The Truth About Health & Fitness: What "Experts" are not telling you

“Fat Loss”

“Tone Up”

“Loose Weight”

“Be Stronger”

“Be more Fit”

These are terms personal trainers hear at the gym daily.  Most people do not join the gym because they are already in shape, they join because they have a desired goal and have not been able to accomplish it on their own.  Furthermore, many of these new folks at the gym lack the working knowledge on what certain equipment is used for, how to reach their goals, how long it will take, and the relationship between nutrition and exercise.

I am not saying this to be demeaning, I am saying this because this is what I work with every day. People come to the gym who do not know what to do, and I am here to help them along the way.  The truth is that what most people think and believe is true about health and fitness is actually based on false advertising.  This is especially true about how fat and muscle relate to each other.  People see a number on a scale and have a built in reaction, without a full understanding of what that really means in terms of their health and fitness.

So many people come to the gym wanting to “tone up” and “lose weight” go to a group cardio exercise class or jump on the cardio equipment for long periods of time followed by exercises with equipment that targets their “trouble areas”.  Then after a couple weeks they step on the scale and find out not much has changed.  Sound familiar?

Here are a few things you or someone you may know is missing out on when it comes to attaining your health and fitness goals:

-The weight scale is a farce

The truth about the scale is that it is basically a measurement of how much gravity is pulling on your frame.  I have seen numerous times two people who weigh the same on the scale with very different physiologies.  What is forgotten is that Muscle weighs more than Fat on the human frame; skeletal muscle is denser than fat stores.  Muscle is the reason for that “toned” and “shredded” look so many people strive for in today’s world, so in order to look like that one has to forget about the scale and focus more on their Body Fat Percentage number.  This measure estimates the amount of your body that is just fat, while the rest of the body is comprised of muscles, organs, skeletal bones, and water retained.

 Using the scale as a measuring stick of your fitness progress is misguided and has led to many people quitting while they are making progress, so stay away from the scale as much as possible. 

-Cardio is not the key to fat loss

Cardio is a short for Cardiovascular Exercise.  Cardio exercise initializes a caloric burn in the body when done for a long enough period of time or a high enough intensity to spike heart rate.  The dark secret about cardio is that sustained cardio will also burn off muscle from the body; this happens because those muscles are not being maintained through exercise or physical activity so as a result, the body harvests energy and nutrients from wherever it has been programmed to think is not in need of nutrients or use.  That phrase “you lose it if you don’t use it” is very true for your health. 

The reality that is unknown to many people who are at the gym is that anyone can garner the same caloric burn from lifting weights as does cardio if done at the proper intensity.  This way a person can reprogram their body to not burn off muscle while instead using fat storage for the burn off.  Performing functional strength exercises will do two things biologically that improve your health better than cardio exercise: 

1. Prolonging the protein synthesis process, which causes the body to better utilize nutrients and slow down the process of fat storage; 

2. With strength training, the building and maintenance of muscle will burn more calories at rest, which increases the metabolic rate and works to reduce fat retention.

-Nutrition is more important than exercise

It does not matter how many hours you spend at the gym each day or how sweaty you are when you leave; if you do not put the right types of foods in your body each day than you are just fighting an uphill battle.  The human body is a complex machine of numerous biological processes that depends on the intake of Macro (Fats, carbohydrates, Protein) and Micro (Vitamins, Minerals, Amino Acids) Nutrients in order to function properly.  When we go hard at the gym and then do not put the proper nutrients in the body, these biological processes do not operate optimally and problems occur such as injuries, cramping, headaches and sometimes more severe side effects.

What you put in your body is almost more important to your health and fitness than what you do with your body on a daily basis.  Without the proper balance of Protein, Carbs and Fats then all those hours at the gym is just another activity in your day.  Your body needs a certain amount of fats for hormonal and organ function, a certain amount of carbohydrates for glycogen production that is used for energy in the body, and a certain amount of protein for the maintenance of skeletal muscle as well as organ function.

-You need to speak with a Health and Fitness professional

This may be the most controversial point I make on this list. Every day in the gym I see people using bad form with exercises, ask me questions that have origins in misinformation, and too many people doing the same exercises every day with no variety.  No one has it all figured out, we all have things to learn in life. If your health and fitness are important to you then the same applies for those areas also.  Most certified personal trainers and certified nutritionists are people who want to help others and will not be condescending or judgmental towards those who come looking for help.  Even if you work with a trainer or nutritionist for a few months, it is still time well spent learning how to correctly do different exercises, learn how to eat according to your body’s needs, and build good fitness habits so you can live a better life.

Also, do not be fooled by so proclaimed “Fitness Experts”, check the credentials of everyone giving you advice and find out from them the source of their knowledge and information they attempt to give you.  Too many of these self-proclaimed Experts do not have the time spent in the classroom, gym, and kitchen to support many of the claims they make; instead these people propagate information based on subjective knowledge or based on marketing a specific program or product they insist that you buy because their way is the “only way” to get “results.

Do not let any excuses, whether ego or fiscal, stand in your way of getting the help you need to better your life.  Health and Fitness is something all of us should invest our time in, improving our physical, mental and emotional well-being.   Today is the day to take the step away from the fads and misinformation of yesterday, take the steps forward to change your lifestyle and create new habits that will sustain you for the rest of your life.

