HUGO RIVERA
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Are Whole Eggs Or Egg Whites Better For You?
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Most people drop their New Year’s Resolution to get in shape within 4 weeks. However, this does not need to be the case for you. The secret to keeping your New Year Resolutions has everything to do with having the right mindset and using proper goal-setting techniques. Without the right mindset, it is very easy to drop your body sculpting plan and go back to old habits. However, when you combine the right mind set with the correct goal setting techniques, the sky is the limit! Here are some resources that I’d like you to take a look at in order to ensure that this year you reach your body sculpting and fitness goals! The Mindset of a Successful Body Sculptor Recently, I talked to a friend of mine who has been very busy working. Around this time every year, his business really starts to pick up. As a result, he’s had to cut back his time at the gym and has not been able to eat as properly. Because of
this, frustration has set in and he has been considering dropping his program until his schedule begins to normalize again. However, I advised against doing this for the following reasons: 1. Stopping to train would lower his metabolism which in turn would lower his energy levels and make him less productive in all parts of his life. 2. Though he cannot get in the gym as often, getting his workout in and following the diet as much as possible will prevent him from losing valuable muscle gains and from making undesirable fat gains. 3. Once his schedule normalizes and he is able to follow his training plan to the letter, he will already be in good shape and his body will respond very quickly to the more aggressive exercise schedule. This scenario would not be the case if he ceased training and dieting altogether; he would have needed at least a week just to adjust his body to his routine and several weeks after that to get rid of any body fat he may have accumulated. The bottom line is that doing what you can is better than doing nothing at all. Good health isn’t an all-or-nothing
game; you can maintain what you can when things are tough, and doing so will make it so much easier when the training can continue fullforce. Quite simply, don’t get discouraged.
Be Flexible, Be Consistent, Be Prepared
Body sculpting is also an extremely psychological endeavor. Of course, we all get frustrated when our schedules fly out of our control. Life is full of monkey wrenches that make it tough for us to get our workouts and meals in. Therefore, we have to stay proactive and plan ahead if we want to stay the course. As body sculptors we must keep our eyes on the ultimate goal: more muscle mass with less body fat. In order to accomplish that, we must be consistent with our training and diet. If for whatever reason, your program you mapped out contains too much of a time commitment at any given period in your life, then modify your program to one that does fit the time schedule. For instance, back in my engineering days there were periods when I had to work 60-70 hours a week. I modified my training to where I would hit the gym 5 days a week for 40-45 minutes of weight training. Since I had no time to do cardiovascular exercise, I would superset antagonistic
muscles in order to get some sort of cardiovascular effect (refer to my abbreviated body sculpting plan at the end of this article). I always tried to get my training in before work, but if for some reason I would miss it in the morning, then I always had lunchtime to make it up or later in the evening after work. Worst case, there was always the weekend for makeup sessions. I always brought in all of my meals with me preprepared and also enough Meal Replacement Powders for those times that I was really on the run. This kept me eating enough and enough of the right stuff and away from the vending machines.
depending on how much time you can dedicate to reaching your goals. Take a look at my abbreviated routine below. Abbreviated Body Sculpting Split Workout Routine Workout (A) – Chest/Back/Abs Triset #1: Incline Bench Press 3 sets of 10-12 reps Wide Grip Pull-ups to Front 3 sets of 10-12 reps Crunches 3 sets of 15-20 reps
Triset #2: Chest Dips 3 sets of 10-12 reps Close Grip Chins (Reverse Grip) 3 Some of you may not be able to do sets of 10-12 reps more than three sessions a week. Hanging Leg Raises 3 sets of 15-20 Don’t worry. The key to making reps lasting body sculpting gains at the end of the day is that you have a Triset #3: realistic plan that can be executed Incline Flyes 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps consistently. Don’t try to follow a Low Pulley Rows 2-3 sets of 10-12 dazzling training regiment if it has reps no chance of you executing it. You Bicycle Crunches 2-3 sets of 15-20 will get to where you want to go, reps it may just take a little bit longer
Workout (B) – Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps Triset #1: Upright Rows 3 sets of 10-12 reps Triceps Pushdowns 3 sets of 10-12 reps Incline Curls 3 sets of 10-12 reps Triset #2: Bent Over Laterals 3 sets of 10-12 reps Concentration Curls 3 sets of 10-12 reps Lying Dumbbell Triceps Extensions 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Workout (C) – Thighs, Hamstrings, Calves Triset #1: Squats (Medium/Wide) * 3 sets of 10-12 reps Lying Leg Curls 3 sets of 10-12 reps Standing Calf Raises 3 sets of 12-15 reps Triset #2: Leg Press (Close Stance; feet and legs together) 3 sets of 10-12 reps Standing Leg Curl 3 sets of 10-12 reps Calf Press 3 sets of 12-15 reps Triset #3: Leg Extensions 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps Stiff Legged Dead-lifts or Lunges (Pressing with heels) 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps Seated Calf Raises 2-3 sets of 15-20 reps *Note: Perform squats with a medium stance and until you hit failure, then change to a wide stance and keep the reps coming until you hit failure again. If you suffer from back problems you can substitute for a leg press machine using the same technique.
NOTE Workout Frequency This routine can be performed as little as 3 days a week but up to 6. All you have to do is rotate workouts A, B, and C however you can, but of course, with as much consistency as you can afford. Rest in Between Tri-sets
After each tri-set, rest 60 to 90 seconds at the most. Keep up a fast pace. Also remember that there is no rest between the exercises in the tri-set. So for instance, you will go from Incline Bench Press to Wide Grip Pull-ups to Crunches and then rest 60 to 90 seconds before another tri-set. Mindset of a Successful Bodybuilder 1. The successful bodybuilder analyzes his/her time commitments and creates a body sculpting plan that suits his/her situation. 2. He/She prepares all meals in advance along with liquid meals in order to prevent missing meals. 3. If the plan is affected for whatever reason, instead of being depressed about it and abandoning ship, a modification is made. For instance, if a training session is missed, then it is performed the next day. If a meal is missed, then it is consumed as soon as possible. If an unscheduled cheat meal is consumed, then the bodybuilder gets right back on the diet on the following meal instead of blowing the diet for the entire day or longer. In a nutshell, for any challenge that the bodybuilder faces, a solution is researched and executed in order to continue with the body sculpting lifestyle. There is no room for frustration nor thoughts of dropping the body sculpting plan in the mindset of a successful bodybuilder. Always think “damage control” and that you are never “falling off the wagon” because you can always immediately get back on. In my twenty years of body sculpting, I have noticed that this is the mindset of the most successful sculptors. Successful body sculptors always look for solutions while the unsuccessful always look for excuses. Successful Goal Setting Without goals we are like a wayward ship in the middle of the ocean, drifting away with no sense of direction. If it ever gets anywhere, it is merely by accident. In order to achieve success in our body sculpting program, our goal should be clearly defined and engrained in our brains. Otherwise, like the boat, if you get anywhere it will be by mere chance. Have you ever noticed that some people go to the gym year after year and they always look the same? I have approached people like that and asked them about
