Recent Blog Posts
Nutrition
January 3, 2010
You’ve probably heard the claims about the magical powers of acai berries. Really, how can you avoid them? A Google search of “acai berry” turns up almost 5 million entries, with purported benefits ranging from expediting weight loss, enhancing energy, increasing libido, staving off heart disease, preventing aging, fighting cancer, improving digestion, acting as sleep aid, and alleviating arthritis. Whew! About the only thing the acai hasn’t been credited with yet is curing baldness!
For those who don’t know, the acai is a small, round South American berry that resembles a purple grape when ripe. It gained prominence after a dermatologist, Dr. Nicholas Perricone, tabbed it as a “superfood” on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Ever since, the spam emails with “acai” in the subject heading haven’t stopped flooding my inbox.
Don’t get me wrong, there is little doubt that the acai berry possesses beneficial properties. It’s rich in free-radical quenching antioxidants as well as other vitamins and minerals, and is a fairly good source of fiber. However, so are numerous other darkly colored berries including blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries — all of which are significantly less expensive than acai. And yes, the acai also contains some monounsaturated fats, but the amount is relatively inconsequential — you’d have to eat large quantities just to get the equivalent found in a tablespoon of olive oil.
As for the purported health benefits of the acai berry, a Pubmed search of peer-reviewed research failed to reveal a single study supporting any of the previously mentioned claims. Not one! Bottom line: This is merely another case of unscrupulous hucksters seizing on media-generated publicity with unsubstantiated, hyped-up health-related promises for a product. It’s really no different than the practices of the snake oil salesmen back in the 1800’s — only now the scams are being perpetrated on slickly designed websites rather than from the back of a covered wagon.
To put things in perspective, there certainly is nothing wrong with consuming acai berries as part of your diet. As with most fruits, they provide a good source of nutrients which can help to improve health and well-being. But until research shows otherwise, that’s where the benefits begin and end. Be wary of sham websites selling various acai-based formulas intended to promote weight loss or rejuvenate your body. You’ll only end up disappointed with your results…and lighter in the pocketbook, as well.
Stay Fit!
Brad
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Exercise
January 1, 2010
Happy New Year!
Yep, another year has come and gone. And with the turn of the new year, I’m sure many of you have made a resolution to get into shape and/or lose weight. If so, great! Deciding to do something is the easy part. Unfortunately, the majority who make fitness-related resolutions stop working out within a few months. So how do you go about ensuring that you don’t become a fitness statistic? Set goals!
Those who’ve read my books know that I’m a huge proponent of setting goals as part of an exercise program. In fact, it’s the first thing you should do before ever setting foot in the gym. Setting goals is the best way to stay focused on why you’re expending all that sweat and effort. It helps to maintain motivation over the long haul, and has proven to increase exercise adherence.
Here’s a short course on making sure your goals are up to speed. With respect to setting goals, I advocate the SMART acronym. Namely, goals should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. Break down long term goals into shorter term goals of four to six weeks. Once you accomplish your short-term goals, set new short- term goals. And once you accomplish the long-term goal, set a new long-term goal and again break it down into shorter-term goals. Finally, make sure you write down your goals. Committing goals to paper makes them more tangible, and has been shown to promote a greater sense of obligation to follow through and accomplish them.
Stay Fit!
Brad
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Media Appearances
December 30, 2009
I am set to appear on Fox News Channel this Sunday, January 3. The topic: New Years Weight Loss Tricks for January 2010 – 10 Tips to Jumpstart Your Weight Loss. The segment is scheduled to air sometime in the 5 pm hour. Hope you can tune in!
Stay Fit!
Brad
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Cardio
December 22, 2009
For those who have read my books or attended one of my seminars, you’ll know that I’m a big proponent of performing interval training to optimize fat loss. I was quoted in the current issue of More Magazine as stating that it’s the most effective cardio technique for slimming down. So true!
As noted in the article, the benefits of interval training have been borne out by research. Studies repeatedly show that it has significantly greater effects on reducing body fat levels, producing up to a nine-fold reduction in skin fold measurements. Best of all, interval training requires about half the workout time compared to traditional steady-state cardio training.
The concept behind interval training is simple: intersperse bouts of high-intensity cardio with lower intensity cardio. Pretty much any aerobic modality can be used for interval training. For example, you can choose jogging as the low-intensity cardio and running as the high intensity cardio. Alternatively, you can combine skipping rope with jumping rope. Or you can intersperse jumping jacks with squat thrusts. The possibilities are pretty much endless.
