February 05, 2018
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Metabolic Damage: What It Is And Is Not
One of the big buzz terms in health and fitness subculture as of late is “metabolic damage”. It seems like quite a few “nutritional coaches” have come out and taken a firm stance on one side of the fence or the other, insisting that it’s either a valid phenomenon or a myth. While the literature on the topic of metabolic damage is still relatively scarce, the next few years should prove interesting since more and more research is being focused towards this concern.
In a nutshell, metabolic damage is terminology used to denote a state where the body doesn’t respond proportionally and appropriately as one would expect with respect to energy input and output. For example, someone may put their body through hours upon hours of cardio and restrict their calorie intake yet notice little to no weight/fat loss, which seems theoretically impossible, but as many people know, this can indeed happen. When a person has reached such a critical point, they are generally believed to have “metabolic damage”, to some arbitrary degree.
Measuring metabolic damage
However, therein lays the main conundrum with classifying metabolic damage, since it’s rather ambiguous to just say, “I have metabolic damage.” Ideally, we would want to put a tangible/measurable amount on the severity of the “damage” and seek to reverse it, but the trouble is that there is no real accurate/precise way to track such a quantity at this point.
The next best medically plausible way to verify that metabolic damage has occurred is probably various hormonal assays such as thyroid hormone levels/function, leptin, and others. The reasoning for this is that one of the key regulators of metabolic rate is the thyroid gland. Generally, individuals who exhibit hypothyroidism are noticeably heavier (and/or tend to put weight on easily) and have a tough time losing fat.
This isn’t to say that metabolic damage is entirely relegated to thyroid issues, nor other endocrine maladies, but from a physiological standpoint it is safe to assert that such issues do indeed influence one’s metabolic health.
What convolutes the issue of metabolic damage is that there is no foolproof way (yet) to pinpoint what exactly has gone awry and started the vicious cycle of having a lowered metabolic rate. Some people may have metabolic damage despite their blood work showing nominal values, in which case there has to be some other factor(s) influencing the individual’s metabolic rate.
An example of this would be someone with normal thyroid levels and functioning, but yet can’t lose weight to save their soul and has already gone to extreme measures as far as calorie restricting and cardiovascular exercise goes. It’s at this point that we know metabolic damage is occurring due to other physiological factors. Uncovering those factors is what much of the research will likely be focused on in the coming years.
What metabolic damage is not
I think one of the more important things to discuss pertaining to metabolic damage is the issue of it being “over diagnosed” by people who compete in any sort of physique competition. Just because you have competed in a bodybuilding or figure (or whatever event) show doesn’t necessarily mean you’re automatically in a state of “metabolic damage”. Yes, your metabolic rate is likely reduced since it’s pretty much common knowledge that during times of decreased energy input your body naturally lowers its energy output; that being said, metabolic damage is not the same as having a reduced metabolic rate.
Given this, don’t be so hasty to jump on the metabolic damage bandwagon just because you are eating less, exercising more, but still not losing weight like you hope. Metabolic damage is an extreme condition induced by extreme behavior.
We’re talking extreme in the sense that some people can be eating <600-700 calories per day, doing 2-3 hours of cardio, and still not losing weight…It’s safe to say that at that point metabolic damage has occurred. Contrarily, just because you cut calories to, say, 1600 calories per day and are doing 45 minutes of cardio without any weight loss doesn’t exemplify a “damaged” metabolism. I think people just need to tread cautiously when putting a label on their metabolic health; reduced metabolic rate is not synonymous with metabolic damage.
Correcting metabolic damage
As much as people want to believe there is some magic formula or treatment they can find for metabolic damage, the reality of it is that in order to reverse the “damage” you pretty much just need to do the opposite of what you’ve been doing. Essentially, this means doing less cardio, eating more, resting more, and focusing on weight training.
Don’t forget that muscle is more metabolically demanding then adipose tissue, so by building more muscle, you are increasing your metabolic capacity. This is the reason that many bodybuilders can stay in such good shape with little to no cardio in their regimen, since they’ve developed such a high metabolic capacity that it becomes rather hard to “out eat” their metabolism (pretty good “problem” to have if you ask me).
I’d be leery of people who claim that some certain supplements or food will suddenly resolve your metabolic damage. This isn’t to say supplements can’t help you, but the focus should ideally be on the big factors like your diet and training regimen. Get those back on the right path and then worry about micromanaging the other less important factors.
Why MCT Oil?
December 14, 2017
“MCTs” are medium-chain triglycerides, a form of saturated fatty acid that has numerous health benefits, ranging from improved cognitive function to better weight management. Coconut oil is one great source of MCTs — roughly 62–65 percent of the fatty acids in coconut oil are MCTs — but recently more concentrated “MCT oils” have also been growing in popularity.
MCTs, also called “MCFAs” for medium-chain fatty acids, are believed to be largely missing from the diets of people eating “standard Western” diets, most likely because the public has been led to believe that all forms of saturated fats are potentially harmful. However, recently research has shown a lot of evidence about the real truth regarding saturated fats.
We now know that ideally MCT oils like coconut oil should actually be consumed every day. Certain saturated fats, especially MCTs and other healthy fats found in things like coconut oil or grass-fed beef, are in fact easier to digest than long-chain triglycerides (LCTs) and might even have more benefits related to heart health, obesity prevention and brain health, too.
In fact, traditional populations living in tropical areas have been consuming saturated fats, including sources of MCTs like coconuts, for thousands of years without any ill effects — so consider the idea that a low-fat diet is “healthy” to be one of the biggest nutrition lies there ever was!
Aside from coconut oil, smaller amounts of MCTs can also be found in certain other foods with saturated fats including butter (especially butter from grass-fed cows), cheeses, palm oil, whole milk and full-fat yogurt.
What Makes MCT Oils So Special?
MCTs get their name because of the length of their chemical structure. All types of fatty acids are made up of strings of connected carbon and hydrogen. Fats are categorized by how many carbons they have: short-chain fats (like butyric acid) have fewer than six carbons, medium-chain fats have between 6–12 carbons and long-chain fats (like omega-3s) have between 13–21.
What makes MCTs a top source of essential healthy fats? Medium-chain fats are digested easily and sent directly to your liver, where they have a thermogenic effect and the ability to positively alter your metabolism. This is one reason why many people claim that MCTs, including coconut oil, are burned by the body for energy, or “fuel,” instead of being stored as fat.
Compared to longer-chain fats, MCTs are absorbed more easily since there’s less work for the body to do breaking apart carbon bonds. MCTs are smaller, so they can permeate our cell membranes more easily and don’t require that we use special enzymes in order for our bodies to utilize them.
MCTs and saturated fats are good for you in other ways, too: They reduce the risks of low-fat diets, and they’re supportive of your gut environment, especially since they have the capability to combat harmful bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. Additionally, MCTs contain antioxidant properties, which is why coconut oil has far-reaching inflammatory benefits that have led it to be used to treat dozens of health problems in folk medicine for centuries.
Medium-chain fatty acids are capable of helping you:
Maintain a healthy weight — since they both make you feel full
Specifically reduce stored body fat — since they also raise your metabolic function
Have more energy
Think more clearly
Experience better digestion
Balance hormone levels
Improve your mood
Fight bacterial infection and viruses
Absorb fat-soluble nutrients from various foods
There are actually a few different forms of MCT oils, some that are likely more effective than others. The four different kinds of MCTs: caprioc (C6:0), caprylic (C8:0), capric (C10:0) and lauric (C12:0) acids. Generally speaking, the shorter the chain (meaning the lower the number of carbons the acid has), the faster the body can turn the fatty acids into usable energy, in the form of ketones. Ketones are what the body produces when it’s using fat for energy instead of glucose.
Regardless of the exact kind of MCT, all are still beneficial for overall health — especially for people who have a difficult time digesting other forms of fats, including anyone with malabsorption problems, digestive disorders like leaky gut syndrome, Crohn’s disease, gallbladder infections and so on.
MCT Oil vs. Coconut Oil
There’s been no shortage of coconut oil uses and treatments proven by recent research — it provides not only MCTs (especially abundant levels of lauric acid) but also antibacterial properties, antioxidants, anti-inflammatories and more. The difference between MCT oil and coconut oil is that MCT oil is more concentrated and contains different proportions of MCTs. While coconut oil certainly has MCTs in it, concentrated MCT oil is almost entirely MCTs.
There are four different kinds of MCTs, which differ depending on the number of carbons there are connected to the fat molecules (this ranges between 6 to 12 carbons long). The MCTs in coconut oil are made up of about 50 percent of one kind (lauric acid), so the fact that coconut oil is mostly just one type of MCT is one reason that some people prefer concentrated MCT oils more. “MCT oils” usually have all four types of MCTs that can be difficult to get from other foods.
Coconut oil is one of the best sources of lauric acid as you can see, which many studies have shown has antibacterial, antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Although about ninety percent of the fats found in coconut oil are saturated, a high percentage is not the very short chain MCTs that have less carbons (lauric acid has 12).
The fatty acids termed MCTs and lauric acid act somewhat differently in the body, although in the US, coconut oil and MCT oil manufacturers are legally allowed to claim that lauric acid is a type of MCT. Some people claim that lauric acid doesn’t biologically act like other forms of shorter MCTs (or at least as quickly), which is one reason why MCT advocates believe that MCT oil is somewhat superior.
Perhaps one of the biggest reasons that MCT oil sales have skyrocketed in recent years is due to growing popularity of “The Bullet Proof Diet”. The Bulletproof Diet, written by Dave Asprey, is a dietary approach for rapid weight loss and better cognitive health that recommends you receive 50–70 percent of your energy from healthy fats, especially MCT oil, grass-fed butter and coconut oil. The plan’s signature breakfast, “bulletproof coffee” — a mix of coffee, MCT oil and butter — promises decreases in hunger levels, the ability to fast easily, better brain function and mental clarity. While coconut oil benefits are still recognized by Bulletproof dieters, MCT oil is considered the gold-standard.
On the other hand, coconut oil does have some well-documented health benefits that concentrated MCT oils might be lacking. The biggest drawback to buying manufactured MCT oil is that you might not really know what you’re getting. In order to produce a liquid MCT oil that does not become solid at colder temps, it might need to be more refined than regular coconut oil. MCT oil might also remove some of the very beneficial lauric acid, which is the star ingredient in real extra-virgin coconut oil.
So while some marketers of MCT oil might claim that their product contains more concentrated and diverse MCTs than real coconut oil does, it might be because it’s chemically altered and absent of lauric acid. It could even have “filler” oils like omega-6 polyunsaturated fats. Another factor to consider is that most MCT oils on the market are manufactured via chemical/solvent refining, which can mean they require using chemicals like hexane and different enzymes and combustion chemicals.
The bottom line? Enjoy both coconut oil and quality MCT oil for their numerous benefits, just make sure you buy a high quality MCT oil that clearly states what the ingredients are and how it was produced.
Zottman Curl | Both Arms | Dumbbells
Zottman Curl | Both Arms | Dumbbells
Cross-body Curl | Alternating Arms | Resistance Band
Zottman Curl | Both Arms | Dumbbells
Build Your Biceps Workout
November 1, 2017
Located at the front of the arm between the elbow and the shoulder, the biceps are perhaps the muscle most commonly associated with strength. Ask anyone to show you how strong they are and he or she will automatically strike the “strong man’s” pose. Strong and sculpted biceps not only look good, but also have practical uses for daily living skills. Strong biceps help you with any type of pulling movement, such as pulling weeds or raking, and also aid in lifting and carrying movements, such as carrying bags of groceries or assisting a child out of a car seat.
Featuring dumbbells and a resistance band, you will actually create this workout yourself by mixing and matching the exercises.
Your biceps will be challenged with every workout and the variety will keep you from getting bored. Build your biceps workout by choosing one exercise from column A, one exercise from column B, and one exercise from column C. Perform each exercise, in order, for 15 reps; rest one minute and repeat this tri-set of exercises one to two more times for a total of two to three sets.
Here are three sample workout combinations:
Zottman Curl—Concentration Curl—Cross Body Curl
Drag Curl—Alternating Hammer Curl—Biceps Curl Switches
Zottman Curl---Alternating Hammer Curl-Cross Body Curl
Column A
Both Arms | Choose 1
Zottman Curl
Drag Curl
Column B
Single Arm | Choose 1
Concentration Curl
Hammer Curl
Column C
Alternating Arms | Choose 1
Biceps Curl Switches
Cross-body Curl
Zottman Curl | Both Arms | Dumbbells
Stand holding a pair of dumbbells at your sides with palms facing forward. Keeping the inner arms close to your sides, curl both dumbbells toward your shoulders. Pause and rotate the dumbbells so the palms are facing downward and lower them back to your sides. Pause and turn the dumbbells again so the palms are facing forward and return back to the starting position.
Drag Curl | Both Arms | Dumbbells
Stand holding a pair of dumbbells at your sides with palms facing forward. Pull your elbows back and drag the dumbbells alongside your torso until the dumbbells reach chest height. Pause at the top and slowly drag the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
Concentration Curl | Single Arm | Dumbbells
Sit down on a chair or bench while holding one dumbbell in your right hand; allow the dumbbell to hand between your legs. Place the back of your right upper arm against the inside of your inner right thigh. With the palm facing forward, curl the dumbbell toward the shoulder and slowing release back to the starting position, all while keeping the upper arm in contact with the inner thigh. Perform the suggested number of reps and then switch to the left arm.
Hammer Curl | Single Arm | Dumbbells
Stand holding one dumbbell in the right hand, arm by your side with the palm facing in. Keeping the inner arm close to your side, curl the dumbbell toward the shoulder and release back down to the starting position. Perform the suggested number of reps and switch to the left arm.
