Health
Here is a brief summary:
- Many bodybuilders believe in the mind-muscle connection: mentally activating a muscle. Others believe that if an exercise is performed with good form, the right muscles will do their job automatically.
- The author decided to test (using EMG) whether load, cadence and form of exercise execution dictate muscle activation, or whether it is possible to steer the neural drive towards some muscles and away from others.
- The surprise of the study was not that it showed that you can mentally activate a muscle, but how big a role our mind plays in getting our muscles up to speed.
Contract your brain
Bodybuilders have long referred to the mind-muscle connection and they typically recommend that novice exercisers spend time contracting their muscles independently of training and learning how to correctly activate their muscles against resistance.
On the other hand, there is a subset of trainers and physical therapists who believe that if an exercise is performed with seemingly good form, the correct muscles will automatically do their job and that it is not necessary or even possible for an exerciser to mentally alter their muscle activation.
Which of these camps is correct?
Do load, cadence and form dictate muscle activation? Or can exercisers mentally control the neural drive toward certain muscles and away from others even when using the same weight, tempo and mechanics by simply focusing their attention on the target muscle?
For some, the following experiment will seem like one of the most obvious experiments they've ever seen. You may think it's old hat, especially if you've been involved in bodybuilding for some time. But for others, it will open their eyes and give them an insight into the role of the brain in muscle activation.
Methods
We decided to get to the bottom of this discussion by conducting a pilot experiment. Basically, we performed a series of different upper and lower body exercises, using an electromyograph (EMG) to study muscle activation. While performing the exercises, we focused our attention on either activating a specific muscle or not activating a specific muscle.
We used different exercises for the lower body: squats, Romanian deadlifts, hip thrusts and back extensions. We used a 135-pound barbell for squats, Romanian deadlifts and hip thrusts, while for back extensions we only used our own body weight.
Our intention with each exercise was not to use the gluteus. In the case of squats, the intention was to target the quadriceps instead and in the case of Romanian deadlifts, the intention was to target the hamstrings instead of the gluteus. When we performed the tests again afterwards, we deliberately tried to maximize the use of the gluteus.
We also used four different exercises for the upper body - two pushing exercises and two pulling exercises. We used push-ups with our own body weight and bench presses with 135 pounds for the push muscles of the upper body. For the first exercise we focused on our pecs and for the second exercise we focused on our triceps.
For upper body pulling exercises, we used bodyweight pull-ups and inverse bodyweight rowing. Both exercises were performed in two different ways - first with an emphasis on the latissimus and then with an emphasis on the biceps. We opted to stick with lighter weights as we felt this would improve the ability to control neural drive compared to using heavier weights, if such a thing was even possible.
In addition, we have long observed professional bodybuilders moving seemingly very light weights while contracting their muscles very hard in an attempt to subject the target muscle to maximal tension and metabolic stress. So using similarly light weights should allow us to determine if this method has merit.
Results
We found that advanced exercisers can indeed direct their neural drive towards and away from certain muscles without significantly altering the form of exercise execution. The table below shows our average data regarding muscle activation. Of course, you can save yourself the trouble of analyzing the results yourself and simply read the following section.
|
Lower body exercises |
Gluteus Maximus |
Biceps Femoris |
Vastus Lateralis |
Lumbar erector |
|
Squats Quadiceps Focus |
10.61 |
11.19 |
109.67 |
48.73 |
|
Squats gluteus focus |
25.30 |
12.78 |
94.33 |
54.63 |
|
Deadlift leg curl focus |
9.13 |
21.07 |
30.80 |
60.67 |
|
Deadlift gluteus focus |
32.13 |
22.67 |
35.97 |
54.33 |
|
Hip thrust without gluteus focus |
20.90 |
6.80 |
33.43 |
70.83 |
|
Hip Thrust with gluteus focus |
52.67 |
18.40 |
52.60 |
61.53 |
|
Back extension without gluteus focus |
6.05 |
43.63 |
2.17 |
52.53 |
|
Back stretches with gluteus focus |
38.13 |
52.70 |
2.69 |
47.87 |
|
Upper body press exercises |
Upper chest |
Lower chest |
Front shoulder |
Triceps |
|
Push-up chest focus |
60.47 |
47.10 |
55.33 |
63.30 |
|
Push-up triceps focus |
51.77 |
23.74 |
51.13 |
90.77 |
|
Bench press chest focus |
64.90 |
54.77 |
49.77 |
63.43 |
|
Bench press triceps focus |
58.47 |
33.23 |
50.73 |
71.77 |
|
Upper body pulling exercises |
Lat |
Rear shoulder |
Middle trapezius |
Biceps |
|
Pull-ups Latissimus Focus |
59.73 |
67.33 |
68.30 |
44.10 |
|
Pull-ups biceps focus |
59.17 |
73.07 |
50.50 |
68.70 |
|
Inverse rowing latissimus focus |
82.10 |
82.57 |
94.73 |
31.33 |
|
Inverse rowing biceps focus |
66.60 |
75.13 |
62.27 |
71.30 |
Discussion
As you can see from the table, there is clear evidence of a mind-muscle connection and this phenomenon is more evident in certain muscles than others. Perhaps the most illuminating result of this study is that experienced exercisers can perform a back extension using their own body weight - which for an average athletic male requires 235 Nm of torque at the hip - moving from full hip flexion to full hip extension while barely using the gluteus.
When they consciously tried not to use the gluteus during back extension, gluteus activation on the EMG reached only 6% of MVIC (maximum isometric contraction). However, when they consciously attempted to use the gluteus, the EMG value increased to 38% of MVIC!
The activation of the gluteus during the hip extension exercise was highly dependent on the mental focus of attention. During squats, Romanian deadlifts and back extensions, gluteus activation could vary significantly depending on whether the subjects tried to activate or not activate these muscles, and gluteus activation was quite low when the subjects focused on activating the quadriceps during squats and on activating the leg flexors during Romanian deadlifts. In fact, it seems to be quite difficult not to use the quadriceps during squats, not to use the hamstrings during back extensions or not to use the gluteus during hip thrusts.
As for the upper body press muscles, activation of the lower pectorals was quite low when subjects focused on the triceps during push-ups, but when they focused on the pectorals, triceps activation was much lower. In addition, it appears to be easier to mentally control muscle activity during push-ups compared to bench presses.
In the pulling exercises, the activation of the middle trapezius and biceps varied significantly between trials. Latissimus activation hardly changed during pull-ups regardless of the focus, but changed significantly during inverse rowing. The activation of the biceps and middle trapezius seems to depend strongly on whether the focus is on the latissimus or the biceps during the pulling exercises and it seems to be easier to control the muscle activity during inverse rowing compared to pull-ups.
We deliberately did not focus on direct activation or minimizing activation of lumbar erectors, upper pectorals, anterior shoulder muscles and posterior shoulder muscles, which explains that their activation was more consistent compared to gluteus, lower pectorals, triceps and biceps.
Practical application and conclusion
Based on this experiment, we conclude that advanced exercisers are able to direct the neural drive towards and away from certain muscles - at least at lighter weights.
