Waveloads or Wavereps - mix it up!

I learned this technique off of a blog I follow and when I finally got around to doing it, I discovered how brutal it was.  You can do this with any exercise or group of exercises.

WaveLoading looks like this:
Bench Press
100lbs, 10 reps - rest 2 min
120lbs, 6 reps - rest 2 min
140lbs, 4 reps - rest 2 min

100lbs, 10 reps - rest 2 min

120lbs, 6 reps - rest 2 min

140lbs, 4 reps - rest 2 min

continue if necessary

WaveRepping looks like this (no rest):

Pushups 5

Situps 5

Deadlift 5

Pushups 10

Situps 10

Deadlift 10

Pushups 15

Situps 15

Deadlift 15

Then repeat whole series above, starting with the 5 rep sets.

On Thursday of last week we did:

5-10-15-5-10-15 of the below set of exercises, as a circuit

Sumo Deadlift high pull with 75#

Shoulder-touch Pushups (touch your right shoulder to right hand then left shoulder to left hand, that's "1")

Deadlift wtih curl (using 20# in each hand do a deadlift and curl weights while standing up)

dumbbell bench press with uneven weights (20# and 30#)

bent over dumbbell row

box jump

2 new Personal Records

I just broke two of my old records.  One was sort of an endurance record (not that big of a deal) the other was a personal Crossfit record.

Best 1 mile time (haven't tested in years) was 6:30sec
Best 3.8 mile time (hill course*) was 38 min
New 3.8 mile time (hill course*) 31:40.  That's 8min 19s per mile.  For some this is slow - for me it's good.

(I should probably head down to the track to find out my 1 mile time.)

Old Crossfit PR for Cindy** was 23 rounds
NEW Crossfit PR for Cindy** 28 rounds!!!
---also, I broke this record on my SECOND WORKOUT OF THE DAY.  I did a brutal 11 sets of: 3 pushup w/ rows (2x40#db) with 3 thrusters (2x40#db) and a 40m run holding 25# plate.


*hill course involves a low point below my house of about 100f down and a high point of 100f up.  I'm in the middle in terms of altitude.  It's up and down a lot but one full mile goes from the lowest point to the highest point.

**Cindy is conducted as follows:  20 minutes max to complete.  Each round is 5 pullups, 10 pushups and 15 squats (bodyweight only).  Complete as many rounds as you can in the 20 minutes.

What are you training for? (and a good recovery shake recipe)

I mostly train for "adaptation" rather than "competition".  What's the difference?  "Adaptation" is concerned with the fundamental changes in the body and "competition" is about the best performance at that single exercise session.  Most people think they want "adaptation" (changes in the body) but they fuel their bodies like they want "competition".  When you train and fuel your body for "adaptation" you get faster results.  When you train and fuel using "competition" methodology, you get slower results but THAT ONE session you will perform better.

Make sense?

The end result is, train months with "competition"-style vs "adaptation"-style and the "adaptation" trainer will beat out the other every time in results, stamina, body fat, etc.

How to tell the difference:

Adaptation training trains low carb (or fasted) and waits 2 hours after the training session to consume carbs.  Protein is okay right after sessions, however.

***Performance training exercises with high carbs and amino acids in the blood before during and after.  Recovery drinks are immediately after session.  3:1 ratio of carbs to protein after the session.  So 30grams of carbs with 10g of protein or 45g carbs/15g protein.
***this type of training is much more comfortable and recommended for beginners.  Adaptation training is much harder.

on Saturdays, I like to run fasted but I prefer a recovery drink right afterwards.

Recovery Shake:
1c Organic Milk
1c purified water
1 scoop NOW Whey Concentrate
1-2 Tbs chocolate syrup
1 oz espresso (if you can't make your own - remove the extra water listed above and substitute 1cup of drip coffee)
add ice to preference
blend

Carbs:  36-48 (depending on chocolate)
Prot:  30g
Fat: 8g

I still lean heavy on the protein but this shake makes me feel great!

Burst Circuit - 18 minutes

It takes a lot of "power" (in the physics sense of the word) to finish one of these sets quickly.  The burst circuit is about fast reps and speed of transition.  By now, many of my readers know that's not the only way to go but it makes for a fun workout.  It's like 6 races in a row so get a friend to compete with!




Start a new round every 3 minutes any remaining time in the "3 minute round" can be used as rest.

5 pullups

5 1 arm overhead dumbbell press (30#)

5 pushups

5 1 arm (other arm) overhead dumbbell press (30#)

5 pushups

25 squats

6 rounds

My fastest round was 50 seconds and on the 6^th round I doubled the set and finished in 1:32.

20/20 workout - no perfect vision needed. 13 minutes!

Most Interval workouts I've seen are 30 seconds of effort and 30 seconds of rest or 60/60.  This is pretty standard and I do them myself this way sometimes.  The 30/30 set up ends up being something like 15/45 or 20/40 when you end of doing it.  Most folks can't hold a sustained set for more than 20 seconds of something (legs are the exception).  Imagine 30 straight seconds of pushups as fast as you can.  Great for the first round but what happens on round 4?

Tonight we did a 20/20 split: 20 seconds of effort and 20 seconds of rest.  It was perfect for my group.  It's a little hard using a clock to time this one out, you'll need an online interval timer or get one from gymboss.com.  Wow, what an effort.

Here are the exercises.  Do them in a circuit.  Meaning, take 20 seconds to go ALL out on the exercise and then take 20 seconds to move to the next station.  Do 4 total rounds.  The order is important it offers maximum rest to each exercise.

Bent over dumbbell rows (use 20# dumbbells)
pushups
split jumps (count each time a foot hits the ground)
situps
overhead dumbbell press

Count your total number of reps for all exercises.