Biceps Curl Switches | Switching Arms | Resistance Band
Step both feet, hip-width distance apart, onto the middle of a light-to-moderate resistance band. Hold a handle in each hand, arms by your sides, with palms facing forward. Curl the right handle up toward the shoulder. Release the arm back down to the starting position while simultaneously curling the left handle up toward the shoulder. The arms perform a switching motion—when one arm goes up, the other arm goes down.
Cross-body Curl | Alternating Arms | Resistance Band
Step both feet, hip-width distance apart, onto the middle of a light-to-moderate resistance band. Hold a handle in each hand, arms by your sides, with palms facing in. Curl the right handle up toward the left shoulder as the arms crosses over the torso. Lower back down to the starting position. Curl the left handle up toward the right shoulder as the arm crosses over the torso. Lower back to the starting position.
Food Intake Management
October 31, 2017
Good Morning Pro-Fitness Nation
So due a few events last week. Here is a quick topic about nutrition to clarify some, “whys”.
Some of you might have a little more freedom on your diet and some of you may not. To it, you can address a countless list of things that can play a role on it. E.g. first time dieter, stress, time, goal specific, what part of that goal are you in & preference.
A lot of you already might have heard about IIFYM (If It Fit My Macros) or Flexible Eating. But I personally prefer to work with most of you into a more restrict kind diet approach. Here I will point some reasons of why:
It will be easier to understand in how the whole macro nutrient counting works and why sometimes certain choices even getting in the numbers aren’t good. Or for most people you won’t even need to bother in understanding it.
It will be a lot easier to manage your food intake, identify what is working and what’s not. No chances of you slacking off the plan & that specific goal, e.g.; Physic competitor, you’ll shredded that stubborn fat.
You no longer will have to plan or be stressing about what you should be eating or not. The changes of you engaging into a binge eating will be less and therefore throughout the process you’ll learn in controlling it more easily and eventually in some cases exterminating it.
Time. Well, you’ll have plenty of time since you have to absolutely not thing about anything else! Your only “job” will be to follow the instructions, prepare the food and eat it. You can prepare it for the whole week or as desired and not wonder about it.
In the other hand with IIFYM (If It Fit My Macros) or Flexible Eating:
Level of knowledge. (If you have zero knowledge about food nutrient or just isn’t ready to understand you’ll fail in managing foods.)
Goal specific & diet approach. (If you are a person whose needs to be more expecific on peaking certain foods to eat according to reach the desired goal and you are making the wrong choices and slacking off the plan, EVEN following the idea of getting your macros in it will get in your way. Say the goal is to have a day only having traces of carbohydrates from vegetables and somehow you are bringing it in from different sources. The goal of the day is ruined!) There is more that can be added to it.
Emotional, stress & time. (If you don’t have the knowledge, you won’t have the emotional control to keep yourself away from binge eating. It can become stressful to have a meal because most of people will start to try to fit anything and everything into their diet and call it a diet, becoming drained by making calculations and no longer been able to enjoy food as a normal human being. Then that will take a role lot time because you no longer can manage what’s good or bad for you.)
Now, just to be clear. I’m not saying or crucifying Flexible Eating and Macro Nutrient Counting. What I’m saying is that many people don’t know how to use it, when to use it or use it wrong!
Here is a quick example:
Say, there is an individual where his macros for a specific meal are: Fats 14g/ Carbs 5g/ Protein 35g. Now let’s ignore the protein, making the priority of this meal fats and no carbs.
To match that NEED, We are using, picture (#1) 1 tablespoon of MCT Oil and Green Vegetables. You can tell by the picture that MCT Oil has NO, carbs or protein. Only fat! But you decided since you have to prioritize fat intake, fat for fat, you’ll eat, picture (#2) Avocado.
You can tell by the picture (#2) that Avocado has also carbs. That meal is no longer anymore lower on carb intake and probably throwing off the whole total of the day as well. So… to make that avocado to fit into your macros you’d have to change your whole day around or a couple of meals.
Each food even been from the same branch has its own nutritional macros and density. It’s not simply changing fats for fats, carbs for carbs or protein for protein.
Whether you are following a Restrict dieting plan style or Flexible Eating you have to also consider other things in the equation. Don’t just go out there making changes to your plan or trying to be like someone else just because you think you can.
The bottom line is: if you want to look better, feel better, you are going to have to eat better and do smarter choices.
Marco Roque
Nutrient Intake, Nutrient Storage and Nutrient Oxidation
October 1, 2017
This is going to be a bit of technical/unapplied article, I’m going to try to keep it short and to the point and mainly it serves as a background for some topics I want to talk about in the near future (especially alcohol) so just be forewarned as you start on this. When people talk about diet, it’s common to divide the various nutrients that humans consume into two gross categories which are:
Macronutrients: nutrients consumed in large amounts (‘macro’ = large)
Micronutrients: nutrients consumed in small mounts (‘micro’ = small)
So macronutrient refers to protein, carbohydrates, fats and alcohol, those nutrients that, when they are consumed are generally consumed in gram or larger amounts. The micronutrients refers to vitamins and minerals which are usually consumed in very small amounts (e.g. the DRI for Vitamin C is 60mg where 1mg is 1/1000th of a gram). I’m not going to talk about micronutrients in this article and will only focus on the macronutrients, specifically protein, carbohydrate, fat and alcohol.
I’m also going to assume that you’re getting your nutrients through food and it’s going in through your mouth. Certainly nutrients can be given via infusion but this is usually done in a hospital setting (sometimes athletes will rehydrate and carb-load with IV fluids and glucose, mind you) and I’ll assume you’re not doing that.
Digestive Efficiency and Your Poop
Clearly anything you eat has to go through the process of chewing, swallowing and into the stomach for digestion. There a bunch of stuff happens where the nutrients are broken down to one degree or another. And either they get absorbed (moving into special cells to be released into the bloodstream, or lymphatic system in the case of dietary fats) or not.
Nutrients that aren’t absorbed in the stomach move further down the intestine where in some cases (for example, certain fibers), they are digested by special bacteria and re-enter the bloodstream as short-chain fatty acids.
Nutrients that pass that stage eventually come out the other end in your poo and we needn’t talk about that much more. I’ll only note in this regards that digestive efficiency in humans is generally very high. Fats are absorbed with about 97% efficiency (e.g. if you eat 100 grams fat, you’ll absorb 97 grams of them), animal source proteins are about 90-95%, vegetable source proteins can be in the 80% range and carbohydrates vary drastically depending on their form, fiber content, etc. But for the most part, with the exception of high-fiber foods, you’re not losing a lot of calories in your poop.
I would note, having said more about poop than necessary at this point, that there appears to be slight differences (based on the gut bacteria present) in how efficiently individuals absorb calories from the diet but this only amounts to perhaps a 100 cal/day difference between the highest and lowest people. Of course, in cases of specific disease where there is nutrient malabsorption, all these comments go out the window but I won’t talk about that here. I’ll assume you have a normally functioning gut, etc.
What Happens with Nutrient Intake: Oxidation or Storage
So what happens after nutrients get through the stomach and intestines and into the body? Broadly speaking, there are two primary fates for nutrients at this point which are oxidation or storage. A third that I should at least mention is that, under certain conditions, nutrients will sort of ‘sit’ in the bloodstream either causing problems there or eventually being excreted in the urine. Outside of various pathophysiologies (e.g. runaway diabetes where glucose is lost in the urine in large amounts), the urine excretion route is generally minimal approaching insignificant and I won’t focus on it further here.
Oxidation simply refers to the direct burning of fuels for energy. This can occur in the liver, skeletal muscle and a few others places and all 4 macronutrients can strictly speaking undergo oxidation after ingestion. So fatty acids from dietary fat ingestion can be used to produce energy, carbohydrate can be burned off, a little appreciated fact is that under normal circumstances as much as half of all dietary protein ingested gets metabolized in the liver via a process called deamination with some of it simply being burned off for energy.
Storage should be fairly clear and the nutrients (with the exception of alcohol) can be ‘stored’ in the body for later use.
Carbohydrates can be stored as liver or muscle glycogen, under rare circumstances they are converted to and stored as fat. Dietary fat is stored either in fat cells or can be stored within muscle as intra-muscular triglyceride (IMTG). Under certain pathological conditions, fat gets stored in places it’s not supposed to go, a situation called ectopic fat storage. In a very real sense there’s no true store of dietary protein although amino acids from protein digestion are used to make various proteins and hormones in the body. Skeletal muscle is, in essence, a ‘store’ of protein in the body. There is no store of alcohol in the body.
Which is the segue into the only real point I have to make in this piece: as it turns out, the size of a nutrient’s store in the body is inversely related to the body’s propensity to oxidize it after ingestion. This is especially true in terms of the size of the store relative to the amount consumed on a daily basis.
Put a little more clearly, the better the body’s ability to store a given nutrient, the less it tends to alter/increase oxidize that nutrient after ingestion. And vice versa, the smaller the store in the body of a given nutrient relative to intake levels, the more likely the body is to oxidize that nutrient after ingestion. I’ve shown the implications of this in the table below and will make comments about specific nutrients below that.
Fat
Body fat stores are effectively unlimited as individuals reaching 1000 lbs (and 70-80% body fat) have demonstrated. Even a relatively lean male at 180 lbs and 12% body fat is carrying 21 pounds of fat. Each pound contains maybe 400 grams of actual stored fat and that means about 8500 grams of fat stored in the body. Contrast this to a relatively high daily intake of perhaps 100-150 grams per day and you can see that the body’s store of fat is much much higher than what you eat on a day. And most people aren’t 12% body fat.
But for the most part, ingested dietary fat has little impact on fat burning in the body; that is, when you eat dietary fat, your body doesn’t increase fat oxidation. One exception is if an absolutely massive amount of fat (like 80 g) is consumed all at once but even then the effect is fairly mild. Some specific fats, notably medium chain triglycerides, are somewhat of an exception to this; they are oxidized in the liver directly. Rather, the primary controller of dietary fat oxidation in the body is how many carbohydrates you’re eating, which I’ll explain momentarily.
Carbohydrate
For carbohydrate, the body’s stores are relatively close to the daily intake. A normal non-carb loaded person may store 300-400 grams of muscle glycogen, another 50 or so of liver glyogen and 10 or so in the bloodstream as free glucose. So let’s say 350-450 grams of carbohydrate as a rough average. On a relatively normal diet of 2700 calories, if a person eats the ‘recommended’ 60% carbs, that’s 400 grams. So about the amount that’s stored in the body already.
For this reason, the body is extremely good at modulating carbohydrate oxidation to carbohydrate intake. Eat more carbs and you burn more carbs (you also store more glycogen); eat less carbs and you burn less carbs (and glycogen levels drop). This occurs for a variety of reasons including changing insulin levels (fructose, for example, since it doesn’t raise insulin, doesn’t increase carbohydrate oxidation) and simple substrate availability. And, as it turns out, fat oxidation is basically inversely related to carbohydrate oxidation.
So when you eat more carbs, you burn more carbs and burn less fat; eat less carbs and you burn less carbs and burn more fat. And don’t jump to the immediate conclusion that lowcarb diets are therefore superior for fat loss because lowcarb diets are also higher in fat intake (generally speaking). You’re burning more fat, but you’re also eating more. But that’s a topic that I’ve not only addressed previously on the site but may look at in more detail in a future article with this piece as background.
Protein
The body’s total protein stores (and note again that this isn’t a true store in the sense of body fat and glycogen) is maybe 10-15kg or so when you add it all up. Which is pretty high compared to an average daily intake. The DRI for protein is only about 50-60 grams per day for the average person and even folks eating 200-300 grams per day are still eating far less protein than stored. Which is why protein oxidation rates can change with intake.
As I mentioned above, an under-appreciated fact is that about half of all ingested dietary protein is metabolized in the liver. Some of it is oxidized for energy while others are converted into other things (including glucose and ketones) for use elsewhere. But, protein oxidation rates do change in response to intake. So, when protein intake goes up, oxidation will increase; when protein intake goes down, oxidation rates decrease. This change isn’t immediate (as it more or less is for carbohydrates) and takes 3-9 days to occur but mis-understanding of this process has led to some goofy ideas such as protein cycling.
But it also explains one other issue of importance to protein which has to do with speed of digestion. Early studies, including the oft-cited study on whey and casein by Boirie find that fast proteins are burned off for energy to a greater degree than slower digesting proteins. Since the body doesn’t have anywhere to store the rapidly incoming amino acids, it simply burns off more for energy. This, along with differences in handling (e.g. the fact that fast proteins are absorbed by the gut as discussed in Casein Hydrolysate and Anabolic Hormones and Growth – Research Review) are a big part of why slower digesting proteins invariably lead to better overall protein retention in the body; not only does more make it into the bloodstream but less is burned for fuel.
Alcohol
And, finally, as noted above, there is absolutely no store of alcohol in the body. None whatsoever. Effectively, alcohol is seen as a sort of metabolic ‘toxin’ or ‘poison’ to the body. And this means that alcohol oxidation is 100% perfect, that is, the body will effectively do everything in its power to get rid of the alcohol increasing alcohol oxidation to maximum (which means decreasing the oxidation of other nutrients consumed with that alcohol) so that the alcohol can be gotten rid of.
I’m going to ask readers not to read anything into the above paragraph, don’t infer or try to draw conclusions about how alcohol might or mightn’t fit into the diet in terms of anything. As it turns out, alcohol is an oddity among nutrients with seemingly contradictory effects on things. I’m going to address that in detail in a forthcoming article and, for now, just take the above as some much needed background information.
Summing Up
And that’s that. After consumption and digestion, nutrients have a couple of primary fates in the body which are oxidation (burning) and storage (for use later). And, as it turns out, the propensity for the body to store or oxidize a given nutrient is related to the body’s built-in store relative to intake. In the case of dietary fat, where stored fat is much higher than daily intake, the body tends to store incoming fat and burn very little. Fat intake per se has very little impact on fat oxidation rates.
