Coconuts: A Peculiar Fruit

Well there I go again, taking another couple week hiatus from typing my articles.  I'm sorry folks, summer is just a busy time for me.  I just got back from the trip of a lifetime to Kauai, Hawaii.  That's right, for 8 days I was immersed in the warm Pacific ocean, the constant cool Hawaiian winds, and more sunshine than my skin knew what to do with.  And there were fruits everywhere!!!  Trees with papayas, mangos, bananas, and of course, coconuts.  I'll let you in on a little secret:  Coconut is probably my favorite fruit of all time.  Something about the taste of it is just so incredible, and so heartily satisfying.  Getting some fresh coconut meat in Hawaii was a dream come true.  But the coconut isn't like your average fruit.  It's nutritional properties are quite unique, and while its still an extremely healthy food, its healthy in a different way than most other fruits.  In fact, the coconut is composed mostly of a substance you wouldn't think sounds very fruity: 

FAT!!!  

That's right, coconuts are composed of mostly fat. And not just any old fat, but that super scary crazy spine tingling SATURATED FAT!!!  OMG!!!  Crazy right?  Now stop freaking out for a second and let me explain something.  This saturated fat is very, very, VERY good for you.  I've said a million times and I'll say it again:  fat doesn't make you fat.  The fat in coconuts not only gives the fruit an amazing taste, but it also does many positive things for your body.  The saturated fats in coconuts (or specifically the oil in coconuts) isn't a long chain fatty acid like we find so often in products made with hydrogenated oils, but instead are medium chain fatty acids which behave quite differently.  These fatty acids have been shown to have anti-oxidant properties, as well as the ability to speed up your metabolism.  That's right, eat fat to burn fat, sounds great doesn't it?

Now you may be remembering all those times you've heard that saturated fat will destroy your heart, clog up your veins, and in general destroy your circulatory system.  I'll say this right now:  there is no proof that the saturated fats in coconuts will cause any harm on bad cholesterol levels or overall heart health, and in fact there is much evidence to suggest the contrary.  Trans fats from hydrogenated oils are the real killers out there, not the natural saturated fats in coconuts.  In fact, by consuming the fats in coconuts, you're actually encouraging your body to use fat as an energy source, which may help you shed a few pounds.  And to all who are still in the dark about the powers of fat, it's an EXCELLENT energy source.  It's actually better than any carbohydrate, because it has more energy per unit of mass.  Cool, right?

But coconuts don't just stop at the fat benefits.  They're also rich with vitamins C, B1, B2, and B3.  This convenient vitamin package will help boost immune system health and support a fast burning metabolism which will keep you energized, strong, and of course, lean.  Coconuts are actually quite low in sugar compared to most fruits as well, which is a welcome change from the normal enormous insulin spike you get when eating apples, grapes, or bananas.  In terms of overall calories, coconuts are actually a very calorie dense food, and I bet you can guess why:  the fat of course!  This means they're an AWESOME energy source, but make sure you plan your daily diet accordingly, because a coconut could bump you over your daily caloric goals quite easily.  Here's the nutritional information for a coconut:

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 cup of shredded
Amount Per Serving
Calories from Fat 241 Calories 283
% Daily Values*
Total Fat 26.79g		41%
	Saturated Fat 23.758g	119%
	Polyunsaturated Fat 0.293g
	Monounsaturated Fat 1.14g
Cholesterol 0mg		0%
Sodium 16mg		1%
Potassium 285mg
Total Carbohydrate 12.18g		4%
	Dietary Fiber 7.2g	29%
	Sugars 4.98g
Protein 2.66g
Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 4%
Calcium 1% Iron 11%
*

That's a bunch of calories, eh?  But don't be afraid, believe me it's worth it to fit coconut into your diet.  It's extremely good for you and tastes absolutely delicious.  It's definitely one of the most interesting fruits out there, and will always be one of my favorites.  But remember though, if you ever travel to Hawaii, or another place where coconuts grow rampant, that more people are killed each year by a coconut to the head than are killed by sharks.

And with that, I say, GOOD LUCK!

References:

http://www.thaifoodandtravel.com/features/cocgood.html

http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/4171/1/Is-Saturated-Fat-In-Coconut-Good-For-Your-Heart-Health.html

Eat Fat Get Thin

OK, just a warning, I'm about to blow your mind.  That's right.  You will soon be so astounded that you may have to rethink all you thought you knew about dieting, losing weight, and gaining muscle.  Also, what I'll say kind of goes against some advice I've been giving (but not really) so far.  Are you ready?  Are you sure?  You say yes...but I'm still thinking you're going to be pretty surprised.