their goals. Nine out of ten times they don’t have a clear definition of what they want. Therefore, if you don’t know what your target is, how can you hope to get it? As a small exercise, I would like you to take out a small piece of paper (or use your computer) and I want you to write two things. First, write down your long-term fitness goals. Be specific! For example, write the measurements that you will have, your body fat percentage, and your total body weight. Please, don’t limit yourself to what you think you can achieve. Write down what you want as long as you’re not shooting for 28 inch arms. Try 20 instead. The problem is that such goals look so far away, but every long trip starts with the first step. Now, write down your shortterm goals. Short-term goals should be evaluated every 6 to 12 weeks. When you write down your goals, be positive and have no doubt in your mind that you can achieve them. 10 Rules That Will Help You to Achieve Success From your Body Sculpting and Fitness Plan As I was thinking of the reasons why many body sculptors fail to achieve results, I came up with ten body sculpting tips that will definitely have a huge impact in helping you to achieve body sculpting success. 1. Never sacrifice form to lift more weight. We are in the business of stimulating muscle so weights are just the tools we use to induce stimulation; we are not powerlifters. Also, focus on really squeezing the muscle you’re training. The way I’ve always felt about it is that focusing and squeezing is much more important than the amount of weight used, and doing so will get you more results with lower weights if executed properly. 2. You need to practice goal setting: As stated above, the mindset of a successful bodybuilder is of key importance, and keeping clear your short-term and long-term goals will help you achieve both! Remember to balance your short-term goals with the actions that you will take to achieve them. Make an action plan and stick to it as best you can. And remember that accomplishing your short-term goals is how we ultimately reach our longterm goals. 3. Follow a sensible training program: Unfortunately, many bodybuilders who are just getting started make the mistake of either choosing a body sculpting routine that is too advanced for their level, or they simply start working out without a training program. Too much too soon leads to injury and just going from machine to machine
without any set routine just leads to marginal results at 9. You control what you put in your mouth: Remembest. The cure to this problem is to grab a sensible body ber that only you control what goes in your mouth. sculpting routine that fits your training level and execute Food does not control you! it day in and day out. Knowledge is power. 10. Believe in yourself: There must be no doubt in 4. If you want results, do not neglect the nutrition com- your mind that you can make this transformation a reponent: Without a body sculpting diet to go along with ality. If not, you won’t be able to achieve your desired your training program, you will fail to lose body fat and results. Believing in yourself is really the first step. If gain muscle. Nutrition is what gives us the raw materials you don’t believe in yourself, who will? for recuperation, energy, and growth. It is important that you get familiarized with the characteristics of a good Tips body sculpting diet and apply those principles in order If you like, take pictures of how you currently look, to ensure getting the body sculpting gains that you are while also documenting your measurables. You may looking for. For example, if ripped abs are your primary really appreciate your results when you compare these goal, nutrition is easily the most important component pictures to how you look a year from now! of your body sculpting. Why? Because ripped abs are If you mess up your plan for a day, don’t drop the chiefly a function of very low body fat, which must be whole thing and quit! I see this very often. If you enattained through a proper diet. counter one of those days, just recover the following 5. Don’t rely on supplements to do the work for you: Supplements do not make up for improper training or a low-quality diet. Body sculpting supplements only work when your diet and your training program are optimal. Keep in mind that supplements are just that: things to supplement a good nutrition and training program. 6. You need to get proper rest: Muscles do not grow as you work them out. They grow while you sleep. Therefore, sleep deprivation will cost you valuable body sculpting gains. Ensure a good night’s sleep every night and avoid staying up late which will keep cortisol levels low. Seven to eight hours of sleep each night will not only keep you healthy and more energetic, but also will ensure that your body sculpting gains keep on coming. 7. Be consistent: Remember that consistency of execution will lead to ultimate body sculpting success: If you consistently apply a good training, good nutrition, and a good supplementation and recovery plan, you will achieve your fitness goals. 8. If you fall off the wagon, lift yourself up and get back on! Too many body sculptors focus on perfection. Therefore, if they miss a workout, a meal, or cheat on their diet, they get frustrated and toss out the whole program. As my good colleague and worldwide nutrition expert Keith Klein says: “That is the equivalent of getting a flat tire and puncturing the other three plus the spare!” Remember, this game is won through consistency, not through perfection.
day by starting the plan again. Now that you have goals, go ahead and put your plan into action so that you can go ahead and achieve them. Take care and train hard! Hugo Rivera
YOUR METABOLISM ctivating your metabolism can be challenging. There’s so much information out there that much of it is seemingly contradictory at best and completely false at worst. Combine this with so many audacious claims by companies that they can create your beach body in ten days, it is understandably hard to know what to believe and even where to begin. What I’m suggesting is that we start at the beginning and build around the basics. Keeping things as simple as possible can be the easiest and most Here are 5 fat burning foods to consider next time you are at the grocery store.
Fat Burning Food #1: Salmon
Salmon is extremely dense in protein and omega-3 essential fatty acids. The essential part means that the body cannot create these acids itself, so it’s crucial to obtain these fats through your diet. It also has a balanced ratio of saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, a combination which reduces the risk immune and circulatory systems.
Fat Burning Food #2: Oatmeal
My personal choice for breakfast is oatmeal. This food not only tastes great but can really help boost your metabolism. Oatmeal contains some good fats, and it’s a source of low glycemic carbohydrates. Low glycemic carbohydrates help the body store glycogen, which provides time-released energy and helps incinerate body fat. Addiboth soluble and insoluble. Soluble Fibers facilitate the body to release sugars at a slower rate and help to bind fatty acids, which assists in lowering LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol). Insoluble Fibers help to move food through your intestines and prevent the stomach from having too much bulk inside at one time.Oatmeal can be mixed with protein, fruits, vegetables, granola, and just about anything to make some serious “superfoods.”
Fat Burning Food #3: Vegetables
Many vegetables, such as broccoli, contain negative calories. These foods require more calories to process and digest than they actually contain; that is, a normal serving of broccoli contains about 25 calories,
BY ANTHONY ALAYON but the body requires 80 calories to these foods means they put the body to work to get to the nutrition and put the food through the body, so much so that the body requires more energy than the food releases. Some of my favorite vegetables are carrots, zucchini, cucumbers and squash. Remember that these foods are not calorie nuetral if cooked in butter or other oils.
Fat Burning Food #4: Nuts can be added to your diet with strong not go crazy overeating nuts, the nualmonds, walnuts, and cashews, all of which are nutritionally similar. Most nuts contain lots of other
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goals. These oils contain omega-3 fatty acids which have many positive health effects, foremost speeding up metabolism. Omega-3s can also help to reduce soreness after workouts and act as an anti-catabolic agent which preserves lean muscles body from oils allowand theprevents body to the maintain its breaking down. Using these level of strength while the body reoils allow body to maintainthey its duces bodythefat. Additionally, level of strength while the body provide the body with natural reduces and bodywork fat. Additionally, energy to maintain they provide the body with triglyceride/cholesterol levels. natural energy and work to maintain triglyceride/ in the morning and at night; cholesterol levels. Take flax don’t cook with them and seed and fishrefrigerated oils in the as keep them morningsensitive and at night; don’t they’re to both heat cooklight. with them and keep and The brands I use them refrigerated as their Flax personally are Spectrum sensitive to both heat Seed Oil and Carlsonand light. The brands I use Lemon Flavored personally Fish oils. are Spectrum Flax Seed Oil and Carlson flavored fish oils
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also high in antioxidants, including vitamin E and selenium. My rule of thumb is to consume one to two ounces of nuts at most in a sitting. Despite that nuts contain good fats, this approach will keep the chance of overconsuming fat and keep the belly fat disappearing.