In 2012, researchers Snyder and Fry found that verbal instructions were effective in controlling muscle activation with lighter weights in the bench press, but this was not the case with heavier weights. Similarly, a number of studies have investigated the effects of internal focus of attention (focusing on muscle groups while performing movements) and found that individuals may preferentially activate certain muscles, such as the abdominals, latissimus and gluteus, depending on the task.
One study, for example, showed that abdominal dancers were able to activate their upper and lower abdominal muscles in complete isolation from each other, suggesting that targeted activation of muscle groups becomes easier with exercise. There is research that is almost 20 years old that provides evidence of a mind-muscle connection in shoulder stabilizers.
We believe that this experiment shows that the idea that "if it looks right, it is right" is incorrect - at least when it comes to training with light weights. For example, as we have already explained, it is perfectly possible to extend the hips while the gluteus is barely activated during the back extension.
The form of the exercise execution must be sound, but simply observing the movement from the outside will not fully tell you what is really going on inside. The underlying muscles need to be activated at the correct levels and combinations during the movement for optimal performance and these levels and combinations of activation will likely differ depending on whether the goal is to develop maximal strength, maximal endurance or maximal activation.
The literature is unanimous on the fact that an external focus of attention (focusing on something outside the body) will produce better demonstrations of strength, endurance and accuracy. If you want to move a maximum weight in the bench press, then you should not focus on maximum activation of your pecs or triceps, but rather on moving the bar away from your chest as explosively as possible.
Furthermore, this experiment suggests that bodybuilders were indeed right all along - the mind-muscle connection is a real phenomenon that influences neuromuscular dynamics during resistance training. It is logical to assume that the mind-muscle connection could influence hypertrophy gains to a significant degree, but this has yet to be proven in other research.
In order to confidently recommend that exercisers prioritize the mind-muscle connection, we need to investigate whether bodybuilders can control neural drive even when using heavier weights and whether focusing attention on activating specific muscles during an exercise actually leads to greater hypertrophy adaptation over time. In the meantime, you can consider experimenting with a few different methods:
- Try what Mel Siff calls "no-load training" by contracting muscles independently, like bodybuilders do during poses.
- Perform a low-load activation before heavy weight training or between heavier sets to see if this improves your performance.
- Perform heavy training with an external focus of attention, but also perform lighter training afterwards with an internal focus of attention where you concentrate on trying to activate the target muscles.
By Bret Contreras
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/mind-muscle-connection-fact-or-bs
Here's a quick summary:
- Are you struggling with a lack of motivation or a low libido, or do you just no longer respond to your workouts or diet even though you feel like you've been doing everything right?
- You can feel unwell and suffer from metabolic dysfunction without obviously suffering from an illness.
- "Eat less and train more" can lead even an experienced strength athlete into a state of metabolic damage.
- Your metabolism doesn't work like a calculator. It works like a thermostat.
- There are three ways to repair your metabolism, depending on which level of starvation mode you are in.
Starvation mode, metabolic damage, weight loss resistance, adrenal exhaustion. For some reason, these terms get under people's skin. You constantly hear "this is a myth" or "that's a myth" and why these things are made up. This reminds me of a saying by Osho, my favorite philosopher: "The less a person knows, the more stubbornly they know."
None of these concepts are myths and many people struggle with these issues. If you are one of those people in your early 20s with great energy, a perfect body, but little real life experience, then you will probably ignore this article out of hand or not take it seriously. But do me a favor: bookmark the link to this article. You may well need it at some point. If, on the other hand, you're someone who struggles with a lack of motivation, low libido, overtraining or illness, or you don't respond to your training or diet like you used to, even though you feel like you're doing everything right, then this is an article for you.
The underlying terminology
Honestly, I don't know where these terms come from. Like many things in the field of health and fitness, these were terms that were used somewhere and then became part of the dictionary. I am an integrative physician. I, and many physicians like me, have been dealing with the problem of metabolic damage for years. We've just never called it "metabolic damage" or "starvation mode." We refer to it as neuroindocrine immune dysfunction. Or we refer to it by some of its manifestations like "adrenal fatigue." Sometimes, when an actual diagnosis can be made, we refer to it as hypothyroidism or Hashimoto's or "adrenal insufficiency."
I have adopted the term "metabolic damage" as it is more descriptive and easier to understand than neuroindocrine immune dysfunction.
Dysfunction vs. disease
Here is some insight into the field of medicine and health that is important for further understanding. A person can feel unwell and suffer from metabolic dysfunction without being in an overt disease state. It makes sense to most people that you can suffer from metabolic dysfunction long before you develop a metabolic disease. And traditional medicine doesn't have much to offer as long as there is no diagnosis. This is the reason why the field of functional medicine was created.
Functional medicine is a medical specialty that deals with the gray area of dysfunction between health and disease. This is the type of medicine I practice - and this is also the field where non-diagnostic terms like "adrenal fatigue" come from. Let me give you a tangible example of this problem. Let's say you're not feeling so well - you're hungry all the time, you're urinating more frequently than normal and you're gaining weight. If you go to a traditional doctor with these symptoms, they will do a blood sugar test to rule out diabetes. If your fasting blood sugar level is below 119, then you don't have diabetes, but if it reaches 120, then you do. Do you see how ridiculous this is? Long before you reach a fasting blood sugar of 120, you will suffer from serious dysfunction. But no one is sure what to call this. Medicine has many names for this, which include blood sugar dysregulation, glycemic impairment, prediabetes, etc.. But none of these are accepted diagnoses. They are simply descriptive terms that describe a measurable disorder that has not yet developed into a disease. The terms metabolic damage, starvation mode suffer from the same problem. They describe a functional disorder that may or may not be related to a specific disease.
Long before attention deficit disorder, polycystic ovary syndrome, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome became medical diagnoses, they were labeled myths and their existence was denied. At the same time, forward-thinking physicians have begun to treat these conditions and define their characteristics. To say that metabolic damage or starvation mode is a myth is like saying prediabetes is a myth. To say that adrenal fatigue does not exist is like saying that overtraining does not exist. These are functional disorders that have clinical signs and symptoms that can be detected on physical examination and blood tests. These disorders may not have a diagnostic label, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. This is the gray area between optimal health and disease - the area where functions begin to be impaired.
So what exactly is starvation mode?
Starvation mode and metabolic damage are real. To make this topic easier to deal with, I'll refer to this concept as starvation mode from this point forward (you'll see how metabolic damage fits in shortly). The funny thing is that when you see what starvation mode really is, you'll probably understand very quickly what we're talking about here. I've found that the confusion around these topics is usually due to the lack of an organizing framework to understand things. In reality, starvation mode is undoubtedly the most widely accepted occurrence in all diet research. But scientists don't call it "starvation mode", they call it adaptive thermogenesis. I call it the law of metabolic compensation. I call it a "law" because it is a reliable and predictable phenomenon that occurs in every dieting scenario. It's just the degree that varies. You can think of this as a natural protective mechanism that the metabolism has developed over millions of years. This protective mechanism is what kept us from starving when the next meal was never guaranteed. Whether you are a lean bodybuilder, an elite athlete or the average person trying to lose weight, you will be affected by your body's metabolic compensation.
