Stop. Kidding. Yourself.

Update on Denny's vs CSPI

noreply@blogger.com (_) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 15:18:00 +0000

I was just curious as to what happened to the lawsuit the CSPI filed against Denny's, and came across this. My favorite part?

"CSPI, it seems, fundamentally disagrees with the concept of personal responsibility in food choices. Instead, the group has advocated for a host of draconian taxes, bans, and lawsuits aimed at restricting American’s food and drink choices. Despite having the word “science” in their name, CSPI’s lawsuits are far more about scare tactics and PR than they are about science."

Homemade Body

noreply@blogger.com (_) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 04:28:00 +0000

Who wouldn't want a bowflex body? Lean, muscled, sexy, your dream physique. Besides the fact that I'd bet none of those models actually built their bodies using the bowflex, why pay hundreds of dollars to get results you can get with little investment, perhaps even free? (not counting the gallons of sweat and high amounts of intensity you have to put in, of course). The fact of the matter is that your body responds to resistance applied to it, regardless if it's an olympic barbell, resistance bands, a kettlebell, or even your cat/dog. So, that means if it isn't bolted down, you can try to lift it. Just having something to lift isn't enough, however; Our bodies require progressive resistance. Boiled down, this means that you have to lift more weight as your body adapts (this is a subset of the notion of exercise density). Lastly, safety is another concern. An injury will set you back, so we want to avoid it if possible. Keeping these ideas in mind, let's get your brains thinking about what you might have laying around you can use to improve your body. (*DISCLAIMER* As you read through the following, remember to always make sure that whatever you are using is sturdy and won't break. Common sense goes a long way, folks)

Groceries and Grocery Bags
You might happen to have one of these bags. Reusable and more durable than the old plastic bags, these can be used quite effectively. Load them up with almost anything, and lift away. Comparable to dumbbells or kettlebells, you can add as little or as much weight as you want (obviously, how much weight it can carry will depend on the quality of the bag). This setup should be safe as long as you do not put too much into the bag. This setup is most appropriate for working smaller muscle groups.

Luggage/Duffel Bags
Pretty much the same story as grocery bags, but should be able to handle heavier loads without breaking.

Sandbags
More than likely, you won't have the ingredients for a sangbag just laying around your house. However, they are really cheap to make. 50 pounds of sand is about 3-4 bucks, so you can have 200 pounds to work with for $12!. Instead of duplicating/stealing someone else's work, here's a link to Ross Enamait's excellent instructions to build your own sandbag. I do have one tweak, however. Instead of cutting off the top of the contractor bag, twist it until the top 1.5-2 feet are twisted into a "rope". Duct tape the end back to the base of the "rope" (make sure to use plenty of tape, don't be stingy lest you like sand everywhere). You should end up with a loop. Using this technique, you now have a handle you can use to carry each individual bag. Liftable? Progressive Resistance? Check and check. Safe? You betcha, drop one of the bags on your foot. Go ahead, do it. Didn't hurt, did it? Assuming you followed the instructions properly and left room in the bag, it shouldn't have because the sand molded around your foot. There is a small investment, but boy is it worth it.

Chairs
They're not just for sitting in! You can use them for dips, elevated push ups, leg raises, and I'm sure you can think of more when you start using these. Just make sure that they are sturdy before you use them.

Kitchen Counters
You can do just about everything you can do with chairs, especially if your counters form a corner. Check out this video of someone doing dips on their counter.

Walls
Huh, walls? That's right. Put your hands on it, and crank some pushups out. Since you'll be more upright, the push ups will be easier, making this a great option for those starting with weak upper bodies. Even if you are intermediate, you can try one arm wall push ups. You can also use walls to help you learn how to do a hand stand, do hand stand stand static holds, and eventually, hand stand push ups. What about wall sits? Again, use your imagination!

Pet/Child/Adult
Resistance is resitance, even if it's furry. Just don't try to use your cat who hates to be held, unless you like pain. Joking aside, most pets probably won't be a viable option. However, your kid can help you out. Have him/her sit on your back while you do push ups, press them over your head, carry them around, put them on your shoulders and do some squats. Sames goes for adults as well. Just make sure that you don't drop your "dumbbell".

Sledgehammer
See this site, or this one for ideas on how to train with a sledgehammer.

Odd objects (TVs, Couches, etc)
Suitable for lift and carrying, odd objects are great because they make you use your muscles in different ways than a well balanced barbell. Proper form is absolutely critical here. Lift with your legs, and keep your back straight. Don't forget to make sure the object won't break or fall apart when you lift it.

Stairs
Calf raises, lunges, bulgarian squats, depth jumps, step ups, push ups...stairs are versatile training tools. If you've got poor balance and/or are clumsy, you might want to skip running up and down them lest you crack your head open.

Rafters
Exposed rafters that are sturdy enough to hang from will allow you to perform exercises the pervious objects could not: pull-ups and chin-ups. If you're hardcore, you can just pinch the rafter between your fingers and go to town. Otherwise, find a bar you can mount on the rafter.

Trees
Hang from the branches and do some pull-ups. Climb the tree, jump down from it, be a kid again. Just remember you're not as light as you used to be, so make sure the branches will support you before you monkey around, got it?

Backpacks
The poor man's weighted vest. Load it up, and you've just added resistance to your bodyweight exercises. Do be cautious of putting too much weight on, however. Unlike a weigthed vest, the stress will mostly be placed on your front or back depending on how you wear the backpack. To even things out, try wearing one in front and one in back if you happen to have two.

Car/Truck/SUV
Put it in neutral, and push it around. If you've got some rope/chain, you can even pull it. Watch out for hills, even slight inclines. You don't want to get tired and get run over. Talk about embarassing. You can also try deadlifting or hack squatting the thing.