Remember when people told you to eat only lean meats?  How about when your mother and father told you at the dinner table to cut off all that fat on the side of the steak?  That globby white stuff that was so delicious, yet everything you ever read said that it would kill you?  Destroy your heart?  Clog your veins?  REMEMBER THAT??

Well I'm here to tell you that...surprise surprise..............THEY'RE WRONG!!!!!!  THAT STUFF IS ACTUALLY GOOD FOR YOU!  Imagine with me for a second.  Your distant ancestors, the cavemen of ancient times, survived on meat, and lots of it.  There was no sort of "dieting" going on back then.  If you were a vegetarian, you died.  If you refused to eat meat because it wasn't "lean" enough, you died.  You ate when there was food.  That's that.  Now cavemen didn't live very long, I'll give you that, heck their lifespan was only about half of what ours is now, at best.  But evidence shows that's not because of their diet, its more because of, well, predators, disease, and other misfortunes either brought on by nature or...stupidity.  In fact their diets were pretty darn good for what they needed to do, which was a LOT in one day.  Run, hunt, swim, climb, jump, run some more, all on nothing but raw foods and meats.  Not so bad, eh?

And when it comes down to it, the men of ancient days ate a LOT of saturated animal fat.  Did it cause them heart attacks and clogged veins?  Nope.  Saturated animal fat is a remarkably powerful source of energy, and kept them running hard all day.  And despite people thinking it'll clog your system and kill you in a few years, they're completely wrong.  It's a complete MYTH that saturated animal fat destroys your heart and circulatory system, as is summed up conveniently in this quote:

"A hundred years ago, fewer than than one in one hundred Americans were obese, and coronary heart disease was unknown."

One hundred years ago, people WEREN'T cutting the fat off their meat.  Foods were more natural, more pure, more RAW.  cholesterol levels were low, plaque in the veins didn't stick, and hearts beat more strongly.  It's simple, yet baffling at the same time.  But remember this:  People with the highest amount of saturated fat in their diet actually have the lowest risk of heart disease.  CRAZZYYY...RIGHT?

So why is saturated animal fat actually good for you?  Well instead of getting deeply into everything, I'll just list a few immediate benefits.  Saturated animal fat has been PROVEN to promote a healthy circulatory system, support immune system strength, allows for skin to remain healthy and vibrant, is an EXCELLENT energy source, and also.....here's the kicker...PROMOTES WEIGHT LOSS.

So if this stuff is so great, why are we so afraid of it?  Well in the 90's, there was a big movement called the "fat scare."  Just because the word fat means both a state of unfortunate bodily situation AND is a piece of food composition, food companies linked them up and began marketing "low fat" foods to get more customers.  They took fat out, sure, but guess what they put in instead.  Highly refined carbohydrates such as starches and sugars.  THOSE are what made America fat.  Yes, that's right, carbs make people fat, not fat itself.  Now remember I'm not against carbs, not by a long shot.  But if you're going to eat carbs, make sure they're quality, complex carbs.  Whole wheats and grains, as unrefined as possible.  Ya feel me?

Now time for the disclaimer.  Notice how the main subject of this article is saturated ANIMAL fat, not just saturated fats in general.  When it comes to sat fats, they are not all created equal.  Processed, man made fats do not have the same kind of benefit as the pure saturated fats from animal meat.  In fact, many processed fats WILL raise your bad cholesterol and CAN lead to heart problems.  Avoid trans fat and other processed foods rich in saturated fat, as they will do you no good.

So how would I suggest you change your diet?  Well, first of all, don't go crazy.  Don't worry about eating some of the fat on that dinner meat, as it will only do you good when kept within calorie limitations.  Now remember that fat is a great energy source for a reason, which is that it contains the most caloric content per unit of mass.  What does this mean?  That means that if you have 6 oz of super lean chicken, and 6 oz of fatty beef, the fatty beef will have more calories and less protein, as some of the mass is taken up by fat instead of muscle.  Make sense?  This means that if you're looking for the largest protein content, lean meats are still the way to go.  Does this mean that you should be afraid of the fatty meat?  I think we've already covered this........no you shouldn't.  It all just depends on what you want.

So there.  Your mind is blown.  Now go eat some fat.

GOOD LUCK!!!!