Comprehensive Discussion About Protein in Relation to Health & Fitness

The human body can be described an a living, organic machine with numerous processes operating all at the same time to maintain functionality.  But without two elements our bodies would crumble to nothing: over 60 percent of the human body is comprised of water and over 20 percent is protein.  Without having to read numerous studies, the "average Joe" can assume that humans need to consume water and protein daily to maintain normal body functionality.  Similar to water, protein can be consumed from nutritional sources but there are specific sources that are considered "optimal" for protein absorption.  The higher quality the protein is, the better the body can use to for function.  A list of optimal sources include:

Primary
-Chicken (Breast, Cutlet, Thigh)
-Beef (Lean Cuts of Sirloin, Rump)
-Eggs (One egg equals 6-8 grams of protein, this protein is typically more quickly absorbed than Beef & Chicken)
-Turkey (Breast, Thigh and lean ground)
-Dairy sourced protein (Milk, Whey Protein is a fast absorbed protein; Casein Powder is slower absorbed protein; Yogurt and Cheese are not always great sources of protein due to how they are processed in factories or the ingredient source is "synthetic milk product")

Secondary
-Pork (Pork Chop is considered a good protein source while most pork products are high in fat content)
-Beans (Kidney Beans and Black Beans are high in quality protein)
-Rice (Rice is a low source of protein and high source of easy to digest carbohydrates; Brown Rice is seen as the best rice option by many nutritionists)
-Fish (Salmon, Flounder, Tuna, for example, are solid protein sources but not very high in number of grams per serving)

The Recommended Daily Amount (RDA) by U.S. Food and Nutrition Board is 0.8 grams per pound of body weight for sedentary adults; that number doubles or triples for young children and teenagers because the body is in a growing/development phase.  The "downside" of these RDA numbers is that the body loses some lean muscle mass daily and some protein does not get absorbed by the body depended on the quality of the protein and how backed up the GI Track is.  Note the phrase above: "sedentary adults".  Being sedentary is not recommended by any health and fitness professional so these estimates are subjective.

The Recommended Amount of Physical Activity (RAA) per day is 60 minutes.  When we estimate the average person gets 7 hours of sleep, then you have 1 hour of activity, allowing for 16 hours in the rest of your day.  But how you eat during the rest of your day makes the biggest difference in your daily life: how well your brain functions, your mood, emotional and hormonal balance, etc.  Also, getting in physical activity every day taxes the body, accelerating the need for Macro-nutrients (Protein along with Good Carbohydrates and healthy Fat) and Micro-nutrients (Vitamins, Minerals, Fiber).  Since the food we eat is the fuel for the living machine that is our body, how do we get what we need each day if the amount of protein that is recommended to us is based on a sedentary lifestyle?

What Does Science Tell Us
Well let's look at the science, starting with the study done at Kent University, where their researchers did a study with six test groups, divided into 3 sets of two categories: sedentary adults and weightlifting adults.  Each set of adults were given different amounts of protein:

1. One was given a low protein diet which was 0.9 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight.
2. Another group was given 1.4 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight.
3. The third ate 2.4 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight.
Groups 2 and 3 showed higher levels of protein synthesis in the body, less protein "wasted" during digestion, and groups that had regular exercise combined with the higher protein diets were healthier at the end of the study compared to the beginning of the study.

Furthermore, numerous research scientists in the field of science physiology and other related fields such as Dr. Peter Lemon, Dr. Susan Kleiner, Dr. Jacob Wilson, and Dr. Jim Stoppani all recommend that no matter what your activity level is, the RDA of 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight is far below what the human body really needs.  Depending on who you ask, the latest science shows us that we need between 1-2 grams of protein per pound of body weight for optimal health results.
Studies by University of Tampa and University of Oklahoma have shown that the quality of protein and eating of protein throughout the day has shown to result in optimal health benefits in numerous test subjects.  The results show that when you have protein with every meal throughout the day your body will absorb and utilize it better.

Finally, a study from University of Texas Medical Branch show that post-exercise the body needs three types of protein: Fast absorbing, Medium Absorbing, and Slow Absorbing.  They found this was the case because when the body has multiple types of protein post-exercise optimal protein synthesis and recovery continues throughout the day.  This leads to less muscle fatigue later in the day and the body will not Catabolize muscle (Catabolism is when your metabolism  breaks down muscle tissue to release energy.  Breaking down muscle is counterproductive to maintaining low levels of body fat and results in less skeletal muscle functionality and stability).

The value of Protein Powders

In the daily diet, packing enough protein in our meals is difficult because unless you are eating 8 meals per day like a bodybuilder or professional athlete who trains twice a day, getting enough protein into your day is difficult.  This is where protein powders come into play.  A good protein powder can inject 24-30 grams of protein into a meal without having to cook anything.  Protein powders can be consumed by mixing with water or blending into a smoothie.  Depending on your flavor of choice, you can get very creative with utilizing protein powder.  I know some people who put protein into pancakes, cookies, or other baked items as a way of getting more protein in their diet while also not consuming empty calories like white sugar or box batter mixes.

Protein Spiking and allergen concerns

The concern with protein powders is the issue of protein spiking.  Protein Spiking is when a supplement company puts into its protein blend incomplete proteins then claim a product has a certain number of grams of protein.  An example of this is if a company claims one serving of their product has 30 grams of protein, but when you read the ingredients you find part of the protein blend is an Amino Acid like Leucine.  Leucine is important for enhanced protein synthesis and absorption in the body, but it is not a complete protein like Whey, Casein, Soy, or Egg Albumin.  The danger of taking a product that has incomplete proteins in their blend is metabolic imbalance, which can lead to less protein synthesis and more fat storage.  One of the reasons these companies get away with this deceptive labeling is by using testing that measures the level of nitrates in the powder instead of measuring of actual grams of complete proteins.  Also, any company that claims that their protein blend or Whey/Casein is a proprietary blend or special formula, not telling the consumer how much is actually in the ingredients, instead giving percentages.  These companies will not tell you what the percentages are based on within the ingredients, another way of getting away with not putting quality ingredients in their products.
 
Lets not forget about people with Gluten or Lactose allergies.  These individuals will have allergic reactions or Gastro Intestinal Track issues if they use some of these products.  Some companies are not transparent about how their protein is manufactured or the sources used for the protein powders.  This lack of honesty with the consumer is indicated by the basic warnings on the back of containers that state how the product was made is a factory that also manufactures products that contain nuts, dairy, etc.  This is their fall back to avoid legal issues and to tell the consumer "Hey, we warned you on the label!".  The solution to dealing with potential protein spiking is to do your homework on a product before ingesting; anyone with food allergens should also never ingest anything without doing some investigating of the product and company first.