Books

Integrity - Ross Enamait

noreply@blogger.com (_) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 02:53:00 +0000

I haven't really felt like writing anything in a while, but this post from Ross Enamait's blog drove me to. In a billion dollar industry like fitness/weight loss it is really tough to find someone who will tell you the truth as they see it, and not try to push you to purchase their services or goods. I've been reading Ross' stuff for a few years now, and time and time again he has impressed me with his knowledge, integrity, and ability. His articles and forums are filled with all kinds of information, and there is absolutely no fee to access them. If you haven't taken the time to visit his site www.rosstraining.com, do yourself a favor and do so. In particular, check out The endless search. It's important to acknowledge, and support people like Ross.

Linked In: The Real Biggest Losers...The Viewers

noreply@blogger.com (_) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 21:15:00 +0000

I've never been a fan of the biggest loser and have never been able to bring myself to watch more than a snippet before I changed the channel in disgust. Yes, I'm sure it has inspired some people to make healthy changes in their lives, but for most people it feeds into the quick weight loss trap. Click here to read more at Coach Dos' blog.

Linked In: Manipulating the Truth

noreply@blogger.com (_) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 13:09:00 +0000

Think what you hear on news programs is always truthful? Think again. Better Life, Better Health through Chiropractic writes about a recent "untruth" thanks to a little editing. We'd hope that journalists would present the facts as is and let us come to our own decisions (outside of editorials). However, this just isn't the case. As demonstrated by the CSPI and the chiropractic story, we always need to take information from sources of "authority"with a grain of salt.

CSPI Update

noreply@blogger.com (_) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:24:00 +0000

The idiocy of the lawsuit ruffled my feathers enough that I ended up sending them the following e-mail:

To whom it may concern,

While I believe that consumers need watchdogs to keep various industries in line, in this case, I disagree with your singling out of Denny's restaurants. It would be more equitable and have a greater impact if all restaurants were to put the sodium content on their menus. Denny's is not the only business to offer foods with high sodium content.

Take, for example, Subway. Unlike Denny's, Subway is often perceived as a source of healthy food, especially after their successful "Jared" campaign. However, despite appearing to be a healthy restaurant, four of their "healthy" low-fat 6" subs contain over 1000 mg of sodium; the ham sub contains the most - 1200 mg. Taking into account that most people will tend to get a foot-long sub versus a 6" sub, especially after the implementation of the $5 footlong, that means these subs contain over 2000 mg of sodium. Even a footlong of the veggie delite, their lowest sodium sandwich, yields 830 mg. Subway also serves six toasted sandwiches containing over 1500 milligrams.. The "Feast" yields 2610 mg, and that is just the 6" version. Is a footlong "Feast" and chips with over 5220 mg of sodium that much better than the Denny's Meat Lover's Scramble (5,690 mg)? The moderate to high amount of sodium in the food Subway serves, compounded with the appearance of being healthier, should make Subway a more immediate concern than Denny's. At least most people don't go to Denny's expecting to eat a healthy meal. The point is not that you should take action against Subway instead, but to prove that even "healthy" restaurants serve an abundance of sodium. Therefore, singling out Denny's is not an effective means of combating public ignorance of sodium content.

Another reason why I disagree with your lawsuit is that it removes personal responsibility from the picture. Michael Jacobson is quoted in an article on webMD stating the following: "...although Denny's has posted sodium and other nutritional information online, that information should go on the menu. If you drop into a Denny's, you're not going to the web. It's a totally inadequate means of informing consumers". While it may be true that people do not tend to check out the web before eating out, there is absolutely no reason that people at risk such as Mr. DeBenedetto could not have asked the wait staff what low sodium meals were available. It seems he was fully cognizant of reducing sodium intake as he was quoted on the news release on your website that he "at home does not cook with salt or use the salt shaker". If he was taking responsibility for his health in his own home, why didn't he take responsibility when eating out? You can put all the warnings and disclaimers on foods you want, but they will do no good until people start taking responsibility for their own health. Unfortunately, your current course of action puts the responsibility and blame squarely on the shoulders of the restaurant.

If your organization is truly interested in improving public health, you will focus on getting legislation passed to require sodium content be put on all menus and campaigns that encourage people to be responsible for their own health, instead of diverting resources towards attacking a single company.

They actually responded in a decent timeframe (e-mail sent Friday, they responded Monday). Here's their e-mail:

Thanks very much for your email and your views. We agree with you 100% about the need for universal menu labeling and we have been advocating for that for many years. Please visit the CSPI website to learn more about our ongoing campaign:

It's a cop-out response, and doesn't respond to any of the points I made, but I suppose that's not surprising given that they're in a lawsuit. I also sent the e-mail to Denny's. No response from them so far...

Idiots on the Rampage: CSPI vs Dennys

noreply@blogger.com (_) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 13:48:00 +0000

Apparently, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is suing Denny's. Why? Because Denny's uses too much salt in its food. While I'm not convinced salt is the villain it's made out to be, let's put that to the side for the moment. Why pick on Denny's? If you're going to force a restaurant to put sodium content on its menu, every restaurant should have to. Oh, but Denny's must be the worst offender, right? Well, let's just take a look at the poster boy of healthy fast food eating - Subway's. Of their advertised so-called healthy 6 grams of fat or less subs, there are four that have over 1000 mgs of sodium, with the 6" ham weighing in at 1200. Let's face facts, most people don't just eat a 6" sub, most go for the footlong (Five Dollar Footlong, anyone?). Doubling those numbers puts those subs within the range of the oh-so-horrible Moons Over My Hammy (2580 mgs). How about the 6" feast sub? It alone has 2610 mgs of sodium. Again, double that for the inevitable footlong and you end up with a whopping 5220 mgs of sodium! That's a lot worse than Denny's worst sodium offender - the double cheeseburger which weighs in with 3880 mgs. Even McDonalds, that stalwart of excellent health, has at worst 2260 mgs of sodium in its Deluxe breakfast with a large size biscuit w/o syrup and margarine. So why, then, isn't the CSPI going after Subway? Maybe it's because of the lawsuit's plaintiff, Nick DeBenedetto. Straight from the article, here is a description of the guy:

"That sandwich is one of the items that lawsuit plaintiff Nick DeBenedetto, a 48-year-old New Jersey man with hypertension (high blood pressure), said was one of his favorite Denny's meals over the past 20 years.