I got to 460 reps
Evan beat me at 475
Others on our team were in the 400 rage.

Yes - nearly 500 reps in 13 minutes.  It's all out.

20 minute full body workout express

We had a great time last night with this one.  My evening workout crew commented, "these are real workouts!"  Don't waste time sitting in the gym or hours on the stair climber. 20 minutes is all you need to really get yourself a great workout and then get on with your life!




30 seconds of effort, 30 seconds of resting.  Rotate exercises every minute.  5 rounds (20 minutes total)


10 - one arm dumbbell press (pick hard weight)
20 - sumo squat (we used 2x40# dumbbells)
10 knees to bar (this is a pullup while crunching up your legs)
20 elevated pushups (legs elevated)

so the way this one goes is like this.  10 reps one arm dumbbell press, 10 reps on the other arm, rest 30 seconds, 20 sumo squats, rest 30 seconds.... etc.

10 minute leg blaster

This workout could be stretched to 20 minutes but 10 minutes is all I had on Friday so that's the name!  It was hard enough and my legs were shaking so my goal was accomplished.  It's not going to build "big" legs because it's focusing on using bodyweight.  It's focused on building endurance and strength.  As usual, I mix in other body parts to a "leg workout".  Why? The momentary portion of the set you do something different, it gives a momentary rest to the muscle.


10 minutes to complete max rounds:
1 pullup (add one more pullup each round)
10 split jumps (count reps as right leg hits the ground)
15 squats
run 20 yards (or do 20 jumping jacks)
25 pushups (or knee pushups)
return to starting point (if you ran)

that means your 2nd round will have 2 pullups, 3 pullups your 3rd round, etc.  If you cannot do them, a bent over dumbbell row will substitute.

workout for the road

When I wasn't able to train my normal weekday group this week I gave them this challenge.  This is a great workout if you are traveling, it can be done in a hotel room or in a field.  No equipment is required whatsoever.

time your self to complete
100 pushups
then
100 situps
then
200 squats
rest as needed

there are no rounds, just do it straight through.  Stop as you need to along the way.  My score was 9:05.  Evan beat me by 20 seconds.  Evan is a squatting animal and probably didn't stop the whole set.

Consider this revision (or some variant) if the above just seems impossible

30 pushups
30 situps
60 squats

Blood Work - My Latest Physical

Some of you may be wonding wtih all these eggs, meat, fat, exercise and supplements - what is Brian's actual clinical blood work.

I have a family history of High Cholesterol and high blood pressure, I am 35.  I weigh 165 pounds and am 5'10"

My latest physical was 10/15/2010

Cholesterol: 233  (webMD says target under 200)  The doctor said no meds were needed.  I wouldn't take them anyway.  Your body makes 80% of your cholesterol and the rest comes from diet.  I won't go into my opinions about cholesterol meds here

LDL: 148 ( target under 130) - I cook with butter a lot :)

HDL: 74 (target over 40)

Blood sugar: 84 (target under 100)  my last physical years ago was 110.  I've cut down a lot of sugar since then

Triglycerides: 54 (target under 150)

Blood Pressure: 110/50 (this is from memory, I don't have it in front of me.  I'm forgetting the lower number)

Heart Rate: 54 bpm

Another 20 min full body fat shredder

This workout provides just enough rest for the muscles that they don't burn out too quick.  It's the heart that really gets going.  It only takes 20 minutes but you're working all the time!

Max rounds in 20 minutes (rest as needed):
10 diamond pushups (or knee pushups)
10 mountain climbers
10 sumo squat (using one, 40# dumbbell)
10 overhead dumbbell press (both hands on the same 40# dumbbell)
10 pullups (or bent over rows if you have no place to hang from)
10 toes to bar (or leg lifts if you have no place to hang from)

I completed 9, Ryan got to 8.5, Amalia got to 7 and Evan got to 7.5 rounds.

25 minute lunch workout

You'll need 1 dumbbell and a place to hang from.  If you don't have a place to hang from, you'll want 2 dumbbells to replace the bodyweight rows with bent over rows.

Part 1:
5 rounds
while hanging from a bar, put your feet on your partner's shoulders so your body is near horizontal.
5 bodyweight rows (3 second's pace down, 1 second pulling up)
5 bodyweight rows (fast)
(drop down to the ground)
20 pushups
rest 1 min

then

5 rounds
20 sumo squats (40#)
rest 1 minute each round

then

5 rounds
sprint 30m
walk back to start
repeat without resting

Heart Pumping - good lunchtime workout

I have a group I am now training with on my lunches.  We did this one last week on Friday.

5 pullups
10 dips
15 squats
run 150m

Complete max rounds in 20 minutes.  I got to 12.

The Ladder - simple and effective

I love "ladders".  They require basically no warm up because the workout does it for you.  I love to do this workout when I have been sick or am trying to get back into the swing of things after missing some workouts.

How it works:

you pick 3 or 4 exercises to be done in a circuit.  The first round you will do only ONE rep of each exercise.  The second round you will to TWO reps of each exercise and so on.  When you reach the top (10 in this case) you begin to decrease: rounds of 9,8,7,6...

Ladder 1-10-1

Pullups

Dips

Toes to Bar

30# goblet squat

(we ran a short 100m jog at the end of each round)

That's a 30 min+ workout.

An "easier" version using only bodyweight

jumping pullups

pushups (or knee pushups)

situps

squats (no weight)

Get Strong!

Brian

Green Tea - The Powerhouse Supplement!

Green Tea is one of the most amazing substances.  Every time I turn around I see a new article or study about the amazing properties of green tea.  Unless you live under a rock, you have probably heard a lot about it’s cancer fighting, anti-oxidant properties.  It is one of my favorite supplements because it fits perfectly with my philosophy of supplementation: any supplement I take must be reasonably old (at least 5-10 years or more), well studied, and have no negative side effects.  Why would you want to take something to enhance you now if it would kill you later?