So How Does a Certified Nutritionist Get In a High Amount of Protein Each Day?

An example of a day of eating that I have done to ingest a high amount of protein is as follows:

-Breakfast - 1.5 Scoops of MTS Whey Peanut Butter Fluff Protein mixed in 16 oz. of water, 1 Apple (37 grams of protein)
-Post-workout Meal - 1.5 Scoops of MTS Whey Cookies N Cream in fruit smoothie with large banana, 1 cup blueberries, 1 cup raspberries; 2 slices of Ezekiel Bread Toast with natural extra crunchy Peanut Butter (50 grams of protein)
-Lunch - Bed of Romaine Lettuce with Grilled Chicken (24 grams of protein)
-Snack Meal - 20 gram Protein Bar, 11 gram Protein Bar, 1 Orange
-Dinner -  10 Turkey sausage Links; Bowl of Organic Brown Rice, Black Eyed Peas, & Broccoli; 2 raw carrots (38 grams of protein)
Total protein for the day - 180 grams of protein; 2,000 Calories

In conclusion, we all need protein in our diets, but getting that protein is easier said than done.  You may not always get enough protein, but the more you try, the closer you will get to your goals.  Do not be fooled by the media headlines that make claims such as "Can Too Much protein Kill You?" because it's hard enough to get 1 gram of protein per pound of your weight.
As a disclaimer, people with specific chronic illness or who have had surgery to remove a GI Track organ needs to consult a doctor on how much protein they can consume without becoming sick.


References/Further Reading
* http://www.prweb.com/releases/dupont-nutrition-health/protein-blend-muscle-mass/prweb11788928.htm
* http://www.outsideonline.com/fitness/bodywork/performance-plate/The-New-Rules-for-Protein.html
* http://www.jissn.com/content/4/1/8
* http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/the-basic-structure-of-proteins.html
* http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/9/1/5
* http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3133534/
* Applied Physiology Research Laboratory, Kent State University, OH 44242.
International journal of sport nutrition 07/1991; 1(2):127-45.
Source: PubMed
* Nutrition in Exercise and Sport, Third Edition
edited by Ira Wolinsk; Nutrition in Exercise and Sport, Third Edition
 edited by Ira Wolinsk
* http://www.jimstoppani.com/home/articles/a-high-protein-diet-will-kill-you?preview
* http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10357740

Overcoming Health Obstacles for better Health and Fitness

Imagine if you were lactose intolerant, suffered from Irritable Bowel Syndrome, couldn't eat corn or almost any greasy foods without major GI Track issues, have chronic lower back and nerve issues, multiple knee injuries, tendinitis in your left arm and you do not make the "big money" to buy those specialized foods & medicines to treat any of these problems...sounds like a great excuse to not have a healthy diet or be fit, right?

Well that scenario describes my world.  I have lived most of my life having to be extra careful what foods I eat and what supplements I take.  The honest truth is that I take no prescriptions for any of my "health problems" because I have found through being cautious about what I eat and drink daily I can manage my health issues.  I have found that many of those "medicines" mask symptoms instead of actually helping to fix the problem.

Whatever your situation is, i doubt that it is ideal, fiscally or physically.  The solution to being fit and healthy lies within the choices you make every day.  I want to give you my tips to get you on the right path to making more informed decisions to make it easier to be healthy and fit!


1. Read the ingredients before buying it
Ask anyone that has ever been involved in marketing or advertising, how you present your product has a major influence on potential customers.  The colors, trendy adjectives, nutrition grids, suggestive health benefits; all of these elements factor into your decision to consider buying a product.  Instead, you need to jump to the ingredients section to see what exactly is in it before buying it.

This goes for everything now a days because companies are putting so much unnecessary stuff in products;  Does apple sauce really need High Fructose Corn Syrup?  Does your "100 percent whole wheat bread" still sound "healthy" with Modified Corn Starch and Mono and Diglycerides? Why do chips need Olestra? And lets not forget those Boars Head Cold Cuts with the "healthy heart" symbol still has MSG in it!

Our society has been so programmed to read the front of the package instead of the back leaving many people to wonder why they may have GI Track problems after eating a "healthy meal".  So be an informed consumer who is picky at the store, read the ingredients, know what you are putting into your body.  You cannot make gains if what you are putting into your body is a farce.


2. Attack Your Cravings, Don't Ignore Them
I see these commercials for these Diet Programs and they claim they are going to help you "fight your cravings".  But do you understand why you crave certain foods?  Sometimes if you are craving certain "unhealthy foods" its because your body is in need of something healthy such as Calcium or Magnesium.  Do not ignore your cravings because there are psychological and biological reasons for them.
 
Some psychiatrists and rehab clinics recommend for those with addictions go through Replacement Therapy, where the patient is weened off the addiction by finding a substitute.  Examples include cigarette smoker becoming a gum chewer or a drug addict switching over to caffeinated coffee.  The same psychology can be used for food cravings.

Do you love chocolate candy or Oreo's?  Find a protein powder or protein bar to substitute instead of buying a candy bar.  Do you love cinnamon buns?  Buy some Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin bread and put some organic fruit preservatives on it.  Find other foods to eat instead of immediately falling back on the craved foods.  If you do your best to eat healthy 80 percent of the week and treat yourself the other 20 percent, over time you will become more accustomed to not give into the "junk food" and the more you understand the reasons behind your cravings the more you will be able to handle the urges.


3. Question those toppings, remember food is fuel for the machine that is your body
If you owned a Lamborghini you wouldn't put Regular Unleaded gasoline in it, right?  NO, you would Premium Plus in it because that car is special.  This is because that car needs the best quality fuel to operate.  Well the same goes for your body; the quality of what you put in your body equals the quality you get out of it.