Rather, the rate of fat oxidation is related to carbohydrate intake as the body is able to precisely alter carbohdyrate oxidation to changing intake. Eat more carbs and burn more carbs (and less fat); eat less carbs and burn less carbs (and more fat). Protein is somewhere in the middle, oxidation can increase or decrease relative to intake but the effect takes time (3-9 days). Finally is alcohol, with no storehouse in the body, alcohol oxidation will take 100% precedence over everything else when it is consumed.
By-Body Recomposition
Here is client Virginia Menezes on her solo walk, in here first bikini competition as an OCB Amature Competitor done on 09/09/17. - I couldn't be more proud of her. Congratulations Virginia!!!
Here is client Virginia Menezes on her solo walk, in here first bikini competition as an OCB Amature Competitor done on 09/09/17. - I couldn't be more proud of her. Congratulations Virginia!!!
Here is client Virginia Menezes on her solo walk, in here first bikini competition as an OCB Amature Competitor done on 09/09/17. - I couldn't be more proud of her. Congratulations Virginia!!!
Virginia Menezes on her solo walk.
September 09, 2017
Here is client Virginia Menezes on her solo walk, on here Bikini Debut as an OCB Amateur Competitor.
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I couldn't be more proud of her. Congratulations Virginia!!!
Kneeling Push-up
August 15, 2017
Training of Metfit Training Facility in Natick-MA with Client Hitendra.
Due his hard time in performing a normal regular push-up and for never done exercises of any kind, as part of his exercise plan we put the Kneeling Push-up version so he can build up strength levels and develop his motor coordination system.
Here he is performing a perfect kneeling push up.
(For full video, click on the photo above)
✅ Keep your whole spine in a straight line. Do not hyper extended your low back or do too much of a rounded back.
✅Engage your whole core before starting and keep it in place. (Remember you are trying to focus on your chest, so no abs hanging around! They have to be working in order to create stability.)
✅Go about 90 degrees angle with your elbows and back up. No need to touch your nose on the ground.
✅Keep it nice and steady with your breathing.
(If you can't do a real push up, do a half one but do it right!)
Pro-Fitness Personal Trainer
Foot Pronation
August 8, 2017
Are you stable on one leg?
👣
If you stand on one leg and look like the top row of the pictures above, you have a foot & hip that are dysfunctional. Over time this combination produces things like foot pain, keen pain, hip problems and lower back issues. If run its even worse!
Sitting in chairs and wearing poor footwear do significant damage to the body over time. Don't accept things like Osteoarthritis as being normal, they aren't. But when your foot and hip do nothing to align the bones of your lower body its simple biomechanics that joint damage eventually happens
With the right motivation, anyone without a neurological disorder can work to regain lower body stability and restore proper alignment. Escape the chair and crappy footwear and spend time working on your body.
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Pro-Fitness Personal Trainer
Cardio Exercise: Are you doing it right or wrong?
August 1, 2017
CARDIO EXERCISE NOW OR THEN?
Cardio exercise without question is an essential part of any training routine whether it be a bodybuilding, strength training, sports training or most obviously a running workout schedule. It increases our endurance levels and is also an important factor in preventing all sorts of heart problems and diseases.
But its not as easy as just going outside and mindlessly running around for a few minutes and getting results. Its the same as weightlifting.
"CARDIO EXERCISE WITHOUT QUESTION IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ANY TRAINING ROUTINE"
You don't just go in a gym and start curling the heaviest weight you see using horrible form. There are many different opinions on how to properly do cardio to achieve certain goals.
Some of these views are totally wrong and can mislead you and instead of moving you forward will actually set you back in the wrong direction. This is why it is so important to know what certain types of cardio are doing to your body and how to do it properly. Just like weightlifting.
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO DO CARDIO?
There is no set time where you make the best gains to do cardio.However, if you are a bodybuilder, (male/female) or someone who really wants to make maximum gains, and sculpture your body there will be restrictions on timing. But if you are looking forward to be serious about it, then the timing on matter.
-It ranges for everyone, for example if you feel like total crap in the morning and you need an hour or two to feel fully energized, then you obviously aren't a morning person so then don't do it in the morning. Listen to your body, you wouldn't pump iron if you were half-awake.
CARDIO WORKOUT RIGHT BEFORE WEIGHTLIFTING?
NO! Not unless you don't want good results from pumping iron, then I guess you're wasting your time in the gym if you go all out and perform cardio before your workouts.
But for a lot of people, especially women, they don't want to gain serious mass, so then if your weight workout is relatively low intensity and doesn't leave you feeling like you just got hit by a car, then by all means you can do cardio before your workout.
But for most of the guys, they want some serious mass, and let me tell you that the last few reps (Say the last 3-2 reps) where you struggle and sweat is where you stimulate your muscles to grow. But when you run before working out, an intense cardio workout totally or almost depletes your glycogen stores.
So if you have no glycogen stores which is your muscles source of energy and your pushing yourself to max, the energy wont be there to push those last few grueling reps meaning a way less effective workout.
Another reason why this is such a big NO is because during a hard cardio session, protein synthesis drops low and protein breakdown goes up. During a weight lifting session, protein synthesis either goes up a little or stays the same while protein breakdown goes up.
After your cardio session while protein synthesis drops (Meaning your body's ability to build muscle), and you hit the weights, the result will be that your bodies ability to build muscle will be impaired because of your cardio training depending on how intense your cardio was.
CARDIO RIGHT AFTER WEIGHTS?
Doing cardio right after weights is way better, or more appropriate depending on your goals, than doing it before weights. The reason being is that weight lifting doesn't deplete your glycogen stores as bad as it does in cardio workouts depending on how intense you go.
So you still will have some of your glycogen stores left meaning that you can still get an alright cardio session. Also, while weightlifting, your body is able to open fat cells, making it easier to use fat as energy source and of course burning more fat tissue.
CARDIO AND MUSCLE GROWTH? IS IT POSSIBLE?
Yes it is possible, it can be done. A bodybuilder would cry at the idea of losing precious hard gained muscle. This is also one of those topics that also depends on your goals.
If a bodybuilder wants to gain serious mass and still maintain a balance in his cardiovascular system then it is totally possible to do it without losing muscle.
But if someone wants to gain serious mass and wants to be a professional marathon runner, then my answer is no since heavy training in the field of endurance, marathon running, and long distance running causes major muscle loss over time.
Just look at all the marathon athletes, they are scrawny not muscular. If you want to be well rounded (Meaning quite cardiovascular fit while still having decent muscle and strength), then your cardio program might cause slight/very slight muscle loss depending on how long, intense and how many times a week you do it.
But, your weight lifting program will cause you to gain more mass than is lost and you WILL get stronger. So there are basically two categories for this topic. Guys who want huge mass and dont want to lose it and guys who want some mass and strength but also want to be cardiovascular fit.
So for the guys who want to get big without losing muscle and just want to do enough cardio to stay balanced, well doing cardio three days a week for 30-45 minutes at 60-75% of your max heart rate is enough that you will maintain and get benefits for your cardio system and you also will NOT lose muscle.
So there is the good news for all the bodybuilders who get the crap scared out of them by cardio. Now for the people who want to be well rounded.
If you want to be pretty decently fit in the cardiovascular system and still be strong and have mass, then do cardio about 4-5 times a week from anywhere to 30-60 minutes at 60-85% of your max.
Remember the higher the intensity (heart rate), times exercised a week and length of exercise determines how much muscle you will lose. So if you run everyday for two hours then you lose lots of muscle over time.
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So, yes folks, cardio is important as much as weightlifting is and essential for a well balance healthy condition. It should be done while you are trying to loose weight or gain muscle mass.
Pro-Fitness Personal Trainer
What is that colorful drink in your water bottle? BCAAs!.... What are BCAAs?
July 01, 2017
Branched Chain of Command
> Serious athletes know that amino acids they get from food and supplements are critical to building muscles and other tissues in the body. However, they may not know that when it comes to building muscle, specifically, not all aminos are created equal. The branched-chain amino acids are the three most important aminos for that purpose. That's why they're crucial to people who take workouts seriously.
BCAAs play a crucial role in building a great physique or figure, but these three oower-ful aminos do far more than just support the building of lean muscle, prevent muscle breakdown and aid muscle repair. They're also a major player in boosting energy level, delaying muscle fatigue during workouts and even aiding fat loss.
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MAKE A MUSCLE
Once you leave the gym, you probably don't give much thought to how muscles actually are made. Now that you're serious about training to grow muscle and dieting to show it off, you are on a need to know basis.
Aminos acids are the major constituents of proteins and are generally described as the building blocks necessary for muscular growth. Because amino acids are the building blocks of protein and therefore muscle, they really should be considered the foundation of your entire supplement regimen. In addition, they do so much - such as boosting energy for better workouts and promoting fat burning - to help you squeeze maximal results from your efforts.
There are some 20 known aminos, including arginine, glutamine and tryptophan. the body manufactures some of the aminos it needs; those are called nonessential.
Those that cannot be synthesized by the body are considered "essential" because they must be supplied in the foods and supplements you consume.
Of all the essential aminos, the branched-chain amino acids- leucine, isoleucine and valine - have received the most attention as supplements for serious athlets because they make up approximately one-third of muscle protein. When most aminos are ingested, either individually or as whole proteins, they're absorbed by the intestines and shuttled straight to the liver, which decides what to do with them before they go to the rest of the body. If you need more energy, the liver will break down (catabolize) aminos for fuel rather than set them aside to repair and build muscle.
A study reported at the 2009 annual meeting of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that weightlifters taking BCAAs supplement in conjunction with training for eight weeks gained about twice as much muscle and strength as those taking a whye protein shake without additional BCAAs.
By - Muscle & Performance
Squat Adaptation with Kettlebell
June 1, 2017
Really amazing this Kid's progress.
Junior Funes came up to me about a month ago and just to give an idea of how far he has come, Junior used to have a really hard time in getting up from the chair without using his arms as extra support. We've spent 4 weeks doing goblet squats with the step box and now we made progress to doing standing free squats with torso rotation. We still have imbalances to work; but as you can see the proper form is on!
Straight back ✅ Feet/heels both on the ground ✅ Shoulder blades in place ✅ and Core activation on ✅= Success!
Plus, 11 lbs off ! 😁 Junior will be jacked soon 💪
Pro-Fitness Personal Trainer
FAFQ - Q- Is whole-wheat bread really healthier than white bread? How about brown rice versus white rice?
June 05, 2017
•Q- Is whole-wheat bread really healthier than white bread? How about brown rice versus white rice?
•A- You've probably read that whole-wheat bread is healthier than white bread, which is made from wheat flour. Yes, whole-wheat bread ranks lower on the glycemic and insulin indexes, but the difference isn't so great, and it becomes even smaller for white bread when it's consumed with something else- with a meal, of course, some cheese spread or even Nutella.
Whole-wheat bread can boast a higher fiber content, but this pales in comparison to that of many fruits and vegetables. You most definitely don't have to eat whole-wheat products to get enough fiber in your diet.
Granted, white bread does lose more micronutrients during processing, but those micronutrients are often reintroduced later (the bread is then called "enriched"). If anything, what makes whole-wheat bread markedly different from white bread is it's higher phytic acid content. Phytic acid binds to dietary minerals, such as calcium, iron and zinc, a protective and anti-inflammatory effect on the colon. So there's a little bit of bad and a little bit of good.
This wheat-versus-white debate applies similarly to rice. Brown rice is not especially rich in fiber or nutrients and is not so different from white rice in terms of glycemic index. Does that mean you need to avoid both kinds of rice from now on? No, since a balanced meal whit rice can easily be low on the glycemic and insulin indexes provided sufficient fat and fiber are present in other ingredients.
By- Kamal Patel, MPH, Examine.com Director
Deltoid Muscle Strain
An injured Deltoid muscle can cause pain at the front, side or back of the shoulder.
February 05, 2018
A sudden pain in the muscle at the front of the shoulder is common. Pain is reproduced when lifting the arm from your side to the front keeping it straight against resistance. Or when you lift your arm from your side up sideways against resistance if the strain is in the mid portion or top of the muscle.
Tenderness and swelling where the muscle is torn may also be visible and for very severe injuries bruising may develop. A rotator cuff strain may have similar symptoms to a deltoid strain and is probably far more common so should always be considered.
Explained
The deltoid muscle is the big muscle on the shoulder. It has three parts; the front or anterior, middle and back or posterior.
The muscle lifts the arm up sideways. The front part helps to lift the arm up forwards, known as shoulder flexion and the back part helps to lift the arm up backwards, known as shoulder extension.
Grade 1 deltoid strain
Symptoms
You might have tightness in the muscles. You may be able to use your arms properly or do press ups easily. You probably won't have much swelling. Trying to lift your arm up sideways or to the front or back of the body probably won't produce a lot of pain.
Treatment
Apply ice or a cold therapy and compression wrap for the first 24 hours (15 mins at a time) then heat. Light exercises - 4 sets of 10 repetitions 3 times a week (for example). Gradually build up the weight to strengthen the muscles. The athlete should ease down on training for a week or two but it is unlikely they need to stop unless they are getting pain.
A doctor or sports therapist can use sports massage to speed up recovery as well as ultrasound or electrical stimulation.
Grade 2 deltoid strain
Symptoms
You probably cannot use your arm properly or do press ups. You may get occasional sudden twinges of pain during activity. You may notice swelling. Pressing in causes pain. Lifting your arm up to the front, side or back against resistance causes pain.
Treatment
Ice for 3 to 5 days. See a sports injury specialist who can advise on rehabilitation. Apply heat (hot water bottle, hot baths, see a specialist for ultrasound). From day 7 do light, pain free exercises (4 sets of 10 reps three times a week). Cycling 2 to 3 times a week. Begin stretching (hold stretches for 30 secs, 5 times a day). From day 14 start to slowly get back into sports activities.