In the news conference, DeBenedetto said he tried to live a healthy lifestyle and that he was "astonished and shocked" to learn how much sodium was in the Denny's items he typically ordered. "I wouldn't have selected these items if I'd known the extreme amount of sodium in this food," DeBenedetto said."

Nick was trying to live a healthy lifestyle and he ate at Denny's frequently? Now, the article doesn't say he ate there often, but honestly, you can't sue a restaurant if you only ate there once a year. My guess is Mr. DeBenneto ate there at least once a week, and ate out often, which guess what? It's probably the reason why he has high blood pressure. The defense for his ignorance is this:

"Jacobson says that although Denny's has posted sodium and other nutritional information online, that information should go on the menu. "If you drop into a Denny's, you're not going to the web. It's a totally inadequate means of informing consumers," Jacobson said."

If you are truly concerned about your health, you will seek the appropriate information out. It is not like Denny's hides its nutritional info on its website by making you jump through hoops. At the very least, he should have asked the wait staff for low salt options - which I'm sure they would have gladly listed for him. Are we now going to force restaurants to have you sign a document stating the nutritional information of the things you've ordered before you can get them? How about a little something called self-responsibility?

Denny's official response?

"Denny's believes the lawsuit filed by CSPI is frivolous and without merit, and the company will fight it aggressively in court. With hundreds of items on the menu, Denny's offers a wide variety of choices for consumers with different lifestyles, understanding that many have special dietary needs. In June 2009, the company launched Better for You items, allowing guests to replace favorites with lower-sodium and fat alternatives. Additionally, earlier this month, Denny's launched a Better for You kids menu. All nutrition information is available online at www.dennys.com."

I have to agree with Denny's. This should be thrown out just like the case when people were trying to blame fast food restaurants for their being obese. Or maybe we should all be fed pre-rationed meals as determined by the government...

Just sign on the dotted line!

Comment on Training on the somewhat cheap

noreply@blogger.com (_) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:13:00 +0000

Ktales of lifting underground left the following helpful comment:

"perhaps I'm tired or so, but I'd also look into gyms that are going out of business. A friend of mine was able to furbish an entire gym for 2000.00 - the only thing the equipment needed was a fresh coat of paint.

A little bit more expensive, but the deals are out there."

This is a great idea, and definitely one to look into if you're in the market for used fitness equipment.

Training on the Somewhat Cheap

noreply@blogger.com (_) — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 10:51:00 +0000

In my last post, I went over some cheap methods to build your own equipment or use items you already have laying around. But what if you're not sure of your DIY skills? The route I have the most experience in is Craigslist, but before I go through that, I will introduce some other options. But before that, let's go over some basics.

1. Make sure you know what your goals are
If you want to bench 300 pounds, buying a pair of adjustable dumbbells that go up to 50 pounds may help, but they won't even get you halfway to your goal. Also keep an eye on the future. If your current goal is to squat 100 pounds, one of those cement sets might seem to fit the bill, but if you see yourself breaking that barrier it might be worth it to make a larger initial investment so you won't have to spend money again.

2. Take stock of your current situation
Do you already have a treadmill or bench that you're not already using? How much room will you have for your home gym? How tall are the ceilings where you're going to work out? Are there any obstructions you will have to take into account?

3. Investigate your options
Now that you know what you want to do and how much room you've got to do it in, you need to figure out what kinds of equipment can fulfill your needs. There are plenty of resources on the web that can help you out. I also recommend checking out the Men's Fitness Home Gym Bible. They do a decent job walking you through your options and their advantages and disadvantages.

4. Safety, safety, safety
This should go with #3, but I think it's so important that it needs its own section. When you work out at a gym, the owners are responsible for making sure the machines and equipment are kept up, and are safe for you to use. Furthermore, if you get stuck under the bar, there will probably be someone there who can help you out. Neither of those cases is true for home gyms. Make sure whatever you buy has some safety features such as bar catches so you can dump the weight if you can't finish the rep. If you don't want to use bulkier equipment like a squat rack or power cage, consider using dumbbells instead. Check out reviews on equipment and brands to get a feel for what stuff is more durable, and make sure to check for any recalls.

5. Pricing
Hopefully by now you've got a good idea of what you're looking for. You should also price out how much it might cost you to buy a similar setup at retail. Compare that against how much you're willing to spend. Depending on the circumstances, I would not pay more than 50% retail for used goods, regardless of how good the condition is. If you're patient, you can pay much less than that.

Now that you know what you're looking to get, how safe it is, and how much you're willing to pay for it, it's time to start looking!

1. Garage/Estate Sales
This time of year is garage sale season, and especially with the state of the economy, people are looking to get rid of things they don't use. Unfortunately for most people (but fortunate for you), one of the things they don't use is exercise equipment. One potential big advantage of going to garage sales is that you can find some things really cheap, especially if the person who did the pricing doesn't know any better - such as a divorced spouse who didn't actually purchase the equipment. The downsides of garage sales? You don't have any time to do research on whether the equipment is good or recalled, and it can be tough to take a step back when a great "deal" is sitting right in front of you. Before you go out, make sure to have a good grasp on the average cost of what you're looking for so you can spot the real deals.

2. Family and Friends
Chances are you know someone who has exercise equipment being used as a clothes rack or just sitting in their garage. Depending on your relationship with them, ask them politely if you could purchase it or possibly even get it for free. If you don't know anyone with unused equipment or they're not willing to part with their dust collectors, ask them to check with the people in their social network. Word of mouth can be very powerful.