If you’re a beginner, keep the intervals on the longer side. A 1:4 high/low ratio is generally a good starting point. Try to gradually narrow the interval until you’re training at a 1:1 ratio. 20 to 30 minutes a session, three days a week is all you need to do to see terrific results. Be careful that you don’t overdo it, though. The high-intensity nature of the routine can easily lead to overtraining if you’re overzealous. As is often the case, less can be more!
Stay Fit!
Brad
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Media Appearances
December 21, 2009
Today’s issue of the Staten Island Advance did a nice feature on my new book. Here’s a link:
Fitness on a Budget.
Stay Fit!
Brad
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Media Appearances
December 15, 2009
Check out the the latest edition of the Chicago Daily Herald, which has some home workout tips from my new book, Women’s Home Workout Bible.
Stay Fit!
Brad
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Fitness, stretching
December 14, 2009
The Miami Herald ran an interesting article questioning the benefit of stretching before a workout. For the most part, the article makes some excellent points.
Contrary to popular belief, a large body of research shows that stretching prior to exercise has no effect on decreasing injury risk. Yes, improving flexibility can help in injury prevention depending on the activity. Tight muscles have been implicated as a potential cause of various injuries, and improving flexibility can help to reduce this possibility. However, it doesn’t matter when the stretching is done. The only concern is that you achieve adequate range of motion for the task you want to perform. As the Nike ad says, “Just do it!”
Most importantly, stretching is best performed after a good warm-up. This helps to reduce joint viscosity, ensuring that muscles and connective tissue are sufficiently prepped to endure passive and/or active lengthening. Some light aerobic activity performed for 5 or 10 minutes will accomplish this task well. Take home message: Don’t stretch a cold muscle.
Interestingly, there actually is some evidence showing that stretching before a workout can have a negative impact on exercise performance. This is most applicable to activities requiring high-force output, such as low rep weight training, sprinting, and jumping. I won’t bore you with the details on the how’s and why’s, but bottom line is that various indices of power have been shown to be reduced when a forceful activity is performed immediately following a stretching session.
However, caution needs to be used when applying much this research to general fitness-oriented workouts. First, most of the studies in question used excessive stretching protocols, in some cases spending upwards of 30 minutes stretching a single joint. This has limited applicability to the stretching protocols used by the majority of fitness enthusiasts.
Moreover, the studies are specific to high-power activities. This has questionable correlation to the moderate-to-high repetition resistance training performed by many gym goers, and virtually no correlation to sub-maximal cardiovascular exercise. More research is needed to achieve a better understanding of the subject. This is yet another instance that shows the importance of reading the actual research rather than simply listening to the media’s interpretation of science.
Stay Fit!
Brad
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Uncategorized
December 6, 2009
I wanted to make everyone aware of an excellent fitness blog, Burn the Fat. The blog is written by Tom Venuto, who really knows his stuff about exercise and nutrition. I had the pleasure of meeting Tom at a recent publicity event and he is one of a select few fitness pros who bases his philosophy on research rather than unsupported hype. It’s always refreshing to see a trainer who is committed to evidence-based practice, and Tom embodies this approach. His blog is definitely worth a read…
Stay Fit!
Brad
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Fitness
December 5, 2009
I was watching cable TV last night when a commercial came on the air for a product called the “Belly Burner.” I nearly dropped the cup of hot green tea I was drinking in my lap.
The ad for the Belly Burner shows several fit people securing a large neoprene belt around their waists with a promise that simply wearing the belt will help to develop “firmer, tighter, sexier abs.” Supposedly you don’t even have to exercise to see results, but the belt will “complement any exercise or physical activity: walking, biking, jogging, gym …”
The claim by the manufacturer is that the Belly Burner increases thermal core temperature, thus shedding the pounds and inches from your waist. To “prove” this claim, two thermal images with “heat vision photography” of a midsection are provided — one with with the Belly Burner, the other without it. Wouldn’t you know it, the photo using the Belly Burner shows all sorts of bright orange and yellow colors (supposedly indicative of greater heat) while the other photo is mostly a dull green and blue. Wow, some proof. Of course, as with all of these overhyped infomercials, assorted free gifts are offered including a DVD and calorie counter. Hopefully you’re not running to phone with your credit card just yet…
Let’s get down to the facts. Despite the claims, no peer-reviewed research supporting the belt’s validity is provided in the ad. None!. Based on current research, there is zero evidence to believe that the Belly Burner will have any affect on reducing your waistline. Rather, all evidence shows that you can’t increase core temperature by wearing a snug belt. At best, you might sweat a little more, which causes the temporary loss of body water — a process that is quickly reversed once you rehydrate.
