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Should body builders skip supplements?

January 18, 2007 / Anthony Stalter

There was an interesting article published online at American Chronicle.com about whether or not bodybuilders should?skip supplements in 2007.

The basic idea behind the article was to dispel any rumors that bodybuilders absolutely need to take supplements. They don’t. Like the article details, you can still gain muscle with proper diet and exercise without ever touching a supplement. However, using supplements can in fact, do as they say, and “supplement” your diet.

The supplement quandary is along the same lines of when people try to go to the far ends of the earth to find the perfect workout?routine or diet. If you have the money, the basic supplements can offer a great boost to your overall workout gains. Just don’t get caught up in all the hype of having to have the “latest and greatest”.

The American Chronicle article highlights the five basic supplements that bodybuilders should consider if they want to maximize their workout gains:

1) Whey Protein?
2) Creatine?
3) Glutamine?
4) High-Potency Multivitamin?
5) Essential Fatty Acids?

To see the full article, click here.?

Creatine, Glutamine, Magazine Hype, Supplements, Uncategorized

Don’t let common workout myths detour your main goal

January 17, 2007 / Anthony Stalter

On a whole, we all have it within ourselves to want to be healthy, be fit and look our best. However, it’s easy to get sidetracked by bad advice or information overload. The most common problem some of us face is that we think we have to find a magical workout regime or a diet that’s tailor made for us.

The truth of the matter is that any workout that continuously challenges are body and mind will work. Don’t get hung up on what specific exercises will work best for you, because then it’s easier to lose focus. Just pick out a regime from a magazine or online article or talk to someone that you trust that has had success in the gym to build you a plan. Knowing the fundamentals in the gym, changing up your workout every four to six weeks and of course having a proper diet will get you on the right track. And keep you there.??

For more workout myths and facts, including whether or not muscle will turn into fat, sweating means you’re losing weight and if working out when you’re injured actually is beneficial, check out this article from msnbc.com.

Exercise, General fitness, Magazine Hype, Men's Health and Wellness, Sports Health and Fitness, Uncategorized

Can spicy food help you lose weight?

January 17, 2007 / Anthony Stalter

MensHealth.com posted a recent article on the top 15 foods that can help you shred pounds. Some of the usual suspects that you would find on a list like this were chicken, turkey and lean meats. Salmon and tuna also make an appearance, which is expected given how omega-3 fatty acids should be a staple to any diet geared to lose weight.

Interestingly, jalapeno, habanero and cayenne peppers also made the list. Not only were they noted, but ranked second after milk, whole grains and oatmeal. According to the article, a ‘single spicy meal can boost your metabolism by up to 25 percent, with the spike in calorie burning lasting for up to three hours after you finish eating.’ The general idea behind eating spicy food for weight loss is to speed up your heart, which burns calories.

To read the entire MensHealth.com article, click here.

Diets, Foods products, Magazine Hype, Men's Health and Wellness, Nutrition, Uncategorized

Success

January 12, 2007 / Mike Furci

“The dictionary is the only place where success comes before work.”

Vince Lombardi

Cool quotes

Frito-Lay makes a deceptive move in 2006.

January 5, 2007 / Mike Furci

Feeling pressure from consumers and so-called health experts Frito-Lay has been changing the fat it uses to make their products since 1987.? In another attempt to market “healthier” snacks, the best selling snack food manufacturer began substituting sunflower oil for cottonseed oil.? The purpose is to reduce the amount of saturated fat contained in their products.?

According to Rocco Papalia, senior vice president of R&D the switch in oils will result in a 66% reduction in saturated fat in some of their products.? The problem I have with this change is the sunflower oil contains an even higher level of polyunsaturated fat, which is highly unstable.? This switch in oils is actually unhealthier for consumers.

First, sunflower oil contains a high level of omega-6 fatty acids, which in the levels that we Americans consume it in, is detrimental to our health.? We consume way too many Omega-6 fats and almost no Omega-3 fats. The Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio in the American diet is about 10:1 to 20:1.? For most of mans existence, the Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio was 1:1 to 3:1.? Eating too many Omega-6 fatty acids is associated with cardiovascular disease, some cancers, and is pro-inflammatory.

Second, but perhaps more importantly, polyunsaturated fats are highly unstable when exposed to heat or oxygen.? These oils literally become toxins when used in cooking especially frying.? If Frito-Lay were truly interested in making more healthy snacks they would return to using tropical oils in the manufacturing of their products.

Coconut oil is the healthiest oil you can consume.? This tropical oil contains lauric acid which is well known for its antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal effects.? More than two thirds of coconut oil is medium chained fatty acids which are easily absorbed for quick energy and promote fat loss.?

Fortunately oils like coconut oil are starting to become recognized for their health promoting properties.? Maybe someday food giants like Frito-Lay will get their heads out of their asses and start to actually care about the damage they are doing to the people who buy their products.?
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Foods products, Nutrition