Metabolic damage: an example
Let's go through this with an example. Things start with a diet. By diet, I mean a combination of eating less and exercising more. In the beginning, you seem to make good progress. You lose a few pounds quickly. So far so good. After a week of this diet, you will start to feel hungry as your energy levels drop and you experience cravings for salty, fatty and sweet foods. This is a sign that you are beginning to slip into a state of metabolic compensation. Think of this as starvation mode stage 1.
Due to this compensation, you will notice that your fat loss slows down. It may even come to a complete standstill. And if you are one of those people who experience a significant drop in metabolic rate, you may even start to put on weight. And your hunger and problems with energy and cravings will get worse.
But you're not playing games. You pride yourself on your iron will and solid work ethic. You're redoubling your efforts by cutting your calories further and upping your time at the gym. Nice. Now it's time to get moving again. Your weight drops another pound or two. But this trend doesn't last. A few weeks later, you're stuck on the next plateau. This time the hunger and cravings are even worse and your energy has gone down the drain. Your metabolism doesn't keep running like before. Your metabolic rate slows down even further. You may try even harder, but your body won't give in. You seem to be doing everything right, but your metabolism switches to stubborn. You have reached the state of metabolic resistance. This is starvation mode level 2. You don't understand what the hell is going on here, but you know how to deal with it. All you have to do is work even harder. You watch Conan the Barbarian and turn the theme music from Rocky up to full volume. You quadruple your efforts! You will get very little for your efforts this time. You've been dieting for weeks and you feel exhausted. And now you have other complaints. You suffer from flatulence and feel bloated. The protein that you used to tolerate very well is now causing you digestive problems. You also get heartburn. If you are a woman, your cycle becomes irregular or you no longer menstruate at all. If you are a man, your libido is in the basement.
Your sleep is interrupted and unpredictable. You have this strange feeling of inner restlessness but outward tiredness. You start to feel sick and unwell. You may be anxious, depressed or both. And you gain weight slowly, look bloated despite a low-carb diet and can no longer maintain your workouts. This is metabolic damage stage 3 and the final stage of starvation mode.
What you should not do
Get help now. All those statements that metabolic damage is just a myth are coming back to haunt you. So you go to a trainer. You tell him what's going on and he tells you "You're in starvation mode. You need to eat more and cut back on your training." He'll tell you to double your calorie intake and slow down your insane exercise program. Guess what will happen? You'll rise like a yeast dumpling. While your metabolism is moving slowly like a snail, you've done exactly the wrong thing. That was not a smart move. You gain 15 pounds in 6 days (I've seen this kind of effect in several patients)! Of course, it's physiologically impossible to gain that much fat in such a short period of time - it's almost all water, but it's a sign that your metabolism isn't working very well.
You want answers, which is why you're seeing a doctor. Maybe they'll diagnose hypothyroidism or some other problem, or maybe they'll say there's nothing wrong with you. Obviously, they won't have any answers. If you are really unlucky, he will advise you to go back to your approach of eating less and exercising more. But this approach will still not work and you will only get further into the downward spiral, causing further damage to your physiology and your psyche.
How to repair metabolic damage
Here's what you need to know about your metabolism. It doesn't work like a calculator - it works like a thermostat. And your thermostat is now broken. When the "eat less, exercise more" approach to changing your body is taken to the extreme, it's like a tug-of-war you can never win. You pull and your metabolism pulls back. You push harder and your metabolism laughs and almost sweeps you off your feet. What's the only way to win a tug of war against a team that's stronger than you? Let go of the rope when they pull and let them fall helplessly to the ground. That's the way out of starvation mode.
How to get out of starvation mode again
Regardless of which phase you are in, the first step is to stop eating less and start exercising more. At this point, you have two options: You can either eat less and exercise less or eat more and exercise more. This is the only way to reduce the stress on your metabolism without gaining weight. However, if you have already reached stage 3, then your only option is to eat less and exercise less.
How to get your metabolism back in order
1. metabolic compensation
This phase is easy to deal with. Take a "eat less, exercise less" or "eat more and exercise more" approach. Both will work. As long as you get away from the "eat less, exercise more" approach, you'll be back on track within a week.
2. metabolic resistance
This won't be that hard to deal with either. Just use a cyclical diet. Spend 2 to 3 weeks in an "eat less, exercise less" phase and then move to an "eat more, exercise more" approach. You may need to take a few more steps. This could include prioritizing rest and recovery. Walking, massage, sauna therapy, naps, sex/physical affection, laughter, time with pets, etc. - basically anything that lowers your stress hormone levels and rebalances your neuroendocrine system. Expect to be back on track within 1 to 3 months.
3. metabolic damage
Once you get to this point, you don't have many options. "Eat less, exercise less" is the only choice you have. You need to fully focus on rest and recovery. Walking and a few traditional workouts with weights will probably be all you'll be able to do. Consulting a doctor who specializes in functional medicine would be a good idea. Such a doctor will be able to evaluate thyroid function, adrenal function and gonadal function. This is beyond the focus of a trainer. Supplements and hormones may be needed. With the right help, you can be back on track within 3 to 15 months.
The ideal scenario? Try not to get into such a situation in the first place.
References
- Major, et. al.Clinical significance of adaptive thermogenesis. International Journal of Obesity. 2007 Feb;31(2):204-12. PUBMED
- Jason, et al. Chronic fatigue syndrome versus neuroendocrineimmune dysfunction syndrome:differential attributions. Journal of Health & Social Policy 2003;18(1):43-55. PUBMED
- Muller, et. al. Adaptive thermogenesis with weight loss in humans. Obesity. Feb;21(2):218-228. PUBMED
- Rosenbaum, et. al. Long-term persistence of adaptive thermogenesis in subjects who have maintained a reduced body weight. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2008;88(4): 906-912. nutrition.org
- Camps, et. al. Weight loss, weight maintenance, and adaptive thermogenesis. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2013;97(5):990-994. PUBMED
- Tremblay, et. al Adaptive reduction in thermogenesis and resistance to lose fat in obese men. British Journal of Nutrition. 2009;102(4):488-492. PUBMED
- Labayen, et. al Role of baseline leptin and ghrelin levels on body weight and fat mass changes after an energy-restricted diet intervention in obese women: effects on energy metabolism. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2011;96(6):E996-1000. PUBMED
- Miller, et. al. Resistance to slimming: adaptation or illusion? Lancet. 1975;1(7910):773-775. PUBMED
- Winsier, et. al. Do adaptive changes in metabolic rate favor weight regain in weight-reduced individuals? An examination of the set-point theory. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2000;72(5):1088-94. PUBMED
By Dr. Jade Teta
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/diet-fat-loss/truth-about-metabolic-damage
The nuts and bolts of sleep hacks: nine tips for better gains
Sleep helps you in and out of the gym. Learn how to optimize your sleep and reduce your recovery time, improve your training performance and increase your muscle growth.
Do you struggle to keep your eyes open during class? Do you nod off easily in the afternoon?
It's no secret that sleep is one of the most important regulating factors of your energy levels. We live in a culture that is continually sleep deprived. Teenagers, students, working adults and even the elderly struggle to get enough sleep. Why is this? I think a lot of this has to do with something I call the "Facebook Phenomenon".