I would like to relay a old Chinese proverb: 

"Better to be deprived of food for three days than green tea for one."

I heard this proverb years ago and basically blew it off.  When I started to learn more about green tea, I realized the proverb has some weight to it. 

To date there have been thousands of studies on Green Tea and more specifically EGCg.  EGCg is Epigallocatechin 3-gallate.  It is the most studied chatechin (compound) in green tea.  It is not the only one, but the most popular.  EGCg and or Green Tea has been shown to:

• Build bone
• Reduces inflammation (exercise induced or otherwise)
• Inhibits (not cures) the following cancer lines: Oral, gastric, breast, skin, pancreatic, and others
• Has strong effect against H1N1, and other “type A” influenza viruses
• Slows function of enzyme that breaks down carbohydrates
• Increases maximal oxygen uptake (and presumably exercise performance but I have not seen this personally)
• Helps with Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Lower cholesterol
• Reduces Infection rates
• Seems to help your body burn more calories (But I don’t find this to be a significant amount).

The list goes on and on.

Here are the ways I use it; see if they work for you.

1. Green tea is useful after or between meals to stop the urge to eat more.  Have a decent meal and then use it to cut the cravings.
2. Green tea after a workout is like a “switch” for me.  If I work out VERY hard, it seems to set me back in balance.  I find that about 15 minutes after drinking or taking the supplement, I can function again.  Without green tea, coming back to functionality takes MUCH longer.  I’m looking for research on this but so far I can only find that it reduces DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness)
3. When fasting, green tea cuts my appetite.  When you are fasting the concentration of EGCG goes up 3.5 TIMES, that’s 3500% increase in concentration in your blood.  This multiplies the effect.

Where to get it?  The cheapest way is to brew a cup.  This is good because there IS more to green tea that just EGCg.  However, for those of you who despise its taste, try a pill. My favorite brand of green tea supplement is called EGCG and is made by “NOWfoods.”  The cheapest place I have found to purchase this brand is www.swansonvitamins.com.   Most brands do NOT have enough EGCG in them (the label should tell you how much EGCg you’re getting; about 200 mg is good and is equivalent to 3 cups of tea) and even Swanson’s own brand doesn’t have enough. Don’t but the Swanson’s brand, but the NOW brand and it is available on this site.  

I find it to be one of the most perfect sports supplements on many levels.  First, it seems to simply be better for my general, immune, inflammatory and even neurological health.  Second, it stops me from frivolous calories.  Third, it reduces the inflammation caused by exercise and fourth, helps me to function afterwards.  The caffeine can even give you a little lift before you hit the workout!

A good amount seems to be about 3-4 cups of tea a day spread out at different times. This seems to be the most common level for research and suits my lifestyle well.

So grab some of that zero calorie craziness and accelerate your results!

Fad Diets Make you Fat

The fatter the nation gets, the more desperate we become.

Have you noticed the surge of fad diets in the last 20 years?  It seems like every time you turn around there is a new diet promising unbelievable results.  A fad diet is some excessive decrease in calories for a short period of time (usually as long as you can stand it) to induce weight loss (notice I said weight loss, not fat loss since most of quick weight loss is water and muscle).  The two key characteristic of a fad diet is (1) extreme caloric restriction (2) temporary duration.

My only question is this:  If my body has found balance at this size and weight, and ALL I DO is change the caloric intake for a short period of time, what happens when I return to my old habits?  Will I not go back to where I was? When you go on one of these diets, your body responds to the lower calories by releasing something known as "starvation hormones," which slow your metabolism down in order to help you survive. Eventually, you stop dieting and go back to your old ways - but this time, your metablism is slower. This actually causes you to gain more weight than when you began dieting in the first place.

Doesn’t that just seem logical?  Can we really expect anything else to happen? And you paid someone for this genius idea?  Yes, out of desperation you did.  But no longer.

Here are the facts: you either make permanent changes, or you fail.  PERIOD.  The smaller the changes the more likely you are to keep them.  You must change your attitude about what it means to diet: lifestyle change rather than short term dieting.  As you do, you will begin to look for the changes you can make that will last.

(As an aside, I recommend starting with exercise first – get that going and then move on to small gradual diet changes.)

Here are some changes to beging with: focus on clean carbs, lean meats and healthy fats.  If you can’t pronounce the ingredients (and they are in English), that should be a warning to you.   Clean carbs are low-glycemic sources like brown rice, yams and garden vegetables which are favored over white rice, white potatoes, and fruit.  Lean meats examples are chicken breast, turkey, fish, shrimp and very lean beef.  Good fats are olives (olive oil), avocados, and nuts.  Minimize bread and pastas, but enjoy on occasion – hey you’ve gotta live a little!  Even THAT is part of a healthy lifestyle.

So ditch the fad diet and make a lasting change or otherwise you will be worse off than when you started.

How To Eat

"Moderation in all things, even moderation." – Petronius

The overarching principle here is to eat foods that exist in their natural forms, to cook them yourself, and to eat a combination of carbs, fat and protein in the same meal whenever possible.  If you must eat something packaged, you should be able to pronounce the ingredients without a dictionary.

The more I read, the more I see that processed food is going to be the death of our population.  Hormones in meat, pesticides and refined carbohydrates are spiking healthcare costs and killing people.  As you progress in your health and fitness, move towards less and less chemicals and more and more natural foods

For carbs, we have to see them as clean or dirty.  Clean carbs are carbs that will produce the smallest possible sugar spike as they are digested (Google: low glycemic).  Some options are whole grains and brown rice (instead of white rice) but keep these at a minimum.  All vegetables are in the “clean carb” category and they are much better for you than grains.  Fruits are also generally good but I really don’t think you should have more than 4 or so servings a day.  Too much fructose makes you gain weight; more on that in another article.

