Monthly Archives: November 2008

Pump Up Before You Carb Up

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

As I write this I am looking at plates and bowls of carbs floating around the kitchen.

All healthy versions mind you – organic yam puree, gluten free sage stuffing, corn bread made from manna made in heaven (ok from Bob's Redmill Masa Harina corn flour).

And I'm going to eat them all. And so are you.

BUT before you launch into your Thanksgiving carb fest, workout. Even a 10 minute all-out effort doing 3-4 exercises like pushups, pullups, squats and sit ups will do the trick. Try to do the workout about an hour or so before you eat for best results. But any time is best.

The workout will decrease your stored glycogen and set the stage for muscle building. The protein ( a musket shot turkey in our case) and added carbs will fuel the muscle building fire within you.

Don't go nutty now – but eat! And you'll be able to eat in a guilt free manner 'cuz you know that you are eating the right stuff to build a better you.

Slow Is Relative

I trained a client the other day who got stuck in the middle of a repetition. She seemed to be unsure of what to do as the exercise got rugged.

From the look of her, she was working hard but not really that hard. I felt sort of frozen – unsure of what to say.

Without a second thought I commanded: "Just push the darn thing forward!" She did.

Sometimes it seems as if it is very difficult for the trainee to determine the difference between going slowly and working hard. If you are trying to adhere to a particular protocol of exercise like Slow Burn and this robs you of the ability to work hard, the protocol in in the way.

Safety aside of course.

The body is VERY resistant to change. Adding muscle and bone mass is metabolically expensive.

Gut busting physical effort is the only way to rejuvenate lost lean mass or to improve upon your existing level of mass which in turn rewards you with a myriad of other physical benefits. Intense effort is the stimulus – the spark – the ignition.

You don't get to vote on this.

Slow Burn is a guideline. But hard, intense, soul wrenching effort is the key.

When in doubt, work harder.

The 700 Club

I'll be appearing on the 700 Club Skinny Wednesday show next week, November 19th. Times vary. It airs on the ABC Family Channel. Check local listings for the time in your area. We'll be discussing my new book Strong Kids Healthy Kids.

I am really looking forward to being on this show because many of the people who watch it are very family oriented.

It's high time that parents were told the truth regarding adolescent obesity and diabetes and how effective strength training is for their children.

I hope you watch! Here is a link to the local time listings.

The Egg Nothing Omelete

Many people fearing the fat and cholesterol in egg yolks eat egg white omelette's instead of regular omelette's.

This fear of course is unwarranted as there is not a shred of scientific evidence to suggest that the amount of cholesterol you eat will raise your cholesterol level nor is there any to suggest that your cholesterol level, no matter what it is, matters a jot. There are many well respected scientists and doctors who are struggling to get the correct information into the mainstream.

OK – back to the egg.

An egg is a nearly perfect food. A single egg has most of the vitamins and minerals needed for optimal health. (Remember, the more cholesterol you eat, the less your body needs to make.)

The egg has two parts – the white and the yolk. An interesting comparison is revealed when you look at the nutrient content of the white vs. the yolk. Do take a peek at this and return to this blog.

The only nutrient found in the white in superior quantities than the yolk is potassium – and there is a fair amount in the yolk too. There is also far more sodium in the white. In fact, as you can see from the list, the white has, comparatively speaking, almost no nutritional value whatsoever.

So next time you have an omelet, go for the whole egg version. Otherwise you are essentially eating a 'Nothing Omelet.'

Complimentary Strong Kids Healthy Kids Book

I am offering a complimentary copy of my book Strong Kids Healthy Kids to all public schools in NYC (and 10 books to other schools around the country. These 10 are on a first come first served basis. I'll donate more complimentary copies if sales do well.

If you know of a school that would like a copy, let me know and we'll send one (principals approval must be had first). Give me all the info ASAP.

Please direct them to my Strong Kids site so they can see what it's all about.

Pass the word along!