3. Used Sporting Goods Stores
A potential plus for these stores is variety. They probably carry multiple sets of treadmills, benches, weights, etc. The downside? You'll probably end up paying more for the equipment than if you were to buy it from an individual.

4. Craigslist
Craigslist is a great resource for getting used items. If you haven't used it before, play around and do some searches for stuff you're looking for to get a feel for how people are wording their listings. You may find that searching for olympic weight bench is too restrictive, or that searching for weights returns too many results. In my experience, it's better not to specify a minimum or maximum price. Not everyone specifies the price in the field Craigslist provides. Once you've got a good grasp on what search words give you the results you want, you can setup rss feeds for those searches so you will be notified when a new posting it put up. A few important things to keep in mind:

*Great bargains are snapped up quickly.
If you're looking to get the most bang for your buck, you will probably need to check craigslist at least twice a day. The more frequently you check, the more likely it will be that you are the first person to respond and get the item. For example, I saw a posting on my lunch break but decided to wait until after work to call the guy. When I called, he had already sold it.

*People don't always follow ettiquette.
Not everyone removes or updates their posting once the equipment has been sold, and they don't always respond promptly. If you see multiple bargains, throw your chip in for all of them. It's better to tell someone that you're no longer interested instead of losing out on a deal because you were waiting for someone else to respond before contacting the other prospect.

*Don't expect any response to a posting about what you're looking for.
From what I've seen, most people would rather someone come to them versus seeking out a buyer for their used goods. While it won't hurt to post what you want, don't neglect searching on your own.

*Safety.
Try to arrange a meeting in a neutral place like a parking lot. This probably won't happen in most cases since workout equipment tends to be bulky, but give it a shot. If you can't meet in a neutral location, bring someone along and let other people know where you're going.

*Negotiate when appropriate
Some posters specifically state they are willing to negotiate, but unless they state that the prices are firm, you can try your hand at negotiation. Make sure there's good rationale behind why you're offering a lower price. Don't be a jerk, though. There's no reason to try to squeeze a good deal into a great deal, unless you'd like to chance them selling to someone else who thought the price was fair.

*Be Patient
Assuming you don't have a specific date that you absolutely have to get something done by, be prepared to wait for the right bargain to show up. It's not a bad idea to check craigslist for about a week to get a feel for what people are asking for various things. What I saw most frequently were ok-priced deals, then over-priced deals, and most rarely great deals. I almost got impatient and bit on some ok-priced deals because I really wanted to start hitting some iron, but am pleased (as is my wallet) that I waited.

*Don't be too patient
While you need to be patient, avoid the trap of waiting for the perfect bargain to pop up. When you think you've found a good deal, go for it. You don't want to let it pass, only to realize a few weeks later that you haven't seen anything even coming close to it.

*When you're done, you're done.
Once you've bought all the equipment you need, stop searching craigslist. It can be heartbreaking to see what you bought for $100 less, but pointless to know. You have what you wanted, move on.

I won't drag you through my experiences, but I will tell you that it took me about two months and dealing with some jerks to get everything pictured below. On my first purchase, I bought a weight bench, curl bar, a weight tree, and a 300 pound olympic set for $100. My last purchase was a set of nautilus equipment that included a squat rack, adjustable bench, lat pulldown attachment + various handles, leg curl/extension attachment, two olympic dumbbell handles, and a 350 pound olympic set. This deal set me back $250 (the adjustable bench alone would cost $350 new). So, for $350, I ended up with a pretty nice home gym that will fulfill my needs for quite a while. That comes out to a little less than $30 a month, which is less than or comparable to a standard gym membership. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Treadmill - free from father-in-law

Squat rack and bench

Lat pulldown, leg extenstion/curl attachments

Another weight bench

Weight tree, olympic dumbbell handles, and ez curl bar

Training on the Cheap

noreply@blogger.com (_) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 20:09:00 +0000

Ever wish that you just had more money to buy some good equipment to work out with? Well, it might be time for you to get creative. Aside from bodyweight training, which can be done for free, there are some cheap things you can use/build to add some challenge or variety to your routines. Here are some of the things I've used to get your brain thinking:

#1 - Kitty Litter Bucket and Backpack

In this picture, I have filled with kitty litter bucket with water for use as some external resistance. The backpack is used to add resistance to various exercises like push ups and pull ups. On the ground in front of it are a can of chili and a self-made 4 lb sand "bag". In most standard weight sets, the minimum you can bump up the resistance is 5 lbs (two 2.5 lb plates). Using canned goods can give you a lot of flexibility, since they can weigh well under 1 pound. In case you didn't know, 16 ounces = 1 pound. Cost - Kitty Litter Bucket - $0 (we have three cats, so we have to buy litter anyway - the cost for this was $12), Backpack - $0 (already had)

#2 - Books and PVC Parallettes

The books are used to give some elevation in pushing exercises like the push up or handstand press, as are the parallettes. The parallettes can also be used for dips, l-sits and many other exercises. Visit this link for instructions on how to make your own: Celtic Kane's Instructions. Cost: Books - $0 (I had them from college), parallettes ~$15

#3 - Sandbag

Sandbags are great tools, and rather cheap per pound. Another added advantage? If you drop it on your foot, you won't be yelling in pain. Visit Ross Enamait's site for instructions on how to build your own. The sandbag picture on the top is 200 lbs. It is filled with the sandbags pictured below it to allow me to select a custom weight. Note the looped handle, this was a little tweak I added to Ross' instructions. It comes in handy in carrying the bags, and I've used them as kettlebells. However, keep in mind, this setup probably wouldn't hold up to dedicated usage as kettlebells. Cost - Military Canvas Duffel - $30, 200 lbs sand - ~$12, contractor bags - $0 (already had these laying around).