The next category is “lean meats”.  Think of lean meat as meat that can run (or swim) away from you quickly. Also you can have lean cuts of slow animals: beef, pork, seal (just checking to see if you’re paying attention). Other lean meats are fish, chicken, turkey, shrimp, eggs, etc.  But a good Carbonara every so often is nearly essential to enjoyment of life.  Once in a while, break the rules and break them big.  You heard it here first.

Last component of a complete meal is healthy fats.  Olive oil, avocado, and almonds all have great sources of monounsaturated fat.  Fat (and fiber) help you feel full.  You need fat to live.  There are types of fats that you cannot manufacture in your body and you need to get them in your diet.  Use olive oil in your cooking and then add a little  butter for flavor (sometimes).

In general, you will want to have all three of the above combined in each meal or snack.  A slice of turkey, a carrot and handful of almonds go a long way to satisfaction without spiking your insulin.

If you focus on clean carbs, lean meats and good fats you won’t be far from a lifetime of healthy eating.  For me, one of the reasons I love to work out and eat right is because when I do “break the rules” and eat a bunch of crazy food (bad carbs, fatty meats, and bad fats), I actually can enjoy it without guilt because I know that most of the time, I’m doing what is right for my body.

No Brainer Supplement for longer life

Wow this new research is amazing!  Scientists have been looking more and more at what young DNA and old DNA looks like.  More and more they are seeing the importance of little “tails” on the end of the DNA called “Telomeres”.  Every time the cell divides the Telomere gets shorter.  When the Telemere gets to “ZERO” the cell dies.

(As a side note, cancer cells have broken Telomeres and keep dividing without them shortening.)

What the latest research has shown (and I’m talking about published in the last 2 weeks) that people who exercise have longer Telomeres, and people who consume Fish oil do as well. Obviously, the younger your DNA is, the younger your cells are.  The younger your cells are, the younger you feel!

Here's the full story: http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/health&id=7227234

In addition to lengthening your Telomeres, fish oil (and the acompanying Omega 3 Acids) also have all kinds of crazy benefits including lowering risk of heart disease, reducing deposits inside the arteries, reduction of all forms of cancer, lowering inflammation in the joints, lowering cholesterol, and even a slight lowering of blood pressure (according to the Mayo Clinic).

This is not some super exclusive or hard to find supplement – you can get it at Costco (online or at the store) I like that brand pretty well (it's also cheap; it will cost you roughly $10 a year!!).  There are lemon scented ones at www.swansonvitamins.com, which should help cut down on any fishy smell. Trader Joe's sells an "odorless" brand that promises no fishy reflux. The KEY in your purchase is to look for“Molecularly distilled”.  Don’t by any other kind for there is potentially too much mercury in it and you’d be better off not having it at all.

Lost sleep contributes to weight gain

Sleep is one of those things that probably seems SOOOO overrated.  I mean, I have too much to do to sleep.  Have you ever had somebody at work or school say, "I'm so well rested.  I got such a good night sleep!"  You would likely look at them like they're crazy.  More likely, they'll say, "I was up all night, or I only slept 4 hours."   Then we think they must be important because they are so busy.

The fact is, we are chronically tired.  Sleep pays a huge role in your ability to rebuild (and your ability to be nice to people!)  If you are at all concerned about your weight, you need to be concerned about your sleep.

Before the invention of the light bulb the average American slept an average of (are you ready for this?) 10 hours a night!  Now we are leaning just south of 6.5 hours a night.

Lost sleep makes it harder for your body to deal with carbohydrates (fat loss, anyone?).  Lost sleep makes your stress hormones go up at night and increases your cravings for sweets during the day.   And it seems to accelerate aging – yuck!

So your fat loss secret for today is just to start getting 8 hours a night. 

Here is a link to a decent article about it:

http://www.swansonvitamins.com/health-library/articles/stress-relief-sleep/mercola-lack-of-sleep-may-accelerate-aging.html

Repeat after me: not all carbs are the Devil

The non-carb craze is making us fat.  The biggest factor is that people crave carbs so you can’t stay away from them for long.  Remember: Extreme diets = short term success (maybe) and long term failure (for sure)

You need carbs all day long.  If you do not consume carbs, your body will break down protein in a process called glucogenesis to make them.  This involves destroying hard-earned muscle, and converting some of the amino acids to glucose for your brain.  Your brain will not be starved; it will do what it has to do to survive.

The best kinds of carbs are ones that exist as close to their natural form as possible.  Vegetables, fruit, beans, and brown rice are all great carbohydrate sources.  White rice is natural but not preferable due to the insulin spike it causes.  Whole grain bread is better than other types because it has been processed less.  Look for the least number of ingredients and avoid the added sugar if possible.

The next key to carbohydrates is to eat them with protein.  This is not a hard and fast rule, though.  If you work out in the morning, for instance, you’ll want to get up and have some fruit.  This is going to fuel your workout. 

I love honey after a workout.  Honey requires no digestion, yet it directly fuels both the liver and the muscles in minutes.

For breakfast, I often have 2 scoops of protein powered mixed with ground oatmeal.  Oatmeal is a great slow-burning carbohydrate.  Slow burning carbs keep a steady flow of glucose in your blood without causing an insulin spike.  Brown rice has a similar effect but I don’t like that for breakfast.  I do like brown rice for dinner, though. YUM!

