Almost like clockwork, at the beginning of every sports season I hear stories from my clients that their kids or grandkids are either the best or the worst on their team. I also hear about all of the stress encountered by families when their kid — or kids — try out for whatever all-star team or traveling team.
Folks, we're talking about eight and nine year old kids here.
Does this scenario sound familiar to you?
I'm here to tell you that none of this matters. Things have gotten crazy out there. The over-emphasis at low and mid-level youth sports has gotten out of hand, as have parental expectations. Kids are being put into competitive situations and leagues way before they should be. With very few exceptions, there is no reason for kids to start playing organized sports before they are in third grade.
It's tough to ignore the pressure to sign up your pre-schoolerfor tee-ball or for "squirts soccer;" I know, I ignored my instincts and signed up my son for tee-ball last year. But you and your little kids will be much better off if you opt for swim lessons or an introductory course to tumbling or gymnastics than by being involved in a team sport in a league setting.
If your kid wants to play a sport at an early age, look for a once a week activity that is designed to be introductory and educational in nature. And never, ever should a kid participate in more than one sport at a time, or play one sport exclusively throughout the year. Remember, you're the parent and you know best.
What a kid does as a third-grader, in their last year of Little League, or even during their freshman year in high school isn't necessarily indicative of anything other than what they accomplished in that given year.
Accomplishments at any level of competition can be indicators of things to come - both good and not so good - but there is no such thing as a sure thing. Kids mature at such different rates that in most sports early success really doesn't mean all that much, as this year's benchwarmer can be next year's key player. On the other side of the coin is the kid who was the best player on the team one year but struggles to make the team the next. This is just the way things happen with young kids and athletics. And just wait until high school when guys and gals discover the opposite sex - distractions times a thousand!
If your kid is the best, support and be proud of them, just as you would if they weren't the best! But temper your excitement - or disappointment - as things can change in a flash. If sports are important to your kids, encourage them to work hard and have fun and the rest will take care of itself.
Hard work and a positive attitude are as important to a young athlete's success and development as is their natural ability. The downside of placing too much importance on early athletic success is when a kid can't live up to what are often unrealistic expectations. Remember we aren't talking about high school or college athletes.
I can offer up dozens of examples from my personal experience of kids who dominated youth leagues yet faded, or didn't even participate, in high school sports. This happens with the change of every season. I can also tell you about high school kids who didn't look like they'd ever be able to step on a varsity playing field, but who wound up making all-conference and who played - and made a difference - in a state championship game.
The positive lessons that can be learned from competing in sports are obscured when unrealistic expectations and the pressure to succeed are put upon a kid, which can actually set them up for failure. So don't push your kids when they are competing at the youth sport level, but support them and encourage them to work hard as they develop as athletes and as people.
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Friday, April 14, 2006
Steroids Will Never Be Permitted In Legitimate Sports
As the Bonds story drags on more people are weighing in on the subject of the use of performance-enhancing drugs known as steroids. There are way too many people who don’t understand this issue, but this lack of knowledge hasn’t resulted in a corresponding lack of opinions on the subject.
People need to realize that the use of steroids will never be permitted in legitimate sports.
Athletes – and others - will continue to use them on they sly, and in the future competitions may be organized that permit the use of these drugs, but Major League Baseball, the NFL, NBA, NHL, boxing, international sports organizations and any other sport or independent minor league organizations will never permit the use of steroids.
Liability for the health problems and injuries that will come about as a result of the use of steroids is the simplest and most obvious reason that these organizations will never allow the use of these drugs.
The current state of research on the subject of steroids and health problems can be considered a work in progress. There have been studies that indicate that there are very real, serious and dangerous side effects that can come about from the use of these drugs. And like it or not, there are anecdotal findings that reveal there are a great deal of problems associated with the use of steroids as well.
Anecdotal evidence usually has no place when it comes to matters of science and research results. However, with regards to steroid use, anecdotal evidence cannot be ignored, for this evidence is some of the best evidence that exists on the subject.
Legitimate studies have been conducted in which individual steroids, administered in clinical dosages over a short period of time, have shown possible negative side effects.
In the real world steroids are not used one-at-a-time, in clinical doses over a short period of time. The reality is that several kinds of steroids are used at one time – “stacked” as they say – in dosages and for durations that far exceed what could be considered responsible. There is no way that legitimate science will ever be able to conduct valid experiments on this family of drugs under these irresponsible and dangerous conditions.
There are volumes of anecdotal evidence on the subject of the damage that steroids can do. From local and big time body builders and power lifters to known and unknown professional wrestlers, illness and death have shown their faces time and time again. Young men – supposedly fit – have fallen to heart attacks and other various ailments for decades.
The lack of real science on the subject, combined with the fact that steroids mess with the body’s very delicate endocrine system and that there’s plenty of scary anecdotal evidence, guarantee that the various sports organizations will never allow themselves to be vulnerable to the potential health-related lawsuits that would result from the legalization of steroids.
If in at some point in the future science is able to determine that there are real dangers associated with the use of steroids – after these organizations had sanctioned their use - there wouldn’t be enough insurance in the world to cover all of the claims that would need to be paid out. As a matter of fact, on the day steroids are legalized I would enroll in law school – along with my three sons - in anticipation of the future need for lawyers well versed in the matters of steroids and steroid-related injury liability.
The next generation of performance-enhancing drugs and therapies may result in these substances and treatments being part of an athlete’s preparation, but the liability risk of steroids is to great of a risk to take for any sport to consider.
People need to realize that the use of steroids will never be permitted in legitimate sports.
Athletes – and others - will continue to use them on they sly, and in the future competitions may be organized that permit the use of these drugs, but Major League Baseball, the NFL, NBA, NHL, boxing, international sports organizations and any other sport or independent minor league organizations will never permit the use of steroids.
Liability for the health problems and injuries that will come about as a result of the use of steroids is the simplest and most obvious reason that these organizations will never allow the use of these drugs.
The current state of research on the subject of steroids and health problems can be considered a work in progress. There have been studies that indicate that there are very real, serious and dangerous side effects that can come about from the use of these drugs. And like it or not, there are anecdotal findings that reveal there are a great deal of problems associated with the use of steroids as well.
Anecdotal evidence usually has no place when it comes to matters of science and research results. However, with regards to steroid use, anecdotal evidence cannot be ignored, for this evidence is some of the best evidence that exists on the subject.
Legitimate studies have been conducted in which individual steroids, administered in clinical dosages over a short period of time, have shown possible negative side effects.
In the real world steroids are not used one-at-a-time, in clinical doses over a short period of time. The reality is that several kinds of steroids are used at one time – “stacked” as they say – in dosages and for durations that far exceed what could be considered responsible. There is no way that legitimate science will ever be able to conduct valid experiments on this family of drugs under these irresponsible and dangerous conditions.
There are volumes of anecdotal evidence on the subject of the damage that steroids can do. From local and big time body builders and power lifters to known and unknown professional wrestlers, illness and death have shown their faces time and time again. Young men – supposedly fit – have fallen to heart attacks and other various ailments for decades.
The lack of real science on the subject, combined with the fact that steroids mess with the body’s very delicate endocrine system and that there’s plenty of scary anecdotal evidence, guarantee that the various sports organizations will never allow themselves to be vulnerable to the potential health-related lawsuits that would result from the legalization of steroids.
If in at some point in the future science is able to determine that there are real dangers associated with the use of steroids – after these organizations had sanctioned their use - there wouldn’t be enough insurance in the world to cover all of the claims that would need to be paid out. As a matter of fact, on the day steroids are legalized I would enroll in law school – along with my three sons - in anticipation of the future need for lawyers well versed in the matters of steroids and steroid-related injury liability.
The next generation of performance-enhancing drugs and therapies may result in these substances and treatments being part of an athlete’s preparation, but the liability risk of steroids is to great of a risk to take for any sport to consider.
Monday, March 20, 2006
How Baseball’s “Culture Of Permissiveness” Contributed To The Drug Scandal
Did baseball’s culture of permissiveness give the players an excuse for using performance-enhancing drugs?
