Bert's Health and Fitness Blog

Calling All Runners !!!

2009-09-07T12:32:00.000-07:00

Anybody that considers themselves a runner, you know who you are, has probably had some injuries in their life. As a matter of fact, shoe technology has increased greatly over the last several decades, yet there is an increased rate of running injuries. Hmmmm, sounds a bit weird to me. In a new book called "Born to Run; a hidden tribe, super athletes, and the greatest race the world has never seen," Christopher McDougall asks a reasonable question; "How come my foot hurts?" In search to find the answer, Christopher sets off to find a hidden indigenous Indian tribe in the Copper Canyon, Located in Mexico. What he learns is that everything we thought we knew about running is wrong. Sorry Nike added more and more air in the soles is making it worse. Its called bare foot running. Trust me, if you are a runner look into bare foot running. It will change your life and save your knees. Also, I highly recommend "Born to Run," by Chrispoher McDougall.

Watch Here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xv4Se5ka9Pk&feature=related

Eat Stop Eat Challenge!!

2009-08-22T15:56:00.001-07:00

For those of you who really know me and understand my fanatical obsession, then you also understand how much I recommend the "Eat Stop Eat" lifestyle. For those that don't know what this is the gist of it is this: don't eat for 24 to 36 hours. Nothing more nothing less, just don't eat. You can drink all non-calorie drinks you desire. Do this every 4 or 5 days, maintain a healthy diet the rest of the days you are eating and your result will be less fat and body weight. Here is an email I received from the creator of "Eat Stop Eat", Brad Pilon.

"It is a common misconception that the goal of a great diet program is only to help you lose weight. This is wrong the way to view dieting. A great diet program should make sure the weight you lose is all fat, and this is the goal of Eat Stop Eat.

I spend my mornings catching up on my reading. This usually involves a nice hot cup of coffee and a desk full of research papers. Lately, I've found that there is more and more research being published that supports the science behind the Eat Stop Eat lifestyle.Just the other day I came across a very interesting study in Acta Physiologica Scandinavia - The journal of the Scandinavian physiological society. In this study the effects of a3-day fast on human metabolism was examined.

The authors found the typical benefits that are associated with fasting:

No decrease in Energy Expenditure - metabolic rate DID NOT slow down

A decrease in RQ - indicating an increase in fat burning

Increased blood flow - some very impressive numbers, (I challenge any "Nitric Oxide" supplement to show this kind of data!!)

Decreased blood insulin levels - Considered to be one of the major health benefits of fasting

Increased glucagon levels - more reliance on body fat as a fuel source

Increased Growth Hormone levels - If you have read Eat Stop Eat then you know that I think this is one of the major keys behind the benefits of fasting

Increased noradrenaline - More fat burning hormones
No increase in cortisol - No reason to think that muscle is being broken down
One of the major things that caught my eye in this paper was a great graph showing the change in fuel sources that were fueling metabolism.

The first thing I noticed in this graph was that the amount of calories being burned during a fasting day and a non-fasting day are roughly the same (about 2000 Kcals), however during fasting a lot more of these calories are coming from fat. And, since the subjects were not eating any fat while fasting, this fat must have been body fat.

Another interesting finding was that the majority of this fat was stomach fat.

While I do not recommend fasting for 3 days straight (I prefer24 hours), this study does add evidence to the idea that fasting can be an effective method of reducing calorie intake and increasing fat burning without negatively effect metabolic rate, or muscle mass.

After thoroughly reviewing this study I'm more convinced then ever that the Eat Stop Eat lifestyle is the easiest way to lose weight,and to make sure that the weight you lose is all fat."

If this doesn't get you to check out this lifestyle, then I guess it is not for you. My challenge is to at least try this lifestyle for a few months and see what it can do for you. If you do what your supposed to do this will only help you physically.

I think we are going overboard here!!

2009-08-02T16:21:00.000-07:00

Well it has been awhile since my last posting. A long trip to Utah and summer work has kept me very busy, but that is the way I like it.

Yesterday I was listening to a doctor speak about the ill effects of eating dairy and animal products. This was a talk show and so caller after caller were told to get rid of ALLLLLLLL dairy and animal products. After listening to this for awhile and pondering over his claims, that are substantially backed by research, I began thinking about how I could make claims about the ill effects of living a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle. Sure living a vegan lifestyle may help people feel better but how much better? How many years will this lifestyle add to ones life? I have no idea. Serioulsy how do you measure that? Can you imagine a study that lasted 60 years or until all participants died. For those that are living this way; more power to you. I hope it works for you and I hope you are healthy.

Here is my recipe for living a healthy life: Eat healthier than the day before, eat all things in moderation (heck if you are overweight and obese just quit eating) and exercise one hour a day, everyday (even if it is just walking).