So start mixing some good carbohydrates in with your diet if you haven’t already.  Dump the processed stuff!  And guys, stop taking 50 grams of protein in a single shake.  Your body can only process about 25 grams at a time anyway; the rest is turned to glucose using the same process described above.  Think slow burning carbs all day, then fast carbs before and after a workout.  You’ll feel better, be less hungry, and have more energy for your workouts.

Cut Soda and Live longer

Since there are probably at least three people who still think it’s okay to drink soda, I have to post this article for them.  It’s the latest diss on soda adding to things like soda causing obesity and the preservatives linked to cancer.  Here is another nail in the coffin:

“People who drank two or more soft drinks a week had an 87% increased risk -- or nearly twice the risk -- of pancreatic cancer compared to individuals consuming no soft drinks”

Pancreatic cancer is not something that you really get over; cancer rates are as follows:

In 2009 (according to National Cancer Institute)

New cases 42,470
Deaths 35,240

Some quick math here, that’s 83% death rate.  No bueno.

Let’s look at this from another angle: Imagine you only drink one soda a day, but you’re trying to lose those “last 10 pounds”.  Well, without doing anything else – no weight training, no walking, and no running – dropping that one soda a day would save you 12 pounds a year, not to mention a healthy cancer risk reduction.

So consider some tea or even coffee instead of a Coke.  Don’t be deceived by diet soda, either!  (That’s a whole other article).  If you gotta have something sweet, try green tea with honey, or flavored water with no artificial sweeteners.

http://www.webmd.com/cancer/pancreatic-cancer/news/20100208/pancreatic-cancer-linked-sodas

ABS DIET Craziness from Editor of Men's Health

Great stuff.

Want to know the right way to eat and only have to read one short article? Here ya go. Written by Men's Health Editor-in-Cheif, David Zinczenko, the ABS Diet is a scientifically proven food plan that turns on your metabolic fat furnaces and puts the resulting energy to work building muscle. Enjoy!

1. Almonds and Other Nuts 
Superpowers: Building muscle, fighting food cravings
Secret Weapons: Protein, monounsaturated fats, Vit E, fiber, magnesium, phosphorus
Fight Against: Obesity, heart disease, muscle loss, cancer
Sidekicks: Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, avocados
Imposters: Macadamia nuts (very high in fat)

All nuts are high in protein and monounsaturated fat, but almonds are the king of nuts.  Two ounces of almonds (about 24 of them) can suppress your appetite; especially if you wash them down with 8 oz of water. For a quick popcorn alternative, spray raw almonds with nonstick cooking spray and bake them at 400 degrees for 5-10 minutes. Then sprinkle them with either brown sugar and cinnamon mix or cayenne pepper and thyme.

2. Beans and Other Legumes (including soybeans, chickpeas, pinto, navy, kidney and lima beans)
Superpowers: Building muscle, helping burn fat, regulating digestion
Secret Weapons: Liver, protein, iron, folate
Fight Against: Obesity, colon cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure
Sidekicks: Lentils, peas, bean dips, hummus, edamame
Imposters: Refried beans, which are high in saturated fat; baked beans, which are high in sugar.

All beans are low in fat and packed with protein, fiber, and iron – nutrients crucial for building muscle and losing weight.  If you can replace meat-heavy dish with a bean-heavy dish once or twice a week, you’ll be lopping a lot of saturated fat out of your diet and replacing it with higher amounts of fiber.

3. Spinach and Other Green Vegetables 
Superpowers: Neutralizing free radicals (molecules that accelerate the aging process)
Secret Weapons: Vitamins inc. Vit A, C, and K; folate, beta-carotene, minerals inc. calcium and magnesium; fiber
Fight Against: Cancer, heart disease, stroke, obesity, osteoporosis
Sidekicks: Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and brussels sprouts; green, yellow, red, orange veggies such as asparagus, peppers, and yellow beans
Imposters: None, as long as you don’t fry them or smother them too heavily in fatty cheese sauces.

Everyone knows vegetables are packed with important nutrients, but if you or your family hate them, hide them. Puree them and add them to marinara sauce or chili. The more you chop, the less you taste, and the easier it is for your body to absorb the nutrients.

4. Dairy Products (low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese)
Superpowers: Building strong bones, firing up weight loss
Secret Weapons: Calcium, vitamins A and B12, riboflavin, phosphorus, potassium
Fight Against: Osteoporosis, obesity, high blood pressure, cancer
Sidekicks: None
Imposters: Whole milk (too much fat), frozen yogurt (too much sugar)

A University of Tennessee study found that dieters who consumed between 1,200 and 1,300 milligrams of calcium a day lost nearly twice as much weight as those taking in less calcium. Researches think the mineral probably prevents weight gain by increasing the breakdown of body fat and hampering its formation.  Milk is your best bet because liquids take up more room in your stomach.  Mix with a chocolate whey protein for an extra filling snack that can curb your sweet cravings.

5. Instant Oatmeal (unsweetened, unflavored)
Superpowers: Boosting energy, reducing cholesterol, maintaining blood-sugar levels
Secret Weapons: Complex carbs and fiber
Fight Against: Heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, obesity
Sidekicks: High-fiber cereals like All-Bran and Fiber One.
Imposters: Sugary cereals

Oatmeal can propel you through sluggish mornings, and you can eat a bowl a couple of hours before a workout to feel fully energized by the time you hit the weights, or at night to avoid late night binges.  Use berries to enhance the taste…or just a tiny bit of honey or sugar.  Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, meaning that it attracts fluid and stays in your stomach longer than insoluble fiber.

6. Eggs
Superpowers: Building muscle, burning fat
Secret Weapons: Protein, vitamins A and B12
Fight Against: Obesity
Sidekicks: Egg Beaters
Imposters: None

The protein found in eggs has the highest “biological value” of protein – a measure of how well is supports your body’s protein need – of any food.  In other words, the protein in eggs is more effective at building muscle than protein from other sources.