As a result of the “Steroids in Baseball” issue there has been a lot written – and said – about a “culture of permissiveness” that existed in Major League Baseball. The prevailing wisdom - or “P.W.” - on this subject is that for at least the past 50 years MLB knew that players were using amphetamines in order to get through the season, and that depending who you are listening to this use was on the order of about 70% of the players.
At the dawn of the steroid era, which despite what you may think started in the 80’s and not the 90’s, the P.W. employs the logic that since baseball already allowed – by ignoring – players to use “uppers,” the players had no reason to believe the league wouldn’t want them to use steroids. Especially since there were no rules that expressly banned steroids.
As baseball players started to look like football players, and the teams and the league reveled in the power and glory of the resulting emergence of the long ball, players had even more incentive to “juice up.” Teams like the Oakland A’s celebrated the size and power of their players, and even had a season long power lifting competition among the players, the results of which were posted on a blackboard in their clubhouse.
Other teams picked up on the lead set by the Oakland A’s, and certainly nobody in the league office wanted to do anything to derail this power train…after all chicks dig the long ball.
Which brings us back to the question of, “Did baseball’s culture of permissiveness give the players an excuse for using performance-enhancing drugs?”
The short answer is, “No!”
Here’s the long answer. There is no doubt that the baseball hierarchy – including the players union - knew that players were using drugs. This is evidenced by the way all parties conducted themselves during labor negotiations, negotiations that specifically dealt with drugs and drug testing. Speed was never prohibited, steroids were never prohibited, and there were no real testing measures in place to deter players from using, nor were there any real penalties in place to punish the players in the unlikely event anyone got busted.
This permissive culture did exist in MLB.
The problem with ascribing this excuse to the players for their use of these drugs is that the players themselves – with 2 notable exceptions – have NOT used this excuse!
Besides Jose Canseco and the late Ken Caminiti no player has come out and said that they used steroids because they worked, they needed them and they knew that no one would stop them because steroids weren’t prohibited by baseball. Canseco has been unrepentant in recounting his use of the juice and is on record as saying that there is no way he would have accomplished what he did if not for the steroids. He also has said that since the teams and the league knew that players were already using other drugs to improve their performance – amphetamines – the players who used saw no reason not to use steroids.
Now you can agree or disagree with Canseco, but he has owned up to what he did. If Barry Bonds or Mark McGwire came out and said the same thing, steroids in baseball would be a dead issue, or at least not the scandalous issue that has become. If McGwire had told us that that baseball knew what was going on and subtly encouraged this drug use his critics would have had a very tough time countering this position.
If Mark McGwire had come clean on this issue the vast majority of people would have taken his side. The players would have had the sympathy and understanding of their fans, and while actions may have been taken to keep steroid out of the game, this situation certainly would not have escalated to the present day’s scandal.
Instead, these guys decided to insult our intelligence; McGwire, by repeating his "I'm not here to talk about the past" mantra, and Bonds by telling us that he thought he was taking flax seed oil — flax seed oil that cost thousands of dollars.
But here’s the kicker. Despite the fact that the league didn’t expressly forbid the use of steroids, and despite the fact that many fans would have taken their side, these guys ALL know that using steroids is CHEATING. Deep down these players know that the vast majority of their peers aren’t using, and the users know that they would earn the ire of their fellow union members if they admitted steroid use. The users know that by using they are making more money than the non-users and setting records and earning accolades that other wise would go to the clean players. Steroid use does not occur in a vacuum.
I haven’t heard any player – user or not – express the position that since steroids weren’t specifically prohibited, that steroid use was ok. Fans and other supporters of these players have used this line of thinking, but not players. Players have used the argument that there aren’t a lot of steroid users, but never has the “it’s not cheating” argument been used.
MLB certainly can be held complicit in this whole mess but the players who have used, by denying their use, are ultimately to blame for their actions. For cheating.
As a result of the “Steroids in Baseball” issue there has been a lot written – and said – about a “culture of permissiveness” that existed in Major League Baseball. The prevailing wisdom - or “P.W.” - on this subject is that for at least the past 50 years MLB knew that players were using amphetamines in order to get through the season, and that depending who you are listening to this use was on the order of about 70% of the players.
At the dawn of the steroid era, which despite what you may think started in the 80’s and not the 90’s, the P.W. employs the logic that since baseball already allowed – by ignoring – players to use “uppers,” the players had no reason to believe the league wouldn’t want them to use steroids. Especially since there were no rules that expressly banned steroids.
As baseball players started to look like football players, and the teams and the league reveled in the power and glory of the resulting emergence of the long ball, players had even more incentive to “juice up.” Teams like the Oakland A’s celebrated the size and power of their players, and even had a season long power lifting competition among the players, the results of which were posted on a blackboard in their clubhouse.
Other teams picked up on the lead set by the Oakland A’s, and certainly nobody in the league office wanted to do anything to derail this power train…after all chicks dig the long ball.
Which brings us back to the question of, “Did baseball’s culture of permissiveness give the players an excuse for using performance-enhancing drugs?”
The short answer is, “No!”
Here’s the long answer. There is no doubt that the baseball hierarchy – including the players union - knew that players were using drugs. This is evidenced by the way all parties conducted themselves during labor negotiations, negotiations that specifically dealt with drugs and drug testing. Speed was never prohibited, steroids were never prohibited, and there were no real testing measures in place to deter players from using, nor were there any real penalties in place to punish the players in the unlikely event anyone got busted.
This permissive culture did exist in MLB.
The problem with ascribing this excuse to the players for their use of these drugs is that the players themselves – with 2 notable exceptions – have NOT used this excuse!
Besides Jose Canseco and the late Ken Caminiti no player has come out and said that they used steroids because they worked, they needed them and they knew that no one would stop them because steroids weren’t prohibited by baseball. Canseco has been unrepentant in recounting his use of the juice and is on record as saying that there is no way he would have accomplished what he did if not for the steroids. He also has said that since the teams and the league knew that players were already using other drugs to improve their performance – amphetamines – the players who used saw no reason not to use steroids.
Now you can agree or disagree with Canseco, but he has owned up to what he did. If Barry Bonds or Mark McGwire came out and said the same thing, steroids in baseball would be a dead issue, or at least not the scandalous issue that has become. If McGwire had told us that that baseball knew what was going on and subtly encouraged this drug use his critics would have had a very tough time countering this position.
If Mark McGwire had come clean on this issue the vast majority of people would have taken his side. The players would have had the sympathy and understanding of their fans, and while actions may have been taken to keep steroid out of the game, this situation certainly would not have escalated to the present day’s scandal.
Instead, these guys decided to insult our intelligence; McGwire, by repeating his "I'm not here to talk about the past" mantra, and Bonds by telling us that he thought he was taking flax seed oil — flax seed oil that cost thousands of dollars.
But here’s the kicker. Despite the fact that the league didn’t expressly forbid the use of steroids, and despite the fact that many fans would have taken their side, these guys ALL know that using steroids is CHEATING. Deep down these players know that the vast majority of their peers aren’t using, and the users know that they would earn the ire of their fellow union members if they admitted steroid use. The users know that by using they are making more money than the non-users and setting records and earning accolades that other wise would go to the clean players. Steroid use does not occur in a vacuum.
I haven’t heard any player – user or not – express the position that since steroids weren’t specifically prohibited, that steroid use was ok. Fans and other supporters of these players have used this line of thinking, but not players. Players have used the argument that there aren’t a lot of steroid users, but never has the “it’s not cheating” argument been used.
MLB certainly can be held complicit in this whole mess but the players who have used, by denying their use, are ultimately to blame for their actions. For cheating.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Barry Bonds Has Used Steroids, New Book Alleges.
Since it seems like the Barry Bonds scam is coming to an end, I thought that this would be a good time for me to reprint an item I wrote almost 3 years ago where I told people something was not kosher with the Bonds, Conte Balco Labs relationship. For your reading pleasure...
Considering the current state of training techniques for athletes, Barry Bonds’ training routine is antiquated at best. The program is counter-productive since this is actually just a bodybuilder’s routine. From a program design standpoint, the five-day split, as is presented in the article, is a waste of time and effort. Three to four days during the off-season, and two to three days in-season is more than enough. And for an older, well-trained athlete, less time is required for training.