A doctor or sports therapist can use sports massage techniques to speed up recovery and advise on a rehabilitation program.
Grade 3 deltoid strain
Symptoms
You will be unable move your arm and likely to be in severe pain. Bad swelling will appear immediately. Contracting the muscle will be painful and there may be a bulge or gap in the muscle. Expect to be out of competition for 3 to twelve weeks or more.
Treatment
Week 1: You should seek medical attention immediately. P.R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate.)
Week 2: Pain free static contractions ( if it hurts don't do it). Heat with hot water bottle, hot bath or ultrasound.
Week 3: All of the above plus increase the intensity of static contractions 4 sets of 10 reps 3 times a week.
Week 4: Pain free exercises e.g. light lateral raises and rotator cuff exercises, 4 sets of 10 reps 3 times a week. Cycling 2 or 3 times a week. Start stretching exercises, hold for 30 secs, 5 times a day.
Week 5: Build up exercises, 4 sets of 6 to 8 reps 2 days a week. Gradually build up to sports specific exercises.
A doctor or sports therapist can use sports massage to speed up recovery as well as ultrasound or electrical stimulation. In some cases surgery is required. If you suspect a grade two or three injury I recommend you see a Sports Injury Specialist immediately.
HOW TO RESISTANCE TRAIN FOR WOMEN
BY: HOLLY BAXTER
March 01, 2018
The quest to achieve a leaner, more muscular physique is just as widely pursued by women of today as it is men. What I find frustrating is that even with the wealth of scientific information that demonstrates otherwise, there is still a misconception that women should workout differently than men to achieve a lean and ‘toned’ physique. While there seems to be a general understanding that resistance training is necessary to achieve this, the training volumes I typically see are much higher than necessary, achieved mostly through high rep ranges and low loads, and coupled with copious amounts of cardio.
I have used the word ‘toned’ to describe the ideal female physique rather than ‘muscular,’ despite this being the more accurate term, as the latter ends up giving most females a small complex and an accompanying mental picture that resembles a ghastly faced, fully jacked female bodybuilder with a jawline that would rival Sylvester Stallone’s. Sigh….
I am frequently asked by females if I think they should change up their training routine because they have seen a celebrity fitness model giving her two cents worth on their social media about their superior dieting strategies and training methods. What frustrates me is that many of these well-known fitness people have started out as ordinary fitness enthusiasts with regular day jobs. By sharing their success in various fitness competitions, they have gained rather large followings and recognition amongst the fitness community. While not always the case, a majority of these fitness celebrities do not have any formal degree in exercise science or nutrition, perhaps a personal training certification at most, and their dietary recommendations and training advice are largely based on personal experience and lack any scientific validation.
I follow less than a few hundred people on my social media. Those I do follow are typically providing insightful information, and there are a few I follow simply for motivation or because frankly, they are just hot! But every time I see someone sharing his or her weight loss success to promote the use of a sponsor’s latest ‘fat burner’ or a ‘carb blocker,’ I cringe. If these people had even a basic understanding about human physiology and anatomy, or the fundamentals of biochemistry and energy metabolism, they would realize these products have no scientific merit. Sigh…
What is the Best way to Train for Females?
Allow me to let you in on a secret. The key to achieving a lean physique is as simple as having a regimented resistance training program. This is simple in theory, but often difficult in implementation.
There is nothing magical about the exercises you see making rounds on social media. The use of resistance bands, adding in forced reps, supersets and drop sets are all just tools in the toolbox that can enhance one or several mechanisms to elicit muscle hypertrophy. [Insert here; fit chicks using machines for everything but their intended purpose]. Smile.
Muscle hypertrophy can be attained through a wide range of resistance training programs. In Fact, the principle of specificity, which states that adaptations are specific to the nature of the applied stimulus, dictates that some programs will promote greater hypertrophy than others. Our skeletal muscle is post mitotic, meaning it is not made to turnover or undergo significant cell replacement like other tissues within the body. Thus, an efficient method is required for cells to repair and maintain their mass and avoid cell death. This is known as skeletal muscle apoptosis. This maintenance of the tissue is carried out through the dynamic balance between muscle protein synthesis and degradation. Muscle hypertrophy occurs when protein synthesis exceeds protein breakdown. Sadly, cardiovascular exercise such as walking (cough mum), running, swimming, body weight exercises, and circuits will not initiate any pathways leading to any significant amount of muscle hypertrophy.
Of course, factors such as age, gender and genetics play a key role in how well one can induce muscle Hypertrophy. However, it is simply the consistent mechanical overloading, as well as mechanical tension and metabolic stress, that mediate the hypertrophic response for toned and shapely legs, a firm butt and a strong, flat stomach.
Is it Possible to Build Muscle with Female Hormones?
Resistance training has been shown to elevate certain hormone concentrations such as growth hormone, testosterone, and IGF-1, which are hypothesized to drive muscle hypertrophy. Since females naturally have lower levels of testosterone, it is alleged that women are not capable of achieving the same outcomes from resistance training as males and should therefore train differently [3].
While these hormones are thought to be anabolic during puberty, as well as when administered at supra physiological exogenous doses, West DW (2010) and others [4] show that the transient rise in concentration of these systemic hormones in a post resistance training setting are not the driver for muscle hypertrophy. Instead, it is the acute activation of stress -imposed signaling to proteins and other local mechanisms, combined with sufficient dietary intakes of protein and specific amino acids, that is more reflective of muscle protein synthesis and has the potential to increase muscle mass in both males and females.
What is the Ideal Volume when it comes to Increasing Muscle for Females?
When it comes to optimal training methods for skeletal muscle hypertrophy, there are specific rep ranges and mechanical loads required for hypertrophy. I am often asked how many sets and reps will yield the best results. My first recommendation is to ensure you follow a training program. While those who are new to resistance training can get by without a structured program, someone with more experience will not be able to continue this almost linear strength adaptation and progression without a more carefully planned training program. Strength adaptations for someone who is new to resistance training are much greater due to neurological adaptations taking place when resistance training is initiated, aka ‘newbie gainz.’ For an experienced, resistance-trained athlete, there is a blunted training response and less capacity for adaptation since he or she is regularly exposed to the stimulus of RT [5][6]. The number of people that contact me and want to learn more about nutrition, yet don’t follow a training program, actually amazes me. If you don’t record your workouts, how do you know your volume?
Volume = Reps x Sets x Weight
If your training volume is not consistent from week to week, how can you progressively overload the muscle? Progressive overload is a hallmark of resistance training and the main driver for continued adaptation and progression. For example, let’s say one week your squat volume was 2640kg (i.e. 4 sets of 6 reps at 110kg), and the next week you change your workout and exercises performed and your new squat volume is much less (i.e. 3 sets of 12 at 70kg = 2520kg). Not only will you fail to elicit the progressive overload necessary to continue seeing change and increasing muscle mass, you will also have no way of determining if your average weekly energy expenditure is consistent. This becomes incredibly important for the more experienced person looking to refine his or her body composition and minimize body fat.
Is training with high reps at low loads more superior for muscle hypertrophy than low reps at high load? Volume matched powerlifting training programs and body building programs have been shown to elicit a comparable stimulus for the accretion of skeletal muscle mass when exercises are performed until volitional failure . If you are not well versed in powerlifting, a powerlifting program is designed with the sole intention of increasing strength, and utilizes lower rep ranges at much higher loads, i.e. 5 sets of 5 rep max.
Body building programs are designed for enhancing physical appearance and increasing muscularity while minimizing body fat. Typically, bodybuilding programs use higher rep ranges at lighter loads i.e. 3 sets of 8 – 15 reps.
The significant difference between these two training methods is that power lifting programs yield more significant strength gains, specifically for one rep max efforts, than do volume matched bodybuilding programs [7]. So why do more reps if doing less reps with more weight yield the same muscle growth if volume is matched? Because it takes many more sets. For example, in Schoenfeld et al. the powerlifting group had to do 7 sets of 3 to match the volume performed by the ‘bodybuilding group’ which performed 3 sets of 10. Thus, higher reps are a more efficient way to increase volume. I recommend using both if you’d like to gain strength and increase muscle mass.
Is cardio important and how much should I do?
Cardio is great for cardiovascular fitness. When you have a good base level of fitness, any kind of exercise you do is going to feel much easier. When it comes to balancing time commitments against health and physique benefits, exercising at a high intensities (HIT) or with intervals of high intensity, is beneficial. HIIT of any nature will result in greater energy expenditure than time equated low intensiveness, continuous exercise, i.e. walking or steady state running [1].
I personally like to include 90 minutes of HIIT cardio every week (total for the week) to retain a high level of fitness. I like the challenge of a HIIT workout, and it also gives me the mental break I need from resistance training. Too much of anything gets tedious. Cardiovascular-type activity is one way to remain in a calorie deficit, but understand that it is not absolutely necessary to achieve a leaner physique or reduce body fat.
A caloric deficit can be created through diet alone, however, by adding in cardiovascular activity, we can increase this deficit. The amount of cardio necessary to create a caloric deficit is highly individual and would be determined by individual metabolic rate, the amount of body fat to lose, and the desired weight loss time frame.
To lose weight through dieting alone, calories would need to be far more restricted in order to achieve the same caloric deficit. Not only would this limit your food choices, but it would likely mean much smaller portion sizes and potentially reduced meal frequency. In my opinion, if you want to be able to eat more reasonably during a dieting phase, add in some additional cardio. If the amount of activity you need to undertake to achieve weight loss feels excessive (>10 hours of resistance training and cardio per week combined), then it might be time to seek expert nutritional advice for metabolic correction.
In summary, resistance training is a great way for both men AND women to build muscle mass. While women fret about becoming ‘bulky,’ it’s worth noting that body fat is what makes one appear bulky, not muscle. Muscle makes a woman look toned because it also proportionately decreases body fat. For example, if someone has 10 kg fat and 50 kg lean mass, he or she will look much leaner than someone who has 10 kg fat and 40 kg lean mass as body fat percentage will be lower. For the most part, it is very difficult for women to look ‘bulky’ from having too much muscle unless they are on illegal anabolic steroids OR they are part of the 0.01% of the female population that builds muscle very easily. In this case, the answer of not getting bulky is simple: don’t resistance train at high volumes and don’t train to failure. For the rest of you ladies, enjoy the heavy weights and the muscle that comes with it. GIRL POWER!
References
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T, Shields et al, 2012. Effects of aerobic and/or resistance training on body mass and fat mass in overweight or obese adults. Journal of Applied Physiology. Vol113(12):p1831–1837.
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E, Sanal et al, 2013. Effects of aerobic or combined aerobic resistance exercise on body
composition in overweight and obese adults: gender differences. A randomized intervention
study. European Journal Physiology & Rehabilitation Medicine.Vol49(1): 2013:1-11. -
D, West, et al 2010. Human exercise-mediated skeletal muscle hypertrophy is an intrinsic
process. International Journal of Biochemistry and cell biology. 2010; BC-3266 -
RW, Morton, et al 2016. Neither load nor systemic hormones determine resistance training-
mediated hypertrophy or strength gains in resistance-trained young men. Journal of applied
physiology. Vol121(1),2016:129-138 -
PL, Kim, et al 2005. Fasted-state skeletal muscle protein synthesis after resistance exercise is altered with training. Journal of Physiology. Vol568:2005;283-290.
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JE, Tang, et al, 2008.Resistance training alters the response of fed state mixed muscle protein synthesis in young men. American Journal Physiology Regulatory Integration Comparative
Physiology. Vol294: 2008: R172-R178. -
B, Schoenfeld, et al 2014. Effects of Different Volume-Equated Resistance Training Loading
Strategies on Muscular Adaptations in Well-Trained Men. Journal of Strength & Conditioning
Research: Vol28(10),2014;p2909–2918
Training the Calves
Lyle McDonald
April 01, 2018
One all of the body parts that bodybuilder types want to grow, calves have traditionally been one of the most difficult. In fact, in the field, calves are often thought to be one of the most genetic muscle groups, you either have them or don’t have them.
And, for reasons you’ll see below, there is certainly an element of truth to that. Individuals with great calves often don’t train them at all while others toil away (sort of) at training their calves with little to show for it.
What’s going on?
Well, a number of things. In this article, I want to look first at some of the underlying physiology of the calves as well as examining why the calves seem to be so resistant to growth. Then I want to look at common training errors that simply contribute to the problem.
Calf Anatomy and Fiber Typing
The muscle group referred to as the calves actually include several muscles although most only focus on two: the gastrocnemius and the soleus. The primary function of these muscles is to act as plantar flexors (pointing the toe) although the gastroc also has very weak knee flexion activity (which is why some people will catch calf cramps on leg curl type movements).
This is also why doing calf work with the knee bent (e.g. seated calf raise) tends to work the soleus preferentially, since the gastroc crosses the knee, if the knee is bent, the gastroc can’t contribute as significantly to force output. Put differently, if you do a straight legged calf movement, both the gastroc and soleus get trained, if you do bent-knee work, only the soleus really works.
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the soleus essentially lies ‘underneath’ the gastroc but both give the calf its distinctive diamond like shape (when developed). As I sort of alluded to above, the soleus doesn’t cross the knee, the gastroc does (why it can function as a weak knee flexor).
Many people seem to still think that the calf is a primarily slow twitch muscle but this is incorrect. The gastroc is actually a fast twitch muscle and is involved in explosive type movements. This is actually part of what is colloquially referred to as Black Man’s Calf Syndrome.
Black bodybuilders have commonly been completely unable to develop calves and the function of the calves is part of why. High/short calves are excellent for jumping and sprinting but have little potential for growth, they are simply too short. Black bodybuilders (or white bodybuilders for that matter) who have a short/high gastroc with a long tendon will make fantastic jumpers and sprinters; but great calves they will never have.