As a society we have been raised to have an unhealthy relationship with food, having to put condiments on everything while not always cooking food to be tasteful, instead cooked with a bunch of stuff to add flavor to it.

In the long run, many of those dressings, breading, condiments, etc are made with a bunch of stuff your body doesn't need.  Start looking at what you eat as something that is to fuel you, not just taste good.  If you like beef, then get some steak; but do you need to drown it in A1 sauce for it to be good?  No, a little seasoning while the steak is cooking goes a long way.

If you are lactose intolerant, you may not realize how many salad dressings and sour creams are made with dairy products or if you are Diabetic, how many refined sugars and syrups are put in products such as ketchup and barbecue sauce.  Then you wonder why you don't feel good later after eating that salad or that steak; its because the "healthy" meal was covered in unhealthy junk that your body is having a negative reaction to.  Take the time to re-evaluate what you are eating and how it effects you physically.  Good fuel equals good physical performance.


4. Let go of your ego and be well equipped.
I hate when I see memes and posts online putting down people who use knee and wrist wraps/braces or those who use weight lifting belts as lesser people because "real athletes" and "real men" don't that is such a subjective claim.  The truth is that if you let go your ego or what others think of you get in the way of your progress, you will hurt yourself more often than not.  I have suffered multiple knee, back and wrist injuries while also going under the knife for multiple foot surgeries.  If I need a wrist wrap, knee braces, and weightlifting belt to do certain workouts, you better believe I am because I will not let that stop me from making gains and progress beneficial to my health!
 
The same goes for you.  Most good wraps, braces and belts are not that expensive; look at these items as tools that you are investing in to help you get where you want to go.  Don't let other people or excuses get in the way of your success.  I was 284 pounds in March of 2008, in 2012 I was 176 pounds and 14 percent body fat,  today I am 185 pounds and 9 percent body fat; how did that happen?  I did what was necessary to make gains!  I didn't care if I needed to wear two knee braces, a wrist wrap and a weightlifting belt cause to me I am going to do what is needed to overcome the odds.  Also, if someone is putting you down because you wear a brace, then they are punks who are not interested in you bettering yourself.


In summary, the solution to overcoming whatever is in your way is educating yourself about what you are doing to your body.  Knowledge is power; you can't make progress inside or outside the gym if you lack the information needed to succeed in life.  The more you evaluate how what you eat effects you, the better results you will get from the food you eat and that will lead to less plateaus and side effects.

Serving Sizes: The Truth About Getting Daily Amounts of Fruits and Vegetables

We all know we need to eat the right amount of Fruits and Vegetables every day to be healthy.  But for years we have been lied to by the media and advertisements about how "hard" and "difficult" it is to eat enough of these important nutritional foods every day.
 
What you have not been told is what exactly is recommended that you ingest to reach daily for optimal nutritional value for healthy living.  Many news reports and commercials cite the USDA's recommendation on servings of different Macro Nutrients on the Food Pyramid/MyPlate.  So in order to drive the point home, lets review exactly what the USDA states specifically.

The USDA recommends 5 to 9 servings of Fruits and Vegetables daily.  These serving recommendations are based on measurements in cups.  If you have cooking measurements around the house, you can directly measure your food if you want to meal prep.  But many people do not have the patience or time to measure out all these portions to make sure they are getting the exact amount of fruit and vegetables.

According to the USDA 2010 report, adults between the ages of 19 and 64 need between 17 to 21 cups of fruits and vegetables each week.  This averages out to 2.5 to 3 cups daily.  That is actually very attainable if we think about how much we eat on a daily basis.

Now lets simplify all this information.  As a NASM Certified Nutritional Specialist, I know that these recommendations are what we would call the base minimum of what people need to be healthy.  Getting in just enough good food is not enough for optimal functionality of the human body.  So lets review what you can eat every day to get in the proper amount of fruit and vegetables your body needs to be healthy and function properly.

Fruits:

-1 Medium to Large banana equals one serving of fruit.  Bananas are a great source of potassium and fiber as well as a solid source of vitamins C and A.  Daily banana consumption will help regulate your digestive system while also helping muscular function.  Most people do not get enough potassium in their diet so eating a banana a day will really help ensure you get a solid source of daily potassium and other beneficial vitamins.

-1 Medium to Large size Apple equals one serving of fruit.  Apples a a good source of Vitamins A and C, while the skin of an apple being a great source of fiber.  Also, the natural sugars in apples are fast digesting, which means the sugars are used as an energy source for the body or converted to glycogen for better brain function.  So the old adage about eating "an apple a day will keep the doctor away" isn't far fetched at all!

-1 Medium to Large size Orange equals one serving of fruit.  Oranges are one of the best sources of Vitamin C on earth, along with a good source of B vitamins.  Also, like apples, the natural sugars in oranges are readily usable by the body and are fast digesting, so they do not get deposited as fat stores.  There is no major nutritional difference between Oranges and their relatives Grapefruit and Tangerines.  Tangerines have more sugars but less vitamin C value.
Grapefruit have similar levels of vitamin C but also have more Folate in them for energy production.  One Grapefruit equals one serving of fruit, which 2 tangerines equal one serving of fruit.

Other fruit options include: Grapes (2 cups equals one serving) & Frozen Fruit (1 cup equals one serving for most fruit)

Vegetables:

-One Large size raw carrot or one cup of raw baby carrots equals one serving of vegetable.  I want to specify raw carrots because any vegetable that is boiled in water looses between 33 to 50 percent of its nutritional value.  Carrots are a great source of Vitamins A, B and K while also being a solid source of fiber.  The antioxidants in Carrots (Carotenoids such as alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and lutein) are important for your eyes functionality and health.  Study from UCLA showed that people who regularly consume carrots can lower risks of developing glaucoma.  Other long term studies have shown carrots to help reduce risk of developing Cardiovascular Disease and Colon Cancer.

