We have been busy around here (and have many more things coming down the pipeline as well), so here’s just a quick recap of the new/coming soon updates at Fitness Spotlight. Also are some links to other articles (and videos) from around the web worth taking a look at.

News and Updates

• Yep…we are at it again. If you are on the main site you may notice a new look. We have taken your feedback and cleaned up to have the info you need with no clutter. Also you will notice down the bottom we will always be rotating in 4 random posts (every time you refresh or go to a new page) from all our past articles (as well you can browse by category in the footer). All the information you need at your fingertips!

• Fitness Spotlight is now officially on Facebook and you can become a fan! For more of our individual personal “wit and charm”, you are welcome to friend us on our personal Facebook accounts also (click here for Mike’s profile and click here for Scott’s profile).

• Want some free quick bodyweight based workouts 3x a week (no gym needed)? Then be sure to head over to BodyFitBurn and get them 3x a week. Now setup as a daily blog with RSS/Email (and soon on Facebook) feed options.

• Attention health and fitness bloggers, we want you to join our community (where we all work together). There is a big project on the horizon and want you to be a part of it. So make sure to join the “Blogger Revolution” community email list here and you will get more updates soon.

• If you are a trainer and/or are in the professional health and fitness business (bootcamps, massage therapists, etc), be sure to also join our professional community here (as we have a free new online directory coming very soon for you)

• Another quick reminder….Sunday Nov 1st is IF day to help spread awareness of IF (and the health and weight loss it can bring). You can get the FREE IF Life Revolution ebooks (3 total) at the IF Life.

Great Articles from Around the Web

• Here’s an interesting article about one anthropologist who claims modern man is a wimp

• Chris at Zen to Fitness gives 10 Tips for a better night’s sleep (as we know how important it is to our health)

• Dr Eades has a 2 part series on the question “are we meat eaters or vegetarians?”. Here is Part I and here is Part II.

• Like they say: “behind every great man is a greater woman!”, so meet Carrie “Mrs Grok” Sisson (the wife of Mark “Grok” Sisson from Marks Daily Apple) and see all her answers to many reader questions about food and fitness.

• The New York Times explores if we really need more exercise to be healthy. I think people need to drop the “exercise” and “cardio” words and just be “active in a lifestyle capacity”. Add in some resistance training here and there and then focus on what matters the most….what you eat! I like this quote from the article to point home why more exercise shouldn’t be the primary focus: “‘I have all my assistants running five miles a day, but they eat 10 miles a day.”

• Conditioning Research Chris has a great interview with the coauthor of a new book on HIT training (high intensity training).

• Vic has been putting on some muscle over at Gym Junkies and is sharing his top 10 muscle building foods he has been using.

• Leo over at Zen Habits is going to help unleash your inner child with this post.

Videos that are Important to Your Health

• This video on Yahoo News reports on how the FDA is now cracking down on all those misleading/false “health claims” made by food manufactures. Rule of thumb, if it needs a claim on the box to be “healthy”, you shouldn’t be eating it (as the best foods don’t need claims on them….like fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs, etc). Don’t fall for misleading marketing claims…as “Real Food” doesn’t have labels or claims.

• Next video below (if having problems seeing, here is original on YouTube) is one on cholesterol and the ongoing myth about it in mainstream media that is fueled by a billion dollar “statin” market out there. You can also see more on debunking cholesterol and heart disease in this article on Chris Masterjohn’s site. Moral of the story: the real issue is oxidation of LDL particles (as well as the actual size of them) and other inflammatory markers, not just the total cholesterol number (that has doctors pushing statins on their patients like candy)

• Lastly is this great interview on CNN with Dr Andrew Weil on his thoughts about how we need to change the “health care mentality”. A little long (18min) but really excellent points he drives home.