In any case, the soleus is predominantly a slow twitch muscle as it is more involved in overall stability (what rehab types often call a tonic muscle) of the ankle complex. The difference in fiber type between the gastroc and soleus has implications for training that I’ll get to at the end.
I really should note another issue with the calves and that has to do with the very tiny lever arm of the Achilles tendon relative to the ankle (the axis of rotation). Because of the specific anatomy of the calves, a rather small muscle can actually generate a massive force (technically: torque) around the ankle. This is one reason that many people can use such absolute massive amounts of weight on calf work (in addition to something I’m going to talk about below).
So Why are the Calves So Stubborn?
I haven’t honestly ever seen anything to suggest that the calves are genetically resistant or prone to muscle growth but there is one lesser well known biological fact about calves that contributes to the difficulty in making small calves into big cows (see what I did there?).
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assuming that everybody reading this knows or has heard of androgen receptors (AR). The AR is what testosterone and related molecules bind to and one of the effects is to stimulate protein synthesis. In men, there is a distinctive pattern of AR whereby there is a higher AR density in the upper body (especially the traps and shoulder girdle which is why steroid users tend to have their shoulders BLOW up when they take anabolics) decreasing as you move down the body. If you think about it, this makes sense, since the typical wide shouldered v-shape is sort of the ideal ‘male’ physique, and we evolved like this for a reason.
By the time you get to the calves, the AR density is very low. So even if you train the absolute hell out of them they simply don’t get the same training effect because testosterone can’t exert as much of an effect. Even the legs of most men don’t have the same androgen receptor density as the upper body; yes, I’ve just given you guys an excuse for chicken leg syndrome.
On this note, my friend and altogether too smart guy Bryan Haycock once hypothesized to me that he thought that modern bodybuilders had better legs and calves than guys of old due to their essentially year round anabolic use. By constantly bombarding even the low AR number of the legs and calves with constant dosing (not to mention that studies show that steroids actually upregulate the AR number), he felt that this contributes to better leg size (compare for example, the size of Lee Haney’s legs to that of Arnold in his prime, despite all that squatting with logs, Arnold had proportionally smaller legs compared to his upper body).
In any case, this is a big part of the reason that the calves are so hard to develop. I’d note, and this is purely an empirical observation on my part, that some people seem to have somewhat reversed patterns whereby AR density seems to be higher in the lower body and lesser in the upper body. These folks develop legs easily but the upper body never seems to catch up. Women, especially those carrying more weight seem to have this happen but I’ve seen it in men too. Again, no research on this, just an observation over the years.
What We can Learn from Kangaroos
There’s another aspect of calf function that most ignore but that I think contributes massively to most people’s complete inability to develop their calves. Everyone reading this at some point been in the weight room and seen the absolute skinniest of folks bouncing enormous amounts of weight on calf exercises without appearing to be working very hard. They couldn’t do this on any other exercise, did you ever wonder what was going on?
To understand what I’m going to explain, I need to talk about elastic tissue and how it stores and recoils energy. Tissues like tendons are termed elastic tissue (meaning that they can stretch/deform and come back to normal afterwards), if you load them quickly (e.g. through a fast eccentric), they actually store energy which you can then get returned to you if you move quickly enough. This is part of why it’s always easier to bench out of a bounce than with a pause (there are other reasons that aren’t relevant here). So just remember that: elastic tissues can store energy and return it if you move quickly enough.
And that brings us to kangaroos. Ever seen a kangaroo hop, ever notice how bouncy they are? As it turns out, when kangaroos hop for distance, they do it in a very certain frequency. And research has shown that this frequency allows them to load the tendon on the back of their leg to get a massive amount of elastic recoil; this allows them to keep going and going without using much muscular energy. It’s massively efficient because tendons don’t really get tired.
Do you see where I’m going with this yet? The human Achilles tendon, the elastic tissue connective the calves to the bottom of the foot works similarly (not to nearly the magnitude of the kangaroo mind you). This is an adaptation for human locomotion, when you walk and the shin moves forwards, it loads the Achilles which gives you a bit of energy return, it saves energy for walking and running
Quite in fact, running shoes have tried to build mechanical versions of this, spring type cushions in the heel of shoes that return energy when you run so that less muscular energy is required.
What do you think is happening when people do bouncy bouncy calf work? That’s right, they are basically using the elastic energy return potential of their calves to move enormous amounts of weight without performing much muscular work; and since the combination of tension and work is what stimulates growth…biology isn’t the only reason most people’s calves don’t grow. Most people just train them terribly.
I honestly think this is where the idea of doing massively high reps on calves came from: when you bounce, you use such a tiny amount of muscular effort with each rep that you have to do hundreds of reps to get the muscle to feel anything at all.
Of course, there’s a much easier solution; you’ve probably guessed what it is but this brings me to the next section: how to train the calves.
How to Train the Calves
First, let’s sum up what I’ve covered:
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The gastroc is primarily a fast-twitch muscle
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The soleus is primarily a slow-twitch muscle
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If you do calf work with straight legs, you work both the gastroc and soleus
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If you do calf work with bent legs, you work only the soleus
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When you bounce, the Achilles tendon does much, if not most of the work and the calf does little
I didn’t mention the androgen receptor density thing because, short of taking steroids year round, there’s nothing you can do to control that. But with proper training, we can take all of the above into account.
First, here’s my standard go-to calf routine.
A straight legged calf exercise: 5 sets of 5 done in the following fashion.
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a dead 2 second pause, explode up, squeeze for 1 second at the top, 3 second eccentric (for tempo freaks, this would be written X/1/3/2: explosive concentric, 1 second squeeze at the top, 3 second negative, 2 second pause at the bottom). Take 3 minutes between sets and GO HEAVY. When you get all 5 sets of 5, add weight at the next workout. The gastroc is fast twitch, it responds to heavy loads. The explosive concentric out of the pause will maximize tension, the squeeze makes sure that you’re controlling the weight, the slow eccentric is critical for growth. Note: be careful on the pause, don’t overstretch the calves or you can give yourself plantar fasciitis. But don’t cut range of motion either. You want some stretch on the calves, don’t try to drop your heels as far as possible.
Follow that up with:
A bent-knee calf raise: 3-4 sets of 8-10 done in the following fashion.
From a 2 second pause, take 2 seconds to squeeze the weight up, brief pause at the top, 2 second eccentric (so 2/1/2/2). 60-90 seconds rest and use as much weight as you can in good form, you may have to drop weight after each set due to fatigue. Being slow-twitch, the soleus will respond to longer sets and more of a fatigue stimulus. This should hurt like hell.
Putting it a little more clearly:
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Bent knee calf raise: 3-4X8-10/60-90″ rest on a 2/1/2/2 tempo.
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Straight leg calf raise: 5X5/3′ rest on a 2/1/3/2 tempo
That’s it, do the above twice per week (once every 5 days if you have poorer recovery) either as specialization or after legs. Oh yeah, and you need to be gaining weight to grow calves (or any body part). You’re not going to build muscle out of thin air and wishful thinking and if you’re not gaining weight while doing the above, you won’t grow anything.
Do the above for an 8 week cycle, take the first 2 weeks sub-maximally (you won’t be able to walk the first week if this is your first time dead pausing calf work) and then push the weights as much as you can (especially on the heavy sets). After 8 weeks, drop the weight for 2 weeks and either hit it again or move on to something else.
I can’t guarantee that the above will turn your piddle calves into cows but compared to how 99% of people train calves, the above coupled with a slight caloric surplus can only help.
How Many Calories Should I Eat?
Marco A. Roque
May 01, 2018
Every day you hear someone wondering how much they should be eating in order to lose weight or gain weight. There are many formulas and/or ways you can figure that out, but the most important is that you stick to one formula when you do it to not misleading your numbers.
Here is the break down of a very, very simple and basic way of doing it just by knowing your body weight.:
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Step- Weight yourself, (preferably first thing in the morning because it will be your “dry” body weight, no weight from food, water, and etc.)
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Step- If you are a person whose goal is to Lose Weight, you will then multiply your currently body weight for 9 or 10 which will be equals your total daily calories. Let’s put this into an example:
Dry Body Weight x (9 or 10) = Total Calories
A female whose body weight is 160 lbs, would look like this:
160 x 9 = 1,440 calories (Lower End)
160 x 10 = 1,600 calories (High End)
A Male whose body weight is 220 lbs, would look like this:
220 x 9 = 1,980 calories (Lower End)
220 x 10 = 2,200 calories (High End)
3. Step- Now that you had figured out your total calories you can adjust your macros as needed.
Now let’s say your goal is to Gain Weight:
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Step- Weight yourself, (preferably first thing in the morning because it will be your “dry” body weight, no weight from food, water, and etc.)
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Step- In order to Gain Weight, you will then multiply your currently body weight for 12 or 14 which will be equals your total daily calories. Let’s put this into an example:
Dry Body Weight x (12 or 14) = Total Calories
A female whose body weight is 105 lbs, would look like this:
105 x 12 = 1,260 calories (Lower End)
105 x 14 = 1,470 calories (High End)
A Male whose body weight is 160 lbs, would look like this:
160 x 12 = 1,920 calories (Lower End)
160 x 14 = 2,240 calories (High End)
3. Step- Now that you had figured out your total calories you can adjust your macros as needed.
Keep in mind that by all means this is not a specific way to calculate your calorie needs according to your sports specific needs. I’m going to say it again, THIS IS NOT a specific way to calculate your calorie needs according to your sports specific needs. Alterations might be required depending on individual’s biological individuality, training, and daily life activities.
7 Reasons Why You're Not Burning Fat
The road to hell is paved with good intentions, right? In the battle to lose weight, any one of these common errors could be your undoing.
Have you been watching every calorie, denying yourself all the things you love to eat the most—and are still not seeing any results? If you've been dieting and following your plan to the letter but haven't seen that scale budge, it's time to take a closer look at your approach.
Sometimes little issues that pop up along the way can snowball into big problems if you don't deal with them right away. Are any of the following issues twisting up your diet? If so, straighten them out so you can start seeing those results you're looking for.
1. You've Been Dieting For Far Too Long
When was the last time you left the table feeling truly satisfied after a meal? If you always have that gnawing feeling of hunger, something must change.
The first reason you may not be burning fat like you'd hoped might be that you've simply been dieting too long. Prolonged dieting can put you in a reduced-calorie state. This starvation mode slows your metabolism. Sure, you're consuming fewer calories, but you're also burning fewer, which means you're not making any progress.
If this sounds like you, take a break. Seriously! Don't be afraid to take a breather for 2-4 weeks and stop worrying about calories-in versus calories-out. You're just taking one step back so you can keep seeing results in the long run.
2. Your Measurements Of Your Meals Are Off
Perhaps the most common reason people don't lose the weight is because they simply aren't measuring their food correctly.
You're preparing your nightly pre-bed snack. You stick your spoon into the peanut butter jar and drop a generous dollop into your Greek yogurt. But wait. How much peanut butter was on that spoon? If you've been estimating it to be about one tablespoon, yet it's closer to two, you've just added 80-100 calories to your diet. And you wonder why your diet isn't working!Peanut butter is a good example because it's calorie dense and you don't usually get out the measuring spoons for a little dab of it. Make the same mistake with other high-calorie foods such as steak, salmon, pasta, or nuts, and it's easy to see why the pounds seem to keep sticking around.
3. You're Falling Off Your Plan On The Weekends
How many times have you heard someone say that they're faithful to their diet…during the week? Come the weekend, these same rigorous dieters fall off the wagon—hard. The weekend is almost 30 percent of your total week. If you follow your diet only 70 percent of the time, it's no wonder you aren't seeing the losses you're after.
When it comes to percentages, try the 90/10 rule instead: Follow your diet 90 percent of the time, then relax and have fun for the remaining 10 percent. This is a great rule to follow. It allows you to indulge a little, but helps you stay mainly on the right path.
You don't see people following a 70/30 rule because spending 30 percent of your time ignoring your diet and having "fun" is never going to produce results. Be real with yourself about how closely you are following your diet plan. It's not enough to just follow it to the letter during the week. Weekends count, too.
4. You're Not Adjusting Your Program As You Go
People also fail to see results because they don't adjust their program as they progress. They start their diet plan, see great results, and just keep doing what they did at the start, expecting more of the same results to follow. Sadly, it doesn't always work like that. Your body changes in response to your plan, so your plan needs to change, too.
The leaner you are, the more your body wants to slip into that starvation mode and conserve fuel. As counter intuitive as it sounds, consuming more carbs can help you avoid that reaction. Increasing your carb intake can also optimize your insulin sensitivity and release of the hormone leptin, which helps maintain body weight.
5. You Hit The Gym To Burn Calories
To lose weight, you must work out hard, right? There's nothing wrong with heading to the gym with the sole purpose of burning calories—unless you get too fixated on this one indicator. If you just want to burn calories, you're far more likely to hop on the cardio machines the entire time, simply because these machines spit out a calorie-burn number, making it easy to track your progress.
Barbells offer no such calorie numbers, even though lifting can produce the most significant changes to your body. Not only does lifting help you burn fat overall, it also helps reshape your body.
That's why at least 70 percent of your workout should be spent lifting weights. Cardio exercises are great, but they should be the icing on the cake, something to improve the results produced by strength training. Don't rely on cardio alone to put yourself in a calorie deficit.
For best results, stack your workout exercises back to back, resting as little as possible in between them. A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research notes that low-rest training increases your post-workout calorie burn more than conventional training does.
6. Your Workouts Are Running You Into The Ground
When you hit the gym, you might think going pedal to the metal is a good thing. Working hard in the gym isn't bad, per se, but watch how this max-energy output influences the other 23 hours of your day.
