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The worst (and best) magazines to read for a healthy lifestyle


03 Feb

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Posted in Fat Loss | 16 Comments »

What surrounds you on a daily basis helps shapes who you are. From the check out counter to the doctor’s office, what you read influences what you believe. Should you be selective in the magazine you pick up? Yes.

A recent UK study found that food and food ads in magazines are made up mostly of  foods high in sugar, fat and salt. Magazines that are more desperate and less selective of the type of advertising and articles they run are going to be more likely to land you toward higher calorie and less nutrient rich foods. They also lead you to bad information and dogmatic beliefs about “scientific” information. This encourages unhealthy lifestyle activity, eating, and training practices.

From all of the data and with the selection of magazines available at this time I have gathered the best (and worst) magazines to read to achieve a healthy lifestyle and encourage weight loss.

The Best:

*These magazines were chosen based on content and ease of availability and purchase cost.*

1. Eating Well

I don’t always agree with everything they say when it comes to why to eat the things they list. However, they provide great recipes and ideas on how to put together healthy, tasty, and sensible caloric meals.

2.  National Geographic Adventure

While the original is great, this one provides a map and explanation to different places you can explore, and how to do that with ease. Even if you aren’t ready for travel yet, warm yourself up to it with the thought of fun and adventure that can await.

3. Men’s/Women’s Health

They aren’t perfect, but among all of mainstream diet and health magazines they are leagues ahead of the rest. There are fantastic authors and contributors, and the material is entertaining. The only mainstream fitness/health magazine I read and respect.

4. Science News

It is a fun magazine that explores everything from robots to psychology. Sure to entertain, but in ways that make you think and get amazed by the simple things we see everyday.

5. Art in America

A life is about more than just the jeans you can fit in. Art, music, and the people that make up our world of beauty and emotion can help you tap into something that can break the mundane, and enlighten untapped creativity.

The Worst:

1. People Magazine

I find it to be the worst because for some reason readers still think that the magazine carries integrity. I can say for certain it doesn’t. Month after month it delivers the worst in diet, nutrition, and training information.

2. Us Weekly

While it is just another of many in the gossip magazine pile, it seems to go that extra step to put horrible “facts” out on what to do to achieve a fit and beautiful body. Please stick  to paying stalkers okay US Weekly?

3. Flex

The number one magazine for trying to hide the massive amount of steroid usage, ever.

4. Southern Living

I live in the south, you don’t want to eat and live like us. We are the fattest people there is in the world.

5. National Enquirer

If you actually take the information in there seriously, you should check if something is rattling in your brain. They also aren’t nearly funny enough to take down Weekly World News.

–

Socio-economic and gender differences in nutritional content of foods advertised in popular UK weekly magazines.

Adams J, White M. Eur J Public Health. 2009 Jan 18. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID: 19151418 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Some insights from Jamie Hale


21 Jan

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Posted in Jamie Hale | 12 Comments »

I have never met Jamie Hale. I will be doing so soon at the 2009 JP Fitness Summit. You are all going to that right ? Yesterday I sat next to a man and he struck up a conversation with me. He was smart, southern, and had a certain kind of mystery about him. He had an attitude that he knew a little secret and wasn’t telling. Something about the man reminded me of Jamie Hale, even though I have still yet to meet him.

Here are some of my favorite insights from Jamie:

From the article “Hot Body Diets”

In my opinion all quality diets share some characteristics.

The key factors in quality diets are:

• Calorie intake (matters whether you’re consciously
counting or not)
• Consumption of sufficient quantity of essential nutrients
• Consideration of individual likes and dislikes
• Consideration of metabolic abnormalities
• Occasional breaks from the diet
• Recognizing that you don’t have to stick to the program
100% of the time to see the benefits

From the book “The Carbohydrate Files”:

Carbohydrate as energy

Dietary carbohydrates have been given an energy value of 4 kcal/g (17 kJ/g). However, where carbohydrates are expressed as monosaccharides, the value of 3.75 kcal/g (15.7 kJ/ g) is used. It is now clear that a number of carbohydrates are only partly or not at all digested in the small intestine and are fermented in the large intestine to short chain fatty acids. These include non-digestible oligo-saccharides, resistant starches, and non-starch polysaccharides. Fermentation is metabolically less efficient than absorption in the small intestine, and these carbohydrates provide the body with less energy. In light of recent research, the energy value of all carbohydrates in the diet should be reevaluated.

