Reality Check for the "I do cardio to lose fat" crowd

Reality check for the “I do cardio to lose fat” crowd

Low intensity cardio, which is the preferred form of “fat burning” exercise, is actually the least effective method to burn body fat. You’ve heard it over and over that if you do cardio your metabolic rate will increase and this will cause you to burn more calories from fat. Not true. Frequently performed low intensity exercise, such as walking and jogging, does NOT raise metabolic rate; it actually lowers it.

There are four well-controlled, inpatient, metabolic ward studies (published between 1982 – 1997) that clearly show a significant reduction in resting metabolic rate (your metabolism) when overweight subjects burned 300-600 calories/day while doing endurance (low intensity) exercise for several weeks at a time (1). So what does this mean? This means that frequent bouts of low intensity exercise can shrink muscle tissue which will decrease the amount of energy you burn; this side effect can lead to fat accumulation. This may not be the case for lean athletes, but the evidence is clear that low-intensity cardio is not an effective means to lose body fat for most overweight and obese people.

The most effective exercise protocol for increasing metabolic rate is high intensity strength training. Due to the glycogen depleting and muscle building effects of strength training, slight increases in resting energy expenditure are possible. The process of repairing and building muscle tissue is metabolically expensive and requires extra energy. For each pound of muscle you gain, you increase the amount of energy needed. These energy estimates vary from as low as 7 calories/ day up to 35 calories/day to maintain 1 lb of muscle; this doesn’t sound like much, but in the long run it adds up. Plus, the real fat loss benefits occur due to the improved insulin sensitivity and lowered insulin levels associated with a well-designed strength training program.

If you want to lose fat, you MUST build muscle tissue by implementing a well-designed strength training program.

1. Jeff Volek, PhD and Stephen D. Phinney, MD. The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance. s.l. : Beyond Obesity, 2012.

 

Power Muesli: A Healthy Breakfast For Those On The Go

I am an advocate of intermittent fasting and low-carbohydrate diets. But like all diet plans, they eventually lose effectiveness. A way around the inevitable diet slow-down is to follow a phase-shift diet. On a phase-shift plan, you will follow a low-carb infrequent feeding (2-3 meals) diet for 2-3 days/ week, and then switch to a moderate carb, high protein, frequent feeding (4-6 meals) diet for 2-3 days/week. This type of meal rotation can be synchronized with your training and work schedule.

Power muesli is my favorite on-the-go breakfast when I am on the moderate carb phase of my diet. Of my top 12 foods for health, power muesli contains 4 of my favorites (gluten-free oatmeal, organic whey protein, organic kefir, and organic blueberries) all in one bowl, plus it's very high in protein and fiber.

Power Muesli
Mix the following dry ingredients in a 1 qt pyrex glass container
-1/2 cup Gluten-Free Oatmeal (Bob's Red Meal)
-1/4 to 1/3 cup Organic Vanilla Whey Protein (Jarrow)
-1/4 tsp cinnamon, or just sprinkle to taste
Add the following and stir thoroughly
-1 cup Organic Kefir, low fat, plain (Lifeway)
-1 tbsp MCT Oil
Top with
-1/4 cup organic blueberries or berries of choice
-1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
-1 heaping tbsp raisins (optional for those who are lean)

Let set in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before eating

I usually make this when I get up at 4:30 am. After training a few clients I will eat this concoction around 8 or 9am.

This mixture provides roughly 30-45 grams of high quality protein.

Don’t Sabotage Your Fat-Loss Program by Setting The Wrong Goals

Drop the Quantitative Goals and replace them with Behavioral Goals.

 

Quantitative goal-setting is based on an estimated outcome. When it comes to body-fat loss, this type of goal setting is nothing more than a guesstimate; an educated guess of what you “should” be able to accomplish. Predicting the exact rate of fat loss with an individual is well beyond the abilities of any fitness expert. When a client asks me, “how much body-fat can I lose in 2 months?” I tell them, “as much body-fat as your physiology will allow.”

 

My main objection to this type of goal-setting is that it does not reinforce good habits because it can make a well-executed program appear to fail if an arbitrary number is not achieved.

One of my clients lost 21lbs of body fat in three months and another lost 12lbs in the same time frame. Both clients were diligent with their training and nutrition, but one achieved greater quantitative success. Did one client do better than the other? No, one client responded at a faster pace, but they both were successful because they developed habits that produced measurable results.