There seems to be only two ground based compound movements – squats and lunges. If Bonds squats in a Smith Machine (dangerous) – like the Angels’ Brad Fullmer (featured in another baseball-related article in this issue of M&F) – then Bonds is really doing only one ground based compound movement. This program is dominated by isolation (single joint), equipment-based movements and does nothing to maintain/improve range of motion, balance and joint stability. Not acceptable.
Furthermore, there are no explosive movements (cleans, jerks) incorporated in this program, which is not only unacceptable, it is shocking. Collegiate soccer players utilize these movements in their training! This makes us wonder if Bonds really uses this routine.
The Bonds nutrition regimen is where things get interesting, sketchy, hazy, perplexing, etc…first we’ll make a few points about his supplements. I’ve included links to the details about each supplement. The key sections to read on the links are the “Indications and Usage” and the “Research Summary.”
Overall the items on his supplement list are pretty standard bodybuilding nonsense…stuff that’s marketed to the hilt regardless of the level of substantiation. For example colostrum, which is generated by a mother’s mammary glands right after giving birth and is rich with anti-bodies beneficial to newborns, has been hyped as a fat builder, muscle builder, injury healer, mood improver, depression fighter and cancer fighter. Sounds good, except for the fact that there’s no credible evidence to support any of these claims. http://www.pdrhealth.com/drug_info/nmdrugprofiles/nutsupdrugs/bov_0082.shtml
The use of glutamine peptides in this regimen is an example of how supplement companies market substances based on positive scientific evidence obtained in the study of individuals who are “metabolically compromised,” and applying the results to those who are not.
Basically an anti-catabolic amino acid, studies have shown than glutamine helps in the recovery of trauma, surgery and other critical patients. Yet there is no credible evidence that orally administered glutamine has any benefit for those who are not “metabolically compromised.” http://www.pdrhealth.com/drug_info/nmdrugprofiles/nutsupdrugs/glu_0124.shtml
Chromium, in any form, has been shown in studies completed this year to provide no benefits whatsoever. http://www.pdrhealth.com/drug_info/nmdrugprofiles/nutsupdrugs/chr_0073.shtml
The most puzzling items on this list are the amino acids phenylalanine and tyrosine. Claims made in favor of these substances are mostly from an anti-depressant standpoint, and there’s no evidence that they are very effective. One study concludes that tyrosine may provide some protection against mood and performance impairment when encountering some forms of environmental stress such as cold and hypoxia. However more studies need to be performed on this. Phenylalanine has been shown to be somewhat effective in the treatment of vitiligo.
Our guess is that Bonds takes tyrosine because his camp believes in the purported stress protection offered. We can’t imagine why Bonds takes the phenylalanine. If he needs something for depression he should take a real prescription drug. By the way, phenylalanine is the main ingredient of aspartame, an excess of which has been shown in some studies to actually cause depression! http://www.pdrhealth.com/drug_info/nmdrugprofiles/nutsupdrugs/lph_0201.shtml
http://www.pdrhealth.com/drug_info/nmdrugprofiles/nutsupdrugs/lty_0256.shtml
Where things get a little sketchier, is with this Victor Conte the head of Balco Labs. In the article he’s described as a nutritional consultant. In a search of the web we came across Balco’s website and some interviews of Conte where he describes his philosophy and the theory of measuring the nutrient levels in the blood of athletes. Despite all of this very technical/medical sounding info, there is no indication of what Conte actually is. In one item Conte is referred to as an inventor and scientist, yet there isn’t a mention detailing his background.
http://www.balcolab.com/
The other thing that raises a red flag, is that even though he is involved with some legit athletes, he also works with professional bodybuilders, and was involved with C.J. Hunter, the banned shot-putting ex-husband of Marion Jones. http://www.canthrow.com/news/sept262000.shtml
If you read this article, the guy mentioned sporting the pencil moustache is Conte.
http://cbs.sportsline.com/u/ce/multi/0,1329,2826226_182185,00.html
This item provides more details about the Hunter situation and Conte’s role using the standard “Doper’s Defense.”
The Balco website is surprisingly cheesy and uses a lot of purposely confusing medical jargon to describe why their method of measuring the nutrient level can be important for weekend warrior and elite athletes alike. Our feeling is that this nutrient level analysis is just a bunch of pseudo-science garbage. Like the research used to “prove” that a supplement is effective, this nutrient level analysis is just a marketing hustle that now boasts legitimacy in the form of Barry Bonds. All in all we wonder how a guy like Conte gets access to a superstar athlete. You can draw your won conclusion.
To close with an analogy, to claim that this regimen is responsible for Bonds’ success is like saying a modern day newspaper is produced and printed around the world using only typewriters and printing presses.
Considering the current state of training techniques for athletes, Barry Bonds’ training routine is antiquated at best. The program is counter-productive since this is actually just a bodybuilder’s routine. From a program design standpoint, the five-day split, as is presented in the article, is a waste of time and effort. Three to four days during the off-season, and two to three days in-season is more than enough. And for an older, well-trained athlete, less time is required for training.
There seems to be only two ground based compound movements – squats and lunges. If Bonds squats in a Smith Machine (dangerous) – like the Angels’ Brad Fullmer (featured in another baseball-related article in this issue of M&F) – then Bonds is really doing only one ground based compound movement. This program is dominated by isolation (single joint), equipment-based movements and does nothing to maintain/improve range of motion, balance and joint stability. Not acceptable.
Furthermore, there are no explosive movements (cleans, jerks) incorporated in this program, which is not only unacceptable, it is shocking. Collegiate soccer players utilize these movements in their training! This makes us wonder if Bonds really uses this routine.
The Bonds nutrition regimen is where things get interesting, sketchy, hazy, perplexing, etc…first we’ll make a few points about his supplements. I’ve included links to the details about each supplement. The key sections to read on the links are the “Indications and Usage” and the “Research Summary.”
Overall the items on his supplement list are pretty standard bodybuilding nonsense…stuff that’s marketed to the hilt regardless of the level of substantiation. For example colostrum, which is generated by a mother’s mammary glands right after giving birth and is rich with anti-bodies beneficial to newborns, has been hyped as a fat builder, muscle builder, injury healer, mood improver, depression fighter and cancer fighter. Sounds good, except for the fact that there’s no credible evidence to support any of these claims. http://www.pdrhealth.com/drug_info/nmdrugprofiles/nutsupdrugs/bov_0082.shtml
The use of glutamine peptides in this regimen is an example of how supplement companies market substances based on positive scientific evidence obtained in the study of individuals who are “metabolically compromised,” and applying the results to those who are not.
Basically an anti-catabolic amino acid, studies have shown than glutamine helps in the recovery of trauma, surgery and other critical patients. Yet there is no credible evidence that orally administered glutamine has any benefit for those who are not “metabolically compromised.” http://www.pdrhealth.com/drug_info/nmdrugprofiles/nutsupdrugs/glu_0124.shtml
Chromium, in any form, has been shown in studies completed this year to provide no benefits whatsoever. http://www.pdrhealth.com/drug_info/nmdrugprofiles/nutsupdrugs/chr_0073.shtml
The most puzzling items on this list are the amino acids phenylalanine and tyrosine. Claims made in favor of these substances are mostly from an anti-depressant standpoint, and there’s no evidence that they are very effective. One study concludes that tyrosine may provide some protection against mood and performance impairment when encountering some forms of environmental stress such as cold and hypoxia. However more studies need to be performed on this. Phenylalanine has been shown to be somewhat effective in the treatment of vitiligo.
Our guess is that Bonds takes tyrosine because his camp believes in the purported stress protection offered. We can’t imagine why Bonds takes the phenylalanine. If he needs something for depression he should take a real prescription drug. By the way, phenylalanine is the main ingredient of aspartame, an excess of which has been shown in some studies to actually cause depression! http://www.pdrhealth.com/drug_info/nmdrugprofiles/nutsupdrugs/lph_0201.shtml
http://www.pdrhealth.com/drug_info/nmdrugprofiles/nutsupdrugs/lty_0256.shtml
Where things get a little sketchier, is with this Victor Conte the head of Balco Labs. In the article he’s described as a nutritional consultant. In a search of the web we came across Balco’s website and some interviews of Conte where he describes his philosophy and the theory of measuring the nutrient levels in the blood of athletes. Despite all of this very technical/medical sounding info, there is no indication of what Conte actually is. In one item Conte is referred to as an inventor and scientist, yet there isn’t a mention detailing his background.
http://www.balcolab.com/
The other thing that raises a red flag, is that even though he is involved with some legit athletes, he also works with professional bodybuilders, and was involved with C.J. Hunter, the banned shot-putting ex-husband of Marion Jones. http://www.canthrow.com/news/sept262000.shtml
If you read this article, the guy mentioned sporting the pencil moustache is Conte.
http://cbs.sportsline.com/u/ce/multi/0,1329,2826226_182185,00.html
This item provides more details about the Hunter situation and Conte’s role using the standard “Doper’s Defense.”