References:
http://yuru.com/blog/2011-01-were-cavemen-healthier
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/09/01/enjoy-saturated-fats-theyre-good-for-you.aspx
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/10/22/coconut-oil-and-saturated-fats-can-make-you-healthy.aspx

Cytosport Muscle Milk Bottles *Review*

As most of you probably know by now, I'm a HUGE connoisseur of protein supplements.  Whenever I get the chance, I try out something new on the shelf and see how it compares to what I've already had.  The other day I ran out of Combat Powder, and needed a quick, single day replacement for post workout nutrition.  I drove over to Walgreens, walked up to the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of Chocolate Muscle Milk by Cytosport.  After my workout, I chugged that sucker down, and well.....here's my review of the stuff:

Taste:  The chocolate version tasted great!  Sure, it wasn't the best protein I've ever had, but it wasn't far off, especially for a single dosage.  It's very thick and filling, and tastes like a real and substantially chocolatey shake.  Not hard to drink at all, and honestly it tasted good enough that I wished I had more.  The chocolate flavor is very potent, and doesn't taste very "chemical" at all (as some other proteins do.)  Reminded me of a brownie, even though it's been years since I've had one of those.  I will say though that I'm not a very picky person, and can appreciate most forms of chocolate flavor.  You may be a little more discerning, but I can say that I'm quite confident you'd enjoy the beverage.

8/10 

Protein Content:  As far as the protein factor goes, the profile definitely isn't bad.  Is it the greatest protein source out there?  No.  But it's a good blend of many different proteins, including milk protein and a few types of whey.  The whey isn't amazingly refined, so I assume it won't absorb quite as quickly as a heavily filtered whey isolate or hydrolyzed whey.  Still, unless you're splitting hairs, it's not a huge deal, in fact I think it's good to have a blend so that the protein will feed your muscles over a longer period of time.  One bottle has a total of 25 grams of protein, which isn't huge, but is enough.  Just to compare though, most powdered proteins will give you about 50 grams of protein for the same number of calories as in a bottle of Muscle Milk.  So you're not getting a super concentrated dose, but the amount of protein your body can absorb in one sitting isn't that impressive anyway, so it's not a big deal.  Overall, the protein is of medium to medium high quality, and there's a decent amount of it.

7/10

Other Nutritional Profile:  One thing I noticed right away about Muscle Milk is that it has an interestingly large fat dosage.  Cytosport calls in "functional fat," which I assume means that their marketing it as healthy fat.  One bottle has a total of 9 g of fat, 1.5 g of which is saturated.  I'm not completely sure, but I think the fat mostly comes from the milk, as well as the oil used in the ingredients.  I can't vouch for exactly how high quality the fats are, but let's just say they don't raise any red flags or scare me away.  

A 14 oz bottle of Muscle Milk has only 3 grams of sugar, which is quite low considering the very sweet taste.  There are artificial sweeteners used, but I have no problem with those, though some people might.  The ingredient list is quite long, which I usually don't like, but expected in this case because most protein shakes have quite a bit that goes into them.  

Here's the nutritional information right off of Cytosport's website (click to enlarge):

7/10

Price:  Not the cheapest stuff out there, but definitely not the most expensive.  One bottle is around 3 bucks, not a killer investment if you need some quick protein.  I'd only use it as a temporary replacement for powder though, because you generally get a LOT more bang for your buck with powder.

8/10

Name:  SUPER COOL!  I mean seriously, "Muscle Milk"?  That's AWESOME!  Wish I'd thought of it.  Sure beats "whey protein isolate," or "mass gainer."  It's like, 

"Hey George, whatcha drinking?"

"Oh, nothing special, just MUSCLE MILK!!!"

Love it!

10/10

Overall, would I recommend the ready to drink Muscle Milk 14 oz bottles?  As far as the chocolate goes, yes I definitely would.  It's a great replacement for a powder for a day or two, and is a viable post workout protein source.  It's got a good blend of protein types, tastes great, and won't break the bank.  If you get a chance, try a bottle!  Let me know what you think!

Lift hard, lift heavy, refuel, and as always, good luck!!!

Food Worship #13: Grapefruit

I am a huge fan of the grapefruit.  If given the opportunity, I'll eat at least two a day, sometimes more.  They're juicy, delicious, filling, packed with nutrients, and HUGE.  They're a fantastic source of natural sugars, and boy do they taste great.  Many of you are probably familiar with the grapefruit as a breakfast food, and probably remembering preparing it by sawing it in half, adding some sugar, and digging in with a spoon.  But did you know that eating these things as you would an orange works just as well?  A ripe grapefruit is plenty sweet on its own, and if you can eat one in its natural state (without the added sugar) you're doing your body a TON of good.  And as I always do with this article series, let's look a little closer at the grapefruit.