#4 - Thick bar

Ignoring the rack and bench (you'll learn more about them in the next post), you can see the thick bar oriented diagonally from bottom left to top right in the picture above. I "built" this by taking out the old clotheslines the previous home owner had in the backyard, and hacksawing off the ends, then ducktaping it to provide better grip. Remember the loop in the sandbags? They fit around the ends of the thick bar quite nicely, and provided me a way to do some "barbell" training without actually having a barbell. Cost - $0

#5 - Suspension Training System

Wanted to try your hand at suspension training, but balked at the hefty price? Do what I did and build your own. I wrapped some webbing (think backpack strap versus Spiderman) from strapworks around an I-beam, then took two lengths of chain (12-14 feet, I think), and looped them through the webbing. I cut some PVC pipe for handles, and used some webbing and dollar store carabiners and there are the handles. The combination of chain and carabiners allows you to quickly select the height you want to work with. The long bar in the first picture is a length of unused closet bar from a previous home improvement project. The second picture show various attachments. The bottom left attachment is an old shirt pulled through a carabiner so I could do "towel" pull ups to work on my grip. The bottom right attachment is another handle, but made from thicker PVC pipe to work the grip harder.
Cost - Webbing $5 - PVC pipe - $5, Carabiners - $3, Shirt - $0, Chain - $20

So, there you have it, the original home gym setup that I had worked with. The total cost was about $90. Not bad, considering the variety of exercises and resistance it allowed me to perform. Another way to think about it is that it's $7.50 for 12 months - one less fast food meal a month or a couple of coffees. Is your interest piqued? Check out rosstraining.com for even more ideas, or do your own search. If you have any questions on anything you saw in this post, feel free to contact me.

Next post, training on the somewhat cheap...

Linked In: Do it Until it Doesn't Suck

noreply@blogger.com (_) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:57:00 +0000

Chris Shugart, of the site t-muscle (formerly t-nation) wrote an excellent post about the work it takes to get to liking exercise. Bottom line? You have to put your head down and get the work in before it becomes enjoyable.

Linked In: High Carbohydrate Foods Can Cause Heart Attacks!

noreply@blogger.com (_) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:17:00 +0000

Conditioning Research brought my attention to a story explaining how damaging high carb foods can be. One could argue that someone who is healthy can eat the occasional high carb "treat", which I wouldn't argue with, but the fact of the matter is that most people don't fall into the healthy category. However, I would have to disagree with his assessment that the science daily website is exactly a mainstream media outlet. If something like this were posted in the New York Times, I'm sure there would be a large uproar from various companies like wonder bread and breyers. Once again, folks, try to stick to mainly unprocessed foods like veggies, meat, eggs, and fruits.

Quick Tip: Surprising yourself

noreply@blogger.com (_) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 19:05:00 +0000

Just as adjusting your body language can affect your mind, your mind has the ability to affect your body. You may have heard of someone who went to do a lift, then after completing their workout, realized that the weight was heavier than they had thought it was, even though it felt almost as easy to lift as it normally does. The mind expected that the body would be lifting a load it was familiar with, and because it didn't know any better, performed the same way despite the heavier weight. You can use this to provide an interesting twist to your work outs. If you have a training partner you trust, get in the habit of not looking at the weights you're using and have them occasionally put 5-10 pounds more on the bar than you normally use. Of course, this won't work every time, but if done occassionally, it can provide a nice surprise as well as an opportunity to bump up your working weight.

PS. This technique can also be applied to other things besides resistance, such as holds for time or number of repetitions.

Making things easier for yourself

noreply@blogger.com (_) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 19:05:00 +0000

If you're a beginner, you need to build up healthy habits. One of the best ways to do this is to make healthier choices easier. Here are some tips on how to make healthy eating and exercise easier:

1. Clean your cupboards of unhealthy foods and replace them with healthy alternatives.
The definition of what is healthy is best left for another post, but we can all pretty much agree on what is unhealthy: highly processed foods that are high in simple carbs and fat such as cookies and candy.

2. Buy pre-cut, pre-washed fruits and vegetables.
I would bet my life that more people would eat fruits and veggies if they didn't have to prepare them.

3. Put your treadmill/bike in front of your TV.
This won't guarantee that you'll use the exercise equipment, but you'll have one less excuse not to get some activity in.

4. Use resistance bands.
If you're a rank beginner, bodyweight movements like squats, push ups, and pull ups might be too difficult for you to perform. Rather than using less effective exercises like curls, use resistance bands to assist you in performing the movements. As you get stronger, use bands that provide less assistance until you can do the exercise on your own.

5. Choose a gym that is really close to your home or work. Or even better, work out at home.
The farther you have to go to get a workout, the more excuses you can tell yourself not to go.

6. Purchase a chin up bar or door gym and stick it in a door you have to go through frequently, and do chin ups or another exercise every time you pass it
This goes right along with greasing the groove.

7. Exercise first thing in the morning.
You're less likely to have tasks you have to do when you wake up, and just about all of us can wake up 5-10 minutes earlier to get a workout in.

8. Double your recipe
This way, you only have to do slightly more work (depending on the recipe), but now have lunch for the next day or leftovers later in the week.

9. Keep healthy snacks in your car
This way, you'll have something to tide you over until you can get home instead of heading to the drive thru

10. Focus on bodyweight movements
Bodyweight exercises don't require any equipment, so you can perform them just about anywhere

11. Set a timer
If you're trying to eat more often to keep your metabolism up, set a timer on your clock or computer to remind you when you should be eating

12. Frozen marinade
Before you freeze your meat, pour in some marinade. That way, it will marinate while it defrosts.

There you have it, 12 tips to give you a step up in building those healthy habits. I bet if you thought about it for a while, you'll be able to find some additional ways to make being healthy more convenient.