Oh and by the way for all you organic food freaks, your expensive organic food bill may only be giving you one thing: LESS MONEY IN YOUR WALLET. http://news.google.com/news?pz=1&ned=us&hl=en&q=organic+foods&cf=all&start=0

What Does Your Ideal Body Look Like?

2009-06-26T15:32:00.000-07:00

I have recently been thinking about what my ideal body or level of fitness I would like to achieve. Many of you have probably thought the same, especially women. I feel badly for women in this day and age. I believe there is greater pressure placed upon women to look great. I think that is a good thing to an extent. Sometimes it can be taken to the extreme and that is when we see the anorexia and bulimia take control of people's lives. Instead of what others want you to look like what do you want yourself to look like. What is your ideal self? Why cant you get to that level of fitness that you have always dreamed? Or why don't you look the way you want? Here is an inspirational story that may give you a desire to be you and do what you want to do. I don't know this women's whole story but I know she went after what she wanted out of life and she has found it. You can do the same. And you have two legs (you'll understand after watching the video).

http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/482

After 6 weeks!! This is GREAT!!!!

2009-06-19T12:22:00.000-07:00

Bob (not his real name) and I have have just finished a six week training regimen. Here are the before and after pictures.

Starting weight: 245
Ending Weight: 230

Those numbers are deceiving though because he gained 5 to 7 pounds of lean mass (when people say they gained 5 pounds of muscle in 6 weeks, it is not 5 pounds of 100% muscle. Top professionals can gain 5-7 pounds of 100% muscle in one year). Lean mass is muscle, tissue, fat, etc.

So in reality he may have lost upwards of 20 pounds. This is not 20 pounds of complete fat, although at least 15 pounds of it was (the other weight lost was water weight). Clearly you can see the fat the he has lost. You cant see it in these pictures but he has greater definition in his quadriceps (thigh). After six weeks, I would say this is awesome. He still has a ways to go, but he will get to where he is going because this youngster is very driven. I think he would look great at 195 with 10% bodyfat. I wont be training him any longer but we will be training partners serveral times a week.

I am really proud of you Bob. These pictures show how hard you have worked over the last six weeks. Keep going, dont give up now. That goes for everyone. Just start. If you dont know where to start, ASK. It only takes a simple question and a desire.

I Told You So !!

2009-06-12T09:58:00.000-07:00

I am a huge advocate of intermittent fasting because it has many health benefits (review my past post here: http://tracybertagnole.blogspot.com/2009/03/benefits-of-fasting.html). This does not even tell you the biggest reason of why I love fasting. Of course it is anecdotal evidence, which means it is evidence that is not proven through science. The biggest reason: I feel much better. Its as if I am floating and have that extra step in me.

Recently I have come across a video from 60 Minutes. This video is about a pill that will help us all live longer healthier lives. But, after the first couple of minutes of the video they speak of calorie restriction (one way to do this is through intermittent fasting) and its benefits. Folks, let me tell you something; QUIT EATING. Watch this movie about what calorie restriction can do for you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3TGKOQeTrc&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Enews13direct%2Ecom%2F&feature=player_embedded

Fasting can ultimately help an overweight or obese person lose weight but it is so much more than that. There are too many good reasons not to fast. The only bad thing that I have found about intermittent fasting, from doctors, is that it leads to binge eating. What!! Who cares? That is like saying that we shouldn't drive our cars because there is a possibility that we could get in a wreck. Just because a person or persons cant control themselves psychologically does not mean that fasting shouldn't be advocated. This is the wonder drug. Let me say it one more time, QUIT EATING. No, don't go anorexic on me, but eat a little less and your life will be much better.

Fasting has a time and place. For example, I don't advocate athletes restricting calories. Why? They need the extra calories to boost performance. Michael Phelps is a great example. During the summer Olympics he was consuming around 7000 calories a day. That is a whole lot of food. But he had to have every ounce of it because he was utilizing it in the pool. But for the majority of Americans and people they have no reason to not stop eating.

WHERE DO I START?

2009-05-28T13:02:00.000-07:00

I have realized something lately that has always been there but was not made manifest to me until I took a step back and looked at myself. Whenever I do something new or something I have never done I either cant do it well or it takes me awhile before I actually get the gist of it. I have come to understand that most people have the same problem with exercise and getting into shape. I can just hear the words in their minds saying, "I want to get into shape, but I don't know where to start."

I have thought about this for several days now and have come up with a few suggestions to get started.

1) Buy a book that gives you a solid foundation about exercises, how to do them and why they are used. Find the book at your local book store and then buy it online. Trust me Amazon will be much cheaper than Barnes and Noble. For example, my wife wanted a book to help her workout from home. I found one for her that was $25 new and bought it on Amazon for $5, seriously. Make sure the book also contains a brief introduction on nutrition and exercise routines.

