Gymchat 203 - Fat Loss (with Vic Magary)

by Scott Andrew Bird
Filed in : Gymchats (formerly twitterchats)
Tags : bodybuilding, diet, fat loss, intermittent fasting, nutrition

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Fat loss. It's certainly a goal for an awful lot of people, but where exactly do you start? What do you eat, what do you do?

This week we'll be discussing this fascinating area. Whether you're looking to do a little fine-tuning or shed a load of 'extra material', we'll detail precisely how to do that. Joining us is Online Fitness Coach Vic Magary, Personal Trainer Kirk Fontaine and You. Should be a great one - see you there.

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Looking At : May 5, 2013

by Scott Andrew Bird
Filed in : Weekly summary
Tags : fat loss, fitness device, Google+, links, obesity, photography, prosthetics, quantified self, studies & trials

During the past week we've discussed a number of great links; on Google+, Twitter, Facebook and so on. Here are a few of my favourites.

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Video For Gymchat 202 - Intermittent Fasting (with Josh Hewett)

by Scott Andrew Bird
Filed in : Gymchats (formerly twitterchats)
Tags : bodybuilding, diet, fat loss, intermittent fasting, nutrition, sleep

Thanks again to everyone who watched and took part in the discussion Gymchat 202 - Intermittent Fasting (with Josh Hewett) - much appreciated. If you haven't seen it yet (or simply want to go over a particular point again), here's the entire video. Look forward to hearing your comments.

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Gymchat 202 - Intermittent Fasting (with Josh Hewett)

by Scott Andrew Bird
Filed in : Gymchats (formerly twitterchats)
Tags : bodybuilding, diet, fat loss, intermittent fasting, nutrition

What's your current diet like? When do you eat, and why?

This week we'll be talking about the fascinating world of Intermittent Fasting. What it is, why it's worth considering and how it all works. Helping us tackle this fascinating area is Personal Trainer and Strongman Josh Hewett and Personal Trainer Kirk Fontaine. Should be a great one - see you there.

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Full Spectrum Cinnamon Extract from Planetary Formulas

by Derek 'D-Rock' Peruo
Filed in : Diet and Nutrition
Tags : cinnamon, diet, fat loss, nutrition, supplements, weight loss

Research shows that cinnamon is an excellent way to lower blood glucose levels after consuming sugary or carb-dense foods. The suggested dose for cinnamon is 1-6 grams, taken with a carb-heavy meal. I followed this recommendation and saw fantastic results: Over three weeks, I consumed several high-glycemic foods with no major changes to my body composition.

Cinnamon should be an integral part of your program if you're serious about fat loss, and Full Spectrum Cinnamon Extract from Planetary Formulas is an excellent way to reduce blood sugar levels so you burn fat and get lean fast!

Read the full review at Renaissance Fitness Inc..

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Video For Gymchat 201 - Hormonal Optimisation (with Josh Hewett)

by Scott Andrew Bird
Filed in : Gymchats (formerly twitterchats)
Tags : bodybuilding, fat loss, hormones, nutrition

Thanks again to everyone who watched and took part in the discussion Gymchat 201 - Hormonal Optimisation (with Josh Hewett) - much appreciated. If you haven't seen it yet (or simply want to go over a particular point again), here's the entire video. Look forward to hearing your comments.

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Gymchat 201 - Hormonal Optimisation (with Josh Hewett)

by Scott Andrew Bird
Filed in : Gymchats (formerly twitterchats)
Tags : bodybuilding, fat loss, hormones, nutrition

How do you go about fine-tuning something like fat loss? Once you've made the major adjustments, where do you go from there?

This week we'll be discussing just one part of the puzzle - hormone optimisation. The various ways to measure and adjust your hormone production, in order to achieve better body composition. Helping us tackle this fascinating area is Personal Trainer and Strongman Josh Hewett, alongside Personal Trainer Kirk Fontaine. Should be a great one - see you there.