Linked In: Paleo in a Nutshell

noreply@blogger.com (_) — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 11:28:00 +0000

I know we're told it's OK to eat various junk food as long as it's in moderation, but take a look at this video on the paleo diet. I believed it was OK to have the occasional "cheat" meal(s) before myself as well, but the more I know, the more I try to limit intake of non whole foods as much as possible. The thing you need to ask yourself is why do you like these foods and what are your goals? Do understand that I'm not saying junk foods are "the devil", just that it's a bit odd to eat something that will work against your goals of being lean...if that's your goal, of course.

Quick Thoughts: Author's Confession

noreply@blogger.com (_) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:38:00 +0000

I have to admit it...I love carbs. They are delicious, and I choose not to live my life without them. No, this is not an April Fool's day prank. I really do love my carbs. Before you go telling yourself "see, even self-proclaimed fitness buffs love cookies and pasta", let me tell you that is not the case whatsoever. Yes, I love carbs, but carbs of the fruit and veggie variety. There is no good reason, other than what society has dictated, that you should think of pasta, ice cream, cookies, etc. when you think carbs. Carbs aren't bad for you, but the other stuff is a different story...so stop being a year round April Fool!

Linked In: Is a Calorie a Calorie?

noreply@blogger.com (_) — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 14:06:00 +0000

Head on over to BodyRecomposition to read an excellent article on the debate of calorie equality. Very informative, and it's obvious that Lyle McDonald reads a lot of research and knows how to evaluate it. Keep your mind open, and do some critical thinking. Tell me what you conclusions you come to after reading it.

Rating the "Experts": Weight Management Seminar

noreply@blogger.com (_) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:59:00 +0000

Earlier today, I attended a weight management seminar to check out what kind of information they're telling people. I was pleasantly surprised that most of the information they gave was good, at least for people who are just starting out. The basic gist: lower the amount of calories you take in through portion control, try to make "healthier" choices when possible, make a commitment, have a plan and follow through, be more active (especially walking).

Here are a few things I found interesting:

*They actually mentioned body fat percentage, so kudos for that. Unfortunately, it was brought up after BMI and the hip to waist ratio.

*Overall, they did not differentiate between weight loss and fat loss. This might not seem like a big deal, but it's dangerous to assume that all the weight you're losing is fat. Losing 5 pounds of muscle mass is nothing to cheer about folks.

*One overweight woman was quite good at estimating the calories in the various foods they mentioned in their section on portion control. A good example that there is a difference between knowing and doing.

*In their suggested plan, the last item is to Celebrate! achieving your goal. While they did say that massage is a good healthy option, they didn't go far enough to say that it's not wise to celebrate by throwing away the healthy concepts and gorging on unhealthy foods.

*Unfortunately, they did not acknowledge that correlation does not equal causation. Yes, portion sizes grew along with the average American's waist size. However, is that really the cause? What about correlating the start of the low-fat craze to obesity?

*They were more focused on eating less instead of eating better.

*Though they did mention other healthy/unhealthy attributes of various foods, they mainly focused on calories and fat content. Low-fat still remains king.

*They did mention strength training, but it always seemed like an afterthought. The main thing was walking. I do understand that walking is an exercise everyone can do, but I think it's vital people at least understand the benefits of strength training and how to do it.

So, overall, I'll give the seminar a B. Why a B given all the points above? Because when it comes down to it, for the average person, almost any change will help them become healthier as long as they put that information to use. So stop knowing and start doing.

Why I Hate Mass Media: Think 30 minutes of exercise cuts it? Try 50

noreply@blogger.com (_) — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 11:54:00 +0000

Yes, mass media strikes again with yet another over sensationalized story title that is sure to put more people off exercising. Picture average Joe, who does little to no physical activity, let alone exercise. Joe reads this title, and thinks to himself "I can't even get 30 minutes in, let alone 50! Just goes to show that it's not even worth it for me to try exercising." Gee, thanks guys. Like we really need to turn more people off to being active. But wait, there's more!

The first paragraph pretty much sums up the whole article:

Greater amounts of physical activity than currently recommended may be necessary to prevent people from gaining weight, and to help them lose weight and keep it off, according to updated guidelines issued by the American College of Sports Medicine.

I bet their reasoning goes like this - longer exercise equals more calories burned, and if you burn more calories, you're more likely to keep weight off and even lose weight. It seems OK, right, after all, it's only common sense, right? But we know common sense is based on the assumptions you make. What are they assuming?

Specifically, evidence published after 1999 indicates that between 150 and 250 minutes per week of moderate intensity physical activity is effective in preventing weight gain greater than 3% in most adults but will provide "only modest" weight loss. Greater amounts of weekly physical activity — in the order of 250 minutes or more per week — have been associated with "significant" weight loss, the ACSM notes. Overweight and obese adults will most likely lose more weight and keep it off with at least 250 minutes per week of exercise.

They assume that moderate physical activity is the best method for weight maintenance/loss. The thing is, high intensity activity is much more beneficial for health and the above goals. If you want the full blown details as to why, you'll have to do some looking around on your own, but I'll throw some bones out: look up EPOC, cortisol and length of activity, insulin sensitivity, and growth hormone production.

They end with this:

The ACSM also recommends strength training as part of a health and fitness regimen. "Resistance training does not enhance weight loss but may increase fat-free mass and increase loss of fat mass and is associated with reductions in health risk," the writing committee notes.

Dieting combined with increased physical activity will increase weight loss as compared to dieting alone.

So, I'll give them a point for recommending strength training...and I'll take away 500 points for being idiots. Being sports medicine "experts", shouldn't they know that we need to be focusing on fat loss, not weight loss? Their statement about weight training not enhancing weight loss is sheer idiocy. If people are to start worrying about the right thing (hint, body composition), and not weight loss, it has to start with the experts and mass media. Stop stepping and egg shells and start destroying them with enthusiastic stomping, ya yokels.

