Page 110 of 119

Bringing back an old abs favorite

March 7, 2007 / Anthony Stalter

After sifting through a magazine about a month ago, I came across an abdominal exercise that I hadn’t done for awhile: the hanging leg raise.

For about three weeks now, I’ve done the hanging leg raise at the end of my workouts, every few days. It has done wonders for me, not only targeting my lower abs, but also working my entire midsection. A bonus is that it has also helped me with my grip, which is obviously used in other exercises.

While this exercise is great for strengthen your midsection, don’t forget that abs aren’t made in the gym; they’re made in the kitchen. Like Mike Furci always says: Working your abs is not the key to attaining abs.

Abs, General training, Specific workouts, Xternal Fitness, Xternal Furci

Omega-3 in orange juice?

March 5, 2007 / Mike Furci

Omega-3 fatty acids have become all the rage over the last 3 years with good reason. Some of Omega-3’s benefits include the following:

Prevents depression
Used to treat bipolar disorder
Improves immunity
Counteracts autoimmune diseases
Prevents and treats cancer
Protects our brains
Fights cardiovascular disease
Prevents and treats arrhythmia
Essential for healthy cell walls

There was a time when omega-3 fatty acids could be found in high concentrations in many different foods like beef and dairy. This is back when farmers supplied local consumers and their animals fed on their natural foods. The vast majority of animals in the U.S. that are raised for human consumption unfortunately are fed garbage like soy and corn, which yields products with sub par nutritional value.

So where do you turn for your omega-3’s? Without a doubt the best sources for omega-3’s are from fish oils. However food giants would like you to believe otherwise. According to USAToday.com omega-3 showed up in 120 new food products in 2005, and in 2006 it showed up in around 250. Omega-3 fatty acids are being added to everything from yogurt to orange juice. Why? Money. It’s a marketing dream for the food industry ever since the Food and Drug Administration and the American Heart Association gave omega-3 the thumbs up.

Looking at the track record of the food industry in this country do you really think they take your health into consideration? Hell no.

Foods products, Men's Health and Wellness, Supplements, Xternal Fitness, Xternal Furci

Get on your feet!

March 1, 2007 / Anthony Stalter

Think about how many weight lifting exercises we do sitting or lying down. Just to name a few, there is the flat bench press, incline bench press, military press, lateral raises, bicep curls, triceps extensions and lat pull downs.

I’ve read several publications that recommend standing up for as many exercises as you can. The more we sit down, the more likely we are to weaken our backs and abs. Also, if we don’t develop the core strength, we’re more likely to suffer an injury too. I’ve read that this especially works for hardgainers, because it forces you to work more muscle groups at one time.

Now granted, there are some exercises – like the bench press for example – that standing up is just not an option. However, the more times we get up on our feet while working out, the more likely we are to build core strength and overall balance.

Bodybuilding, General fitness, General training, Magazine Hype, Weight training

McDonald’s changes their frying oil

February 25, 2007 / Mike Furci

Feeling the pressure from health advocates, McDonald’s has been trying to eliminate trans fat in frying oil for quite some time now.? In January they announced that over 1200 of its franchises will be using a trans fat free oil.???

The Chicago Tribune reports, by early 2008 all 13,700 McDonald’s franchises in the U.S. will be cooking all their frie’s, chicken nuggets and other items in a vegetable oil blend.? Cargill did the scientific testing and blending of oils to find one that did not jeopardize the iconic nature of the french fry.? They tested 18 types of oil in more than 50 different blends over 7 years.? The new, “healthier” oil is a blend of canola, soybean and corn oils.?

Ram Reddy vice president and general manager for Cargill’s Napier office said, “We’re not going to turn the french fry into a health food, but it is going to be healthier.”

Healthier, let’s not jump to conclusions.? So instead of using partially hydrogenated oils, they’re going to use polyunsaturated oils.? These oils should never, ever be used in cooking, let alone frying.?

We have been force fed a load of crap concerning the virtues of polyunsaturated fats.? We’ve been told relentlessly that polyunsaturated fats are good for our health and to increase our consumption.? Unfortunately, polyunsaturated fats cause many health problems.? One of the biggest reasons polyunsaturated fats are so unhealthy is because they are very susceptible to becoming oxidized or rancid when exposed to heat and light.? The polyunsaturated oils you buy in grocery stores are already rancid.?
Bullz-eye.com

Food preparation, Foods products, Men's Health and Wellness, Nutrition

Foods that fight aging

February 20, 2007 / Anthony Stalter

We all eat food for different reasons. Some of us eat certain food to lose weight or to build muscle, while some eat whatever the hell we want, when we want. Well, what about eating food to fight aging?

In a recent online article, Men’s Health highlighted five foods that will help battle the ravages of old age:

Sunflower seeds
These salty wonders have the highest natural vitamin E content of any food around. “Vitamin E is one of the most important nutrients around for looking younger,” says Barry Swanson, Ph.D., a professor of food science at Washington State University. “No antioxidant is more effective at fighting the aging effects of free radicals.”
Spinach and beans
Researchers in Australia, Indonesia, and Sweden studied the diets of 400 elderly men and women, and found that those who ate the most leafy green vegetables and beans had the fewest wrinkles. The reason? Spinach and beans are full of compounds that help pre-vent and repair wear and tear on your skin cells as you get older.
Grape juice
Besides providing protection from heart attack and stroke, grape juice can also help keep your middle-aged skin from sagging. “Grapes are filled with antioxidant polyphenols that help to keep your skin flexible and elastic,” says Swanson.
Sweet potatoes
Overexposure to the sun is one of the primary reasons men age prematurely. But sweet potatoes may help to fight sun damage. European researchers recently found that pigments from beta-carotene?rich foods — like sweet potatoes and carrots — can build up in your skin, helping to prevent damage from ultraviolet rays.
Cheese
No wonder rats always look so young. “Cheese is one of the best foods you can eat for your teeth,” says Matthew Messina, D.D.S., an American Dental Association spokesman. “It’s a good source of calcium, to keep your teeth strong. Plus, eating cheese can lower the levels of bacteria in your mouth and keep your teeth clean and cavity-free,” he says. Dr. Messina recommends eating at least two servings of block cheese every week.

Eventually, we all think about getting older. Since we’re already eating certain foods to gain or lose weight, why not add some that will help us look better for when we take advantage of that senior discount at the movies?

Anti-Aging, Magazine Hype, Nutrition, Uncategorized