-Four Spears or Two Halves of Pickles equals one serving of vegetables.  Pickles are an excellent sources of Vitamin K, which is important for clotting.  Be careful what pickles you buy because some are made with high amounts of sodium that can sabotage some people's diets.  Please consult your physician if you are on a blood thinner medicine if there are any potential side effects of eating "too many" pickles in one sitting.

-A medium to large size salad equals one to two servings of vegetables.  Different salads have different nutritional benefits.  A Caesar salad only counts as one serving because there is only Romaine Lettuce while a House salad that includes Iceberg Lettuce, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Onions and/or Peppers, and Olives  counts as 1.5 servings of vegetable (Medium size) or 2 servings of vegetables (Large size).
Different types of lettuce of different nutritional values.  Romaine Lettuce is very good source of Vitamins A & K along with high quality folate and fiber.  Iceberg Lettuce is a great source of fiber and vitamin C.  Red leaf Lettuce is very high in antioxidants along with Vitamin A and Lutein.

Other vegetable options include: Peppers (One whole Bell Pepper equals one serving) & broccoli (one cup raw broccoli equals one serving; 1.5 to 3 cups of frozen broccoli equal one serving depending on if it is steamed or boiled in water).

Products derived from fruit:

-All Orange Juices are not made the same.  The higher the pulp amounts in the Orange Juice the higher value of nutrition is in the juice.  Be wary of "No Pulp" oranges juices because the process of removing the pulp and other process the juice is processed through remove nutritional value from the juice while also adding unnecessary flavoring and non-organic sugars such as high fructose corn syrup.  The longer the ingredients list is on the back label that is not actual fruit, the more "junk" has been added to the juice, diluting the nutritional value and making that juice more of a sugar drink than anything else.  These same guidelines can be applied to juices that claim to be derived from vegetables.

-Similar to what I stated above about Orange Juice, Apple Sauces have the same dilemma.  When you go to the local supermarket it is very difficult to find chunky apple sauce without a bunch of "junk" added into the product as "preservatives" to make it last longer.  When looking at the ingredients label, if there is anything else added to the Apple Sauce aside from Apples, Water and Ascorbic Acid, then you know the nutritional value has been diluted.  If you want to be fully sure of what you are buying is healthy, many local farmers markets from May through September have in stock organic chunky apple sauce OR you can buy a couple pounds of apples and make your own homemade apple sauce.


In conclusion, you do not need to buy a powder or spend hundreds of dollars on a juicing or shake diet program to get the necessary amount of fruits and vegetables on a daily basis.  The more fruits and vegetables you eat, the better your body will feel and function.  Don't be fooled by TV and internet ads making claims that you now know are not true: You CAN get 5-12 servings of fruits and vegetables every day on your own and for half the price of those products that commercials are pitching you on.

Sources/Further Reading:

-USDA Fruit servings Breakdown
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/printpages/MyPlateFoodGroups/Fruits/food-groups.fruits-counts.pdf

-USDA Vegetable servings Breakdown
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/printpages/MyPlateFoodGroups/Vegetables/food-groups.vegetables-amount.pdf

-Dr. Jim Stoppani: Choosing The Proper Foods for You
http://www.workouttrainer.com/home/articles/choosing-the-proper-foods-for-you-jim

-Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State: Potassium Research
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/minerals/potassium/

-Carrots: What you need to know
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=21

-Are Pickles Healthy To Eat?
http://www.livestrong.com/article/385530-are-pickles-healthy-to-eat/

-Colorado State University: Health Benefits and Safe Handling of Salad Greens
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09373.html

Fitness for your lifestyle - What you can learn from Tiger Woods mistakes

As I highlighted in the video above, all of us have to consider how our lifestyle relates to our fitness and dietary practices.  Tiger Woods is a high profile, very visible example of what can go wrong when your goals do not match up with what you are doing on a daily basis with your workout program. 

Golf is a sport that calls for a balance between finesse and technique.  Historically the golfer who hits the ball the farthest is not the one who wins the most tournaments.  A proper golf swing involves a delicate balance in combining the inertia generated through the torque force created by the hips and lower body in conjunction with the angled swinging motion generated by stabilized operation in which the head, neck, shoulders, elbows and wrists are all involved.  There are physiological and technical reasons why some people are better at driving a ball off the tee compared to putting the ball on the green.  Golf reminds me a lot of playing Billiards: there is a lot of physical and mathematical science behind the execution within the confines of the game.

When you understand the sport science involved in golf you see how it relates to Tiger Woods.  Tiger is arguably one of the most fit and athletic golfers to ever play.  He also has one of the most violent swings in the history of the PGA Tour.  Tiger’s workout regimen over the years is comparable to that of a two-sport college athlete who plays football in the fall and baseball in the spring.  His physique is comparable to Florida State University Quarterback and Pitcher Jameis Winston.

 The biggest difference between Winston and Woods is their age.  Tiger is so driven, a perfectionist, that he keeps hitting the weights like he is still a younger man.  The body can only take so much “abuse”.  To have a physique like Woods, the individual spends at least 66 percent of their workout building and developing slow twitch muscle fibers.  The problem with this is that if you do not incorporate other forms of strength building exercises (cross training, flexibility training, balance training, etc.) when you go to execute athlete feats that involve the torch, balance and technique found in golf, the body is not built to respond fluidly to those actions.  Without enough diversity in an exercise program the individual limits the ability to maximize their physical potential and can potential hurt themselves.

Bruce Lee wrote in his books 50 years ago about understanding the difference between “Functional Strength” and “Visual Strength”.  A major example of this difference has to do with our Core Muscles.  The human core muscles is a group of muscles that stretch from the bottom of the hip complex at the top of the Quadriceps and extends up to the Diaphragm just below the Pectorals’ Muscles.  In order to “Strengthen your Core” you must strength more than just Abs, it also includes your lower and middle back.  Bruce Lee wrote about how many athletes only work on the top level of their Abdominal muscles and neglect the interior abdominal muscles along with the back muscles that are crucial for stability and protecting your organs.  Sometimes you see Models and Actors/Actress on TV with “Sexy Abs” yet if those same people with “Sexy Abs” get punched in the gut, they drop to the ground gasping for air just like a person who has a “flabby gut”.  Having Functional Muscle means your Core is Strong, Stable, Flexible and Sustainable for life.