Fat Burning Food #5: Flax Seed & Fish Oils
Are Whole Eggs or Egg Whites Better for You? by Mike Geary I was on a weekend trip with some friends recently and one of my friends was cooking breakfast for the whole group. I went over to see what he was cooking and saw he was getting ready to make a big batch of eggs... Well, to my shock and horror, I noticed that he was cracking the eggs open and screening the egg whites into a bowl and throwing out the egg yolks. I asked him why the heck he was throwing out the egg yolks, and he replied something like this... “because I thought the egg yolks were terrible for you...that’s where all the nasty fat and cholesterol is”. And I replied, “you mean that’s where all of the nutrition is!” This is a perfect example of how confused most people are about nutrition. In a world full of misinformation about nutrition, somehow most people now mistakenly
think that the egg yolk is the worst part of the egg, when in fact, the YOLK IS THE HEALTHIEST PART OF THE EGG! By throwing out the yolk and only eating egg whites, you’re essentially throwing out the most nutrient dense, antioxidant-rich, vitamin and mineral loaded portion of the egg. The yolks contain so many B-vitamins, trace minerals, vitamin A, folate, choline, lutein, and other powerful nutrients... it’s not even worth trying to list them all. In fact, the egg whites are almost devoid of nutrition compared to the yolks. Even the protein in egg whites isn’t as powerful without the yolks to balance out the amino acid profile and make the protein more bio-available. Not to even mention that the egg yolks from free range chickens are loaded with healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Yolks contain more than 90% of the calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, B6, folate, and B12, and panthothenic acid of the egg. In addition, the yolks contain ALL of the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K in the egg, as well as ALL of the essential fatty acids (EFAs). And now the common objection I get all the time when I say that the yolks are the most nutritious part of the egg... “But I heard that whole eggs will skyrocket my cholesterol through the roof” No, this is FALSE! First of all, when you eat a food that contains a high amount of dietary cholesterol such as eggs, your body down-regulates it’s internal production of cholesterol to balance things out. On the other hand, if you don’t eat enough cholesterol, your body simply produces more since cholesterol has dozens of important vital functions in the body. And here’s where it gets even more interesting... There have been plenty of studies lately that indicate that eating whole eggs actually raises your good HDL cholesterol to a higher degree than LDL cholesterol, thereby improving your overall
cholesterol ratio and blood chemistry. And 3rd... high cholesterol is NOT a disease! Heart disease is a disease...but high cholesterol is NOT. Cholesterol is actually a VERY important substance in your body and has vitally important functions... it is DEAD WRONG to try to “lower your cholesterol” just because of pharmaceutical companies propaganda that everyone on the planet should be on statin drugs. If you’re interested in this topic of cholesterol specifically, I have another article listed at the bottom of this page about why trying to attack cholesterol is a mistake, and what the REAL deadly risk factors actually are. In addition, the yolks contain the antioxidant lutein as well as other antioxidants which can help protect you from inflammation within your body (the REAL culprit in heart disease, not dietary cholesterol!), giving yet another reason why the yolks are actually GOOD for you, and not detrimental. To help bring even more proof that whole eggs are better for you than egg whites, I recently read a University of Connecticut study that showed that a group of men in the study that ate 3 eggs per day for 12 weeks while on a reduced carb, higher fat diet increased their HDL good cholesterol by 20%, while their LDL bad cholesterol stayed the same during the study. However, the group that ate egg substitutes (egg whites) saw no change in either and did not see the improvement in good cholesterol (remember that higher HDL levels are associated with lower risk of heart disease) that the whole egg eaters did. So I hope we’ve established that whole eggs are not some evil food that will wreck your body... instead whole eggs
Fun Fact: Did you Know A rooster take
are FAR superior to egg whites. I recently compared eggs I bought at the grocery store with a batch of eggs I got at a farm stand where the chickens were free roaming and healthy. Most people don’t realize that there’s a major difference because they’ve never bought real eggs from healthy chickens... The eggs from the grocery store had pale yellow yolks and thin weak shells. On the other hand, the healthier free range eggs from the local farm had strong thick shells and deep orange colored yolks indicating much higher nutrition levels and carotenoids... and just a healthier egg in general. This is due to the fact that a freeroaming hen allowed to roam on plenty of land will eat a variety of greens, insects, worms, etc transferring MUCH higher levels of nutrients to the eggs compared to an unhealthy hen that is trapped inside a dark factory farm hen house in horrible conditions and fed nothing but piles of corn and soy. It’s a DRASTIC difference in the nutrition that you get from the egg. So next time a health or fitness professional tells you that egg whites are superior (because of their “fat-phobic” mentality towards dietary fats), you can quietly ignore their advice knowing that you now understand the REAL deal about egg yolks. And can we all please STOP with this sillyness about eating an omelete with 4-5 egg whites and only 1 egg yolk... If you want real taste and real health benefits, we’d all be better off eating ALL of our eggs with the yolks. After all, do you REALLY think that our ancestors thousands of years ago threw out the yolks and only ate the egg whites? NOT A CHANCE! They intuitively knew that all of the nutrition was found in the yolks. But our modern society has been brainwashed with misinformation about fats and cholesterol.
Another interesting study about eggs... I read a study recently that compared groups of people that ate egg breakfasts vs groups of people that ate cereal or bagelbased breakfasts. The results of the study showed that the egg eaters lost or maintained a healthier bodyweight, while the cereal/bagel eaters gained weight. It was hypothesized that the egg eaters actually ate less calories during the remainder of the day because their appetite was more satisfied compared to the cereal/bagel eaters who would have been more prone to wild blood sugar swings and food cravings. Oh, one last thing I almost forgot... I personally eat 4 whole eggs almost every day with breakfast, and I maintain single-digit bodyfat most of the year. Enjoy your eggs and get a leaner body!
es 18-20 breaths a minute, a hen takes 30-35?
There’s no need to give up some of your favorite foods in an effort to lose weight and keep it off. Here is one of my favorite weekend breakfast reciYou’ll see that all of the ingredients below are Diet Solution approved and completely healthy. How does it taste? Absolutely delicious. And that parents and several friends that have stayed at our house and enjoyed our Saturday morning ritual with us. French Toast a la The Diet Solution
Ingredients: 2 slices Sprouted Grain, Spelt or Rice bread (we’ve tried using all of them and they all work well) 2 whole eggs 1 TBSP butter Maple Syrup or Apple Sauce (no sugar added) Cinnamon to taste Directions:
one slice of bread. Dip the bread and make sure it is coated generously with the egg mixture. Heat a
pan (on low to medium) large enough for 1 or 2 slices of bread and add the butter. Once the butter is melted in the pan (if it begins to turn brown, you have the heat up too high) add the bread coated with the egg mixture. Cook the bread on each side pan cooks the egg more evenly but you can cook it uncovered as well). Serve with maple syrup (1 tsp per slice is more than enough) or topped with apple sauce and cinnamon (that’s how I like mine.) Is this a cheat meal or a meal “off” of my usual healthy eating? Not at all. All of the ingredients (and your) healthy eating plan. If you need or want a bit more protein with your breakfast, you can add a piece of bacon, breakfast sausage or even another egg on the side. Enjoy your French Toast!
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This topic seems to be a common struggle I hear from a lot of people... They want to get lean, but they don’t want to give up drinking alcohol. Now, I’m not talking about alcoholic type of drinking (THAT is obviously a problem)... we’re just talking moderate social drinking here. First, although some people may willingly choose to give up alcohol entirely, I still think most of us can drink in moderation, and still stay perfectly healthy and lean. But there are a few tricks that can help you to not pack on the pounds... and I’ll mention those in a little bit. As for myself, it comes down to choosing what I’m going to be strict about to I’m not going to be strict about. For example, I’m pretty strict about never eating anything deep fried or made with trans fats, never eating white bread, and never drinking sodas or sweetened soft drinks of any kind... but I’ll admit that one thing I’ve chosen to not be strict about is drinking
frequently as I did back in my crazy college days (man those college days were fun!), but I’ll certainly enjoy some cold ones when hanging out with friends, going to a bbq or dinner party, or during a night out at the bars and nightclubs. It’s all about balance in your life, and not every aspect has to be “perfect” in order for you to still get the body and health that you want. You’ll drive yourself crazy if you’re trying to be perfect.
“On nights that I know are going to involve some drinking, it helps to make sure that dinner is based only around protein and vegetables.”
Of course, if you have no problem - abstaining from alcohol and willingly bot” 24/7... No way! make that decision, then that will cerWell yes, it’s true... I’m in my 30’s tainly be the best thing for your health now and I certainly don’t drink as and your body.
However, for the rest of us, that actually do like to partake in some social drinking, here are a few tips that have helped me to stay single-digit bodyfat lean, while still drinking alcohol occasionally.