Firstly, where does this thing even come from?   Well, it's a subtropical citrus fruit, and actually the largest producer of grapefruits in the world is our own United States of America (obviously in the more southern parts, where it stays a little bit warmer.)  The actual tree that sprouts these remarkable fruits is an evergreen tree, which to me seems somewhat strange, but then again nature always seems to confuse me at least slightly.  Grapefruits generally come in three main varieties, containing either red, white, or pink flesh.  I've only tried the first and the last, and I can say both are absolutely heavenly.  But what makes the grapefruit so darn healthy?  Let's explore a few of the unique health beneficiaries a grapefruit possesses.

Antioxidants:  The grapefruit is packed with a large amount of the very beneficial antioxidant lycopene, which can help to protect your cells from oxidative damage from free radicals.  This means grapefruit has an anti-carcinogenic effect, which I'll take any day of the week.  In fact, a study was recently done on a large group of men, and it was found that men who consumed foods rich in lycopene (such as grapefruits, tomatoes, etc.) had an 82% less chance of contracting prostate cancer.  That's pretty amazing.

Lowers Cholesterol:  Grapefruits have the fantastic ability to significantly lower cholesterol levels.  They contain a type of fiber called pectin which slows the process of atherosclerosis, which in layman's terms means that consumed high cholesterol foods are less effective at raising LDL or "bad" cholesterol.  Red grapefruit also lowers blood triglycerides, another nice benefit to get whenever you can.

Low Calorie:  Surprisingly, despite grapefruits being so large, they're actually a low calorie fruit.  Even the big ones only have about 100 calories, which is fantastic if you want a nice, filling meal without all the calories you're trying so desperately to avoid in your quest for a slimmer waist.  And believe me, a grapefruit can really bulk up a meal.  They're loaded with water, meaning they're very filling.  After you eat an entire grapefruit, you'll more than likely stay satisfied until your next scheduled meal, meaning it's much easier to stay on track with your diet.

Vitamins/Minerals:  Grapefruits are packed with these little guys, and everyone will do your body and mind a whole-lotta good.  Probably the most significant vitamin in grapefruit is vitamin C.  A grapefruit has a whopping 70% of your daily vitamin C, which besides being a great immune system booster also has awesome anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects.  Honestly, the more you can get, the better.  Grapefruit is also very rich in vitamins A, B5, and B1.  In terms of minerals, grapefruit is a great source of potassium.

Fiber:  Last but not least, grapefruits, like most fruits and veggies, are packed with fiber.  This stuff is extremely important to get a lot of, and will help to keep your digestion system healthy as well as provide a full, satiated feeling for hours on end.  That's a pretty sweet double whammy.

So there you have it, a little look at a pretty hefty fruit.  As I've said many times before, I LOVE grapefruits and eat them on a regular basis.  I suggest you do the same, as they give a great energy boost and have a TON of healthy features inside that peel.  What are you waiting for?  Go pick some up and enjoy!

Keep peeling, munching, and living healthy.  GOOD LUCK!




References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grapefruit
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=25

Biggest Bloat Foods

You work hard to look good, we all know that.  You're in the gym 5 days a week, you try to watch what you eat, and so far you've been having a lot of success on your fitness journey.  And like everyone else, you're human, and every now and then you decide to skip on the diet and consume a food you love.  Why is it that every time you do so, you wake up the next morning, look in the mirror, and look like you've gained a solid 5 pounds of fat?  I'll let you in on a little secret.  You probably haven't gained an ounce of actual fat, it's just that particular food you ate playing tricks on you.  So don't despair, just know the facts.

It's called bloating, and it's not a fun sight.  No, it's not dangerous, but it can really cause someone to become very falsely upset about their weight or appearance.  It happens when your body suddenly decides to retain water, or produce internal gas based on a food you may have consumed.  Certain foods (and their respective ingredients) can produce some pretty impressive bloats, so it's always good to know what caused this rapid degradation of appearance.  Let's go over the list of some of the types of food that will cause you to blow up like a balloon, guaranteed:

Food High In Sodium:  This one's the most common of all bloating situations; you decided to splurge, had a bit of a really salty piece of steak, or a few too many potato chips, or decided to go all out on salting that corn cob last night.  Excess sodium will cause your body to retain water in all sorts of places, because water is attracted to sodium.  It's not uncommon to put on a pound or two of water weight after an extremely salty meal, even if it did happen to be low calorie.  If you don't want to blow up like a beluga whale, try to skip the salt, and watch the sodium content on nutrition labels.  If you do accidentally go a little salt crazy, don't fret, just drink a lot of water and your system will eventually cycle all that excess water weight right back out.

