Minute Sessions – Weight Loss Diet Solutions

Fibromyalgia patients who stopped taking medication and then exercised regularly for six weeks reported improved memory function and less pain, according to a small, new study.

While the finding is encouraging, it does not suggest a potential change in clinical care for fibromyalgia patients, the study authors stressed.

Senior author Dr. Brian Walitt, director of the Fibromyalgia Evaluation and Research Center at Georgetown University Medical Center, is scheduled to present the findings Sunday with co-researcher, Manish Khatiwada, at the Society of Neuroscience annual meeting, in Washington, D.C.

What is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a disorder marked by widespread pain, fatigue, sleep and cognitive problems. It has no apparent cause and the pain is real, Walitt said, and likely originates from the central nervous system. It typically affects women more than men.

Exercise has long been recommended to fibromyalgia patients, and some find it improves their sense of well-being. “This is a first look at understanding how exercise alters memory performance,” Walitt said of the study.

Fibromyalgia and Exercise Study

For the trial, nine women received a baseline brain image called a functional MRI test. They were also given tests to assess their working memory and asked about their well-being and pain while on medication. The memory tests involved reading back a sequence of letters at various times after learning them.

Next, the women stopped their medication for a six-week ”washout” period. Then they had a second round of fMRIs and tests. Then they started a six-week supervised aerobic exercise program, consisting of three 30-minute sessions a week.

“When we took people off the medicine, they performed worse on the tests,” Walitt said. But, he added, “As they stayed off the medications for a period of time and exercised, their cognitive performance returned to normal levels [the same as at the start of the study],” he said.

The finding potentially suggests that exercise may lead to improvement in the network of brain areas that are recruited for working memory to function.

“In some ways it is concerning,” Walitt said. “One would have hoped that exercise would have made them better [at the memory test].”

Wallit isn’t sure what the findings might mean for real-life situations. “It may be if you have a more efficient brain, doing real-life tasks will be better.”

While more study is needed, Walitt said that “overall, exercise seems to be a beneficial thing for fibromyalgia patients, in terms of overall well-being. If you can exercise and make it work for you, that’s great.”

However, he noted, some people with the condition can’t tolerate exercise. Working out “is not going to be the answer for everybody and it’s not going to fix anybody,” he said.

More Study Needed in Exercise and Memory Link

Exercise helps Memory in Fibromyalgia Patients

While the study has some flaws, it’s basically encouraging for those with the condition, said Dr. I. Jon Russell, a San Antonio fibromyalgia researcher and consultant, and retired professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio.

He thought the amount of time spent off medication during the study should have been longer before repeat testing. But, he said, “the most encouraging thing about this study is that fibromyalgia is continuing to be investigated.”

“We have many reasons to believe that aerobic exercise is good for our patients. This study gives some support [to that idea],” Russell said. However, “We shouldn’t over-interpret that exercise is the answer.”

If patients can and do exercise, he said, “It’s likely they will experience additional benefits.”

Research presented at meetings should be considered preliminary since it has not undergone the scrutiny required of studies published in peer-reviewed journals.

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Who is Andrea Ambandos?

Andrea Ambandos may not be a household name, but if you have any fitness videos laying around, she’s probably on the credits of at least one of them. Staying behind the scenes, Ambandos has directed and produced many popular workout video series, including “Crunch”, “Yoga Zone”, and the ever popular 10 Minute Solution”. These videos have been on shelves for over 10 years, and they’re still selling strong in retail stores across the nation. Andrea’s staying power in the fitness industry has to say something about how effective her methods are.

Fitness videos are growing more and more popular these days as people have less time to hit the gym and would rather stay in the comfort of their own homes to work out. Instead of driving to the gym, grab a bottle of water and a few free weights and get moving in front of the TV! And the only thing better than a home fitness video is an effective home fitness video. And those are the kinds of videos that Ambandos lends her fitness expertise to. She focuses on making workouts fun for the viewers by creating great, enthusiastic methods for toning muscles and losing fat, easy for viewers by going slowly and clearly teaching moves and methods, and cheap for consumers because this one time fee of less than 20 dollars is cheaper than a monthly gym membership!

Here are just a few titles that Andrea is involved in:

10 Minute Solution: Kickbox Bootcamp
Jillian Michaels: No More Trouble Zones
Fat Burning Workout For Dummies
The Firm – Supercharged Scultping
Pussycat Dolls Workout
Hula Workout: Weight Loss
20 Minute Yoga Makeover: Sculpt Buns and Thighs

“10 Minute Solution”

One of the most popular series that Andrea directs and produces is called “10 Minute Solution”. The “10 Minute Solution” series is a great, affordable way to shape up during a busy schedule. If you don’t have the time to drop everything and work out, doing a few 10 minute sessions throughout the day can boost your health and your confidence. You can even do a few sets in a row for a full-blown workout session! These videos focus on losing fat with simple (but fun) cardio moves and sculpting with a number of different exercises.

The diversity in this set of videos is amazing. If you prefer cardio, pick up the “Fat Blasting Dance Mix” and enjoy learning fun dance moves to trim those pounds of fat. If you prefer a tougher approach, “Kickbox Bootcamp” gives you cardio while strengthening and leaning out your muscles. Kickboxing is a great full-body workout, and Ambandos helps beginners learn how to use this great exercise to their advantage.”

