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| **NOTE** Breathitt Online is not responsible for you, the reader, for using anything in our health articles for your personal gains. As always you should seek your physicians approval when trying any new health treatments. We encourage healthy eating and good exercise. The South American Solution For Stamina: 7-26-04 By Wayne Hall N.H. Millions of us rely on coffee or tea to get us going in the mornings. Others choose alternative stimulating brews such as Ginseng, Guarana and Maté. Maté? While most of you are already familiar with the famous South American beverage, here's a "re-introduction" to the all natural energy booster, and why you may want to make this a part of your morning routine. "Te Levanta El Espíritu" "It lifts the spirit". That is the prevailing belief by many who drink Yerba Maté. Indeed, this national drink of Paraguay and Argentina, is revered for its therapeutic benefits and in fact, is consumed more than coffee or tea in much of South America. The name Yerba Maté comes from the Spanish words yerba (herb) and mate, the traditional container used for brewing the herb. Yerba Maté has been used by the native tribes of Brazil and Paraguay since ancient times, both as a stimulating tonic and for use in the aboriginal remedies of the Guarani and other tribes. In fact, the Argentine cowboys or Gauchos still drink Maté for its rejuvenating nutrients to keep them energized throughout the day. Coffee...Tea...Or Mate? Maté traditional uses though, have extended far beyond the South American borders. Its modern therapeutic applications are supported by that region's long history of traditional use. Currently, in countries such as North America, Europe and India, various Yerba Maté preparations are used for: *Mental and physical fatigue *Lack of stamina *Headaches caused by fatigue *Nervous exhaustion *Immune system support *Supportive supplement for weight loss. It is widely regarded as an appetite suppressant when consumed 15-20 minutes before meals. Yerba Maté like most herbs, is also a storehouse of nutrients and includes vitamins C, E, B-1, B-2, B-3, trace minerals, quercetin, rutin and other antioxidants; chlorophyll, and more. Yerba Maté contains caffeine, although the level is relatively low compared to coffee or tea. Natural health experts also note that the effects are not as intense or as addictive due to its significant amounts of phytonutrients. Maté Cocido Yerba Mate can be prepared in the non-traditional method- like an herbal infusion, known as mate cocido. This preparation can be enjoyed hot or cold, and sweetened with stevia, sugar or honey. Milk may also be added. To brew one cup, use 2 teaspoons in an infuser or tea bag; steep for approximately 5 minutes. or maximum strength and adjust to personal taste afterwards. Coffee Pot Brewing For a 6-cup pot, use 2-3 tablespoons and brew. For a 8-10 cup pot, use 2 oz. dried Yerba Maté and brew. Note: Do not overfill, as the Yerba Mate expands and the filter might overflow. Ready to try some Mate but not sure of the taste? Don't worry. It has a distinctive, mild, mature flavor, which is somewhat similar to Green Tea, though it's less astringent. The smooth flavor of Maté makes it a delicious addition to other herbal tea blends as well. If plain is not your style, spice it up with Cloves, Cinnamon, or Anise. So go ahead, be creative and add a little pick-me-up to your day. Managing Diabetes Naturally By Wayne Hall N.H. 7-19-04 When we eat, our bodies break down the proteins, carbohydrates and fats we consume to be used as the building blocks of our bodies. Carbohydrates, such as those found in bread, pasta, rice, potatoes and cereals are first digested and converted into simple sugars in the intestines and then move from the intestines into the bloodstream. These simple sugars are our body's first choice for energy production. Glucose, a form of simple sugar is the basic fuel the body uses for energy. In order for our bodies to utilize this sugar however, it must be transported across the cell membrane where it can be used to feed and fuel our cells. Insulin, a hormone secreted by the pancreas, and more specifically by the islets of Langerhans, which are scattered throughout the pancreas, stimulates our body's cells to absorb sugar, thus removing it from the blood stream. When our bodies cannot properly utilize glucose, thus causing it to stay in the blood, we are diagnosed as having diabetes. Diabetes is a disorder which disrupts the mechanism by which the body controls blood sugar. The build-up of sugar in the blood, characterized by diabetes, can cause the cells of our bodies to be starved for glucose and can, if left unchecked, lead to damage of the eyes, kidneys, nerves and heart. There are two types of diabetes: insulin dependent or Type 1 diabetes and non-insulin dependent or Type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes, is often referred to as juvenile or childhood-onset diabetes. Here, the pancreas cannot make the insulin needed by the body to process glucose. For