As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that just because something looks good on paper, that doesn’t mean it always works out as planned.  For many years I’ve told clients that working out is a lifestyle.  I’d tell them to be patient because fat loss takes time. Again, that looks good on paper, but I now know that more often than not, this leads to minimal fat loss (maybe the individual drops 1-2 pounds of bodyweight in a month).  Discouraged by the lack of progress, the trainee ends up losing patience and resorting back to her old ways of sporadic workouts and some shotty eating!

I think Strength Coach Dan John summed it up best when he said, “Fat loss is an all-out war. Give it 28 days, only 28 days. Attack it with all you have. It is not a lifestyle choice… it’s a battle. Lose fat, and then get back into moderation.”  If you are serious about shedding fat, then “pretty good” is not good enough.  If you truly want fantastic results, it’s time to go to war!  Then, you can get back to a more normal lifestyle.

With that said, Marci (one of the most disciplined individuals that I know) and I are asking you to be absolutely perfect (if there is such a thing) for the next month.  Below, you’ll see a sample training program from me and a sample nutrition plan provided by Marci.  The synergy of the workout and diet is designed to kick fat loss right in the ass, ensuring that this war is one you not only win but dominate!

Ready to Kick Ass?

Training

Day 1

A1) Trap Bar Deadlifts
Sets:  4
Reps: 5 singles @ 90% or above 1 RM (rep max) – perform your warm-up sets, and as you start getting close to your 1 RM for the day, start performing singles.  It may look something like this:
-95 X 5-6
-115 X 3-4
-135 X 2-3
-160 X 1
-180 X 1
-200 X 1 (PR for the day)
-195 X 1
-190 X 1
-190 X 1

Any set within 90% of 200 pounds counts towards your 5 singles (180, 200, 195, 190, and 190 pounds).
Rest: Full Recovery

A2) Fillers
This could be anything from foam rolling to lacrosse ball to extra mobility work.  The point is to stay productive, rather than just sitting there doing nothing while you wait to recover for your next set.

B1) Push-ups
Sets: 4
Reps: 8 (pick the appropriate level of push-ups that has you barely getting 8.  This may mean elevating your torso to make it easier than push-ups on the ground.  It may mean doing push-ups with a band or chains around your back.)

B2) Goblet Bulgarian Split Squat with 1 second hold in the bottom position of each rep
Sets: 4
Reps: 8

Goblet Bulgarian Split Squat

C1) Split-Stance High-to-Low Cable Row
Sets: 4
Reps: 8 per arm

Split Stance High to Low Cable Row

C2) McLarty Rollouts OR Body Saw (if you have access to Valslides)
Sets: 3
Reps: 10

McLarty Rollouts and Body Saw

D1) Low Cable Curls
Sets: 2
Reps: 10

D2) Supine Band External Rotation
Sets: 2
Reps: 5 with a 3 second hold on each rep
“Finisher” – see below for options

Day 2

A1) Barbell Incline Bench Press (if you don’t have a spotter, use dumbbells)
Sets: 4
Reps: Extended 5’s (perform 5 reps, rest 10 seconds, perform 3 reps, rest 10 seconds, and finally perform 2 more reps.  This equals 1 set)
Rest: Full Recovery

A2) Fillers

B1) BB (Barbell) Back Squats
Sets: 3
Reps: 12

B2) Compound Row
Sets: 3
Reps: 12

Compound Row

B3) Swiss Ball Leg Curl (if you can do 1 leg, go for 10-12/leg.  If 2 legs is more appropriate for you level, go for 12-15 reps)

C1) Rope Pushdowns
Sets: 3
Reps: 12

C2) Half Kneeling Cable Lift
Sets: 3
Reps: 10/Side

Half-Kneeling Cable Lift

“Finisher” – See Below for options

Day 3

A1) Chin-ups

Sets: 4
Reps: “Classic Cluster” (perform 5 singles with 10 second rest between each single, this equals 1 set.  You can use bodyweight if that is the proper load.  If too hard, use a band or a partner to assist you.  If bodyweight is too easy add weight with the use of a belt, or have a partner put a place on your calves during the set)
Rest: Full Recovery

A2) Fillers

B1) 1-Leg RDL (hold 1 DB opposite of non-working leg)
Sets: 4
Reps: 10/leg

B2) 1-Arm DB Push Presses
Sets: 4
Reps: 10/arm

B3) Anderson Squats
Sets: 4
Reps: 10

Anderson Squats

B4) TRX Inverted Row (if you don’t have access to TRX straps, use a smith machine)
Sets: 4
Reps: 10/arm

TRX Inverted Row

C1) Lateral Raise in the scapular plane (instead of going straight out to the side, raise the DBs about 30 degrees forward)
Sets: 3
Reps: 10

C2) Decline Reverse Crunches (lower your hips slowly)
Sets: 3
Reps: 10-15

Finisher: See below for options

Program Notes:

• Each day starts off with a heavy, low rep exercise.  Remember, what builds muscle, maintains muscle.