Stop making an Ass of yourself, or why assumptions aren't always your friend

noreply@blogger.com (_) — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 15:29:00 +0000

Assumptions make the world easier to make sense of, and I would say are necessary to everyday life. The number of assumptions we take for granted daily are staggering. From the moment we wake up, we start assuming. We assume that the floor we step on is sturdy enough to handle our weight, that the water coming out of our faucets is clean, that the food we eat for breakfast is free of contaminants and harmful bacteria, that the vehicles we commute in are safe and in proper working order, the list goes on and on. The fact of the matter is that we could not function if we didn't make any assumptions. If you didn't assume the floor could support your weight, you would have to test the floor's integrity first. But how would you test it? Maybe you would try pressing down on the floor with one foot. Thing is, you would then be assuming that your body is sending proper feedback to your brain so you know you're actually putting pressure on the floor. If you didn't accept that assumption, how would you go about testing that? At some point you will have to assume something is true.

So, if assumptions are necessary, why the title of this post? While you need to make assumptions, relying on them to get through life without thinking turns your assumptions into belief. Why is this a problem? Because while we may test our assumptions, we rarely challenge our beliefs. Why should we? After all, we believe it to be true. But what if the assumptions your beliefs are based on are wrong?

Let's take a look at the belief that the earth is flat. While you would be laughed at if you believed that now, it isn't hard to see why people used to believe it. There is no curve to the earth that we can see when we're standing on the ground. Take a straight ruler and lay it on even ground and it will lay flat. By these everyday measures, there is no reason to think the earth is round, to challenge the assumption that the earth is flat especially if everyone else around you took it for granted. If you took a picture from space showing the spherical shape of the earth back in time to show people that the earth is round, the picture would have been immediately denounced as being fake, perhaps witchcraft. The tendency is to disregard anything that refutes our beliefs while accepting anything that falls in line with our beliefs.

But we've moved past believing the earth is flat, right? Well, have you ever thought about where your beliefs came from? Are they based on assumptions that pervaded popular culture as you grew up, or did you examine the evidence available to you before settling into belief? When it comes to beliefs about health and fitness, you're probably thinking to yourself "I didn't blindly come to these assumptions, there are scientific studies proving that what I believe is right." Yes, you're right, there are plenty of "scientific" studies out there, but to think that they prove your beliefs assumes at least two things: 1. The way the results were reported to you are actually representative of the study's results. 2. The study itself was scientifically sound and therefore the results are valid. The problem with the general public is that they never even question the first assumption, an assumption that is frequently incorrect, especially if the reported results support their beliefs. Another problem is that the scientific community itself is not immune to assumptions. Not all scientists objectively interpret the results, instead transposing, skewing and generally distorting the data so that it supports the desired outcome. That's not to say that there aren't scientifically valid studies out there, but that you cannot assume that what you heard on the evening news is true.

Here are some of the assumptions currently being made about health and fitness:
Low-fat diets are best for losing weight and health in general
Saturdated fats are bad for you
Dietary cholesterol is bad for you
High salt intake leads to increased blood pressure
Aerobics are the best way to increase circulatory health
Low-fat dairy products help you lose more weight
There are certain exercises that are better for toning, and others for muscle building
Certain diets are unsustainable (like low-carb)
Women should lift light weights so as not to bulk up

If you believe any of these assumptions are true, I challenge you to find and post evidence that the assumption is true either directly in comments on this post, or on your own blog/site and link to them in the comments here. Ask questions, post contrary evidence, and discuss things in general politely. The point is to challenge assumptions, not to attack each other. Think about your assumptions and change them or solidify your belief in them, but don't blindly believe in them unless you really want to be a donkey.

Not-So-Common-Sense

noreply@blogger.com (_) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 17:33:00 +0000

There are many things we take for granted, after all, it's only common-sense, right? The problem is that common-sense is based on the knowledge you have and the assumptions you make.

Take, for example, the common sense notion that to lose fat, you should avoid eating fat. It makes sense, after all, one gram of fat is 9 calories whereas carbs and protein are less than half of that at 4 calories. And we all "know" that the more calories you eat, the more likely you are to store the calories as fat (this is another can of worms we won't be opening today). So, by eating little fat, we are cutting down on the total number of calories, and therefore making it less likely for us to store fat.

Let's add a "new" piece of information - your body needs certain fats to operate properly. These fats are called essential fats. Well, OK, then combining this knowledge into the previous info we had, we should now eat enough fat to make sure we're getting the fats we need but no more so that we can keep calorie count lower.

That's fine and good, but here's another piece of information (from Jonny's Brain Juice) - "And it's also worth noting that a Colorado biotech company called Accera is currently working on a drug to help the liver create more ketones because their Phase ll studies showed rapid and significant cognitive improvements in Alzheimers when patients were provided with this alternative fuel source."

And how about this tidbit from Conditioning Research - "in fact, Richard Veech MD has shown that the heart works 28 percent more efficiently using ketones as a fuel than it does using glucose. Therefore, more than likely the experts are right that fat is the 'gas' of the heart."

So ketones seem like they just might be good guys when it comes to brain and heart function. Guess what? Ketones are produced through fat oxidation, which occurs when you're following a restricted carbohyrate diet. And while low-carb diets aren't necessarily high in fat, they usually include more fat intake than a "moderate" diet. What does common sense tell you after reading that?

The point is not to convince anyone that a low-carb diet is right for them. No, the point is that following your common sense does not always make sense. If you truly care about losing fat, then you need to do some research on your own or at the very least, read non-mainstream sources of information. Instead of willingly believing everything being spoon fed to you, take responsibility for your well-being.