The Balco website is surprisingly cheesy and uses a lot of purposely confusing medical jargon to describe why their method of measuring the nutrient level can be important for weekend warrior and elite athletes alike. Our feeling is that this nutrient level analysis is just a bunch of pseudo-science garbage. Like the research used to “prove” that a supplement is effective, this nutrient level analysis is just a marketing hustle that now boasts legitimacy in the form of Barry Bonds. All in all we wonder how a guy like Conte gets access to a superstar athlete. You can draw your won conclusion.
To close with an analogy, to claim that this regimen is responsible for Bonds’ success is like saying a modern day newspaper is produced and printed around the world using only typewriters and printing presses.
Friday, January 20, 2006
Anna Nicole Smith Swears By Trimspa. Should You?
Trimspa offers “weight loss products” that are big on hype but offer nothing when it comes to scientific proof of efficacy.
By the way, “proof of efficacy” is a great phrase to use when discussing nutritional supplements…I highly recommend interjecting this idiom whenever appropriate.
You’d be hard pressed to find another line of weight loss supplements that contain as many suspect ingredients as are contained in the Trimspa product offering. For the sake of relative brevity, this item will just breakdown Trimspa X32. Next week I’ll provide you with a look at Trimspa’s other main products, Lipospa and Carbspa.
Here’s a quick rundown of the ingredients list for Trimspa X32.
First we have Chromium. Chromium is old school. Chromium also does nothing, as in NOTHING. As a matter of fact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has gone on record and stated that claims that chromium can aid in athletic performance, building muscle or weight loss are unsubstantiated and deceptive. From a scientific study standpoint, only those diabetics who have a chromium deficiency may benefit from chromium supplementation. And this isn’t nearly a “for sure.” If anything, the science that exists indicates that chromium is of no value to anyone.
Next in Anna Nicole Smith’s favorite weight loss concoction is one of these “blended ingredients.” Trimspa calls their secret ingredient “X32 Proprietary Blend.” X32 is a combination of Hoodia, Glucosamine, Green Tea Extract, Cocoa Extract, Citrus Naringin, Chromium Chelavite (goody, more chromium!), Vanadium, and Glucomannan.
Remember how the FTC feels about chromium while reading this passage from the Trimspa web site that describes what Trimspa’s chromium can do;
Chromium Chelavite is an important nutrient that aids in controlling glucose (blood sugar) and carbohydrate cravings; it also offers many other benefits. It helps the body's insulin metabolize fat, convert protein into muscle, and turn sugar into energy, supporting weight loss and the development of lean body mass. A lack of chromium in the diet can result in weight gain, sluggishness, and can trigger a craving for sugar and other carbohydrates.
Plain and simple, there is no data that supports this assertion.
Let’s take a peak at Hoodia, the favorite herbal appetite suppressant of the Bushmen of South Africa. The best “evidence” that I can find that attests to the efficacy (there’s that word again) of Hoodia as an appetite suppressant are silly anecdotal tales that revolve around assertions that the Bushmen have been eating Hoodia for thousands of years to ward off hunger during long hunting trips. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather see some science to back up this claim.
Since there is no science, and since we only have the word of supplement manufacturers to fill the scientific void, I say “thumbs down” on Hoodia.
And by the way, the plant from which Hoodia is derived is on some kind of endangered/protected list in South Africa, and can only be exported under very tight licensing arrangements. This situation has resulted in unscrupulous Hoodia Brokers selling faux Hoodia to unsuspecting supplement maker types. Isn’t there any honor amongst thieves?
A weird choice for inclusion on this list is “Glucosamine.” While this substance has been shown to be effective in alleviating pain for those suffering from osteoarthritis there is no indication anywhere that this supplement has any effect on anything related to weight loss.
Oh wait…look how this substance is described on the Trimspa web site,
Glucosamine (Gloo-ko-so-meen) is an ingredient, patented by TRIMSPA for weight loss, that actually prolongs the amount of time glucose (or blood sugar) stays within the bloodstream after eating. This delay means that any extra insulin can be used directly by the muscles for energy, instead of being transferred too quickly to the "warehouse," or fat cells.
Now is it just me, or does this seem – shall I say – disingenuous (I’m being nice)? Apparently, the folks at Trimspa have been able to patent an unproven ingredient and use the same name as another ingredient that has other – proven – benefits. I’m having a hard time understanding what Trimspa is doing here. Are you?
There is no scientific evidence that any of the other ingredients in this blend, Green Tea Extract, Cocoa Extract, Citrus Naringin, Vanadium and Glucomannan have any effect on weight loss. And the only “evidence” that exists that supports the use of any of these ingredients comes from the web sites of companies that are selling these products.
For instance, if you do a Google on Citrus Naringin you will find page after page of the same information on the pages of different herbal remedy sites. Even Amazon.com sells Trimspa, for crying out loud. And not one of these sites includes mention of one shred of scientific evidence; they all just parrot the same line – in most cases word for word - with regards to the purported benefits.
And if you do a search on the Physician’s Desk Reference (PDR) for “Naringin” you will get a hit for “Hesperidin” which is found in oranges and lemons. In legit clinical studies Hesperidin has been shown to increase HDL (good cholesterol) and decrease LDL (bad cholesterol), BY DRINKING A COUPLE OF GLASSES OF ORANGE JUICE PER DAY!
To me it makes much more sense to drink a couple of glasses of fresh squeezed orange juice than it does to buy and take Trimspa, especially when you consider what we know about what Vanadium can do for you.
Here’s a few excerpts from the PDR’s listing since my words can’t do justice in explaining just what Vanadium can do for you,
Vanadium salts have insulin-mimetic activity, and vanadium compounds are being studied as potentially orally active replacements for insulin. The doses of supplemental vanadium that may affect blood glucose levels are potentially toxic, and supplemental vanadium is not recommended for the management of diabetes, hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia or insulin resistance. (My emphasis.)
The absorption of dietary vanadium and supplemental vanadium (usually vanadyl sulfate) is poor, and most ingested vanadium is excreted in the feces. It is estimated that less than 5% of dietary vanadium is absorbed.
The use of supplemental vanadium is not indicated for any purpose at this time.
Vanadium is showing promise in the treatment of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, but this work is still preliminary and utilizes pharmacological doses of vanadium with unknown long-term safety consequences. Claims that vanadium increases muscle mass have no research support.
Reports that vanadium promotes muscle-mass development are refuted by research.
The amount of vanadium in typical diets (less than 30 micrograms daily) appears to have low toxicity. In one study, 12 subjects were given 13.5 milligrams of vanadium daily for two weeks, followed by 22.5 milligrams daily for five months, Five subjects experienced gastrointestinal symptoms — nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramps — and five subjects developed green tongues. In another study, six subjects receiving daily doses of 4.5 to 18 milligrams of vanadium for six to 10 weeks developed green tongues, diarrhea and cramps at the higher doses.
Chromium, ferrous ion, chloride, aluminum hydroxide and EDTA may decrease absorption of vanadium.
So why on earth is Vanadium is included in this mix? Why would anyone willingly put this into his or her body? Especially, since there are no indications on the Trimspa X32 label as to how much of this stuff is in their product. And since chromium may decrease the absorption of Vanadium, why would these two ingredients be mixed in the same formula? How can this product be sold?
TrimspaX32 cannot be recommended for anyone under any circumstances. Come back next week for my breakdown of Trimspa’s other two product offerings.
By the way, “proof of efficacy” is a great phrase to use when discussing nutritional supplements…I highly recommend interjecting this idiom whenever appropriate.