individuals with Type 1 diabetes, while natural therapies may help the body be more receptive to insulin, they require regular injections of insulin to maintain health. On the other hand, individuals with Type 2 or Adult-onset diabetes, their bodies produce varying amounts of insulin, but more often then not, the ability of their body's cells to absorb sugar is diminished. While there are "classic" warning signs that often accompany diabetes, i.e., excessive thirst, excessive hunger, excessive urination, excessive tiredness, and unexplained weight loss, many people with type 2 diabetes do not have these symptoms. Individuals who are at a greater risk include people who are: over age 40, are overweight, have a family history of diabetes, have had diabetes during pregnancy, have high blood pressure or high blood fats, have the stress of an illness or injury, are a member of a high- risk ethnic group such as African-American, Hispanic, American Indian and Asian. For these individuals, natural therapies tend to work well. Recommendations For Wellness: Reduce your consumption of starchy foods that are high in carbohydrates such as bread, potatoes, processed cereals, rice or that have a high glycemic index rating. The Glycemic Index is a system that ranks foods based on how they affect your levels of blood sugar. Consume a high fiber, whole foods diet and work to eliminate preprocessed junk foods from your eating regimen. Start an exercise program! In most cases, weight reduction can help those with type 2 diabetes. In addition to decreasing body fat, regular exercise has been show to improve insulin sensitivity. Dietary fiber, such as psyllium has been show to improve glucose tolerance in some studies. Incorporate brewer's yeast or a chromium supplement into your health program. Chromium helps improve glucose tolerance by increasing our body's sensitivity to insulin. Supplement with vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B, Vitamin C, vitamin E, magnesium and zinc. Individuals with diabetes tend to have low levels of these important nutrients in their blood. In addition, these supplements have been shown to help to reduce damage to the eyes, nerves and kidneys - health problems that are often experienced by people with advanced or long term diabetes. Alpha Lipoic Acid has also been show to improve insulin sensitivity. Evidence suggests that supplementation with vitamin D can increase insulin levels in some people. The herb Bitter Melon can help to strengthen the liver and the pancreas thereby improving our body's ability to utilize insulin. Some sources recommend that you avoid the amino acid cysteine which has been reported to break down insulin and interfere with sugar absorption. Stevia, a naturally sweet plant makes an excellent sugar substitute without the drawbacks of sugar. Stevia can be used in cooking as well. Visit your local health food store or look online for cookbooks that utilize stevia in place of sugar. YOUR HEALTH & YOU: By Wayne Hall N.H. 7-11-04 Lower Your Cholesterol With Cinnamon! A wise man once said there is nothing new under the sun, and this statement rings true in the illustrious chronicles of Cinnamon. This aromatic spice, first mentioned in ancient Chinese medicinal texts around 2700 B. C. E. is now back in the spotlight again because of recent findings that it can benefit blood sugar regulation, fight common infections, and even lower cholesterol! What's its spicy secret? History of Cinnamon Cinnamon (Cinnamomum aromaticum) is an evergreen tree native to China and Vietnam, but now cultivated in Cambodia, India, Japan, Sri Lanka and Sumatra. Its medicinal use was mentioned in the ancient Oriental, Egyptian, Greek, and Roman cultures. By the 19th century, Cinnamon was once again a popular healing remedy, used for relieving nausea, vomiting, indigestion, and other digestive complaints. In Chinese medicine Cinnamon was also applied for rheumatism, circulation, gynecological complaints, fevers, and as a tonic for the heart, the kidney, the liver and adrenal organs. What about today? Cinnamon Secrets Revealed The American Botanical Council noted that "the modern therapeutic applications of Cinnamon are based on thousands of years of use in well established systems of traditional medicine, phytochemical investigations and some modern clinical studies." Digestive Complaints: Cinnamon continues to be an effective remedy for relieving gastrointestinal problems. Cinnamon warms the digestive system and increases circulation to the digestive tract. In fact, it is cited in several European Pharmacopoeias for nausea, indigestion, bloating, intestinal gas, diarrhea, and for mild cramp-like gastrointestinal disorders due to reduced production of gastric juice. Infections: Like most culinary spices, Cinnamon contains natural compounds that have anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. The book The Healing Herbs, noted that one German study showed Cinnamon "suppresses completely the cause of most urinary tract infections and the fungus responsible for vaginal yeast