From the book “MaxCondition”

Practical implications concerning range of motion:

•No movement is possible without a certain degree of flexibility.
•Excessive flexibility can result in a decrease of stabilization.
•Injuries that occur during stretching are usually a result of an inappropriate
choice of stretching methods.
•Full range of motion weight training is effective for increased range of
motion.
•Improper sequence of stretching methods can negatively affect performance.
•Excessive static stretching prior to dynamic athletic events decreases
performance.
•Excessive stretching of tendons can reduce their ability to store elastic
energy.
•Adequate range of motion is necessary for optimal force production.
•All stretches may be dangerous if performed improperly.
•As a muscle is stretched beyond its normal resting length its force of
contraction gradually drops, reaching zero at 175% of resting length.
•Extension of a tendon beyond 4% of its length causes irreversible
deformation.
•Immobilization of a joint capsule for a few weeks causes chemical
changes in the collagen fibers of the joint capsule that will restrict flexibility.
•Ligaments stretched more than 6% of their normal lengths result in
tears.
•In most sports, dynamic range of motion is more important than static
range of motion.
•Static flexibility may increase when the muscles are somewhat fatigued

From  “Interview with Will Nobel”

5) What did you discover/conclude from your research?

I concluded that effectiveness of training varies tremendously from individual to individual. There are numerous resources that provide good info, but there are far more that are insufficient. There is a huge difference in training and training for a purpose. No matter how physically gifted an athlete may be they will probably never reach elite status without mental toughness as well. Another interesting fact that I have known forever is great coaches and athletes are not the same in one. Quiet often athletes do as they are told and never ask any questions as to why they perform a particular movement. This results in an athlete that decides to train everyone just as he would himself, doesn’t work.

Do yourself a favor and head over to Jamie’s site and pick up a book, read n article, or just sign up for his newsletter. He recently did a great interview with Bodybuilding.com’s legend Emma-Leigh. It was awesome.

http://www.maxcondition.com

Jamie Hale-The Carbohydrate Files-Is It Gut Worthy?


03 Nov

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Posted in Gut Awards, Jamie Hale, carbohydrate files | 6 Comments »

Some of you just can’t wait for me to knock some products. I assure you, it is coming. However, while I have such good attention right now I would like to point you to GOOD material. Please note tomorrow comes some bad MWAHAHAHA.

There is no “affiliate” sale on this. I don’t even think Jamie has a set up for that. Bless the man but he is likely the worst marketer in the fitness industry today, which is probably part of why his material is so good. I always had a thing for “secret” finds in music, movies, and books. Jamie Hale is someone I highly respect and was pretty excited about diving into his material.

Basic outline:

The Carbohydrate Files is basically what it says. It is a book that talks about carbs and not much more than carbs. If you have been wanting to understand the in depth look at carbohydrates and what they do in the body then this book is for you. It may at first not seem like this is not for everyone but since the majority of people don’t even know what they are talking about when it comes to carbs, particularly health and fitness experts, it should be at the top of everyones “new release” reading list.

Who is Jamie Hale?:

Bio speak: Jamie Hale is Sports Conditioning Coach, author, gym owner, fitness and nutrition consultant. He has contributed to numerous exercise and sports publications (nationally and internationally). He has authored six books. Jamie is a member of the World Marital Arts Hall of Fame in recognition of his conditioning work with Martial Artists. He is considered by most in the fitness industry as a specialist in agility and comprehensive fitness training. He is also known for his ability to get bodybuilders lean and dry as bone for competition. To learn more abut Jamie visit his website at www.maxcondition.com.

Non-Bio speak: Jamie is a really cut to the chase kind of guy. It is no secret that I have an affection for the type.  I remember at first not really knowing how to take Jamie. He has a habit of randomly spouting out really knowledgeable study or research information, but in a hit and run fashion. There is almost an innocence of “open source” knowledge about it. I dig it.

What was “Gut” worthy?:

I think my favorite aspect of the book was that he took it that step further. For example, if any of you have ever read about digestion in a school science class, you most likely will read the phrase “digestion starts in the mouth” and then from there it will move on to gut and out the bum in the matter of a few sentences.  Jamie, he takes it a lot further than this. It is more along the lines of… “digestion of dietary carbohydrates starts in the mouth where salivary amylase begins the breakdown of starch.” From there, I assure you, that is only the beginning. One of my favorite things about the book is it didn’t expect you to just believe it, it taught you to know it.

What wasn’t “Gut” worthy?:

I have had easier reads. Now, in Jamie’s defense I got a doc. version of the book with edits still going on so I am going to give benefit of editing doubt there. Also talking about proper reads is about as funny as it gets. It is very technical, which I love, but some may not as much. Still I encourage to put forth the effort to learn and also not to skim. If you skim it seems far more intimidating than if you just dive in and read it front to end.