2) Get out of the home and into a gym. So many people make fun of the new gym goers that fail every new year. Most fail but some continue. The reason they fail is because they don't know what to do and they don't have social support. Women need support much more than men do in order for them to succeed. I am a firm believer in using a gym because you have something to look forward to and you cant be distracted like you could be at home. And mothers, don't give me the b.s. that you have too much to do. You make it a priority. Gyms now come equipped with kid cares. I know a dad that takes 4 girls to the gym and drops them off at the gym kid care and then get his workout in. I am sorry the days of excuses are gone. Get off your rear end and make it a priority. Quit watching Oprah and do something good for your body.

3) Ask, ask, ask. Even though you are a new gym goer, one of the best ways to learn is to ask questions to those that are around you, working out. If I see someone that looks good and is in really great shape I ask them how they got to where they are at. Trust me, you will recognize the people that are in shape and know what they are doing compared to those that are not in shape and don't know what they are doing. Ask questions to those that are in shape. I am always asked a lot of questions. Why? Because I look like I know what I am doing and it is flattering for someone to ask you questions about your fitness level. Meaning, if you do ask someone for help they are more than likely going to be ecstatic to help and give you tips and pointers.

4) Even if you don't have support, Just Do It Anyways. Do it for yourself and prove to yourself once and for all that you can overcome your bad eating habits and sedentary lifestyle.

The last three weeks I have been training a 19 year old freshman in college. While talking to him I realized that he really wanted to start getting in shape but did not know where to start. He now knows a great deal about fitness and nutrition and the basic principles of living a healthy lifestyle. It has brought me a great deal of satisfaction to change this young mans life. What I am doing with him for the last three weeks and next three weeks will forever change how he will lead the rest of his life. Now he knows what to do and how to do it. He knows why to do certain exercises and for how many reps to reach a certain goal. He knows how to change his eating habits so results will show. All of this brings a smile to my face knowing that I have impacted someone's life in a way that will change the way they lead the rest of their life. This is what life is really about.

Please let me help you. If you have questions, just ask. I will help the best that I can. You can do it. I know you can. Start now.

Lose Weight the Easy Way !!

2009-05-20T09:44:00.000-07:00

I have been on vacation for a week; my sister got married. It was a sweet, sweet service. She and her hubby looked happy and dedicated to each other. I am happy for them and their future. They both had been married before and had similar reasons for divorce. Good luck Todd and Cherish.

I received an email that I want to share with you. The basic idea of the email was that eating less is a much faster way to lose weight than to try and burn off the excess calories. Here it is:

"We're all busy, and when life gets busy, there is nothing worse than wasted time. And if you are trying to lose weight, exercise may actually be a WASTE of your time.

Crazy right?

And I know it's super popular right now to pick on 'long slow boring cardio' but that's not the point of this email - I'm talking about almost ALL forms of exercise!

A recent research trial examined the relationship between exercise and our populations weight gain, and came to the startling conclusion that: "There is no evidence that a marked reduction in physical activity has been a contributor to this epidemic in the United States," "over the last couple of decades virtually all of our weight gain can be explained by an increase in energy intake."

I know this sounds really counter intuitive, but consider the following: It may be that the effects of exercise have been largely exaggerated. Example: A friend of mine just competed a marathon.
Now, she wasn't running for weight loss (she's a full blown competitive runner), but if she were, she would probably find the following information down-right depressing: She weighs 120 pounds. She ran 42.5 Kilometers (it took 3.5 hours). Using these numbers we know that she burned roughly 2300 Calories.

Since a pound of fat contains roughly 3,500 available calories in the form of fat, and assuming she was burning 100% fat (which is virtually impossible) Then that marathon run for 3.5 hours burned less than 2/3 of a pound of body fat!

Running for 3.5 hours straight, covering 42.5 kilometers (over 26 miles) and not even a pound of fat lost. This is not including the gels and sports drinks she probably
consumed during the race!

With the right amount of in-race calories, you could actually finish an entire marathon without putting a dent in your body fat at all!

And this doesn't just apply to marathons. If you spread those 26 miles over a week, and ran almost 4 miles EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK, you still would not have burned off even one pound of body fat.

Bottom line - for the vast majority of us, it's not that we are exercising to little, it's that we are simply eating more than we need to. If you're life is already busy, then for all intents and purposes, it is easier to eat less than it is to add in two and a half hours

of walking EVERY SINGLE DAY.

It doesn't matter if you are doing high intensity training, intervals, hill sprints..fancy shmancy bodyweight circuits you name it, it's a waste of your time (for weight loss) if you

are eating more than you need to!

(Of course if you are already eating in a calorie deficit these things will help, just not as much as we've been told (or more correctly, sold).

Eat for weight loss. Exercise to build or maintain muscle mass. Stay active by doing activities you enjoy doing, but don't expect them to create stunning transformations in the way your body looks. The key to weight loss success will always be your diet.