High Carbohydrate Foods:  Your body uses carbohydrates as a very efficient energy source by storing carbs as an accessible fuel called glycogen in your liver and muscles.  When 1 gram of glycogen is stored as energy, about 3 grams of water is stored with it.  This means that if you've been quite glycogen depleted (working very hard in the gym, or have been on a low carb diet), and you replenish your glycogen stores by consuming a good amount of carbohydrates, you can put on a lot of water weight quite quickly, and tend to look pretty bloated, or at least "bigger" for a while.  Usually this isn't as bad as sodium bloating, and most muscle heads actually want this "inflated" look as it promotes a healthier, fuller, stronger looking physique.  Don't be surprised though if the scale bumps more than it should after that big plate of pasta.

Raw Vegetables:  Now don't start worrying, vegetables are still probably the healthiest food you can consume throughout your day.  The thing is though, raw veggies have huge amounts of fiber, and can absorb quite a bit of water in your stomach.  That means they take up a lot of space, and can cause you to look like a Macy's day parade float.  Don't worry, this will pass.  Also something to be a little wary of, most fiberous veggies produce a lot of intestinal gas, which, as well as being uncomfortable and...er...embarrassing, can inflate your lower stomach to the point where those tight jeans may not fit anymore.  Seriously though, it's a small price to pay for the health benefits in those veggies.

Artificial Sweeteners:  I love artificial sweeteners, and I use them on a daily basis.  They allow people to stay on a stricter diet more efficiently because they allow someone to have a bit of a sweet tooth without any of the huge sugar consumption.  They can, however, cause bloating, because your body can't absorb and digest them.  They act like fiber and cause intestinal gas, which, you guessed it, pumps you up to snowman-like sizes.  Again though, don't worry too much about it, just know what caused it.

Desserts:  There's a whole host of reason that those big, sweet, sugary desserts can cause bloating.  They're loaded with all sorts of carbs and sweeteners that both force your body to retain water and cause gas.  Also, desserts that contain dairy can be incredibly bloating to those that are lactose intolerant (as will any dairy product.)  Let me just say this: you're guaranteed to look like a beach ball after that heaping bowl of ice cream and apple crisp.

Carbonated Drinks:  This one's a no brainer.  Carbonated drinks contain little bubbles of carbon dioxide, which when consumed escape into your stomach and blow it up like a balloon.  This can cause a lot of discomfort.  Not to mention, most carbonated drinks are loaded with sugars and other artificial sweeteners, two other super bloat-promoting substances.

Bloating is annoying, that's for sure.  Is it dangerous though?  Not usually.  It also shouldn't be a reason to get depressed about your appearance, because bloating is a temporary state.  If you bloat up, just hop back on your diet as soon as possible, keep hitting the gym, drink lots of water, and your body will clear itself out eventually (usually sooner rather than later).  And now that you know the top culprits that cause the biggest bloats, you'll be able to figure out what happened next time you look like the Michelin Man in the mirror.

Eat clean, don't stress, and as always, GOOD LUCK!

Caveman Eats: The Paleo Diet

At some point along the line of human evolution, we must've done something wrong when it came to nutrition.  Or maybe, we did a whole BUNCH of things wrong.  I'm not exactly sure when wild meats and raw vegetables were replaced with processed, starchy foods, but I can promise you it was a dark day for health and fitness.  Sure, it's pretty obvious to see that we didn't mean to stray away from nature and all its goodness, and that new age processed food was seen as an advancement and modern convinience instead of a silent killer.  But wouldn't it be nice to get back to how things were, when all food was natural, and natural was good?

That ideal is exactly what the Paleolithic Diet tries to cater toward.  The "paleo diet," or "caveman diet" is basically a diet consisting of only foods that were available to the earliest of humans (alive in the paleolithic era, surprise surprise).  It's an interesting diet, and one that has quite a bit of potential in terms of health.  It also has quite the following in the health and fitness community, especially with crossfit athletes.  Some swear by it, saying that our bodies were never meant to consume more than what the paleo diet has to offer, and therefore filling your belly with paleo food is like filling your car with high octane gas.  Our body knows it, loves it, and runs with peak efficiency off of it.  But is it true?  And what foods exactly are in this caveman's buffet?