Everyone is hyper-focused on events that are happening in other people's lives. We feel like we need to constantly read other people's Facebook and Instagram posts to stay in the loop. However, we don't realize that all this late night internet surfing is robbing our bodies of some much needed sleep.
We've all done this ....
You wake up in the morning completely exhausted and tell yourself you're going to bed early tonight - and yet it's the same story every night - you stay up late killing time on the internet. We have forgotten how we felt early in the morning and postpone going to bed. We crave the satisfaction of that last Facebook video. I'm not here to condemn Facebook or Twitter. I use both and believe they are helpful for both personal and business matters. However, I think there is a point where we need to realize that we are not missing anything groundbreaking by turning off our computer or iPad an hour earlier so that we can give our bodies a little more rest.
Sleep needs to be a priority if you want to help your body grow inside and outside of the weight room. Your body has its strongest growth hormone release in the middle of the night, so it's no wonder that this is the time when most internal repair begins after your strength training session. If you neglect this aspect of recovery, then your weights AND your life will suffer.
The nuts and bolts of sleep hacks
Hack #1 - Turn off your electrical devices an hour before going to bed
Stop using your smartphone, TV and computer about an hour before you go to bed and read something instead. "Seriously now? That's impossible, no one can do that." I've had a lot of conversations about sleep habits and this is typically the first response. I know it's harsh - we live in a culture dominated by electronics and video monitors, but keep listening to me.
As the sun sets and the day draws to a close, a small structure in your brain known as the pineal gland begins to release melatonin. Melatonin is one of the components that helps control your sleep-wake cycle and your internal clock. However, melatonin is only produced in the absence of light stimuli. But not just any light, specifically blue photons, which have a low wavelength but high energy. Your typical light bulb shines with a dull orange light that has a long wavelength and low energy. As such, it will not interfere with melatonin secretion and you will still be able to fall asleep easily. If you are using a computer, iPhone, tablet or watching TV, the high-energy light released by these devices will stimulate your brain to stop releasing melatonin. Your sleep-wake cycle will be disrupted and you will remain in a state of wakefulness.
Have you ever wondered why it's hard to fall asleep after watching a movie on TV or chatting with a friend late at night? Well, now you know. It's all about the wavelength of light emitted by different devices you use. "But what if I HAVE to use a computer? I'm a student, I have to study, work on projects and write assignments."
For those who can't avoid using their computer late at night, I recommend the FLUX program. This program changes the wavelength of light emitted from your screen throughout the day. I've been using this program for 2 years now and it's fantastic - you don't even notice the change in color and it's very easy on the eyes. There is also no problem with legibility. My sleep is better than ever, even though I use my computer late at night. There is also a mobile version of the same program for Android, available under the names LUX and TWILIGHT.
Hack #2 - Develop an evening ritual that helps you relax
Our body loves routines. It's important to get it into the habit of learning how to clear its head and relax before going to bed. Here are some ideas to get you on the right track:
- 10 to 15 minutes working with the fascia roller
- Stretching. Latissimus, quadriceps, adductors, pectorals. These muscles are the most common problem areas in terms of tension.
- Take a cold shower. Ideally, you should reduce your body temperature before going to bed, which is why I don't recommend a hot shower.
- Read something. Something light that doesn't stimulate your central nervous system and doesn't upset you.
- Do a "brain dump". Write everything down - to-do lists, ideas, worries, inspirations - all of it - clear your mind by putting it on paper.
- Use diaphragmatic breathing. This is shown in the following two YouTube videos:
o https://youtu.be/Nry-ZQROInI
o https://youtu.be/VCwtqzCy5cs
Whatever routine you use, use the same routine every day, but don't be afraid to try and incorporate new elements that could further improve your sleep quality.
Hack #3 - Go to bed at the same time every day and get up at the same time every day
This hack is tough. Most people like to sleep in late on the weekend to try and make up for all the sleep deprivation they've accumulated over the week. But as I mentioned earlier, the body loves routine. The sleep-wake cycle is meant to be cyclical. Have you ever wondered why you wake up at 6:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning even though you don't have to work and haven't set an alarm clock? Your body has an internal clock - work with it, not against it.
Hack #4 - Make your room as dark as possible
In our culture, it's hard to get away from all those lights. As I mentioned earlier, while they won't disrupt your melatonin release, they can keep you awake and disrupt your REM cycle. For this reason, it may be worth your time to try opaque curtains or a sleep mask. Turn your phone to the display side and turn your alarm clock upside down. Make sure you cover or remove any light source from the room. Make your bedroom as dark as possible.
As it's been getting colder recently, I've been sleeping with a knitted hat on. This kills two birds with one stone: I can pull it over my eyes to block out any light and it helps to keep my head and ears warm while I sleep.
Hack #5 - Sleep with earplugs
Don't discard this idea until you've tried it. I got into the habit of doing this during my sophomore year of college. The dorms were too loud and freshman students partied until the wee hours of the morning. I always have a pair of earplugs handy when I go on vacation or business trips. These can make a huge difference to the quality of your sleep.
Hack #6 - Add some "white noise"
So-called "white noise" can be something as simple as a fan or air conditioner. This background noise will help you fall asleep. If it's winter or you're on vacation and forgot to bring a fan, you can also simply download a white noise app for your phone.
Hack #7 - Reduce your fluid intake
As athletes, we always try to stay well hydrated. Dehydration can reduce performance and increase fatigue. However, it's also important to remember that good hydration can also hinder your recovery if it results in you having to go to the toilet two to four times every night. Try to reduce your fluid consumption during the evening. Instead, drink more water earlier in the day.
I try to reduce my fluid intake to under 250 ml after 18:00. This helps to promote restful and undisturbed sleep.
Hack #8 - Consider supplementation - magnesium, zinc, ZMA, melatonin, etc.
According to a 2009 Department of Agriculture study, 68% of all Americans are deficient in magnesium and 42% are deficient in zinc. Both minerals can affect sleep quantity and quality. If you've tried all the hacks mentioned above and are still having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, it could be due to a nutrient deficiency. However, make sure you do your homework. Some companies use certain forms of minerals that have low bioavailability and are poorly absorbed and utilized.
A sleep supplement should only be a last resort, as many people abuse these supplements in high doses to try and compensate for the effects of a poor and unhealthy lifestyle.
Hack #9 - Try to get at least 8 hours of sleep every night, with 9 hours being even better.
You can think of sleep as an inverted U-shaped curve. There is an optimal range for everyone, but it varies based on individual needs and genetic factors. It should be noted that at the other end of the spectrum, you can also overdo it with sleep. The average sleep cycle lasts 90 minutes, so 6 sleep cycles equates perfectly to 9 hours of sleep.
Have you ever wondered why there are times when you wake up before your alarm goes off and feel fresh and alert, while other days you feel like you've been hit by a bus? Well, on the days you feel good, it's probably because your sleep cycle was exactly coordinated with your wake-up time.
Try a "sleep calculator" that can help you calculate the best time to fall asleep and wake up based on the number of sleep cycles that fit into a given time period.
Summary
- Stop using your cell phone, computer and watching TV an hour before going to bed and try to read and relax instead.
- Develop a nightly ritual.
- Go to bed at the same time every day and get up at the same time every day.