Another popular “10 Minute Solution” video is “Pilates Perfect Body”. Tons of celebrities have sworn that Pilates is what gives them their great figure, which is why this video is so excellent. Under the direction of Ambandos, you can easily learn several different Pilates exercises and begin your journey to a great, lean body with a strong core. Don’t have money for expensive, first-rate Pilates classes? Don’t worry! This video costs $15 and you have your own personal trainer in your living room for as long as you want.

Along with the “10 Minute Solution” videos, Andrea Ambandos is behind some great collaboration with Jillian Michaels on workout DVDs. These include the “30 Day Shred” and “Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism”. These are both high energy workouts, but the steps are easy to learn and follow under Ambandos’ direction. Learning how to be healthy and get more effective exercise is easier than ever with these videos.

Dance Workouts

If you’re more of a dancing type, Ambandos has also done a few dance workout DVDs, including ones featuring Julianne Hough and the Pussycat Dolls. These are completely unique workout videos. The Julianne Hough video features ballroom cardio. Who knew you could get a cardio workout by learning how to ballroom dance? Not only are you getting great exercise, you’re also having fun learning a new skill that isn’t the cookie-cutter workout. Are you getting bored doing all those jumping jacks yet? Give the ballroom cardio video a try.

The Pussycat Dolls video features exactly what you’d expect – hip hop choreography and dance techniques. The choreographer of the Dolls, Robin Antin, hosts the video under the direction of Ambandos, and leads viewers through a exercise program designed to tone and burn fat fast. You’ll also be working out to some of your favorite Pussycat Dolls hits! Instead of grumbling after 10 minutes of work, you won’t want to stop.

Ambandos is also the director of the short series “Hula Workout”. If you don’t know anything about hula dancing, go pick up the beginner video to learn how while getting a decent workout! If you want to focus on losing weight, there’s a specific video for that, too. It combines the art of hula dancing with a great aerobic exercise routine. After practicing with these videos, you’ll be able to show your skills to your friends and family, and you’ll have a great appreciation for the skill that this beautiful dance takes to master! Not only is it fun, but its effective and totally worth the money.

Yoga Workouts

If yoga is more your thing, or even if you’re just a beginner wanting to learn, Ambandos’ yoga workouts are fine ways to get in shape. She directs several different series, including “Yoga Zone” and “20 Minute Yoga Makeover”. Yoga is a great way to release stress, build posture, flexibility, and even strength. Even though it may seem like the “trendy” workout with its wide celebrity acceptance, yoga has been in practice for more than 5,000 years. If people have been enjoying its benefits that long, it can hardly be called a trend.

Ambandos works with Sara Ivanhoe on the a few “20 Minute Yoga Makeover” videos. The “20 Minute Yoga Makeover: Weight Loss” DVD is designed to improve flexibility and strength while getting you to break a sweat and burn calories and lose that stubborn weight. This video is safe for beginners and all the poses are excellently presented so they’re easy to learn. If you’re worried about yoga not doing much for your physical appearance, try this video. It has helped many a figure.

Another 20 Minute Yoga Makeover includes “Power Beauty Sweat”, which is along the same lines and also features Sara Ivanhoe. Be prepared to sweat a bit in this workout! Sweat is the body’s way of eliminating old toxins and chemicals it doesn’t want in the body, so it is great for you to sweat. The workout routine in the video offers great yoga benefits, and will help you to boost your energy level, make you glow, burn calories, and even improve digestion.

The 20 Minute Yoga Makeover series has many more videos to offer, such as “Flat Abs” and “Sculpted Buns Thighs”. If you’re looking for specific areas to work on rather than a general workout, grabbing these videos would be of benefit to you. They are also easy to follow along with and fun to do, just like every Andrea Ambandos fitness video.

If you’re more of an intermediate or advanced yoga practitioner, the “Quick Fix: Power Yoga Workout” is a great video you can follow along with in just 10 minutes a day. However, you can still try it if you’re a beginner since it has variations on each pose. The video is broken up into 3 segments of 10 minutes each, so you can do each separately or all together depending on your time limitations and workout goals! Another great video directed by behind-the-scenes fitness superstar Andrea Ambandos.

Helpful, Fun, and Easy

Andrea has also directed great videos like the “Quick Fix” series that cover everything from Hip Hop dancing to exercises focusing on toning and strengthening your abs, the “Prevention” series that cover fighting cellulite and getting a flat stomach, and the “Crunch” series that goes from kickboxing to crunches and everything in between. Her videos have a lot of variety to them, so you’re surely to find something just right for you and your schedule.

There are many fitness videos out there to choose from. If you’re confused or skeptical about which direction to take, you can trust the directing expertise of Ambandos. Whether you like yoga, dancing, pilates, or just plain aerobics, there is an Ambandos video out there for it. Her videos are easy to follow (perfect for beginners) and fun to learn. Instead of dreading workout sessions, you won’t be able to wait until the next one! The videos don’t make it seem like you’re doing a workout but just as if you’re having fun advancing your health and body.

All in all, Ambandos videos focus on having fun while working out, and keeping the workout short and simple when you’re pressed for time. If you only have 15 minutes at a time to exercise, it is easy to pop in one of these fitness DVDs and fly right through a fun and exciting workout. You may even want to stay for longer!

As you can see, Andrea Ambandos has had a huge impact on the industry of video fitness. Since you can learn basic to complex workouts with never having to leave your home, it is a popular choice for many of the busiest people. The videos directed by Ambandos are fun and helpful, and you’ll never be without your own personal trainer again. Even though Ambandos works behind the scenes, her effect on modern fitness has been great.