Too many people, especially those starting out, will work as hard as they can during their workouts, only to fall back into a very sedentary lifestyle the rest of the time. Why? Because they're exhausted from the workout!
All the little bits of activity you do during the day can play a huge role in getting your total daily calorie burn up higher. If you're too tired to go for a walk, do some house cleaning or shoot hoops with the kids. Your workout might be reducing, rather than increasing, the number of calories you burn each day.
Let's say, for example, that you do a hard, but not exhausting, workout that burns 300 calories. That should leave you with enough energy to burn maybe an additional 400 calories over the rest of the day. Your net total calorie burn would equal 700.
Now let's say you do an exhausting workout that burns 500 calories. It's so exhausting, in fact, that you spend the rest of the day on the sofa. Your additional calorie burn? Fifty. So, your grand total for the day is only 550 calories.
Long story short: If you exercise too hard, you can reduce your ability to lose weight.
7. The Juice Bar Is Your Post-Workout Hangout
Finally, beware of this common post-workout mistake: Treating yourself to a big snack after a big workout. Whether you snack or not after exercising, you will retain all the strength and cardiovascular improvements you gained during that workout session. But, if you follow it with a big smoothie or a bagel with cream cheese, you can end up calorie neutral after all your sweat and hard labor.
You need those carbs post-workout. Just remember that those calories count. You absolutely do want to refuel post-workout, just don't consume another 400 calories in the process.
By Shannon Clark
References
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Klok, M. D., Jakobsdottir, S., & Drent, M. L. (2007). The role of leptin and ghrelin in the regulation of food intake and body weight in humans: a review. Obesity Reviews, 8(1), 21-34. Da Silva, Rodrigo Lavinas, Michel Arias
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Da Silva, R. L., Brentano, M. A., & Kruel, L. F. M. (2010). Effects of different strength training methods on postexercise energetic expenditure. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 24(8), 2255-2260.
3 Proven Habits That Keep the Fat Off
Losing fat is simple. Staying lean is difficult.
Only about 10 percent of people are able to do it. Here's what they have in common.
Chubby, Lean, and Chubby Again
August 01, 2018
Losing fat is really pretty simple. Most overly fat people know exactly what's making them fat. Making the changes necessary can be tough of course, but there's something even tougher: keeping the fat off once you lose it. About 90 percent of people who lose weight gain it all back.
So what do those who succeed – that 10 percent who lose their chub and keep it off – have in common? The National Weight Control Registry has given us some clues.
The NWCR is a database that tracks 5,000 people who've lost 30 pounds or more and kept it off for at least a year.
Here's what the success stories have in common:
1 – They're tinkerers.
They go through a lot of trial and error. Most importantly, they learn from their failures according to James Hill, director of the Center for Human Nutrition.
In short, they try something, fail, modify, then try again until they build their own personalized and sustainable plan. Seems obvious, but that's not how most people approach fat loss. They instead adopt specific "brand name" plans, which can be a good start. But when they fall off the wagon, they don't tweak the plan. Instead they quit trying altogether, often claiming "that diet didn't work."
Let's set something straight: all diets work if calories are low enough and/or activity is high enough. But not all diets are healthy and most aren't sustainable. They do lead to fat loss, but it's your responsibility to make the transition from "dieting" to everyday healthy and enjoyable eating. Your initial diet plan can't do that for you.
People who lose fat and keep it off have figured this out. They adapt, experiment, and think for themselves.
2 – They eat breakfast.
The vast majority of the NWCR dieters eat breakfast. T Nation has covered the importance of breakfast many times, but here's something most people don't think about: breakfast eaters get more overall exercise and daily movement (NEPA or non-exercise physical activity) than those who don't eat breakfast.
This makes sense. If your body senses that you're in a low-energy or unfed state, well, you're going to unconsciously not move around as much outside of the gym. That inactivity adds up in the long term.
3 – They don't have cheat meals.
Those who lose a significant amount of fat and keep it off skip the weekend and holiday splurges. If you look at junk food as an addiction – and biochemically it really is – then this makes sense. The splurges reset the bad eating habits and restart the cravings.
After all, the recovering drug addict doesn't indulge in his favorite drug because it's his birthday, and he doesn't get wasted on the weekend as a reward for "being good" all week.
Those who struggle with staying lean should adopt the same mindset to keep the fat off.
10 Exercises You Can Do at Home or While Traveling
September 01, 2018
Kneeling Push Ups
Too easy for you? Put your legs straight and rep it up!
3x15
Kneeling Push Ups
Too easy for you? Put your legs straight and rep it up!
3x15
Bodyweight Squats
Add more reps if can't get enough!
3x25
Lower Back Extension
Weak Lower Back? "Get down to business!"
4/12
Lower Back Extension
Weak Lower Back? "Get down to business!"
4/12
Lower Back Extension
Weak Lower Back? "Get down to business!"
4/12
Bird Dog
Keep the entire core tight!
4/12
Planks
The longest 40 seconds of your life. Ha!
4x of 40 seconds each position.
Lunges
Lunge around!
4x20 for each leg
Get your best shoes and run outside in a moderate to easy pace for 30 minutes.
TRY ME!
Split your time, and jump for 5 minutes ON and 1 minute OFF, Six times= 30 minutes.
GET SESSY!
Pick Your Cardio
Up & Down stairs on your own pace for 30 minutes.
YOU KNOW YOU CAN DO IT!
Fast Walk for 60 minutes!
Easy Peasy!
10 TIPS TO DEAL WITH THE HOLIDAY WEIGHT GAIN
November 01, 2018
1. Make Better Bad Choices
I forget who I stole this idea from offhand but it’s nothing new. The simple fact, and I’ll come back to this in point 10, is that many people fall into the trap of “If I’m going to eat junk, I might as well jam as much of the worst stuff I can down my food hole.” That’s silly.
Instead, try to make better bad choices. Limit portions (you know that you don’t really NEED three pieces of cake to be satisfied). Pick the lower calorie or lower fat/high-carb stuff at the dessert table. People training hard can handle an influx of carbs acutely better than fat so pick that stuff. Maybe have a little bit of two or three different desserts, just get a taste and move on. You get the idea.
2. Take a Lowered Fat/Calorie Dessert or Dish to the Party
Whether a work party or holiday dinner, it’s not uncommon for people to bring their own thing to add to the food table. So make something that you’ve de-fatted or lowered in calories, there are zillions of recipes out there. And, please, I’m not talking about black bean ‘cake’ that you think tastes like the real thing.
Find a happy medium between the high-sugar/high-fat stuff and clean eating. Most American desserts have about twice the sugar and butter that they usually need and, who knows, you might even convert someone into realizing that they can eat sweets without it having to be 1000 calories per piece.
3. Train with a Bit Higher Volume Prior to the Event
One of the best ways to increase the ‘sink’ for incoming calories is to deplete muscle glycogen. When you do that by using a higher volume (more sets, higher reps) of training, not only do you increase fat oxidation, you give incoming carbs somewhere to go for storage instead of being used for energy.
You can simply bump up your volume a bit in the days before a specific event where you know there will be junk. Even a heavy training session on the day of the party can be beneficial here. And, bonus, you’ll be pumped at the party. Great for pulling that hot co-worker so you can both be really uncomfortable the next day at the water cooler.
Train in a nice hypertrophy zone (get about 40 reps per muscle group) and you’ll increase protein synthesis so that incoming calories will support growth. Training also tends to acutely blunt hunger so if you train right before the party, you’ll be less likely to overeat. Well, unless you’re a typically dis-inhibited eater who falls into the trap of “I trained, I deserve 10 pieces of fudge.”
4. Start with Lots of Lean Protein and Vegetables Before Hitting the Dessert Table
This one is for the body obsessed and dieters alike. Lean protein has the highest short-term satiating power (this means it keeps you full) and the high-bulk of vegetables helps to fill your stomach which also sends a fullness signal. I’ve yet to be at a holiday party that didn’t have a vegetable plate (limit the high-fat dip) or plate of cold cuts. Load up on that to get some fullness going before you hit the desserts. You won’t be as hungry and, assuming you don’t like eating yourself sick, this alone will do damage control.
5. Have a High-Protein Snack with some Vegetables or Fruit about 30′ Beforehand
If you’re in a situation where Number 4 won’t work or won’t be available, have a small snack before the party or dinner. Some lean protein, veggies and fruit about 30 minutes will give you a feeling of fullness and help to limit over consumption of ‘junk’ at the party.
6. Consider Intermittent Fasting on the Day of the Event
Intermittent Fasting (IF’ing) is a recent dietary approach that involves not eating for 14-18 hours per day and then either having an ‘eat period’ of roughly 4-6 hour or even a single meal. There’s some interesting research on it and I’ll discuss it at a later date on the site. But it’s one good way to deal with holiday parties.
Know that you’ve got a 7pm dinner party where there will be lots of yummy food? Try IF’ing (or only have small meals of lean protein and veggies) most of the day. Unless you go completely berserk, you’ll be unlikely to exceed your entirely daily caloric requirement in the one meal. If you can train beforehand, even better.
7. Consider a Short Mini-Diet in the Days Before the Event
Let’s say you have an event or two coming up on the weekend and you know that there will be lots of food and you may have control issues. Well, consider doing a short, possibly hardcore diet in the days before. My Diet approach can actually help you. Call it pro-active damage control.
8. Ok, I Was Actually Kidding in the Introduction About the Tupperware
Let’s face it, you know that nothing tastes as good as lean feels, you know how good discipline feels, you know that you’re better than all of those weak willed candy and dessert eaters; you read Chris Shugart’s insane ramblings and actually take his bullshit seriously. You know the truth. You know you’re better than them and 50 years from now when you’re old and decrepit, you’ll know that it was worth it, sticking to your diet 365 days a year and never actually enjoying a moment of life.
So you go ahead and take your Tupperware with chicken breast, broccoli and sweet potato and eat it while everyone else around you actually gets some joy out of life and you feel miserable, alone, deprived and isolated. Know deep down that you’re not only physically superior but also morally superior.
No, really, I’m seriously kidding about this, don’t do it. If you do, I hope someone pins you to the ground and force feeds you fudge until you throw up. Just because you’re an asshole.
9. Stay Off the Damn Scale
No matter what happens, folks often see the scale spike up after a big party; this is especially true after Thanksgiving. The typical carb-depleted trainee is especially prone to this; the high-carb intake of your typical holiday event along with extra sodium both can jack up scale weight a bit. But you know deep down it’s not really fat. The simple fact is that, unless you go nuts, you can’t eat enough in a single meal to put on appreciable fat. It’s only water and it’ll come right back off in a few days.
But stay off the scale anyhow.
10. Don’t Be Your Own Worst Enemy
This goes back to what I alluded to in point 1, a lot of people fall into a dreadful trap over the holidays, figuring that if they’ve eaten a little bit of junk food, clearly they’ve blown it and might as well retire to the corner with the entire tray of fudge and eat themselves sick.
Sound familiar? Yeah I thought it might. The above is amazingly prevalent and exceedingly destructive. Extremely rigid dieters fall into a trap where they let events such as the holidays become a problem because of their own psychology. They figure that one piece of dessert has ruined all of their hard efforts so they might as well eat ALL the dessert. Which is, of course, nonsense. Say that piece of dessert has a few hundred calories, or say 500 calories. In the context of a weekly plan that is calorie controlled with training, that’s nothing.
Unless the person lets it become something. They figure 500 calories is the end of the world and eat an additional 5000 calories. Instead of just taking it in stride and realizing that it’s no big deal, they make it a big deal with their own reaction.
Simply, don’t do that. Realize that there is only so much damage you can do in the short-term. Apply the other strategies in this article and realize, at the end of the day, what you did for one meal that week simply doesn’t matter if the rest of the week was fine. Not unless you make it.
And that’s that, 10 strategies I hope will help you to enjoy the holidays. Eat a piece of cake for me.
PRO-FITNESS PERSONAL TRAINER
DID YOU KNOW?
DANGERS OF QUICK WEIGHT LOSS
December 1, 2018
From one of many...
Quick weight loss might seem like a good goal, but it can actually be detrimental to your health. Easy weight loss is also easier to gain back, whereas weight that you lose slowly and steadily is more likely to stay off. Take a moment to learn key facts about the dangers of quick weight loss.
QUICK WEIGHT LOSS USUALLY DOESN'T MEAN PERMANENT CHANGE
Mayo Clinic preventive medicine specialist Donald Hensrud, M.D., cautions that fast weight loss is usually the result of lifestyle changes that are unsustainable beyond the short term. You might be able to lose weight fast by going into diet and exercise overkill, but your body can't keep it up indefinitely — and since you haven't trained yourself to adapt to permanent lifestyle changes, you are much more likely to revert to your old habits and gain back all of that quickly lost weight.
YOU MAY NOT BE LOSING FAT
Another danger of losing weight too quickly, as Dr. Hensrud points out, is that you are probably not losing just fat. A normal, healthy rate of weight loss is one to two pounds per week. Because it's difficult for your body to burn large numbers of fat calories in a short amount of time, the weight you lose could be made up of water or muscle (lean tissue).
RAPID WEIGHT LOSS HAS MANY POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECTS
A variety of serious conditions are associated with fast weight loss. According to WebMD, these include imbalances of electrolytes, malnutrition, gallstones and dehydration. Fatigue, irritability, headaches, constipation, dizziness, irregular menstruation, loss of muscle and loss of hair are other potential side effects.
QUICK WEIGHT LOSS PILLS MAY CONTAIN DANGEROUS INGREDIENTS
In 2009, the FDA warned that it had discovered 72 over-the-counter weight loss products that could potentially compromise consumers' health. Among the ingredients in these 72 products were a number of unreported pharmaceuticals, including rimonabant, a drug not approved for use in the U.S., and the anti-seizure medication phenytoin. Possible side effects of these drugs include heart attacks, seizures and strokes.