- Make your bedroom as dark as possible.
- Sleep with earplugs.
- Add some "white noise".
- Reduce your fluid consumption in the evening.
- Consider supplementation (magnesium, zinc, ZMA, melatonin, etc.)
- Try to get 8 hours of sleep every night, although 9 hours is even better.
Always remember that quality is more important than quantity when it comes to sleep. Larger amounts of REM sleep will make you wake up refreshed and rested. However, if you have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, your body will never get a chance to regenerate and repair itself.
If you are constantly nodding off or feel the need to sleep during the day, then you should try these recommendations.
Source: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/hacking-sleep-9-tips
Keep inflammation under control
Inflammation is big business. With an aging population that wants to live long, pain-free lives, pharmaceutical manufacturers are working hard to develop new drugs to combat the many faces of inflammation. But this stuff isn't just for older people - young people who want to get more muscular and stronger can benefit too.
Inflammation is the body's first response to injury or infection. It was originally defined by the Latin words calor, dolor, rubor and tumor, which mean heat, pain, redness and swelling. It is interesting to note that pain, redness and swelling are not directly caused by the infection or injury, but are the immune system's reaction to it.
When an inflammatory reaction is triggered, chemical messengers known as cytokines are released. These cause localized dilation of the capillaries, as well as redness and warmth due to increased blood flow to the area.
Dilation of the vessels generates gaps between the endothelial cells that line the blood vessels, allowing blood plasma to leak into the surrounding tissue. This increase in fluid volume causes swelling, which leads to pain as more pressure is exerted on the local nerve endings.
Cytokine release also makes the endothelial cells "stickier", allowing white blood cells to adhere and spill out of the blood into the inflamed tissue. In order to remove invading microorganisms and/or damaged tissue, the white blood cells can release substances that can further increase inflammation and cause local tissue damage, further increasing pain.
Although this may sound like a very destructive process, acute inflammation is a normal part of life. The benefit of this temporary discomfort and swelling is that the inflammation allows a large number of immune cells to quickly reach the affected area where they are needed to kill invading microorganisms and initiate the healing process.
Imagine accidentally cutting yourself while slicing a piece of beef. A blood clot quickly forms to stop the blood loss, but by breaking the protective barrier of your skin, bacteria can enter the body.
The immune system immediately senses the presence of these bacteria and triggers an inflammatory response. This makes the blood vessels in the area permeable, causing swelling, pain and redness, but also allows white blood cells to reach the area more quickly to kill invading bacteria before they can spread and cause a larger infection.
What about post-workout muscle soreness?
The last thing we want to do is stop you from training like an animal, so you should know that the inflammation that follows a hard workout is a good thing.
In this case, muscle contractions cause a local increase in cytokine levels, which activates inflammation. Think of cytokines as local chemical messengers - they represent signaling proteins that help with intercellular communication, such as interleukin6 (IL-6), which increases glucose uptake and the use of fat for energy.
They also activate the local inflammatory response and initiate a cascade of events associated with muscle growth and repair. Along with a local release of growth factors in response to mechanical tension, infiltrating immune cells play a direct role in the activation of satellite cells through a local release of the cytokine TNFα.
Think of it like a construction site that has been damaged by a storm or hurricane. The foreman (Zytokine) tells his crew to bring in more building materials and start repairing the damage - now making the building even stronger by using more materials than originally planned. The result is a bigger and better building.
These types of acute inflammatory responses are completely normal and are involved in everything from wound healing to muscle growth. But what happens when inflammation is chronic instead of acute?
Chronic inflammation
Chronic inflammation is the real problem. The medical establishment tells us that high blood pressure is the silent killer. According to many doctors, chronic inflammation also deserves this label.
Like acute or short-term stress, acute or localized inflammation is not a big problem. But chronic/low-grade inflammation tends to be systemic and can lead to joint stiffness and body-wide muscle pain. At its worst, this chronic inflammation can result in heart disease or insulin resistance, and most chronic diseases (such as cardiovascular disease, various forms of arthritis, rhinitis) and even cancer are promoted by chronic inflammation.
The bottom line is that chronic inflammation can mean declining performance and potentially more serious health problems.
What causes chronic inflammation?
The fat balance:
Most of us eat too many omega-6 fatty acids and not enough omega-3 fatty acids. Here's why:
A competitive inhibition of delta-6 desaturase. If you look at the diagram below, you will see that the first step is dependent on delta-6-desaturase. If you consume significantly more omega-3 than omega-6 fatty acids - or vice versa - then they compete with each other. This is the reason I tell people that an extremely high omega-3 intake is not such a good idea.
If you consume too many omega-3 fatty acids, then you will have problems converting omega-6 fatty acids, which is also essential. So don't fall for the "take 20 to 30 grams of fish oil a day" recommendations.
In fact, some top physicians have reported patients with unusual bleeding and joint pain due to excessive omega-3 intake. On the other hand, problems can also occur if you consume too many omega-6 fatty acids, which are more biologically active and pave the way for more inflammation.
The omega-6 pathway
Here are a few key points:
- Prostaglandins. These are lipid compounds derived from fatty acids. They can have both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory effects. A good way to remember whether a prostaglandin is pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory is that even numbers represent pro-inflammatory prostaglandins and odd numbers represent anti-inflammatory prostaglandins.
- "Ase." Anything ending in "ase" is an enzyme that drives the conversion process.
- Arachidonic acid is not as bad as its reputation. PG2 is made from arachidonic acid, but so are lipoxins, which are powerful anti-inflammatory agents. Lipoxins are a relatively new discovery and help to slow down inflammation. They are produced when salicylic acid is available. So take a baby aspirin or eat plenty of fruit and vegetables and your needs are covered.
- Cox-1 production is a good thing. Look at the pathway to the left of DGLA. This is a very powerful anti-inflammatory pathway that leads to the production of PGE1. This is one of the reasons why GLA is a very good thing.
The omega-3 pathway
- The prostaglandins produced via this pathway are all anti-inflammatory
- DHA also produces resolvins and protectins, which like lipoxins are a relatively new discovery.
- Resolvin reduces inflammation. Dr. Charles Serhan has done some fascinating research showing that resolvin E (which is made from EPA) inhibits activation and movement of immune cells, resulting in a decreased inflammatory response. Resolvin E has also been shown to reduce skin inflammation and periodontal inflammation in animals and do other cool things. Resolvin D (which is made from DHA) also has amazing benefits.
- As the name suggests, proteins protect us in different ways.
Factors that can promote inflammation
Trans fats
Simply put, trans fats are garbage. Look at the delta-6-desaturase enzyme in the two pathway diagrams. Trans fats prevent this step by inhibiting delta-6-desaturase. In other words, trans fats inhibit the healthy processing of fatty acids! Trans fats are also incorporated into the cell membrane and displace EFAs, increasing insulin resistance.
Alcohol
Just like trans fats, alcohol can also inhibit the activity of the delta-6-desaturase enzyme. As a result, alcoholics usually suffer from chronic inflammation. It is therefore better to hold back on alcohol.
Insulin
At this point I am referring to insulin injections. In some cases these may be a medical necessity, but those who inject insulin for its anabolic properties should be aware that it is also pro-inflammatory.