TIP 1
Obviously alcohol gives you extra empty calories on the days that you choose to drink. Alcohol has 7 calories per gram, compared to 4 calories per gram for carbs and protein, and 9 calories per gram for fats. However unlike ingesting carbs, protein, or healthy fats from a healthy food source, drinking alcohol gives you LOTS of calories with very little micronutrients. On nights that I know are going to involve some drinking, it helps to make sure that dinner is based only around protein and vegetables. You’re going to take in a lot of empty calories with the alcohol, so eating a good portion of appetite-satisfying protein along with nutrient-rich vegetables can help to control your appetite and give your body the nutrients it needs. Plus, most importantly, there’s just no room for loads of carbohydraterich foods if you’re also going to be
consuming alcohol. Carbs + alcohol is a perfect recipe for growing a beer belly! Try to keep that evening meal a fairly low-carb meal to save yourself from extra empty calories.
TIP 2
If you want to save your body from adding layers of ugly fat, by all means stay away from syrupy,
fruity drinks that are loaded with sugar... this is a double whammy for your gut as you’re not only getting all of the empty alcohol calories, but also loads of empty sugar calories. Big fruity drinks such as a big margarita, or other tropical fruity drinks can sometimes have as much as 500-600 calories per
serving and 70100 grams of sugar! And I don’t think this even needs to be mentioned, but if you care about your body, any drink that uses soda pop as the mixer is going to be loaded with sugar (usually high fructose corn syrup) and calories. Instead, your best bet is to stick with a clear alcohol mixed with club soda (NOT tonic) and a squeeze of lime or lemon (hey, at least you get a little vitamin C and antioxidants with the squeeze of lemon and lime!). Vodka with club soda and extra lemon and/or lime squeeze is my drink of choice at the bars and nightclubs. Stay away from tonic water mixers! Some people don’t realize this, but tonic water is loaded with almost as much sugar as regular soda pop... on the other hand, club soda has no calories at all. It’s clearly the lowest calorie way to drink.
TIP 3
If you’re going to drink beer, you’re better off choosing just 1 or 2 dark beers rather than 5 or 6 light beers. Sure, dark beers have more calories than light beers, but dark beers also have more B vitamins and antioxidants than light beers, so you actually get more nutrition from the dark beer. As long as you keep it to just 1 or 2 dark beers, you may still stay within 150-400 calories.
Generally, it also takes a little longer to drink a good dark beer compared to a watery light beer too.
TIP 4
Try to get in a high intensity full body workout before your night out of drinking. If you do this, at least you’ve revved up your metabolism and have your body processing calories a little faster. Also, trying to get in some sort of exercise the morning after your night out can also help to get your body back to a good state of health. This may not be your best workouts in terms of energy, but it can help to just get your body moving and break a sweat, and get back to a good homeostasis.
TIP 5
Avoid the late-night munchies after a night of drinking! This is where most people do the biggest damage to their waistlines. Instead, make sure to have some lean protein and vegetables quickly available at home (perhaps some precooked chicken breasts, grass-fed gie sticks) so that you can satisfy your late night post-party appetite with lean protein instead of carbohydrates. Veggies and protein is the key here.
The worst thing for your body is loading up on pizza, ice cream, and other carb-rich junk after a night out of drinking.
TIP 6
If you drink multiple drinks socially, try to keep drinking alcohol to only 1-2 days/week maximum if you want to stay lean. On the other hand, if you never drink more than 1-2 drinks per day, I think having 1-2 drinks daily with a meal can still be part of a healthy lifestyle. As long as those calories are accounted for and you still stay within your daily caloric maintenance.
TIP 7
Wine is one of the healthier drink choices... if you must have a drink, you might as well choose wine so you at least get a good dose of antioxidants as well. Red wine is known for it’s
antioxidant content, however even white wines contain some antioxidants as well... white wines just aren’t quite as high in antioxidants as red wines. Hey, if you can get a little resveratrol while enjoying your company, why not! ing alcohol just adds one more thing to your list that you have to work against in getting the body you want. Abstaining may always be the best choice, BUT we also need to be realistic and know that social drinking is not something that most people are willing to give up entirely. For that reason, this list of tips to help manage social drinking in a healthier way can really help you to stay leaner and healthier and still balance a little bit of social drinking into your life.
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6 Reasons to Use a Jump Rope as a Means your feet to your shoulders and of Cardiovascular Ex- arms. ercise How to Choose a 1. Jump ropes are inexpensive. Good Jump Rope Y can purchase a quality jump You rope for about $20 by clicking here.
2. Small size!
Y can carry a You jump rope anywhere and get a decent workout in while traveling or anywhere where you may be cut off fff from the gym. Because so many people feel that cardio is boring, I felt like I needed to share to my readers one of my favorite ways to do cardio. Jumping rope is vigorous, drains your entire body, and is always a pleasant shock to the sysreally fun! I don’t think enough people use a jump rope for aerobic exercise. It’s a great way to have some fun and get great cardio in as well as improve your coordination and agility. There is, after all, a reason that many competitive athletes jump rope. If frequently performed, jumping rope is a great contributor to increased muscle endurance. And since it can be done anywhere, jumping rope is a great alternative to cardio when the weather may keep you out of your running shoes, off f the tennis court, or with the bike ff still in the garage.
3. Small space!
Y can jump You rope anywhere, in or out of the on your lunch break, or anywhere that you have just a few extra feet around you so you can comfortably perform a full motion.
4. Jumping rope is a nice change
of pace for those who have gotten tired of the same boring grind of cardio.
5. Calorie Shredder:
jumping rope can burn massive amounts of calories in a small period of time. 30 minutes of jumping rope can easily burn off fff 500 calories on the average metabolism.
6. Full-body workout – the act of jumping rope helps strengthen the muscles beyond just the legs and the core. Most of the body feels
I recommend using a jump rope that is leather as it will not wear down over time as synthetic or stringy ropes will. Make sure that the handles of the rope are thick and comfortable. Test T that the rope length is adequate by holding the handles of the rope in each hand and placing your feet in the middle of the rope as it is just touching the ground. If your hands are just below the armpits, then your rope is the right size.
Some Tips on How to Prevent Injury from Jumping Rope 1. Always wear comfortable shoes. A good pair of shoes will reduce wear and tear on the joints and minimize the chance of ankle injury.
2.
are an excellent exercise to use because the motion of a jumping jack mimics the motion of jumping jacks. Starting Out Jumping rope is harder than it looks, especially if you’re a beginner. The exercise requires a solid amount of coordination and agility as well as concentration. Let’s break down the
Beginning Stage It’s important to get over the hump of what may be an initial wave of frustration when learning how to properly jump rope. But it’s important to persevere. When I first started jumping rope, it took a lot of patience to get used to the motions. Quite simply, it’s far more complex than a stationary bike or a treadmill. In order to properly jump rope, execute the following steps: Step 1: Start out by holding the handles in each hand and have the rope touching the back of your heels on the ground. Step 2: Attempt to complete a few full motion revolutions. Practice these steps for about five minutes, completing as many as you can. At this stage I would just perform 5 minutes of jumping rope 3 days a week. Do not exceed 5 minutes a day as you may develop substantial soreness quicker than you think! Intermediate Stage After around four weeks, you should feel comfortable with five minutes at a time, and you should feel improved your agility, coordination, and endurance. Increase frequency to 10 minutes per day, 3-5 days per week. Advanced Stage After another 4-6 weeks of the intermediate stage, try cranking things up a bit and jump rope for 20-30 minutes, 3-5 times per week. If you can make it here, you’ll be feeling like you’re in terrific shape and reaping plenty of health benefits of being able to handle some pretty serious cardio.