Meat:  Caveman say "ugh ugh me like meat!"  Seriously, this diet definitely encourages the consumption of lean meats from almost any source, such as beef, pork, chicken, buffalo, alligator, rabbit, and pretty much anything else you can think of.  Personally, I don't really know about paleolithic humans and if they had cows or not, but I do really like this aspect of the diet.  Lean meat is completely essential for the body as far as nutrients go, and the strong suggestion of lean meat consumption really helps to place this diet as a more favorable one for avid gym-goers.

Fish:  The paleo diet is packed with fish and shellfish too, which I LOVE.  Salmon, shrimp, crab, tuna, lobster, mackeral, you name it, you can probably eat it on the paleo diet.  These fish are not only an incredibly dense protein source, they're also very low calorie and packed with heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids.  Awesome!

Vegetables:  The paleo diet says you can eat pretty much any vegetable, as long as it's not starchy (like potatoes, yams, etc).  The diet pushes more for the raw consumption of these veggies, though obviously with modern commodities like ovens, microwaves, stovetops, etc, it's easy to make some pretty awesome recipes from the veggies and meats allowed on the diet.  Again, I'm very supportive of this part of the diet.  VEGETABLES RULE!

Fruits:  Any fruit you can think of is allowed on the caveman diet.  Early humans were supposedly able to easily pick off of trees and bushes, and therefore wouldn't be limited in what they could eat in terms of fruits.  Sounds great to me, I love fruit!  It's an incredible energy source and tastes absolutely delicious.  Who doesn't love a little natural sugar?

Nuts and Seeds:  According to the paleo diet, early humans were large consumers of many different nuts and seeds, and therefore foods like chestnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, pine nuts, and sesame seeds are all encouraged on the paleo diet.  However, make sure to note that peanuts are NOT a nut, but actually a legume, which aren't allowed on the paleo diet.

Foods that AREN'T allowed on the paleo diet include:

Dairy foods: Again, according to the paleo diet (I'm not going off any sort of history source here other than what the diet claims), early humans wouldn't have been able to harvest or produce any sort of dairy products such as milk, cheese, or cream.  Because of widespread lactose intolerance, it's easy for paleo dieters to claim that our bodies haven't fully adapted to dairy products as an energy source.  I personally don't like this aspect of the diet, as I do believe that dairy has very large health benefits in the average individual.

Grains:  That's right, you heard me clearly, NO GRAINS on the paleo diet.  This means no oats, no amaranth, no quinoa, no rye, no rice, and no WHEAT.  That may sound strange to any sort of health nut, but paleo dieters claim early humans wouldn't have been able to create processed grains through any sort of method, and therefore we shouldn't consume them for an energy source.  I strongly disagree with this part of the diet. Oats and grains have extreme health benefits, and are an absolutely excellent source of long lasting, slow burning, complex carbohydrates.


Legumes:  This means beans.  No beans.  No peanuts, no chicpeas, no black beans, no green beans, no red beans, and no peas of any sort.  I don't like this part of the diet either, beans are an excellent source of plant protein and other important macro nutrients.

Starchy vegetables:  This means no potatoes or yams, or sweet potatoes, or tubers.  This basically kicks all bodybuilders out of the equation, because sweet potatoes are probably the main muscle building carb of choice, along with brown rice (which also isn't allowed).

Fatty meats: Bacon, fatty beef, fatty pork, etc.  Get the picture?

Also not allowed on the paleo diet are any sort of sweets or soft drinks, as they contain TONS of refined sugars and chemicals that cavemen certainly would NOT have had access to.  This aspect of the diet is quite useful in my honest opinion, as is any excuse to eliminate sweets from a diet.  Your body will perform much more efficiently with lower amounts of refined sugar, not to mention you'll be a MUCH more healthy person as a whole.

Here is a complete list of foods that are and aren't allowed in the paleo diet:  http://altmed.creighton.edu/Paleodiet/Foodlist.html

So here's the question, is the paleo diet a good choice, or a bad choice?  Personally, I give it a split decision.  There are aspects I REALLY like, and aspects I REALLY don't like.  It's great to focus on lean meats, vegetables, and seeds, but not so great to kick out dairy and grains.  Now let me be the first to say that their reasoning for doing so is deep and study-riddled, and wasn't just for the hell of it, so I'm not going to say they have no idea what they're doing.  Clearly they do, at least to a certain degree.  But I believe keeping grains and dairy in a diet is a much better choice for the average individual.  But hey, I guess don't knock it till you try it, right?  Many people have claimed PHENOMENAL body performance off of the paleo diet, and therefore for some people, it works.  Everybody's different, and everyone will respond differently to various food patterns.