 

Here is an example of a quantitative goal (the type you should eliminate):

“I will lose 10lbs of body-fat in 2 months.”

“I will increase my squat by 50lbs in 12 weeks.”

“I will drop 2 dress sizes in 3 months.”

 

Even though these goals sound reasonable, they are dependent on your individual response to the nutrition and exercise protocols. 

 

If on the other hand, we set a behavioral goal to develop a habit; the progress measurements(fat loss) can be used to reinforce those habits. This is a great motivator which often results in the client being ever more diligent with the protocols.

 

Behavioral Goals are based on strategy, and fat loss requires a strategy.

Here is an example of a behavioral goal:

“I will consume a sugar-free, high protein breakfast from Monday-Saturday.”

“I will strength train 3 days/ week and attend 2 yoga classes/ week for the next 3 weeks.”

 

The key to long-term success requires that you develop habits that create a positive physical response and then measure the results to determine if the behavior change is working.

Advanced Hypertrophy Protocols

Advanced Hypertrophy Protocols – My Top 5

By Erick Minor

A muscle that is recruited but not fatigued is not trained.

Vladimir Zatsiorsky

The two most important training factors associated with strength and growth:

1.       how much load (fiber tension) is used

2.       how tired (fatigued) the athlete gets 

Jerry Telle

A well designed strength program can produce a better looking and functioning body; this process is called adaptation.

The main law of adaptation states that in order to improve strength and fitness, you must expose the muscles to unaccustomed physical stress. Once adaptation has occurred and the stress is no longer unaccustomed, you must present the training stimulus in a different manner. Presenting exercises in the same manner over extended periods of time will eventually lose effectiveness and progress will come to a halt; this biological response is known as accommodation (1). The law of accommodation states that, the response to a consistent stimulus will decrease over time. To circumvent accommodation the trainee must make qualitative (exercise) or quantitative (protocols) changes to their training.

To keep the training stimulus fresh, I rotate different intensity enhancing protocols. This not only provides a variation of physical loading, it also stimulates the mind to be creative.

Now that we agree that muscle growth is an adaptive response to unaccustomed physical loading, I will share some of my favorite training protocols that can take you to another level.

The following protocols achieve three primary tasks:

Increases muscle fiber tension

Extends the set which furthers the fatigue of more muscle fibers

Increased amount of work per unit of time

Notes on the sample workouts below:

Warm-up sets are not indicated; perform 2-4 warm-up sets prior to 1^st work set.

Control the eccentric portion of every repetition; DO NOT BOUNCE WEIGHT OR USE MOMENTUM

Stop a set if optimal technique cannot be maintained.

5. Drop sets

This approach extends the set and time under tension by gradually decreasing the load to allow for more repetitions to be completed. Drops sets are simple to execute and produce a deep fatigue of muscle fibers.

As you fatigue, decrease the load by 5-10% and additional repetitions are performed.

            Biceps and Triceps routine

A1) Standing Barbell Curl:                                            4-6 reps to failure, rest 10 seconds

                                       Decrease load 5 -10%, perform as many reps as possible, rest 10 seconds

                                       Decrease load 5-10%, perform as many reps as possible, rest 60- 90 seconds                                                                                                       move to exercise A2

A2) Supine EZ Bar Triceps Extension:                      6-8 reps to failure, rest 10 seconds          

                                        Decrease load 5 -10%, perform as many reps as possible, rest 10 seconds

                                        Decrease load 5-10%, perform as many reps as possible, rest 60 - 90 seconds

                                                                Repeat A1 and A2 for 2-4 rounds

B1) Incline DB Hammer Curl, 60 degree:                               6-8 reps to failure, rest 90 seconds,

                                                       move to exercise B2

B2) Standing Cable Triceps Pressdown:                               10-12 reps to failure, rest 90 seconds

                                                                                                                     Repeat B1 and B2 for 2-3 rounds              

4. Rest-Pause

This technique is especially useful for arm and back exercises and is ideal for those who train alone. Rest-pause technique allows the trainee to take a 5-10 second break mid-set to allow for a brief recovery. This short recovery will allow you to perform more reps and place more mechanical stress on the target tissues.