WEIGHT LOSS PILLS CONTAINING EPHEDRA CAN HAVE SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS
In 2004, the FDA banned a popular diet-pill ingredient known as ephedra after it was found to increase the risk of strokes and heart attacks. However, some ephedra-containing products may still make their way illegally into the market. Many other diet pill ingredients are as yet untested. For that reason, the best way to avoid the possible dangers of diet pills is simply to steer clear.
Next time you pick a goal... Be smart about it, and don't make the same previous mistake(s). Prioritize your Health!
PRO-FITNESS PERSONAL TRAINER
HOW CAN YOUR WEIGHT BE AFFECT BY MEDICATIONS
February 1, 2019
When Your Weight Gain Is Caused by Medicine
Some medicines can cause certain people to put on weight. This can be a good thing if you are underweight to begin with. If you are at a normal weight, then gaining a few pounds also might not be a big deal. But, if you are already overweight, this weight gain might be more of a problem.
Your weight gain, if any, will depend on a number of factors. These include your specific medicine, your age, and other medical conditions you have. You might only gain a few pounds over a year. But some people gain more weight, like 10 or 20 pounds in a few months. If you need to take the drug for months or years, you might gain a lot of weight.
Medicine-related weight gain is not uncommon, especially for certain types of drugs. For example, many steroid drugs can cause weight gain. So can drugs that treat mental illnesses, such as depression and schizophrenia. Men and women of all ages can have medicine-related weight gain.
What causes medicine-related weight gain?
Medicine-related weight gain can have many causes. Some drugs might stimulate your appetite. This causes you to eat more and gain extra weight. Some drugs might affect your body’s metabolism. This causes your body to burn calories at a slower rate. Some drugs might affect your natural hormone balance. Other drugs might affect how your body stores and absorbs sugars and other nutrients.
If a drug causes you shortness of breath, you might be less likely to exercise. This can cause you to gain weight. Other drugs might cause you to retain water. This makes you weigh more even if you don’t put on extra fat. For certain drugs, researchers aren’t exactly sure what triggers the weight gain.
Drugs that may cause medicine-related weight gain include:
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Drugs for diabetes, such as insulin, thiazolidinediones, and sulfonylureas
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Antipsychotic drugs such as haloperidol, clozapine, and lithium
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Antidepressant drugs like amitriptyline, paroxetine, and sertraline
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Drugs for epilepsy like valproate and carbamazepine
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Steroid hormone drugs like prednisone or birth control pills
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Blood pressure-reducing drugs like beta-blockers
It’s important to note that not all medicines of these types cause weight gain. For example, the diabetes drug metformin might make you lose weight instead of gain it. Topiramate (a drug used for seizures and migraines) also can help a person lose weight.
What are the symptoms?
You might notice that you have gained a few pounds since starting your medicine. In some cases, this happens quickly. But in other cases, it happens more slowly. You might not notice that you’ve gained weight until your healthcare provider points it out to you at a medical visit.
Depending on the cause of your weight gain, you might notice other symptoms. For example, you might have an increased appetite, or it may be harder for you to exercise. You may not always have these other symptoms, though.
How is medicine-related weight gain diagnosed?
Your healthcare provider will note your change in weight with records from past medical appointments. Your provider may ask you about changes in your eating or exercise habits. Your provider will also do a physical exam to make sure your weight gain isn’t the result of something else, like retaining fluids or pregnancy.
Not all weight gain is caused by taking medicine, of course. Your doctor will look at your medicine list to see whether you are taking any that can cause weight gain. If you started gaining weight when you began one of these medicines, then there is a good chance that the medicine is at least partly to blame.
How is medicine-related weight gain treated?
Treatment will depend on the situation. In some cases, your healthcare provider will recommend switching to another medicine that’s not as likely to cause weight gain. This is especially likely if you have gained a lot of weight and your health is affected.
In other cases, it may not be possible to stop taking the drug that is causing your weight gain. There might not be another medicine available that can effectively treat your symptoms. For example, people with certain mental illnesses might do well with only 1 or 2 medicines. In that case, you might be able to switch to a lower dose of the drug.
Never stop taking a medicine without talking with your provider first. If you are concerned that a medicine is causing you to gain weight, make an appointment to talk with your provider. Then you can discuss all of your treatment choices. Both of you can make sure the benefits of the medicine outweigh the risks from weight gain.
If you need to keep taking a medicine, you still have choices. Your provider may recommend that you see a dietitian and possibly a psychologist to help you learn to make better eating choices. Getting more exercise can also help treat weight gain. Limiting your portion sizes and eating more slowly at meals can also help. Your provider can give you more tips about your weight-loss choices.
What are the complications?
Being overweight is a risk factor for, or may worsen, many health problems include:
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Diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance
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Arthritis
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High blood pressure
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Heart disease
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Stroke
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Sleep apnea
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Liver disease
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Certain lung diseases
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Infertility
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Certain cancers
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Psychological problems
You doctor will help you weigh the pros and cons of the medicine for you.
What can I do to prevent medicine-related weight gain?
Talk with your healthcare provider about possible side effects of any new drug, including weight gain. If this is a concern for you, ask your doctor if you might be able to take another drug that doesn’t have this side effect. In many cases (not all), you will have another choice of medicine.
You might not gain weight even if you start a medicine that has weight gain as a possible side effect. But you may need to pay a little more attention to your diet and exercise. If you keep good eating habits and exercise regularly, you might not gain any weight, or only a small amount.
Medical Reviewers:
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Holloway, Beth Greenblatt, RN, M.Ed.
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Hurd, Robert, MD
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University of Rochester Medical Center
Why is it more dangerous to have most of your body fat around waist?
Even people with normal BMIs have to watch out for midriff flab.
March, 1, 2019
Belly flab has long been used to body-shame people into joining various weight loss programs. In recent years, though, a real reason to shed inches off your waist has emerged: to stay healthy. Research suggests that a wide waist increases risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. Even if you’re otherwise at a healthy weight for your height, excess abdominal fat significantly raises your likelihood of developing all of those diseases. This seems to relate to where our bodies regulate weight. We think of our metabolism as a whole-body phenomenon, but the reality is that particular organs determine whether we gain or lose weight. If body fat is concentrated in areas that influence those organs, it can be much worse for your overall health.
Fat is not created equal
There are two kinds of fat in this world, and none of them are “skinny fat.” One is subcutaneous, the layer of fat cells under your skin but not quite inside your body cavity. This fat is pretty healthy—we all have some, and we all need it. Your body uses fat to store fuel. The other, more dangerous kind, is visceral fat. These are fat cells accumulated inside the body, in and around your organs.
Belly flab tends to be of the visceral variety, especially in men. Women generally gain weight around the butt and hips, because it seems to be evolutionarily advantageous to have this extra layer around the baby-making area. Unfortunately, there’s no advantage to a potbelly if you don’t plan on carrying a baby.
Fat cells in the abdomen seem to have a bigger impact on the metabolism because blood flow from that area drains straight to the liver. All cells excrete things, because all cells have waste and other byproducts that they need to get rid of, and adipocytes are no exception. As you gain weight in the abdomen, those visceral fat cells expand, and eventually they start leaking free fatty acids and other molecules into the liver. Since your liver helps control your blood sugar levels, these surplus chemical signals wreak havoc with your metabolism. Faulty blood sugar wiring leads to the massive post-meal insulin spikes that prompt your body to put on more weight, which eventually can cause diabetes.
Visceral fat on the liver seems to have a much bigger impact than fat on other organs, but deposits on the heart and pancreas (where insulin is made) can also feeds into an unhealthy metabolism.
But this is still a theory
Like a lot of our understanding of the metabolism, the liver-draining theory is still unproven. It’s incredibly hard to conduct experiments in a real, live person that test exactly how abdominal fat affects the metabolic system.
We do know that the dangers of excess belly fat persist even after you control for all the other factors. Fat on the liver in particular seems to highly predict whether a person will later have metabolic issues, even if they’re not obese. Your risk of death overall seems to be at least twice as high if you have a wide waist, despite a normal BMI, than if you have a slim one.
So how do I know if my waist is small enough?
Like BMI, what makes a healthy waist size will vary a bit by height. In general, though, you’re low risk as a woman if you’re at 31.5 inches or below, and high risk above 35 inches. For men, it’s 37 and 40 inches respectively. Hip-to-waist ratio is an even better metric in terms of predicting health, but because body shape varies between populations there aren’t yet solid cut-off numbers for what’s healthy or not. Most studies suggest it's ideal to hit under 0.9 for men and 0.8 for women, though the numbers need to be tailored to specific ethnic groups to be relevant.
The good news is that if you’re above that threshold, even small amounts of weight loss can have a huge impact on disease risk. You don’t have to maintain Hollywood’s hilarious idea of a perfect beach bod to be significantly healthier. The bad news, however, is that you can’t target weight loss. All those ab-blasting ads were lying to you, and doing more crunches won’t melt inches off your waistline. The only way to lose belly fat is to lose fat overall, and (generally) the only way to do that is to cut down on your caloric intake and amp up your caloric burn.
The Importance of Mindset
April, 1, 2019
Why is it that some people seem to shine in any sphere in which they choose to exert themselves, and others cannot manage even a glimmer despite obvious talent?
Research shows that it’s the way that they think about their ability that really counts.
Most of those who have achieved greatness, to use Shakespeare’s phrase, have worked extremely hard to get there. Many were told that they would never amount to anything. But they believed that they could achieve, and worked hard to do so.
Fixed or Growth Mindset?
There are two ways to view intelligence or ability:
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Ability it is fixed or ingrained – in other words, we are born with a certain level of ability and we cannot change that. This is called a fixed mindset.
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We can develop our ability through hard work and effort. This is called a growth mindset.
These two different beliefs lead to different behavior, and also to different results. For example, students with a growth mindset were shown to increase their grades over time. Those who believed that their intelligence was ingrained did not; in fact, their grades got worse.
Having a growth mindset (the belief that you are in control of your own ability, and can learn and improve) is the key to success.
Yes, hard work, effort, and persistence are all important, but not as important as having that underlying belief that you are in control of your own destiny.
Mindset in Practice
People with these two mindsets actually think differently and also react to information differently.
In particular, they respond differently to information about performance.
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In people with a fixed mindset, the brain is most active when they are being given information about how well they have done, for example, test results or grades.
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In people with a growth mindset, the brain is most active when they are being told what they could do to improve.
It’s a very different approach: from ‘How did I do?’ to ‘What can I do better next time?’
One is about how they are perceived, and one is about how they can learn. You can see which one is likely to lead to better results in future.
Mindsets in action: The Tortoise and the Hare
Remember the story of the tortoise and the hare?
The hare was so certain that he would win that he sat down and went to sleep during the race.
The tortoise just plodded on and kept going, always thinking that he had a chance of winning. When the hare woke, he started running as fast as he could, but he was just too late: the tortoise had won.
The hare had a fixed mindset. He believed that his innate ability would always mean that he would win whatever he did.
The tortoise had a growth mindset. He believed that he needed to work hard and keep going if he was to win. He was also not afraid of failure or he would never have agreed to race the hare.
Dealing with Setbacks
These mindsets also cause people to deal with setbacks differently.
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People with a fixed mindset are very discouraged by setbacks, because a setback dents their belief in their ability. They tend to become uninterested and give up.
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People with a growth mindset view a setback as an opportunity to learn. They tend to try harder in an effort to overcome the problem.
“The moment that we believe that success is determined by an ingrained level of ability, we will be brittle in the face of adversity"
Josh Waitzkin - Chess Grandmaster and Martial Artist
Neuroplasticity:
Did you know your brain can change?
The good news is that you can change your mindset.
Neuroscience shows that our brains continue to develop and change even as adults. Old dogs really can learn new tricks.
The brain is actually quite like plastic, and can be reshaped over time, forming new neural pathways. This has led neuroscientists to call this tendency neuroplasticity.
These neural pathways are developed by doing or thinking particular things. The things that we do or say more often become hard-wired into our brains as habits. These form defined ‘routes’ in our brain, which become easier to use.
But you can still change them. The first step is to realize that you need to, then to train your brain in the new skill.
There are three key things that you can do to develop a growth mindset:
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You need to recognize that a growth mindset is not just good, but is also supported by science. In other words, you need to be committed to developing a growth mindset.
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You can learn and teach others about how to develop and improve their abilities through adopting a growth mindset. This will help you to take control of your life, which is hugely empowering. Research shows that people who feel in control tend to perform better. It’s a virtuous cycle.
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Listen out for your fixed mindset voice. When you hear that little critical voice in your head telling you that you can’t do something, reply with a growth mindset approach and tell it that you can learn.
Mindsets in Life
Mindsets are not just important for learning new skills. They can affect the way that we think about everything.
For example, a growth mindset can help you recover from illness because you believe that you can do something about the illness. They can help you achieve in sport, at work and can also help you grow and develop in relationships.
Cultivating a growth mindset could be the single most important thing you ever do to help you achieve success.
_____________________
More often than ever; Those who fail in their "fitness journey" are failing because of a lack of mindset & not due to a lack of physical ability, finances or time.
Pro-Fitness Personal Trainer
July 18, 2019
If you belong to a gym or tune in to the health community, chances are you’ve heard the term “counting macros.”
Popularly used by people looking to shed weight or gain muscle mass, counting macronutrients (macros) can help you reach various health goals.
It entails keeping track of the calories and types of foods you eat in order to achieve certain macronutrient and calorie goals.
Though counting macros is relatively simple, it can be confusing if you’re just starting out.
This article explains the benefits of counting macros and provides a step-by-step guide on how to get started.
What Are Macronutrients?
In order to successfully count macronutrients, it’s important to know what they are and why some people need different macronutrient ratios than others.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates include sugars, starches and fibers (1Trusted Source).
