Gut Check – How Is Your Digestive System?

February 26, 2012

Do you ever stop to think what is happening in your body after you swallow your food?

If you’ve spent time learning about your digestive system you may know that there are a lot of interdependent processes that your body has to go through to breakdown, assimilate and ultimately excrete that which we consume.

When we are younger our digestive systems normally function pretty well; as we get older  things can begin to change and we can lose some of our ability to breakdown, assimilate and excrete properly.  Why might this happen and what can we do about it?

Visual Depiction of The Digestive System (the Gastrointestinal Tract)

The GI Tract: 20-30 feet from front to back

Notes courtesy of Brian St. Pierre.
  • The gastrointestinal system comprises 75% of the body’s immune system.
  • There are more neurons in the small intestine than in the entire spinal cord.
  • It is the only system in the body that has its own, independently operating nervous system, called the enteric nervous system.
  • If you stretched out the gastrointestinal system in its entirety, it would have the surface area of a regulation sized singles tennis court.
  • There are over 400 species of microbes living in your gut, totaling over 15 pounds of mass and containing more bacteria than there are known stars in the sky

About Modern Day Gut Irritants

From the foods that we consume today as well as the environmental pollutants we come into contact with; we are exposed to an increasingly toxic burden that our bodies must work hard to process and defend against.  Some of these irritants can disrupt our ability to maintain proper gut health.

It is said that a healthy human bowel should contain 85% friendly bacteria and 15% unfriendly bacteria.  The friendly bacteria keep things like yeast and other pathogens in check.

In a healthy intestine our healthy bacteria help to complete the digestion of food and destroy other, disease causing bacteria.  They also produce essential vitamins, hormones, enzymes and amino acids.

Paul Chek in his book, How To Eat Move and Be Healthy, says that many people today have closer to 85% unfriendly bacteria and only 15% friendly.

Things like consuming poor quality food (especially processed foods) can lead to an environment in the colon that supports an overgrowth of unfriendly bacteria.  Processed foods introduce a host of chemicals, coloring agents, preservatives and the like that our bodies have to find a way to deal with.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics are designed to destroy harmful bacteria.  This can be a good thing if your life depends on it!  As it relates to gut health, the problem with antibiotics is they not only destroy harmful bacteria but they also destroy healthy bacteria. It’s like clear-cutting a forest because there are some tree grubs taking over;  the consequence is that you’re going to wipe out all the cute monkeys and organisms living there too.

"...thanks bro"

Signs of Digestive System Imbalance

Symptoms of Digestive Dysfunction include:

  • Gas
  • Bloating
  • Headache
  • Burping
  • Reflux
  • Fatigue after eating
  • Abdominal distention
  • Constant hunger
  • Bowel irregularity
  • Muscle and joint aches

Signs of Candida or Parasitic Infection:

  • Cravings for Sugar or Bread
  • Diarrhea
  • Fatigue
  • Hormonal imbalances
  • Lowered immunity
  • Food sensitivities
  • Sensitivities to chemicals, perfumes, tobacco smoke
  • Skin issues; rashes, acne, eczema
  • Menstrual difficulties
  • Urinary tract infections
  • Suspect weight gain or loss
  • Mood related issues; anxiety, depression and mood swings

Common Irritants

Along with antibiotics and processed foods mentioned above, there are some common foods that some of us cannot handle as well as we might think.

The first one is pasteurized dairy products.  Although heavily advertised as super healthy, commercial dairy products are generally low in nutrition and often high in added sugars and chemicals.  Some people do not handle dairy very well and may see symptoms as listed above from consuming them.

The second is gluten and wheat products.  Some people cannot handle gluten at all, these people are known as celiacs, and others while not allergic may show signs of intolerance.  Again, any of the symptoms above can be triggered by these foods.

The last one is sugar.  Sugar is not typically an allergy causing substance but more-so a substance that will cause a multiplier effect of existing symptoms.  Parasites and yeast feed off of sugar.  Not good if you’ve got either of these infections.

The difference between being Allergic and Intolerant

If you are allergic to a substance you’ll know pretty quickly that what you consumed is not good for your body.  If you are intolerant of something the signs and symptoms can be less pronounced.  If you imagine it like a continuum, on the far ends you’d have  “No Issues” and “Allergic,”  in the middle space you’d have degrees of tolerance.

Over time, we can become more intolerant to substances.  I know personally that I do not handle commercial dairy very well.  After years of consuming whey protein powders (dairy product)  I noticed increasing symptoms of intolerance.  Once removed from my diet the symptoms dissipated.

How might you restore Digestive Health?

So how in the world do we get healthy and stay healthy?

There are a number of things we can do to shift gut health into our favor.

Removing foods that cause intolerance and trigger symptoms is a basic.  If you have a Candida or Parasite problem, consuming sugar for example will continue to exacerbate your issues.

Introducing Probiotics into the diet can help to repopulate the gut with healthy bacteria.  When it comes to probiotics I believe that you should think of them differently than other supplements.  Supplements like multivitamins are generally advised to be taken on a long term basis.  With probiotics, usually a concentrated dose in a short period of time is sufficient.  In other words, instead of taking a probiotic supplement daily forever, aiming to take a double or triple dose for a short cycle (say a month or until you finish a bottle) can be advisable.  This is not to say that taking a probiotic supplement long term is bad, simply that, for efficacy and bang for your buck, a quick cycle is usually sufficient.

