trainer’s€¦ · does pedaling backwards on the elliptical do anything? what’s better:...

Copyright 2010 Joe Cannon. For more information see www.Joe-Cannon.com

Personal Fitness

Trainer’s

BIG BOOK of

Questions & Answers

2nd Edition

by

Joe Cannon, MS, CSCS

www.Joe-Cannon.com

Last updated December 1 2011

Always check back for updates

http://www.joe-cannon.com/


Disclaimer

It goes without saying but I’ll say it anyway: The information

contained in this ebook is presented only for informational purposes

and is not intended to treat, cure or prevent any illness or condition.

Never use this information in place of talking to your physician about

any medical or health conditions you may have.


Copyright 2010 ©

All rights reserved. No part of this ebook shall be reproduced or

transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,

magnetic, photographic, posting on websites, emailing, photocopying,

recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without

prior written permission of the author. No patent liability is assumed

with respect to the use of the information contained herein. The author

and publisher assume no responsibility for errors or omissions.

Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of

the information contained herein.


Table of Contents

Start Reading Here

My Other Books

About This Book

Exercise Questions

How do I exercise to make my bones stronger?

Exercise and alcohol: yes or no?

Does pedaling backwards on the elliptical do anything?

What’s better: intensity or time I that I exercise?

Does walking burn more fat than running?

Do I need a weight lifting belt?

What’s better: 1 set or 3 sets?

What’s better: free weights or machines?

I'm gaining weight but my clothes fit better

Can I lose weight under my arms?

When is the best time to exercise?

Aerobic vs. cardiovascular exercise

Does insulin build muscle?

Why are my muscles sore?

What causes muscle cramps?

What is rhabdomyolysis?

Should I do abs every day?


The best time to train abs?

What’s better – strength first or cardio first?

Weight loss & exercise on an empty stomach?

Will exercise maintain metabolism during dieting?

How long before I start burning fat?

Should weight lifters avoid soy protein?

Why are there 2 versions of the RPE scale?

Women & weight lifting: Big muscles?

What are open & closed-chain exercises?

Can exercise make me sick?

Do I need to warm up?

Is stretching a good warm up?

Stretching: before or after exercise?

Stretching and injuries?

What exercise burns the most fat?

Weight loss: what’s better strength or cardio?

How many calories does a pound of muscle burn?

What does EPOC mean?

What are METs?

What’s better: walking or sprinting?

Does Pilates make muscles longer?

Pilates & back pain

Are treadmill calorie counters accurate?


Exercise makes me nauseous.

Stair stepper – facing away from the machine

Nutrition Questions

Creatine or protein: what’s better?

What is hydrolyzed gelatin?

What foods are bad for weight loss?

Isn’t skipping means cutting calories too?

Are fat free foods best for weight loss?

What’s the truth behind most diets?

How do low carb diets cause weight loss?

Weight loss: what’s better – less fat or less calories?

Does chromium burn fat or build muscle?

RD vs. nutritionist. What’s the difference?

What are carbs?

When is carbo loading appropriate?

What calcium supplement is best?

How many calories are in fat?

Do we make vitamins?

Do vitamins give us energy?

Do vitamin B12 shots help weight loss?

When is the best time to take vitamins?

Are water soluble vitamins excreted?

Why don’t multivitamins have enough calcium?


Are vitamins made fo women, men or seniors better?

Do vitamins contain what they say they do?

Natural vs. synthetic vitamins: what’s better?

Natural vitamin E: better than synthetic vitamin E?

Why do multivitamins have beta carotene?

Beta carotene – any side effects?

Can supplements raise testosterone?

Can you drink too much water?

Can zinc prevent colds?

Why do sports drinks have added oxygen?

What’s better: Water or sports drinks?

Can glucosamine repair a rotator cuff?

What does partially hydrogenated mean?

What are trans fats?

Are trans fats found in nature?

Does ―zero‖ trans fat really mean zero?

Why are trans fats unhealthy?

Are all trans fats bad?

How much trans fat is ―too much‖?

Can I be a vegetarian and still eat meat?

What are sugar alcohols?

What are Net Carbs?

What are phytonutrients?


Good carbs vs. bad carbs

Can good nutrition prolong life?

How much protein do you need?

Can we only absorb 40 grams of protein?

Are protein supplements better than food?

Protein: before or after exercise?

What’s in ―ephedra-free weight loss supplements?

Does caffeine cause high blood pressure?

Why is there an ―L‖ on amino acid supplement labels?

What does ―organic‖ mean on food labels?

Can organic foods contain pesticides?

Are organic foods better?

Does eating fat make you fat?

Miscellaneous Questions

Does muscle weight more than fat?

Will sports creams help relieve pain?

Will aspirin help sore muscles?

Do I need coenzyme Q10 if I take cholesterol medications?

Why does hair turn gray?

Does cold weather cause arthritis?

Is antibacterial soap better to use?

Do plastic nasal strips help exercise?

Do we have a limited number of heart beats?


Can osteoporosis be determined by looking at the feet?

What is Body Mass Index (BMI)?

What is CRP?

Can gum disease give you a heart attack?

Can skinny people have high triglycerides?

Does total cholesterol equal HDL + LDL?

Do food labels list good cholesterol?

What is Metabolic Syndrome?

Can teenagers use creatine supplements?

Do heavy people have slow metabolisms?

Is there a ―mind-body‖ connection?

Did I forget any questions? Send me your suggestions

Selected References

For More Information


Start Reading Here

Let me tell you a little about who I am. I'm a personal trainer, a health

educator and writer. I have a MS degree in Exercise Science and a BS

degree in Chemistry and Biology (yes, that makes me a nerd - but I'm

a good nerd!).

I'm certified by the NSCA as a Certified Strength and Conditioning

Specialist (CSCS) and a personal trainer (NSCA-CPT).

I also teach and certify personal trainers through the seminars I give

each year. This is exactly why I decided to write this book. You see, I

discovered that a lot of people were asking many of the same

questions.

I'm a big believer that knowledge is power so I decided to answer

those questions so I could save you time looking for the answers

yourself!


I wrote this ebook for three reasons:

1. To give fitness trainers the information they need to accurately

answer a lot of the questions they will be asked by their clients

2. To help fitness trainers avoid the making mistakes

3. To help fitness trainers outshine and outperform their peers who

do not have this book

If you like this book, check out my other books: So far, I have written the

following:

1. Personal Fitness Training: Beyond The Basics

2. Personal Training Practice Test

3. Nutritional Supplements: What Works and Why

4. Nutrition Essentials: A Guidebook for the Fitness Professional

http://www.joe-cannon.com/home/





Other books I’ve written include:

I’ve also created a personal trainer practice test so you can test your

skills and knowledge before you take a fitness certification exam. It’s

at my website www.Joe-Cannon.com

Personal Fitness Training: Beyond the Basics.

Written BY a personal trainer (me), FOR personal trainers (that’s you). I wrote this as a ―roadmap‖ to

teach fitness trainers the facts they need to be

successful. This is what I would teach you if I were sitting next to you - the stuff I’ve had to know and

even the mistakes I’ve made along the way. I call this book a Bachelors degree in personal training.

This book can be used to prepare for ANY personal training certification.

Nutrition Essentials: A Guidebook for the

Fitness Professional. This is nutrition and sports nutrition from the perspective of what personal

trainers need to know. Because many fitness

trainers are lacking nutrition education, this book brings people up to speed on exactly what they

need to know.



These are real - hold in your hand and read - books. To see more

information on any of these books or to get them, just go to www.Joe-Cannon.com

*** FYI. If you would like to see these other books as ebooks let me know. I might do it if enough people are interested

Nutritional Supplements: What Works and

Why. This book reviews 119 vitamins, herbs, amino acids, etc. A to Z and is over 400 pages

long. Here I tell you what works, what doesn't and how to tell the difference! I also tell you the side

effects that only doctors usually know about. 950 references are included so you can check the facts

yourself. This book makes YOU the expert. I guarantee it!




About this ebook

This book is divided into the following sections:

Exercise Questions – nuff said

Nutrition Questions - nutrition and supplement issues

Miscellaneous Questions – if it’s not about exercise or nutrition, its

here.

This book a ―work in progress‖ because as I discover other interesting

questions, I will add them to this book. So, check back often for

updates.

If you have questions that are not listed email and let me know. I’ll

add your questions to future editions.


Exercise Questions

Q. How do I exercise to make my bones stronger?

A. Studies show that exercise can help strengthen bones. Unfortunately,

people may not be exercising correctly to do this. To strengthen bones,

people should focus on exercises that work the major muscles of the body

like the chest, back and legs. Muscles are attached to the bones. So, when

the muscles are made stronger, they pull on the bones, which in turn get

stronger!

Many people simply walk to strengthen their bones, this is not always

the best way to exercise. To really strengthen bones, people must work

against a resistance (like lifting weights). In the gym, exercises that can

help build bone include the:

Chest press

Leg press

Seated row

Shoulder press

Lat pull down

All of these exercises target multiple muscle groups at the same time

and are superior to exercises that only recruit one or a few muscles. This is

because exercise is specific to the muscles and bones that are taking part in

the activity.

For example, when people walk, they stimulate bone growth in their

lower body. Walking does very little for the bones of the upper body. In


addition, eventually the body will adapt to walking and the only way to

improve bone growth further is to walk faster or for a longer time.

One thing to consider when strength training is the amount of weight

lifted. While for the first few months, it’s good to use lighter weights,

eventually heavier weights will have to be used. This is because light weights

that are lifted for many repetitions (example, more than 15 reps) probably

won’t do much to improve bone mass in the long run. To make bones

stronger, heavier loads should be used for fewer numbers of repetitions. For

example, here is a sample weight lifting routine:

Chest Press 1-3 sets 8 to 10 repetitions

Seated Row 1-3 sets 8 to 10 repetitions

Leg Press 1-3 sets 8 to 10 repetitions

It’s important to make sure that the weights are heavy enough so that

you can ONLY lift for 8-10 repetitions. I stress this because some might be

tempted to stop after reaching 8 repetitions even though they could really

lift the weight for 20 times! If this is the case, the weight is too light.

For those who are not sure how to determine the correct amount of

weight to lift, find a qualified personal trainer to help. Considering the

seriousness of building bone for those with osteoporosis or osteopenia, this

might be well worth the time and expense.

When people with osteoporosis come to me, I don’t even think about the

bones for the first few months. My goal initially is to strengthen the muscles

http://www.personaltrainer.cc/


and especially the connective tissue (ligaments and tendons). That way,

they are less likely to be injured when heavier weights are lifted.

For those just starting a strength training program, it is advised to begin

with only one set of each exercise with a light resistance. When this can be

performed comfortably, increase to two sets per exercise. When 2 sets can

be performed easily, increase to 3 sets.

It is usually not necessary to do much more than 3 sets per exercise

because many sets tend to be less effective than fewer sets. This is good

news for those who don’t want to spend all day in the gym working out.

Q. Exercise and alcohol: yes or no?

A. The question about how alcohol consumption affects muscle growth

has not been very well studied. The research does tend to show that

drinking alcohol after lifting weights may reduce the normal exercise-induced

rise in testosterone.57 Furthermore, this inhibition of testosterone may last

for up to 4 hours after the alcohol was consumed.57 In theory, this might

reduce muscle growth athletic performance. Also, alcohol has also been

shown to increase the effects of the catabolic hormone, cortisol.

In chronic alcoholics, alcohol assists in the conversion of testosterone to

estrogen. This might lead to the development of female sex characteristics

like breast development. At the other end of the spectrum, other research

finds that small amounts of alcohol (about 12 oz beer) might actually

stimulate testosterone release.56 Whether or not this makes muscles bigger

or stronger has likewise not been adequately studied. For now, the bottom

http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/qatrans2.html#s3q2


line is that if you are going to lift weights, drink alcohol in small amounts if

muscle growth and strength is a big issue to you.

Q. Does pedaling backwards on the elliptical do anything?

A. Most elliptical exercise machines give people the choice of pedaling

forward or backward. There are actually some good reasons for this.

Changing direction cuts down on boredom. In addition, pedaling backward

also works different muscle groups. For example, pedaling forward puts

more emphasis on the front of the thighs while going backwards tends to

work the gluteal muscles (the butt) more. Also, the body tends to burn more

calories when it performs an activity that it’s not used to. More calories

burned in theory, might mean more weight loss.

Q. What’s better: intensity or time I that I exercise?

A. People are always wondering if it’s better to exercise intensely for a

short period of time or for a longer time and a lower intensity. The answer

really has to do what your goals are. If your goal is to be a very fast sprinter

then it’s probably better to run very fast for a short time period. If your goal

is general health and wellness, then lower intensities of exercise carried out

for longer time periods may be all you need. For example, one study

investigated the difference of different intensities of exercise on various

heart disease risk factors.55 This study found that milder types of exercise

(i.e., walking 12 miles a week at an intensity of 40-50% VO2max) improved

aerobic fitness, although greater gains were found with higher intensities of

exercise. The take home message is that if you are trying to improve your

health, you don’t have to break the 5 minute mile record to do it.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16236956?itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&ordinalpos=1


Q. Does walking burn more fat than running?

A. The body is designed to burn greater percentages of fat at lower

intensities of exercise. We also tend to burn more fat during exercise that

takes a long time to do. This is why some fitness experts recommend

walking for those trying to lose weight. While it is true that we burn greater

percentages of fat at lower intensities, we also burn fewer calories—and

calories are the real key to weight loss. People should be more focused on

calories than fat used during exercise. Most people can walk farther than

they can run so if you can walk for an hour, you’ve burned more calories

than somebody who only ran for 10 minutes. Most people should not worry

about fat burning because of this fact. Sleeping burns the most fat. This is

because of what I said above – we burn more fat at lower intensities of

activity. It doesn't get any lower than sleeping does it? Forget about fat and

focus on calories!