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learning process into three stages
GOBLET SIDE LUNGES FOR LATERAL HIP AND LEG POWER POSTED BY NICK NILSSON The Side Lunge is an excellent exercise for the hips and entire lower body. It works the lower body in a lateral movement plane rather than the much more commonly-worked front and back movement plane. It’s a VERY valuable exercise that can be a pain in the butt to do with barbells (better to use a rack, but you have use a rack that you can walk out of because you have to move side to side) and the normal way with dumbells hanging down at arms-length – your legs get in the way very easily.
THIS version is done with one dumbell held in front of you at your chest, with you hands under the top set of plates like a big goblet (hence the name). It keeps the dumbell out of your way and requires no special rack or setup to do. Hits the core nicely, too, because of how you’re supporting the weight. GREAT exercise for the lower body overall. Here’s what it looks like:
Secret Training Tip #221:
Hip Flexors Aren’t Evil Do They Hold The Key to Faster Running Speed?
Ieverything f you believe the magazines, you want to do you can to eliminate the hip flexors
from your abdominal training. But can this bit of advice actually be hurting your speed? When you strengthen and train the hip flexors for explosive power, you can significantly (and very quickly) boost running speed. Your body is able to bring your legs forward faster and you’ll be able to accelerate faster.
By Nick Nilsson
don’t have them or can’t get them, a low pulley cable with an ankle harness will work just fine). I got my bands from here: Http://www.Fitstep.Com/goto/ironwoody-bands. Htm The simplest exercise you can do is to attach a band to a solid object down near the ground (or use the low pulley with the ankle harness). Loop the other end over your thigh. Hold onto something solid
“The single most effective exercise you can do to increase running speed quickly in a person is not squatting or power cleans or anything like that. It’s explosive hip flexion.” Who do you think is going to win the race...The person with the faster stride turnover or the person with the slower turnover (assuming their strides are equal in length). Big duh. The single most effective exercise you can do to increase running speed quickly in a person is not squatting or power cleans or anything like that. It’s explosive hip flexion. Now, it is true that the hip flexors are highly involved in the sit-up exercise. But i’m definitely not recommending you do ballistic, explosive situps to work the hip flexors. You’ll be much better off doing direct hip flexor work using bands or cables. Bands especially are excellent because you can explode strongly against them without having to worry about decelerating the resistance...The stretching of the band takes care of that for you. So first, get yourself some training bands (if you
then explode up against the band. The exercise itself looks like you’re trying to knee somebody in the gut as hard as you can. Simple as that. Do it against resistance and do it explosively. This will do more to increase your running speed than squats ever will. [If you’re interested in seeing more explosive hip flexor exercises, i’ll have a link at the end of the article] To prevent that tightening problem i mentioned above, be sure to stretch your hip flexors after every session and regularly throughout the day if you spend a lot of time in a seated position (which puts your hip flexors in a shortened position for many hours at a time). To stretch them, drop down on one knee like you’re in a lunge position then just lean your upper body
By Lee Labrada CEO/Founder, Labrada Nutrition IFBB Pro Bodybuilding Hall of Fame
Dear Friend, Walk into any busy gym across America and you’ll find dozens of trainees fervently working on their arm development. There they are, pumping out set after set of barbell curls. Why does it seem that the arms are the most desirable muscle group to develop? It could be because a set of well-developed, muscular arms is arguably the most visible sign that you are strong and fit. It tells the world that you work out. And since you can’t go out and buy a great set of arms, it also tells people that you’ve worked hard to get those arms. There’s a lot of personal satisfaction in that.
All men admire well-developed arms, whether their egos allow them to admit it or not. Women love feeling the power in their partner’s strong arms. And children feel safe when held by a father with strong arms. Let’s face it, we love our strong, muscular arms!
Now before I unveil my routine, let’s look at the “big picture.” My entire workout schedule looks like this:
Arms are not that difficult to build, yet there are many frustrated trainees out there that can’t seem to get it right. It seems that no matter what they try, they can’t get those arms to budge the tape measure. If you belong to this frustrated multitude, fret no longer. Once you understand the concepts behind building a great pair of arms, and have the right tools, it’s only a matter of time before wearing a tight polo shirt puts a smile on your face.
This means I workout two days in a row, followed by one day of rest. Then, I workout another day, followed by another day off. Then I repeat this sequence. I never train with weights more than two days in a row because I find that I build muscle faster if I allow one day in between to provide enough time to recuperate. On the day off, I will hit the cardio exercises to stimulate circulation, which in turn speeds up recuperation and growth. By the way, if you’re not making steady gains with your current program, try adding a few extra rest days each week. You may actually gain more by training less!
I am going to share my best arm training routine with you. You may be surprised to learn how simple it is, but it’s not unusual for even advanced trainees to put two or more inches on their arms with this powerful program. Sound interesting? Read on… Training the arms can be broken primarily into triceps training, followed by biceps training. We’ll start with the triceps. That’s because the triceps are the larger of the two muscle groups. Finding someone with great development in the triceps muscle group is more difficult than finding someone with great biceps. Why? Well for one thing, it takes focused concentration and near-perfect form to build truly powerful and massive triceps. And let’s be honest, many people neglect their triceps in favor of the more “glamorous” biceps. And that’s a big mistake. You see, the three muscles that make up your triceps compose a whopping two-thirds of the bulk of your upper arm. So if you really want to build impressive “guns,” your best bet is to take your triceps training very seriously.
Workout frequency: 2 on, 1 off, 1 on, 1 off
Okay, Here’s how my typical workout schedule looks: Day #1: Chest/Shoulders/Triceps Day #2: Back/Biceps/Abs Day #3: Rest Day Day #4: Quads/Hamstrings/Calves Day #5: Rest Day Then I repeat. My complete muscle mass building workout is available on my video titled “Mass with Class.” It’s available at the Labrada online store. It’s 45 minutes of action packed footage of me in my best shape, showing you exactly how to build your body in the shortest time. Even if you are an advanced trainee, I guarantee that you will put on muscle with my workout in 12 short weeks, or I’ll refund your full purchase price. Forget mutual funds! This is one investment that you can’t lose on.
Back to the arms… Now, you can certainly adapt this workout schedule to fit your specific needs. For example: If you want to take off the weekend from weight training (and many people do) then try 2 on, 1 off, 2 on, 2 off. Then repeat. This way you’ll have Wednesday along with Saturday and Sunday off each week. (The extra day of rest may be good for you!) Moving along, here are 9 things, which you must do to make this workout as effective as possible: 1. Keep track of your workouts using a training log. If you don’t have a log, you can write on a wall calendar. Throw it in your workout bag. 2. Use as much weight as possible for the prescribed number of repetitions on each exercise. Strive to increase your training poundage by a little each week. 3. Perform each set to “positive failure,” the point at which you cannot perform another unassisted repetition. If you’re going to complete failure, you will need to drop the weight by 10% after each set in order to get all the reps. 4. Take 1-2 minutes rest between sets. 5. The total length of your workout should not exceed 60 minutes, including initial warm-up. That works out to about 15-20 minutes per body part. 6. If you’re a beginner, drop one set from each exercise and concentrate on form instead of going for the heavy poundage. (You’ll thank me later!) 7. Use strict form on all exercises. 8. Minimize stress and try to get 8 to 9 hours of sleep each night. 9. The enemy of arm development is overtraining. Doing too much will stunt your progress. Resist the temptation to do more.
10. Follow a proper nutrition and supplementa-
tion program. If you don’t already have a great nutrition program, click here for my free 12 week Lean Body Coach program. No workout program in the world is going to work unless you have the right nutritional support. If you want to make sure that you have all the nutrients you need to get bigger and leaner, add Lean Body MRP’s and bars to your nutritional regimen. I use Lean Body® at least three times per day myself and I promise you, it makes a HUGE difference. Check it out.