            Upper Back and Lats

A) Bent-Over Barbell Row, pronated grip             6-8 reps to failure

Rest-Pause                                                                                   Rest bar on floor for 10 seconds

                                                                                                Do as many reps as possible (AMRAP),                                                                                                          Rest bar on floor for 10 seconds

                                                                                                Do as many reps as possible

                                                                                                           Rest for 2-3 minutes

                                                                                                Repeat 1-2 more rounds

B) One Arm Dumbbell Row, neutral grip               6-8 reps to failure for each arm

Rest-pause                                                                                         No rest

                                                                                                Do as many reps as possible for each arm, maybe 4-6 reps

                                                                                                                Rest 2-3 minutes

                                                                                                Repeat 1-2 more rounds

Due to the built in rest-interval with one arm rows, the rows are continued until two sets are completed for each arm.

C) Straight Arm Cable Pulldown                                   10-12 reps to failure, rest 60 seconds

                                                                                                Repeat 1-2 more rounds

3. Partner assisted negative

The technique requires an experienced coach or training partner. The athlete performs a max number of repetitions, once muscle failure is achieved, the partner lifts the load to the start or fully contracted muscle position, and the trainee lowers the weight slowly and under control. The set is extended with eccentric only repetitions; the partner assists liberally with the concentric portion of repetitions.

            Posterior Chain (hamstrings, glutes, low back)

A) Romanian Deadlift*:                                                                4 sets of 6-8 reps, rest 1-3 minutes

                *these are not partner-assisted, use a load that causes muscular failure between 6-8 reps

B) Prone Leg Curl, partner assisted negatives:   3 sets of 6-8 reps + 2-3 negative reps, rest 1-3 minutes

Once you reach muscle failure, your partner assists the concentric portion of the repetitions then you lower the weight slowly for 3-5 seconds until you complete 2-3 reps

C) Back Extension, 45 degree:                                    2-3 sets of AMRAP, rest 60-90 seconds

2. Double Compound Sets

As opposed to a standard giant set, this protocol sandwiches an antagonistic exercise between the same movements. Use the same load with A1 and A3. This is similar the “Double’ Tri-Sets” protocol recommended by Charles Poliquin, except I have the trainee perform a different movement pattern for the second exercise of the circuit.

            Deltoids

A1) Seated DB Shoulder Press:                                  8-10 reps, rest 10 seconds

A2) Wide Grip Pull-up or Pulldown to neck:       10-12 reps, 10 seconds

A3) Seated DB Shoulder Press:                                  AMRAP (as many reps as possible)

                                Rest 2 -3 minutes then repeat cycle 2-3 more rounds

B1) Seated DB Lateral Raise:                                       10-12 reps, rest 10 seconds

B2) Seated Cable Rope Row to Neck:                      12-15 reps, rest 10 seconds

B3) Seated DB Lateral Raise:                                       AMRAP               

                                Rest 2-3 minutes then repeat cycle 1-2 more rounds

1. Fast-Twitch Giant Sets

This is my favorite technique because it allows the trainee to build maximal strength and improve conditioning with the same protocol. Each exercise recruits a different pool of motor units and has a different strength curve.

Use 3 exercises for the same body part but perform low reps (3-6) and take very short rest intervals (5-15 seconds) between each of the 3 exercises.

Chest and Back

A1) Incline Dumbbell Bench Press:                          4-6 reps to failure, rest 10 seconds

A2) Barbell Bench Press, Mid grip:                           3-5 reps to failure, rest 10 seconds

A3) Pushups or Dips (weighted if necessary):     6-12 reps to failure

Rest 1-3 minutes then repeat A circuit 2-3 times

B1) Wide Grip Pull-up, weighted:                            4-6 reps to failure, rest 10 seconds

B2) Bent-over Barbell Row, mid grip:                     4-6 reps to failure, rest 10 seconds

B3) Supine Dumbbell Pullover:                                 6-10 reps to failure

Rest 2-3 minutes then repeat B circuit 2-3 times

These techniques are very demanding and should be used in 2-3 week cycles

Fat and Cholesterol: What you need to know

By Erick Minor

“We have found virtually no relationship between the percentage of calories from fat and any important health outcome.”