NB : If this is the first time you're joining us for one of the Video Gymchats, welcome. There are three basic ways to watch this (depending on whether you want to join us on the Hangout and ask a question or two, or just sit back and take it all in) - full details here. However you like to do it, we've got you covered.

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Green Tea Fat Burning Pills from Applied Nutrition

by Derek 'D-Rock' Peruo
Filed in : Diet and Nutrition
Tags : fat loss, metabolism, supplements, weight loss

Green tea has a noble history dating back 4,000 years, and has been consumed to help everything from healing wounds to promoting digestion. In the 20th Century, scientists discovered green tea contains a bunch of useful compounds, including EGCG and L-Theanine, which boost metabolism and improve mental focus.

It would make sense then, you would think, to concentrate this tea and turn it into a pill, allowing for easier consumption and higher concentrations. But this idea usually fails, and the Green Tea Fat Burner from Applied Nutrition is no exception.

Had Applied Nutrition simply extracted green tea and placed it into a tiny pill, I probably would have had no issues; but they added a "Vitality Boost" to their Fat Burner formula, and this is where everything falls apart for me.

I seem to be sensitive to yerba mate, a natural herbal stimulant found in this "Vitality Boost," and was plagued with migraines and unshakable jitteriness whenever I took the pills. I've had similar experiences in the past with yerba mate, and was hoping the amount found in this formula would be small enough to go unnoticed in my body. I was wrong, and my constant nausea made it challenging to take the pills regularly.

Nausea is an excellent appetite suppressant, but I'd rather spend extra time in the gym or change my diet plan.

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Get Extreme With Hydroxycut Hardcore Elite

by Derek 'D-Rock' Peruo
Filed in : Reviews
Tags : fat loss, supplements

I've written about a lot of products related to pre-workout stimulants and energy boosting (read them here, here, and here), so I'll keep this review brief.

MuscleTech Hydroxycut Hardcore Elite is potent!

This is some professional-grade stuff here, even by my standards, and I consume a lot of stimulants!

MuscleTech's combination of ingredients suppresses appetite, boosts focus, and increases energy.

This stuff works incredibly well. So the question becomes, does it burn fat?

Maybe.

While on the pills for two weeks I always had a warm, fuzzy feeling in my body, like I was floating on a cloud. The sensation was manageable, and I can only hope it was the pills doing their job.

Here are my very unscientific before and after photos. What do you think?

You have to be careful with this stuff. These are some serious drugs. The combination of caffeine, coleus extract, green coffee extract, L-theanine, cocoa extract, and yohimbe made my teeth chatter if I wasn't careful.

I recommend starting with one pill in the morning instead of your usual coffee. Don't take this stuff if you're already jacked on caffeine because that's a recipe for disaster and you will overdose on stimulants.

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Fight Fat With CLA from eVitamins

by Derek 'D-Rock' Peruo
Filed in : Diet and Nutrition
Tags : fat loss, supplements, testosterone

The Meat Man Cometh

In recent weeks, I've become fascinated by meat. I love meat, and firmly believe it can make a huge difference in the gym and in life.

If you're a vegetarian, I salute you. I tried eating a plant-based diet once and just couldn't do it. I felt lethargic and my workouts suffered. I am most definitely a carnivore, and always feel best when I consume at least 3 lbs of high-quality red meat per week.

Not all red meats are created equal, and it's very important to eat the highest-quality meat you can find. If you can find wild grass-fed meat, that would be ideal.

But what if you can't find a high-quality meat? What if all you have access to is garbage?

Enter CLA

CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) is a polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acid found in grass-fed animal products like meat and dairy. It differs slightly from other omega-6 fats in that it is very effective in preventing tumor and cancer growth.

This means it's healthy for you.

There is some research out there to suggest CLA may help increase testosterone levels and reduce body fat, but the results are mixed. The reason CLA works is still unknown, and a solid long-term research study on humans has yet to be done.