The paleo diet is truly a unique approach to dieting, and in some ways it's a refreshing attempt to bring back the days when food was much simpler.  Give it a shot if you like, it definitely won't hurt you.  See how your body responds.  You never know, a caveman's life may be the life for you.

Eat clean, live simply, and as always, GOOD LUCK!

Be The BEST, Not The Thinnest

Body fat seems to be the enemy of 90% of gym-goers these days.  They don't lift to get strong, they don't run to get fast, and they most certainly do not pedal on that spinning machine to train for their next summer bike trip.  No, they lift, run, swim, bike, squat, pull, and jump to get LEAN.  They want those rippling abs, popping veins, and to fit into those size 1 jeans.  It's become an obsession, and in my opinion, it has gone too far.

Sure, there are exceptions.  Some people go to the gym for different reasons.  But those "honest to goodness" gym-goers seem to be getting scarcer and scarcer.  I have to ask, what gives?  I lift because I love lifting, and love feeling strong.  I eat healthy because I want my body to perform at top notch levels (a "champion" level, actually), and if I maintain a lean, muscular frame as a result of that, so much the better.  So many people torture themselves to eat so cleanly they're basically grazing with the cows, and run for so long that one of these days they might forget their legs on the treadmill.  All in the name of 7% body fat.  Listen, I'm about to drop some knowledge on you that might surprise you:

Some body fat is actually HEALTHY!  Anywhere between 7-15% is healthy for a male, and 10-20% is healthy for a female (by the way, body fat percentage means the total percentage of body mass you have that's not LEAN body mass.  Lean body mass is muscle, bone, and all other essential body mass.  Body fat is excess adipose tissue.)  Sure, that may seem pretty low if you're an average, slightly overweight middle aged person, but the upper end of this range is extremely achievable through regular exercise and a clean, balanced diet.  And the lower end is still EXTREMELY achievable if you're determined.  Remember, you get out what you put in.  There's no magic trick, but I've given you hundreds of tips and tricks at this point to get started.  So if you're confused, scroll through my articles for workout ideas and awesome diet advice.

But you have to ask yourself.  Is maintaining 7% body fat really what you want?  Sure, it may be nice to look shredded for a month or two, get some good pictures in, but let me tell you something, to get as ripped as this:

takes pure, unfaltering dedication.  Can you do it?  OF COURSE!  But if you ask Kane Sumabat (the guy in this picture, who is sponsored by Controlled Labs, a very successful supplement company), he'll tell you how crazy his workouts are every day, how incredibly strict his diet has to be, and what his life is like (FITNESS FITNESS and MORE FITNESS).  This is his life.  And while it's possible to get cut like him, it may not be worth it to the average individual.  And that's completely, 100% OK.  You can be at 15% body fat and look GREAT.  Heck, you can even be a little higher than that, and look darn good.  It's all about your diet, your dedication, and what you put into it.  If you eat clean and work hard, you will look good, no question about it.  NO...QUESTION...ABOUT IT.

But wait, am I overlooking some crucial advantages to fat loss?  Listen, fat loss can be extremely important.  If you are overweight, trying to lose fat is an extremely reasonable and intelligent goal.  It can help you live a much longer, healthier, more enjoyable life.  But don't forget about the other things the gym represents.  It's a place of self trial, and new challenges.

So here's what I suggest:  Don't JUST run to lose that gut, run to be the fastest you can be.  Don't just lift because you were told to by some stupid article online, lift to be a strong, powerful, impressive individual.  Set goals for yourself.  Jump higher each day, try to squat a little more, run a little faster for a little longer.  Don't think so much about the fat, or being 100% shredded, just try to be the best.  The weight will come off, you'll look amazing, and you'll BE amazing too.  So what if you're not 2% body fat.  If you can out-sprint everyone else, if you can throw more weight over your head than all those other hulking guys, if you can do more burpees in one minute than any other girl, no one will care that you're not some perfectly sculpted bodybuilder.  You're strong, you're fast, you're a BEAST.

Don't go to the gym to be the thinnest.  Go to the gym to be the best there is, was, or ever will be.