How to Cleanse

If you have an issue with parasites or Candida, a probiotic alone will not solve all your issues.  You have to starve and kill off the parasites and yeast.  First and foremost, sugar must go for the duration of a cleanse (usually 3-8 weeks).

How do you know if you have a parasitic infection or a Candida problem?  The symptoms above are generally a good guide.  To be sure, you can visit a naturopathic doctor for testing.

If you want to learn more about Candida cleansing or Parasitic cleansing you can research “Yeast Buster Kits.”  Simply googling “Candida Infection” or “Parasite Infection” will give you a good start.

Doing a very regimented cleanse like the Yeast Buster protocol is probably the quickest way to restore health of the gut.  The ingredients in the kit can certainly be purchased individually at a health food store.

Ongoing Tips for a Healthy Digestive System

Chew thoroughly -  the digestive process begins in the mouth.  Food particles too large for stomach acids to break down can lead to parasites and fungi making their way into your intestines.

Eat plenty of vegetables.  If you love meat (like me!) it’s a good idea to eat a salad before (10-20 minutes or so) your meat.  This setup helps the body to process the meat better.

Consume lemon juice.  Freshly squeezed lemon juice is very cleansing for the body.  Buy some lemons and drink the juice.  If you are up to it, mix lemon juice with apple cider vinegar for a nice health cocktail.

Drink lots of water.  Dehydration systematically disrupts bodily functions.

Sleep more.  Sleep is restorative to the immune system and can help balance hormones in your favor.

Quick and Dirty Closing Thoughts

Our digestive systems are integral for healthy living.

With overexposure to harmful substances we can unfortunately shift towards unhealthy digestive systems.

The good news is that we can fix this with the right approach and we will feel so much better.  Be vigilant and proactive with your health!

Sources

St. Pierre, Brian, (CISSN). The Importance of Probiotics.  (2009) Webpage: http://brianstpierretraining.com/index.php/the-importance-of-probiotics/

Chek, Paul.  How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy! (2004). San Diego, CA, USA.

Tombak, Mikhail Pd.D. Can we live 150 Years? (2005). Blaine, WA, USA.

 

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Posted by bodybymitch

Five Fabulous Workout Fails

January 21, 2012

For every beautifully executed exercise in the world there is a reciprocally terrible exercise performed – this is the natural ying and yang of nature in action.  Thankfully there are people with cameras capturing these brief moments of “glory.”

1.

This video has the makings of something admirable – an outdoor workout setting, a pal to workout with and a sweet looking pull up bar.  Only problem is the bars weight-bearing capacity is suspect.

 

2.

The next video is an abomination of a deadlift.

I am not entirely convinced this person was attempting a legitimate deadlift, perhaps this was a joke to highlight terrible deadlift form.  If it’s not a joke this person needs to brush up on his technique badly, otherwise he will be broke from all his visits to the chiropractor.

 

Note the proper alignment/angles for a deadlift as shown in the picture and compare that to the "deadlift" performed in the video.

The single worst deadlift in human history…

 

3.

Compared to the last video this guy’s technique is solid.  This isn’t so much a “workout-fail,” as a successful lift is performed, however the proceeding celebration quickly takes a turn for the worst…

 

4.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen this “exercise” recommended in any program or book – perhaps because anybody who has ever tried it has needed lower back surgery.

Skip to 0:25 to see this beauty in action.

 

5.

Medicine ball slams are a fun and useful exercise when done correctly.  This video demonstrates how not to do them…

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Psychological Tips to Workout More and Eat Healthier – Part 2: Table Tricks

November 26, 2011

Tip #1:  A Multivitamin Is Not A Shield

Don’t fool yourself into thinking that because you popped a multivitamin that you’re free to eat whatever you want without consequence.  It’d certainly be nice if we could take a pill and eat anything – but it doesn’t work that way.

That would be cool if you could eat a good food with a bad food and the good food would cover for the bad food when it got to your stomach. Like you could eat a carrot with an onion ring and they would travel down to your stomach, then they would get there, and the carrot would say, “It’s cool, he’s with me.”  -Mitch Hedberg

A multivitamin can be part of an overall strategy for health but know that most commercial multivitamins supply only a portion of your recommended daily intake of vitamins and minerals.

Whole foods should be the cornerstone of your diet and a multivitamin would function to shore up where you might be lacking.

While on the topic of supplements – two other supplements I think most people could use are Omega 3 Fish Oil and Vitamin D3.   The benefits of these are tremendous.

On a side note, Vitamin Waters are far less effective than most multivitamins.  I feel bad for kids today who might be growing up thinking drinking Vitamin Waters will ensure health.  It’s marketing at its finest.  Looking at the nutritional facts of Vitamin Water – they are relatively low in vitamin content and pretty high in sugar.  The only vitamin that I’ve seen at 100% of daily recommended intake is Vitamin C.  Not a big deal, you could probably get your full daily intake from licking a pine tree.

Not A Shield Against A Bad Diet

Tip # 2:  There’s A War Going On and You’re a Victim (of the Food Companies)

What the hell am I talking about?