As always I recommend Eat Stop Eat as an easy and effective way to lose weight, but any diet will do as long as it is easy, creates a caloric deficit and fits your lifestyle.

I hope this helps free up some of your time!"

I second that!!! Folks lets just eat a little bit less, especially the junk and fast foods.

"Destination Summer Body"

2009-05-10T16:21:00.000-07:00

This week I will be training my first official client. I have tried to not get into training others because I dont want to do something for work that I love to do for a hobby. But, I really believe that the Lord wants me to use the talent I have and help others get to where they want to be. Here is a classic example. His name is John (his real name is obviously confidential) and is a freshman at the same college that I attend. He desires to lose a little body fat, gain some muscle and just feel better. I think we can manage to do this. So for the next 6 to 7 weeks, expect some updates on this "Destination Summer Body" project. I will give more details later in the week.

You have no muscle, start strength training!

2009-05-02T18:19:00.000-07:00

My thoughts this week have been on a simple yet profound thought. It makes me cringe to see people continue to perform cardio and never strength train. You all want that term called "tone" (have I told you I hate that word) applied to your body. Which means you want to see those muscles in the arms. Well if you have no freakin muscle then what is the point of trying to slim down. Under that skin you have nothing to show for it.

A great example of this is Angelina Jolie. The women is a twig and I feel like her arms would break if she lifts her kids. Her arms would look much better if she actual put some muslce on those things because she already has a low bodyfat percentage.

So for all those looking to trim up, you might want to think about putting some muscle on them bones before you do so. Remember, I am all for trimming up and performing the cardio as long as you have muscle. I guess if you want to be a twig though, I wont argue.

P-90X???

2009-04-26T15:44:00.000-07:00

I know several people who are currently using P-90X or who have tried this exercise program. Invariably the question always asked to me is, "What do you think about P-90X?" My answer is always the same; "What are your goals?"

When a person is trying to get back into shape, the first thing they need is a very specific goal. (Oh and by the way there is no such thing as "toning". Can somebody please explain to me what the heck toning means. That is the dumbest word I have heard in the fitness industry because it seems to be so general with many definitions. That's like going to a car dealership and telling them you want a car. What?). Anyways, set a specific goal such as, "I want to lose ten pounds of fat and I want to gain 5 pounds of muscle, and I want to do it in the next two months". This goal is measurable, attainable and you could make it accountable to someone.

Most goals fail because these three things are not present. When you are measuring your goals you know if progress is being made. If you set unrealistic goals, YOU WILL FAIL. Set goals that are attainable. Finally, accountability means to give an account of your progress to someone else. For example, talk to a friend and tell them if you fail to reach your goal you have to give them $50, or whatever works to motivate you. You just need to account to someone. It is one of the best motivational tools.

So if someone is trying to lose a little body fat and gain a little muscle and they ask me if P-90X is a good program for them I will most likely say yes. If they say their goal is to squat and bench press 900 pounds, I will say P-90X is the worst program for them (by the way nobody has asked me that. You get the point though).

This goes for any program. Don't just pick a fitness routine because it is the new fad, but pick a fitness routine that matches your goals. Most importantly, you NEED TO SET GOALS and then find the routine that will help you achieve your goal. You don't go to the craft store and buy glue and then find a project that utilizes glue. Instead, you want to scrapbook and you realize that glue would be a great tool for you to reach your goal of scrap booking your new wedding album.

Don't be one of those statistics we all hear every year when the media speaks about how 75% of Americans tried to start working out , but failed. If P-90X gets you off the couch then by all means I like that program and any other program that accomplishes the same thing.

How to get overweight and obese people to stop eating! FINE THEM!!!

2009-04-21T17:46:00.000-07:00

Oh I love this article that I will share with you, only because it has a few simple words. They are twenty-five dollars. Employees in the state of Alabama (public employees) have until 2010 to get in better shape and be within their BMI level. If they are not they are given a $25 fine. I love it. Not because it punishes them but because it gives them an incentive to get in better physical shape. Not only will they not have to pay if they become healthier individuals but they also cost the taxpayers less money. Remember exercise is medicine and it will heal them of many of their aches and pains which will result in a lower number of doctors visits. I never thought we would get to a day when we have to fine people because they are eating too much and sitting on their rear ends. But if it is going to help the problem then I am all for it.

http://www.cfahm.org/index/what-others-are-doing

What do you do when sick?

2009-04-12T18:14:00.000-07:00

I quote from Better Health Through Natural Healing, by Dr. Ross Trattler and Dr. Adrian Jones:

"Aesculapius of ancient Greece advised, 'Instead of using medicine, fast.' Hippocrates routinely recommended prolonged fasting. Most religions advocate periods of abstinence from food to attain physical and spiritual purity. Christ fasted 40 days in meditation. Animals and babies retain their natural instincts and refuse food when ill. Most people remain uninformed of the beneficial effects of fasting when sick and continue to advise their loved ones to 'Eat and keep up your strength.' Nothing worse could be done to lower vitality in illness than eating.

