease four- to tenfold, Mosconi said. "However, we don't know why or how this happens. Our study shows for the first time that individuals with an Alzheimer's disease [-affected] mother may be at increased risk for developing Alzheimer's disease themselves because their brains are not utilizing glucose in an effective way," she said. The findings were to be presented Wednesday at the Alzheimer's Association's International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease in Chicago. For the study, Mosconi's team used PET scans to look at glucose metabolism in the brains of 66 healthy individuals. Some of the participants had a family history of Alzheimer's disease, and some did not. The researchers found that people with a mother with Alzheimer's had a much faster progressive reduction in the use of glucose in areas of the brain affected by the disease, compared with people who had a father with Alzheimer's or parents without the disease. "At this point, we can only speculate that genes that are maternally inherited may alter brain metabolism," Mosconi said. "We need to follow subjects for longer time periods to ascertain whether the metabolic reductions are in fact forerunning cognitive deterioration." Early diagnosis is extremely important, particularly while people are still symptom-free and treatments are most effective, Mosconi said. In addition, maintaining overall good health will help protect brain health, she said. "This includes checking for blood pressure, cholesterol levels, glucose levels, arteriosclerosis and vascular damage in general, because improving cardiovascular health is particularly important to also promote brain health," Mosconi said. "If an individual finds out that they are at risk for developing Alzheimer's disease and are not taking much care of their health, that's already a good reason to start immediately." Dr. Sam Gandy, chairman of the Alzheimer's Association's National Medical and Scientific Advisory Council, believes the findings could prove promising for drug research. "One could collect the children of mothers with Alzheimer's disease, divide them into a placebo group and a drug-test group, and follow them with neuropsych tests and brain scans to see whether the group receiving the drug had delayed onset or prevention," Gandy said. Greg M. Cole, associate director of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, said the findings could help in diagnosis. "Our best hope is to catch the disease early and treat early," Cole said. "One way of doing this is to identify people with significant genetic risk, but we only know one common risk factor, ApoE4 gene," he said. Using imaging methods to follow the brain's regional energy use, doctors can detect signs of Alzheimer's in those at risk from ApoE4 many years before developing dementia, Cole said. This study shows similar results in people with a family history who don't have the ApoE4 risk factor, he added. "This is significant because it broadens the utility of imaging as a tool for detecting the disease early - ”not simply in those with a specific form of genetic risk," Cole said. "Now it needs to be paired with clinical trials for new approaches for prevention."

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FitCeleb Michelle Obama is showing just what a well-rounded lady she is.  With a husband campaigning for the White House and two daughters to raise, the 44-old is proving that she can pretty much do it all. In a new  invterview with Momlogic.com, Michelle, 44, shares her experiences on how she keeps in such great shape:

"I go to the gym three times a week," she says.  "I work with a fabulous trainer for about an hour session each. We do a lot of cardio and weight training.  For me, exercise is more than just the physical--it's theraputic."

Michelle seems like a great role model-First Lady or not!

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The tiny seeds in grapes are packed with wrinkle-fighting antioxidants and super-softening oils. No wonder the fruit is turning up in so many cutting-edge skin-care products.

Guilty pleasure
A grapeseed-based oil that contains flecks of (real!) gold? Linden Leaves Gold Oil ($42.95) makes you feel rich all over.

Lavish lather
The subtly scented L'Occitane Grape Shower Oil ($22) transforms into a foam that cleanses and moisturizes.

Soap-free suds
Don't let the mousse-like texture of Caudalie Instant Foaming Cleanser ($26) fool you. This gentle, purify­ing cleanser is free of irritating soap, making it perfect for the sensitive set.

Happy hour
Finally, a cocktail that makes you look rested. Nature's Gate Have A Vine Day Chardonnay Hydrator for Daytime ($24.95) packs potent antioxidants to lift and smooth your skin.

A natural pick-me-up
Instantly revive your complexion with a spritz of Juice Beauty Hydrating Mist ($22), an organic blend of soothing white and red grape juices.

Soft touch
Wave good-bye to dry, cracked hands with Burt's Bees Thoroughly Therapeutic Honey and Grapeseed Oil  Hand Creme($10).

Mood-boosting moisture
The tangy scent of Origins Gloomaway Grapefruit Body Souffle ($27.50) revitalizes your senses, while grapeseed and apricot-kernel oils soften your skin.

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