When you see on the news Tiger Woods having “back problems”, “back spasms”, etc. and then they show on TV him swing the club followed by Woods immediately grabbing his back; this is a sign that Woods lacks the fluidity and flexibility to sustain his high torque golf swing.  In order to be able to execute and sustain such a golf swing, Tiger should cut back on the upper body resistance workouts and transition to more Flexibility and Core Synergistic Training.  Exercise routines found in Yoga and Pilates are general examples of Flexibility and Balance training.

The same goes for all of us concerning how our workouts affect us.  Ask yourself these questions:

1. What are your fitness/health goals?  How does it relate to my exercise program and nutritional habits?

-These questions are very important because there is no generic, “cookie cutter” program out there that works for everyone.  If you are skinny and trying to build muscle, you should not exercise and eat the way someone who is trying to lose weight and tone their body would do.  Some people have faster/slower metabolisms; some people are naturally athletic while others athletic achievements happened in middle school during Recess.  The reality is that in order to reach your goals you must understand what your body can handle and what you really want from your fitness program.

You have to take into account how what you are doing relates to your body and your goals by taking into consideration your lifestyle.  Do you sit frequently at your job?  If so, try to avoid the stationary bike at the gym.  Sitting for long periods of time puts pressure on your lower back and hips causing back spasms and relative flexibility which can lead to injury.  Instead of the stationary bike, switch to the Elliptical.  Are you a parent with kids?  Then you need to do workouts that enhance your ability to keep up with your kids and their activities.  What’s the point of working out if you are too sore to pick up your 6 year old? Understand how what you do daily impacts your fitness and health goals and Vice Versa.

2. What are your physical and metabolic strengths and weaknesses?

-This is very often overlooked by many people, even those in the fitness community.  Let’s use myself as an example.  My “Physical Strengths” are muscles such as biceps, abs, pectorals, quadriceps, and hamstrings.  My “Physical Weaknesses” include a history of knee, shoulder, and back problems.  I have to consider my strengths and weakness with my workout program.  Usually I plan the days I work on back and legs in the days right after my rest day so I can let my body reset before I go after muscle groups that can give me problems.  Also some cardio programs I have to modify because my knee lacks the stability to do certain explosive movements.  I have to take into consideration what my body can handle.

Similarly, my “metabolic Weaknesses” include Lactose Intolerance.  In the Nutrition and Supplement world many people and companies push the use of Whey and Casein Protein.  Whey and Casein Protein are derived from lactose proteins in Milk.  So, I have to watch the foods and supplements I ingest so I do not have an allergic reaction.  I substitute the use of dairy-based protein by increasing my consumption during the week of Beef.  It may sound very simple but think about it: Whey/Casein comes from Milk proteins, milk comes from cows, and beef is cow meat.  Lean Beef is an excellent source of protein and has all the nutrients my body needs without having to put a bunch of extra powders in my smoothies.

So before you start a new fitness or nutrition program consider these two important questions.  Improving your health and fitness is supposed to be a positive process, a journey towards a better overall standard of living.  It should not be a pathway to injuries or new health problems.  If you can discuss your options with a Personal Trainer, Health or Fitness Professional you can trust. 

From Bruce Lee to High School sports to Tony Horton: My expereince with the P90x program

Officially, I am a P90x graduate.  I have completed all 13 weeks of the program as outlined and stuck with it, Doing “My Best and forget the rest” as Tony Horton would say.  But more importantly I learned more about my body and fitness programs than I ever thought I would through the process.  As a result, I want to share with you my experience so you too can be more knowledgeable about your health, fitness, and make informed decisions for your benefit.

I decided to take the P90x challenge because I had hit a serious fitness plateau.  Earlier in 2012, I became seriously ill and that month and a half of sickness really hindered my ability to eat right, exercise regularly and mentally set me back also.  As Bruce Lee put it “The Mind and Body must both be inbalance” for one to be at maximum fitness and health.

After being sick, I slowly rebuilt up my fitness levels and re-established my diet.  Although my stamina and strength were regained after 3 months of working out I was not seeing or feeling the results I once had before I became sick.  I knew I had hit the wall after two different sessions in which I ran then played basketball then ran again for over 2 hours straight then afterwards was ready to throw up.  Even in my years of high school or college sports I had ever felt like this or had this much trouble whipping myself back into shape.  At one point I was sitting in my shower leaning against the wall thinking to myself “What is wrong with me?  I’m doing everything right yet I gain no improvement and I feel like death!”

It was at this point I realized I needed to change what I was doing.  For me, working out is my release, my “drug”, my way of handling all the stresses in my life.  I had express to others in the past my interest in trying the P90x program.  I was familiar with Beach Body and Tony Horton’s programs but had never followed through with doing the program, instead incorporating elements of their workouts into my workout program.  The idea of “transforming” my body intrigued me.  I was tired of letting my ego get in the way, it was time to man up and say “My way isn’t working anymore.  I don’t want to plateau, I want improvement”.

Me on Day 1 of P90x

 

My first obstacle to cross was financial.  I know Beach Body and other fitness programs/instructors need to make a living, but when you don’t have a money to spend, its hard for many people to buy fitness programs or join gyms.  Thanks to my friend for letting me use their P90x Cd’s, weightlifting bands, and pull up bar, I was ready to get started.

