Monthly Archives: February 2007

Muscles for Models

Recently there has been a big broo-ha-ha about models having too low of a BMI (body mass index). In other words, they are way too skinny, meaning potentially unhealthy. Several models have died due to complications from anorexia.

In certain countries (Spain and Italy for example), if a model tests anything lower than a BMI of 18 she’s liable to get booted from a shoot or from the agency she works for.

And for good reasons. Being rail thin is almost as unhealthy, if not more unhealthy in some ways, than being obese. These countries are trying to help these gals, especially young girls, stay healthy and keep from the dangers of eating disorders. Commendable as I see it.

Now, models do need to be thin. They do need to maintain a certain "look." The clothes they wear need to hang in a certain way on their bodies or they won’t get the top jobs. That’s the way it is.

So what’s a Supermodel to do?

Strength train.

As a method, Slow Burn training would do the trick and do it fast. All she needs to do is slap 5-10 pounds of muscle on her person and bingo! The BMI test is beaten. Using Slow Burn, this can be accomplished in under a month. Easy.

Of course, she does have to eat right to allow this benefit to occur. Coffee, cakes and ciggs won’t cut the mustard.

But that’s another story. And one we can help her with as well.

Any supermodels interested in giving Slow Burn a try give us a shout. The first session is on the house. You’ll be amazed what it feels like to be lean and really strong!

Things are not always what they seem

Reuters recently reported on a study from The University of Queensland in Australia which indicates that without weight loss you can be as fit as a fiddle but your health will still suffer if you remain obese.

IOW, you can do your cardio till the cows come home but unless you slim down, the supposed health benefits of cardio are not forthcoming. (And the best way to slim down is to dine paleo.)

What this means is leanness, not cardio, is what is health protective.

So when folks do a ton of cardio, eat right and lose weight, they assume that it was the cardio that lowered their blood pressure, improved their blood-vessel function, etc. Not according to this study.

Things are not always what they seem eh?

Onto another.

We know that the amount of blood flow in our limbs and the flow of blood through our veins and arteries, organs, etc., decreases as we age. The cold hands and feet of the elderly, is such a sign of poor blood perfusion.

We also know that this decrease contributes to or can contribute to cardiovascular disease.

A study by Anton MM, Cortez-Cooper MY, DeVan AE, Neidre DB, Cook JN, Tanaka H. titled: "Resistance training increases basal limb blood flow and vascular conductance." which appeared in the Journal of Applied Physiology. 2006; 101: 1351-1355 found that strength training and not stretching exercises improved blood flow.

And guess what?

Anton found in another study he conducted that aerobic training did not produce favorable changes in blood flow.

Amazing right?

If you had to guess the outcome, I doubt anyone would guess that aerobics does zippo to improve blood perfusion. In fact, you’d bet the farm it would.

Sometimes things are really not what they seem right?

Regina’s Riff

Regina Wilshire’s riff on calories in calories out is a must read.

At Seth Godin’s wonderfully informative all day seminar last Tuesday, I was struck by one thing he said to me: "People don’t know they have a strength problem and your job is to (somehow) solve that." Gee thanks.

And he’s right.

See, people by and large think that all exercise is good or that any physical activity will do the "job." I blogged on this once before but I think it’s worth mentioning again – all exercise is not the same.

Since I don’t have 150 million to spend on TV advertising, the best I can do is blog away and keep reminding people that strength training should be the core, the foundation of your exercise program. Everything else you do is secondary because strength training delivers ALL the fitness goods.

If you don’t have an exercise program at present and are starting to think about starting one, think strength training. When you think fruit, think berries. When you think fat, think saturated. When you think sonnets, think Shakespeare and when you think exercise, think strength training.

Now, you don’t need to do it my way – Slow Burn style. No. You don’t need my book nor do you need my video.

But you do need to do it right.

Some other credible strength training sources:

A Practical Approach to Strength Training

Strength Training Past 50

Living Longer Stronger

It’s a shame that so few people engage in regular strength training exercises. It takes so little to provide so much!

Another Pro for Protien!

A recent review paper published in the International Journal of Obesity lists a bunch of research studies promoting higher protein diets as an effective management strategy for reducing body fat. More and more research is emerging indicating that eating like a cave man is the way to stay lean, strong and healthy.

But why? Why does eating protein promote superior fat loss?

Certain properties of protein – the way it is metabolized – contribute to greater energy expenditure. First and foremost, protein has a higher thermic effect than carbs or fat so, protein requires a bunch more energy to metabolize than the other two.

Here’s the breakdown of energy expenditure:

0 – 3% for metabolism of fat

5 – 10% for carbohydrate

20 – 30% for protein

So the experts are wrong once again – a calorie is NOT just a calorie anymore than a piece of wood is a piece of wood. As an amateur carpenter I can tell you with utmost certainty that woods burn differently from one another, cut differently, shrink and absorb water differently, etc.

Popeye said "Eat your spinach!"

I say "Eat your