infections." Cinnamon's anti-bacterial action may also help to ward off tooth decay and gum disease. Sugar Control: Can Cinnamon help with diabetes and carb cravings? It appears so. One of Cinnamon's active compounds increases glucose metabolism, thereby preventing blood sugar dips that trigger carb cravings. At a study conducted at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, diabetics were given 1-3g of Cinnamon (1g is equal to a 1/2 teaspoon) daily. The diabetics experienced significant improvements in their glucose metabolism, as well as a drop in their LDL (bad cholesterol) levels. How To Use Cinnamon If you want a spicy, healthy treat, you can sprinkle some Cinnamon powder in your morning coffee or other beverage. The generally recommended daily dose is 2-4g per day (1g is equal to a 1/2 teaspoon). Another great idea is to use a Cinnomon Stick as a stirring stick in your favorite beverage. However, a leading health magazine suggests Cinnamon Capsules as the most most efficient way to get a therapeutic dose. Whatever your choice, add some spice to your life with Cinnamon today! YOUR HEALTH AND YOU: By Wayne Hall N.H. 7-5-04 What's Wrong With Fabric Softeners? People are discovering that fabric softeners are some of the most toxic products made for daily household use. They contain chemicals (like chloroform, benzyl acetate and pentane) that are known to cause cancer and/or damage to lungs, brain, and nerves. These chemicals are even more dangerous when heated in clothes dryers. The toxic fumes then go into neighborhood air and everyone for blocks around is forced to breathe them in. Fabric softener chemicals are made to stay in clothes fibers and slowly release for a very long time. That slow release of chemicals into the air affects the health of those wearing the clothes and of people around them. Some symptoms caused by fabric softener fumes are: tiredness that is not cured by resting, difficulty breathing, nervousness for no known reason, difficulty concentrating and remembering, dizziness, headaches, sick stomach, feeling faint, rashes and/or difficulty controlling body movements. Babies, children, older people, and people who are already sick are especially hurt by these chemicals. Damage can be permanent, causing lifelong illness. Babies often react with rashes, frequent crying and/or diarrhea. Disinfectants can have the same effects. Experts suggest a possible connection between Sudden Infant Death ("crib death") and the use of these products for washing baby clothes and crib sheets and blankets. Most fabric softeners have fragrance added to them, which makes them even more toxic. What's Wrong With Scented Detergent? (Almost all detergents contain fragrance - even many that are labeled "no perfume" or "unscented"!) 95% of the chemicals used in fragrances are made from petroleum products. Many are known to cause cancer, birth defects, and damage to lungs, brain, and nerves. Some chemicals commonly used in fragrances, such as toluene, are listed as hazardous waste worldwide. Fragrances are not regulated by any government or health agency. There is no law that requires fragrance ingredients to be put on product labels. For example, paradichlorobenzene is a cancer-causing chemical used in many "air fresheners", as well as in some pesticides. U.S. law requires that it be listed as an active ingredient in pesticides, but it does not have to be listed at all on "air freshener" labels. The more often you breathe in these chemicals (24 hours a day if they are in clothes and bedding), the more likely you are to permanently damage your body. They also add to the damage done by chemicals present at work and in public places. You may feel tired, breathless or lightheaded, sick to your stomach, or get a headache, and not realize these are early signs of chemical poisoning. If you keep using toxic products, you may become so sick you can no longer work or even leave your home. Some people have epileptic seizures when they are anywhere near someone wearing perfume or scented products, because their nervous systems have been so damaged by these and other chemicals. Regular users of scented products often say they "can hardly smell it." These products deaden your natural ability to smell, making you want to use more and stronger fragrances. Meanwhile, what you think is a light fragrance is suffocating and nauseating people around you. What Can Be Used Instead? In supermarkets, soap or detergent labeled "no fragrance" is usually the safest choice. Products labeled "no perfume" or "unscented" often do actually contain fragrance. However, a few, like Dr. Bronner's Unscented Baby Castile liquid soap and Granny's Unscented Detergent, are truly unscented. If your supermarket does not have any detergent or soap without fragrance, ask them to get some, or try a health food store. Some people use only plain baking soda. To soften fabrics and reduce static cling, add a cup or more of plain baking soda to each wash. To kill germs, a hot water wash and the high heat of the clothes dryer are safer than disinfectant, because