My second obstacle was lifestyle planning.  In order to do the P90x program, you must commit to it full-heartedly.  P90x requires 6 days a week with different workouts ranging from 52-92 minutes in length.  As a result, one must plan their days and eating schedules around the program.  This is especially important because the cardio routines Plyometrics and Kenpo X are intense, so when Tony Horton says you must make sure you wait “atleast 90 minutes” after eating before doing the workouts, he is NOT kidding around.  I will tell you from personal experience, eating a crunchy peanut butter sandwich, strawberries, banana, and walnutswithin 90 minutes before doing the Plyo workout is a BAD idea.  Just to let you know.

My third obstacle before starting P90x was separating ego from commitment.  In order to get results from the program, you need to live by two of Tony Horton’s mottos:

1. “Do your best and forget the rest”: You are working out for yourself, not to show off or entertain anyone else.  If you overdue it you could injure yourself or make yourself gas and run out of energy to finish.  Because you overdue it you will hinder your progress and not get the best results.

2. “Quality over Quantity”: Tony is right, just because you can’t do as many repetitions as he and his “graduates” on the video do does not mean you won’t get serious results.  Making sure you do each workout with the proper technique and listening to your body is key to make sure you maximize what P90x can do for you.

 

So before I started I promised myself two things: That I would do the entire program as outlined and finish from beginning to end, all 13 weeks; also that I would take no protein or performance supplements.  As someone who has never taken any steroids or performance enhancers of any kind (even the ones sanctioned as clean by the IOC, NFL and other sports organizations) I knew the temptation would be there to use a protein drink or order a workout supplements.  I wanted to do everything naturally from my diet to my recovery drink after each workout (which you will find is necessary so, again, don’t let your ego get in the way of results).

                                                                       P90x Day 30

The entire P90x program is based on the workout concept of “Muscle Confussion” (the P90x commercials explain this detail) so every day is a different workout and you only stick with one 6 day routine for no more than 3 weeks than you changeup.  A typical P90x week (except for the “rest” weeks) consists of day one focusing on chest and back or shoulders, day two being Plyometrics (Cardio Jump Training), Day three focusing on Biceps and Back or Triceps, Day Four being Yoga X, Day five focusing on Legs and Back, Day Six being the Kenpo X Cardio routine, and Day Seven being a day for Rest or X Stretch  (I recommend the later for atleast the first few weeks, it helps your body recover from the hard week of workouts quicker).

Going into the program it’s good to realize your strength and weakness: I knew I would have trouble with pull ups and pushups (I busted my rotator cuff when I was in my early teens) and anything involving my legs (since I have numerous past knee injuries) while I figured I would do well with Yoga and Kenpo routines (Because of my Martial Arts and Gymnastics backgrounds) while also excelling at upper body workouts (I’ve been weightlifting since I was 15 years old). 

P90x is a 90 day program, consisting of 13 weeks.  Seems like a long time at first, but after the first 3-4 weeks you get use to it and don’t mind it being so long until the last couple weeks (which I will explain later).  But on Day Two, no joke, I was ready to quit!  Most of my life I considered myself in shape and able to perform at any workout or sport.  I just met my first major challenge of P90x: Plyometrics.  Plyo, otherwise known as Cardio Jump Training, is an extreme, intense 58 minute workout routine that pushes you to the limit.  After the first two rotations of Plyo (or 20 minutes in) I wanted to quit.  I thought “Why am I doing this to myself?  I can’t do this program, this isn’t worth it.”  Instead of quitting, I sucked it up.  And man am I glad I did.

P90x Day 45

I came to find out that the programs that I thought would be hardest for me (Plyometrics, Chest and Back) actually became two of my favorites.  While Yoga X and Legs and Back became two workouts I couldn’t stand!  Why?  Because P90x commercials, promotions, and even Tony’s speeches are not fully accurate in why and how P90x program improves your body and health.  Now stop everyone, I did not say they lie or mislead people.  P90x is geared towards people who want to get into the best shape of their life and are ready to make the commitment.  But what they do not explain to people before the program is the real reason why “Muscle Confussion” works: When you do intense workouts, alternating muscle groups over the course of weeks and months, what you are doing is MORE than getting into the “best physical shape” of your life.  Instead, what you are doing is not “transforming” your body, instead  you are “Maximizing” your body.

 

As we know, not everyone’s body is the same.  We are all born with strengths and weaknesses.  As Tony Horton puts it “Don’t say ‘I cant’ instead say ‘I presently struggle with’ and over time someone who could only do 2-3 pull ups will eventually do 10, 15, 20 or more!”  Through P90x program you will maximize your body’s muscle potential.  Muscular strength is the foundation of all forms of physical fitness.  When you can develop both fast twitch and slow twitch muscles properly, you can end up with what some call a “Physical Specimen”.  If your goal is to look better than the guy or girl at the gym, then your ego is more important than maximizing health and fitness. 

 Let me use myself as an example: Ever since I first injured my knees I knew I needed to build strength in my legs to make up for the weakness of my knees.  There was a point in high school I was leg pressing 780 pounds 15 times and could easily squat 600 lbs.  Not bad for a guy with busted knees.  But during Week 5 I had a “painful” epiphany while doing the Legs and Back routine.  I was doing Sneaky Lunges (basically 24 lunges on your toes the entire time) and I felt like shorts were getting stuck on the skin of my legs.  I thought “That’s weird” so I decided to put up my shorts while doing the lunge.  To my disgust and surprise while in the lunge I saw my skin stretching so much over my quadriceps my muscle was about to rip through my skin!  Aside from the fact I was a bit disturbed, it was also painful and I stopped immediately.  Come to find out my Quad, Hamstring, and Calf muscles were so developed and muscular that through P90x I had turned any body fat I had in my legs into more muscle and I was board line hurting myself instead of “transforming” my body.  That’s the moment I began to do some more research and learn more about “Muscle Confussion”, “Maximizing Muscle”, and body fat relation to fitness.