• Make sure you are fully recovered between sets for the first movement of the day.  For the rest of the exercises, rest ALAN (As Little As Needed).  In other words, rest just long enough that performance on the next set doesn’t fall too much, but no longer.

• Use “cybernetic” training in this program (cybernetic basically means going by feel).  One week 1 of a program, I try to make sure that the volume is not too high.  You’ll be using some new exercises and set/rep schemes, therefore soreness is inevitable.  By doing too many sets on this intro week, you’ll be contributing to some unnecessary soreness.  On weeks 2 & 3, IF you are “feeling it,” feel free to add an extra set or 2 on some/all of the exercises.  Then, on week 4, reduce the volume so you are fresh for your new program.

• As far as the fasted cardio in concerned, I’m not sure how well this works.  All I know is that those who include it during fat loss phases seem to be leaner and get great results (at certain times of the year.  I don’t recommend doing this all year).

Cardio

Two-three times per week, you are to perform finishers after your weight training session.  On top of the finishers, I also want you to perform fasted morning cardio three days per week.  Start off with three, thirty minute fast paced walks on week one.  You have the option to add one session each week (so by week four you may be doing up to six fasted morning walks).

Everyone responds differently to training in a hypocaloric state.  If you start to feel a little sluggish, the finishers and fasted morning cardio might be all you need (especially if you are following Marci’s nutrition plan below to a T).  IF, however, you are the type of person that still has a lot of energy when calories are low, feel free to throw in one day of HIIT (Sprints work great.  Go for something like 20 seconds on, 40 seconds off, for as many sets as you can get in, while keeping your performance high).

If you add in a session of HIIT, make sure to perform it on the same day that you weight train, either 6-8 hours before or after your lifting session. Do not perform your HIIT session on your “off” day. This type of energy systems work is more CNS intensive and will impede recovery for your lifting session the next day.

If you feel you must add a day of steady-state cardio, then do so on an “off” day (steady-state will not impede recovery).  30-40 minutes at a “moderate” pace should suffice.  If you are following Marci’s nutrition plan, doing your finishers, and getting your fasted cardio in, you may not need to add a day of steady state cardio, but I’m realistic and realize that when you’re after fat loss, you will do everything possible to get it off fast!

Cardio Summary

• 2-3 finishers after your weight lifting portion

• Three 30 minute fasted morning walks (with the option of adding one 30 minute walk each week)

• Optional - one HIIT session 6-8 hours before or after your weight training session

• Optional – one 30-40 minute steady state session anywhere in the training week

Finisher Options

Finisher #1: The Inverted Ladder
(I have to give credit to Tony Gentilcore for this one, as he is the Coach I first learned this finisher from.)

To start, you pick two exercises that will be done in ascending/descending fashion.  Then you will use a “wild card” (as Tony calls it) exercise that will stay constant throughout the duration of the ladder.  Here is one example:

DB Push Presses: 1-10 (done in ascending order)
Broad Jumps: 10-1 (done in descending order)
Inverted Rows: 5 (constant) (use a TRX Strap if you have access to one.  Otherwise use a smith machine)
Now, just hit start on your stop watch and try to finish all reps/sets as quickly as possible.  It will look like this:
Push Presses X 1
Broad Jumps X 10
Inverted Rows X 5
Push Presses X 2
Broad Jumps X 9
Inverted Rows X 5
Etc, etc…

Finisher #2

Kettlebell swings X 15 seconds

Kettlebell swings

Hand-Walks on step X 15 seconds
Rest 30 seconds and perform as many sets as possible (stop once you feel your performance dropping).

Finisher #3:
Bench Jumps X 20 seconds

Bench Jumps

Jump Rope X 20 seconds
Rest 40 seconds and perform as many sets as possible (stop once you feel your performance dropping).

The options are unlimited.  Feel free to use different exercises if you want.  Just make sure to perform finishers on 2 or 3 of the days immediately after your lifting session.

Nutrition Plan

As you can see, the training program for this plan is quite manageable. The weight training sessions are short and intense, which will serve to maintain the muscle you already have while keeping your metabolism elevated despite eating in a caloric deficit. And the energy systems work will help you burn additional calories and aid in recovery from the lifting sessions.

Danny isn’t asking you to perform hours of steady state cardio everyday to burn away the fat. On this plan, your fat loss will come primarily from the diet, assuming you are following the meal plan exactly as written.

When Danny and I say that we expect perfection from you, we are referring to 100% dietary adherence for the length of the program. This means following the plan as written with no deviations or missed meals. Yes, you will be hungry, but that is part of the process. Learn to embrace it and reap the rewards.

Calories for this diet will be set at 10 x body weight, which is the lower end of dieting calories. It is important to note that every calorie you consume must be accounted for. You are to use a digital food scale to weigh your food. Measuring cups will not suffice, as they can be inaccurate. For example, if you were to measure out ½ cup of oatmeal  (what the package claims is 40 g) in a measuring cup and then weigh that amount, you would see that it weighs more than 40 g.