For people who are very overweight, have medical issues or are new to

exercise, lower intensities of exercise, like walking, are best.

Q. Do I need a weight lifting belt?

A. People use weight lifting belts to help stabilize the low back during

weight lifting. But are they necessary? The answer depends on the exercises

being performed and the amount of weight lifted. As a rule a weight lifting

belt might help during exercises that place a maximum or near maximum

amount of stress on the low back. Exercises like very heavy squats or

deadlifts would be classic examples where a weight lifting belt might help.

For lighter loads, weight lifting belts are probably not needed. For example,

if someone can squat 300 pounds with a barbell, the belt may not be needed


when performing the squat with 150 pounds. One of the criticisms of using

weight lifting belts during sub-maximum lifts is that the muscles may get

used to the extra help. The result - weakened low back muscles.

Weight lifting belts are not needed for any exercise where maximum loads

are not stressing the low back. Exercises such as lat pull downs, bench

presses, leg presses and dumbbell curls are all examples where a weight

lifting belt is not needed. Related to this, weight lifting belts are often used

by people employed in various occupations, like the post office or home

improvement superstores.

It is interesting to note that despite their widespread use, the clinical

research to date has not definitively proven that these belts help reduce

injury rate.58

Q. What’s better - one set of 10 reps or 3 sets of 10 reps?

A. This is one of the biggest controversies in fitness. The one-set crowd

feels that all that is needed to build strength is one set of an exercise to

failure and the multiple set group feels that more than one set is needed.

The basis for this controversy lies in what is called the principle of overload,

which states that muscles grow stronger when they are overloaded by a

stress (like exercise) a little more than they are used to. Because multiple

sets result in a greater overall time under stress, in theory, multiple sets

may be superior to single sets. In fact, some evidence does support that

three sets of an exercise may produce up to twice the strength as one set.50

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10603560?ordinalpos=&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.SmartSearch&log$=citationsensor



On the surface this might mean that performing more than one set is always

better but this is not always so because doing more than one set increases

the amount of muscle soreness felt a day or so later. In addition, when

people are new to exercise, their tendons and ligaments also need time to

grow stronger. More sets may mean more injuries. So, who is right? The

answer depends who we are talking about. For beginners, one set will

provide about 90% as much strength as multiple sets. This might continue

for a few months. After that, to generate more strength, more than one set

needs to be performed.

Q. What's better: free weights or machines?

A. On the surface, both machines and free weights (dumbbells and

barbells) will cause muscles to grow stronger. By the same token so too can

lifting buckets of dirt, soup cans, doing wall presses and getting out of a

chair. One of the basic principles of exercise is the Overload Principle which

basically states that for a muscle to grow stronger, it must be overloaded a

little more than it is used to.

For very weak people, who may not have exercised in many years, just

lifting a soup can, taking a short walk or getting out of a chair, will probably

lead to greater muscle strength. For the healthy person just starting out, it

really doesn’t matter whether they use machines or free weights. Both will

produce gains in muscular strength. A case however can be made that after

several months of continuous weight lifting, that free weights might be

superior. The rationale for this is that by stabilizing a weight in space, you

force your body to work harder, which in turn fosters greater muscle

strength.


Q. I'm gaining weight but my clothes fit better. What gives?

A. This is a very common question and it has to do with the density of

muscle and fat. A pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat (they

both weigh one pound) but muscle is denser and takes up less space than

fat. So, even though, your bathroom scale says you are gaining weight,

because you are more compact, your clothes will fit better. Your bathroom

scale gives one number—bodyweight—and doesn’t tell the difference

between how much muscle you have and how much fat you have. It’s

possible that you have been losing fat while gaining muscle which also plays

a role in how well your clothes fit.

Q. Can I just lose weight under my arms?

A. Unfortunately, with the exception of liposuction, it is not possible to lose

fat from only specific areas of the body. This myth is referred to as ―spot

reduction‖ and ironically is the premise behind many weight loss gizmos

advertised on TV infomercials. If spot reduction worked, you’d expect to see

less fat on the dominant arms of tennis players and baseball pitchers who

typically exercise one limb more than the other. But this isn’t what is

observed. When we exercise, we lose fat all over the body at the same time.

So you will lose fat from under your arms, your thighs, tummy, around your

internal organs and even from your little pinky finger!


Q. When is the best time to exercise?

A. All of us have heard of some ―fitness expert‖ who tries to tell people

when the best time to exercise is. What most don’t consider however is that

the best time to exercise is when one can fit exercise into their schedule.

Many popular books tout morning exercise as being best for fat burning but

for many people this is just not practical. While in theory, exercising in the

morning might take advantage of the slightly higher levels of testosterone

that occur around 10AM, little evidence finds that people who exercise in the

morning are better at losing weight or building muscle than those who

workout at other times. Also, dogmatic adherence to this belief could

prevent some from incorporating a regular exercise program into their life.

The best time to exercise is when people can find time.

Q. Is aerobic exercise different than cardiovascular exercise?

A. The phrases aerobic exercise and cardiovascular exercise mean the

same thing and are usually used interchangeably. Cardiovascular exercise is

also often abbreviated as ―CV‖ exercise. Exercise like walking, biking and

hiking are examples of aerobic (cardiovascular) exercises.

Q. Do insulin injections build muscle?

A. The hormone insulin that’s made in the pancreas is usually associated

with helping sugar (glucose) gain entrance into cells and by doing so, helps

lower blood sugar levels. Another function of insulin is to help us use amino

acids. Some hard core-type bodybuilders picked up on this and figured that


injecting insulin might help them build muscle faster and improve strength.

Unfortunately this practice has not been adequately tested to see if works or

not.

The big issue here is that a rebound diabetes-like condition can develop

when healthy people start (and later abruptly stop) insulin injections. In

other words, when healthy people use insulin, their pancreas stops making

it. When they then stop using insulin, it takes time for the pancreas to ―wake

up‖ and begin making the hormone again. The practice of healthy people

who inject insulin for the purpose of boosting strength is not based on any

clinical evidence and most importantly is potentially very dangerous.

Q. Why are my muscles sore after exercise?

A. Muscle pain that’s felt a day or so after exercise is called delayed onset

muscle soreness (DOMS). Usually DOMS occurs within 24-72 hours after we

exercise more intensely than we are used to, as well as when we do

something that we are not accustomed to doing. For example, if it snowed

tonight and you had to shovel your driveway, odds are, you’d experience

some DOMS-associated pain if you were not used to shoveling snow.

One of the big mysteries of DOMS involves how the pain is created in the

first place. Many people commonly believe that DOMS results from

microscopic tears inside the muscle. This is called the torn tissue theory.

Others speculate that DOMS is caused by inflammation (the inflammation

theory) and still another theory advocates that damage to the underlying

connective tissue (the connective tissue theory) is the cause of the pain.


All theories explain some aspects of DOMS but as of yet none completely

explain how the pain occurs. What we do know is that the majority of DOMS

discomfort is caused by what is called eccentric muscle actions, commonly

called ―negatives‖ in the gym. During exercise, this normally occurs when we

lower a weight such as a dumbbell or barbell. During eccentric muscle

actions, the muscle lengthens, as force is applied to the muscle. These

actions place greater stress on the muscle and produce more DOMS pain.

So, if someone was performing a barbell curl, the lowering phase would

produce more DOMS than the phase where the barbell was lifted.

A common myth about DOMS involves lactic acid. Lactic acid is produced

when we exercise intensely and results feelings of muscle burning and

muscle fatigue. But, lactic acid does not cause DOMS. Approximately one

hour after exercise has ceased, most of the lactic acid produced has been

removed and recycled and is thus not present 24-72 hours later when DOMS

rears its ugly head.

Q. What causes muscle cramps during exercise?

A. Muscle cramping could be due to a number of reasons such as overly

intense exercise (running a marathon) or exercising too long in hot

temperatures. Muscle cramps are basically the involuntary contraction of a

muscle. All of us get them from time to time.

The classic theory is that exercise that is too intense causes imbalances in

electrolytes like sodium and potassium that causes the involuntary muscle

spasm. Another theory is that muscle fatigue brought about by intense



exercise distorts the signals that nerves send to muscles.1 The bottom line is

that researchers are still not sure of what causes muscle cramps.

General guidelines for dealing with exercise-induced muscle cramping

include gentle stretching of the area and giving fluids to the athlete like

water or Gatorade-like beverages. Also, weigh yourself before and after

exercise. Generally people don’t want to lose more than about 2% of their

body weight during exercise. More than this might upset electrolyte balance

and precipitate muscle cramps.

To reduce the chances of getting a muscle cramp, always warm up before

exercise. Stretching some after warming up might also help. Stretching

might also help muscle cramps that wake people up in the middle of the

night. Also, increase the intensity of exercise you do slowly. In other words

don’t go from walking 1 mile on Monday to attempting 3 miles on

Wednesday.

While usually an inconvenience, in athletes and people who exercise

strenuously, muscle cramping could be a symptom of a much more serious

condition like rhabdomyolysis.

Q. What is rhabdomyolysis?

A. Rhabdomyolysis is medical condition where the muscles of the body

break down. Because this condition can be a side effect of some medications

like statin drugs used to treat lower cholesterol levels, medical professionals

usually make the distinction between drug-induced rhabdomyolysis and

exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis. Exercise induced rhabdomyolysis results

from physical exertion that is too intense for the body to handle.2 In this

http://www.physsportsmed.com/


instance the muscles of the body break down, releasing their cellular

contents into the circulation.

One of the major side effects of rhabdomyolysis is kidney damage. Muscles

contain a special type of hemoglobin called myoglobin that carries oxygen in

the muscle. It turns out that myoglobin is toxic to the kidneys. Thus, kidney

failure can result from rhabdomyolysis.

Personal trainers MUST be aware of rhabdomyolysis because studies have

documented that some overzealous fitness professionals have created this

condition in their clients.

While normally thought of as something that follows strenuous exercise like

running a marathon, the fitness level of the individual also appears to play a

role in the development of this condition. For example, one study noted that

rhabdomyolysis occurred in a 29 year old man who performed 30 to 40 sit-

ups a day for 5 days. There may even be certain people who are more

susceptible to this condition than others.

Classic signs of rhabdomyolysis include muscle tenderness and swelling as

well as urine that is dark colored (think Coke-a-Cola). These symptoms

however do not show up in everyone, making its diagnosis difficult without

more extensive medical tests.

Q. Abs every day or every other day?

A. This question is as controversial as Big Foot and UFOs. One side of the

argument advocates that abdominal exercises, like crunches, can be

performed every day because the abs have a high percentage of slow twitch


(type I) muscle fibers which recuperate quickly from exercise. Because

about 60% of a person’s weight is in their trunk, others view abdominal

exercises as a type of resistance training. The normal recommendation for

resistance training is to take 24-48 hours of rest to give the muscle time to

grow stronger.

So who is right? Both sides make sense to some degree and I've not seen

any study that found one way was better than another. I think it really

depends on what your fitness level is. If you’re a beginner, then every other

day (or every few days) might be best because this can help cut down on

muscle soreness (DOMS). If you’re a more advanced person than maybe

every day might work but don’t do the same exercise every day. Try

different ab exercises on different days. Varying the types of ab exercise can

help the abs be stronger overall.

In my opinion, people spend way too much time doing crunches! How many

times a day do you find yourself crunching? Getting out of bed or the car

and that’s about it! Do something different and you’ll be stronger and less

prone to injury.

Q. When is the best time to train abs?

A. While many people train their abdominals at the end of a workout, I've

found that it is sometimes better if they are worked somewhere in the

middle of an exercise session. There are basically three reasons for this.

First, if you wait until you’re almost finished working out, you tend to be

more fatigued and less inclined to do an effective job on your abs.


Second, if you wait until the end of your workout, you may be less inclined

to work your abdominals at all!

Third, if you train your abdominals in the middle of a work out, you can

finish up your time in the gym doing something that you might rather do,

thus making your workout a more enjoyable experience.

Abdominal strength is important for providing trunk stability during free-

weight exercises like squats and overhead presses. Because of this, I

suggest doing exercises that require a stable trunk (or core as it’s also

called) before working abdominals. This will lessen abdominal fatigue and

risk of injury.

Q. What’s better: strength first or cardio first?

A. The theory behind performing strength training first is that if you

exhaust your muscles with aerobic exercise first, then this might limit how

much you can lift and thus, reduce strength gains. This makes sense

especially if your goal is to get as strong as possible. In fact, if getting

stronger is your main goal, I suggest you do aerobic exercise on different

days than strength training.

Some people also say doing strength training first is best because it helps

deplete your glycogen reserves, which in turn makes it easier for your body

to burn fat when you do aerobic exercise. I don’t buy however. The average

person has enough glycogen to run for about 20 miles! Most people will not

burn off that much glycogen after an hour or less of weight lifting. Also, if

you did burn off all your glycogen, you would not be able to burn fat! You

need carbs to burn fat.


For weight loss, I suggest alternating workouts. In other words, for a month

or so, do cardio first, followed by strength training. Then for the next couple

of months, reverse it and do strength training first. This will keep your body

guessing, which will probably result in more calories used during exercise.

You’ll be surprised at the fatigue you feel when you do this.