Food companies are creating frankenfoods that your brain likes.  Companies hire scientists to create foods that will maximally excite your taste-buds and reward your pleasure seeking brain.  In other words, these companies know what to put into their foods so that you’ll eat them and continue to eat them.  They’ll test and retest until they’ve got the right combination of fats, sugars and salts – the ingredients that stimulate our reward centers.  Ever wonder why you can’t stop eating those chips or other snacks?  Well, this is a big part of it.

Processed foods in general lack nutritional value and are heavy in added salts, sugars and fats.  Not to mention other chemicals, preservatives and the like.  Processed foods are generally foods that subtract from your health as opposed to adding to it.

Again, I’d recommend whole foods to be main focus of your diet.   I’ve written on this plenty before.

Scientifically Engineered "Food"

Tip #3:  Have A Food Plan

We all need to eat.  Being prepared with healthy options as opposed to being caught at the whim of our hunger is a good start.  Take some time to analyze your needs and create a plan accordingly.  What might this include?

Stock up on healthy snacks for home and at work.   When I shop for groceries I typically buy enough fruit to give me two pieces a day for the work week.  This is usually an apple and a banana.  On top of that I will have almonds and granola bars (healthy ones) on hand too.

For meals it can be a good idea to make a large batch of something healthy that can supply you with food for a few days.  Some of my favorites are quiona salad, bean salads and hard boiled eggs.

Also, you can always double what you are cooking for dinner and save half of it for a meal the next day.

These strategies help you take control of your food choices.  Stacking the deck in your favor will help you to avoid the temptations of unhealthy choices.

Be a food prep master and you can master your reign over making healthful choices.

Stack The Odds In Your Favor

Tip # 4:  Go for Protein and Fiber

Protein and fiber are key components of a healthy diet.  They will help to keep you feeling satiated (full) longer than most other foods and provide numerous benefits.

Foods high in protein and/or fiber will help to keep blood sugar steady and avoid hunger spikes throughout the day.

With adequate fiber you’ll enjoy the benefits of good gut health and with sufficient protein you will recover from exercise optimally and have good energy levels.

Winning Choice

Tip #5:  Manage Yourself Strategically in Social Settings with Food

Don’t let social functions derail your healthy eating efforts.

I think we’ve all been in a scenario when we’ve eaten more at a social setting than we would have otherwise eaten on our own.  Something is going on here with the social setting and food in close proximity that triggers us to eat mindlessly.

Two strategies that you can employ:

1.  Eat before the function.  Eat a snack/meal that will give you 50-80% fullness.  This way you’ll self limit your consumption.

2.  Don’t be within arms reach of unhealthy foods.  Even being a few feet farther way will help you to eat less.

There’s something primal about eating lots when food is right in front of us.  Our DNA is programmed so that we seize the opportunity to eat what is available.  Use your higher brain functions to employ strategies to manage this.

Plan Ahead and Choose Wisely

Tip #6:  Be Mindful of Your Environment

It’s amazing how much our environment subtly causes us to make choices.

We tend to eat faster in front of a TV.  We tend to eat more when our plates and utensils are larger.  I could go on with examples but the point is that we are constantly exposed to environmental triggers that could be influencing poor choices.

There’s a great book on this exact subject called  Mindless Eating.  Some of key tips from the book can be found in this article – 10 Simple Ways to Eat Less without Noticing.

Becoming aware of the environmental influences of eating can help arm you to make more informed and beneficial choices.

A Not So Subtle Cue to Eat

Wrap Up:

Knowledge creates awareness and momentum – think of some actions you can take today and in the next few days that will help you to make healthy choices and follow through!

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Psychological Tips to Workout More and Eat Healthier – Part 1: Get More Exercise Naturally

September 29, 2011

So you’d like to eat healthier and workout more?  Stack the odds in your favor by implementing some of the following behavioral strategies and practical tips to get the job done.

Tip # 1: Eliminate Barriers to Exercise

“Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.” – John Wooden

  • Make sure you have abundant clean workout clothes.  No clean workout clothes is usually a showstopper (however I once wore somebodies dirty workout t-shirt, more on this below).
  • Make it seamless.  Want to workout tomorrow? Pack your gym bag the night before and put it by the door.
  • Get all your ducks in a row.  What else do you need?  A lock for a locker, an MP3 player loaded with workout tunes, or some new gym shoes?  Anything else?
  • Act on your “I shoulds”.  I was once told  that the best time to do something important is the exact moment you think of it  -  “I should really do my laundry…” or “That bill needs to be paid…”  I recommend you act on these thoughts rather than suppressing them.  This goes for all areas of life, not just health and fitness.
Reframe your thinking: Plan and commit.  Schedule exercise like you would an important appointment.   Work on making time for exercise rather than finding the time for exercise.

Tip # 2:  Identify your Workout Personality – Are you a Raging Forest Fire or Calm Burning Wood-stove?

Not everybody has the same workout personality. Some people can jump into a new program full out and make huge behavioral changes in a short period of time, where others do better by implementing small changes that add up over time.

You probably fall somewhere in between with a bit of a preference towards one side of the spectrum.  Use your natural tendencies to your advantage and recognize what’s realistic for you.

Personally it took me a while to “get into” working out.  I always enjoyed playing sports but the idea of weight lifting didn’t really appeal to me until I saw it as a means to an end – being stronger and more athletic to excel at sports.   Once I began working out and experienced the changes that were happening to my body I got really hooked.