During fasting there is an increase in the amount of energy available for the eliminative process due to absence of large amounts of food requiring digestion and assimilation, both of which require energy. The body is able to redirect this increased energy towards elimination of the obstructions to the vital force in the form of toxic waste. Since vitality equals the life force minus any obstructions, as these are removed higher levels of vital energy are available for more rapid elimination.

The initial elimination begins as soon as the first meal is missed. Sometime during...the fast, usually reaching its maximum on the third day, the elimination activity is manifested by the appearance of a coated tongue, bad breath, muscular aches, and general debility. These symptoms are due to an increase in toxins in the bloodstream and passing out of the channels of elimination. The sooner these unpleasant symptoms are present, the more toxic is the system. Often patients complain that if they miss a meal a severe headache results. These are the people who need to fast most urgently."

This is awesome! Many of us who fast once a month due to religious purposes have a difficult time because it is so ingrained in our heads that we have to eat and we can't miss a meal. Secondly, that headache thing comes along. But, this type of fasting includes water. When you and I fast we usually fast without drink and food. It is shown in research that when we are dehydrated a headache often accompanies the headache. Well when you have a toxic body and are dehydrated you are not gonna feel so hot. So here is another reason to fast; you are toxic and the body has a way to naturally rid itself of these toxins. All you have to do is fast from food for a period of time.

Follow-Up

2009-04-06T20:58:00.001-07:00

I might lose the few readers I have with this blog post, but that is OK because I speak the truth. In the last several years my wife and I have been slowly progressing toward the "natural remedy " side of treating our sicknesses (at least as much as we can) rather than the, what I believe to be one of the great killers in our society, pharmaceutical drugs. One thing is certain, there is a place for these drugs. I believe whole-heatedly that many of them were God sent.

Having said that ONE THIRD of all diseases in the United States are created by the drugs doctors use to treat the symptoms of the disease. So, I guess you could say that I am one of those anti-pharmaceutical persons. I just believe most of these drugs treat the symptoms rather than the actual disease. Using nature is a much better source of healing. The problem with our society though is that we want to be cured NOW; not two months; NOW. There have been many drugs taken off the market because they have been deadly. Having stated that I believe that one powerful drug that should be un-banned in the US is steroids; for several reasons.

First, let me establish a few foundations. What I will say has to do with HEALTHY ADULT MEN, not women or young men, HEALTHY ADULT MALES. Research shows that steroids taken responsibly, and not abused can have very beneficial effects for healthy adult males. Did you know that there is NO EVIDENCE that points to any long term health risks when steroids are taken responsibly? Are there side effects? Yes, but the ones you are thinking of only come when the drug is abused.

Steroids are a synthetic version of the male hormone, testosterone. We basically already produce it, but in a lower dosage. The benefits to steroids are proven: increased muscle mass, increased strength, and my favorite an increase in the ability to recover from your workouts. That is just the tip of the iceberg though. So tell me what is wrong with an 65 year old healthy adult male taking steroids to increase his testosterone to a level that is equal to that when he was 25?

Never should any athlete take anabolic steroids. This takes away the level playing field. This was the big reason for its ban in 1990. Ben Johnson of Canada smoked Carl Lewis of the US and come to find out Ben Johnson was using steroids. Because of this case and others the US has outlawed the use of steroids. But in my mind just because these athletes use them and are caught does not mean that they are bad for them. They were just doing it illegally. ITs NOT THE DRUG IT IS THE PERSONS ACTIONS.

No women or young children should ever be allowed to take them either unless prescribed by their doctor. Oh did I mention that it was because of steroids that my sister is living today. When she was a baby her lungs were too weak. They injected her with steroids and walla she was all better.

Did I also mention that the US in the ONLY country in the world that has made them illegal? But just because they make it a law doesnt make steroids bad for you, just as the law to exterminate the Mormons in Missouri was not good either.

So my whole point in this article is to say that steroids should be made legal because when taken properly could benefit many many Americans. Yep, even your grandpa who has no muscle and falls everyday because he has no strength. Maybe we should think about banning substances that we know for certain actualy kill; Alchohol and Tobacco. Oh but maybe you dont care to be told the truth.

These two video clips say it all. Enjoy. (Claire make sure you show Michael the little part about Lyle Alzeto)

Look at this one first : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9DSzeuFVJU&feature=related
Then this one second: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBiSBF2516w

What are your thoughts on anabolic steroids??

2009-04-03T22:12:00.000-07:00

In the near future I want to post my thoughts about anabolic steroids, but I first want to ask you your thoughts. In one sentence tell me your initial impressions of anabolic steriods. I know most of my audience are women and you may just not care. That's not the point. The point is to educate and I can almost guarantee 99.9% of you will have the same answer, but I will let you tell me.