Q. Exercise on an empty stomach: best for weight loss?

A. Those who advocate exercising on an empty stomach say that it helps

the body go after the fat stores faster. During sleep, our body uses

glycogen, our storage form of carbohydrates, to maintain blood sugar levels.

Thus, so the idea goes, when we wake up, our carbohydrate reserve is

running on empty, which makes it more likely that we will start burning fat.

Some also add in that eating carbs in the morning stimulates release of the

hormone insulin which facilitates fat storage. Because most people wake up

in the morning, empty stomach exercise supporters are many of the same

people who advocate morning exercise as well.

Lets look at some of the evidence in support of working out on an empty

stomach: Some research does in fact find that morning exercise may

enhance the ability to burn fat when a fat-containing meal is given after

exercise.15 Other research also hints that the body prefers to utilize

monounsaturated fats more than saturated fats.16 Still other research finds

that people tend to be about 5% stronger in the afternoon 66. Likewise

aerobic endurance also tends to be greater in the afternoon66. On the other

hand, people who exercise in the morning tend to be more consistent.

People who wait till the end of the day are more likely to not exercise. Being

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez




more consistent with exercise may mean more calories burned per week,

resulting in greater weight loss.

The ability to successfully exercise without eating breakfast is surely an

individual one. Some people may have no problem working out prior to

eating while others may struggle with it.

Beyond this, it’s important to point out that carbohydrates are needed for

the fat burning process. So, if someone were exercising in the morning in

the total absence of carbohydrates (which is very unlikely), fat metabolism

wouldn’t work properly. In this condition, the body essentially looks around

and says to itself ―what else do I have to eat?‖ Well, if we are not eating

carbs, and fat breakdown needs carbs, then that leaves only one thing left—

protein.

It’s possible that in extreme cases, not eating could lead to the body

cannibalizing its own muscle tissue to power exercise energy requirements.

This is admittedly a worst case scenario but is worth mentioning because

there are people in the world who take things to the extreme and may

extend this not eating in the morning idea to new levels by not eating at all!

Another point is that working out on an empty stomach may be

inappropriate for people with diabetes, who, if blood sugar goes too low,

may pass out.

So, what's the bottom line? For the moment, all that can be said is if you are

healthy and want to try this approach, give it a shot and see if it works for

you. If you find it difficult to workout before eating then forget it and eat


breakfast first. The important thing is that you exercise and do so in a way

that works for you.

Q. Will exercise maintain metabolism during dieting?

A. Dieting lowers metabolic rate. So, many turn to exercise as a way to

offset or reverse this process. This is a controversial topic because it is

currently debatable whether exercise—including resistance training—can

completely offset the decrease in metabolism from dieting.

Factors making this issue murky include the amount of weight lifted, the

total volume (weight x reps x sets) of exercise completed and the amount of

calories restricted with dieting to name a few. Regardless of the impact of

exercise on dieting-metabolism, physical activity remains a crucial part of all

weight loss programs in light of its positive impact on a wide variety of

diverse parameters ranging from bone density, immune function and the

enhancement of one’s activities of daily living.

Q. Do we have to exercise for 20 minutes before burning fat?

A. The idea that we must exercise for 20 to 30 minutes before we begin to

use our fat reserves in the fat-burning process is popular among some

fitness experts. In reality however, we are always burning fat, it’s just a

matter of how much we are talking about.

At rest, roughly 60% of the energy being burned is coming from fat, while

about 40% comes from carbohydrate burning. When exercise starts, we

begin to burn more carbs and less fat. However, as we continue to exercise,

a shift gradually occurs where we begin using less carbs and more fat. So,


do we have to exercise for at least 20 minutes before we start the fat

burning process? Technically no, but after 20 minutes of exercise we are

using a lot more fat than we were after only one minute of exercise. After 60

minutes we are burning even more! The real key to this however is to NOT

FOCUS on fat burning. Focus more on calories being used. I say this

because sleeping is the greatest fat burning activity in the world with

roughly 70% of the energy used during sleep coming from fat. So why

doesn't anybody get skinny sleeping? Because you’re not using a lot of

calories when you sleep!

Q. Should weight lifters avoid soy protein?

A. Some weight lifters avoid soy protein because of a fear that soy’s plant

estrogens (isoflavones) might reduce muscle growth. One recent study

however finds that soy (20 grams per day for 3 months) did not lower

testosterone levels or reduce muscle growth in healthy men who lifted

weights67. Other studies also find similar effects. 14,68

In fact, because of its antioxidant properties, soy may even be a little better

than whey!14

For the moment there is no compelling evidence that soy protein is

detrimental to muscle growth. In fact, a recent study found that soy

supplements did not lower testosterone levels in men.77 While more

research is needed to resolve this to everybody’s satisfaction, those who

exercise and enjoy soy protein but who are concerned about it affecting their

muscle mass, may want to have their anabolic hormone levels checked

periodically, if for nothing else, than to help them sleep better at night.

http://www.nutritionj.com/content/3/1/22

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19284589



Q. Why are there two versions of the RPE scale?

A. The Ratings of Perceived Exertion scale (RPE scale / ―Borg Scale‖) that

adorns the walls of many health clubs has two popular forms:

1. The 6 to 20 scale, which is the original version

2. The 0-10 scale, which is the modified version

Both are good at gauging how hard people are exercising. The big difference

between them is that the 6-20 scale can be used to estimate a person’s

heart rate during exercise. You do this by multiplying the reported number

by 10.

For example if you said you felt like a 6 on a scale from 6-20, this means

your heart rate is about 6 x 10 or 60 beats per minute. The modified 0-10

scale does not allow you to estimate heart rate. The 0-10 version only allows

you to estimate fatigue level during exercise.

Q. Does weight lifting give women big muscles?

A. It's a common misconception that women will get big muscles if they lift

weights. Truth be told, women just don't have the hormones levels to drive

muscle growth like men. Testosterone, the male hormone, is one of the

major players responsible for making muscles big when a person lifts

weights.


Testosterone is found in women but it’s much less than that in men. True,

there are very muscular female bodybuilders, but to get those muscles, they

had to work at it very hard, sometimes training 7 days a week, 2 times a

day, for years. They also eat large amounts of calories. Some of these

women might also have higher levels of testosterone than the average

women. Still others might also be using anabolic steroids.

Lifting weights two, three or even 4 times a week isn't going to cause most

women to start bulging out of their clothes like the Incredible Hulk! This is

especially true if you're also doing aerobic exercise. What strength training

will do is make muscles stronger and more defined, and reduce osteoporosis.

Q. What are open chain and closed chain exercises?

A. Closed chain and open chain exercises are nothing new and if you're

working out, you are probably already doing them. The words open chain

and closed chain are just technical ways that some fitness and health

professionals use to categorize different exercises. A closed chain exercise is

one that is performed when your feet are on the ground or pressing against

something. It is called a closed chain exercise because one end of the body

(or the chain if you will), is not free to move. Classic examples are squats

and leg presses. An exercise where your feet are not on the ground or are

not pressing against something, is referred to as an open chain exercise.

Again, the end of the body (or chain), is free to move. Using a leg extension

machine or a leg curl machine are two examples of open chain exercises. In

general, neither open chain nor closed chain exercises are better than the

other. They both have their advantages. Unless you are a therapist,

physician or in the fitness industry, you probably don’t have to worry about

the difference between open and closed chain exercises.


Q. Can I get sick if I exercise too much?

A. Yes. One of the first studies dates back to 1918 where doctors noticed

more colds progressing to pneumonia in boys who were very physical

active.46 Since that time many other studies have found similar effects.

Mostly the research involves people who run marathons and triathlons and

generally finds greater rates of colds and flus occurring one to two weeks

after a race.47

In one of the most interesting studies, athletes who trained for and

participated the 1989 Los Angeles Marathon were compared to athletes who

trained for the marathon but never made it to the race for reasons other

than being sick.48 Within two weeks after the race, 13% of the runners who

participated in the marathon had cold symptoms. In comparison, only about

2% in those who trained for the marathon but never made it to the race.

The occurrence of colds after a grueling exercise event like a marathon is by

no means a certainty and there may be many people reading these words

who never get sick after races. Thus, this is an individual thing. By writing

down your how you feel in the days before and after a big exercise event

can give you valuable insights into how your immune system functions and

adapts to exercise.

Q. Do I need to warm up before exercise?

A. Absolutely! Every exercise session should be proceeded by a brief warm

up period. A warm up consists of 5 to 10 minutes of some nice, easy

aerobic-type exercise, like walking, calisthenics, the elliptical or rower etc. A

warm up is not the time to break the world’s 1-mile speed record but rather




is the time to gently prepare your body for what is to come. Basically, your

goal is to just break a sweat. When you have a little perspiration going, you

are pretty much all warmed up.

During the warm-up, your body temperature raises a little. This makes the

muscles and surrounding connective tissues more loosy-goosy. Loosy-goosy,

flexible muscles, tendons and ligaments are less likely to break or be injured

during exercise.

Besides this, other positive changes also occur. For example, our reaction-

time improves (important for athletes) and we tend to be better at dealing

with lactic acid build-up which accumulates during high intensity activates

like strength training. In addition, some evidence suggests that warming up

prior to exercise can help reduce the risk of a heart attack! This is especially

important in those who have heart disease or have had a heart attack or

stroke.

Q. Is stretching a good warm up?

A. Actually no, stretching by itself is usually not a good warm up, unless

you do it for a long time–which most people don’t. When you stretch cold

muscles, you do not raise your body temperature very much. By stretching

cold muscles, ligaments and tendons, you could actually increase your risk of

injury. If you want to want to stretch, that’s fine, just do it after warming

up.

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4595


Q. What's better: stretching before or after my workout?

A. For most people, stretching after the workout is probably best. So far,

research has not shown that stretching before and after exercise is better

than just stretching after your workout is completed.

That being said, athletes, those involved in intense exercise and even those

with some medical issues like fibromyalgia may be better served by both

stretching before, during and after exercise.

Q. Does stretching reduce the risk of injuries?

A. The research on this issue is rather limited but given what is presently

known, stretching does not appear to reduce injury risk.52 That doesn’t

mean that you should not stretch.

Studies on this topic are sometimes not the best and future research may

indeed find that stretching helps. But even if it doesn’t, stretching is far from

useless. For example, take back pain. For some people, back pain can be the

result of tightness in the hamstrings (the muscles in the back of the thighs)

or quadriceps (the front of the thigh muscles). Stretching these muscles can

help reduce or totally eliminate back pain in some people. My advice is to

keep stretching.

Q. Is no pain, no gain really true?

A. This is one of the most commonly misunderstood phrases in fitness.

People who wrongly believe the no pain, no gain philosophy think that you



have to push yourself to the point of pain (and injury) before the body grows

stronger or more fit. Baloney!

The origins of no pain, no gain can probably be traced back to bodybuilders

who often push themselves to the point of exhaustion to achieve their

impressive physiques. During these intense workouts, they would feel a

sizeable amount of muscle burning and fatigue. Often this muscle burning

would ―hurt‖. It’s this intense muscle burning felt during very intense

workouts that the no pain no gain idea was probably first was used.

A little knowledge is dangerous especially when people started taking this

statement literally and pushed themselves to the point of injury. In reality, it

is possible to grow stronger without feeling intense pain and you don’t have

to injure yourself. The bottom line is that feelings of muscle burning are very

different than the pain of an injury resulting from pushing yourself beyond

your limits.

Q. What exercise burns the most fat?

A. As a rule we use greater percentages of fat during activities that are

low intensity. Walking is a good low intensity activity that can be performed

by most people however there is an activity that we all do that burns the

most fat. Do you know what it is? Give up? It’s called sleeping. Think about

it; our bodies prefer to burn fat during low intensity activity.

What's the lowest intensity activity than any of us can do—sleep! About 70%

of the energy burned during sleeping is coming from the breakdown of fat.

Most people who ask about fat burring activities are really interested in

weight loss.


So, if sleeping burns the most fat, why doesn’t anybody get skinny sleeping?

The reason is that we don’t burn many calories sleeping. The key thing to

remember is that calories - not fat - is the key to weight loss.

When you exercise, you burn more calories. Walking is a great low-intensity

activity because most people can do it for long time without injuring

themselves. The longer you walk, the more calories you burn. You also burn

a lot of fat when walking too—so you’ve killed two birds with one stone!

Q. What’s better : 30 minutes of cardio or 30 minutes of strength

training?

A. Generally, aerobic exercise would be expected to burn a few more

calories than the strength training. This is why many people trying to lose

weight incorporate aerobic exercise like walking jogging and bike riding. If

weight loss is the goal, both types of activity—aerobic and strength

training—are important. Aerobic exercise tends to raise metabolism (the

speed we burn calories) during the exercise. Metabolic rate however usually

drops back to normal an hour or so after exercise.

Strength training, on the other hand, might raise metabolic rate 12-24 hours

after exercise. The longer metabolic rate is elevated over resting levels, the

more calories we use. Neither will work however if its not combined with

eating a few less calories every day.


Q. How many calories does a pound of muscle burn?

A. Many people often say that a pound of muscle burns somewhere between

40-50 calories a day. Other research however finds that the number is

actually lower, around 13 calories per pound. Others say it’s even lower –

around 6 calories per day! What does this mean? Even if muscle uses less

energy than previously thought, it’s still more than a pound of fat (about 2-5

calories a day). Added muscle still means extra calories used which still

translates in to weight loss down the road. Honestly, don’t focus on how

many calories a pound of muscle uses; the real key is to work out regularly

and focus on health and let the body handle the rest.

