Would You Rather: Do a Short, Intense Workout, or a Longer, More Leisurely Workout?

So what do you think: is it better to blast some calories in a one-hour intense bike ride, or over a longer, more meandering walk?

Research has been back and forth on the topic--it wasn't too long ago that studies suggested a quick burst of high-intensity exercise may do a body extra-good--but now a new study is suggesting that long, slow walks may actually be better for you. Researchers say that standing instead of sitting whenever possible helps, too. 

According to a study published in PLOS ONE, volunteers who spent two hours standing and four hours walking each day had healthier insulin levels and lower triglycerides than when they spent an hour at the gym cycling. While the four hours of leisurely walking burned about the same number of calories as the one hour of cycling, the other health benefits were notable, say researchers. Triglycerides didn't show improvement with vigorous exercise, but were 22 percent better when volunteers spent less time sitting and more time walking.

There has been lots of research pointing to the fact that too much sit-time can have serious health consequences (like, uh, premature death. Eep), so this study may just be another piece of evidence that it's worth getting up from your chair and taking a stroll as often as possible.

Experts Say That for Women, Best Friends Aren't Forever

Do you have a best friend? If you do, you may be in the minority among women, say experts. Check out these fascinating findings.

Are best friends forever? Well, according to Oxford researchers, not so much. According to a new study of phone records, a gal's No. 1 contact during her twenties is usually a ... dude! But, by the time she turns 45, she calls her kids most often, usually her daughter.

According to related research, men, on the other hand, tend to be more likely to have lifelong best friends.

So fascinating!

Burn More Fat (All You Have to Do Is Sip This!)

Want to burn more fat? Of course you do! And, no, you don't have to spend two hours on the treadmill to do it. You can sip your way there, if you sip this...

In a Health.com piece about things that boost your metabolism, I found this gem about 
green tea (and I just made myself a cup!): "New evidence shows the active ingredient, 
catechin, may crank up metabolism," they write. "Researchers conducted a series of 
studies in dieters and found that those who went green lost more weight than those who didn't, suggesting that catechins may improve fat oxidation and thermogenesis, your body's production of energy, or heat, from digestion. But how much do you have to drink? According to one study, if you drink five eight-ounce cups of green tea a day, you can increase your energy expenditure by 90 calories a day. Sounds like a lot of tea, but it's not hard to do if you also drink it iced."

Love it! (And we already know that green tea is great for skin health, too!)

P.S. Did you know that this beverage has more antioxidants than red wine and green tea combined? And, three herbal teas with big health payoffs...