Triceps Exercises: Do your triceps exercises following chest and shoulders. That warms up your triceps, and secondly, pre-fatigues them so that they can be pushed into the growth threshold with minimum work. Got it? Good. Now here come the “meat and potatoes” of my triceps workout…
Exercise #1: Straight-Bar Triceps Pushdown: • After warming up, perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions, or to failure, whichever comes first. • On the last set, drop the weight about 10% and immediately perform another 5 reps without resting. TIP: Take a palms-down grip with your thumbs “over” the bar. Keep your shoulders back and chest out. Fix your upper arms to the side of your torso. AVOID: Don’t allow your wrists to bend upwards during the movement as this puts unnecessary stress on the joint. Keep your wrists straight and fixed; and don’t allow your elbows to flare-out. Keep them near your sides. Exercise #2: Close Grip Bench Press: (One of the best mass developers for the triceps.) • Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions. • On the last set, drop the weight and do another 5 reps without rest.
TIPS: Using a straight or EZ-curl bar, take a
grip that is six inches wide between your hands. Lower the bar slowly to your lower chest while keeping your elbows near your sides. Then, push straight up to the starting position. Repeat. AVOID: Bouncing the bar off of your chest. Always maintain control during the movement. Lower slowly. Exercise #3: Upright, Overhead One-Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extension: • Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions. • On the last set, drop the weight and do another 5 reps without rest. TIPS: While sitting on a bench with your arm straight above you, lower the dumbbell slowly to the base of your neck while keeping your upper arm and forearm at close to a 90 degree angle. Stretch the triceps muscle at the bottom of the movement then contract and return to the start position.
AVOID: Performing this movement too quickly
and haphazardly. Doing so could result in injury to the neck and head. Don’t let your wrists wobble with the weight; keep them fixed. Please note that by training the triceps with these exercises, you effectively hit the triceps from three different angles. In the first exercise, the triceps pushdown, your upper arm points down, parallel to the line of your torso. In the second exercise, close grip bench presses, your upper arm is at a ninety-degree angle to your torso. In the last exercise, overhead triceps extension, your upper arm is once again parallel to the line of your torso, except that this time, it is 180 degrees opposite the angle formed by the first exercise. Get the picture? On to biceps… Because the biceps are a small muscle group relative to other muscles of the torso, I prefer to train them immediately following my back routine. The back training will not only warm the biceps up, but will also “pre-fatigue” them, making it easier for you to drive them into the “growth threshold.” Biceps Exercises: • As you curl, turn your wrists (supinate) inward. Look at your right hand. Make a fist. Now turn that fist clockwise. That’s supination. Ass for the left hand, you turn it counterclockwise to supinate. Supinating makes for a harder contraction on your biceps! • Work through the full range of motion. Never sacrifice range of motion to use heavier weights. • Lower the weight slowly (eccentric phase) to keep stress on the biceps. Exercise #1: Concentration Curls No, this isn’t a typo. I’ve found that starting my biceps routine with a one-arm-at-a-time isolation exercise really helps me stimulate this
muscle because this strict movement forces the biceps to work with little assistance from any other muscle group. • After warming up, perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions. TIPS: Place your elbow against the inside of the corresponding thigh. Keep your arm against your thigh throughout the movement. Curl the weight towards your shoulder in an arcing motion and squeeze at the top of the movement. Supinate your wrist to get a fuller contraction. AVOID: Cheating or swinging throughout the movement or not working throughout the entire range of motion (especially the lower half).
Exercise #2: EZ-Bar Biceps Curl • Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions. • On the last set, drop the weight and do another 5 reps without rest. TIPS: Use a grip that’s wide enough so that your hands are on the outsides of your thighs. Bend slightly forward at the waist. Curl the weight in an arcing motion while keeping your elbows fixed to your sides. AVOID: Stopping the movement at the top or bottom of the exercise. Keep a steady motion.
Exercise #4: Hammer Curls Many body builders mistakenly overlook this exercise. “Hammers” really help to build the thickness of the biceps muscle group and top of the forearm by working the brachialis and brachio-radialus muscles. • Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions. TIPS: Perform in an alternate fashion while keeping the face of the dumbbell forward (upwards) at all times. Raise and lower slowly, using constant tension. AVOID: Swaying or rocking during this movement. So there it is! Rip this article out take it with you to the gym next time you’re training arms! I’m confident that you will start seeing nice gains in your arm development! Leave the “spaghetti arms” at home once and for all.
Exercise #3: Preacher Curls Because this exercise restricts movement of the upper arm at the bottom of the exercise, it’s a great “thickening” movement for the lower biceps. Use this exercise in lieu of barbell curls, alternating every other workout. (In other words, barbell curls or preacher curls, but not both in the same workout. • Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions. • On the last set, drop the weight and perform another 4 reps without rest. TIPS: Keep your armpits against the pad and focus on pulling with your biceps and not your deltoid or back muscles. AVOID: Rocking excessively or leaning forward during the movement. Also, don’t hyperextend your elbows at the bottom of the exercise; stop just short of locking out. Lower slowly! To do otherwise is to risk a severe injury.
This arm workout is guaranteed to pump you up and make your arms explode with growth. If it doesn’t sound like much, then it’s because it truly isn’t! By now you might be thinking, “Great Lee, you’ve told us the program, but why does it work?” Here’s why it works: Over the years, I have observed that the number one problem facing trainees with a seeming inability to develop their arms is over-training. Too much stimulation can be just as bad as too little. This particular arm workout is just the right amount. Try it and you’ll see. Follow this program along with my quality nutrition and supplementation program and you’ll be well on your way to building thick and powerful arms! Pass this article on to a friend today, and be sure to tell him to sign up for my free on-line Lean Body Coaching Club at:
www.leanbodycoach.com They’ll thank you later! Together we can be “Fitness Evangelists”™ and spread the word about working out and eating right.
By Hugo Rivera Women’s Weight Training Myth #1
Weight training makes you bulky and masculine. Due to the fact that women do not, and cannot, naturally produce as much testosterone (one of the main hormones responsible for increasing muscle size) as males do, it is impossible for a woman to gain huge amounts of muscle mass by merely touching some weights. Unfortunately, the image that may come to your mind is that of professional female bodybuilders. Most of these women, unfortunately, use anabolic steroids (synthetic testosterone) along with other drugs in order to achieve that high degree of muscularity. Women’s Weight Training Myth #2 Exercise increases your chest size. Sorry girls. Women’s breasts are composed mostly of fatty tissue. Therefore, it is impossible to increase breast size through weight training. As a matter of fact, if you go below 12 percent body fat, your breast size will decrease. Weight training does increase the size
of the back, so this misconception probably comes from confusing an increase in back size with an increase in cup size. The only way to increase your breast size is by gaining fat or getting breast implants. Women’s Weight Training Myth #3 Weight training makes you stiff and musclebound. If you perform all exercises through legged deadlifts, dumbbell presses, and chin-ups stretch the muscle in the bottom range of the movement. Therefore, by performing these exercises correctly, your stretching capabilities will increase. The myths about women’s weight training and female bodybuilding do not ever seem to go away. With this article, I’d like to share the facts regarding weight training and female bodybuilding. Women’s Weight Training Myth #4 If you stop weight training your muscles turn into fat. This is like saying that gold can turn into
brass. Muscle and fat are two totally different types of tissue. What happens many times is that when people decide to go off their weight training programs they start losing muscle due to inactivity (use it or lose it) and they also usually drop the diet as well. Therefore bad eating habits combined with the fact that their metabolism is lower due to inactivity, and lower degrees of muscle mass, give the impression that the subject’s muscle is being turned into fat while in reality what is happening is that muscle is being lost and fat is being accumulated.
Women’s Weight Training Myth #6 As long as you exercise you can eat anything that you want. How I wish this were true also! However, this could not be further from the truth. Our individual metabolism determines how many calories we burn at rest and while we exercise. If we eat more calories than we burn on a consistent basis, our bodies will accumulate these extra calories as fat regardless of the amount of exercise that we do. This myth may have been created by people with such high metabolic rates (hardgainers) that no matter how much they eat or what they eat, they rarely meet or exceed the amount of calories that they burn in one day unless they put their mind to doing so. Therefore, their weight either remains stable or goes down. If you are confused about nutrition, please read Nutrition Basics.