You’d be hard pressed to find another line of weight loss supplements that contain as many suspect ingredients as are contained in the Trimspa product offering. For the sake of relative brevity, this item will just breakdown Trimspa X32. Next week I’ll provide you with a look at Trimspa’s other main products, Lipospa and Carbspa.
Here’s a quick rundown of the ingredients list for Trimspa X32.
First we have Chromium. Chromium is old school. Chromium also does nothing, as in NOTHING. As a matter of fact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has gone on record and stated that claims that chromium can aid in athletic performance, building muscle or weight loss are unsubstantiated and deceptive. From a scientific study standpoint, only those diabetics who have a chromium deficiency may benefit from chromium supplementation. And this isn’t nearly a “for sure.” If anything, the science that exists indicates that chromium is of no value to anyone.
Next in Anna Nicole Smith’s favorite weight loss concoction is one of these “blended ingredients.” Trimspa calls their secret ingredient “X32 Proprietary Blend.” X32 is a combination of Hoodia, Glucosamine, Green Tea Extract, Cocoa Extract, Citrus Naringin, Chromium Chelavite (goody, more chromium!), Vanadium, and Glucomannan.
Remember how the FTC feels about chromium while reading this passage from the Trimspa web site that describes what Trimspa’s chromium can do;
Chromium Chelavite is an important nutrient that aids in controlling glucose (blood sugar) and carbohydrate cravings; it also offers many other benefits. It helps the body's insulin metabolize fat, convert protein into muscle, and turn sugar into energy, supporting weight loss and the development of lean body mass. A lack of chromium in the diet can result in weight gain, sluggishness, and can trigger a craving for sugar and other carbohydrates.
Plain and simple, there is no data that supports this assertion.
Let’s take a peak at Hoodia, the favorite herbal appetite suppressant of the Bushmen of South Africa. The best “evidence” that I can find that attests to the efficacy (there’s that word again) of Hoodia as an appetite suppressant are silly anecdotal tales that revolve around assertions that the Bushmen have been eating Hoodia for thousands of years to ward off hunger during long hunting trips. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather see some science to back up this claim.
Since there is no science, and since we only have the word of supplement manufacturers to fill the scientific void, I say “thumbs down” on Hoodia.
And by the way, the plant from which Hoodia is derived is on some kind of endangered/protected list in South Africa, and can only be exported under very tight licensing arrangements. This situation has resulted in unscrupulous Hoodia Brokers selling faux Hoodia to unsuspecting supplement maker types. Isn’t there any honor amongst thieves?
A weird choice for inclusion on this list is “Glucosamine.” While this substance has been shown to be effective in alleviating pain for those suffering from osteoarthritis there is no indication anywhere that this supplement has any effect on anything related to weight loss.
Oh wait…look how this substance is described on the Trimspa web site,
Glucosamine (Gloo-ko-so-meen) is an ingredient, patented by TRIMSPA for weight loss, that actually prolongs the amount of time glucose (or blood sugar) stays within the bloodstream after eating. This delay means that any extra insulin can be used directly by the muscles for energy, instead of being transferred too quickly to the "warehouse," or fat cells.
Now is it just me, or does this seem – shall I say – disingenuous (I’m being nice)? Apparently, the folks at Trimspa have been able to patent an unproven ingredient and use the same name as another ingredient that has other – proven – benefits. I’m having a hard time understanding what Trimspa is doing here. Are you?
There is no scientific evidence that any of the other ingredients in this blend, Green Tea Extract, Cocoa Extract, Citrus Naringin, Vanadium and Glucomannan have any effect on weight loss. And the only “evidence” that exists that supports the use of any of these ingredients comes from the web sites of companies that are selling these products.
For instance, if you do a Google on Citrus Naringin you will find page after page of the same information on the pages of different herbal remedy sites. Even Amazon.com sells Trimspa, for crying out loud. And not one of these sites includes mention of one shred of scientific evidence; they all just parrot the same line – in most cases word for word - with regards to the purported benefits.
And if you do a search on the Physician’s Desk Reference (PDR) for “Naringin” you will get a hit for “Hesperidin” which is found in oranges and lemons. In legit clinical studies Hesperidin has been shown to increase HDL (good cholesterol) and decrease LDL (bad cholesterol), BY DRINKING A COUPLE OF GLASSES OF ORANGE JUICE PER DAY!
To me it makes much more sense to drink a couple of glasses of fresh squeezed orange juice than it does to buy and take Trimspa, especially when you consider what we know about what Vanadium can do for you.
Here’s a few excerpts from the PDR’s listing since my words can’t do justice in explaining just what Vanadium can do for you,
Vanadium salts have insulin-mimetic activity, and vanadium compounds are being studied as potentially orally active replacements for insulin. The doses of supplemental vanadium that may affect blood glucose levels are potentially toxic, and supplemental vanadium is not recommended for the management of diabetes, hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia or insulin resistance. (My emphasis.)
The absorption of dietary vanadium and supplemental vanadium (usually vanadyl sulfate) is poor, and most ingested vanadium is excreted in the feces. It is estimated that less than 5% of dietary vanadium is absorbed.
The use of supplemental vanadium is not indicated for any purpose at this time.
Vanadium is showing promise in the treatment of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, but this work is still preliminary and utilizes pharmacological doses of vanadium with unknown long-term safety consequences. Claims that vanadium increases muscle mass have no research support.
Reports that vanadium promotes muscle-mass development are refuted by research.
The amount of vanadium in typical diets (less than 30 micrograms daily) appears to have low toxicity. In one study, 12 subjects were given 13.5 milligrams of vanadium daily for two weeks, followed by 22.5 milligrams daily for five months, Five subjects experienced gastrointestinal symptoms — nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramps — and five subjects developed green tongues. In another study, six subjects receiving daily doses of 4.5 to 18 milligrams of vanadium for six to 10 weeks developed green tongues, diarrhea and cramps at the higher doses.
Chromium, ferrous ion, chloride, aluminum hydroxide and EDTA may decrease absorption of vanadium.
So why on earth is Vanadium is included in this mix? Why would anyone willingly put this into his or her body? Especially, since there are no indications on the Trimspa X32 label as to how much of this stuff is in their product. And since chromium may decrease the absorption of Vanadium, why would these two ingredients be mixed in the same formula? How can this product be sold?
TrimspaX32 cannot be recommended for anyone under any circumstances. Come back next week for my breakdown of Trimspa’s other two product offerings.
Friday, December 30, 2005
Stay Away From Heightmax!
As a professional strength and conditioning coach I am extremely wary of 99.99% of all dietary supplements that are on the market, and with good reason since most of claims attached to these panaceas are NOT backed up by real scientific proof of efficacy. As the head strength coach of a high school I am extremely sensitive to any of these products that are marketed towards kids.
A new “product” named Heightmax – the makers of which claim can help your child grow – represents a new low in the nutritional supplement industry.
I became aware of this supplement thanks to a satellite radio commercial, and visited their website to see how the marketers of this product would back up their claims.
As a reminder – or a heads up to anyone not already aware of this – makers and marketers of dietary supplements are NOT held to the same standards as the drug companies are. Dietary supplement makers DO NOT have to submit their products to the Food and Drug Administration for approval, and as a matter of fact all supplement advertisements contain a disclaimer that basically says the FDA has not evaluated the claims associated with the particular product advertised.
Here are a few problems with the Heightmax website:
1) There is no list of ingredients telling you just what this company wants you to give to your child. The most were told is that there are two Heightmax formulas, one is a “multi-vitamin and herbal supplement” and one is “an amino acid and mineral supplement.” Other than this, there are no details as to the formula.
2) There are no details with regards to the scientific studies that allegedly prove that this stuff works. We’re told that clinical studies have been done that indicate growth increases, but there are no details with regards to number of people in the study or any other hint as to the protocols used during these studies.
3) The first testimonial on the testimonial page is from the research scientist who is the developer of the Heightmax supplement and part owner of the company. Other testimonials are from a mother of three teenage children, a 17 year old and three 20-somethings.
I’m surprised that not only can a supplement be offered without any indication as to what the specific ingredients are, but that in turn people would buy such as supplement. When you consider that people would be giving this mystery supplement to their kids, this situation is even more surprising.