Reframe your thinking:  Work with yourself, not against yourself.  Think of working out and getting healthy as a journey, not a destination.

Tip # 3:  Do what is fun – Gravitate towards the Exercise that you Enjoy.

While I personally believe that everybody can benefit from resistance training (lifting weights), and that is certainly a main theme on this blog, I understand that not everybody shares my passion to the same degree.  However, most people enjoy some form of physical exercise!  Whether it is simply walking outdoors, jogging, playing sports or the like, there is probably something that you enjoy doing that you could implement more in your day to day life.

If I had to hazard a guess, I’d say that your effort and compliance towards exercise you found completely unappealing would be next to zero.

Recently I experienced this first hand.  If I’m at the gym I’m usually in the weight room.  However one day I decided that I wanted to take a break from the weights but still get some exercise, so I decided ahead of time I’d walk on the treadmill.  Before going I thought that I would probably do 45 minutes or an hour.  By the time I got to 22 minutes I was bored and wanted off.  So instead of an hour I cut it off at 30 minutes.   I didn’t want to be there and it effected my original intention and goal.

On the other hand, as mentioned above, I once wore somebody else’s dirty workout t-shirt to workout in.  I have told maybe a couple people this before because I was probably embarrassed what others might think, but I don’t care anymore and actually think it’s funny.

A few years ago I began a powerlifting program.  This was a program that focused exclusively on a few major exercises – the deadlift, squat and bench press.  I was to do pretty much the same workout 5 days a week – low volume per set but really heavy weights.  I was into week two on the Tuesday and I realized that I forgot to pack a t-shirt in my gym bag.   Instead of packing up and bailing on a workout that I really wanted to do, I went to the gyms lost and found and sifted through the dirty left behind t-shirts until I found the least-worst smelling of the bunch.   I put it on, finished my workout and proceeded to the shower to scrub my unholy body.

The point here is that I found this workout so appealing that I was willing to wear somebodies dirty t-shirt to do it.  On the other hand, I bailed on a treadmill walking session that should have been a breeze.

Reframe your thinking:  Exercise shouldn’t be something you dread doing.  Find some form of exercise that you enjoy doing.

Tip # 4:  Follow an 80/20 Plan

Try not to look at exercise and getting results as an all-or-nothing proposition.

In the grand scheme of things if you exercise regularly and eat well most of the time you will be very well off.   Accept the fact that you won’t likely have the same discipline during holiday seasons or busy times at work as you might the rest of the year.

Being mindful of these types of things and apply yourself when the opportunity is right.  When holiday season comes around you’ll have earned the right to loosen up and enjoy yourself.

This is the sustainable way to manage your weight and be healthy – you’re much more likely to stick with it for life when you’ve built in some natural flexibility.

Reframe your thinking: You don’t have to be perfect.

Stay tuned for part two where we’ll explore tips to get you on track towards healthy eating.

Further reading:

10 Habits That Make You Fat
Abs Are Made In the Kitchen

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Understanding Sets & Reps – What You Don’t Know Might be Holding You Back

July 29, 2011

Most people know when it comes to resistance training that exercise selection is a key factor towards attaining their goals.

What is of equal importance but often overlooked or misunderstood are the reasons for why you should lift in certain rep ranges.

In other words – what are the advantages and disadvantages of mixing up your workouts so that some days you train heavy and some days you train light? Read the rest of this entry »

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Fitness Fact or Fiction

May 22, 2011

The following article was written by my friend Igor of Fitness Solutions Plus.  Igor was selected as one of the top 5 personal trainers in Toronto by the Metro News newspaper, he’s a highly sought-after public speaker, and has appeared on TV a number of times.  You can learn more about him by visiting www.torontofitnessonline.com

Cardio Burns Fat and Resistance Training Builds Muscle.  Fact or Fiction?

This is true, but it’s not the complete truth.  Yes, cardio burns fat, but it also burns muscle.  You do not want to burn muscle since muscle speeds up your metabolism.  But in the right quantities, cardio will have favorable effects on fat loss.  What the right quantities are must be determined on an individual basis.

Resistance training can build muscle, but it also burns fat.  And if you’re trying to lose fat, resistance training will not build muscle because assuming you’re on a caloric deficit, the best you can hope for is to maintain muscle, and that’s one of the goals of resistance training while on a diet.

The other very positive effect of resistance training is that it helps you burn fat.  You see, your body has 2 fuel sources it burns just to stay alive: sugar (also known as carbohydrates, glycogen, glucose, etc.) and fat.  Resistance training burns primarily sugar.  So if you deplete your muscles of sugar, you’re left with primarily fat to burn.

Weights Before Cardio Can Work Wonders

Stretching Will Reduce Your Chance of Injury.  Fact or Fiction?

The truth is, stretching can reduce your chance of injury, IF (and it’s a big if) you apply it correctly.

There are two types of stretching: static and dynamic.  Static stretching is when you stretch a muscle and hold that stretched position for an extended period of time.  Dynamic stretching is when you take a muscle though a range of motion, but you do not hold a position.  Think of swinging your leg forward as a dynamic stretch for your hamstrings.

Generally speaking, you do not want to do static stretching for a muscle before exercise because it will make a muscle weaker for about 40-60 minutes.  It’s perfectly fine to statically stretch a muscle after exercise though.  Dynamic stretching is a better alternative before exercise.