P90x Day 80

After refreshing my memory from high school health and college anatomy classes along with re-reading my Bruce Lee books I realized the true key and driving force behind P90x and why it really works for many people while for some it doesn’t work: “Mind over Matter”.  This old concept is core to the history and philosophy of Martial Arts, Shintoism, and Buddism to name a few ideological “isms” from the Far East.  The concept that if you envision an outcome you will eventually make that outcome a reality.  The goal of the individual using P90x should be to get into the best shape of THEIR life, not to look as good or better than the guy or girl on TV or at the local gym.  Because the reality is “looking” the best is not “being” the best physically. 

 An example of this reality is those “Ripped, sculped” ab routines you see advertised on TV and online.  Yes, you could have a six or eight pack abs and looked hardcore ripped with doing those workouts and changing your diet while adding a couple supplements.  But that is what is known as “showcase” muscle, not “practical” muscle.  What those programs don’t develop is the interior abdominal wall that protects the organs and diaphragm underneath you abdominal region.  All of those crunches and “ripping that abdominal” is all great, but what if someone punches you up into you abs and make impact with the diaphragm underneath your lungs?  Or if you parents  who have kids, those kids jump on you when you least expect it, then what?  Those “ripped” exterior abs will not protect your organs or diaphragm.  While doing gymnastics, martial arts, and P90x develop all muscle groups, most importantly, essential core muscle, which is the region from the pectorals to the top of the quadriceps.  In developing all of these muscles, you are less likely to suffer injury and will have less pains and aches in all areas of your body.

This is why having the biggest muscles and most ripped body is pointless if those muscles aren’t useful.  That’s why Bruce Lee was faster and stronger than anyone he faced in International Martial Arts competitions, yet he was usually shorter and smaller than many opponents.  Bruce Lee maximized his muscular abilities to the point that in episodes of the Green Hornet from the 1960’s and many of his movies, they actually had to slow down the footage so you could see Bruce Lee perform some moves, he was that fast! 

A modern day example is before I ever did P90x a female friend of mine made a comment how its “ashame” I didn’t have a six pack.  Knowing she was a former cheerleader and had some strength, I told her to punch me in my “abs”.  She was afraid she would hurt me, I told her “Do it!”  As a result she hurt her hand punching my “not a six pack” abs.  Through years of gymnastics, martial arts, and well-balanced workouts in high school and college, I had developed my muscles to be “useful” not just for show.

           After first workout Post-P90x

In the end, this is the real results of P90x, to maximize you in the areas of physical fitness, overall health, and mental balance.  When you walk into the program with basic expectations and you work hard and commit to the lifestyle, you will get amazing results.  In order to maximize your health, you have to commit to a lifestyle that encompasses what you eat, how you eat, how you sleep, how you exercise,  when you exercise, etc.  It means you are making a commitment to yourself to be the best you can be.  Not looking like someone from a movie or tv show.

 

A few final points about P90x:

-By the end of the program, I developed a “hate” for Yoga X.  “X” stands for “extreme” and the balance and moving postures become laborious and tiresome to do when you have done it for 13 weeks!  Because of my knee injuries and foot surgeries, Yoga Balance is hard for me, especially when I spent half my life learning balance in terms of Martial Arts, Baseball, Basketball, Soccer, and Football.  Yoga Balance is similar to Ballet balance; it uses different leg muscles and different center of gravity.  So be prepared to find that Yoga X is a struggle.

-Meanwhile, Kenpo X is a lot of fun and I enjoy the workout.  But some of the moves are hard to pick up.  As someone who did not learn the Kenpo form of karate, the types of kicks and punches are different from Shotokun Karate, Muay Thai, Tae Kwon Do, Kung Fu or other attacking Martial Arts.  Personally, I modified some of the moves Tony Horton showcased to accommodate my Martial Arts background.  For those who don’t know, martial art disciplines such as Kenpo Karate, Muay Thai, Tae Kwon Do, and certain forms of Kung Fu all have different ways they teach foot placement for balance during kicks and punches.  If you have been instructed and drilled to kick and punch a certain way then are shown in an exercise program to do it “their way” it’s not exactly easy to do it the same way as the video.  But since another one of Tony Horton’s slogans is “Modify, Modify, Modify if you need to” I did so.  And you need to also if you find any of the workouts difficult.

-After doing numerous pull ups and push up over the period of 13 weeks I have found my back is in better condition.  I use to have periodical back problems that I typically found to be “cured” through stretching, annual visits to the chiropractor and buying new sneakers.  Now, I have less back pain as long as I maintain good posture while sitting, standing and sleeping.  My back doesn’t feel weak anymore.  It feels as strong as the rest of my body!  I was only able to barely do 5 pull ups when I first started.  Now I can pump out 2 rotations of 12-18 depending on the variation.

-If you have ever had ankle or knee issues, then you may at times have calf tightness and once in a while suffer from the infamous “Charlie horse”.  If this is the case, stretching the Calf and Achilles tendon by doing the “Downward Dog” yoga maneuver may not be enough or work for you.  It didn’t for me.  I like to stretch my calf standing up and pushing against the wall with split legs.  You will find that some of the stretches in P90x are not enough for you so I suggest do what works for you before you start the workout.  Also, Tony Horton says “Do what works for you, variety is the spice of life!”

-In the Core Synergistics video, Tony makes the comment “You may discover this is your favorite workout”.  While it’s not mine, as someone who has worked out, played sports, and done numerous forms of exercise since I was in single digits age wise, you have to take what you can from the program in the “Post-P90x” world.  I found since that combining Kenpo X with Ab Ripper is a great workout for me on Cardio days.  I have kept Plyo as a cardio workout because it really does kick butt and if you continue to do the program, watch how much better you are when you play sports with those who think they are in shape.  It’s worth the looks on their faces alone!  I recommend find what workouts or exercise concepts help you maximize your potential and keep them.  Carry those into your workouts post-P90x and you will be able to maintain, if not improve some more, what you have accomplished with P90x.  Just know that the program is not made for people to do continuously, your body does need a break, I know!  As Tony Horton says “Take care of your body and it will take care of you!”