Q. What does EPOC mean?

A. The letters EPOC stand for excessive post-exercise oxygen

consumption. When we exercise, we breathe more than we normally do at

rest. It turns out that for a period of time after exercise (post exercise) we

continue to breathe a little more than usual. This extra consumption of

oxygen after exercise helps us replenish the energy reserves that we used

up during exercise. This also results in a slight elevation in our metabolism.

So, EPOC is really a measure of the elevation of metabolic rate that occurs

after exercise. While usually reserved for highly technical scientific papers,

EPOC also occasionally appears in some popula r health and fitness

magazines in articles written about how good exercise is at raising

metabolism. For more on EPOC click here

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17101527?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_SingleItemSupl.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=5&log$=relatedreviews&logdbfrom=pubmed


Q. My treadmill displays METs. What’s that?

A. METs stand for ―metabolic equivalents‖. Basically this is nothing more

than just a fancy way of expressing how hard you are working out. METs

compares your exercising metabolism to your metabolism at rest. When you

are sleeping, you are "working out" at an intensity of 1 MET. Anytime you

increase your activity level, your MET level goes up. So if you are on a

treadmill and it says you are exercising at 5 METs, this means that your

metabolism is 5 times higher than sleeping and you are burning calories 5

times faster than when you are sleeping. At 10 METs your metabolism is

about 10x higher than sleeping and you’re burning calories about 10X faster

than sleeping.

Q. What’s better for weight loss: sprinting or walking?

A. This is a loaded question because just asking what’s better does not

take into consideration a person’s health conditions. When it comes to

exercise, the rule of thumb is the greater the intensity, the greater the risk

of injury. Sprinting is a very intense form of exercise and carries risks -

especially for those who are overweight or have medical conditions.

In addition to possible injury, there is also the question of how many calories

are used during the activity. One of the reasons walking is usually advocated

to for beginners exercise and for weight loss is that most people can walk for

a long period of time. The longer you can do the activity, the more calories

you burn. Sprinting also burns calories and can build muscle as well and

that is good. But most people can’t spring very long- which means less

calories used during exercise.


People who ask about sprinting for weight loss are usually curious about how

this activity might increase their metabolism later, after they are not

exercising. While sprinting might elevate metabolic rate (especially for those

who are not used to sprinting), how this might impact weight loss in people

trying to lose weight has not been well studied.

While sprinting is probably out of the question for most overweight people,

because of the high risk of injury, some people alternate between higher

intensity and lower intensity exercise when working out. In fitness circles

this is called interval training. This method can be used for a number of

activities like stationary biking, the treadmill and ellipticals. In a nutshell,

after warming up for 5-10 minutes, increase the intensity by a little bit for 5

to 30 seconds and then decrease the intensity for about 1 to 1.5 minutes.

Raise the intensity again when you’re not tired anymore. This modified

version will increase aerobic exercise capacity, burn calories and minimize

your risk of injury. As a general rule, the rest interval (working at a lower

intensity) should be about 3x as long as the ―work interval‖ (working at the

higher intensity).

Q. Can Pilates make my muscles longer?

A. No. Pilates can help make your muscles stronger and, if combined with

a proper diet and aerobic exercise, can help you lose weight. Pilates can also

help improve flexibility. Muscle size is genetically determined however and

while Pilates can help improve the look of your muscles it is unlikely to

increase the length of muscles.


Q. Can Pilates help my back pain?

A. Maybe. Back pain is a tricky issue and can be caused by a number of

conditions. It’s possible in some of these instances that Pilates may help. For

the moment though, Pilates has not been adequately studied to determine

how effective it is at alleviating back pain or which types of back pain it

might be most useful. Before trying Pilates, its best to first have low back

pain diagnosed by a physician.

Q. Are the calorie readouts on treadmills etc. accurate?

A. The short answer is no, they are not 100% accurate. But, gym

machines like treadmills and ellipticals do provide you with a ballpark idea of

the number of calories you are burning during exercise. With respect to

accuracy, some estimate that such machines may overestimate the number

of calories burned during exercise by about 10-20 percent. Many treadmills

calculate the number of calories used from equations that factor in the

number of calories burned per pound of bodyweight per minute. Treadmill

incline is also included in this calculation as well.

What most machines do not consider however is the amount of muscle one

has. Because muscle is metabolically active and burns calories, the more

muscle a person has, the more calories they may use during exercise.

Failure to take this into consideration can also lead to in accuracy by gym

machines.

As a rule, treadmills, ellipticals and other machines tend to be a little bit

more accurate because they generally let you impute your bodyweight,

which plays a role in metabolic rate. Heavier people tend to use more


calories than thinner people. Bikes and other machines that do not allow you

to impute your body weight tend to be less accurate. Standing is harder than

sitting. Thus, treadmills and elliptical and steppers would be expected to use

more calories than those exercises where you sit (e.g. Bikes).

Another source of error is gender. Because men tend to have more muscle

than women, they might use more calories. Most gym machines do not let

people impute their gender. In addition, the efficiency of the person is not

considered either. A person who is a novice, would probably expend more

calories on a treadmill than somebody who was accustomed to the activity.

As the person got used to the movement, they would become more efficient

– and use fewer calories.

A couple of things that can be done to help correct error by exercise

machines include the following:

1. When possible, enter your body weight

2. Don’t hold on to the treadmill or use your arms to help support you

on the steppers. If using an elliptical, try not holding onto the side

handles either.

3. Exercise a little longer than usual. For example if you usually

exercise for 30 minutes and burn 500 estimated calories, then exercise

for 35 minutes. Assuming that this 500 calories is off by a little bit, by

exercising an extra 5 minutes or so will bring your actual calorie burn

closer to 500 calories.


Q. I get nauseous when I exercise. What’s going on?

A. Assuming you are a healthy person, what is probably happening is that

you are exercising too intensely for your fitness level. When we exercise at a

level that is more than we are used to, we begin to burn sugar (carbs) for

energy. When this is done at a very fast rate, a compound called lactic acid

is made. Lactic acid (also called lactate) isn’t a strong acid so it won’t eat

through metal but it will upset the delicate balance of your body. When the

body senses that lactic acid is being generated faster than it can get rid of, it

does the only thing it can do – make you nauseous enough to stop

exercising, or in extreme cases, throw up!

If this happens to you, I would suggest you cut back on your exercise

intensity a little bit and give your body a chance to get used to being

pushed. In time, your body will adapt to exercise and you shouldn’t get

nauseous anymore.

Q. Any benefit to facing away from stair stepper machine?

A. Performing the exercise while facing away from the stepper tends to use

more of the hamstrings, the muscles on the back of the thigh. Facing

forward (the usual way people do it) tends to use less hamstrings and more

of the quadriceps (the muscles on the front of the thigh). An argument could

also be made that the unfamiliar movement pattern of facing away from the

machine might help you burn a few more calories. Other than this, for most

people there is probably little benefit to this variation of exercise.


Nutrition Questions

Q. Which is better for strength: creatine or protein?

A. Both protein and creatine can help build muscle when combined with a

weight lifting program. Muscle is about 20% protein (the rest is water).

Adding a little additional protein to a healthy diet (that includes carbs) along

with a weight lifting program has been shown to increase muscle mass and

strength.

Creatine, acting like a supercharger for ATP production, allows us to make

energy very fast. This in turn, allows us to sustain a high intensity activity

(like lifting a heavy weight) a little longer than usual. This, in turn, sends a

signal to our muscles to get stronger.

Because both protein and creatine are needed in the muscle building

process, one may wonder which is better. No study to date that I am aware

of has compared protein supplementation to just creatine supplementation

(without additional protein). But, it makes intuitive sense that protein would

be a better approach. Let’s discuss why:

Creatine (without additional protein) will help us lift a heavy weight a little

longer. This sends a signal to the body to make more muscle proteins (like

actin and myosin). But, if you were not eating enough protein, then this

might, in theory, cause the body to break down other protein-containing

structures as it tries to build up the muscles. In essence, you are robbing

Peter to pay Paul, which in the end makes you weaker overall.


This, of course, is based on worst case scenarios to illustrate my point. The

bottom line however for the healthy person who is trying to decide which

might be best for him or her, a little extra protein added to the diet is

probably the best way to go.

Q. What is “hydrolyzed gelatin”? It’s in some protein supplements.

A. Hydrolyzed gelatin (also called hydrolyzed collagen) is similar to the

collagen connective tissue that is found in the body. Gelatin is also the same

type of protein found in gelatin-type deserts. Hydrolyzed gelatin may also

show up in protein meal replacement bars.

While gelatin is a protein, it does not contain the broad spectrum of essential

amino acids like those found in whey, soy, chicken, eggs as well as chicken

and other meat products. As such, it’s not the best type of protein to use for

building muscle. You can easily see how much hydrolyzed gelatin is in a

protein supplement by looking at the product’s label. If gelatin is among the

first few ingredients listed, it is present in high concentrations.

Q. What foods are bad for weight loss?

A. I am of the opinion that most foods are health foods when used in

moderation. But, there are some foods that, when used in excess can hurt

weight loss goals. They include sodas (not diet), fast food, sugar (empty

calories), cookies, cakes, pies, whole milk (1% or 2% has less calories),

sugar-containing juices, candy bars, white flour (whole wheat is better), and


alcohol. I’d also add in ―fat free‖ and ―low fat‖ foods because they may not

be low in calories.

The big problem with most of these foods is that they tend to contain a lot of

unneeded calories. Can you use these foods when trying to lose weight? Yes

you can; however, it’s easy to overindulge on these items, which adds extra

calories to your diet.

You don’t have to totally give up the foods you love when trying to lose

weight. Some people give themselves a ―cheat day‖ where once a week they

allow themselves the luxury of eating anything they want. Giving yourself a

cheat day also helps you set goals during the week by allowing you to see a

light at the end of the tunnel.

Q. If less calories is best for weight loss, why can’t I skip meals?

Isn’t skipping meals cutting calories?

A. Many people trying to lose weight think that if they just don’t eat or eat

very little that they will lose weight. In the short run this might work, but

most of the weight you lose is in the form of water as you break down

precious glycogen in an attempt to maintain your blood sugar levels.

People can’t skip means very long. One of the reasons for this is that as you

eat less, your stomach makes a hormone called ghrelin, that makes you

want to eat.28 Ghrelin levels also go up when you don’t eat or skip meals.28

This is actually part of a survival mechanism the body adopts when drastic

reductions in calories are eaten. When you skip meals, your body ―thinks‖




that there is no food to eat. It doesn’t know you live just down the street

from a supermarket!

Faced with the prospect of not getting the calories it needs, the body slows

down its metabolic rate (the speed you burn calories) in an attempt to

conserve energy and keep you alive long enough to find food. So, by

skipping meals (or not eating at all) you actually defeat your weight loss

goals.

On top of this, when you finally do eat—and you eventually will—your body

converts a lot of what you eat back into glycogen and fat. The body

essentially says to itself ―Wow, that was rough; I better be prepared if this

happens again‖— so it makes you heavier than before!

A much better approach is a modest reduction in calories.

Try cutting back on about 250 calories a day and couple this with expending

250 calories during exercise. This would equal a loss of 500 calories a day.

There are 3500 calories in a pound of fat. If you can reduce 500 calories a

day for 7 days, this, in theory, should equal a loss of one pound.

Q. Are fat free foods best for weight loss?

A. Myth. The key to weight loss is eating fewer calories—not eating less

fat. It is possible for a fat free or low fat food to be teeming with

calories. Fat helps foods taste good, so when fat is removed from a

food, something is often added to help improve taste and texture.


Sometimes what is added is sugar, which increases the calorie content.

In addition some fat free foods may be high in salt—which is especially

inappropriate for people with high blood pressure.

Bottom line: fat free does not mean calorie free and low fat does not

mean low calorie.

Q. What is the truth behind most diets?

A. Most diets are just fancy sounding low calorie diets. An easy way to tell

this is by looking at the foods that are on the diet. If fruits and vegetables

are many of the favorite foods in the diet, it’s a low calorie diet.

Q. How do low carb diets cause weight loss?

A. When a person goes on a low carbohydrate diet, they will likely lose a

large amount of weight within the first two weeks. The reason for this has to

do with glycogen, which is the body’s storage form of sugar.

When we significantly reduce the amount of carbohydrates we eat, our body

starts to break down its glycogen reserves in order to keep our blood sugar

from falling too much (we can die if blood sugar gets too low!).

As glycogen is utilized, a lot of water is released in the process. In fact, for

every pound of glycogen that is used, 3 pounds of water are liberated! The

body has to do something with all that water, so it sends people to the

bathroom to get rid of it.


Thus, for the first few weeks, most of the weight that is lost on a low carb

diet is in the form of water.

When compared to people who cut their calories (but not carbs), some

evidence suggests that low carbohydrate diets may actually be a little better

at reducing weight for the first 6 months of a diet program. However, after a

year of dieting, low carb diets appear to be no better than simply counting

calories.63

Q. What's better: eating less fat or eating fewer calories?

A. Most nutrition experts will agree that eating less calories is best for

weight loss. Each gram of fat has 9 calories. So, when people begin

cutting back on the fat in their diet, they are really reducing the

number of calories they eat. It is interesting to note that many popular

diets also work by getting people to cut back on the number of calories

they eat.

Q. Can I eat as much as I want if I exercise?

A. While I am sure there are people who can do this, I would not

recommend this approach to losing weight. One of the reasons for this is

that the calories you expend during exercise may be outweighed by the

calories you eat. For example, if you exercise for an hour and expend 500

calories, but then eat a big 3000 calorie dinner, this, combined with

whatever else you have eaten during the day will have voided the net calorie

loss created by exercise.