7. Turkey and Other Lean Meats (lean steak, chicken, fish)
Superpowers: Building muscles, improving immune system
Secret Weapons: Protein, iron, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B6 and B12, phosphorus, potassium
Fight Against: Obesity, mood disorders, memory loss, heart disease
Sidekicks: Shellfish, Canadian bacon, omega-3 rich flaxseed
Imposters: Sausage, fatty bacon, cured meats, fatty cuts of steak like T-bone and rib eye

Turkey is one of the leanest meats you’ll fine, and it packs nearly one-third of your daily requirements of niacin and Vit B6. For beef, look for round or loin cuts, which are lower in fat.

8. Peanut Butter (all natural, sugar-free)
Superpowers: Building muscle, burning fat
Secret Weapons: Protein, monounsaturated fat, Vit E, magnesium
Fight Against: Obesity, muscle loss, wrinkles, cardiovascular disease
Sidekicks: Cashew and Almond butters
Imposters: Mass-produced sugary and trans fatty peanut butters

Yes, PB has its disadvantages: it’s high in calories and fat. But it’s packed with monounsaturated fats that can increase your body’s production of testosterone, which can help muscles grow and fat melt. No more than three TBL a day should give you benefit without overloading on the fat.

9. Olive Oil
Superpowers: Lowering cholesterol, boosting immune system
Secret Weapons: Monounsaturated fat, Vit E
Fight Against: Obesity, cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure
Sidekicks: Canola oil, peanut oil, sesame oil
Imposters: Other vegetable and hydrogenated vegetable oils, trans fatty acids, margarine

Olive oil and its brethren will help control your food cravings; they’ll also help you burn fat and keep your cholesterol in check. It’s always better to use oil than lots of butter when cooking.

10. Whole-Grain Breads and Cereals
Superpowers: Preventing your body from storing fat
Secret Weapons: Fiber, protein, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, Vit E, calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc
Fight Against: Obesity, cancer, high blood pressure, heart disease
Sidekicks: Brown rice, whole-wheat pretzels, whole-wheat pastas
Imposters: White rice, white potatoes; processed bakery products like white break, bagels, and doughnuts; bread labeled wheat instead of whole wheat

There’s only so long a person can survive on an all-protein diet or an all-salad diet or an all-anything diet. You crave carbs because your body needs them.  They key is to eat the ones that have all the heart-healthy, belly-melting fiber intact. Whole-grain carbs can play an important role in a healthy lifestyle. Whole-grain bread keeps insulin levels low, which keeps you from storing fat.

11. Extra-Protein (Whey) Powder
Superpowers: Building muscle, burning fat
Secret Weapons: Protein, cysteine, glutathoine,
Fight Against: Obesity
Sidekicks: Ricotta cheese
Imposters: SOY protein

Whey protein contains essential amino acids that build muscle and burn fat (not found in soy). But it’s especially effective because it has the highest amount of protein for the fewest number of calories, making it fat’s kryptonite!

12. Raspberries and Other Berries
Superpowers: Protecting your heart, enhancing eyesight, improving memory, preventing cravings
Secret Weapons: Antioxidants, fiber, Vit C, tannins (cranberries)
Fight Against: Heart disease, cancer, obesity
Sidekicks: Most other fruits, especially apples and grapefruit
Imposters: Sugary Jams and Jellies

Blueberries are one of the most healthful foods you can eat. They beat out 39 other fruits and vegetables in the antioxidant power ratings! Fruit can be an excellent alternative to dessert as well.

Why Vit d3 might save your life

As part of the raging debate over if sunshine is good for you or bad for you, I’m throwing my hat in that vitamin D3 supplement is not as much fun as getting outside and getting sun, but is still excellent for your health.

Vitamin D3 is created naturally in your body when ultraviolet light from the sun strikes your skin and converts cholesterol to Vitamin D.  A short bout of 15 minutes will give you about 15,000 IU of the stuff.  You have to be fully naked to get that amount but experts agree that is a pretty decent dose.  Recent research says you can supplement as high as 10,000 IU a day safely, but the best consensus I can find is 1,000 IU to 2000 IU a day.

According to Reuters news service this week (3/7/10), vitamin D3 is essential for activating one of the most important functions of your immune system: the killer T cell.

The Killer T cells have many functions. They are responsible for destroying infected cells, and preventing you from getting same disease twice. They are the reason why you (usually) don’t get chicken pox twice, and why vaccines work. Confused Killer T cells can actually attack your own body, causing auto-immune diseases. Thus, lathering up your kids (or yourself) and never letting ultraviolet light get through to their skin will dampen their vitamin D3 in their blood and reduce T cell effectiveness. 

Low Vitamin D levels have also been linked to breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease, depression, weight gain, and even all causes of death later in life (meaning low vitamin D levels connect to all types of death in the elderly) These studies show that people with higher levels of vitamin D have a lower risk of disease.

Vitamin D is essential for making bone and reducing inflammation. The Vitamin D Council – “suggests vitamin D treatment might be found helpful in treating or preventing autism, autoimmune disease, cancer, chronic pain, depression, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, flu, neuromuscular diseases, and osteoporosis.” *

So, I would say it’s a no brainer –  take 2000IU of D3 a day to reduce inflammation and keep your blood levels of up, as well as reduce short term and long term disease.

Getting Strong (and healthy) Together,
Brian

Cheap, good supplement:  http://www.swansonvitamins.com/SW1030/ItemDetail?n=0

*http://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/features/the-truth-about-vitamin-d

Why Diets Fail

Since dieting is just about a national obsession, it’s high time we talked about why 95% of them fail.

