Skeptics Stack Exchange
Skeptics Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [physical-fitness]

Use this tag for questions explicitly about health approaches that revolve around exercise and diet as a means to attain health.

53 questions
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Does exposure to cold make body fat easier to burn?

The Facebook pages Weird Facts and WTF recently posted this image. Exposure to cold makes body fat easier to burn. Scientists found that putting ice packs on problem areas can burn extra calories. Combine that with 10 minutes of shivering, which…
cat
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Do running shoes prevent injury?

One common question among runners is when to replace your shoes, with the popular advice ranging anywhere from 300 to 600 miles (482 to 966 kilometers). The justification for doing so is not that the shoe are worn through, but rather: Don't use the…
rjzii
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Is the Shake Weight more effective than just using dumbbells?

On the Shake Weight website, they claim: Shake Weight® Utilizes New Workout Technology Called Dynamic Inertia, which can increase Muscle Activity to nearly 300% compared to a Standard Dumbbell.* The asterisk points to this text: *Study…
user6327
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Does physical exercise control diabetes?

I've heard from many people that physical exercise controls or prevents diabetes. Is there any studies that confirm or deny this? Does physical exercise control diabetes?
JABIR. TM
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Does training while wearing weights improve body performance?

Everybody has heard about training while wearing weights in different parts of your body: ankles, arms, torso, etc. There are many references in cartoons that treat about Martial arts like the episode where Rock Lee battles Gaara (Naruto) (1:45)…
Alenanno
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Do many people die because of shovelling snow?

This is one of those "known truths" supported by what appears to be legitimate expert opinion on public media (see below). But I couldn't find a scientific study of the issue, after all it could be just a coincidence. “That is a perfect storm, in my…
Rsf
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Do situps and crunches cause lower-back pain?

There seems to be a lot of buzz in the fitness community recently about how situps and crunches are bad for people's backs. For example, Harvard Medical School makes the claim, but they don't cite any scientific studies. One reason is that sit-ups…
Celeritas
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Can excessive exercise cause long term heart damage?

I always thought that exercising was good for preventing heart disease. I recently read an article that claimed that long distance running (> 1 hour of maximal/near maximal running) can be harmful to the heart, especially in people over 50. To…
Kenshin
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Does the body get rid of alcocol first before metabolizing food?

In her article The Top 8 Metabolism Myths, the nutritionist of Fitbit writes Go easy on the booze, too; your body will focus on getting rid of the alcohol first, before metabolizing the food. Is it true that digestion "focuses" on the alcohol? If…
radix
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Does running, short or long distance, cause muscle loss?

I often hear the claim that running promotes muscle loss. To what extent is this true? If a person is a triathlete don't they need both cardio and muscle? Does it matter what distance is run and the speed? I first red such a claim on this article,…
Celeritas
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Are push-ups beneficial for alleviating sagging breasts?

From here: http://www.livestrong.com/article/98061-benefits-pushups-women/ Chest muscles also receive a workout during push-ups and can help to alleviate sagging breasts. From:…
Aquarius_Girl
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Do belt massagers promote weight loss?

I recently bought a piece of exercise equipment to help counteract all the time I spend sat in front of StackExchange. I thought I got a very good price for the base unit alone, but I obviously didn't understand the fine-print, because it came with…
Oddthinking
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Is it possible for thin weedy guys to look muscular like Arnold Schwarzenegger?

Quite often you can see guys slaving away at the gym, slurping on protein shakes or pounding the pavement. There are also frequently seen ads around the net with a simple animation of a thin guy transforming into a muscle man. The other example is…
going
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Does lifting weights inhibit growth in kids?

I have a teenager at home, who is itching to pull weights in a gym. He is training to be a sprinter, so I see the benefits of power and strength training, but am worried, as these are his growing years. I have read both sides of the story: from many…
CMR
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Does taking more steps lead to better health outcomes?

There are currently various products on the market that allow people to track, among other things, how many steps they take every day. For example: The FitBit® The Nike+ FuelBand The M7 chip in the iPhone The implication of their marketing seems…
Paul D. Waite
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