While it is possible for some to have their cake and eat it too, I would

personally stick to the traditional watch what you eat and exercise method of

weight loss, just to be on the safe side.

Q. Does chromium burn fat and build muscle?

A. Some research suggests that the trace mineral chromium may help

insulin work better and as such, might assist with blood sugar regulation.

That being said, the evidence that chromium can help people shed excess fat

or build muscle is extremely weak. As such, people can save their money on

chromium supplements and overly priced chromium-containing weight loss

products. People looking to lose weight or build muscle should look no

further than their local health club or to the exercise equipment that is

collecting dust in their basement.

The scoop on chromium, as well as over 100 other popular supplements, can

be found in my book, Nutritional Supplements: What Works and Why. A

Review from A to Zinc and Beyond that is available at my website, www.Joe-

Cannon.com

Q. What is the difference between an RD and a nutritionist?

A. A registered dietitian (RD) is someone who has at least a BS degree in

nutrition and has passed the American Dietetic Association test. Most also do

an internship under the tutelage of another qualified dietician. A nutritionist

is a more general term that may or may not refer to an RD. Some dietitians

call themselves nutritionists, however, depending on the state in which one

resides, the term nutritionist might be able to be used by almost anyone—

including those with no formal nutrition education or certification.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506057?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_SingleItemSupl.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=1&log$=relatedarticles&logdbfrom=pubmed



http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/index.html


Q. What are carbohydrates?

A. Carbohydrate (carbs) is the fancy name for sugars. Carbohydrates are

the source of fuel that the body prefers to use. Carbs are also crucial to all

exercise ranging from hiking and jogging to lifting weights. Each gram of

carbohydrates has 4 calories, so they contain fewer calories than fat—which

has 9 calories per gram.

Common examples of carbohydrates include pasta, rice and potatoes

however, all vegetables like spinach, broccoli and cauliflower are also

carbohydrates. In addition, fruits also contain carbohydrates as well.

Carbohydrates can be divided into simple carbohydrates that are absorbed

quickly by the body and complex carbohydrates, which because of their

more complex chemical structure, take longer to be absorbed by the body.

Vegetables, like broccoli and spinach, are examples of complex

carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates tend to have more vitamins,

minerals, fiber and other nutrients than simple carbohydrates and as such,

are more highly valued by nutrition experts.

Q. When is carbo loading appropriate?

A. Carbohydrate loading (carbo loading) is a technique practiced by some

athletes such as cyclists and marathon runners to improve the distance they

can cover during their races. Another name is glycogen super-compensation.

When somebody carbo loads, they are trying to make more glycogen, the


body’s reserve carbohydrate supply that is crucial during long-duration

exercise like running marathons.

There are a few variations of carbo loading but essentially it involves eating

a relatively low carbohydrate diet several days before the race. This is then

followed by eating a high carbohydrate diet a day or so before the race.

Eating fewer carbs stimulates the body to increase an enzyme called

glycogen synthase, which makes glycogen. When the athlete eats a high

carbohydrate diet again, the enzyme converts a greater amount of carbs into

glycogen. In effect, this helps put more gas in your gas tank.

Another version of carbo loading involves just cutting back on the amount of

exercise you do, while at the same time continuing to eat as you normally

would. By cutting back on exercise, you use less glycogen. This means more

glycogen is available during your race.

Carbo loading would be most beneficial to those who take part in aerobic

events lasting 90 minutes or longer. Carbo loading probably won't help

athletes involved in exercise lasting for shorter periods of time, such as

those who jog a few miles a day. Likewise, people who go to the gym a few

times a week don’t need to carbo load either.

Q. What calcium supplement is best?

A. When choosing a calcium supplement, look for the amount of elemental

calcium that the supplement contains. This is the form of calcium that our

bodies actually use to keep bones strong. The most popular types of calcium

found in supplements are calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, calcium lactate


and calcium gluconate. Each differs in the amount of elemental calcium it

contains.

Calcium carbonate is 40% elemental calcium. Calcium citrate is the next

highest at 21%. Calcium lactate has about 13% and calcium gluconate has

about 9%.

Some calcium supplements list the amount of elemental calcium they

contain while others may not. To determine how much is in your

supplement, multiply the milligrams of calcium by the percent of elemental

calcium that type contains.

For example, suppose you had a 500 mg capsule of calcium carbonate. Since

calcium carbonate is 40% elemental calcium this means that 500 x 0.40

=200 mg of elemental calcium.

Many health care professionals recommend calcium carbonate. It not only

has the most elemental calcium, but also tends to be cheaper than the other

types. Calcium citrate, while containing less elemental calcium, can also help

strengthen bones and appears to be a little better absorbed than calcium

carbonate.

So which is right for you? It depends. Before opting for a calcium

supplement, examine if you are getting the RDA of 1200-1500 mg from

food. One cup of milk has 300 mg of calcium. Research shows that people

who eat calcium rich food have stronger bones than those who take calcium

supplements. Also, remember that while calcium can help keep bones

strong, it is far more effective when combined with exercise, especially

strength training.


Q. How many calories are in fat?

A. Fat is a very energy-dense molecule and has more energy (calories)

than either proteins or carbohydrates. There are 9 calories contained in a

gram of fat. Looking at this another way, every pound of fat has 3500

calories. Looking at this from still another angle, the average person has

enough fat on his/her body to run nonstop for almost 1,000 miles!

Q. Do we make vitamins?

A. As a rule, to be classified as a vitamin, a substance must fulfill a couple

of criteria:

1. Not be made naturally in the body

2. A disease or syndrome must develop if the substance

in question is not regularly consumed.

So in general, according to rule #1, vitamins cannot be made in the body.

However a couple vitamins do violate this rule. One of them is vitamin D

which is made by the skin when we are exposed to sunlight. This is why

vitamin D is sometimes called the ―sun vitamin‖.

Even though it is made naturally, this nutrient still fulfills criteria #2 because

if we do not get vitamin D, our bones get weaker, a condition called rickets

(in children) and osteomalacia (in adults). Some new research is also

starting to link low levels of vitamin D to other conditions like MS and some

types of cancer to name a few.


Vitamin K is another example, although technically we do not make this

nutrient. Rather, bacteria that live in our digestive system make this vitamin

for us. These bacteria eat the food we eat and give us vitamin K in the

process. Failure to get vitamin K (found in green leafy vegetables) can

affect the ability of blood to clot properly. This is why doctors will sometimes

tell their patients who take blood –thinner medications, to steer clear of

some vegetables.

Q. Do vitamins give us energy?

A. When most people ask this question they are really asking if vitamins

will give them more pep or energy to help get through their busy days.

Technically, vitamins do not have any usable calories so they do not directly

supply us with energy. Vitamins do, however, help us extract energy from

food as well as assist with the burning of fat and carbohydrates. So in this

way, yes, vitamins can help give us energy.

Even so, for those who eat a healthy diet that includes proteins, fats,

carbohydrates and adequate calories, extra vitamins do not provide people

with more pep or energy to make it through stressful days.

Q. Do vitamin B 12 shots help weight loss?

A. There is no proof this. It’s possible that some weight loss clinics may do

this because getting weekly injections of vitamin B 12 may help people

adhere to their weight loss goals. In other words, if they know they have to

return to the clinic each week and get weighed and get a shot, then they

may be more likely to stick to the diet. While seniors and vegetarians may


benefit from this nutrient, vitamin B 12 does not give any extra pep to

healthy people.

Q. When is the best time to take vitamins?

A. While there is no ―perfect‖ time, as a rule it’s probably best to take

vitamins with food. The reason for this is that when you eat, you produce

more stomach acid which helps dissolve the vitamin and aids in its

absorption. In addition, the fat-soluble vitamins (A, E, D & K) that are

contained in multivitamins also need some fat to be absorbed properly.

Q. Are water-soluble vitamins excreted in the urine?

A. The water-soluble vitamins are vitamin C and the B complex family of

vitamins. As a rule yes, excess water-soluble vitamins usually leave the

body, most notably in the urine. That being said, we can store some of

them. Vitamin B 12 is the most famous case of this where we can store as

much as 5 years worth.12 The B vitamin called biotin is actually recycled so

deficiency is rare.

Q. Why don’t multivitamins have the RDA for calcium?

A. Many multivitamins provide only a percentage of the calcium RDA. The

reason for this is because calcium is a pretty big molecule. Stuffing the

entire RDA into a multivitamin, in addition to all the other nutrients, would

make it even bigger than it already is. The bulkiness of the calcium molecule

is also the reason why calcium supplements tend to be so big.


Q. Are vitamins made for women, men, seniors etc. better?

A. While they may cost a little bit more, there may be some advantages.

For example, many ―men’s formula‖ multivitamins tend to have little, if any,

iron. Men tend to eat more iron than women and some – but not all -

research hints that this mineral may be linked to heart disease in men. Too

much iron can also exacerbate a genetic condition called iron overload

disease.

Multivitamins designed for women tend to have more calcium, which helps

battle osteoporosis.

In theory, multivitamins that contain special ingredients may help, but as a

rule, the amounts of specific nutrients they contain are often less than that

used in research.

Also, the ingredients used in these preparations are sometimes chosen

because of what researchers think might help. For example, in the case of

lycopene helping prostate glands, most of the research is based on studies

of people who eat tomatoes and tomato sauce - not lycopene supplements.

So do you need gender or age specific multivitamins? They can’t hurt, but

make sure that they are complemented by eating a nutritious diet that

includes lean meats and lots of fruits and vegetables for added insurance.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15231242?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_SingleItemSupl.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=5&log$=relatedreviews&logdbfrom=pubmed



Q. How do I know if my vitamins contain what they say they do?

A. One of the reasons experts say to deal only with companies that you

trust is to better guarantee that you are dealing with established, reputable

companies that follow stringent guidelines and ensure their products are

quality-made and have both the ingredients and levels of ingredients that

they purport to contain.

One way to tell is to look for a seal of approval from an independent

laboratory. One such seal is the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP).

Products that pass testing may bear the seal of this company but they

usually have to pay extra for that right, something some companies may not

want to do. Thus, not seeing a seal may not necessarily mean a product is

inferior. Most supplements in fact do not have the USP logo.

When in doubt, consumers should call the product’s maker and ask for their

records concerning Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs). The GMPs

stipulate that supplement companies keep records regarding sanitary

conditions and that the ingredients are quality, wholesome and that the

product is properly labeled.

Q. Are natural vitamins better than synthetic vitamins?

A. Technically, the body does not know the difference between synthetic

vitamins made in the laboratory and natural vitamins, made in nature. This

is because the chemical structures of synthetic and natural vitamins are

identical. Ironically sometimes it’s the synthetic vitamin that is absorbed

better. For example, your multivitamins probably contains folic acid-which is

the synthetic version of the B vitamin, folate. We absorb folic acid better


than folate. That does not mean that folic acid is ―better‖ however because

some research links increased folic acid intake (from supplements and folic

acid fortified foods) to increased risk of prostate cancer and colon cancer 69 !

Q. Is natural vitamin E is better than synthetic vitamin E?

A. It turns out that the body does utilize natural vitamin E better than

synthetic vitamin E—and for a very good reason.

Consider this: some people in the world are left-handed and others are

right-handed. The same is also true for molecules as well! Technically, we

refer to left-handed molecules as levorotory (or L for short). Right-handed

molecules are given the name dextrorotatory (or d for short).

The human body prefers right-handed (d) vitamin E over left-hand (L)

vitamin E. So in theory, natural vitamin E would be composed of all right-

handed molecules (in other words, only the d version).

Synthetic vitamin E is actually composed of a mixture of both right-and left-

handed molecules (referred to as ―dl alpha tocopherol‖ on many vitamin

labels). But you and I can only use the right-handed (d) version. So,

theoretically, only 50% of synthetic vitamin E can be utilized by the body.

Remember that, right-handed vitamin E made in the laboratory, is absorbed

no differently than right-handed vitamin E made in nature’s laboratory.

Also, there is no legal definition of the word ―natural‖. This means that the

law permits a natural vitamin supplement to contain synthetic vitamins. In

fact, studies do occasionally find that this occurs. For those who really want

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2745742/


natural vitamins, do your homework; when in doubt, ask companies for

proof that only natural vitamins are being used.

Q. Why do multivitamins use beta carotene and not vitamin A?

A. Vitamin A, while an essential nutrient, can be toxic in large doses. Beta

carotene, the phytonutrient responsible for carrot’s orange color, is one of

the many nutrients found in fruits and vegetables. The human body has the

ability to transform beta carotene into vitamin A. Because too much vitamin

A can harm the liver, replacing vitamin A with beta carotene avoids this

problem by letting the body convert only as much beta carotene as it needs.

Q. Does beta carotene have any side effects?

A. Yes. When people eat a diet that’s rich in fruits and vegetables, they

tend to get less cancer, heart disease and other conditions. For a time, beta

carotene was thought to be one of the common denominators responsible

for this observation. However, several studies have found that beta carotene

supplements are not only ineffective at protecting against cancer but also

appear to increase the risk of lung cancer in those who smoke.8 This effect is

not seen when people eat foods that contain beta carotene.

The reason why beta carotene not only failed to protect against cancer but

also elevated lung cancer risk is not completely understood. Beta carotene is

one of hundreds of phytonutrients. The tip-off is the word beta, which is the

second letter of the Greek alphabet. Whenever you see the word beta,

remember that there is also an alpha, a gamma, a delta and so on…



Phytonutrients (as well as other nutrients) tend to work in concert with each

other.

