which is better for conditioning exercises?

I.e burpees Doing less sets of more reps Ex: 2 sets of 60 Or more sets of less reps 6 sets of 10 Which would have the better effect

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How can I suppress my appetite ? Would you suggests app outré suppressant pills, and if so which ones ?

Im always hungry and wanting to munch on something. I heard about the green tea pill for weight loss, I just can't find the gamcimia ones anywhere other then online. Any suggestions on appetite suppressants ?

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Which Fats Really Are Good for Your Heart?

Feb. 6, 2013 -- The standard advice about which fats are best for heart health is under debate again.

Triggering it is new research, just published in BMJ, finding that a form of omega-6 fatty acid found in vegetable oils may actually boost heart disease risk. Omega-6 fatty acids are a type of polyunsatured fat, which has generally been considered heart healthy.

The new findings could significantly alter the advice about which type of fats to eat, some experts say. The new research warrants another look at the current recommendations, says a spokesperson for the American Heart Association.

WebMD turned to the study author and other experts to sort out the findings -- and to figure out which fats to eat now.

First, a refresher course on fats:

Saturated fats, found in high-fat dairy, meats, and fried foods, as well as trans-fats, found in processed foods such as chips and cookies, should be limited. Experts agree they raise the risk of heart disease.Unsaturated fats, in moderation, are considered heart-healthy, overall. These include monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated. Monounsaturated fats are found in olive oil, nuts, and other foods. Polyunsaturated fats can be broken down into two types: omega-6 fatty acids, found in soybean oil, corn oil, and safflower oil; and omega-3 fatty acids, also in soybean and canola oil and in nuts and some fish as well.

What's the ''back story'' on omega-6 fatty acids?

While polyunsaturated fatty acids -- which include omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids -- are viewed as heart-healthier fats, the information about the benefits of omega-6 fatty acids is more limited, says Christopher Ramsden, MD, a clinical investigator at the National Institutes of Health. He led the research.

Because many oils often contain both, it has been difficult to know which is healthier than the other.

The benefits of foods with both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (such as many vegetable oils)  may be due more to the omega-3 fatty acids, says Ramsden. "We suspect that omega-6 might not be as healthy as omega-3," he says.

Different fatty acids may have different effects on heart health, he says.

What exactly did the study look at?

Ramsden and his team recovered some unanalyzed data from the Sydney Diet Heart Study, conducted from 1966 to 1973. The study included 458 men, ages 30 to 59, with a history of heart attack or other heart problems.

One group was told to reduce their saturated fat intake to less than 10% of daily calories and increase their polyunsaturated fat intake to about 15% of calories. They were told to use safflower oil or safflower oil margarine, which has linoleic acid, a form of omega-6, but no omega-3 fats.

The other group received no specific instruction on diet.

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Which Cancer Tests Do You Really Need?

Feb. 1, 2013 -- Not all cancer screening tests are helpful, and some are potentially harmful, according to a new Consumer Reports rating.

In the new report, Consumer Reports recommends only three of 11 common cancer screening tests, and then only for certain age groups.

Screenings for cervical, colon, and breast cancer are recommended.

Screenings for cancers affecting the bladder, lungs, skin, mouth, prostate, ovaries, pancreas, and testicles are not.

"The science of prevention and screening has changed," says John Santa, MD, MPH, director of the Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center. He oversaw the project.

"Consumers need to know that some screening tests are terrific, some are not good, and some can harm you," Santa says.

"We are not talking about people at high risk," he says. "And of course they are not symptomatic. We're not talking about what you should do if you have a mole that is changing or if you feel a breast lump."

The full report is in the March issue of Consumer Reports.

To develop the ratings, Santa and his team looked at medical research, consulted medical experts, surveyed more than 10,000 readers, and talked with patients about screening tests.