they leave no dangerous chemicals in clothes and bedding. Hanging things out in the sun is also effective. Be Kind to Yourself, Your Family, Friends, and Neighbors. Be Kind to the Environment. Use Unscented and Chemical-Free Products! SIT-UPS TO MAKE YOUR BELLY STRONGER Wayne Hall N.H. 3-30-04 Sit-ups can strengthen your belly muscles, but doing them incorrectly can hurt your back. Sit-ups should be done while you lie on your back with your knees bent enough for the soles of your feet to touch the floor. Place both hands on your chest and slowly raise your head off the ground. Then, slowly raise your shoulders around one foot and then lower them to the ground. Do this slowly ten times, rest a few seconds and then do two more sets of ten. After a week or two, this exercise will feel easy, so do it with a light weight, wrapped in a towel, held behind your neck or on your chest. As you become stronger, you can use heavier weights. There's no need to do more than 30 sit-ups in one workout. To strengthen your belly muscles, you increase the resistance, not the number of repetitions. Keep your knees bent to protect your back. If you do a sit-up with your legs straight, you place a great force on the iliopsoas muscles that increase the arch in your back, which can damage the ligaments and joints. If your belly muscles are weak, you are likely to arch your back excessively when you sit up and increase the chances of injury. If you are doing sit-ups to flatten your stomach, you need to raise your head only about one foot because going higher than that uses the quadriceps muscles in the front of your upper legs, not your belly muscles. Curb Hunger and Avoid The Costly Binge 3-16-04 Wayne Hall: N.H. Everyone's been there - you miss a meal or you are getting used to a lower calorie phase of your nutrition plan when the munchies hit. You grab the nearest and quickest food available - usually a high carb snackfood - and you chow down. And to add insult to injury you find yourself hungry again just as quickly as someone who didn't snack! The best thing you can do to avoid this is to plan ahead and always have a meal ready to go quickly. Sure, this can't always be done but it's your best bet to avoiding binges. When hunger pangs hit - DO SOMETHING! And I don't mean eat. Drink water, go for a walk, etc. You'll find that the hunger pangs subside in about 10 minutes or so - unless you've missed a meal and are really hungry. If you must snack, make sure to always have high protein food available. You'll stay fuller longer as it takes your body more time to digest protein. Try to keep some of these things handy - Cooked kitchen strips - one cup has 38 grams of protein and only 180 calories Lowfat cottage cheese - one cup has 28 grams of protein and 168 calories A three ounce can of white-meat chicken has 14 grams of protein and 70 calories Two sticks of string cheese has 14 grams of protein and 160 calories A full can of tuna packed in spring water - 37 grams of protein and 175 calories Reach for the nuts. Keeping nuts around will keep you from binging on high carbohydrate junk food because they are just as convenient for when you have to eat something now! Nuts supply you with good fats that can lower your cholesterol as well as fiber and important vitamins and minerals. Make sure to select dry roasted and unsalted. And don't forget, even though it's high in good fats, that still translates to 9 calories per gram. Don't every eat. By Wayne Hall: N.H. 3-2-04 Comparing Cycling With Running Which burns more calories, running or cycling?. The standard comparison is that one mile of running equals four miles of cycling, but that's lousy science. Although running requires the same amount of energy per mile at any speed (110 calories per mile), riding is affected by wind resistance so the faster you ride, the more energy you use. So you have to compare running and cycling at different cycling speeds. Dr. Edward Coyle of The University of Texas in Austin determined average values of oxygen consumption by cyclists to develop a table to estimate the approximate caloric equivalence between running and cycling. He found that if you ride 20 miles at 15 mph, you burn 620 calories (20 miles X 31 calories per mile = 620 calories). Take the 620 calories and divide them by 110 calories per mile for running and you get 5.63 miles to burn the same number of calories. So riding a bicycle 20 miles at 15 miles per hour is equal to running 5.6 miles at any speed. Dr. Coyle made the calculations easy by providing conversion factors for different riding speeds: 10MPH=4.2, 15MPH=3.5, 20MPH=2.9, 25MPH=2.3, and 30MPH=1.9. Divide the number of miles ridden by the conversion factor for your riding speed to tell you the equivalent miles of running at any speed. Thus, for 20 miles ridden at 10MPH, divide 20 miles by 4.2 which tells you that your ride is equivalent to 4.8 miles of running. This formula is for an average-size adult (approximately 155 pounds). A larger cyclist would divide by a slightly higher number; a smaller cyclist, by a slightly lower