With regards to the lack of available details about the clinical studies that allegedly prove that Heightmax works, without knowing the specific protocols of how these studies were conducted, there is no way for a consumer to properly evaluate this – or any – supplement. As a matter of fact, consumers should be very wary of any supplement that offers innocuous statements in place of facts and details with regards to ingredients and “scientific” or “clinical” studies.
Anecdotal evidence is nice, but never can take the place of science. And the anecdotal evidence – put forth in the form of testimonials – on the Heightmax website is hardly impressive anyway. A mother of three teenagers says that her kids have all grown faster since taking the supplement. So what. This statement is meaningless, as there’s no standard way that kids grow so there’s no way that anyone can know that a kid is somehow growing “faster.”
A 17 year old has grown an inch in 3 months? Is this somehow news? As someone who has been working with kids for over 20 years, my anecdotal evidence is that I have seen kids grow TWICE as much over a three-month period, all without taking some mystery supplement.
And as a 20-something, I grew over an inch and went from just under 5’ 11’ to just over 6’ 0” without taking any supplements whatsoever.
The message is that you should always be suspicious when a supplement marketer or manufacturer doesn’t provide the necessary details with respect to the ingredients and "science" of their product. And when your kids are involved this suspicion should become the signal to stay away.
In my professional opinion, stay away from Heightmax
A new “product” named Heightmax – the makers of which claim can help your child grow – represents a new low in the nutritional supplement industry.
I became aware of this supplement thanks to a satellite radio commercial, and visited their website to see how the marketers of this product would back up their claims.
As a reminder – or a heads up to anyone not already aware of this – makers and marketers of dietary supplements are NOT held to the same standards as the drug companies are. Dietary supplement makers DO NOT have to submit their products to the Food and Drug Administration for approval, and as a matter of fact all supplement advertisements contain a disclaimer that basically says the FDA has not evaluated the claims associated with the particular product advertised.
Here are a few problems with the Heightmax website:
1) There is no list of ingredients telling you just what this company wants you to give to your child. The most were told is that there are two Heightmax formulas, one is a “multi-vitamin and herbal supplement” and one is “an amino acid and mineral supplement.” Other than this, there are no details as to the formula.
2) There are no details with regards to the scientific studies that allegedly prove that this stuff works. We’re told that clinical studies have been done that indicate growth increases, but there are no details with regards to number of people in the study or any other hint as to the protocols used during these studies.
3) The first testimonial on the testimonial page is from the research scientist who is the developer of the Heightmax supplement and part owner of the company. Other testimonials are from a mother of three teenage children, a 17 year old and three 20-somethings.
I’m surprised that not only can a supplement be offered without any indication as to what the specific ingredients are, but that in turn people would buy such as supplement. When you consider that people would be giving this mystery supplement to their kids, this situation is even more surprising.
With regards to the lack of available details about the clinical studies that allegedly prove that Heightmax works, without knowing the specific protocols of how these studies were conducted, there is no way for a consumer to properly evaluate this – or any – supplement. As a matter of fact, consumers should be very wary of any supplement that offers innocuous statements in place of facts and details with regards to ingredients and “scientific” or “clinical” studies.
Anecdotal evidence is nice, but never can take the place of science. And the anecdotal evidence – put forth in the form of testimonials – on the Heightmax website is hardly impressive anyway. A mother of three teenagers says that her kids have all grown faster since taking the supplement. So what. This statement is meaningless, as there’s no standard way that kids grow so there’s no way that anyone can know that a kid is somehow growing “faster.”
A 17 year old has grown an inch in 3 months? Is this somehow news? As someone who has been working with kids for over 20 years, my anecdotal evidence is that I have seen kids grow TWICE as much over a three-month period, all without taking some mystery supplement.
And as a 20-something, I grew over an inch and went from just under 5’ 11’ to just over 6’ 0” without taking any supplements whatsoever.
The message is that you should always be suspicious when a supplement marketer or manufacturer doesn’t provide the necessary details with respect to the ingredients and "science" of their product. And when your kids are involved this suspicion should become the signal to stay away.
In my professional opinion, stay away from Heightmax
Sunday, December 18, 2005
Don't Waste Your Money On Diet Books.
Has anyone checked out the top-selling diet books lately? A quick look at Amazon.com’s top diet books illustrates just how horribly confused the general public has become, and what many “experts” are willing to do to make a buck.
Buzzwords and gimmicktry rule the day…”The Three Hour Diet,” “The Abs Diet,” “Fast and Healthy Weight Loss,” and “Lose The Fat, The Wrinkles and The Years,” are the words and phrases contained in the books on Amazon’s top-selling “Diet and Weight Loss “ home page. Depressing.
I am going to appeal to your common sense and your pocket book, and give you for free all that you need to know about what, and how, you should eat. Don’t think in the short term like “three hours” or “six-days” but in long terms like “everyday” and “always.”
The “calories in/calories out” formula is the secret to weight loss and maintenance. This formula means that if you want to lose weight you must take in fewer calories than you use. That’s it.
The food, when you eat it, or the combinations of foods that you eat during the day doesn’t matter. If you need 2000 calories a day to maintain your weight but you eat 1900 calories of in a day you will lose weight. And if you eat 2100 calories a day, you will gain weight.
This is how simple “dieting” should be.
To figure out how many calories you should eat in a day, apply an 18-calorie per pound of body weight formula to give you your daily intake. So a 150-pound person should get about 2700 calories per day. If you are an athlete or lead an extremely active lifestyle, you can add 100-200 calories per day to your total.
Approximately 60% of your total calories should come from carbohydrates, 20% of your total calories from protein and 20% of your total calories from fats. Stay away from refined sugar, fatty proteins and saturated fats. Stay away from fast food and processed food. A great rule is to avoid foods that come in wrappers and foil bags.
People who have good eating habits are successful in their quest to lose or maintain weight.
The best habit to develop is to eat three meals per day – breakfast, lunch and dinner - seven days per week, for a total of 21 meals during the week.
Eat your breakfast within the first hour after you get out of bed. Have a snack during the mid-morning hours. Eat lunch a couple of hours after your snack. Have a snack during the mid-afternoon “lull” hours. Eat your dinner a couple of hours after your mid-afternoon snack.
There really are no valid reasons for not eating a good breakfast and lunch every day. Sure people have their reasons, but they aren’t valid reasons. Eat a good breakfast everyday and give yourself one splurge lunch per week.
When it comes to dinner I suggest that you eat five good dinners per week and leave the other two dinners for splurging. You deserve two dinners of your choice as a reward for being good all week.
Following this plan gives you 18 good meals out of your weekly total of 21 meals – that’s an 85% “good eating” score. In your daily life, if you’re right 85% of the time that’s pretty darn good. The longer you stick with this program the harder it is to eat poorly, since your body is going to be overwhelmed by good stuff and won’t tolerate the bad stuff. I promise.
And if you’re honest with yourself you know what’s “good” and what’s “bad.” The guidelines for you to balance your meals are provided above – 60/20/20 – as are the caloric guidelines.
Get in the habit of having some healthy “all-purpose” foods handy - like Clif Bars, Luna Bars, fruits and a variety of nuts – to use as snacks.
By the way, people who think fruits should be avoided are crazy!
Having someone tell you what and when to eat just provides a built in excuse for failure. Writing out a contract with yourself, or trying to figure out why you eat is a waste of time. If you can’t learn to have portion control and if you don’t know that fast food is bad there isn’t a diet in the world that will work for you.
This isn’t too earth shattering, is it? How silly is it that people spend their hard earned money on books that makes the simple act of eating properly so complicated?
Buzzwords and gimmicktry rule the day…”The Three Hour Diet,” “The Abs Diet,” “Fast and Healthy Weight Loss,” and “Lose The Fat, The Wrinkles and The Years,” are the words and phrases contained in the books on Amazon’s top-selling “Diet and Weight Loss “ home page. Depressing.
I am going to appeal to your common sense and your pocket book, and give you for free all that you need to know about what, and how, you should eat. Don’t think in the short term like “three hours” or “six-days” but in long terms like “everyday” and “always.”