For now, it seems the fatter you are the greater the benefits of CLA. So if you're a fat-ass, I highly recommend you stop eating crap and start taking CLA, fish oil, and probiotics as part of your training program.

Keep in mind that the research has all been conducted with grass-fed meats. This means the effectiveness of synthetic CLA is still up for debate.

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A Brief History of Circuit Training and Peripheral Heart Action (PHA)

by Scott Andrew Bird
Filed in : Articles
Tags : bodybuilding, conditioning, fat loss, interval training, leg press, martial arts

The first time I can remember hearing about circuit training was shortly after watching the Bruce Lee masterpiece, Enter the Dragon. Although Lee was well known for his muscular-yet-wiry physique, he certainly cranked things up a notch for this film.

More on the 'how' in a minute. First, a little history.

Circuit Training

Circuit Training was first developed by R.E. Morgan and G.T. Anderson at the University of Leeds in 1953. The idea was simple :

A circuit consists of 9 to 12 stations (circuits consisting of fewer stations are often used now), with each station representing one exercise. At each station an exercise is performed, with a specific resistance and for a specific number of reps.

Work at each station takes 30-60 seconds, after which, the trainee moves directly to the next station on the circuit (with no break) and begins the exercise. An aerobics station requiring 15-180 seconds of work is placed between the main exercise stations.

This original formula has changed little over the years, and has benefited from occasional refinements rather than a complete redesign. For example, it is now common to see people performing circuits with fewer than 9 stations, and circuits where all exercises are themed (such as boxing in boxercise).

Peripheral Heart Action (PHA)

A decade later, a system called Peripheral Heart Action (PHA) was developed by Dr Arthur Steinhaus, and popularised by bodybuilder Bob Gajda. Although it's often confused with circuit training, the goals are somewhat different.

In PHA, trainees seek to keep the blood flowing strongly through the body, throughout the entire workout. The smaller muscles around the heart are worked on first, followed by the larger muscles around the body's periphery.

Although the basic structure of a PHA workout is similar to that used in Circuit Training, there is a key difference in approach. In PHA, exercises are selected that will enable the trainer to pump blood to the extreme ends of the body, aiding overall circulation and seeking to reduce a build-up of lactic acid.

As an example, here is a 'typical' PHA workout. Note that the exercises alternate between focusing on upper and lower body muscle groups, with different areas being worked each time.

These exercises would collectively comprise one cycle, with 5-6 cycles generally being performed. The resistance of each exercise is increased for each new cycle.

• Standing Overhead Press
• Squat
• Lat Pulldown
• Standing Calf Raise
• Push-up
• Abdominal Crunch

Each exercise is performed for 10-12 repetitions, with the trainee moving directly onto the next exercise at the culmination.

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Gymchat 170 - Intermittent Fasting

by Scott Andrew Bird
Filed in : Gymchats (formerly twitterchats)
Tags : fat loss, intermittent fasting, nutrition, photography, recovery

Quick reminder : we've noted a number of nutritional tweaks over the years - everything from minor adjustments to major lifestyle changes.
In this week's Gymchat we'll be taking a close look at just one of these changes - the idea of Intermittent Fasting. What it is, and why it may be something to consider. And naturally, if you've got any questions on IF or your own experiences, we'll be more than happy to go through as many as possible.

Join us for Gymchat 170 - Intermittent Fasting.

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When it comes to nutrition, there's always 'one more thing'. For me, that's Intermittent Fasting.

This week we're taking a look at this fascinating approach. Where do you start, and why would you want to? What are the benefits, and is it for everyone, or only those trying to shed some excess bodyfat?

It's safe to say that there's a lot to consider.

Helping us explore this fascinating topic is none other than The Rotater's Chris Melton. If you've got any questions on Intermittent Fasting (IF), get them ready. Should be a great discussion.

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Cardio on an Empty Stomach - Does it Burn More Fat?

by Maik Wiedenbach
Filed in : Diet and Nutrition
Tags : amino acids, cardio, diet, fat loss

Even though this is more a strength orientated website, most athletes still do some form of cardio and, lets face it, most of us want to look good. So fat loss is a topic worth covering.