Caffeine, Is It Good or Bad?

2009-03-27T13:22:00.000-07:00

I have been pondering over the effects of caffeine on the body. Our American culture is very addicted to caffeine; not the actual soda pop or coffee. Here are some thoughts to think about before continuing with your addiction.

According to William T. Stephenson, MD, a physician at Kansas City Cancer Center, Kansas City, Missouri, "Coffee and tea contain substances such as caffeine, which has been linked to disease...it is commonly understood in the medical community that higher doses of caffeine are associated with infertility, Meniere’s disease (a disease affecting balance), insomnia, sudden infant death syndrome (with maternal consumption in utero), and fibrocystic disease of the breasts. In addition, gastric acid disease (ulcers of the stomach and duodenum) may also be linked to consumption of both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee...From the perspective of medical science, most investigators who have examined the effects of caffeine suggest that caffeinated beverages should not be consumed in large quantities".

P. Nawrot and others, “Effects of Caffeine on Human Health,” abstract, Food Additives and Contaminates, Jan. 2003, 1–30, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih .gov/entrez/query.

Now are you gonna die if you have a couple soda's each week. No, but remember caffeine is very addictive and you could easily be trapped into drinking two or three cases a week.

The Infamous Scale

2009-03-22T14:15:00.000-07:00

I picked up my Muscle and Fitness magazine to rip out all relevent articles today (these magazines are basically advertisements now; it drives me nuts). I came across one article that I think should be implemented in everyone's life. This particular study looked at the effects of having a scale in your home and its correlation to weight loss. It suggested that those who weighed themselves two to three times a week were much more likely to lose weight.

I have always been a fan of weighing yourself each week. How often do you jump on a scale two or three times a week and say to yourself, "Wow I gained another 5 pounds this week. That's not enough, I better eat more". Ya, I didnt think you said that. When you step on a scale and see that you are 5 pounds overweight, you are more likely to watch what you eat for a short time. But the opposite happens when you don't weigh yourself. You continue to say that you have not gained weight and after twenty years you finally step on the scale again and you say, "What? 50 pounds overweight? This thing cant be right". Yep, most of us have done this. Maybe not the 50 pound thing, but coming to the realization that you had put on a few extra pounds without knowing it.

If you step on that scale two to three times a week you will be a little more concious about what you eat. I believe that you should make the scale your best friend and use it to your benefit. Heck, you should even give your scale a name. For example, just name it the bad things you always call it like "I hate you", or "You are way off today". My favorite, "Well your fat too". Soon enough you'll be losing weight calling your scale by their first name. You'll find that when you lose weight, he or she will be your very best friend.

Soda Pop

2009-03-18T07:40:00.000-07:00

I was given a suggestion to say something about soda pop. Let me tell you a few of my opinions as well as a few facts.

FACT # 1: There is nothing good about soda, besides the taste (and for many of you, the caffeine).
FACT # 2: You could lose bodyfat by replacing it with water.
FACT #3: Diet soda is worse for you becasue of the carcinogens found within.
FACT #4: I have found that no one really cares about the other facts so neither do I.

Ok that is not entirely true but here is my opinion on soda. Every once in a while I have a soda whenever I go to a friends house. I will always drink a diet, although diet is worse for you. Well I can argue against that. For example, if I drink regular soda I will become overweight or obese because of all the suger. Or I can drink carcinogens and slowly kill myself. Heres how I see it. I am going to die either way and so I might as well drink a diet soda so I can look good doing it (ya know, I will only be 30 pounds over weight instead of 50). So as you can see I would rather drink a diet soda, but really lets be honest there is nothing good about soda, your just addicted. And I guess thats ok, cause I am addicted to exercise. So we both have compulsive desires; I guess mine is a little better for me than yours is for you.

What do you want?

2009-03-16T15:47:00.000-07:00

For some reason I dont have any idea what I want to blog about this week. Do you have any questions about health, fitness, exercise, or whatever? This will help me generate more for the future and I can answer the questions that are actually on people's mind. I may not have the answer but I know someone does and I will find it! Thanks and ask away.

What Kind of Intensity?

2009-03-12T20:42:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness for the gym I attend on a regular basis. I am like a little fly on the wall analyzing everyone's move. I look for those that really have no idea how to exercise and then in my mind I correct them. Seriously, two weeks ago I saw a kid that could not have been more than 18. He had 5 plates on each side, squatting. That is nearly 500 pounds of weight. He did about two partial, partial reps. Meaning he went down about 2 inches. WOW! I wanted to help him, but sometimes ya gotta let the lads learn the hard way; slipped discs usually do the trick.