The “calories in/calories out” formula is the secret to weight loss and maintenance. This formula means that if you want to lose weight you must take in fewer calories than you use. That’s it.
The food, when you eat it, or the combinations of foods that you eat during the day doesn’t matter. If you need 2000 calories a day to maintain your weight but you eat 1900 calories of in a day you will lose weight. And if you eat 2100 calories a day, you will gain weight.
This is how simple “dieting” should be.
To figure out how many calories you should eat in a day, apply an 18-calorie per pound of body weight formula to give you your daily intake. So a 150-pound person should get about 2700 calories per day. If you are an athlete or lead an extremely active lifestyle, you can add 100-200 calories per day to your total.
Approximately 60% of your total calories should come from carbohydrates, 20% of your total calories from protein and 20% of your total calories from fats. Stay away from refined sugar, fatty proteins and saturated fats. Stay away from fast food and processed food. A great rule is to avoid foods that come in wrappers and foil bags.
People who have good eating habits are successful in their quest to lose or maintain weight.
The best habit to develop is to eat three meals per day – breakfast, lunch and dinner - seven days per week, for a total of 21 meals during the week.
Eat your breakfast within the first hour after you get out of bed. Have a snack during the mid-morning hours. Eat lunch a couple of hours after your snack. Have a snack during the mid-afternoon “lull” hours. Eat your dinner a couple of hours after your mid-afternoon snack.
There really are no valid reasons for not eating a good breakfast and lunch every day. Sure people have their reasons, but they aren’t valid reasons. Eat a good breakfast everyday and give yourself one splurge lunch per week.
When it comes to dinner I suggest that you eat five good dinners per week and leave the other two dinners for splurging. You deserve two dinners of your choice as a reward for being good all week.
Following this plan gives you 18 good meals out of your weekly total of 21 meals – that’s an 85% “good eating” score. In your daily life, if you’re right 85% of the time that’s pretty darn good. The longer you stick with this program the harder it is to eat poorly, since your body is going to be overwhelmed by good stuff and won’t tolerate the bad stuff. I promise.
And if you’re honest with yourself you know what’s “good” and what’s “bad.” The guidelines for you to balance your meals are provided above – 60/20/20 – as are the caloric guidelines.
Get in the habit of having some healthy “all-purpose” foods handy - like Clif Bars, Luna Bars, fruits and a variety of nuts – to use as snacks.
By the way, people who think fruits should be avoided are crazy!
Having someone tell you what and when to eat just provides a built in excuse for failure. Writing out a contract with yourself, or trying to figure out why you eat is a waste of time. If you can’t learn to have portion control and if you don’t know that fast food is bad there isn’t a diet in the world that will work for you.
This isn’t too earth shattering, is it? How silly is it that people spend their hard earned money on books that makes the simple act of eating properly so complicated?
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Kettlebell + Hard Work = The Best Workout Possible.
Warning! Russian Kettlebells are not for the uninitiated or those of weak minds and bodies. Russian Kettlebells are hardcore, hardwork training tools that will help to reshape your physique and rev up your metabolism.
A kettlebell is a cast iron weights that looks like a cannon ball with a handle. Known as a “girya,” kettlebells have been a traditional Russian tool for extreme all-around fitness since the beginning of the 1700’s.
In this century, Russian Master of Sport Pavel Tsatsouline has been the number one proponent of bringing this old school method of training back to the masses. Another great read is Pavel’s “purposely primitive” approach to strength training as detailed in his book “Power to the People: Russian Strength Secrets for Every American.”
Back to the kettlebells. The giryas come in all sizes big and small, starting with a 4kg (9 lb/.25 poods) cutie and going all the way up to a 40kg (88 lb/2.5 poods) behemoth.
Despite the abject failure of the United States Government to force the metric system down our throats during the 1970’s, everyone is pretty familiar with the measure of weight known as the “kilogram.” The “pood,” however, is a less-familiar unit of weight that relates to about 16 kgs/35 lbs per pood. This one pood girya is a good starting point for those men and women who have a serious base in strength and power training.
The benefits of kettlebell trainings are many. Training according to Pavel’s diktat can help push you to higher levels of all-around fitness and make you more capable; ramp up your metabolism without the bother of the time-wasting pursuits of diet and aerobics; increase endurance; and develop a killer combination of strength-with-flexibility. All this, plus train your body in a functional manner with the most portable heavy-duty equipment available.
My staff has been working with the 12 kg (26 lb/.75 poods) and the 16 kg (35lb/1 pood) kettlebells since August of 2004 and love them. The giryas offer a great change of pace and break up the monotony of a regular training regime. We have also sprung some kettlebell work on our unsuspecting clients, and they have given us a ton of positive feedback regarding the kettlebell sessions and their aftermath.
With kettlebell training you can do everything from swing the girya with two hands up over your head to performing hang cleans and snatches. You can squat with them, military press them, throw them and any thing else that you can think of. There’s no limit to what you can do with a girya. However, you must have an open mind and a commitment to hard work to get the most out of this style of training.
And if you are a golfer, I guarantee that if used properly, training with a kettlebell will add more distance to your drives than any other method of training.
Despite the assertion in the kettlebell advertising that people can just jump right in to this kind of training, I do not feel that the kettlebell techniques can be learned in one or two sessions, and/or that intense training can begin during the first or second week. Unless of course a person wants to experience an injury, that is.
So here’s what we recommend, especially for beginners.
Purchase a 2 lb Power Grip Ball (http://www.power-systems.com) and the 12 kg kettlebell along with Pavel’s instructional DVD/VHS “The Russian Kettlebell Challenge.
The Power Grip Ball - at 2 pounds or so – is a key purchase as it will allow you to perform the lifts demonstrated on Pavel’s DVD with a high degree of safety. And you will also be able to practice inside. Think about it, do you want to be swinging a 26-pound ball around your house or gym? When you drop the girya, and you will drop it when you are first learning how to swing, you want to make sure that you don’t break or kill anything or anyone.
From a production standpoint the instructional DVD is very bare bones, but then the atmosphere matches the very no-nonsense tone of this style of training. Pavel’s dead-panned, instructions are almost funny but this style doesn’t get in the way of the serious business of learning the kettlebell movements.
Pavel’s approach is a welcome relief from the usual hyperventilating that seems to accompany the selling of anything fitness related.
Just keep it simple and limit your purchase to one girya and the DVD/VHS.
Let me know how your kettlebell experience is!
A kettlebell is a cast iron weights that looks like a cannon ball with a handle. Known as a “girya,” kettlebells have been a traditional Russian tool for extreme all-around fitness since the beginning of the 1700’s.
In this century, Russian Master of Sport Pavel Tsatsouline has been the number one proponent of bringing this old school method of training back to the masses. Another great read is Pavel’s “purposely primitive” approach to strength training as detailed in his book “Power to the People: Russian Strength Secrets for Every American.”
Back to the kettlebells. The giryas come in all sizes big and small, starting with a 4kg (9 lb/.25 poods) cutie and going all the way up to a 40kg (88 lb/2.5 poods) behemoth.
Despite the abject failure of the United States Government to force the metric system down our throats during the 1970’s, everyone is pretty familiar with the measure of weight known as the “kilogram.” The “pood,” however, is a less-familiar unit of weight that relates to about 16 kgs/35 lbs per pood. This one pood girya is a good starting point for those men and women who have a serious base in strength and power training.
The benefits of kettlebell trainings are many. Training according to Pavel’s diktat can help push you to higher levels of all-around fitness and make you more capable; ramp up your metabolism without the bother of the time-wasting pursuits of diet and aerobics; increase endurance; and develop a killer combination of strength-with-flexibility. All this, plus train your body in a functional manner with the most portable heavy-duty equipment available.
My staff has been working with the 12 kg (26 lb/.75 poods) and the 16 kg (35lb/1 pood) kettlebells since August of 2004 and love them. The giryas offer a great change of pace and break up the monotony of a regular training regime. We have also sprung some kettlebell work on our unsuspecting clients, and they have given us a ton of positive feedback regarding the kettlebell sessions and their aftermath.
With kettlebell training you can do everything from swing the girya with two hands up over your head to performing hang cleans and snatches. You can squat with them, military press them, throw them and any thing else that you can think of. There’s no limit to what you can do with a girya. However, you must have an open mind and a commitment to hard work to get the most out of this style of training.