Women’s Weight Training Myth #5 Weight training turns fat into muscle. More alchemy. This is the equivalent of saying that you can turn any metal into gold; don’t we wish! The way a body transformation occurs is by gaining muscle through weight training and losing fat through aerobics and diet simultaneously. Again, muscle and fat are very dif- Women’s Weight Training Myth #7 ferent types of tissue. We cannot turn one Women only need to do cardio and if into the other. they decide to lift weights, they should
be very light. First of all, if you only did cardio then muscle and fat would be burned for fuel. One needs to do weights in order to get the muscle building machine going and thus prevent any loss of muscle tissue. Women that only concentrate on cardio will have a very hard time achieving the look that they want. As far as the lifting of very light weights, this is just more nonsense. Muscle responds to resistance and if the resistance is too light, then there will be no reason for the body to change. Women Should Train Hard I have trained with girls that train as hard as I do and they look nothing but femi nine. If you want to look great, don’t be afraid to pick up the weights and lift hard!
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DHEA
The Most Und Hormone replacement therapy that only includes estrogen and progesterone but leaves out testosterone is a curse of many a women’s fat loss program. This is not only a concern for postmenopausal women. Young women should think twice about using birth control pills. Birth control pills elevate estrogen and progesterone levels while drastically lowering testosterone levels. This is reason why many women experience large gains in fat as well as a decreased libido when using birth control pills.” In women with established adrenal insufficiency, studies find 50mg DHEA corrects low serum concentrations of DHEA/DHEA-S, and brings testosterone into the “normal” range. With one recent study finding “DHEA treatment significantly improved overall wellbeing as well as scores for depression, anxiety, and their physical correlates. Furthermore, DHEA significantly increased both sexual interest and the level of satisfaction with sex.”(5) Side Effects Are there any side effects to DHEA use for women? Generally, they are easily dealt with by lowering the dose and “… are mostly mild and related to androgenic activity of DHEA in women and include increased sebum
derrated Supplement For Women production, facial acne, and changes in hair status.” (6) In my experience, the above is related to dose. The low-normal dose recommended (see below) rarely if ever causes side effects, but there’s no free lunch in biology, and adjusting any hormone up or down, comes with potential for side effects along with the benefits. The issue – as in the case with any drug, supplement, etc – is whether the benefits outweigh the risks/side effects. As the (potential) benefits of DHEA high, and the side effects at best mild to non existent, my opinion is the risk/benefit ratio is very much in favor of using DHEA, but everyone has to decide for themselves on that score. “What About Us Women Will?!” OK, this finally brings us to women and DHEA after the long winded intro above, but finally, here we are! Although the research in men using DHEA has been unimpressive and contradictory, such is not the case with women. In women, research using DHEA is much more consistent and compelling and there appears to be some gender specific responses to
DHEA use.(3) As a supplement that can improve mood, libido, memory, and possibly alter body composition (i.e., increase muscle, improve bone density, and reduce bodyfat), DHEA appears to be a winner for women. Most of the research has been done in DHEA deficient populations, but data – and real world experience- suggests it’s also a benefit to women not medically deficient in this hormone. Although the benefits of this hormone to women comes predomently from its conversion to testosterone, it also appears some of the effects may be due to other mechanisms.(4). One recent study concluded: “The use of DHEA therapy may also be discussed in women of any age when a trial of androgen supplementation seems justified because of the existence of an inhibited sexual desire or a sexual arousal disorder associated with documented androgen deficiency. The rather weak conversion of DHEA into testosterone protects from the risk of over-
By Will Brink
dosing associated with testosterone preparations.” Side Bar: Testosterone myths. Testosterone is often viewed as a “male” hormone. Although testosterone is the dominant androgen in men, it’s a hormone essential to the health and well being of both sexes, just as men produce and require some estrogen. How important can this hormone be to women? Karlis Ullis, MD, a faculty member of the UCLA School of Medicine, who treats women with hormone imbalances states: “It is clear to me, both from my clinical practice and from research, that testosterone is vital for women to preserve their lean mass and to prevent obesity. Not only will testosterone help mobilize body fat and negate some of the fat storing effects of estrogen, it is also extremely effective in building lean mass in women – even at small doses.
Conclusions and Recommendations Believe me, there’s a lot more research I could cover, but I hope the above covers the essential points regarding DHEA and it’s potential value to women specifically. So, let’s sum it all up: For women over 40, or those with diagnosed adrenal insufficiency (AI), DHEA could be of considerable value to general well being as well as libido, mood, etc. Typical doses are 25 – 50mg and working with a medical professional to fine tune dosages is recommended. For “normal” women under 40, and or have not been diagnosed with AI, 25 – 50mg seems to do the trick, and starting at the lower dose and assessing over a few months is recommended. Most women will notice improvements in mood, libido, and possibly muscle mass and or bodyfat, at lower doses. The effect is increased at higher doses, but possible side effects mentioned
above also become more common. At 50-100mg+, DHEA does act as a mild anabolic agent in women in my experience, and I have seen some fairly impressive results of increased muscle mass and decreased bodyfat at the higher doses, but it’s not dramatic compared to other anabolic hormones used by some female athletes. High doses of DHEA will also elevate estrogen levels, so that too should be kept in mind. See you in the gym ladies! (1,3) Cameron DR, Braunstein GD. The use of dehydroepiandrosterone therapy in clinical practice. Treat Endocrinol. 2005;4(2):95-114. (2) XV International Symposium on Atherosclerosis. (4) Buvat J. Androgen therapy with dehydroepiandrosterone..World J Urol. Nov;21(5):346-55. – 2003 (5) Arlt W, et al. DHEA replacement in women with adrenal insufficiency–pharmacokinetics, bioconversion and clinical effects on well-being, sexuality and cognition. Endocr Res. 2000 Nov;26(4):505-11. (6) DHEA: why, when, and how much–DHEA replacement in adrenal insufficiency.Ann Endocrinol (Paris). 2007 Sep;68(4):268-73. Epub 2007 Aug 8.
This isn’t your typical weight loss mistakes list, replete with diet food faux pas. Rather than worrying about the minutiae of your diet plan, like whether you should be on low carb or high carb, Mediterranean or Okinawan, vegetarian or meat eater, I propose that if you simply focus on these 8 issues, you’ll start getting more lasting results. How? By being able to stick with whichever plan you decided was best for you! After all, even if you have the best nutrition program in the world -- on paper -- it doesn’t do you much good if you can’t stick with it! Clearly, we have an obesity problem in America and many other countries across our planet. Yet, I propose that we do not have a weight loss problem today. In case you’re confused at this apparent contradiction, consider these statistics: According to a study from Oxford University published in the International Journal of Obesity, within 3 to 5 years, about 80 percent of all ‘weight losers’ have regained the lost weight, and often gained back a little extra. According to research by the National Weight Control Registry, that relapse rate may be as high as 95 percent. For comparison, relapse rates for drug, alcohol and tobacco dependency have been reported in the range of 50-90%.
This means that lots and lots of people have lost weight, but not many have kept it off. Therefore, we don’t have a weight loss problem, we have a weight-relapse problem; we have a “not sticking with it” problem, wouldn’t you agree? In fact, the fall and subsequent weight-regain usually doesn’t take years. Many people have abandoned their New Year’s resolutions within weeks. By the time the Super Bowl party rolls around, the diet is ancient history! If this is true, then shouldn’t we put more of our at-
tention on figuring out why you haven’t been sticking with your program, and what you should do about it? That’s why I put together this list of the 8 biggest mistakes that put the pounds back on.