one. Wind and hills are not accounted for in the table; nor is drafting (riding behind another cyclist), which can reduce your energy expenditure by up to one-third. Salt When You Exercise When you exercise for more than three hours, you should take in salt as well as fluids. A study from Switzerland followed female competitive distance runners who took in drinks with different concentration of salt during a four hour run. Ninety-two percent of those who took in plain water with no additional salt developed low blood levels of salt, which can be dangerous (British Journal of Sports Medicine, Volume 37, Issue 4, 2003). Taking in fluid without also taking in adequate amounts of salt dilutes the bloodstream, so that the concentration of salt in the blood is lower than that in brain cells. This causes fluid to move from the low-salt blood into the higher-salt brain causing the brain to swell which can cause seizures and death. Taking in extra salt during prolonged exercise increases thirst so you drink more fluids, and prevents blood salt levels from dropping so low that you become tired, develop muscle cramps, and can even die. Furthermore, without salt you do not recover as quickly and are more likely to be injured or tired all the time. 9 Biggest Nutritional Mistakes: By Wayne Hall N.H. 4-4-04 "The weights, the gym, the training, I can do that part in my sleep; it's fun and relatively easy. It's the other stuff, the dieting and supplementing, that demands the discipline." Those words, I hear allot as I talk to people that wants to work out, and that is working out in local gym's here in eastern Kentucky...And the lady's has this belief that you must cut out all food to loose weight...and lady's think that weight training is going to make them BIG & BULKY where they get this "crazy" idea from is beyond me. The number one reason why so many guys/gals are sweating blood in the gym for a relatively small pay off in muscle gain. Does that sound like you? Then it's likely that the problem lies, not wit your workouts, but with your nutritional intake. When first Mr. Olympia Larry Scott stated, in 1965, that bodybuilding was 90% about what you eat, most people thought he overstated the case. it's taken nearly 40 years for us to realize just how right he was. Simply put, if you want to succeed in this game, you've got to be on top of your nutrition. And that means that you have to avoid the nine major nutritional mistakes that could leave you spinning your wheels forever. Check them out: (1) NOT EATING ENOUGH PROTEIN: In the gym you pound, tear and generally drive your muscle cells to the max. At the kitchen table you rebuild and grow them with - protein. How much? Recent studies with strength trainers suggest that one gram of protein for every pound of bodyweight is about idea. That's roughly double the Food and Drug Administration's RDA. but there's more to it than that. All proteins, you see, are not created equal. For muscle growth to be activated you need "complete" proteins - those that contain all of the essential and no-essential amino acids in the exact amounts required by the body for growth. Notonly must your protein be complete, it must also be lean (fat free). Chicken breast, fish, egg whites, lean red meats and whey protein powder should be your staples. (2) NOT EATING EVERY THREE HOURS: There are two critical reasons why you should eat small, nutritionally balanced meals every three waking hours. Firstly, eating every three hours will supercharge your metabolism, turning it into a fat burning furnace. Secondly, supplying lean, complete protein to your muscle cells every three hours is the only effective way to build muscle. Protein you see, cannot be stored in the body and lasts about three hours in the blood stream. So, to create and maintain the idea muscle building environment, you have to keep supplying it every three hours. (3) NOT TAKING IN ENOUGH CALORIES: If you want to gain muscular body weight, you need to eat - a lot. If you don't you will never put on muscle -- regardless of what you do in the gym. To put on mass plan to eat 18 to 20 times more calories than your bodyweight in pounds. Of course, those calories must be clean - they must prioritize lean, complete proteins and follow the one, two, three rule of macronutrient intake, which says that at every meal you should have one part fat, two parts protein and three parts carbs. Use whey based protein powders to help get your calorie intake up. (4) NOT DRINKING ENOUGH WATER: The body is 67% water. Heavy weight training can easily lead to dehydration - unless you keep replacing the water you lose. Once your muscles are dehydrated, they'll take a lot longer to repair themselves - halting the muscle building process. Without sufficient amounts of water the kidneys will struggle to remove the metabolic waste products generated by the increased amount of protein you're eating. It also appears that drinking ice cold water will help speed up the metabolism. (5) DRINKING ALCOHOL: If you are serious about bodybuilding, you cannot afford to drink your