Most types of carbs get broken down into glucose, or blood sugar, which your body either uses for immediate energy or stores as glycogen — the storage form of glucose — in your liver and muscles.
Carbs provide 4 calories per gram and typically make up the largest portion of people’s calorie intake.
Carb intake is among the most hotly debated of all macronutrient recommendations, but major health organizations suggest consuming 45–65% of your daily calories from carbs (2Trusted Source).
Carbohydrates are found in foods like grains, starchy vegetables, beans, dairy products and fruits.
Fats
Fats have the most calories of all macronutrients, providing 9 calories per gram.
Your body needs fat for energy and critical functions, such as hormone production, nutrient absorption and body temperature maintenance (3Trusted Source).
Though typical macronutrient recommendations for fats range from 20–35% of total calories, many people find success following a diet higher in fat.
Fats are found in foods like oils, butter, avocado, nuts, meat and fatty fish.
Proteins
Like carbs, proteins provide 4 calories per gram.
Proteins are vital for processes like cell signaling, immune function and the building of tissues, hormones and enzymes.
It’s recommended that proteins comprise 10–35% of your total calorie intake (4Trusted Source).
However, protein recommendations vary depending on body composition goals, age, health and more.
Examples of protein-rich foods include eggs, poultry, fish, tofu and lentils.
SUMMARY
The three macronutrients to keep track of are carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Macronutrient recommendations vary depending on many factors.
How to Count Them
Learning how to count macronutrients does take some effort, but it’s a method that anyone can use.
The following steps will get you started.
1. Figure out Your Calorie Needs
In order to calculate your overall calorie needs, you need to determine resting energy expenditure (REE) and non-resting energy expenditure (NREE).
REE refers to the number of calories a person burns at rest, while NREE indicates calories burned during activity and digestion (5Trusted Source).
Adding REE and NREE gives you the total number of calories burned in a day, also known as total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) (6Trusted Source).
In order to determine your overall calorie needs, you can either use a simple online calculatoror the Mifflin-St. Jeor equation:
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Men: calories/day = 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (y) + 5
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Women: calories/day = 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (y) – 161
Then, multiply your result by an activity factor — a number that represents different levels of activity (7):
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Sedentary: x 1.2 (limited exercise)
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Lightly active: x 1.375 (light exercise less than three days per week)
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Moderately active: x 1.55 (moderate exercise most days of the week)
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Very active: x 1.725 (hard exercise every day)
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Extra active: x 1.9 (strenuous exercise two or more times per day)
The end result gives you your TDEE.
Calories can either be added or subtracted from your total expenditure in order to reach different goals.
In other words, those trying to lose weight should consume fewer calories than they expend, while those looking to gain muscle mass should increase calories.
2. Decide Your Ideal Macronutrient Breakdown
After determining how many calories to consume each day, the next step is to decide what macronutrient ratio works best for you.
Typical macronutrient recommendations are as follows (8Trusted Source):
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Carbs: 45–65% of total calories
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Fats: 20–35% of total calories
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Proteins: 10–35% of total calories
Keep in mind that these recommendations may not fit your specific needs.
Your ratio can be fine-tuned in order to achieve specific objectives.
For example, a person who wants to obtain better blood sugar control and lose excess body fat may excel on a meal plan consisting of 35% carbs, 30% fat and 35% protein.
Someone pursuing a ketogenic diet would need much more fat and fewer carbs, while an endurance athlete may need higher carb intake.
As you can see, macronutrient ratios can vary depending on dietary preferences, weight loss goals and other factors.
3. Track Your Macros and Calorie Intake
Next, it’s time to start tracking your macros.
The term “tracking macros” simply means logging the foods you eat on a website, app or food journal.
The most convenient way to track macros may be through an app like MyFitnessPal, Lose It! or My Macros +.
These apps are user-friendly and specifically designed to simplify tracking macros.
In addition, a digital food scale may help you track your macros — though it isn’t necessary. If you invest in one, weigh each food item you eat before logging it into your app of choice.
Several apps feature a barcode scanner that automatically inputs a serving of a scanned food into your macro log.
You can also hand-write macros into a physical journal. The method depends on your individual preference.
Keep in mind that it’s not necessary to hit your macro targets exactly. You can still meet your goals even if you go a few grams over or under each day.
4. Counting Example
Here’s an example of how to calculate macronutrients for a 2,000-calorie diet consisting of 40% carbs, 30% protein and 30% fat.
Carbs:
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4 calories per gram
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40% of 2,000 calories = 800 calories of carbs per day
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Total grams of carbs allowed per day = 800/4 = 200 grams
Proteins:
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4 calories per gram
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30% of 2,000 calories = 600 calories of protein per day
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Total grams of protein allowed per day = 600/4 = 150 grams
Fats:
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9 calories per gram
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30% of 2,000 calories = 600 calories of protein per day
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Total grams of fat allowed per day = 600/9 = 67 grams
In this scenario, your ideal daily intake would be 200 grams of carbs, 150 grams of protein and 67 grams of fat.
SUMMARY
To count macros, determine your calorie and macronutrient needs, then log macros into an app or food journal.
Benefits
Macronutrient counting may provide several benefits.
May Improve Diet Quality
Counting macros can focus your attention on food quality rather than calorie content.
For example, a bowl of sugary cereal may have a similar number of calories as a bowl of oats topped with berries and pumpkin seeds, but these meals vary widely in macronutrient content.
Counting macros may lead you to choose healthier, nutrient-dense food in order to fulfill set macronutrient ranges.
However, unhealthy foods may still fit into your macros and calories — so it’s important to make healthy food a priority.
May Promote Weight Loss
Counting macros may be particularly effective for weight loss because it sets out specific dietary recommendations.
For instance, tracking macros can help those following high-protein, low-carb diets, which are linked to weight loss (9Trusted Source).
Plus, research shows that tracking food intake may aid long-term weight maintenance (10Trusted Source).
May Assist With Specific Goals
Macronutrient counting is popular among athletes and those with specific health goals other than weight loss.
Anyone looking to build muscle mass may have greater protein needs than people simply looking to drop excess body fat.
Counting macros is essential for people who need to consume specific amounts of macronutrients in order to boost performance and gain lean body mass.
For example, research shows that resistance-trained athletes may need as much as 1.4 grams of protein per pound (3.1 grams per kg) of body weight per day to maintain muscle mass (11Trusted Source).
Counting macros may ensure that your macronutrient needs are being met.
SUMMARY
Macronutrient counting is an excellent tool for those looking to lose weight or build muscle. It can promote healthier eating and improved diet quality.
How to Meet Your Needs
Depending on macronutrient ranges, those counting macros may need to add or reduce foods rich in carbohydrates, fats or proteins.
For example, someone transitioning to a macronutrient range of 40% carbs, 35% fat and 25% protein may need to replace some of their carbs with sources of healthy fats and protein.
The following are examples of healthy foods for each macronutrient.
Some foods are high in more than one macronutrient and can fulfill different macro needs.
Carbs
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Grains, including oats, brown rice and quinoa
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Whole-wheat pasta
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Whole-grain bread
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Starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes and winter squash
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Fruits like berries, bananas, pineapple and apples
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Beans, lentils and peas
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Milk and yogurt
Proteins
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Egg whites
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Meats
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Poultry
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Fish
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Shellfish
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Tofu
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Milk and yogurt
Fats
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Egg yolks
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Olive and avocado oils
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Butter
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Nuts and nut butters
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Coconut oil and coconut flakes
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Avocado
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Full-fat milk and yogurt
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Full-fat cheese
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Flax seeds and chia seeds
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Fatty fish like salmon and sardines
SUMMARY
When trying to reach specific macronutrient goals, focus on foods rich in the macronutrients you need to consume the most.
Not for Everyone
People who thrive on structure may find that counting macros is ideal for their health goals.
Counting macros can increase your awareness of the quality and amount of food you are consuming.
Plus, it may be a good tool for those following ketogenic or high-protein diets.
That said, counting macros isn’t for everyone.
Because macro counting puts so much emphasis on tracking calories and logging intake, anyone with a history of eating disorders should steer clear of counting macros (12Trusted Source).
Focusing on food intake this intently could even lead to disordered eating patterns in those without a history of these behaviors (13Trusted Source).
Keep in mind that it’s also possible to eat poorly while engaging in macro counting because it permits all foods as long as the item fits into set macronutrient ranges.
Those using macro counting should aim — depending on their goals — to follow a whole-foods diet rich in fresh produce, healthy fats, complex carbs and protein sources.
SUMMARY
Counting macros may help people lose weight and reach health goals. However, it’s not appropriate for those with a history of eating disorders.
The Bottom Line
When first counting macros, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.
However, following the steps above can streamline the process and set you up for success.
The most important steps in counting macros are setting a calorie goal and macronutrient range for carbs, protein and fat that works best for you.
Then, log your food intake and aim to stay within your macros by eating a diet rich in fresh produce, healthy fats, complex carbs and protein sources.
Before you know it, counting macros will feel natural.
November 01, 2019
Not Everyone Does Gain Weight From It!
Weight gain is a common concern for many people who are looking to start hormonal forms of birth control. Anecdotes from others who’ve gained weight on hormonal birth control may be enough to deter some people from trying it. But it shouldn’t be.
Most studies oppose the theory that hormonal birth control causes weight gain.
Still, some do report gaining a few pounds in the weeks and months after they start taking the pill. This is often temporary and the result of water retention, not actual weight gain.
Here’s what you should know if you find yourself in this category.
What the research says
Decades ago, hormonal contraception used hormones at levels much higher than we use today.
High levels of estrogen can increase appetite and promote fluid or water retention. Changes in hormonal birth control and advances in combination forms of the pill have addressed this issue.
Most, if not all, pills lack estrogen levels that are high enough to cause weight gain. The first birth control pill, developed in the 1950s, contained 150 micrograms (mcg) of the estrogen mestranol. Today’s pills only contain 20 to 50 mcg of estrogen, according to a 2012 studyTrusted Source.
Study after study has examined the relationship between weight gain and today’s most popular forms of hormonal contraception, including the pill and the patch. The vast majority of these studies have found no reasonable evidence to support the claim.
Any weight gain that may occur in the first weeks or months after beginning birth control is typically due to water retention. It isn’t actual fat gain.
One literature review found that study participants gained, on average, fewer than 4.4 pounds after 6 or 12 months of using a progestin-only pill.
If you gain substantially more than that after starting hormonal birth control, your weight gain is likely caused by something else.
Causes of weight gain
If you’re noticing weight gain and can’t pinpoint a reason, it could be due to one of the following common causes.
Changes in routine
If you’ve recently changed jobs and find yourself sedentary for most of your day, you may begin noticing a gradual weight gain. Sitting for large segments of your day can lead to weight gain, among other side effects.
Changes in diet
Are you eating out more than usual? Gradual increases in your calorie intake can lead to weight gain.
Monitor your daily calorie consumption with the help of a food tracking app. Doing so can help you maintain your current weight or lose some weight if that’s your goal.
Changes in metabolism
Depending on your age, your metabolism could be contributing to changes in your weight and energy levels. As you age, your metabolism can take a nosedive. Without your body’s natural calorie-burning ability, you may notice weight gain.
Ask your doctor to conduct a physical assessment and metabolic blood work to see if you have any health conditions that might be affecting your body’s calorie-burning abilities.
Changes at the gym
Are you doing more weightlifting or muscle-building exercises? Increased muscle mass might explain the increase you see on the scale.
You’ll probably still feel the same size. Your jeans will fit the same as before or better, but the number you see on the scale may go up. This is because you’re building muscle.
Likelihood of gaining weight
Studies don’t show that any particular groups are more inclined to experience weight gain than another. Your weight when you begin taking the pill shouldn’t affect your risk, either.
One studyTrusted Source found that girls under the age of 18 who are obese aren’t at a higher risk of gaining weight when taking the pill.
How to manage the weight gain
Keep these tips in mind if you’ve noticed a change in your weight since you started birth control:
Give it time
It’s possible you’ll experience a slight increase in weight immediately after beginning birth control. This is often the result of water retention, not actual fat gain.
It’s almost always temporary. Given time, this water will go away and your weight should return to normal.
Move a little more
Getting frequent exercise and eating a healthy, balanced diet can only benefit you. Adopting a more active lifestyle may help you drop the few pounds you might gain after starting birth control.
Change your birth control pills
Estrogen can stimulate your appetite and cause you to retain water. If your contraception has a high dose of estrogen, you may be more likely to see a change in your weight.
Make an appointment to speak with your doctor if you’re concerned your weight gain may be related to your birth control. All birth control pills are different, so it’s possible your doctor can find one that has a lower dose of estrogen and doesn’t affect your appetite or your weight.
Other side effects of birth control
Shortly after you begin taking birth control, you may notice other side effects in addition to water retention. Common side effects of birth control include:
Nausea
If your dose of birth control is too high or you don’t take it with food, you may experience nausea soon after taking it. Talk with your doctor about ways you can reduce nausea.
You can try taking the pill shortly after a meal or reducing the dosage of the medication. You may also consider taking the medication before bed to reduce nausea.
Skin changes
Typically, birth control can effectively reduce acne breakouts. Still, some people may experience increased breakouts when they begin using birth control. This can be caused by the change in hormone levels.
Headaches
Increased estrogen can trigger headaches. If you have a history of migraines, adding estrogen to your system may increase the frequency of these migraines.
Make sure your doctor knows your headache history before you begin taking birth control. If headaches begin occurring more frequently, ask your doctor what can be done to eliminate them.
Takeaway
Talk with your doctor about your options before you decide against using a hormonal form of birth control. The beauty of birth control today is that you have so many options to choose from.
If you don’t like the first method your doctor recommends, you can easily try something else. If you don’t like that option, you can keep trying others until you find something that makes you feel comfortable.