In other words, the whole is stronger than the sum of its parts. It’s unlikely

that any single phytonutrient, extracted from its natural environment (food)

is likely to produce the same effect as when the food itself is eaten. The

take-home message is simple: get your beta carotene from food and not

supplements—especially if you smoke or work around asbestos.

Q. Are there any supplements that can boost testosterone?

A. Honestly, I don’t think there is a supplement out there that is totally

safe when it comes to boosting testosterone levels. There are a lot of pro-

hormones on the market that make the claim that they can do this but the

research on the most popular ones—androstendione and androstenediol -

shows they boost estrogen levels much more than testosterone—and they

don’t appear to enhance strength or muscle size.

The long-term safety of pro-hormones is also open to speculation.

Key point to remember: elevations in testosterone or growth hormone do

not necessarily mean an improvement in muscle strength, size or athletic

performance.


Q. Can you drink too much water?

A. Yes. It’s called hyponatremia and refers to a condition where water is

consumed in such large quantities that it dilutes the salts (electrolytes) in

the blood. This can affect muscle contractions - including the heart. Other

side effects (death not withstanding) include dizziness, muscle weakness and

passing out. Sometimes this condition is called ―water intoxication‖.

Typically, hyponatremia is seen in marathon runners and triathletes who are

overly concerned about not becoming dehydrated. While a rare condition, it

can occur in anybody who drinks too much too fast. Fortunately, you’d have

to drink a LOT before hyponatremia becomes a problem.

Q. Can zinc prevent colds?

A. Zinc supplements or lozenges can't prevent colds but some evidence

hints that zinc lozenges may help reduce the duration and severity of colds

by a few days.30 Studies show that zinc must be used within 24-48 hours of

the first signs of a cold and continued every couple of hours.

It is thought that zinc works by interfering with the replication of the

rhinovirus, the virus that causes colds. People considering zinc should also

keep in mind that not all studies show that it works.

When deciding on a zinc supplement to help with colds, stick with the

lozenges, they have the most evidence to date. Until more is known, avoid

nasal sprays or other similar products that contain zinc. Isolated reports

suggest that in some people, zinc placed in the nasal passages may damage

the sense of smell.31


http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm167065.htm

http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm167065.htm


For more info on supplements, read my book, ―Nutritional Supplements‖

Q. Why is there “oxygen” in bottled water and sports drinks?

A. Some sports drinks and bottled water beverages that contain added

oxygen are often marketed to people interested in improving their exercise

ability; however, they offer no benefit over other sports drinks. The thought

behind these beverages is that the added oxygen will help improve exercise

ability like running and cycling.

Not only do these beverages have no proof, from a physiology standpoint, it

doesn’t make sense that they work. Humans absorb oxygen by the lungs,

not the stomach or intestines. The blood of healthy people is already about

98% or more saturated with oxygen. Thus, the blood and tissues of the body

are far from being oxygen deprived.

Another issue is that most of these beverages are contained in plastic

bottles, from which oxygen can easily escape. So, even if oxygen was

infused into these products, it probably wouldn’t stay there for very long.

Far more important than oxygen content of sports drinks is the level of

carbohydrates they contain. Studies show that sports drinks containing a

6%-8% glucose solution seem to work best for people involved in exercise

lasting 60 minutes or longer. Sports drinks that contain more than this

amount are essentially fancy sugar water that might impede exercise

capacity by slowing digestion and causing muscle cramping.



Q. What’s better water or sports drinks?

A. if you are exercising for less than 60 minutes, then stick with water. If

you are exercising for longer than 60 minutes especially if its outside in the

heat, then a sports drink may help best. You can also dilute a sports drink

(½ water ½ sports drink) if you like. The idea of the sports drink is that if

you’re working out intensely, then you may be sweating off electrolytes and

depleting your carbohydrate reserves (glycogen). In this instance a sports

drink, diluted or not would give your muscles what they need so you can

keep working out.

Q. Will glucosamine re-grow cartilage?

A. While some research has shown that glucosamine sulfate may be

effective at dealing with the pain of osteoarthritis, It does not appear to re-

grow joint cartilage.

The good news; however, is that some research suggests that glucosamine

may be able to slow down the destruction of cartilage.29 This is something

that pain relievers like aspirin cannot do. Research on glucosamine

generally uses 1500 mg a day.



Q. Can glucosamine or chondroitin help repair a rotator cuff?

A. Get your rotator cuff evaluated by a physical therapist or sports

medicine physician. You may be able to strengthen the area by doing

specific rotator-cuff exercises.

I’ve investigated supplements for over 12 years and I have never seen any

research proving that glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, etc. can strengthen

tendons or help rotator cuff problems. The research on these compounds is

on osteoarthritis only – not other injuries or conditions.

Q. What does partially hydrogenated mean?

A. To hydrogenate a fat means to add hydrogen atoms to it. This changes

the chemical properties of the fat. Saturated fats are literally saturated with

hydrogen atoms. Partially hydrogenated, while less saturated with hydrogen

atoms, is nevertheless also a saturated fat. Sometimes the powers that be in

the food industry will use big words to try to pull the wool over the eyes of

those who read food labels. So they use words like partially hydrogenated in

place of saturated fat.

Another phrase that is also used on food labels to confuse people is ―tropical

oils‖. Tropical oils, like palm kernel oil and coconut oil are also saturated

fats.

Saturated fats are implicated in the development of heart disease and as

such are things to avoid as much as possible. Specifically saturated fats have

been shown to raise LDL (bad cholesterol).


Considering how harmful they are, some might wonder why they are used in

the first place. Well, saturated fats do help increase the shelf life of a food,

which, in turn, keeps the price down. Think how expensive cookies and

cakes might be if they spoiled after a few days! So from an economical

viewpoint, saturated fats are good but from a health viewpoint they are far

from good. While partially hydrogenated fats contain less hydrogen atoms,

they are likely to possess more of what is called trans fats.

Q. What are trans fats?

A. The word ―trans‖ refers to the molecular arrangement of the atoms that

make up a fat. Trans fats are usually created during the process of making

polyunsaturated fats. As a rule, trans fats are found in foods that contain

polyunsaturated and saturated fats. While trans fats are technically

unsaturated fats, they behave like saturated fats. Research on trans fats

finds that they can lower good cholesterol (HDL) and raise bad cholesterol

(LDL). This dangerous combination fosters the development of heart

disease. Because of this, all food labels in the US now list trans fats.

Q. Are trans fats found naturally in food?

A. Yes. Some foods like meat and milk naturally contain trans fatty acids.

The levels found in nature, however, are much lower than that found in

some commercially available products and fast foods. The average person

gets about 6 grams of trans fat a day 56. While this isn’t much, there does

not seem to be a safe amount of processed trans fats.

http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm079609.htm


Q. Do foods with zero trans fat, really have no trans fat?

A. Laws governing food labels do permit a company to list a food as having

no trans fats if each serving contains less than ½ gram per serving. While

this may not seem like much, this small amount could add up if the food is

eaten in excess. For example, suppose one were eating crackers that listed

no trans fats. Suppose each serving were equivalent to 17 crackers. So, if

you eat 17 crackers you also consume about ½ gram of trans fats. Suppose

also that the box of crackers has 10 servings per box. If you eat the entire

box, you have consumed 10 X 0.5 = 5 grams of trans fats.

Putting things in perspective, the FDA estimates that Americans over the age

of 20 consume about 6 grams of trans fats per day.56

Even though a food label may not list trans fats, you can sometimes spot

them by looking at the ingredients list. Ingredients like shortening,

margarine and the phrase partially hydrogenated are tip offs for the

presence of trans fats.56

Another way to determine the amount of trans fat in a product is to simply

call the company who makes the item you are wondering about. Most

companies have 800 numbers where you can call and get answers to their

questions. These phone numbers are usually listed on the product

somewhere.


Q. Why are trans fats unhealthy?

A. Trans fatty acids appear to raise bad cholesterol (LDL) and lower good

cholesterol (HDL). They also seem to raise total cholesterol levels. By doing

this, trans fats create a cellular environment that makes heart disease easier

to occur. As mentioned previously, all food labels in the US now list trans fat

content.

Q. Are all trans fats bad?

A. When covered by the media, trans fats are usually mentioned in a bad

light. This is generally for a good reason given that high intakes of trans fats

might contribute to heart disease. But, is it possible for a trans fat to be

healthy? Maybe.

Some have suggested that lumping all trans fats together as unhealthy may

not be a smart idea. For example, conjugated linoleic acid, better known as

CLA, is a type of trans fat that some research finds may have anti-cancer

properties.4 The research is still very new and is ongoing, so it is difficult to

say what types of cancer might be affected by CLA and how much is needed

to impact cancer. On the downside, some other research suggests that CLA

may increase the risk of type II diabetes in overweight people.70 I mention

both the possible good and not so good of CLA to point out that there is still

a lot people don’t know about the health effects – if any – for natural trans

fats. So, any claims for ―healthy trans fats‖ should be viewed with caution.



Q. How much trans fat is too much?

A. Currently there isn’t enough solid evidence to know at what point trans

fatty acids might increase disease risk. This is the reason why there is no

daily value (―DV‖) is listed for trans fat on food labels. For now, the best

advice is to heed the official recommendation on trans fats, which is to keep

their consumption ―as low as possible‖.56

Q. Can I be a vegetarian and still eat meat?

A. Yes. Some vegetarians do, in fact, eat meat occasionally. These

people are sometimes called ―flexitarians‖ which essentially means they are

flexible in their food choices and sometimes eat meat because they

recognize that there is no one perfect food. Eating meat is also an easy way

to make sure they are getting complete proteins in their diet.

As a rule, flexitarians do not make meat the main portion of their meals but

rather the meat they consume complements the other foods that they eat

during the day.

Q. What are sugar alcohols?

A. While technically neither a sugar nor an alcohol, sugar alcohols are

compounds that look like both sugars and alcohols. Because they have fewer

calories than regular sugar (1.5 to 3 calories per gram as opposed to 4

calories per gram for sugar and other carbohydrates), sugar alcohols are

often used in place of sugar in low calorie and low carb foods, as well as in

some nutritional supplements. They also tend to be not as sweet as


―regular‖ sugars. They also don’t cause cavities either because they are not

broken down by the bacteria in the mouth. A downside of this is that eating

too much may cause gas.

Common sugar alcohols include mannitol, sorbitol, and xylitol. Another

difference between traditional carbohydrates and sugar alcohols is that sugar

alcohols do not raise insulin levels very much, if at all. Thus, sugar alcohols

may also be found in dietetic foods as well. Sugar alcohols do not contain

any alcohol like the kind found in alcoholic beverages, so they will not make

people drunk.

Q. What are Net Carbs?

A. According to the Atkins website, a net carb refers to the total

carbohydrate content of a food, minus the fiber that the food contains.

Since fiber does not raise blood sugar, net carbs better reflect how much

the food will raise blood sugar. Foods with more fiber (less net carbs), raise

blood sugar less. Examples of low Net Carb foods includes vegetables and

some fruits.

The way to calculate Net Carbs in foods is to look at the food label and

subtract the fiber grams from the total grams of carbohydrate that the food

has. For example if the food had 20 grams of carbs and 5 grams of fiber, it

has 20 – 5 = 15 grams of Net Carbs.

It’s important to remember that it’s possible for foods to be low in Net

Carbs, yet high in calories.


Q What are phytonutrients?

A. Phyto means plant. Phytonutrients are components of fruits and

vegetables, grains, nuts and teas and are thought to play a role in achieving

optimal health. They are not vitamins or minerals and currently there is no

RDA for phytonutrients.

Several studies, however find that phytonutrients (phytochemicals) may play

a role in health and the prevention of various diseases. For example, some

evidence suggests that various phytonutrients may act as antioxidants, and

as such, may protect the body from syndromes such as cancer and heart

disease.

Examples of phytonutrients include the carotenoids, anthocyanins and

isoflavonoids, to name a few. Literally hundreds of phytonutrients are

currently known to exist. Studies show that people who consume a diet rich

in fruits and vegetables tend to be healthier overall than those who do not.

These observations have prompted research to uncover which nutrients

might be responsible for food’s protective effects.

The research on phytonutrients is still in its infancy. Because of this,

supplementing with individual phytonutrients is not recommended. For

example, studies have found that smokers who use beta carotene

supplements have a higher rate of lung cancer compared to non-smokers.51

This doesn't happen when people eat foods that contain beta carotene.

Lycopene, a phytonutrient found in tomatoes, is sometimes used by men

because of research hinting that it might help reduce prostate cancer.


However, most of the research on this nutrient involves eating tomatoes—

not lycopene supplements.

It is possible that food protects against disease because of the interaction of

several thousands of phytonutrients all working in synergy with each other.

If this is true, then consuming single phytonutrients, like lycopene or beta

carotene in large amounts, might not work the same as consuming fruits

and vegetables—and may result in outcomes quite opposite from what was

expected.

Q. What is the difference between a good carb and a bad carb?

A. ―Good carbs‖ is a phrase sometimes used to describe complex

carbohydrates, like vegetables. ―Bad carbs‖ is sometimes used in place of

simple carbohydrates, like candy, table sugar and those carbs found in

baked goods, white bread and other similar items. Good carbs are called

―good‖ because they are low in calories and have lots of vitamins, minerals

and phytonutrients.

Bad carbs are called ―bad‖ because, for the most part, they are devoid of

nutrients. Bad carbs are not really bad and do have their place when used in

moderation. It is only when they make up a large part of the diet that they

cause problems like promoting obesity and obesity-related problems.