Apparently the Belly Burner was invented by a “celebrity trainer” named Bobby Waldron. The ad says it used to be only available to his personal clients but now it is available to the public. Whoopee! A quick Internet search for Bobby Waldron reveals he is a model, actor, stunt man, and yes, a personal trainer. I’m not sure what order his priorities lie, but if the Belly Burner is his big contribution to the field of exercise, then he should stick with his other interests.
Unfortunately, the fitness industry is rife with hucksters that look to appeal to the naivety of the consumer with promises of an easy way to a great body. As long as there is money to be made, some entrepreneur is bound to try to capitalize for a quick buck. Don’t be scammed. When something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. By all accounts, that’s the case with the Belly Burner. Save your hard-earned money and train hard. That’s the only way you’ll get fab abs.
Stay Fit!
Brad
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Nutrition
December 4, 2009
In recent times, the glycemic index has become a popular tool to help to differentiate ‘good carbs’ from ‘bad carbs.’ Various nutritionists claim it’s the key to a lean body and entire books have been devoted to the subject. But while the glycemic index does have some utility, it isn’t the gold standard some make it out to be. First, a little background: The glycemic index was originally created to help diabetics adjust their insulin dosage. It measures the speed at which carbs enter the blood stream and ranks the foods against a yardstick (usually white bread, which has a glycemic rating of 100). Carbs that cause a rapid elevation of blood sugar (i.e. glucose) are termed high-glycemic, while those that are “time-released” and maintain stable levels of blood sugar are called low-glycemic.
The problem with high-glycemic foods is that they tend to be lipogenic (i.e. fat promoting). A spike in blood sugar levels spike causes your pancreas to release the hormone insulin to clear the sugar from circulation. Unfortunately, insulin is a storage hormone that turns on various fat storage mechanisms and blocks certain enzymes that are responsible for lipolysis (i.e. fat breakdown). When insulin levels are high, excess nutrients are more readily shuttled into adipose cells, resulting in increased levels of body fat.
Furthermore, the rush of insulin clears sugars from your circulatory system in such an expeditious fashion that it creates a rebound effect, producing a sudden and dramatic drop in blood sugar levels. A hypoglycemic state is induced, causing hunger pangs and food cravings. This creates a vicious cycle that encourages binge eating. As a result, more calories are consumed (generally in the form of high-glycemic foods) and fat storage is heightened even further.
However, simply choosing foods with a low glycemic rating won’t necessarily keep you slim and healthy. Understand that food isn’t consumed in a vacuum. A meal generally consists of a combination of different foods (i.e. chicken and rice, turkey on rye, etc) and when fats and proteins are consumed with a carbohydrate, digestion is slowed and the glycemic response is mitigated.
More importantly, the glycemic index fails to distinguish whether or not a food has nutritional value. For example, a carrot has a higher glycemic score than a Snicker’s bar, but there should be little doubt that the carrot is more nutritious. Numerous other items such as doughnuts and ice cream also have low glycemic ratings, yet by no means could they be classified as “healthy” foods. All things considered, it is misguided to solely rely on the glycemic index to guide your choice of carbohydrate.
A better way to choose carbohydrates is by their nutrient density—the amount of vitamins, minerals, and fiber in the food. By nature, nutrient dense carbs will be low on the glycemic scale and thus maintain stable blood sugar levels. But as opposed to some low glycemic foods, they also supply your body with essential compounds that enhance metabolic function. Many of the vitamins and minerals are used as co-factors that assist the body in fat burning. Others serve as antioxidants that keep cells functioning optimally. And fiber promotes satiety, decreasing the urge to overeat.
As a rule, nutrient dense carbs will be unrefined (processing removes much of the vitamins, minerals, and fiber from a food). By sticking with whole grains, and fresh fruit and vegetables for your carbohydrates, you’ll pretty much ensure consuming a low glycemic diet that is replete in healthy nutrients. It’s the best way to eat to attain a lean and healthy physique.
Stay Fit!
Brad
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