The more you know, the more you'll be annoyed by mass media

Why I Hate Mass Media: Juice Diets Rock!

noreply@blogger.com (_) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 17:39:00 +0000

The news outlets often run stories on various diets with misleading titles. However, they also usually cast some doubt on the effectiveness of the diets. The article titled: Juice Diet Claims To Cut 21 Pounds - Can A Special Drink Make You Look, Feel Better? fails to do even that.

""You think better, you feel better, you look better," said Hester, co-author of "21 Pounds in 21 Days: The Martha's Vineyard Diet Detox." Roni DeLuz, co-author and naturopathic doctor and registered nurse, developed the diet, which she said allows the digestive system to rest and repair itself because there is not any chewing of food involved."

Exactly how does a juice diet allow the digestive system to heal itself just because you're not chewing any food? Admittedly, I'm not a naturopathic doctor or registered nurse, but I'm pretty sure that your digestive system still has to work, regardless of whether you chewed the food or not. Perhaps she meant that the diet gives your chewing muscles a chance to relax and "repair" itself?

The detox also recommends enemas; kidney, gallbladder and liver flushes; lymphatic drainage massages; sauna treatments; detoxifying baths; cellulite treatments and walking at a leisurely pace or using a Chi machine. It also suggests brushing dry skin before showers.

Mmm...enemas! Sign me up....NOT. If the diet is so effective at reducing cellulite, then why exactly is it recommended that you get cellulite treatments?

"Do the detox for health reasons not vanity reasons, and you'll lose the 21 pounds," said Hester who follows the program several times a year.

So, if you're saying we won't lose 21 pounds if we want to look better? That must explain why this diet won't work for 99% of the population...Also, he follows this diet several times a year? Let's say he does it 4 times a year. That means he loses 84 pounds per year? Either he needs to start actually taking care of his health and stop the yo-yo weight loss, or he has finally achieved the unthinkable - he weighs negative pounds! I can hear Kate Moss weeping in jealousy right now...

Many health care professionals have criticized the detox diet because of the lack of protein, fat and fiber, as well as the speedy weight loss.Kathlee Zelman, a WebMD expert, reviewed the diet. She wrote that "while the plan may sound like a scientific approach to weight loss, it lacks the fundamentals that dietitians, doctors, and health authorities know are essential for good health."

There you have it, the only part of the article that even brings in a different view point. I took a quick look at the webMD article, and the better quote is: Nutritionists are quick to point out that the Lose 21 Pounds in 21 Days plan is lacking in essential protein, fat, and fiber, which could be dangerous. See how that sounds more ominous than "lacking the fundamentals essential for good health"?

"I don't think you should criticize something until you do it," he said. "After doing it, you can make an intelligent decision about whether it is good for you."

OK, they won me over with that argument. Hey, Hester and DeLuz, why don't you try cutting your foot off with a rusty sawblade? You don't know it won't be good for you until you try it, and I'll guarantee that you will weigh less afterwards!

Other health professionals criticize the Detox Diet because they believe that followers may lose muscle mass."You have to burn off the fat before you start burning muscle and most people I know have to burn a lot of fat before getting to the muscle," Hester said.

While the loss of muscle mass is a very real concern for any diet, I believe it is especially pertinent for this one. As for Hester's quote, I can't believe he's serious. Well, maybe I can. Apparently he is a "former record company executive who started working with Roni after she helped him lose 30 pounds and change his lifestyle". That makes him highly qualified and his opinion should be stated as if it were fact. Let's face it, if people burned fat before burning muscle, you can bet your life on the fact that obesity wouldn't be a problem. Fact of the matter is that he has his facts reversed. Folks, your body will preferentially burn muscle before fat if all you do is restrict your caloric intake, period.

After the 21st day, there is a maintenance diet that should be followed. It includes slowly reintroducing food groups to your diet. The maintenance diet includes steamed vegetables, chicken and other organic foods, and several ounces of water.Hester said that DeLuz's philosophy is if you do 75 percent what she says and eat 25 percent recreational food, you will maintain the weight loss.

If you can maintain the weight loss through such lax standards, then why does he need to go on the diet several times a year?

A person's attitude will determine the success of the detoxifying program, he said."You have to ask yourself if you are out of control (with eating and drinking)," Hester said. "Some people don't want to change."

Wow, something I can actually agree with. Too bad the rest of the ideas are horribly flawed.

So there you have it, a fantastic article by a fantastic writer who is obviously very objective and does her research on the articles she writes. Let's all give a big thumbs down to Darlene Dunn and the rest of her ilk who push out crap stories like this.

Linked In: I Know what causes obesity

noreply@blogger.com (_) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 01:46:00 +0000

Flo from the blog, Step Away From the Cake, had a realization...one that just might hit close to home for you. Read it, digest it, then do something about it.

Linked In: Who Made You Unhealthy?

noreply@blogger.com (_) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:44:00 +0000

Better Life, Better Health through Chiropractic has something to say about who is responsible for your health. You might not like the answer, but let's face facts folks, it's true.

Notable Comments: Response to Linked In: Is Being Healthy A Vain Pursuit?

noreply@blogger.com (_) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:36:00 +0000

Nicole from Juicy Blog posted a response to "Linked In: Is Being Healthy A Vain Pursuit?" that I thought was worth reading:

Great article! I don't think eating healthy and living a healthy lifestyle is depriving one of anything--nor is it vanity--particularly if one wants to live a long, productive life. I can speak first hand about what it feels like to know your health is failing you--and let me tell ya, there is something to be said for taking good care of yourself. Without health, you have nothing. You cannot do for others when you are sick--and you become a drain on those that love you when you are not healthy. You cannot live a full life without your health--that's not vanity. Everything in moderation is a dangerous myth...

One point that Nicole brought up was especially important - You cannot do for others when you are sick. It seems quite common that people spend all their time doing things for other people and neglecting themselves. Sometimes you just have to say no, or not right now so that you can take the time to take care of yourself and your health.