The exception to that is if you know that you specifically have a muscle that is too short.  If that’s the case, static stretching that muscle will reduce your chances of injury.  But just because a muscle feels tight does not mean it is actually tight.  Often muscles that are taut feel tight, but they are complete opposites.  Taut is too long and tight is too short.  And yet, taut muscles often feel tight.  Your best bet is to get a professional to evaluate you and give you a corrective exercise prescription.

An Example of a Dynamic Warmup: Bodyweight Squatting

Women Shouldn’t Lift Weights Because They’ll Get Too Bulky.  Fact or Fiction?

This one is fiction.  Unless a woman trains several hours per day, in addition to having the right genetics, and lots of “pharmaceutical assistance”, she will not get too bulky.  In fact, the same routine that will make a man bulky will make a woman toned.

Why this difference between men and women?  Testosterone.  Testosterone is the key muscle building hormone in the body, and since women have much less testosterone, their potential for muscle growth is very limited.

So ladies don’t be afraid to use a weight that actually challenges you.

Women + Weights = A Winning Combination

See Other Articles by Igor:

How Many Calories Are You Really Burning

Self Myofascial Release and Muscle Activation: Back to Moderation

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Abs Are Made in the Kitchen – 3 Rules for Getting Lean and Staying Lean

April 25, 2011

Rule # 1: It all comes down to energy balance.  

Whether you want to lose weight or pack on muscle, in the grand scheme of things diet trumps exercise when it comes to making dramatic body changes.

Energy requirements are different from person to person based upon their activity level, sex, hormones, lean muscle tissue and the like.

Here are the general guidelines:

Consuming excessive calories that your body does not utilize for normal functioning will result in weight gain.

When your body is utilizing more calories than are being supplied through the diet, weight will drop.

If you are consuming the right amount of calories that support your needs you will maintain your body weight.


I’ve heard numbers thrown around saying that getting the physique you want is 70% diet and 30% exercise.  Whether those stats are scientifically validated or not I’m not sure, but the message behind it is what’s important – diet is more important than exercise.  Remember that you cannot out-train a bad diet!

Here is an example to illustrate this first rule – did you hear the story a few months ago of the Professor who went on a Twinkie diet and lost 27 pounds?

This guys diet was FAR from healthy but he certainly solidifies the point that calories matter.  He was able to lose weight by consuming less calories than his body needed.  So what should you consume to reach your goals?

Rule #2:  You are what you eat.

You literally are what you eat.  What goes into your mouth ends up replacing cells somewhere in your body hours later.

Using the story above as an example, you may be able to survive on a twinkie diet, but you certainly can’t thrive.

If health is your objective, and I hope it is, you should strive for getting most of your calories from WHOLE FOODS!

Whole foods are simply foods that are unprocessed and unrefined and reflect what nature intended.  Whole foods will provide you high levels of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, and fiber.

At the end of the day whole foods are going to be naturally nutrient dense, and that’s what your body wants and needs.

One of my favorite authors and teachers in the field of exercise and health is Paul Chek.

Paul Chek

One thing I’ve heard him say is (paraphrased):  If you can’t pronounce the ingredients in your food, you probably shouldn’t eat it!

So that pretty much rules out processed foods altogether.  Processed foods are notorious for being low in nutrition and high in added sugars, unhealthy fats and salt.

Up until about 100 years ago the vast majority of foods were organic, so in other words, for over 99% of human history we’ve eaten foods in their natural states without chemicals, additives, artificial flavors and colors, preservatives, herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, etc.  Our poor livers are working overtime to detox what is in today’s ‘foods.’

Next time you’re shopping at the grocery store ask yourself before you decide to buy – is this a food or a food product?

Eating foods that are as close to nature intended will provide you with a steady supply of nutrition to carry out all your bodies metabolic needs.

Remember that everything we eat is assimilated and processed to become the building blocks of our cells and provide us with life sustaining energy.

If you owned a million dollar race horse would you feed it doughnuts and coke?  How about if you owned a high performance sports car, would you put the lowest grade fuel in it?

I’m not trying to imply that you have to be perfect in all your choices, but it will help you a lot to make a concerted effort to be as good as you can be.  When you eat well most of the time the occasional fries, chocolate and beer (hopefully not all at once!) will not be all that bad.

Rule #3:  We are all similar, but different.

What I want to talk about next is a very interesting topic that can be referred to as Metabolic Individuality.

Let’s illustrate this with an example from the animal kingdom: you wouldn’t feed a lion leaves, just like you wouldn’t feed a giraffe steak.

"Don't you dare feed me a salad!"

Just like how animals have a diet that is optimal for them – each of us has a diet that will work best for us individually.

Each one of us is different on the outside and similarly we are all different on the inside.  There is a surprising amount of variability between the sizes, shapes and functional capabilities of peoples organs.

When it comes down to the macronutrients of the diet  – fats, proteins and carbohydrates, the optimal ratio will vary from person to person.

This is the reason why people can respond so differently to various diets.  When you are reading a diet book off the shelf the author is usually giving you advice as to what worked for them.  The truth is it may work for you, make you feel and look great, or it could have the opposite effect.

So how does Metabolic Individuality work?