They looked closely at recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. This independent panel provides guidelines on health care based on evidence. Much of Consumer Reports' recommendations follow the task force guidelines to the letter.  But, their recommendations sometimes differ from those of organizations such as the American Cancer Society (ACS). Here, details on the three recommended tests:

Cervical cancer . Women 21 to 30 should have a Pap smear to test for cervical cancer every three years. Women 30 to 65 can wait five years if they have had testing for human papillomavirus (HPV), the virus that causes the cancer. Those 65-plus can skip screening if they were screened regularly earlier. Those under 21 can also skip the test, as experts know the cancer is not common at those ages. Colon cancer. Those 50 to 75 should get screened regularly, and older people should discuss the pros and cons with their doctor and decide. Options include a colonoscopy, which examines the entire colon, every 10 years, or a sigmoidoscopy, which looks at the lower third, every five years plus a stool test every three years, or an annual stool test. As far as other guidelines, no groups suggest screening younger than 50 unless high risk. The ACS also doesn't say to specifically stop at age 75.Breast cancer. Women 50 to 75 need a mammogram every two years. Those 40 to 49 or 75 andolder should talk with their doctor about pros and cons. These guidelines do split with those of the ACS, though. The cancer society recommends yearly mammograms after age 40 and as long as healthy.

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Which Diet Plans Are Most Popular? Dieters Choose

Jan. 3, 2013 -- Is weight loss one of your New Year's resolutions?

If so, you might get some valuable guidance from a new survey of more than 9,000 Consumer Reports readers who have been there, done that.

The readers ranked do-it-yourself plans and commercial plans.

MyFitnessPal, a free web site and smartphone app, got top satisfaction marks in the survey.

Weight Watchers got the highest satisfaction marks of the four commercial diet plans rated by dieters.

"What you are seeing here is the judgment of people who have been on the diets," says Nancy Metcalf, senior program editor for Consumer Reports.

The ratings are not based on the safety of the diet nor on nutrition experts' assessments.

The satisfaction scores took into account the cost of the plan, ease of use, and weight loss, Metcalf says.

There were enough responses to tally results for 13 diet plans and tools.

The full results are published in the February issue of Consumer Reports.

Of a possible 100 points, here is how the four commercial diet plans rated by readers fared:

Weight Watchers, 74. The plan assigns a "PointsPlus" value to each food based on the nutrient content. It encourages physical activity. Users get support at meetings or online.Medifast, 70. This is a low-calorie meal replacement plan.Jenny Craig, 66. The approach includes branded meal replacements and personal consultations with a staff member.Nutrisystem, 56. This approach includes branded meal replacements and online tools for weight control.

Nine do-it-yourself plans were rated. Here is how they fared on the same 100-point satisfaction scale.

MyFitnessPal, 83. This free web site and smartphone app includes a food and exercise diary.Paleo Diet, 80. This ''eat-like-a-caveman" approach includes eating lean meats, fruit and fish, and non-starchy vegetables. Users avoid cereal grains, legumes, dairy, and processed foods.Mediterranean Diet, 77. Users eat plant-based meals with olive oil and limit dairy, red meat, and refined carbohydrates such as sweets.SparkPeople, 76. This online app tracks food and exercise and offers menu plans.South Beach Diet, 72. Users focus on healthy fats, fruits, and vegetables.Glycemic Index Diet, 71. The approach focuses on eating foods that do not cause blood sugar to spike quickly.Low-Carb Diet, 71. This diet focuses on general restriction of carbohydrate-containing foods.Atkins Diet, 70. Followers restrict carbohydrate-containing foods initially. Then they gradually re-introduce some.Slim-Fast, 60. Users eat or drink Slim-Fast shakes, bars, and snacks. They also eat some ''regular'' food.

"Weight loss didn't correlate well with satisfaction," Metcalf says. Dieters balanced weight loss with other factors, she says, such as how easy the plan was to follow.

Overall, men lost more than women did, she found. Overall, the median loss (half more, half less) was 18 pounds for men and 15 for women. However, that loss was often enough to move from the obese category to overweight or the overweight to healthy weight category.

Those people on Medifast lost more than those on any other diet. Men lost 20 to 43 pounds; women, 14 to 40.

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