Good Luck.

The Banana: A Fruit For The Gym

When it comes to lifting, running, jumping, swimming, climbing, biking, or any other gym/workout related activity, all carbs are NOT created equal.  It's common knowledge that our body needs carbs to fuel it during intense activity, and carbs to refuel it after that intense activity has been completed.  Your body is like a high performance engine, which runs on carbohydrates.  Without that fuel, you're not going to get very far.  And with low quality fuel, you may be able to function, but just barely.  You'll end up misfiring and running rough more than making all the power you could, if you want to continue with the engine analogy.  There are many great sources of carbohydrates out there, most of which are natural and delicious.  You might think of oats, whole wheat bread, vegetables, or brown rice, just to name a few.  But all these are complex carbs, and while they'll fuel your body extremely efficiently in the long run, sometimes you need a faster digesting carbohydrate to really give you that kick in the seat of your pants.  I'm talking about sugar.  That's right, that dangerous thing that so many fitness enthusiasts avoid like the plague.  I'm here to tell you that not all sugar is bad, especially right before and right after your workout.  And where's a great source of healthy, natural sugar?  Why...fruit, of course!

But guess what, when it comes to working out, not all fruits are created equal, either.  Most fruits are comprised mainly of the sugar called fructose, which isn't bad for you, but isn't optimal for muscle glycogen fueling/replenishment.  In fact, fructose can only be used toward refueling liver glycogen, not muscle glycogen.  There are, however, a few fruits that are higher in glucose rather than fructose.  Glucose can easily be used by the body to refill muscle glycogen stores, so these fruits would be a much better choice pre and post workout.  And what's the most optimal choice as far as fruits go?  Why, it's America's favorite fruit, the banana!

I personally love bananas.  I recently added one per meal into my diet, just to increase carbohydrate intake.  They're delicious, nutritious, and do wonders for your body.  As mentioned above, a banana pre-workout can really give you an added energy boost as all the simple sugars are converted into immediate muscle energy, and post workout a banana is an excellent way to refill muscle glycogen.  The glucose in bananas both spikes your blood insulin to encourage muscles to "suck up" all the nutrients you're giving them, and replenishes muscle glycogen levels at the same time so you'll be ready and willing to hit the weights even harder tomorrow.  A good insulin spike after a workout is exactly what you want, which is why a banana paired with a whey protein shake is an excellent way to ensure proper recovery after a hard workout session.

And if you're already a fruit lover, and perhaps been curious as to their effects on your workout and recovery, but didn't really know which kind to pick, just know that a banana is probably your best bet if you want great results!

But good, natural glucose isn't the only thing bananas have going for them, oh no.  In fact, they're absolutely loaded with all sorts of other nutrients that will do you a world of good:

-Bananas contain a decent amount of your daily vitamin C intake, about 11%.


-They also have a large amount of dietary fiber, about 3.5 grams for one large banana


-Bananas have no fat or cholesterol, and therefore are an extremely healthy snack choice, especially if you're looking for a little energy boost.


-Bananas are rich with potassium (16% of daily intake), which is the forgotten electrolyte.  A balance of sodium and potassium can help your body remain adequately hydrated and energized, as well as ensure proper neural function (clear thinking.)  Many people consume an excess of sodium, but not nearly enough potassium.  Cut out the table salt, add a banana, and see how good you feel!  

Potassium replenishment is also extremely important after a workout, as you've usually drained a good amount of electrolytes from your body.


Here are the nutritional facts for a large banana:

Nutrition Facts
Calories 121	(506 kJ)
% Daily Value 1
Total Fat	0.4g	< 1%
Sat. Fat	0.2g	< 1%
Cholesterol	0mg	0%
Sodium	1mg	< 1%
Total Carbs.	31g	10%
Dietary Fiber	3.5g	14%
Sugars	16.6g
Protein	1.5g
Calcium	6.8mg
Potassium	486.9mg

There it is, a little overview of my favorite workout fruit.  If your workout diet is lacking, add one or two bananas, as I did.  I can bet you'll see a huge improvement in your strength, stamina, and recovery.  Plus, they taste amazing, why wouldn't you want to have one?  And if you were merely confused on which fruit to choose for your workout goals, you can now feel secure in the fact that a banana will always be a better choice than an apple, a pear, an orange, etc, just because of its glucose-fructose ratio.  Cool stuff, right?

Keep on eating that magic yellow powerhouse!  GOOD LUCK!