In a nutshell, your ancestry mostly dictates what is an optimal ratio for you.

Over the many millennia of evolution your ancestors would have consumed the foods that were most available to them.

Somebody from a geographic area closer to the poles where the ground freezes in the winter would have consumed a diet high in animal fats and proteins.  These cultures are normally referred to as nomadic, in other words – they followed the meat.  Foods like root vegetables, berries and even most plants would have been only seasonally available, the rest of the year animals would have provided the bulk of the calories.

The strongest example of this is the Inuit.  In the traditional Inuit diet 90% of the calories come from animals and the remaining 10% other sources.  This may strike you as unhealthy but it is actually a diet they survived and thrived on for thousands of years.

There is a man named Dr. Weston A Price who conducted a lot of research on native tribes all over the world to find that people living on their local diets, eating natural whole foods were very healthy and disease free.

On the other extreme is a tribe like the Quetchus Indians of South America who consumed very little meat and lived mostly on a vegetable diet.  This macronutrient ratio wasn’t the result of an ethical decision, but more so due to scarcity of big game meats.  So here is a diet that is essentially the inverse ratio to the Inuit, yet the people are just as healthy and disease free.

So where does that leave you?

Remember how I said each of us is different?  The good news is this is an area of study that has decades of research behind it and many tools for figuring out what is the best diet for you.

For starters I recommend Paul Chek’s article ‘Primal Pattern Diet Typing.’  If this was a class and I was your teacher this article would be mandatory reading, and you’re getting a test on Monday morning!

When you eat right for your type you will have high energy levels, you’ll sleep well and you’ll be safe guarding yourself against disease.

Wrapping It Up

I hope this article gave you some good insight as to what you can do to move towards your ideal physique and body of maximum health.

I recommend you begin by implementing the ideas behind whatever popped out at you while reading this.  Remember that our ticket to a healthy and lean body is in eating nutrient dense foods that match our metabolic individuality.  When you choose the right foods for yourself you don’t have to count calories, you’ll feel energetic, and you’ll be more than just surviving, you’ll be thriving.

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The Low-Down on ‘Skinny Fat’ – Part 2: The Exercises

February 27, 2011

In ‘The Low-Down on Skinny Fat – Part 1′ we discussed a fairly common body shape that has come to be known as ‘Skinny Fat.’

To recap, somebody who is skinny fat is usually of healthy body weight but lacks muscular definition.  In other words they are skinny but soft looking.  These people can benefit greatly from increasing their exercise efforts in the weight room.  The body adapts to the stimulus it is given, therefore somebody looking to get more muscular looking needs to provide the body with the appropriate resistance training stimulus.

The following exercises cover a balanced approach to full body training that truly anybody can use as the basis of their resistance training.

 

Upper Body Pushing (Horizontal Plane)

Push ups


 

Form Tip:

Eccentric/Negative Phase:

Chest comes to the floor first

Pull shoulder blades (scapula) together at the bottom position

Concentric/Positive Phase:

Wing out/protract shoulder blades at the top position

Tips Throughout the Lift:

Butt, Low Back, and Abs tight/engaged

Arms are 45 degrees from the body

Hands slightly wider than shoulders

Avoid: Sagging hips, elbows flaring out too much to the side, incomplete range of motion


Bench Press


 

Form Tips for the Set up:

Pull shoulder blades together and down to stabilize the upper back on the bench

Eccentric/Negative Phase:

Control the motion of the bar coming down to the sternum area

Squeeze lats on the way down

Concentric/Positive Phase:

Imagine pushing yourself down into the bench while simultaneously pressing the weight away from the body

Tips Throughout the Lift:

Avoid elbows flaring out – similar arm angle to the push up (about 45 degrees)

Elbows & forearms straight under the bar

Narrower grips tend to be more healthy on the shoulders

 

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Upper Body Pulling (Horizontal Plane)

Seated Cable Rows


 

Form Tips at Starting Position:

Arms fully extended holding handles, knees bent, natural arch in back maintained, chest tall

Concentric/Positive Phase:

Pull the weight towards sternum area, elbows stay close to the body, pinch shoulder blades together at maximum contraction

Eccentric/Negative Phase:

Control the cable returning back to the stack to make sure your muscles remain engaged

Tips Throughout the Lift:

Feel how your shoulder blades glide along the ribcage

Imagine string attached to your elbows and somebody behind you is pulling your arms backwards

Maintain upright posture & avoid jerky movements

 

Barbell Rows


 

Form Tips at Starting Position:

Place same side hand and knee on a bench, flat back

Concentric/Positive Phase:

Pull the weight towards sternum area and keep the elbow close to the body

Eccentric:/Negative Phase:

Actively control bar going down & let arm fully extend

Tips Throughout the Lift:

Feel how your shoulder blades glide along the ribcage

Imagine string attached to your elbow being pulled towards ceiling

Hand should finish around lower ribs & not armpit

Alternatives: Use a dumbbell or kettlebell

 

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Upper Body Pulling (Vertical Plane)

Lat Pull Down


 

Form Tips for Setup:

Adjust knee-pad so lower body is snug

Concentric/Positive Phase:

Pull bar down a couple inches from the  chest while maintaining upright posture

Squeeze your back at the bottom point

Eccentric/Negative Phase:

Control bar motion back to the top to maintain muscle engagement

Tips Throughout the Lift:

To avoid biceps taking over and maximize lat involvement focus on elbows taking a semi circle path of motion

Advanced tip: See if you can utilize more of the pinky and ring finger on each hand to maximize lat involvement

Alternatives: Mix up your hand positions and grips (hands facing towards yourself, away or neutral using a V-grip handle)

 

Chin Up


 

Form Tips for Setup:

Grip with palms facing towards you

Concentric/Positive Phase:

Pull your chest up to the bar while maintaining straight forearms (wrist and elbows in one line)

Squeeze at top position to maximize traps involvement

Eccentric/Negative Phase:

Control motion against gravity to keep the muscles engaged

Tips Throughout the Lift:

Abs, butt and lower back stay tight and engaged

Execute through a  full range of motion and don’t be jerky with movements

Alternatives: Hands facing away for pull ups or use a neutral grip if available

 

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Upper Body Pushing (Vertical Plane)

Shoulder Press

 

 

Form Tips for Setup:

Grip dumbbells at shoulder height, tuck shoulder blades down and back to ‘set’ them for the lift

Stance can be staggered or feet beside each other

Concentric/Positive Phase:

Extend arms fully overhead

Eccentric/Negative Phase:

Control lowering motion to keep the muscles engaged

Tips Throughout the Lift:

Try to be strict with tension throughout hamstrings, thighs, butt, core and back as you press

Execute through a full range of motion

Alternatives: One arm at a time or use a barbell

 

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Core Stability Exercises

The Plank

 

*Instructions included with video

Bird Dog & Glute Bridge

 

*Instructions included with video

 

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Lower Body

Assisted Body Weight Squats:

 

 

Form Tips for Setup:

Place hands on something immobile for balance

Eccentric/Negative Phase:

Hinge from the waist and lead with your butt backwards (imagine you’re trying to hit the wall behind you with you butt)

While you lower down maintain the arching in your lower spine

Concentric/Positive Phase:

Squeeze butt, thighs and hamstrings as you lift back to the starting position

Tips Throughout the Lift:

Keep your core engaged/tight throughout

Execute through a full range of motion that allows the natural curve in the lower spine

 

Goblet Squat

 

 

Form Tips for Setup:

Grip weight in front of your chest

Eccentric/Negative Phase:

Hinge from the waist and lead with your butt backwards (imagine you’re trying to hit the wall behind you with you butt)

While you lower down maintain the arching in your lower spine

Elbows should be inside knees at the bottom position

Concentric/Positive Phase:

Squeeze butt, thighs and hamstrings as you lift back to the starting position

Tips Throughout the Lift:

Keep your core engaged/tight throughout

Execute through a  full range of motion that allows the natural curve in the lower spine

Advanced Tips: You are squatting between your legs not on your legs

Take some time to get familiar with the bottom position – press your elbows into your knees and see if you can sink lower

 

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Closing thoughts


By utilizing the above exercises one can bring focus to building a better body.  I have given exercises that are comprehensive enough to hit the all the major muscle groups and allow one to train based upon balancing both pushing and pulling motions.

I would recommend beginners starting with light weights that allow you to perfect your technique.  Once you’ve established good technique you can begin to progressively increase the resistance on your lifts.

A general guideline for beginners is to practice technique and use a weight that allows you to lift comfortably for 10-12 repetitions.  This will allow you to get the mind-muscle connection and to groove the correct movement patterns.

Intermediate lifters can use a lower rep range of 4-8 to maximize strength and muscle building.  Focus on executing perfect technique and cut your sets off when your form begins to degrade.  Experiment with weights that will allow you to lift effectively into the 4-8 range but not much more.  Total reps per exercise should fall between 25-50 and take as many sets as necessary to get there (remembering to cut sets off when noticeable form decreases take place).  For more on sets and reps design check out Chad Waterbury’s article HERE.

Note On Deadlifts

I didn’t include a video and description of the deadlift – which is truly a great exercise.  I thought it was beyond the scope of an introductory article.  To get more information on this lift and how to perform it correctly check out Eric Cressey’s tutorial HERE.

Thanks for reading and please feel free to submit any feedback, questions or your own technique tips below.

1 Comment | Exercise | Permalink
Posted by bodybymitch

The Low-Down on ‘Skinny Fat’ – Part 1

January 29, 2011

Do you want to get the most out of your workouts?

If you’ve been following me you may remember that I’ve touched on the fact that muscle tissue is the most metabolically active of the tissues -  much more so than fat.  In other words, those with higher muscle mass burn more calories throughout the day – even if they lay on the couch watching Spongebob.

Your  goal should be two-fold: to preserve the muscle mass you have and to work towards shifting your body composition towards more lean muscle and less fat.

So how do we do that?

Let’s start with a common approach that seems intuitive but actually can hinder progress.  Many people when they think about getting fit and losing body fat primarily gravitate towards cardiovascular exercise, i.e, treadmill, biking etc.  I’m all for this type of exercise – but in its place (ie. not optimal for skinny fat bodies).  So these people will approach their goal of getting fit by cutting calories from their diet and hitting the cardio machines.  This will be good for your conditioning, but if not balanced with resistance training (weight bearing exercise) you can actually be doing harm by lowering your overall muscle mass and metabolism.

So what is the best approach?