1. No focus: you didn’t set goals, you didn’t put your goals in writing, and you didn’t keep your goals in mind daily (by reading them, affirming them, looking at a vision board, etc.). 2. No priorities: you may have set a goal, but you didn’t put it at the top of your priorities list. For example, your goal was six pack abs, but drinking beer and eating fast food on the weekend was higher on your priorities list than having a flat stomach.
B Y
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3. No support system: you tried to go at it alone; no
buddy system, training partners, family, spouse, friends, mentors or coaches to turn to for information and emotional support when the going got tough. 4. No Accountability: you didn’t keep score for your own accountability - with a progress chart, weight record, measurements, food journal, training journal, and you didn’t set up external accountability (report to someone else or show your results to someone else).
5. No patience: you were only thinking short term and had unrealistic expectations. You expected 10 pounds a week or 5 pounds a week or 3 pounds a week, so the first week you lost “only” 1 or 2 pounds or hit a plateau, you gave up. 6. No planning: you winged it. You walked into the gym without having a workout in hand, on paper, you didn’t plan your workouts into your weekly schedule; you didn’t have a menu on paper; you didn’t make time (so instead you made excuses, like “I’m too busy”).
7. No balance: your
diet or training program was too extreme. You went the all or nothing, “I want it now” route instead of the moderate, slow-and-steady wins the race route.
8. No personalization: your nutrition or
training program was the wrong one for you. It might have worked for someone else, but it didn’t suit your schedule, personality, lifestyle, disposition or body type. Are you guilty of any of these transgressions? If so, the solutions are clear and simple: focus, prioritize, get support, be accountable, be patient, plan, balance and personalize.
By Will Brink
ost people are aware that nutrient timing is as important as nutrient composition. In other words, it’s not just what you eat, but when you eat it that gives optimal results. As the man says, “Timing is everything.” Consuming the right foods at the right time can have positive effects on body composition: which means more muscle and less body fat. Health-conscious people are told to avoid simple carbohydrates, and for good reasons. It’s not true all the time and in every situation, however. Following a heavy workout, there is a metabolic “window” – so to speak – where the body preferentially shuttles glucose into the liver and muscles to replace lost glycogen via both insulin-dependent and noninsulin-dependent transport mechanisms. Translated, this means your body will shuttle carbs and protein into the tissues you want (muscle) instead of storing them as fat after a workout. To carry the analogy further, the metabolic window doesn’t stay open indefinitely, so you need to take advantage of the opportunity while it lasts.
A number of studies have found that a post-workout drink containing simple, high-GI carbs and protein increases protein synthesis dramatically. The two work synergistically to create an anabolic environment that’s superior to either nutrient alone. In addition, some recent work suggests that a pre-workout drink may be superior to a post-workout drink, and consuming both may be best of all!
ately before resistance exercise is greater than that when the solution is consumed after exercise, primarily because of an increase in muscle protein synthesis…”
Since this study was published, several researchers have proposed that providing amino acids/protein and carbs both before and after a resistance workout represents the best of both worlds. This is the premise of the book “Nutrient Timing” by Research looking at the issue has John Ivy and Robert Portman. They gotten a great deal of attention in present compelling evidence that the sports nutrition world. One par- the right mixture of nutrients, taken ticularly interesting study, “Timing at key points in the muscle growth of amino acid-carbohydrate inges- cycle, will optimize improvements tion alters anabolic response of in muscle growth, strength, and muscle to resistance exercise.” (Am power, as well as enhance recovery J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2001 from exercise. Aug;281(2):E197-206), compared the anabolic responses to a carbo- Overall, there’s a solid body of scihydrate and amino acid supplement entific evidence to support using a taken either before or after resis- blend of fast-acting carbs and amino tance exercise. It’s counterintuitive acids/protein for both pre- and postto think taking in these nutrients be- workout nutrition. It’s definitely a fore the workout is superior to post- “hot” topic among sports researchworkout, but according to this small ers. It’s also a topic that seems to create endless speculation and constudy: versation with non-scientists look“…results indicate that the response ing to get the most of their time in of net muscle protein synthesis to the gym. Everyone wants to hear consumption of an EAC solution the latest word, it seems. [carb/amino acid drink] immedi-
Healthy restaurant eating is possible and can be much easier than you think. If your schedule has your traveling a lot or opting for take out often, use the ideas below to stick to your healthy meal plans while still enjoying your meal out. Here is my plan of attack whenever I am on vacation, traveling for business or just in a situation that has me ordering out more than I am able to cook. I do what I call “damage control”: Do the best I can, with what I’ve got and have an awesome time on my trip! Prepare my “emergency kit”. I will pack and take with me: walnuts, almonds, almond butter, organic turkey and beef jerky, apples and pears. None of these need refrigeration so they will keep well wherever you are. If I’m in a situation where there is no protein handy (like when it’s time for a snack), I’ve got my nuts and jerky to tie me over. If you don’t have something handy, you About the Author Isabel De Los Rios tionist and exercise specialist who has already helped over 25,000 people all over the world lose incredible amounts of weight, regain their health and permanently change their lives.
chips (or whatever other horrid food people eat while away).
Breakfast There is always a protein on the menu, no matter what. Omelets, or smoked salmon are my favorite choices but I’ve even gone to places that now carry turkey bacon and turkey sausage on the menu. Stay away from blood sugar disaster waiting to happen. Eating a sugar loaded breakfast like this will only set you up for hunger and cravings the rest of the day. And, just may ruin an otherwise great day.
Lunch and Dinner I have said this before. Most of us know what is healthy on the menu but we still continue to order the crappy stuff. Yes, I do believe in a treat and a cheat meal once or twice a week, but definitely not every night of your vacation. Some people eat and choose items off the menu like they are being sent to starvation camp when they get home. This is not an “all or nothing” deal. You’ve committed to eating healthy for a lifetime. Don’t worry. The food will always be there whether you eat it all at once or space it out over a lifetime.
The Trolls
The who? Yes, you know who the trolls are. Those people who tell you to “just eat what you want”, or “don’t torture yourself”. These people always seem to come out of hiding when dining with you at a restaurant. (They are also present at parties and family functions. Be afraid. Be very, very afraid). Don’t let anybody else tell you that taking care of yourself and feeling great is a bad thing. I don’t mean to talk bad about your family and friends, but chances are they are not too thrilled with their current weight and health and really just upset that you actually started to eat healthy and take conOk, back to my point. First, items on the menu that you trol of your life. know are drenched in heavy sauces are an instant NoNo. Fettuccine Alfredo? Come on now. Are you seri- Remember, there is no need to avoid restaurants and ous? Can you get the steak, veggies and salad instead vacations (but please do avoid fast food joints). You and be just as happy? Or, the Chicken Cacciatore with just need to focus on the healthier options and have a a side of broccoli rabe? (Yes, we’re at an Italian res- great time! taurant). Often times, our taste buds are really just as happy with a healthier choice. No, this is not depriva- Here’s one of my favorite desserts, Chocolate Pudding, tion. This is choosing to feel good, be healthy and eat completely Diet Solution approved, that you can easily good food at the same time. Comprende? make at home.
Desserts I love desserts too and I will definitely get myself a yummy piece of apple pie or chocolaty treat while I am away. But if the piece of dessert is bigger than the size of my head, I will not eat the whole thing. There is no need. My taste buds are just as happy with a few bites (and my body is happier too). Remember, we’re not going to starvation camp after this. Trust me, there is enough apple pie, chocolate or (insert your favorite dessert here) to have a small amount at a time for the rest of your life. No. Fettuccine Alfredo? Come on now. Are you serious? Can you get the steak, veggies and salad instead and be just as happy?
Tired of complicated weight loss programs and diet pills that don’t work? 5:30 am One hard boiled egg.
6:45 am 24 Knee Presses.
9:00 am One Carrot.
11:45 am 3oz of Chicken.
1:30 pm 2 Celery Stalks.
3:15 pm 30 minute run
6:45 pm 36 Push-ups.
Learn to make your
Fat Extinct
(and have a life in the process)