The "X" Factors

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Unknowingly we are allowing chemicals from plastics and metals to enter into our body's which studies has shown mimics estrogen and allows you to gain fat. To avoid this situation just follow these simple rules;.

A) Never use plastic in the microwave/stove as in will leach into your food.

B) Try to avoid plastic wrapped meats.....when you are able have the grocer wrap it in paper.

C) Try to avoid canned goods like tuna and produce and replace it with over the counter fish and frozen veggies/fruits in bags.

D) Avoid plastic and styrofoam cups
plus check your water bottle on the bottom....give it the field goal kick if it has the #7 on it.

So there we have it as we are getting rid of plastic entering our body, but how about recycling and lead by example to save our planet...why?  Well they end up in our oceans and since they are not biodegradable they only break down into smaller pieces with all the toxins ( PCBs, DDTs, etc which can't be absorbed by the sea). So we end up with these small chemical pellets that make their way through the food chain then into fish and ultimately  to us humans. So start a local movement to recycle plastics as its not difficult.   The World will be a better place for it and future generations will thank you

Muscle Myth Busters

We know the magic of muscle and its calorie burning power,  now its time to squash some myths that you might of heard around the water cooler or from that annoying friend that we all have that thinks they know it all. (lol)

Myth #1

Lifting super slow builds big muscles  All it does is make for a longer workout, the best increases in strength is by lowering the weight under control ( also less chance of injury) and then the up phase is quicker.

Myth #2

Leg extensions are safer for the knees than squats. Exercise where a single joint is used i.e., leg extensions are potentially more dangerous than multiple joints being used ( squats or leg press) ....the reason is that the knee joint is controlled by the quadriceps and hamstrings, so a balanced muscle activity keeps the knee in place.

Myth #3

Never exercise sore muscle. If the muscle becomes so sore to touch or limits your range of motion, then take another day off. If not in that state a light aerobic or lifting routine will stimulate blood flow which removes waste products like lactic acid (the by-product of muscles working) and will help the repair process.

Myth # 4

Always work out with free weights. Although you use more muscle groups when using the iron (compound movements) machines do serve a purpose. They're beneficial for rehab if you need to isolate an area after an injury, also great when first starting out to get proper form to get the muscles used to a new activity and finally I like to use them to finish up an exercise ( after I'm depleted myself from weights).... as you can get a few more reps in a controlled, safe setting.

Myth #5

A Swiss Ball can build a stronger chest and shoulder muscles. Are you kidding me, besides the safety factor you have to reduce the weight in order to press on the Swiss Ball and get less out of the exercise. In closing these movements are better performed on a stable surface, so save the ball to work your abs and other core exercises

Muscles 101

Your body has about 650 muscles but I swear that when I met Arnold Schwarzenegger he had a few more than that (lol). It does not matter that you only care about 4 or 5 of them (vanity is a terrible thing)  but you do need everyone in order to perform the normal functions of everyday life; eating, breathing, walking or holding in your stomach at the beach. You could impress your friends at house parties by telling them that the Gluteus Maximus (the butt) is the strongest, Latissimus Dorsi ( middle back) is the largest and the Stapedius  (middle ear) is the smallest, but what it comes down to is that we take for granted the brilliance of coordinated muscles in motion or the developed muscles in isolation .

A) Your skeletal muscles ( the ones that you secretly pose in front of the mirror) has two main types of fibers; #1 fiber ( slow twitch) are mainly used for endurance activities and  #2 fiber ( fast twitch) which are used for explosive movements that uses more than 25% of your maximum strength. Most people have an equal mix of both fibers with the exception of elite athletes, for example sprinters has more #2 fiber and marathoners have more #1 fiber.

B) Growing muscles need more than just protein as they are 4/5ths water and also we need fuel to power up ( dense carbohydrates; fruit, veggies, rice etc) as this is so you don't use your protein for energy, if not think of it this way.... its like a car using pieces of the engine for gas. How much protein? .08 x your ideal bodyweight per day spaced 2-3hrs apart ( your body can only absorb so much per sitting) 
ie160lb man =130g of protein per day and if you have too much? Come on, we are trying to clean up the oceans as the body sends it out as waste

C) Hey guys also  if size is your goal avoid the shrinking mans exercise which is long distance running (we will get to some beneficial cardio exercises later) Think about it if that was the case after every marathon the streets would need to be repaved.(lol)

D) You can save your bones by lifting weights as it develops density  from the weight bearing effect.

A New Beginning

Before we can begin to repair the machine (the body) we will need to know why it is in such poor condition........ So let's get started!

Reasons Why You May Still Be Overweight

A. You are starving;  Slashing too many calories, particularly protein pushes the body to conserve rather than burn them. So how many calories per day?  First to calculate; protein (meats, fish, eggs etc) and carborhyrates (fruit, veggies, rice etc.) is x 4.....ie 8 ounces of chicken (35 grams of protein) with a cup of cooked brown rice (50 grams of carbs) = 85 grams x 4  thus 340 calories. However fat is x9 making it clear why it is so difficult to lose and also why it takes more calories to burn. Ok so for a rough guess to determine your daily intake;  height in inches and subtract 60, multiply that number by 6, add 106 and then times that number by 10 for a rough estimate. You will need to add calories to compensate for any exercise you do and if you go below that level your brain will slowdown the metabolism as it does not care what you want to do as it wants to live, this goes back to the primitive years with weeks between meals as the cave man did not have the local corner store to load up haha.....it is called a "survival mechanism".

B. You inhale your food;  With today's fast paced lifestyle you probably ate so fast that your stomach hardly had time to alert your brain that you were full and then to tell your mouth to stop chewing.

C. Refined Foods;  Most processed breads and cereals contain little fibre which is the calorie free component of plants that fills you up, not out! Plus foods rich in fibre help control blood glucose (sugars) and insulin levels.

D. Lack of Sleep;  This can decrease the odds of shedding fat and keeping it off.

E. Lack of Water;  It is needed to flush the waste products out of your body and  also aides in the process of protein. Also is needed to transport nutrients to your muscles and finally it helps to digest food which will keep your metabolism going.
How to calculate your daily water intake?  It is usually half of your ideal body weight in ounces per day       (8 - 8 ounce glasses for the average person) and no... juice,tea, etc does not count.

F. You are what you eat as exercise alone will not get you in shape as common sense says you can not consume more than you burn. Also eating smart by spreading your meals at least 2.5 hrs apart as the body cannot absorb or use all of the protein/carbs at one time, plus to replenish after training within 20mins that helps replace the nutrients and repair muscle.