What is Quote Worthy?

“The glycemic index measures blood glucose response. A food low on the glycemic index is not necessarily a healthy food. On the other hand, some foods rated high on the scale are very nutritious. The glycemic index has been widely misused in the last few years because many people base their entire eating plan around it. Numerous books, websites, and magazine articles have promoted the glycemic index diet as the magic formula. Below, I’ve provided some research abstracts looking at the different effects of low GI diets compared to high GI diets.”

Who is this for?

Bodybuilders, Figure Competitors, enthusiasts, trainers, and athletes.

Who is it not?

Those who don’t really care to know about what food does in the body to them or how to alter it for training. Basically those who don’t care that much about the “why” and just want to be told the “do” of things.

Cost?

The
Carbohydrate Files
 $24.95
Gut Rating? Jamie Hale’s-The Carbohydrate Files

This Book Gets 4 Guts!?

Leigh, the real question is, should I buy it, really?

Yes, I think people should get it. It’s 25 bucks, hard copy, and a solid resource of information.

Can you be healthy and be fat? Does fat equal sick?


12 Aug

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Posted in Dana Torres body, Queen Latifah, healthy and fat, obesity study | 4 Comments »

So um…how about that Queen Latifah post eh guys?

In my last post there were three main things that were misunderstood and need to be explained.

1-Being overweight means being unhealthy?

I never said that. I did say that “this is about understanding what 50 extra pounds of fat CAN do to the body.”

Folks need to really analyze my statement.

50 EXTRA pounds of FAT means that you are 50 pounds, of pure fat, over the ideal/healthy body fat range, leaving you in the land of Obesity. This is not a 5′4″ woman weighing 160 pounds that has 28% body fat. This is a 5′4″ woman weighing 200+ pounds that has 35%+ body fat. So your joints, sugar levels, hormone function…you name it are all impacted; your body will not be ideal or healthy. Sure, a short-term visit to obesity-land isn’t going to do much damage right away, but neither does smoking or drinking like a fish. However, you only have so long before those bad habits catch up with you and start costing a price.

I can show you a lot of information, from good studies, explaining how that kind of excess weight leads to problems. Sometime it can be as simple as just joint/energy-based impacts, but trust me, everything has a chain-and-effect result, and the little things add up in the aggregate.

2-Now, a look like Dana Torres can only come from 4 hours a day in the gym or with athletic training.

This is not a mythical body for a female. This does not take drugs. This does not take 4 hours in the gym everyday.

Again the lack of education is where the problem is, the naysayers aren’t getting it.

Now let me pre-face this by saying that her ACTUAL AB and BODY structure is as unique as…well her face is. Different people have different abs. Below is another example of about the same body fat percentage, but with a completely different ab structure.

Now while the second example is about the same amount of leanness and a very similar ab structure, this woman would have to get a little more ab muscle and a little lower in body fat to see the sort of “six pack” ab that Dana Torres has. Even then her abs might not be shaped the same way or ever as pronounced as in the first example.

The second example is also of a fitness model/bodybuilder, not an Olympic athlete. I know nothing about her except she posts from Figure Athlete.com. I merely went there to look for a picture example and almost immediately landed on what I needed. This is because women like this are everywhere and their approach is simple to do…if you know how. Notice I didn’t say easy to apply. The second example woman busted her butt and is in every way an “athlete” in her own sport. However, to achieve her results is more about watching your nutrition and training BALANCE than it is deprivation and aggressive movement.

3-Lastly it is thought, even though I stated it a few times, that I seem to think that “thin” means healthy. Not at all. Personally, I think common sense means healthy…but that is another topic.

In the case of the ever so popular growing “study” (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26143255/) that overweight people can be healthy, well there are some problems with the methodology.

One, the study wasn’t even a study, it was a research article. It was put together from data collected through various methods of surveys over 5 years. It wasn’t controlled either. In short, it was not a “study” in the scientific sense (not that there isn’t something that we can learn from the interesting, elaborate…article…of collected surveys).

However, can any real definitive answer of the health of Overweight people really be given from this “study”?

Nope, not a little, not even close.

So the moral of the story is: NEVER trust a news source spin on a study. Always read the actual study and if you can’t get your hands on it, there are usually big hints in the article itself like this…

From the MSN article:

The new study, appearing in the latest issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, used government surveys from 1999 to 2004 that included lab tests and height and weight measurements. Participants reported on habits including smoking and physical activity.

This is no different than filling out a quiz for a magazine while sitting in the weighting room of the doctors office.