Anyways, the thought for today came from a women I know and have helped in the past. She was doing the same thing that most everyone does; walking on the treadmill and "in the fat-burning zone". What? Its like there is this switch in your body and when they reach a certain heart rate "their in the zone". It must really stink if that heart rate drops 1 rate below that "zone", because then there will be now more fat being burned. LOL. Give me a break people. Let me help you out with the fat-burning thing. (At least when your doing cardio; cause I dont believe in doing cardio for fat-burning. I will tell you why in another blog. Ask and ye shall receive). I will give a little preview: I eat to burn fat and I strength train to increase muscle mass.

"It is often assumed that the intensity of exercise must be kept very low to burn fat as a fuel. It is true that at low exercise intensities a high percentage of the total energy expenditure during exercise is derived from fat. It follows that as the exercise intensity increases, the percentage of fat used as fuel decreases. However, a key point to consider is that the total rate of fat oxidation during exercise is typically greatest at higher exercise intensities...For example at 20% VO2 max, it is estimated that about 60% of the total energy expended would come from fat. By comparison, exercise at 50% of VO2 max, about 40% of the total energy expended would be obtained from fat. Nonetheless, because the total rate of energy expenditure is 2.5 times greater at 50% VO2 max compared to 20% VO2 max, the absolute amount of fat metabolized is 33% higher during exercise at 50% VO2 max."
Exercise Physiology: Theory and Application to Fitness and Performance. Powers, Scott & Howley, Edward T.

So what does this mean? Maybe you like to jog. Lets say you can do a 10 min. mile and that might be hard for you. Well to increase your ability to handle that mile as well as burn more fat, you should incorporate interval training. For example, you jog for 2 min, then run for 20 sec, jog for 2 min, run for 20 sec. When that becomes easier (and it should if you push yourslef) you give yourself less break. So, you jog for 1 min, then run for 20 sec. Trust me if you want to burn fat, do interval training (and quit eating). Please leave questions and comments. I enjoy knowing if I help anybody. Hope this helps. Thanks for reading.

I woke up four pounds heavier today! What?

2009-03-08T19:53:00.001-07:00

Today I had an interesting conversation. It was one in which I hear often when people are trying to lose weight. It went something like this. "I lost four pounds last week but got up this morning and weighed myself and I was back to my previous weight". What a tragedy! What this person didn't know and what most of you probably dont know is why there may be the high fluctuations in a persons weight in so short a time. Lets look at a few reasons for weight fluctuations.

Since your body is made up by as much as 75% water, obviously the amount of water in your body has a great deal to do with your overall weight. On any given day your weight can fluctuate 6 to 7 pounds. This has to do with sodium intake, food intake and heck lets be honest, if your a women and its that time of the month, you definetely have more blood. Do ya think your going to weigh less? Don't get your hopes up.

Anyways one thing imparticular that I wanted to mention was that when a person diets, they usually consume less food, which is less calories, which helps them to lose weight. Did you think about the weight of the actual food though? And did you know that carbohydrates carry more water than a protein or fat? So not only do you have to account for the weight of the food but there is also the water weight that carbohydrates take.

Try this and see what happens. One day eat just a specific amount of calories from protein. Yes, eat all protein one day. Weigh yourself the next morning. The day after that eat just carbs and the next morning, weigh yourself. If you have eaten the same number of calories but from different sources (protein and carbs, each on separate days) you will weigh more when ingesting carbs. That's just how it is. You wonder how Ms. Sussie down the road lost ten pounds in a week? Well she probably lost a great deal of water weight because she isnt eating as many carbs.

Moral of the story (especially women): Dont fret over gaining back those four pounds. Just continue to eat less and exercise more and the weight will come off. Oh and if the weight doesnt come off, your still eating too much or your a couch potato or your both.

A great thanks goes to the person that helped originiate this thought today. You know who you are and are probably laughing right now. I told you I was going to post a new blog. :) :) :)

5 to 6 meals a day is making you fat!!

2009-03-06T07:25:00.000-08:00

Why eat 5 to 6 meals a day and what is the point? Where did this idea come from and how is it affecting people? The whole idea that we need to eat 5 to 6 meals a day originated from a bodybuilder perspective. As a bodybuilder you must eat more to gain muscle, but it was so hard to get the calories you needed in just three meals that they took it to 6 meals, which makes sense for THEM, BUT NOT THE AVERAGE AMERICAN!! There is one good reason for eating 6 meals instead of three and that is because of insulin. When you eat more you produce more insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. The more food you eat, the more insulin needed, and the more insulin you have the more fat you gain. Insulin is a fat producer. So, if you eat 6 small meals a day you use much less insulin, therefore making it less likely that you add fat to that belly. But that is also dependent on the type of food you eat.