Scientists from Indiana University and an Institute in Berlin looked at two completely different types of diets and found the more rules the women had to follow, the sooner they failed.

When you are evaluating a diet plan, find the simplest set of rules – this will help you succeed.  Even if the diet is more attractive because it might allow “more cheating”, if it has too many rules the researchers suggested looking elsewhere.

There are many paths to a good diet.  I don’t claim to know them all but what I keep coming back to are some basic rules that seem to make a lot of sense and help the people I share them with.

1 - You take baby steps or you take no steps.  Changing how you eat is a process. It must be slow or it won’t stick.   And to that point, you should consider yourself on a one year journey.  Don’t expect to get any solid benefits for at least 90 days.  If you can set in a habit for 90 days you are well on your way.

2 -I don’t advise any big shifts in diet to begin with (see #1 above).  Instead, start by exercising.  Leave your eating essentially the same.  “But Brian – isn’t diet 80% of your success?”  My opinion is that it’s about 50% of the success and since it’s SOOO hard to change, I think you should start with exercise – you’ll feel the benefits faster.

3 - First dietary target: sugar (and artificial sweeteners).  It will most likely take you months to successfully remove sugar from your diet.  Your goal should be six days a week you get no sugar, one day a week plan (the key is to plan, not accidental) you get to eat whatever you want.  For some people, this could take you an entire year to get right.  It’s taken me longer but it is a huge factor.  Most people are so completely addicted to simple carbohydrates – it’s hard to even IMAGINE quitting.

4 - While you struggling with #3 it might be okay to start trying to modify breakfast.  It’s the first meal of the day and starts off the insulin ride for most people.  It’s also easier to fix, in my experience.  Breakfast should not include cereal.  Cereal of any kind is usually high in sugar, low in nutrition.  Most people spike their blood sugar during breakfast and that starts the “insulin cycle” all day. Breakfast should be eggs and fruit, or eggs and oatmeal.  You can scramble them, throw in some vegetables and a little cheese.; get some protein with not TOO much fat.

So there is your “diet”: exercise, cut sugar and fix breakfast.  It’s a great place to start and get yourself on track.  If you can master those – you’re ready to move on. 

Protein - much much do I need?

I have talked to a lot of people who think that simply adding protein to your diet will make you thinner.  This is sort of true but I think it ends up being an excuse for most people to just eat more protein and in turn, more calories.

I’m going to write about a couple studies to help us guide our eating habits.  This applies if you’re sedentary (couch potato – which nobody is who watches thedailyfit) or active (which you all must be, by default, since you partake of the sweet nectar of my wisdom.  Please don’t laugh too hard.)

Too little protein will result in loss of muscle mass, even if you consume enough calories.  If you diet (by simply cutting calories) and don’t keep your protein levels up, you’ll lose both fat and muscle.  When you lose muscle mass and your metabolism slows.  Slower metabolism means more fat when you go back to eating like you used to.  Suddenly, you have more fat than when you started.  Sound familiar?

Too much protein will cause something called Lucien oxidation – nutrient overload.  This is a sign your kidneys and liver are straining to keep up with the excess protein.  Excess protein is converted to glucose.  In the end, it’s the same thing as eating sugar.  That is not helpful to the diet or the health.

So how do we calculate what we need?  Ok – get ready for a little math, get a calculator.

Take your body weight and divide it by 2.2 to get your weight in kilograms.  For me this would be 165/2.2 = 75Kg

Then multiply that number times .7 (for non active people) and 1.3 or 1.4 for people who perform strength training exercise (like we do at thedailyfit).  The number you get is the number of grams of protein you need per day.  I’m going to pretend that I need the most so that would be 75 x 1.4 = 105 grams per day.  Spread it out over your meals.  These studies did not have a specific protocol for how to consume protein, just daily totals.

In my opinion, for best muscle building, eat larger meals instead of spreading out your protein throughout the day with snacks.  The concept of consuming more tiny meals does not induce what's called protein synthesis (actual building of muscle fibers).  Scientists observed in even elderly women that consuming 80% of their total daily protein in one meal had better nitrogen retention (fancy word for keeping your lean muscle) than women who consumed the same amount of protein spread evenly through four meals.

It’s a delicate balance.  I’m just trying to give you some guidelines so you can check yourself as you go along.  Protein is a pretty big deal for getting and keeping your lean muscle tissue.  Too much and you’ll gain weight, too little and you’ll slow your metabolism (and gain weight).  Keep your eye on it.

Getting Strong Together,

Brian

The Truth about Saturated Fat

This information is so important and already well researched that instead of trying to rewrite it, I wanted to share it with everyone as an excerpt taken from a book by a very knowledgeable nutritionist, Isabel De Los Rios.

By Isabel De Los Riosexcerpt from The Diet Solution Manual, pg. 43-44

Heart disease was quite rare before 1920—so rare that the electrocardiograph (which performs the test now commonly known as an electrocardiogram [ECG]), developed to diagnose coronary heart disease, was considered a waste of time and quickly rejected. Apparently, no one suffered from clogged arteries at that time. But by the mid-1950s, heart disease was the leading cause of death among Americans. Today, heart disease causes at least 40% of all deaths in the United States each year.

In “The Skinny on Fats” (www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/skinny.html; also in Fallon 2001, 5), the well-known nutritional expert Sally Fallon states that

If, as we have been told, heart disease results from the consumption of saturated fats, one would expect to find a corresponding increase in animal fat in the American diet over the same amount of time as the increase in heart disease. Actually, the converse is true. During the sixty-year period from 1910–1970, the proportion of traditional animal fat in the American diet declined from 83 percent to 62 percent, and butter consumption plummeted from eighteen pounds per person each year to four. During the past eighty years, the consumption of dietary cholesterol intake has increased only one percent.