Simply put – skinny fat people need to incorporate more resistance training (weights & bodyweight exercises) to their training.

Please don’t be the guy or girl who has the  ‘I don’t want to get too big’ excuse.  Unless you are either a genetic freak who lifts for 10 hours a week, or you’re jacked up on steroids, the chances of ‘getting too big’  are really not that realistic.  Even men who have naturally higher levels of testosterone can take a few years to really put on a lot of muscle.

Skinny Fat people normally have a healthy body weight but they lack definition and look kind of soft.  The body adapts to whatever stimulus it is given and  Skinny Fat people can benefit greatly from increasing stimulus via resistance training.  This will help to move away from the soft looks towards more dense and muscular physique.

This is one of the first images that came up on google image search under Skinny Fat -  I think it demonstrates Skinny Fat well.

Do you think she lifts weights?

How about him??!

So here are some closing thoughts to Part 1 of this article before I get into the exercises in Part 2.

Weight training is essential if you want to be toned and have a naturally high metabolism.  Skinny Fat people need to understand that weight training should be their priority.

A couple points on cardio, because I don’t want to make it sound like it should be ignored.  Those who are very unconditioned can still get lots of benefit out of cardio (lose body fat and increase metabolism).

Not all cardio is the same, there is steady state cardio (think treadmill at the same pace) and interval based cardio  (varying levels of intensity).  Steady state typically only burns calories while you do it where as interval based cardio has an afterburn effect that helps to burn calories passed the workout.  You can read about how to make the most out of interval training here:  High Intensity Interval Training.

What about diet?

Resist the urge to cut your calories too much otherwise you won’t be able to support your muscle mass and will effectively slow down your metabolism.  Remember muscle = higher metabolism.  You’ll need to feed yourself adequate calories to meet your bodies needs and further you will actually want to consume a caloric surplus in order to gain the muscle mass.  I recommend the extra calories come from healthy fats (olive oil, flax oil, almond butter)  lean proteins (turkey, chicken, fish, eggs, occasionally beef) and complex carbohydrates (whole grain rice, quinoa, beans).

Part 2 of this article touches on some key exercises you can start using immediately to round out your resistance training toolkit.

Some further reading that you might be interested in:

Set Your Metabolism on Fire

10 Reasons Why You Should Lift Weight if You Are a Woman

 

Leave a Comment » | Exercise, Nutrition | Permalink
Posted by bodybymitch

Compound vs. Isolation Exercises

November 25, 2010

In this post you’ll learn the differences between compound and isolation exercises and how you can use both to build the physique you want.

First of all – what’s the difference?

Compound Exercises

Compound exercises are multi-joint movements that work several muscles or muscle groups at one time.

An example would be the deadlift.

Isolation Exercises

Isolation exercises work only one muscle or muscle group and only one joint at a time.

An example would be a lateral raise for the shoulder.

How to Use Them

I want to present an analogy to describe what I believe to be a good approach to using both compound and isolation exercises.

The Artists Sculpture

The artists receives their block of clay or stone and decides to make a piece that depicts the human body. The first thing the artist does is decides on the overall shape and dimensions of the body. The artist then carves off large pieces to get  the general shape of the body created. Once the general dimensions are figured out they begin to shape the body parts focusing progressively on the finer details.

So the message in this story is that the artists creates the sculpture by working out the largest aspects first and moving down to the details or finishing touches last.

So how does this apply to getting fit and building the physique you want?

Compound exercises relate to the overall shape of the body, whereas isolation exercises relate more to the finishing touches.

I personally believe that the majority of your weight room exercises should be compound movements.

Compound exercises should be a major part of your programs -in fact I would say somewhere in the ballpark of 80% compound to 20% isolation is a good ratio.

What are the best Compound Exercises?

  • Deadlift
  • Squat
  • Lunges
  • Pull up and its variations, Chin Ups and Neutral Grip Pull Ups
  • Overhead Shoulder Press
  • Bench Press
  • Back Rows

The above list is a great starting point for a balanced physique.

The lower body is targeted very well with lunges and the deadlift and squat are true full body exercises that incorporate a lot of lower and upper body muscle groups, as well as the core.

The upper body is balanced nicely by having two sets of complimentary exercises. The bench press and the back rows are horizontal push and pull exercises respectively and the shoulder press and pull up are vertical push and pull exercises respectively as well.

What about my abs and biceps???

The good thing about compound exercises is that they have great carry over to your mirror muscles. For example the chin up is not only great for the lats but as well the biceps. I would take the chin up over the bicep curl any day for my biceps.

Making the most out of Isolation Exercises

Like our analogy above, the isolation exercises lend themselves to the finer details of the sculpture.  Once the major aspects of the physique are in place we then move towards the details – remember the artist wouldn’t start the piece by carving out the nipples (well maybe they would, but we’re probably talking about a different sculpture at this point).

What isolation exercises you choose would depend on your goals. I’d recommend balancing out your programs with some core exercises and whatever else you want to bring a bit more focus too.

Wrapping It All Up

You are the sculptor – the exercises you use are the tools to to get the body you want. Get your body in shape with compound exercises and add in isolation exercises to round out the details.

Further Reading:

Chad Waterbury – Full Body Training

Leave a Comment » | Exercise | Permalink
Posted by bodybymitch

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