Excessive caffeine consumption
A cup or two of coffee is not a problem, but if you're drinking coffee all day long, you're also promoting inflammation.
Excessive consumption of processed carbohydrates
Constant consumption of nutrient-poor refined carbohydrates can also cause inflammation. One of the mechanisms responsible for this is that these carbohydrates make the delta-5-desaturase enzyme hyperactive. In the omega-6 diagram you can see that this enzyme converts DGLA into arachidonic acid, which produces pro-inflammatory prostaglandins.
How to detect chronic inflammation
The most commonly used way is to perform a C-reactive protein test. Many doctors also use this test to predict the risk of a heart attack. Although it is not a perfect test, it is excellent for measuring underlying chronic inflammation.
- A value below 1 mg/L indicates a low risk.
- A value of 1 to 3 indicates an average risk.
- A value of over 3 indicates a high risk!
However, you should not stop after testing for C-reactive protein.
Next, you should have an omega-3 index test done. This test for low omega-3 levels is also used as an indicator of cardiovascular disease risk. I like the idea - instead of focusing on lowering cholesterol through medication, focus on increasing omega-3 levels.
Also ask your doctor for an antioxidant level test. Levels of vitamins A and E, as well as various minerals such as selenium, can be measured. Low antioxidant levels usually mean higher levels of inflammation.
What about medication?
While I don't believe that anti-inflammatory medications are an inherently bad thing, they are used far too often and can be dangerous if abused. It's one thing to pop a few anti-inflammatories once a month, but continuous use can lead to problems.
By inhibiting the activity of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories also inhibit muscle protein synthesis after exercise. In addition, anti-inflammatory junkies are unaware of the fact that chronic use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can degrade joint cartilage. Hello arthritis.
Conventional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, naproxen, etc) interfere with the activity of cox-1 and cox-2 (look at the diagrams above to see which pathway these fall into). Cox-1 is essential for maintaining a healthy stomach. In fact, Helicobacter pylori infections that lead to stomach ulcers are often caused by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
After the cox-2 enzyme was discovered, a new class of drugs was developed that inhibited cox-2 but left cox-1 alone. However, these cox-2 inhibitors were soon found to also increase the risk of heart attack by a factor of 4 compared to traditional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
12 tips for controlling inflammation
- Ensure a balance of essential fatty acids. Avoid cooking oils such as corn oil, safflower oil or other oils rich in omega-6 fatty acids.
- Eat more cold-water fish or use fish oil capsules. Wild salmon, sardines and herring are excellent sources as they do not contain much mercury. If you are still worried about too much mercury, eat a portion of Brazil nuts every day. The selenium contained in these nuts binds mercury and renders it harmless.
- Eat meat from grass-fed animals, as this meat has a superior fatty acid profile. Be careful though, as there is a lot of fraudulent labeling on the market. It can't hurt to know the farmer.
- Limit the amount of processed carbohydrates. Refined sugars are "non-nutrients" - they take more from the body than they give. They also raise insulin levels, which is not catastrophic, but a constant increase in insulin levels will result in increased inflammation. Only use simple carbohydrates immediately after training and perhaps a small portion in your intra-workout shake. Alternatively, you can use a carbohydrate-free protein hydrolysate during training and avoid carbohydrates altogether.
- Lose weight if you are overweight. Fat cells produce IL-6, TNFα and other pro-inflammatory cytokines. The fatter you are, the more of these you produce and the more inflammation you will have.
- Get a massage. Massage is an excellent way to reduce inflammation. Try to get one or two massages every week.
- Increase your intake of spices such as turmeric, ginger and oregano. Curcumin is a must. There are over 2000 studies supporting its use. Turmeric suppresses interleukin-6 along with other pro-inflammatory compounds. I usually recommend ginger for those who suffer from a sensitive stomach or nausea. Ginger can also block lipooxygenase. (See the omega-6 diagram to see what this can be beneficial for).
- Avoid trans fats. That's all I have to say on this topic.
- Avoid alcohol (or limit your alcohol intake). Slamming drinks down like it's New Year's Eve is fine occasionally - e.g. on New Year's Eve - but if your idea of moderate drinking is to limit your alcohol consumption to days ending in "g", then you probably have a problem.
- Avoid excessive caffeine consumption.
- Eat more fruit and vegetables. These will increase your body's antioxidant status.
- Use antioxidants and vitamins in supplement form. If you can't eat enough food during the day or simply don't like certain foods, then use supplements. EPA/DHA and GLA supplements are the most important, but you can also add vitamins A, C, E and D, as well as some magnesium, selenium and zinc.
And that's about it
Inflammation is a complex topic and this article has only just scratched the surface. We hope we've at least given you a few ideas to consider in your quest for better health. Remember that inflammation can be a "silent killer", but that doesn't mean you shouldn't do anything about it.
References
- Maslinska D, Kaliszek A, Opertowska J, Toborowicz J, Deregowski K, Szukiewicz D. Constitutive expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in developing brain. A. Choroid plexus in human fetuses. Folia Neuropathol 1999;37:287-91.
- Pedersen BK, Febbraio MA. Muscle as an endocrine organ: focus on muscle-derived interleukin-6 Physiol Rev 2008;88:1379-406.
- Palacios D, Mozzetta C, Consalvi S, Caretti G, Saccone V, Proserpio V, et al. TNF/p38alpha/polycomb signaling to Pax7 locus in satellite cells links inflammation to the epigenetic control of muscle regeneration. Cell Stem Cell 2010;7:455-69.
- Rashad S, Revell P, Hemingway A, Low F, Rainsford K, Walker F. Effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on the course of osteoarthritis. Lancet 1989;2:519-22.
- Teather LA, Packard MG, Bazan NG. Post-training cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibition impairs memory consolidation. Learn Mem 2002;9:41-7.
- Trappe TA, White F, Lambert CP, Cesar D, Hellerstein M, Evans WJ. Effect of ibuprofen and acetaminophen on postexercise muscle protein synthesis. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2002;282:E551-E556.
- Vazquez-Vela ME, Torres N, Tovar AR. White adipose tissue as endocrine organ and its role in obesity. Arch Med Res 2008;39:715-28.
By John Meadows, Bill Willis, PhD
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/supplements/managing-inflammation
Women are often lied to. Corporations and marketing organizations know that taking care of themselves and their bodies is more important to women than men, which is why women are more susceptible to deceptive health promises than men. Here are some of the worst lies women are told about health, nutrition and fitness.
1 - Yoga will make you fit and strong and get you in shape
Yoga does not make you fit. It doesn't change the shape of your body and it doesn't improve your fitness any more than a leisurely walk.
Apart from giving you the flexibility to turn yourself into a human pretzel, yoga will improve your fitness and strength, but not much more than a leisurely stroll. Let's look at the slightly more beneficial studies first. A study conducted in 2012 with premenopausal women involved two groups, one of which practiced 60 minutes of Ashtanga yoga twice a week for 8 months, while the other group served as a control group.