Q. Can nutrition help me live longer?

A. The answer appears to be yes; however most people probably might

not want to do what it takes. Studies show that eating fewer calories

extends the lifespan. This effect has been observed in every species studied.


As an added bonus, animals that eat less calories also appear to suffer from

fewer diseases and have a better quality of life than animals that are allowed

to eat as much as they want.

Humans have such a long lifespan that it’s difficult to test if it really works in

people or not. From what is known, it appears that for this to work, people

may have to cut their calories by about 25% of what they normally eat. For

many this would equal eating between 1500-1700 calories per day. That’s

much less than the almost 3000 calories the average American eats per day.

That being said, doing this occasionally, like every other day, might also help

extend life. Give it a shot and let me know in 100 years if it worked for you

It is important, however, to not take cutting calories to extremes. Doing so

can deprive people of valuable energy, vitamins, minerals and other

nutrients needed to stay healthy. For example, failing to get adequate

calcium by dietary restrictions might foster the development of osteoporosis.

In other words, eating too few calories might speed up conditions that

normally only occur in older adults. Everything in moderation is probably

best.

Q. How much protein do you need?

A. This is one of the most frequently asked questions in nutrition and is

very common among those who exercise. To answer this question, let’s start

with what most medical and nutrition professionals agree with – the adult

RDA for protein which is 0.36 grams per pound (it’s often rounded it to 0.4

grams to make the math easier). For example, suppose you were a 150 lb

woman


150 x 0.4 grams per pound = 60 grams of protein

The other way is to use the metric system. If using the metric system, the

RDA is defined as 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. (This is the same

thing as 0.36 grams per pound). This is how the protein RDA is often listed

in medical and nutrition books.

If you’re using the metric system, follow these steps:

Step 1: Convert your weight in pounds to kilograms by dividing by

2.2 (there are 2.2 pounds in a kilogram). For example, a 150 pound

woman will weigh 150 ÷ 2.2 = 68 kilograms.

Step 2: Multiply the answer in step 1 by the RDA (0.8).

For example, a 150 pound (68 kg) woman would have a protein

RDA of 68 X 0.8 = about 54 grams of protein.

Since there are 28 grams in an ounce, this equals about 2 ounces of

protein.

Notice that that using the metric system gave a different answer 54

grams) than when we used pounds (60 grams). That’s because we

rounded the RDA to 0.4 grams per pound. If we used the actual

RDA of 0.36 we would get the same answer.

The protein RDA was designed to meet the needs of most non-exercising

people. Research finds that people who exercise need a little more protein

than this. Because of this controversy, some people usually recommend

somewhat higher amounts of protein. Generally this is about 0.54 - 0.86

grams per pound. Some people round this to 0.6 to 0.9 grams per pound.


In the metric system this is the same as

1.2 to 1.8 grams per kilogram of body weight.

For the 150 pound person described above, eating 1.2 grams per kilogram of

body weight, this would equal 81 grams or about 3 ounces. For many

healthy people, consuming protein within this range should be adequate.

It’s important to mention that we really don’t know the ―optimum‖ amount

of protein. Optimum means optimal muscle growth, immune function, cell

repair etc. There is also the question of whether you’re primarily lifting

weights or doing aerobic exercise. Are you doing some combination of

aerobic and strength training in the same workout? Because of this, you’re

going to have to do some experimenting about what works for you.

Q. Can we only absorb 40 grams of protein?

A. This is an urban legend with little to no solid evidence. Most, if not all,

of the protein you eat is absorbed. I would not worry about not being able to

absorb this nutrient.

Q. Are protein supplements better than protein from food?

A. There isn’t any credible clinical evidence that protein supplements are

better at building muscle than protein-containing foods. In other words,

eating the same amount of protein from food or from a quality-made protein

supplement is probably equal or very similar at building muscle. There’s also

little evidence that protein supplements build muscle faster than food

protein, either.


Because high-quality proteins like whey, casein and soy are derived from

food, in theory they should be expected to perform as well as food, but

because of the lack of research that directly pits protein supplements against

food, it is difficult to say for sure.

Research on whey, casein and soy proteins do show that they can help

muscle growth when used in conjunction with a strength-training program,

so if you are using these products to supplement your diet then you should

be OK.

Q. Protein – before or after exercise?

A. Some research finds that protein consumed as soon as possible after

exercise has a greater effect on muscle growth than protein consumed two

hours later.49 In fact, it appears that no increase in muscle growth occurs

when protein is eaten two hours later.49

The next question is, does this mean you need a protein supplement like a

protein bar or shake? If you decide that yes, realize that only 10 grams of

protein was used in the study mentioned above. This is comparable to what

you would find in a glass of milk and much less than in many protein

supplements. Also the liquid protein supplement used in the study also

contained some carbohydrates, which also play a role in muscle growth.

These are important points to remember so that you don’t just eat protein

after exercise.

http://jp.physoc.org/content/535/1/301.abstract


Q. What’s in “ephedra-free” weight loss supplements?

A. Because ephedra is a controversial supplement, some companies may

substitute it for another product called bitter orange, also known as citrus

aurantium. The reason for this is that bitter orange looks like ephedra. The

thinking is that if it looks like a duck and it quacks like a duck that it must be

a duck. Well, not necessarily…

Studies conducted on bitter orange, while few in number, generally do not

find it effective for weight loss. What studies do show is that bitter orange,

like ephedra, appears to raise heart rate and blood pressure.61 So, this

product is not appropriate for a wide range of people including those with

heart disease, blood pressure problems or kidney disorders.

Several case reports exist of people who reported health problems after

using bitter-orange-containing supplements.62 Other problems might also

arise when bitter orange is combined with other supplements like caffeine or

products that contain caffeine. Because of the lack of proof that it promotes

weight loss and side effects, bitter orange should be avoided.

For more information on bitter orange, & over 100 other supplements check

out my supplement book, Nutritional Supplements What Works and Why.

Q. Does caffeine cause high blood pressure?

A. Maybe not. In a recent study published in the Journal of the American

Medical Association, 155,000 women were tracked for 12 years.59 At the end

of the study, researchers found that women who drank the most coffee (up






to 600 mg of caffeine per day) did not have any greater risk of developing

high blood pressure than those who consumed less coffee.

Interestingly, women who drank cola-type beverages did have a greater risk

of high blood pressure. Furthermore, this was observed for those who drank

both regular and diet cola. The reasons for this observation in cola drinkers

is not well understood and more study is needed. Steps that might help

reduce this risk in cola drinkers includes regular exercise, eating healthy

(including fruits and vegetables) and not gaining excess weight.

Q. Why is there an “L” on amino acid supplement labels?

A. The letter L that is in front of all amino acid supplements is a chemistry

term that basically means the molecules are ―left-handed‖. Molecules, like

people, can be either right-handed or left-handed. It turns out that all the

essential and non-essential amino acids in the body are left-handed. The ―L‖

stands for levorotatory.

Sometimes consumers may notice the letter ―d‖ on a supplement. This

means that the molecule is right-handed. The ―D‖ sands for dextrorotary.

Supplements like vitamin E (alpha tocopherol) sometimes contain a mixture

of right-handed and left handed molecules. This is why many vitamin E

supplements list it as dl alpha tocopherol.


Q. What does “organic” mean on food labels?

A. According the USDA, the term ―organic‖ means that a food was grown

without synthetic fertilizers, or the use of biotechnology or radiation. Most

pesticides are also banned from being used with organic foods, however,

some pesticides are allowed.

In 2002, the US department of Agriculture launched its official federal

guidelines that defined which foods could call themselves ―organic‖.

According to these guidelines you may see 3 terms used on foods that are

organic:

“100% Organic” means that all of a product’s ingredients are all

organic.

“Organic” is different than 100% organic and means that at least

95% of a product’s ingredients are organic. So, ―organic‖ is very close

to being ―100% organic‖.

“Made with Organic Ingredients” means that the product has at

least 70% organically-derived ingredients.

Any product that contains less than 70% organic ingredients cannot be use

the term ―organic‖.

Q. Can organic foods contain pesticides?

A. Yes, some pesticides are legally allowed to be used on organically-

grown foods. Whether or not organic farmers use them is another question.


Consumers who are concerned about this should ask the organic farmer

about pesticide usage.

Q. Are organic foods better than non-organic foods?

A. The word ―better‖ is a vague term. Organically-grown foods do tend to

have fewer pesticides and other chemicals than those that are not organic—

and that can be a good thing. That being said, it hasn’t been conclusively

demonstrated that organically grown foods are healthier than non-organic

foods. Organic foods have some benefits and conventionally grown foods

also have benefits.71

The goal should be to increase the amount of fruits and vegetables that are

eaten. It doesn't say ―eat only organic‖ food. People who eat diets that are

rich in fruits and vegetables, tend to get fewer diseases like cancer,

diabetes, heart disease, etc. The research does not say it has to be

―organic‖. Eating organic is fine but if you can’t afford organic foods, just eat

more fruits and veggies.

Q. Does eating fat make you fat?

A. Actually, eating too many calories causes weight gain. Each gram of fat

has 9 calories. That’s more than twice the calories found in equal amounts of

protein or carbohydrates. So, when you eat more fat, you eat more calories.

Conversely, cutting back on the amount of fat eaten often leads to weight

loss. Again, it has less to do with the amount of fat eaten than the reduction

in calories that comes from eating less fat. While eating less fat may have



positive health consequences, when it comes to weight loss, calories are

what’s really important.

Miscellaneous Questions

Q. Does muscle weigh more than fat?

A. This is a very common myth. 1 pound of muscle and 1 pound of fat both

weigh 1 pound. Muscle is denser than fat and that’s where the confusion

comes from. Because it’s denser, it takes up less space. That’s why people

with a lot of muscle can look like they weigh less/look thinner than someone

with less muscle.

Q. Will sports creams help relieve pain?

A. Most over-the-counter sports creams, liniments and ointments work by

temporarily masking the pain signals that your brain receives. So, rather

than your brain getting signals of pain, it instead gets signals of warmth or

coldness. Over-the-counter sports creams can help you feel temporarily

better, but they won’t speed up the natural healing process.

Q. My muscles are sore from exercise. Will aspirin help?

A. Yes and no. Delayed muscle soreness is a common occurrence when we

exercise harder than we are used to doing. Aspirin and other over-the-

counter pain relievers block feelings of pain by inhibiting an enzyme called

cyclooxygenase which is responsible for making hormone-like compounds

called prostaglandins.


It turns out that prostaglandins do a lot more than assist with feelings of

pain. For example, they are also involved in making proteins. Some research

finds that over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen and ibuprofen

appear to inhibit muscle protein formation following exercise.65 Other

research also hints that while they may reduce pain after exercise, they do

not speed recovery after exercise.64

So what’s the take-home message? Well, if your muscles are really sore and

you want some relief, then products like aspirin and other over-the-counter

non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications may offer some relief. If you

are a professional athlete involved in back to back events a day or two

apart, then these pain relievers, in theory, might be detrimental to your

athletic performance if you use them while competing. How much of a

detriment these products might produce is unknown.

Arguably, if you are an athlete then this might be something to consider

especially if you are ―in season‖. If you are the other 99% of us, then this is

probably something you don’t need to worry about.

Q. I take cholesterol medications. Do I need coenzyme Q10?

A. Statin drugs are a popular class of medications that can help lower

cholesterol levels. They are able to do this because they interfere with how

the body makes cholesterol. Statins may also reduce coenzyme Q10

(CoQ10) levels.

CoQ10 is involved with making energy and some research finds that it may

help people who suffer from congestive heart disease. So far however,




research has not conclusively shown that this reduction in CoQ10 produced

by statin drugs is harmful.72

Another related question is how much CoQ10 do statin users need? This is

also open to speculation. Even though CoQ10 is a natural supplement, in

theory, it might interact with other medications you may be taking, like

blood thinners. The decisions to use COQ10 are best undertaken with your

physician who knows you and your medical history best.

Q. Why does hair turn gray?

A. The cells that give hair its color are called melanocytes and they

produce a pigment called melanin. Over time, the melanocytes lose the

ability to make the melanin pigment. Lower concentrations of melanin is

what gives hair its gray appearance. Hair that is white has totally lost its

melanin pigment.

While often seen as a part of aging, gray and white hair does not mean a

person is ―old‖. While genetics does play a role, other factors like smoking

can also cause hair to turn premature gray73 (another reason to not

smoke!). Currently, there is no cure for gray or white hair but research to

reawaken the melanin-producing melanocytes is under way.

Q. Does cold weather cause arthritis?

A. Probably not. Arthritis usually results from the gradual destruction of

the cartilage between bones or by injury or over-use (osteoarthritis). It can

also be caused by an immune system that, for reasons still not understood,

attacks the joints, causing pain and inflammation (rheumatoid arthritis).




While cold temperatures will probably make arthritis pain worse, not wearing

a coat when outside, has not been proven to cause arthritis later in life.

Q. Is antibacterial soap better than regular soap?

A. Many experts recommend that washing the hands with soap and water

is more important than the type of soap used. Despite their widespread use,

so far, antibacterial soaps have not proven more effective at eliminating

germs than regular soap.74

Antibacterial soaps work against bacteria, not viruses which also cause

sickness. Regardless of whether antibacterial soaps really protect us from

getting sick, new research suggests that triclosan, the active ingredient in

many antibacterial soaps may produce low levels of chloroform when it

reacts with chlorine in drinking water.54 Chloroform is thought to be a

cancer-causing agent.

Other research also finds that triclosan, appears to be toxic to green algae.53

What this means to the health of the ecosystem needs more study. So, is

there cause for concern if you use an antibacterial soap? Probably not, but

outside of a hospital setting, for most people, antibacterial soaps are just

overkill.