potential away. Alcohol consumption needs to be minimal or non-existent. Here's why: at 7 calories per gram, alcohol is the second most calorie dense nutrient behind fat, alcohol will sabotageyour body's fat burning ability, alcohol dehydrates the body and alcohol suppresses testosterone production. Bottom line; Getting drunk may be what it takes to make a man, but he'll be a fat and pathetically muscle free one - and you deserve better than that! (6) NOT PLANNING MEALS: It doesn't matter how good the intentions are, the crushing pace of modern living is bound to threaten your nutritionalplans. It is absolutely vital, then, that you plan your daily eating in advance. Here's how: Each night plan your coming day's activity and figure out how you're going to get the food you need every three hours, prepare the coming day's food the night before, cook in bulk, plan ahead for when you're traveling and prepare foods that help you avoid buying junk. (7) NOT KEEPING A NUTRITIONAL JOURNAL: Keeping a log of what you eat is cumbersome but it is the only way that you'll be able to identify what is causing your body to shed fat and grow muscle. Without it you're never learning, never benefiting from your nutritional past. A good nutritional journal will include the date, time, food type,carbohydrate, fat, protein and caloric breakdown. A short note about your energy levels will also be helpful for future reference. Every weekrecord your waist measurement with muscle girth and body-fat analysis every month. (8) NOT TAKING A MULTI-VITAMIN: If you are deficient in any vitamin, mineral or trace element, your muscle building endeavors will be compromised. Today we can't just assume we'll get those essentials from the mythical 'balanced diet' - over-processing and pesticides have killed that idea. A good multi-vitamin, then, is essential. Look for onewith a whole food source and that contains the recommended daily allowances of the following: A Complex, B Complex, C,D,E,K vitamins and the minerals calcium, magnesium, zinc, iodine and selenium. (9) EATING TOO MUCH SUGAR: Arnold called sugar 'white death', and for good reason. Now, just because you can't see it doesn't mean it's not there. This is especially true with soda. In fact your average 2 liter bottle of soft drink contains over 100 table spoons of sugar - that's a lot of white death! So stop fooling yourself and cut out those muscle depleting hidden sugars. Supplements: by Wayne Hall N.H. 4-26-04 Ah yes, the "magic thin pills," or "muscles in a bottle," ect. At least that's how some people look at supplements. Let's face it, in spite of all the hype heard on infomercials, there is no wonder drug that will make you magically thin. Nor is there any special formula that will give you big muscles overnight. Supplements are exactly that, they "supplement" diet and nutrition. They are not the solution in and of themselves. Each type of supplement has its own place in the world of physical fitness. But are they all necessary? Let's look at supplements that one should take, as well as ones that are optional. This is especially important for those on a limited budget. Necessary Supplements: PROTEIN: Protein molecules are the "building blocks" of the body. The advantage to using a protein supplement is that you can quickly ingest much needed protein, without a lot of preparation or hassle. Plus it is also very cost effective. When it coes to protein supplements, the differences between brand names are minimal at best. When choosing a protein supplement, the best thing to look for is what gives you the most protein per serving at the lowest cost. Also look at the protein to carbohydrate to fat ratios. You want to be able to get the most protein per serving, with the lowest amount of carbohydrates and fat. Multivitamin: In today's society getting enough vitamins and minerals is difficult. This is compounded when one is exercising. Physical training depletes the body of vitamins more quickly than sedentary activities. Taking a multivitamin can offset this. Though there are brands specifically designed for bodybuilders, a good whole food multivitamin from your local health food store will cover most of your needs. Glutamine: Glutamine is a naturally occurring amino acid that your body becomes depleted of while working out. As a supplement, it is extremely cost effective and is quickly gaining popularity. Though research on it is far from complete, glutamine has been found to be beneficial to people of any lifestyle. Many doctors are giving it to cancer patients to help improve their health. When it comes to physical fitness, glutamine helps minimize muscle fiber breakdown, as well as assisting in speeding recovery. Optional Supplements: THERMOGENICS: Reality Check, there are no magic pills that will give you washboard abs in a week or two. There are however, some high quality thermogenics that act as a catalyst in helping one to reduce bodyfat. One thing to keep in mind when searching for the right thermogenic is to take all the advertising hype with a grain of salt. This is particularly