Members of the yoga group had more strength in their legs at the end of the study than members of the control group, but they were unable to strengthen any other muscles and showed no improvements in other markers of strength or health. A 2013 study using Bikram yoga concluded that after 12 weeks of study, a group of young adults were able to use more weight in deadlifts than at the beginning of the study, but no improvements in other markers of health or fitness were observed. However, a more innovative study showed results that were even smaller than the previous two studies. Yoga devotees practiced their preferred form of yoga for an hour in a metabolic chamber where calorie expenditure and heart rate were monitored. In subsequent tests, the subjects sat motionless in the chamber for an hour, walked at a relaxed pace of 3.2 kilometers per hour or walked faster at a pace of 4.8 kilometers per hour. When the values of the different tests were evaluated, the result was that, from a metabolic point of view, one hour of yoga was comparable to one hour at a speed of 3.2 kilometers per hour - not particularly impressive.
Yoga can build a modicum of strength - at least for beginners. It will strengthen your abdominal muscles. It will allow you to move better and feel better, but it won't do much to improve your fitness or sculpt your body. It's simply too loose to be your only form of exercise. To change the shape of your body and improve your fitness, you should do additional training with weights and sprints.
2 - Juice is healthy
Drinking a lot of juice is not healthy. Juice is high in calories, lacks fiber and nutrients, and will eventually make you fat.
Juice bars are sprouting up like mushrooms and in every one of them you see yoga pants-wearing women waiting for their supposedly healthy seaweed and kumquat mix. And when they're not there in line, they're filling their shopping carts with products like Renovation and Glow that promise to hydrate and nourish their cells, restore alkaline balance and cleanse the body. These drinks are said to make your hair shine, your skin look healthier, energize you, clear your mind and make your immune system and digestive tract impervious to pathogens and irritants.
12 to 16 30 ml vials cost about ten dollars and the flavors range from delicious to something that tastes like it was spit out by a sumo wrestler. The problem with these drinks is that they can't fulfill any of their physiological or medicinal promises. Of course, habitual juice drinkers may lose weight depending on what their juice contains and whether that juice is an improvement over their usual diet, but much of this is simply excreted water that quickly comes back when they go back to eating normal solid food. However, much of the weight lost is also muscle - the stuff that is largely responsible for giving women their shape, not to mention strength and vitality And unfortunately, much of the weight that is initially lost is put back on in the form of fat. Vegetables and fruit contain simple sugars and harder-to-digest carbohydrates. That's great, but when you squeeze them, as is done when you make juice, you break up all those normally harder-to-digest carbs into tiny little pieces so they can bypass much of the digestive process. You end up with a strong insulin release and insulin takes all that sugar and transports some of it to your muscles (if your muscles need carbs at that moment) and more of it to your liver where the sugar is converted into fatty acids aka fat - fat that is stored on your thighs, butt, hips or other parts of your body.
Volume also needs to be considered. In terms of volume, it is easier to digest pulverized fruits and vegetables than fruits and vegetables in their natural form. Non-pulverized plant material takes up a lot of space and this gives your brain the signal that you are full. Juice doesn't take up as much space. You can easily eat one peach or two plums, but you can probably eat five or six of both at once if they've been dried and pulverized.
More fruit means more calories. More fruit means more sugar. More fruit means more sugar that is converted into fat. And it gets worse. Obsessive chronic juice consumption doesn't provide you with enough nutrients to stay healthy, so your metabolism or electrolyte balance can get out of whack. In addition, juicing destroys the fiber, which kills the microflora in your gut, causing it to be excreted in your stool. Keep drinking juice, but don't expect any health benefits from it and drink juice in moderation.
3 - The "Viagra for women" will cure your libido problems
The new "Viagra for women" is a placebo. There is already a real libido enhancing drug for women and it is called testosterone.
Several studies have concluded that the percentage of women between the ages of 18 and 59 who suffer from "sexual dysfunction" is around 50%. The problem is often misdiagnosed as depression, but in reality there are a number of reasons why women don't want to have sex. Illness, imbalances brought on by medication or sleeping pills, a lack of emotional or physical intimacy and a repulsive, self-centered partner are among the possible explanations. Welcome to the world of the first prescription libido pill for women: Flibanserin, brand name Addyi. The drug was originally developed to treat depression, but scientists have observed that it has a mildly positive effect on female sex drive, although they don't know why. The drug increases dopamine levels while simultaneously lowering serotonin levels. Even though the effects are very weak, they were significant enough to meet the effectiveness standards of the US Food and Drug Administration.
The drug must be taken daily and costs between 300 and 400 dollars per month. Side effects include dizziness, drowsiness, fatigue and nausea. Oh yeah, the drug should not be combined with alcohol, which means you can't drink any alcohol at all. But here's the real problem. Addyi will at best give a small percentage of women two or three satisfying sexual episodes a month, which is only one more than a placebo. It will almost certainly have no effect at all on the majority of women. Adriane Fugh-Berman, director of an organization that promotes the judicious use of drugs, puts it this way: "They have approved a drug that works little better than a placebo but has serious side effects." This is tragic, sad and confusing because there has been an effective treatment for female "sexual dysfunction" called testosterone for years. Any doctor who rightfully holds that title knows this, but doctors shy away from the subject, saying that we don't know the long-term effects of such treatment. To be honest, you could say this about pretty much every substance on the planet. Testosterone is a natural substance that flows through the veins of every healthy woman in the world. Dozens of tests have shown that testosterone increases female libido and that there is a direct correlation between low libido and low testosterone levels. For one thing, just like men, women suffer from a decrease in testosterone levels as they age, but many common medications can also affect testosterone levels. These include blood pressure medications, antibiotics, gastrointestinal medications, antidepressants, recreational drugs, alcohol and, ironically, the contraceptive pill. The pill, along with estrogen therapy, reduces testosterone production by the ovaries and increases the levels of steroid hormone binding globulin (SHBG), which binds the remaining free testosterone and renders it ineffective, tenfold.
The answer lies in testosterone replacement therapy for women. Even though testosterone is not approved for use in women, doctors can easily prescribe it for "off label" use. There are various forms of treatment available, ranging from implantable pellets and injections to gels and creams, all of which are free from the negative side effects of Addyi (if their use is carefully monitored). In addition, testosterone also works much better.
4 - You must detox
Detoxing and detoxing is nonsensical. Your liver and kidneys can easily detoxify themselves.
The detox concept is related to the concept of juice cleanses, but it is based on its own special level of peddling. The idea behind detoxing is that you need to flush and cleanse your body of toxins, which unfortunately are never defined. Real toxins exist, but they are usually associated with alcohol overdose, drug overdose, heavy metals or poisoning. Clever businessmen, however, have planted the idea in our heads that we are rotting, bubbling vats of toxic waste and that if we could flush all this stuff out of our gut we would look better, feel better and live forever - or whatever. Amazingly, this concept emerged in the late nineteenth century. It was called "autointoxication" and linked the gut directly to health. Cleanse the gut like a chimney is swept and you can cure any disease. However, by the early twentieth century, science had advanced far enough to flush this concept down the toilet.
It is perhaps not really surprising that this concept has resurfaced in our modern age, with our supposed scourge now said to be a combination of food additives, drugs, gluten, smog, vaccines, genetically modified foods and food dyes. Detox and cleanse program advocates claim that all this stuff forms a toxic gunk or "slimy plaque" in our gut and that this is a breeding ground for parasites, fungi and probably radioactive monsters. But this mucus or slimy plaque doesn't exist. Ask any gastroenterologist who spends his days examining intestines.