And if you are a golfer, I guarantee that if used properly, training with a kettlebell will add more distance to your drives than any other method of training.
Despite the assertion in the kettlebell advertising that people can just jump right in to this kind of training, I do not feel that the kettlebell techniques can be learned in one or two sessions, and/or that intense training can begin during the first or second week. Unless of course a person wants to experience an injury, that is.
So here’s what we recommend, especially for beginners.
Purchase a 2 lb Power Grip Ball (http://www.power-systems.com) and the 12 kg kettlebell along with Pavel’s instructional DVD/VHS “The Russian Kettlebell Challenge.
The Power Grip Ball - at 2 pounds or so – is a key purchase as it will allow you to perform the lifts demonstrated on Pavel’s DVD with a high degree of safety. And you will also be able to practice inside. Think about it, do you want to be swinging a 26-pound ball around your house or gym? When you drop the girya, and you will drop it when you are first learning how to swing, you want to make sure that you don’t break or kill anything or anyone.
From a production standpoint the instructional DVD is very bare bones, but then the atmosphere matches the very no-nonsense tone of this style of training. Pavel’s dead-panned, instructions are almost funny but this style doesn’t get in the way of the serious business of learning the kettlebell movements.
Pavel’s approach is a welcome relief from the usual hyperventilating that seems to accompany the selling of anything fitness related.
Just keep it simple and limit your purchase to one girya and the DVD/VHS.
Let me know how your kettlebell experience is!
Saturday, December 10, 2005
Guru?!? You Don't Need No Steeking Guru!
A “guru” can be described as a spiritual leader or teacher, a sage, a counselor, an expert, an authority or a leading light. Common to most definitions of the word is the concept that a “guru” is an expert and a resource for info in their respective field. There’s no definition that mentions people following a guru’s words lockstep.
The fitness biz has always provided fertile grounds for growing and cultivating gurus and guru-ees. Today there are more fitness gurus than you can shake a power bar at.
Some gurus are self-appointed, and others are anointed as gurus by adoring and appreciative followers. We guess you can paraphrase and say that “some people are gurus, and others have guru-ness thrust upon them.”
Personal trainers - god that title has become a negative - have taken the place of the bartenders and hairdressers as confidants for a lot of people. “Tom the Trainer” now gets all the good personal dish in between sets at the gym. We hear everything. Women tell us how old they are, how much they weigh and what they don’t like about their bodies. Men aren’t as secretive about their vital stats, but they have as many frailties and weaknesses regarding their bodies as women.
And for entrusting “us” with so much personal knowledge, too many of “us” repay too many of “you” for this display of honesty and trust by trying to sell you every gimmick and diet book and supplement nonsense imaginable. That’s the thanks you get.
The fortune seekers that dominate the world of health and fitness have violated the spirit of the guru – in the classic sense – and have turned this noble pursuit into a money grab.
I want to go on the record here – I'm not, don’t want to be, and never will be a guru in the modern sense. Be wary of today’s gurus, be afraid of gurus, and stay away from anyone who has the goal of being a guru. If a friend has a guru and wants you to get “guru-ed,” run away at top speed. If you have a guru, de-guru yourself ASAFP. Get it?
You don’t need “us” to be your guru. And I have two words for clients who want me to be their guru, “Get out.”
The late Beatle John Lennon, in response to the massive amount of adulation he received, said something to the effect of, “I’m not your parents.” Personal trainers need to have this kind of attitude. Trainers should stop trying to create mind-numbed minions who eat every morsel and perform every rep and pop every supplement pill in a controlled, scripted manner.
Now maybe this makes me a bad businessman, but I feel that my job is to train you in an effective and efficient way, and to inform you and answer your questions so that you can better understand your body. I don’t want to sell you any gimmick or elixir. To tell someone, “this is the way,” is just plain wrong. And to misrepresent the facts regarding nutrition and exercise, intentionally or unintentionally, is unforgivable.
Your body is your temple. So you should learn to take care of it, because at the end of the day – and your life – you’re the only one that really matters.
Want to incur my wrath? Tell me about your guru.
The fitness biz has always provided fertile grounds for growing and cultivating gurus and guru-ees. Today there are more fitness gurus than you can shake a power bar at.
Some gurus are self-appointed, and others are anointed as gurus by adoring and appreciative followers. We guess you can paraphrase and say that “some people are gurus, and others have guru-ness thrust upon them.”
Personal trainers - god that title has become a negative - have taken the place of the bartenders and hairdressers as confidants for a lot of people. “Tom the Trainer” now gets all the good personal dish in between sets at the gym. We hear everything. Women tell us how old they are, how much they weigh and what they don’t like about their bodies. Men aren’t as secretive about their vital stats, but they have as many frailties and weaknesses regarding their bodies as women.
And for entrusting “us” with so much personal knowledge, too many of “us” repay too many of “you” for this display of honesty and trust by trying to sell you every gimmick and diet book and supplement nonsense imaginable. That’s the thanks you get.
The fortune seekers that dominate the world of health and fitness have violated the spirit of the guru – in the classic sense – and have turned this noble pursuit into a money grab.
I want to go on the record here – I'm not, don’t want to be, and never will be a guru in the modern sense. Be wary of today’s gurus, be afraid of gurus, and stay away from anyone who has the goal of being a guru. If a friend has a guru and wants you to get “guru-ed,” run away at top speed. If you have a guru, de-guru yourself ASAFP. Get it?
You don’t need “us” to be your guru. And I have two words for clients who want me to be their guru, “Get out.”
The late Beatle John Lennon, in response to the massive amount of adulation he received, said something to the effect of, “I’m not your parents.” Personal trainers need to have this kind of attitude. Trainers should stop trying to create mind-numbed minions who eat every morsel and perform every rep and pop every supplement pill in a controlled, scripted manner.
Now maybe this makes me a bad businessman, but I feel that my job is to train you in an effective and efficient way, and to inform you and answer your questions so that you can better understand your body. I don’t want to sell you any gimmick or elixir. To tell someone, “this is the way,” is just plain wrong. And to misrepresent the facts regarding nutrition and exercise, intentionally or unintentionally, is unforgivable.
Your body is your temple. So you should learn to take care of it, because at the end of the day – and your life – you’re the only one that really matters.
Want to incur my wrath? Tell me about your guru.
Stop Getting Screwed by Health and Fitness Experts!
This blog will attempt to correct so much of the crap that has been put out there by so-called "fitness experts." This crap - in the form of gimmicktry and fraud - has resulted in people getting screwed out of a lot of their hard-earned money. Celebrity diet books and exercise programs, ridiculous equipment and ineffective supplements have cost too many people way too much money, time and effort.
What I want to do is to try to straighten out those who wish to be helped. I'm not here to try to convince the recidivist lay-about to try and change their ways. I'm not here to give you the easy answer. I'll give you a SIMPLE answer, but there is a difference between SIMPLE and EASY when it comes to taking care of yourself.
And by the way, over the years women are the victims of most of the health and fitness fraud that has been spit out into the media. I hope I can help to counter this constant flow of nonsense.
Over time I'll post stuff that I have written on a wide range of subjects from diet programs to exercise regimens, from supplementation to nutrition. But in the meantime, if there are any questions feel free to ask. I'll do my best to answer as quickly as possible.
And also, since I'm such a huge sports fan, from time to time you will have to suffer through my bouts of sports analysis!
What I want to do is to try to straighten out those who wish to be helped. I'm not here to try to convince the recidivist lay-about to try and change their ways. I'm not here to give you the easy answer. I'll give you a SIMPLE answer, but there is a difference between SIMPLE and EASY when it comes to taking care of yourself.
And by the way, over the years women are the victims of most of the health and fitness fraud that has been spit out into the media. I hope I can help to counter this constant flow of nonsense.
Over time I'll post stuff that I have written on a wide range of subjects from diet programs to exercise regimens, from supplementation to nutrition. But in the meantime, if there are any questions feel free to ask. I'll do my best to answer as quickly as possible.
And also, since I'm such a huge sports fan, from time to time you will have to suffer through my bouts of sports analysis!
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