true when it comes to timelines. In almost every advertisement you will see people who claim to have lost tremendous amounts of bodyfat in a short time, sometimes within a month or less. Read the fine print at the bottom of each advertisement. It will usually say, "Results Not Typical." Nevertheless, thermogenics will help speed up your fat loss. A realistic example is that during a given period utilizing proper diet and exercise, you were to lose 4% bodyfat. During the same timeframe, you would probably lose around 6% bodyfat if you were to diet, exercise and use thermogenics. This is not an exact formula, rather just an example of what realistic results you can expect. If you have high blood pressure or thyroid problems, you cannot take thermogencs. Summary: 1) Weight train to increase muscle mass and metabolism. 2) Use cardio to help eliminate accumulated bodyfat. 3) Use common sense when developing an eating strategy, and DO NOT use crash diets. 4) Pick good supplements that work for you. 5) Stay hydrated, and drink plenty of water. 6) Be realistic with goals, and don't get discouraged if you fall short some days. Just start up fresh the next day, and don't beat yourself up. Above all, be PATIENT when it comes to results. You may not get that six-pack and 20" arms in 30 days or less, like the people in the advertisements claim. However, if you continue to pursue your dreams with strict determination, they will become reality "I Want To Loose Weight" By Wayne Hall N.H. 4-11-04 When a person says, "I want to loose weight," they are misleading themselves. Losing weight alone does not necessarily mean that one is losing fat. One must learn to differentiate between the two. When starting a new weight loss program, the average person will lose a significant amount of weight in the short term, usually their body is adapting to the new lifestyle change and will usually lose a lot of water. This is especially true if that person is new to exercising. They will think that they are losing massive amounts of fat, when in reality they are losing mostly water weight. Shortly thereafter, once their body has started adapting, teir weight loss will slow down dramatically. They will still be losing the same levels of bodyfat; however the addition of muscle will negate any loss of actual weight. This frustates many who simply use the scale to determine success or failure. Often they will then try crash dieting, or quit altogether. That is why when thinking about fitness goals; don't think that you want to lose weight. Rather, think about wanting to lose bodyfat. It is not uncommon for someone to shed their excess bodyfat, go down in pants/dress sizes, and lose little to no body weight. Some people actually GAIN weight when all is said and done. My Genetics: It is true that genetics play a huge role in how we look. Everyone knows someone who naturally looks like the king/queen of fitness, yet they drink, smoke, eat like a pig, and couldn't tell you what the inside of a gym looks like. This can be very frustrating. Genetics cannot be changed, however they can be maximized. This means that people of every body type have a certain potential that they can achieve. One has to be realistic when it comes to expectations. The best thing to do is look for people of a similar height and body type before deciding goals. Example: Someone around 5'8" and thickly set will struggle with losing bodyfat, however they have an overall advantage when it comes to getting big, and displaying a "powerful" physique. By the same token, those who are over 6' tall and shinny will struggle more with putting on muscle, however they have an overall advantage in obtaining the "tall, dark and handsome" look. It is good to find role models when it comes to finding what you want to look like. Keep it realistic, though. See ya in the gym. 9 Biggest Nutritional Mistakes: By Wayne Hall N.H. 4-4-04 "The weights, the gym, the training, I can do that part in my sleep; it's fun and relatively easy. It's the other stuff, the dieting and supplementing, that demands the discipline." Those words, I hear allot as I talk to people that wants to work out, and that is working out in local gym's here in eastern Kentucky...And the lady's has this belief that you must cut out all food to loose weight...and lady's think that weight training is going to make them BIG & BULKY where they get this "crazy" idea from is beyond me. The number one reason why so many guys/gals are sweating blood in the gym for a relatively small pay off in muscle gain. Does that sound like you? Then it's likely that the problem lies, not wit your workouts, but with your nutritional intake. When first Mr. Olympia Larry Scott stated, in 1965, that bodybuilding was 90% about what you eat, most people thought he overstated the case. it's taken nearly 40 years for us to realize just how right he was. Simply put, if you want to succeed in this game, you've got to be on top of your nutrition. And that means that you have to avoid the nine major nutritional mistakes that could leave you spinning your wheels