The truth is that our lymphatic system, liver and kidneys do a fantastic job of detoxifying our bodies. The detox people seem to be aware of the role that these organs play, but they say that they need to be cleaned periodically - like the air filter in a car. But that's not how it works. The liver cleans itself through a series of chemical reactions. Waste products are flushed out via bile acid or released into the bloodstream and eliminated by the kidneys.
But if logic and science are not enough for you, then you should at least consider the position of over 300 scientists from the UK who have investigated the claims of detox products and diets. They concluded that the word detox has no meaning and that there are no two companies that define it in the same way. In addition, many companies use the words cleanse and detox to market a range of products including hair products and inserts. Of course you will lose weight during a colon cleanse program, but this is mainly water weight and muscle tissue. Why do people do this? Apart from believing in the supposed science, psychologists suggest that in some cases such cleansing has become a socially acceptable form of anorexia.
5 - Jogging will make you fit and hot
Jogging will ruin your body. You're better off sprinting, training with weights, CrossFit WODs, kettlebell training or rowing.
If you think running is the key to fitness, or will in some way give you the body of a fitness model or even just a nice, averagely attractive body, then you should stand at the finish line of a marathon or half marathon. You'll probably see a casting director from "The Walking Dead" in the crowd, because the people crossing the finish line usually already look like zombies from a physical point of view. Just a bit of makeup and a glued on protruding eyeball and you have the perfect zombie.
Compare this with the YouTube videos of a few world-class sprinters. The difference will be astonishing. The long-distance runners are pale figures with knobbly knees and sunken flat chests, while the sprinters look like two-legged versions of beautiful muscular, fiery Arabian horses. The truth is that both jogging and long-distance running are not the real deal. The former uses too little energy and doesn't push your body hard enough to make major changes, while the latter eats away at your muscles until there's not much more than a few hairs, some nerve tissue and a pair of neon-colored Asics shoes left.
Of course, not everyone loses all their body mass right away when they transition to long-distance running. Some corpulent women never change pace. They become good at covering any distance at their chosen speed. The body gets used to it, it becomes easy. They no longer burn as many calories as when they started. They stay as they are or even get fatter because they think they can eat more due to their supposed calorie-burning activity. However, the body needs to be challenged to change and achieve a higher level of fitness. To build round, curvy muscles, women need to train with weights. If running is their preferred activity, then they need to sprint or cover relatively short distances quickly. Pretty much anything is better than jogging or long distance running. Activities like jumping rope, kettlebell swings, rowing, weightlifting, circuit training, CrossFit WODs and Tabata training will change your body a lot more and a lot faster than running at a moderate pace.
The old theory was that aerobic activities burn more calories than anaerobic activities. It is true that training with weights or sprinting will burn fewer calories during the actual workout, but if you look at the total amount of calories burned during and after the workout, anaerobic training with weights and sprinting will burn significantly more calories.
6 - The HCG diet is a solid, science-based diet
The HCG diet is a completely insane diet. This diet works just as "well" without HCG, but eating only 500 kcal per day will ultimately not be productive and will damage your health.
According to the nutritional apostle Anthony Colpo, the supposedly revolutionary HCG diet came about in 1930. Back then, an Indian doctor began treating fat boys with a calorie-restricted diet and the drug HCG. This drug is typically used by women to promote fertility and by men who use anabolic steroids to protect against testicular atrophy. The doctor used this therapy for about 20 years and reported in the medical journal Lancet that patients who followed this diet for 40 days lost 20 pounds and did not regain the weight. Other doctors began using this diet and reported similar successes. The use of this method flourished until controlled studies repeatedly showed that the same weight loss could be achieved without HCG. The FTC instructed these clinics to stop these treatments, which they largely did, until 2007 when an infomercial guru appeared on television and resurrected this plan in a book. The FTC eventually sued him for misinterpreting the contents of this book and fined him heavily.
Nevertheless, the diet began to flourish again. More controlled studies were conducted and showed, as before, that the same results could be achieved without HCG. Ultimately, only 500 kcal per day is allowed during this diet and of course you lose weight with such a low calorie intake. However, supporters of this diet refused to accept these studies. Those who use this diet claim that the HCG makes them feel great. Perhaps this is so, but it is probably simply the fact that the injection itself makes them feel good. Ultimately, the placebo effect is very powerful, which is especially true when needles are involved.
Studies have been done to investigate the placebo effect and they concluded that those who did this diet alone felt tired and weak, while those who did it with the support of HCG felt great. However, the same was true for those who received a placebo instead of HCG. Some studies support some claims about the HCG diet, but these studies have more flaws and holes in their design than a Swiss cheese. In addition, others have not been able to replicate these study results, which is a key factor in verifying a study. Despite all this, women all over the world continue to use this diet, spending between 30 and 600 dollars a month, sometimes using a homeopathic version of the drug that contains no more than trace amounts of the active ingredient. Yes, the HCG diet works, if we define working as losing weight, but the problem is that this weight is largely muscle and water and only a small amount of fat - and all of this can be achieved by following this diet without HCG. Of course, it is stupid to follow a diet with such a low calorie intake.
7 - Vitamin-enriched water is good for you
Vitamin water is worthless. These products contain too much of the wrong vitamins and too little of the right vitamins and are also overloaded with sugar.
In the US, and increasingly in Europe, vitamins are added to all kinds of products. These products range from breakfast cereals to toothpaste and lubricating creams. And, of course, vitamins are also added to beverages. The manufacturers of these products tell us that drinking vitamin-enriched water will make us feel better, look better and even improve our relationships. In addition, people use these products to feel nutritionally sublime. They drink one of these waters and walk around with a niacin-enhanced halo, but in reality there is nothing healthy about these products. Most of these products contain large amounts of B vitamins and vitamin C (as these vitamins are water soluble), but the average diet is almost never deficient in these vitamins. Aside from this, excessive consumption of these vitamins has no health benefits as excess amounts are simply excreted. Some versions of vitamin water contain small amounts of vitamins A and E and some minerals such as potassium, magnesium, manganese, zinc and chromium, but 83% of the drinks examined in one study contained at least one nutrient in excess of the daily requirement and the majority of these drinks contained three or more nutrients in excess of the daily requirement.
Unfortunately, few people talk about the concerns of exceeding daily requirements for these nutrients, especially when you add what's in these drinks to what you're already getting in your diet. Increased levels of fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A and E are associated with an increased risk of earlier death. In addition, there is research showing that consuming too much of certain vitamins such as vitamin C can cause them to act like pro-oxidants before they are excreted, meaning that they promote the formation of potentially damaging free radicals. But let's forget all this. Many of these drinks contain large amounts of sugar. One of the most popular brands contains 31 grams of sugar per 355 ml can, which is almost as much as the 39 grams of sugar in the same amount of Coca Cola. Stop being gullible. Stop taking too many vitamins. Drink plain water or green tea. You'll be much better off for it.
From TC Luoma
Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/7-lies-about-womens-fitness-diet