For ages, people have gotten up at ungodly hours and performed cardio on an empty stomach since the body then has no other choice but to burn fat. It sounds great, but is it true? Aside from the fact, that I do not think cardio is necessary to get lean (there, I said it), lets have a closer look at cardio in a fastened state.

In short, no. For the long answer read on.

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Flexible Dieting

by Maik Wiedenbach
Filed in : Diet and Nutrition
Tags : diet, fat loss

That statement should have gotten everyone's attention. But what does flexible dieting mean?

OK, the donut part was more of a hook to get you to read the following. As we all now, dieters are failing by the millions, due to a number of reasons , the biggest one being a lack of willpower.

Some of them are so motivated that they don't stray from their diet for weeks, counting every calorie, eating at the perfect time and then....they implode. Due to stress or worries they fall off the wagon completely and stay off it.
This is where flexible dieting comes in; you need to allow yourself to live. If you are on a mild caloric deficit (400 calories per day or less), schedule a cheat meal once a week, so you can go to dinner with friends without worrying. I would give myself a 4-hour window for this and eat a side of fries or a dessert to your liking.

Athletes who run a more severe deficit and have a competent coach need to have a 2-3 day re-feed every week, combined with a heavy weight training session.

This will allow them to stop the muscle loss and revive their metabolism in order to continue to lose body fat. What does that mean?

When you diet for an extended period of time, such as more than 14 days, bad things start happening in your body: HGH and testosterone drop, cortisol goes up and leptin drops. This goes especially if excessive amounts of cardio are being performed. The results: you get hungrier, more irritable and start losing muscle. Fat loss, on the other hand, comes to a screeching halt. Not a good situation for a bodybuilder or strength athlete. Flexible dieting or smart cheating reverses that.

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The 10 Best Diet Foods

by Maik Wiedenbach
Filed in : Diet and Nutrition
Tags : diet, fat loss, nutrition

When it comes to diet foods, I consider two things essential:

1. do they cover your nutritional needs?
2. how filling are they are?

During a diet, it is critical to consume foods that will curb your hunger for an extended period of time.

Here are my most effective diet foods:

1. Chicken breast: a lean protein that can be prepared in a variety of ways and it is easy to eat in office or on the go. An alternate would be tilapia.
2. Flank steak: red meat is often being shunned during a diet but it has its benefits. Iron, zinc, and creatine will enable you to make it through your workouts with greater intensity, further leading to greater fat loss. The fats in red meat are also critical since they are building blocks for hormones such as testosterone and estrogen, that play a crucial role in maintaining a high metabolic rate.
   
3. Eggs: I highly recommend eating eggs during a diet. They are a complete protein with many vitamins (D, E) and stearic acid. If your calorie count doesn't allow for many whole eggs, mix them with egg whites in a 1:2 ratio. In general, all proteins are a great hunger-suppressant so it is advisable to consume them during a diet at every meal.
4. Oats: a very filling complex carb, that is easy to prepare and even be kept at the office (just add water)
5. Brown rice: a good alternative to oatmeal. It complements most meats and will keep insulin levels stable. By doing so, the dieter will not experience any hunger pangs.



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Facebook Helps You Lose Weight? What!?!

by Ferris Stith
Filed in : Articles
Tags : conditioning, fat loss, goals, motivation




B7.
Ok well Facebook doesn't actually have any part of helping you lose weight, but last year, my best friend and I created a game that's grown into somewhat of a movement within the social networking site and we think it's pretty cool! It's called Bikini Challenge 2011!

It all started last year when my best friend, Tara and I were looking for a way to really motivate us to lose weight and feel great in our bikinis. We had always tried to create games and challenges against each other, but nothing ever really stuck (we have the worst discipline), so we came up with a genius idea that we knew we'd never back down on... what was this genius idea you ask? It's pretty simple actually.