If saturated fat consumption actually decreased, then what increased? During the same period, the average intake of dietary vegetable oils (in the form of margarine, shortening, and refined oils) increased by about 400%, and the consumption of sugar and processed foods increased by about 60% (Fallon 2001). Given these data, saturated fats apparently have been falsely accused; they are not the cause of modern disease. Unfortunately, people have been led to believe otherwise, so they try to avoid any food that contains high levels of saturated fat.

Coconut oil contains primarily saturated fat but no trans fat. It is rich in lauric acid, which is known for its antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. Some medical doctors now recommend coconut oil as a healthy food oil. In the informative online newsletter Doctor House Call, Al Sears, M.D., states, “The saturated fat found in coconut oil is a unique fat that helps prevent heart disease, helps to build up the immune system, and does not turn into fat in your body. In fact, it helps to speed up your metabolism … helping you to burn fat and increase your energy!” (Sears no date). And Joseph Mercola, D.O., claims, “Coconut oil is truly the healthiest oil you can consume” and urges readers to try virgin coconut oil and “experience the health benefits for yourself” (Mercola no date).

The saturated fat in coconut oil (as well as in palm kernel oil) is of the medium-chain fatty acid (MCFA) variety. The body digests MCFAs more easily and uses them differently than other fats. MCFAs are sent directly to the liver, where they are immediately converted into energy. In other words, the body uses the fat to make energy rather than store it (Fife 2001, 39). 

Boost your HgH Naturally (burn fat, build muscle, what more do you want?)

I’ll just get it out right here, all the Human Growth Hormone Supplements (marketed as such) do not work but there are some great ways to maximize your Human Growth Hormone naturally and without side effects.  That is, unless you consider more strength, less fat and more vitality a side effect.

It is the fountain of youth.  You can get it as a drug but it’s extremely expensive and you need a doctor to administer it.  But even then, it can be dangerous.

So, if you would prefer it safe and “free” (I put free in quotes for a reason), then read on.

I have not found anything in my research that any supplement significantly helps HGH.  (2 g of glutamine 90 minutes prior to a workout is an exception but not fully proven) There are many claims for this and I am still looking but you can follow this simple protocol to boost your Human Growth Hormone.

 Step one – A high glycemic lifestyle (lots of sugar and processed carbs) will blunt both your resting levels of HgH as well as the HgH spikes. So step one is to adopt a low glycemic lifestyle: Vegetables, lean meats, good fats, nuts, seeds, clean starches (sprouted wheat bread, yams, brown rice).  This alone will make most people lose weight.  Ditch ‘diet foods” for real foods.  Diet foods often contain more sugar to offset the lost fat.

Step two – 60 minutes prior to the workout: (A) make sure you eat no fat during that time and (B) One or two studies show 2grams of l-glutamine 90 minutes prior to exercise can boost growth hormone.  Glutamine might be one of the cheapest amino acids out there so it’s worth a shot.  It’s also given to cancer patients to help them maintain muscle mass during chemo.

Step three – high intensity exercise 3x a week.  You must be above the lactate threshold (that burning feeling in your muscles) for 10 minutes.  There are some workouts like that around thedailyfit.blogspot.com.  That doesn’t mean 10 minutes of straight burning but it does mean 10 minutes of hard effort.  Jogging doesn’t cut it and neither does simple traditional weight lifting.  If you’re sprinting/cycling use a 1:3 work/rest ratio (meaning, sprint for 15 seconds, rest for 45 seconds)

Step four – take protein NOT carbs after intense exercise.  You have a two hour window to get protein.  Skip the protein shake, have four hard-boiled eggs.  They have about 24 grams of protein with some necessary fat.  Don’t just have the egg whites, the whole egg is better for you.  You can have steak, chicken, EAA (essential amino acids) or as a last resort some whey protein.  Any insulin spike in the first two hours after exercise will blunt HGH response.

(Many athletes will now say to me, what about my glycogen reserves?  I need high glycemic food after a workout.  In 24 hours your glycogen levels will be the same whether you eat carbs during this 2 hour window or not.  Get the HGH AND the glycogen.)

Step five – Sleep 8-9 hours.

There is one more step but I am going to dedicate it to another post.  So stick with low glycemic foods, resist fat during the 1 hour prior to exercise, train high intensity 3x a week, take four hard boiled eggs after exercise, wait two hours to eat carbs and get some good sleep!  This alone should be good to get you really going.  HgH will help your recovery, burn more fat and increase your lean muscle strength gains. 

Exercise Keeps you Young

Scientists have known for years that people who exercise live longer.  They have seen it in their blood markers and other measurements.  But recently scientists noticed that the cells of those who exercise are actually younger.

Exercise actually make your DNA younger.  Not only does it make the DNA appear younger but exercise might be more important than even genetics (what you were born with) in terms of the age of the cell.

“Specifically, investigators measured the length of telomeres -- the DNA on either end of thread-like chromosomes. Each time a cell divides, telomeres get shorter. When telomeres get too short, cells can no longer divide and they die. Researchers found that telomere length was related to activity level. People who engaged in the most exercise had telomeres of similar length to inactive people up to 10 years younger.”

Essentially what they are saying is this: each time the cell divides, the telomres get shorter.  When they get too short, the cells die.  When too many cells die, you die.  People who exercise have telomeres longer than people who don’t.

Fasting slows cell division too, but that’s another article.

The researchers also noted you don’t need to run 50 miles a week to get the benefits.

“…active people had cells that were measurably younger than inactive people,” he says. “This striking finding may explain how exercise helps prevent heart attacks, diabetes and other degenerative diseases.””

Full article here.