forever. Check them out: (1) NOT EATING ENOUGH PROTEIN: In the gym you pound, tear and generally drive your muscle cells to the max. At the kitchen table you rebuild and grow them with - protein. How much? Recent studies with strength trainers suggest that one gram of protein for every pound of bodyweight is about idea. That's roughly double the Food and Drug Administration's RDA. but there's more to it than that. All proteins, you see, are not created equal. For muscle growth to be activated you need "complete" proteins - those that contain all of the essential and no-essential amino acids in the exact amounts required by the body for growth. Notonly must your protein be complete, it must also be lean (fat free). Chicken breast, fish, egg whites, lean red meats and whey protein powder should be your staples. (2) NOT EATING EVERY THREE HOURS: There are two critical reasons why you should eat small, nutritionally balanced meals every three waking hours. Firstly, eating every three hours will supercharge your metabolism, turning it into a fat burning furnace. Secondly, supplying lean, complete protein to your muscle cells every three hours is the only effective way to build muscle. Protein you see, cannot be stored in the body and lasts about three hours in the blood stream. So, to create and maintain the idea muscle building environment, you have to keep supplying it every three hours. (3) NOT TAKING IN ENOUGH CALORIES: If you want to gain muscular body weight, you need to eat - a lot. If you don't you will never put on muscle -- regardless of what you do in the gym. To put on mass plan to eat 18 to 20 times more calories than your bodyweight in pounds. Of course, those calories must be clean - they must prioritize lean, complete proteins and follow the one, two, three rule of macronutrient intake, which says that at every meal you should have one part fat, two parts protein and three parts carbs. Use whey based protein powders to help get your calorie intake up. (4) NOT DRINKING ENOUGH WATER: The body is 67% water. Heavy weight training can easily lead to dehydration - unless you keep replacing the water you lose. Once your muscles are dehydrated, they'll take a lot longer to repair themselves - halting the muscle building process. Without sufficient amounts of water the kidneys will struggle to remove the metabolic waste products generated by the increased amount of protein you're eating. It also appears that drinking ice cold water will help speed up the metabolism. (5) DRINKING ALCOHOL: If you are serious about bodybuilding, you cannot afford to drink your potential away. Alcohol consumption needs to be minimal or non-existent. Here's why: at 7 calories per gram, alcohol is the second most calorie dense nutrient behind fat, alcohol will sabotageyour body's fat burning ability, alcohol dehydrates the body and alcohol suppresses testosterone production. Bottom line; Getting drunk may be what it takes to make a man, but he'll be a fat and pathetically muscle free one - and you deserve better than that! (6) NOT PLANNING MEALS: It doesn't matter how good the intentions are, the crushing pace of modern living is bound to threaten your nutritionalplans. It is absolutely vital, then, that you plan your daily eating in advance. Here's how: Each night plan your coming day's activity and figure out how you're going to get the food you need every three hours, prepare the coming day's food the night before, cook in bulk, plan ahead for when you're traveling and prepare foods that help you avoid buying junk. (7) NOT KEEPING A NUTRITIONAL JOURNAL: Keeping a log of what you eat is cumbersome but it is the only way that you'll be able to identify what is causing your body to shed fat and grow muscle. Without it you're never learning, never benefiting from your nutritional past. A good nutritional journal will include the date, time, food type,carbohydrate, fat, protein and caloric breakdown. A short note about your energy levels will also be helpful for future reference. Every weekrecord your waist measurement with muscle girth and body-fat analysis every month. (8) NOT TAKING A MULTI-VITAMIN: If you are deficient in any vitamin, mineral or trace element, your muscle building endeavors will be compromised. Today we can't just assume we'll get those essentials from the mythical 'balanced diet' - over-processing and pesticides have killed that idea. A good multi-vitamin, then, is essential. Look for onewith a whole food source and that contains the recommended daily allowances of the following: A Complex, B Complex, C,D,E,K vitamins and the minerals calcium, magnesium, zinc, iodine and selenium. (9) EATING TOO MUCH SUGAR: Arnold called sugar 'white death', and for good reason. Now, just because you can't see it doesn't mean it's not there. This is especially true with soda. In fact your average 2 liter bottle of soft drink contains over 100 table spoons of sugar - that's a lot of white death! So stop fooling yourself and cut out those muscle depleting hidden sugars. |
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