In February 2010, we created a Facebook event (we called it Bikini Challenge 2010) and invited several of our friends who we knew wanted to lose weight as well. The challenge didn't consist of much. Participants had until June 21st (the first day of Summer) to get fit, lose weight, etc. Then at midnight on D-Day (June 21st) each participant had to post a full length shot of them in their bikini and use it as their default pic on their Facebook profile for 24 hours. We also had the participants post the shots on the wall of our fan page. Anyone who didn't post the bikini pic by 12:15 would have to pay $100 which would go into a pot and be split up evenly between all the participants who did post their pic. Since no one wanted to pay the $100 and no one wanted to post a "fat" bikini pic, the motivation was, well, pretty intense!

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Today's Twitterchat with the Gym Junkies

by Scott Andrew Bird
Filed in : Gymchats (formerly twitterchats)
Tags : diet, fat loss




Gym Junkies.
Thanks to everyone who joined in today's twitterchat with the Gym Junkies (twitter.com/gymjunkies). It really was a fascinating discussion on their Shredded for Summer campaign; a few highlights :

• 'how extreme is calorie reduction in the #gjshred diet? If you cut back drastically, does the body go into "starvation" mode?'
• 'Clients get the deadlift on day one. I scale weight appropriately; broomstick if needed. But they get it day one.'
• 'mostly to limit carbs, get them to eat real food! Muscle building and strength diets were different for obv reasons'
• 'No doubt, if you're gonna kip, you need a bar. I had a rack custom made just for kipping.'
• 'grain based carbs slow fat loss my experience shows. I hate to count calories. Eat those veggies with reckless abandon.'
• 'Diet is priority one. But intensity is a close second. My workouts were short, but brutal.'

Overall it was a great discussion. Next week we're chatting with The Rotater's Chris Melton (twitter.com/chrismelton) on shoulder injuries and rehabilitation. If you've ever experienced shoulder pain, make sure you don't miss this one.

See you there.

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What Weight Training Can NOT Do For You

by Jackie Burgmann (Girlwithnoname)
Filed in : Articles
Tags : abdominal, conditioning, fat loss




Girlwith Noname.
When I frequent my gym, I never go into the ladies area. I find it just a bit TOO 'lady-like' with its little pink dumbbells and petite machines designed for light lifting, not to mention the ubiquitous and ridiculous 'hip toner' machine.
When I visited my gym a couple of days ago, out of curiousity I wandered through the ladies area just to see if anything had changed in there lately. Sadly, I discovered that nothing has changed since I wandered through there a few years ago. They still have the tiny dumbbells and there was that 'hip toner' machine STILL!!! It is this machine in particular that got me thinking about what strength training / weight training can and cannot do for you, me and everyone else!

That 'hip toner' machine reminds me of a huge misperception out there in the world of fitness that a lot of people have about "Spot Reducing".

First of all, let me tell you flat out: SPOT REDUCING IS A MYTH! If you have extra fat on your hips, doing a million reps on that 'hip toner' machine will NEVER reduce the fat on your hips. If you have excess flab on your abs, you can do a TRILLION crunches, sit-ups and leg lifts but it will never reduce the fat on your abdominal area. What it WILL do is build up the muscle under the fat in those areas. Therefore, you are actually working towards making an area you are trying to reduce BIGGER!! This is completely counterintuitive to your goal of reduction.




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Top 17 Tips for Losing Body Fat ASAP (part I)

by Scott Andrew Bird
Filed in : Diet and Nutrition
Tags : fat loss, interval training




Mike Mentzer.
Ready to shed some body fat? Scott Mendelson and Eric Serrano explain how to do just that. Good stuff.


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John Alvino on Fat Loss

by Scott Andrew Bird
Filed in : elsewhere
Tags : fat loss




John Alvino.
Smitty chats to fitness coach John Alvino on his slightly unorthodox approach to fat loss. A good read.

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