Q. Do plastic nasal strips help people exercise better?

A. The idea behind plastic strips placed over the bridge of the nose is that

they will expand the nasal cavity, allowing more air into the lungs, which, in

turn, might enhance exercise capacity. While occasionally used by some



http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Effects%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20triclosan%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20aquatic%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20organisms%5bTitle%5d&log$=citationsensor


professional athletes to help improve exercise performance, research so far

shows that they don’t appear work for this purpose.23,24

One problem with wearing nasal strips is that people tend to breathe

through their mouths and not their noses during intense exercise. An area

however where these devices might be of use is in helping to reduce

snoring.25,26 So, while nasal strips may not be effective when you're in the

gym, they may help you sleep better later that night.

Q. Do we only have a limited number of heart beats?

A. Some estimate that the human heart is capable of beating for about

one billion times before it wears out, but nobody has ever actually counted

this number and I honestly do not believe that the actual number of heart

beats we are capable of is genetically written down anywhere in our DNA.

Genetics does indeed play a role in how long we will live but that doesn’t

mean we can't do anything to lengthen the time and quality of time we

have. Take exercise for example. Believing that exercise shortens lifespan by

using up our so-called pre-determined number of heart beats is really

looking at the bottom left hand corner of the big picture. People who

exercise have slower resting heart rates than do couch potatoes. For

example, it’s not uncommon to see a resting heart rate of 50 beats a minute

in somebody who works out just a few times a week.

Somebody who doesn’t exercise regularly may have a resting heart rate of

70-80 beats per minute. A slower resting heart rate over a 24-hour period

may offset any increase in heart rate brought about by one or two hours of

exercise.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Effects%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20external%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20nasal%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20dilator%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20work%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20breathing%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20exercise%5bTitle%5d&log$=citationsensor

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Nasal%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20strips%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20affect%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20cardiorespiratory%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20measures%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20recovery%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20anaerobic%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20exercise%5bTitle%5d&log$=citationsensor

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=effect%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20external%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20nasal%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20dilator%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20breathe%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20right%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20snoring%5bTitle%5d&log$=citationsensor

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Effect%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20Breathe%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20Right%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20nasal%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20strip%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20snoring%5bTitle%5d&log$=citationsensor


The bottom line is that you shouldn’t let anybody scare you with nonsense

like this. Nobody knows how many heart beats we have and nobody even

knows if this is programmed into us or not. The benefits we get from a

sensible exercise program far outweighs the risks of any bizarre negative

side effects like speeding the demise of our hearts.

Q. Can osteoporosis be determined by looking at the feet?

A. Portable FDA-approved machines do exist that use ultrasonic waves to

measure the thickness (density) of the heel bone. These machines often

show up at local health fairs and some health clubs may offer this service as

well. These devices are not meant to replace the more accurate DEXA or CT

scan that your doctor may prescribe to determine your risk for osteoporosis.

One problem with measuring the heel (or wrist or finger as is also done) is

that bone density varies from bone to bone. A positive result could indicate

osteoporosis (or osteopenia); however, a negative result could give someone

a false sense of security.

Regardless take the results you get from these machines to your physician

so he/she can best determine whether you need the more accurate DEXA or

CT scan. As a rule, the National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends that

all women age 65 and older get a bone density test. Younger women who

have a history of fractures or a family history of osteoporosis are also

encouraged to have their bone density tested at regular intervals.

http://www.nof.org/


Q. What is Body Mass Index (BMI)?

A. The body mass index or BMI is defined as a person’s body weight

divided by their height. Specifically the equation goes like this:

BMI = weight (in kilograms) ÷ height (in meters)2

Or

BMI = Weight (in lbs) ÷ your height (in inches2)

Both equations give similar results

If we used the first equation, your weight is converted to kilograms and your

height is converted to meters and then squared. Weight is then divided by

height to determine BMI. In short, BMI is a calculation of how much weight

you’re totting around relative to how tall you are.

Studies show that as BMI increases, the risk for diseases like diabetes and

heart disease also increase. A normal BMI for an adult is between 18 and 25.

Obesity is defined as a BMI over 30. Many pro athletes, because of their high

density of muscle, often have a BMI over 30. If you want to know your BMI

click here

The problem with BMI is that it doesn’t specifically measure how much body

fat one has. Take for example, two people: a professional athlete and a

couch potato who sits around all day watching TV. Both are 6 feet tall and

weigh 220 pounds. Since they weigh the same and are the same height,

they will have the same BMI (29.8). The pro athlete, however, is expected to

http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/


have a much lower percentage of body fat than the couch potato. Thus, you

can have a high BMI and low percentage of body fat.

The bottom line here is that BMI is one tool that health professionals use to

estimate a person’s risk of disease. It should not be taken to be the final

word on obesity. Body fat + BMI is a better indicator.

Q. What is CRP?

A. The letters CRP stand for C-reactive protein, a molecule made by the

liver when someone has an infection. By measuring CRP levels, medical

professionals can get an idea of the level of inflammation the body is

experiencing.

For reasons not well understood, in some people, CRP levels stay elevated

for long periods of time. Some research suggests that a long term elevation

in CRP over many years may be a telltale sign on heart disease and heart

attack risk. 75

Because of this, some physicians may test for CRP in those who have a

history of heart disease. While connection between CRP and heart disease is

controversial, an elevation in CRP hints that heart disease may, at least in

part, be caused by a bacteria infection—a revolutionary idea.

Measuring CPR should not take the place of having good levels of

cholesterol, HDL, LDL and triglycerides. More research exists for these than

CPR. While research is ongoing, those concerned about elevated CRP levels,

might want to invest in a quality multivitamin that provides the RDA for all

vitamins and minerals. Some research finds that a daily multivitamin can

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15070788?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_MultiItemSupl.Pubmed_TitleSearch&linkpos=3&log$=pmtitlesearch4


naturally reduce CRP levels.5 Better still; get your vitamins from food which

has more vitamins etc than any multi-vitamin on the planet!

Q. Is there a link between gum disease and heart disease?

A. Much of the concern revolves around a compound called C-reactive

protein (CRP) which is a marker of inflammation. CRP levels go up during an

infection and then usually decrease as we get better. Some research finds

that heart disease may be due in part by a long-term inflammation of the

blood vessels.

In support of this, high levels of CRP have been found in people with heart

disease. Elevated CRP levels are also sometimes found in those with gum

disease.76 Proper dental care has also been shown to lower CRP levels.76 The

theory behind the gum disease heart disease connection is that bad oral

hygiene makes it easier for dental bacteria to make it into the blood stream.

This, in turn, produces an inflammation reaction that promotes elevated

CRP.

Take home message: brushing, flossing and seeing your dentist regularly

might also help lower the risk of heart attacks.

Q. I am skinny but have high triglycerides. How can I have high

triglycerides and not be overweight?

A. You are confusing body fat with the fat in your blood. It is possible for

skinny people to have high levels of blood fats (triglycerides). This is

because determinations of triglyceride levels and body fat are made by two

totally unrelated tests. Because these are completely different tests, it is

possible to be skinny yet have triglycerides in your blood.





By the same token, it's also possible (but don’t bet on it) be overweight and

have normal triglyceride levels. For those who do have high triglycerides

and/or cholesterol, take comfort in the fact that exercise (and weight loss)

may do a good job at lowering both of these.

Q. Does total cholesterol equal HDL + LDL?

A. Figuring out total cholesterol isn't as simple as just adding up the

numbers for HDL and LDL cholesterol. To get your total cholesterol, use this

equation:

Total cholesterol = HDL + LDL + (triglycerides 5)

For example, suppose your good cholesterol (HDL) is 50, your bad

cholesterol (LDL) is 80 and your triglycerides are 60:

Step 1. HDL +LDL = 50 + 80 = 130.

Step 2. Now divide the triglycerides by 5: 60 5 = 12.

Step 3. Total cholesterol = 130 + 12 = 142

Doctors don’t usually measure LDL cholesterol directly. Rather they calculate it from this equation

LDL = TC – (triglycerides / 5) + HDL)

Q. Why isn’t good cholesterol (HDL) listed on food labels?

A. Food does not contain either HDL (good cholesterol) or LDL (bad

cholesterol). These are compounds that your body makes. Because it’s not


found in food, it is not possible to eat a food that is high in HDL (―good‖)

cholesterol. Only cholesterol is found in food. If you want to try to boost

your HDL levels, try doing some aerobic exercise, like walking, biking or

hiking. Studies show aerobic exercise can do wonders to improve good

cholesterol levels as well as decrease bad cholesterol levels.

Q. What is Metabolic Syndrome?

A. Metabolic syndrome is the name given to a group of health issues that

tend to occur together. The health issues that make up metabolic syndrome

are as follows:

Abdominal obesity: carrying most of one’s weight around the belly

area

Elevated triglycerides. These are fats in the blood

Low levels of HDL. This is the ―good‖ cholesterol

Elevated LDL. This is the ―bad‖ cholesterol

High blood pressure

To this list some also add elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a

marker for inflammation in the body. Usually diagnosis is made when people

have at least three of these conditions.6 The combination of these problems

places one at an increased risk of developing type II diabetes and heart

disease.

Another trait that may also occur or be caused by metabolic syndrome is

insulin resistance. Insulin resistance refers to the condition whereby the

body becomes resistant to the effects of the hormone insulin. In other

words, insulin isn’t as effective as it used to be.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18971485?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_MultiItemSupl.Pubmed_TitleSearch&linkpos=3&log$=pmtitlesearch4


As insulin becomes less effective, blood sugar (glucose) builds up in the

blood. Ultimately this can lead to type II diabetes. Being insulin resistant is

one of the hallmarks of type II diabetes. To combat metabolic syndrome

(and type II diabetes) most experts recommend controlling excess weight

and starting an exercise program. Other names for metabolic syndrome

include syndrome X and insulin resistance syndrome.

Q. Should teenagers use creatine?

A. Creatine is a compound made naturally in the body and found in meat,

fish and poultry. Creatine is also one of the most popular nutritional

supplements on the market. Hundreds of well-done scientific studies have

found that creatine can help make people more powerful when combined

with a strength training program. Because of this, teenagers may use

creatine, to help improve their sports performance. The research to date on

creatine generally shows it to be safe in adults with a gain in water weight

the most consistently reported side effect.

Research generally does not find that creatine causes muscle or tendon tears

or muscle cramping. That being said, the research is always conducted on

adults who are of legal age to participate in clinical research. Because kids

are not miniature adults, nobody can really say for certain what the long-

term effects of creatine are in someone who is 14 years old.

Teenagers, who insist on using creatine, are probably best served by using

low amounts of about 3 grams a day. Studies show that in adults, a month

of using 3 grams of creatine a day is as good as using 20 grams for a week.


This should also work for teenagers also. Creatine should not be used by

anybody who has health problems. Always get checked out by your doctor

first before experimenting with any supplement.

Q. Do heavy people have slower metabolisms?

A. Unless the person has an underactive thyroid gland, it turns out that

heavier people and taller people usually have higher metabolic rates than

shorter or skinnier people. The reason has to do with METs (metabolic

equivalents) which was discussed elseware in this book. 1 MET = 3.5 ml per

oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute. In other words, it’s a

certain number of calories burned per kilogram of body weight per min.

There are 2.2 pounds in 1 kilogram. So, the more kilograms (pounds) you

have on your body, the more calories you are using at rest, and thus, the

higher your metabolic rate is.

Q. Is there such a thing as “mind-body connection”?

A. Research over the past several decades has been finding that yes,

there does indeed appear to be a link between how we feel and how our

body reacts. The strongest evidence to date concerns a branch of science

called psych-neuro-immunology, sometimes abbreviated as PNI. According

to PNI theory, a link exists between how we feel (psycho) our brain (neuro),

and our immune system (immunology). In this way, a chronic, drawn-out

stress might cause infection or disease by altering the way the immune

system or neurological system functions.33

For example, a chronic, long-term stress might result in an overproduction

of hormones that reduce our resistance to infection. Stress is known to



increase levels of cortisol, which can reduce the effectiveness of several

immune system components.34 Other evidence in support of this mind-body

connection includes research that finds:

Higher rates of death among men who lose their spouses.35

Lower concentrations of various immune cells in depressed long-

term caregivers of spouses with dementia.36

Immune cells taken from depressed individuals show reduced ability to

correct damage to their DNA after exposure to radiation.37

Increased rate of illnesses among medical studies during exam time

compared to times when exams are not administered.38

Higher levels of the immune suppressing hormone, cortisol in unemployed

persons.39

People experiencing high levels of stress in their lives tend to suffer from

more infections when purposely exposed to cold viruses than non-

stressed people.40

Stress increases levels of a hormone-like substance called thromboxane

that facilitates blood clotting and is a player in the development of heart

disease.41

Chronic stress increases levels of T-suppressor cells that in effect

decrease immunity.42 T-suppressor cells are needed to keep the immune

system in check, ensuring that it doesn’t run-amok. Over production of T-

suppressor cells, however, could make the immune system sluggish,

allowing an infection to gain a foothold in the body.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Factors%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20Associated%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20Mortality%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20After%5bTitle%5d%20AND%20Widowhood%5bTitle%5d&log$=citationsensor








Feelings of anger appear to play a role not only in the development of

heart disease but also in how fast we age.45

That’s it!

Did I miss any questions? If you think I did, email me and I’ll

add your suggestion to the next addition of this book

Email me: [email protected]


mailto:[email protected]


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For more useful books and information

from Joe Cannon, visit his website

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