Walter Willet, MD, DrPH, Chairman-Department of Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health

Conventional wisdom states, “High cholesterol is bad and we must take steps to lower cholesterol by avoiding fatty foods.” You’ve heard this so many times that you would assume this recommendation is based on reliable evidence. But at best, the evidence against saturated fat and cholesterol is shaky and indirect.

We’ve been led to believe that too much cholesterol is the leading risk factor for heart disease. With this information in hand, health conscious adults avoid saturated fat and cholesterol elevating foods in an effort to extend their life and improve their heart health. Your doctor is quick to prescribe a statin to get that cholesterol down to a “safe” level. Anyone who challenges this view is often believed to be a quack or someone in denial. As much as you have been beat over the head with this conventional wisdom, the science does not support these anti-cholesterol, anti-saturated fat theories.

This jaded view of fat and cholesterol deters many from following the most effective diet protocol ever; low carbohydrate, high fat diets. There is no dispute that low-carbohydrate diets are the most effective diets for body fat loss. But because of the incorrect fat and cholesterol theory, many people avoid such diets in fear of ruining their health.

The truth is, cholesterol has many important functions that are necessary for a healthy body and the current evidence shows that a diet consisting of plenty of good fats (and cholesterol) is far more healthy than low-fat, low cholesterol diets.

A few facts about fat, cholesterol, and heart disease

Elevated cholesterol and saturated animal fats are not the cause of obesity, heart disease or any other chronic disease^[1]. Blaming cholesterol for heart disease is like blaming tall trees for forest fires. In the case of heart disease, inflammation is the fire, and cholesterol is the tree. Too much inflammation causes things to go awry.

What causes arteriosclerosis?

According to the medical establishment, the presence of a sterol inside an artery wall is the cause of arteriosclerosis. There are many forms of sterols which are found in the body, cholesterol gets the most attention.

What’s in an artery clog?

Most of the material found in artery clogs consists of unsaturated fats and calcium as opposed to the “artery clogging saturated fats” that we assume. Too much calcium has been linked to artery clogs.

What causes sterols to attach to the artery wall, which causes atherosclerosis?

Inflammation is the primary cause of many negative health conditions. Inflammation is necessary to initiate recovery from injury and illness, but chronic inflammation creates havoc within the circulatory system. Chronic inflammation can cause damage to the artery walls which will cause sterols to attach to the damaged tissue.

6 Good Things you did not know about cholesterol

•  Cholesterol is the precursor to Vitamin D. When exposed to UVB sunlight, our skin converts cholesterol into Vitamin D. Vitamin D is an important hormone that is vital to many metabolic functions and the prevention of disease.

•  Infant brain development requires a significant amount of cholesterol and saturated fat.  Mother’s milk (in a healthy woman) has 50 - 60% of its energy coming from fat, and of that fat; 35%-55% percent is saturated fat^[2]. The cholesterol in mother’s milk provides roughly six times the amount adults consumes.

•  Cholesterol is a building block for hormones like estrogen and testosterone; these hormones are associated with youth and vitality.

•  Cholesterol is vital for proper function of serotonin receptors in the brain, serotonin is the happiness hormone. Low serotonin is linked to depression and aggressive behavior.

•  Cholesterol acts as a powerful anti-oxidant that protects us from free radicals. Low cholesterol levels are directly linked to higher incidence of cancer and suicide^[3].

•  Cholesterol is produced by almost every cell of the body and ALL cells contain cholesterol within the cell wall. Cholesterol is required to maintain cell membrane stability and integrity.

Get most of your fats from these sources:

Wild caught fish high in omega-3

Organic butter

Extra virgin olive oil

Macadamia nut oil

Virgin Coconut oil

Organic eggs

Grass-fed and wild game meats

Organic free-range poultry

High grade fish oil supplements

High grade Cod Liver Oil

So, saturated fat and cholesterol are not all bad. This does not give you a green light to consume unlimited amounts of any and every type of fat.

Fats to avoid:

Oxidized and rancid fats

Vegetable oils high in omega-6

Anything that contains trans-fats

Hydrogenated fats and oils

Deep fried foods, they contain trans-fats

If your goal is to maintain vitality and health, you must focus on doing things that minimize body fat. According to science writer Gary Taubes, “whatever makes us fat will make us sick.”

Don’t fear good fat or cholesterol.

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^[1] Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes

^[2] www.westonaprice.org

^[3] The Cholesterol Myth by Uffe Ravnskov, MD, PhD