Overall my point is…

-You can be whatever it is you want to be.
-There is nothing to celebrate in, at best, joint stress and postural dysfunction from being largely overweight.
-I still think U.N.I.T.Y is one awesome song.
-Education and the facts will set you free.

What is the measure of good health? What does healthy really mean?


26 Jun

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Posted in bodyfat, health, joints | 4 Comments »

Question: When it comes to fat loss and ultimately your health what would you say is the best measurement/check/value over and above the rest that determines the make up of a person and their ability to lose weight and their overall heath. e.g blood glucose levels, one or more hormones, BMI, % bodyfat.

I saw a recent article on this but can’t now find it. It could have been on your website but I don’t know for a fact.

Thanks

Mike

Answer: I like this question, Mike, because you didn’t just mention body composition as a sign of good health but the value of blood levels and hormones.

I hear a lot of people say “Well, I’m overweight but my levels are good so I don’t see a problem.” OR some people say that they’re healthy just because they’re “skinny”. Who is right, what are the factors?

Here are three things that I take into account when determining where you land on a healthy scale. Think of it as a Health “Credit Score” if you will:

1-Blood Work-

You can be as lean as all but if your hormones and levels are all out of whack that isn’t exactly the picture of health. Have you ever seen footage of starving people in other countries? I don’t think they really care about the BMI chart, do you? That doesn’t mean that this is a ticket to be obese. I’m just saying being skinny isn’t a ticket to the good life either.

Every 6 months you should get a full check up and blood work done. I’m not just talking about the standard cholesterol test either. There is so much a GOOD blood check up can tell you about where you are with your health. Male or Female get a full sexual hormone panel, thyroid, electrolytes, lipids, glucose - the works. Look at everything and if you don’t know what it means then there are plenty of online resources that can help explain it. I have to say, the Metabolic Repair is a good place to tune up on that.

2-Joint/Bone Health-

Animals aren’t the only species whose lives are cut short by bad bone and joint health. The frustrating thing is that the majority of bone and joint problems are completely preventable. And a lot of them are reversible or highly treatable with a little effort and focus on proper training and nutrition.

This is where being leaner and carrying less body fat does play a huge role: for every 10 pounds overweight (starting above 20% men, 25% women) that is added stress to the body and in particular, the joints. The more added weight stress means more pain, more physical stress, less function, and the start of bigger problems.

A good place to look at taking your movement to that next level is Mike Robertson and Eric Cressey’s Magnificent Mobility. It’s a nice, simple start. And if you’re wanting to take it further then let me know. I may not have more recommendations, but I find a video makes things easier for a lot of people.

3-Strength-

Now I am not talking about the ability to bench press a VW Bug. Still, having physical weakness usually means that you either aren’t working hard enough to keep your body functioning on a optimal level or that something is wrong, physically-speaking.

How many sick people do you know who can get in a lot of workout? Why do we think it’s so amazing that Armstrong achieves what he does recovering from the illness he has? Because in sickness we are weak.

Also this isn’t just physical strength, mental strength counts as well. Strength of the mind, feeling happy and good, and having a positive outlook affects our performance. All these things stand for being healthy and happy.

I would recommend Mark Ripptoe’s Starting Strength if you’re really wanting to get serious on a lifting front, but remember strong doesn’t always have to be lifting weights, but it’s just good education anyway.

 

So that is my top three. If you nail all of these then you’re in pretty good shape. If not then get started!

Do you REALLY know what calories you are getting eating out?


08 Jun

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Posted in Fat Loss | No Comments »

Restaurants make a boo-boo.

A client of mine sent me a fantastic article on restaurant calories. This isn’t just another article about how shocking it is that there are 2900 calories in a serving of fries. For a good article on that though check out this article here at Men’s Health.

http://www.menshealth.com/20worst/worstfood.html

No, this article was REALLY awesome because they took the food that had a nutrition guide list of the calories that it had, went and tested it, and got the REAL results.

In some cases it was obvious that it was a little extra sprinkle of this here or there. However, some meals were off by over 500 calories.

This just reaffirms why to NEVER put your hard work and results in the hands of someone else.

You will also find it funny that some of the biggest ones off are the “guiltless or skinny” selections.

Check out the article here: http://www.abc2news.com/content/themenutest/story.aspx?content_id=c40e7a71-d186-4fce-85c3-2eb0f2973118

The Video Interview here: (not all perfect stuff but she makes some good points)

http://www.abc2news.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoId=9896@wmar.dayport.com
And the actual chart difference here:

http://www.abc2news.com/sites/wmar/images/themenutest/RestaurantComparisonChart.pdf

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The Fat Loss Troubleshooter – Leigh Peele

Common Sense Meets Advanced Knowledge