THIS IS MAKING YOU FATTER, unless you have the psychological will-power to eat small meals. Ya see, if you are an average women you need anywhere from 1200 to 1800 calories a day. That is between 200 and 300 calories a meal. Who in their right mind can stick to eating 200 to 300 calories a meal. Maybe for a snack you could, but for breakfast, lunch and dinner? This idea will not work and as you can see it is making you fat. Also, there is this whole notion that you need to eat 6 meals a day because it will keep that metabolism going. WHAT! There is NO research that shows that your metabolism will go down if you only eat three meals a day. Research has shown that after 10 days of complete fasting your metabolism slows down but it is a very minute amount. So do you think that not eating for several hours is going to slow your metabolism?Maybe by one calorie.

Here is what I suggest. Quit eating and count your calories. I dont care what you eat if you count your calories you will lose weight. Yes, fast all day and eat that 1200 calorie Whopper from Burger King, and you will lose weight. Again, QUIT EATING AND START COUNTING. This is why I recommend fasting. It is easier to say no to ALL food then to some food. You can say no to those doughnuts in the office but not the handful of peanut M&M's at your desk. Again, ITS EASIER TO SAY NO TO EVERYTHING THEN TO SOME THINGS.

You think I am crazy? Check the research!

PLEASE POST YOUR COMMENTS

Coming Soon!!

2009-03-02T20:05:00.000-08:00

Why eat 5 to 6 meals a day and what is the point? Where did this idea come from and how is it affecting people?

Benefits of Fasting

2009-03-01T17:58:00.000-08:00

In the LDS church we do a day long fast once every month. Although this is a time that many of us complain becasue we are hungry and thirsty, there are great benefits to fasting, and they are not just spiritual.

According to Mark P. Mattson, chief of the laboratory fo neurosciences at the National Institute on Aging: "In normal health subjects, moderate fasting--maybe one day a week or cutting back on calories a couple of days a week--will have health benefits for most anybody". Mattson is a leading researcher on the effects of calorie restriction.

To sum it up the benefits are higher disease prevention, more sensitivity to insulin (I will explain this later), reduce cognitive decline, reduces the risk of cancer by slowing growth of abnormal cells, lowered risk of heart disease, lower incidence of diabetes, and my favorite, there is a change in what type of fuel is used for energy (fat metabolism increases). The fat metabolism is the portion I would like to talk about. (please use the link to learn more).
http://www.mormontimes.com/mormon_living/health_lifestyle/?id=6148

As an avid bodybuilder I have found a diet that works wonders when followed to a "T". It is called the "EAT STOP EAT" diet and it incorporates intermittent fasting. To me it's not really a diet but a way of life and living. I wanted to do a cutting phase diet and after unsuccessful attempts at other ways of losing bodyfat (not just weight) I heard about this one on a fitness podcast. For those of you who dont know bodybuilders are the meat heads in the gym that hog the mirror by looking at their biceps that they have just worked out for the past three days in a row. By the way thats not me. I wanted to cut down from 11% to 6%. So I began by fasting two days per week, with no food and water only. For me it was easy because of my past religious background with fasting. For others it may be tougher. Fine start with a 12 hour fast and work your way up. During the other days I ate a lower calorie diet with a high protein content, moderate fat, and very low carbs. What resulted was remarkable, my weight went down just a few pounds, yet I went down to 7% bodyfat in a months time.

You may be thinking, wow all I have to do is fast and I will lose bodyfat? Sure, you will lose body fat , but you will also lose muscle. I stayed to same weight, while losing bodyfat, because I strength trained with very high intensity. I lifted with maximum weights to shock my muscles and utilize all muscle fibers. When you utilize all muscle fibers you gain muscle size, which is how I kept my weight the same while losing bodyfat. I was gaining muscle but losing fat. AWESOME.

It was a tough thing to do because I was on low fuel, but it really made me ripped and that is what I wanted. I wholly advocate the "EAT STOP EAT" way of life because it is healthy. It gets us to do the one thing that America needs to stop doing, EATING. Would I recommend this diet to everyone? No, and the only reason is this; BINGE EATING. Americans have no control over their eating habits. If you have a strong mind to control your eating after a 24 hour fast, then YES I recomend this for you.

This diet will only work the way its suppossed to if you combine strength training and intermittent fasting. This way you will lose much less muscle and much more bodyfat.

If anyone is interested in this I would love to help in the process. I want to see how well it works with others. Please comment on this and leave your email address. I will lead you every step of the way. I am telling you this is the easiest way to lose the bodyfat and not just weight. See you next time.

Whats in a name?

2009-02-22T17:01:00.000-08:00

I finally caved to starting my very own blog. Just a few quick notes about this blog. First, the name of my blog is "Bert's Blog". Why? Because that was my nickname in school. Second, this blog will mostly focus on nutrition, exercise and wellness because I am a fitness fanatic. Occasionally there will be blogs on politics, on which I am always willing to give my opinon. I love voicing my opinion on many topics and I look forward to the backlash or excitement that might come my way. My wife just asked WHY? Because, it makes for great dialouge in my book of life. Its nothing personal, its just the way I am. I look forward to the communication.