And we all know that there are times when a measured Tablespoon of peanut butter turns into more of a heaping Tablespoon. Yes, even green vegetables must be weighed.  Believe me when I say that I have seen people eat themselves right out of a caloric deficit from consuming too much lettuce. Over time these additional calories do add up, which will only slow your progress.

Note: This is a SAMPLE meal plan based on a 130 pound woman. Your caloric needs may be lower or higher, depending on your body weight. Just make sure you follow the following guidelines:

• Calories set at 10 x bodyweight

• Non- vegetable carbohydrates are to be consumed in the first meal of the day and post workout only.

• All food must be weighed on a digital food scale

• You are not required to eat the exact foods from the sample plan, but if you do make substitutions, use an online food calculator to make sure that you the calories match up equally.

• Non-caloric sweeteners and condiments are acceptable. Use Splenda, Crystal Light and other low-cal extras very sparingly. See note on this below

• Feel free to liberally season your food with sea salt.

Additional Notes:

*Consume a total of 2-3 g of combined DHA/EPA per day. The amount per capsule will vary by brand, which is why I can’t give a ‘number’ of capsules to consume per meal. Just make sure you split your dosage between 2 meals and get a total of 2-3 total grams.

*When it comes to using artificial sweeteners, I suggest avoiding Splenda when possible for a few reasons. It does have calories, so if you are one of those people who uses it throughout the day, you may lose track of how many additional calories you are taking in. Also, it can contribute to water retention in some people. I currently consume liquid Stevia, which is a natural sweetener. While it hasn’t been proven that Splenda has any harmful side effects, I think its wise to error on the side of caution. Stevia is also calorie free (the liquid kind).

Training Day

Meal 1:
40 g Oatmeal (dry measure)
6 Egg Whites
60 g Blueberries
Meal 4:
120 g Turkey Breast
8 g Olive Oil
170 g Green Vegetables
3 g Fish Oil

Meal 2: (PWO)
1 Scoop Protein Powder
200 calories worth of carbohydrate (low fat, low fiber)
Meal 5:
1 Scoop Protein Powder
*3 g Fish Oil (see note)

Meal 3:
100 g Chicken Breast
15 g Almonds
85 g Green Vegetables

Non-Training Day

Meal 1:
40 g Oatmeal (dry measure)
6 Egg Whites
60 g Blueberries

Meal 2:
1 Scoop Protein Powder
10 g Peanut Butter

Meal 3:
100 g Chicken Breast
15 g Almonds
85 g Green Vegetables

Meal 4:
120 g Turkey Breast
8 g Olive Oil
170 g Green Vegetables
3 g Fish Oil

Meal 5:
1 Scoop Protein Powder
15 g Peanut Butter
* Fish Oil

Now that you’re armed and ready, all that’s left to do is declare that war. Get to it!

The end results are worth the effort!

About Danny:

Danny McLarty is a fitness coach at Flex Personal Training in Danville, California.  He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and Planned Periodization Specialist (PPS through Tudor Bompa).  You can get in touch with Danny by “friending” him on facebook, or find him at his website at DannyMcLaty.com.

About Marci:

Marci Nevin is a fitness coach at Flex Personal Training in Danville, California.  She is certified through NASM.  You can get in touch with Marci by “friending” her on facebook.

In between beatdowns, MMA fighter Gina Carano demonstrates hip flexion.

Yoga means, among other things, “yoking” or “unity”. Traditionally this means unity of body, mind, and breath; the breath being the most important.

One of the most effective ways to think of yoga is as sophisticated relaxation: freedom from unnecessary tension in body, mind, and breath. This does not mean lying down doing nothing! This means using the *least* amount of effort necessary to achieve results. (Sound familiar, grapplers?) Even if that result is a very, very difficult pose.

Most BJJ practitioners, grapplers, and MMA fighters end up with certain muscles totally overdeveloped. I’d like to start with psoas.

The psoas (SO-az) is the main muscle linking the upper body to the legs at the front of the hips. Because of the way BJJ works, the psoas gets very, very tight. I am always surprised when any BJJ or MMA player can sit up completely straight; most have such tight psoas muscles that they can no longer do this.

However, many non-grapplers also have a lot of psoas problems, simply from sitting all day in hip flexion, with thighs at 90 degrees to the torso. The psoas shortens and becomes tight.

An overdeveloped, shortened psoas means less mobility, reduced speed, and greater risk of injury. It tips the front of the pelvis forward and gives us “duck-butt”. It’s more or less abuse of the spine, which will eventually cause back pain.

Poses for relaxing the psoas

Supta Padangusthasana (Reclined hand-to-big-toe)*
Parvrrta Supta Padangusthasana (Revolved reclined hand-to-big-toe)
Utthita Trikonasana (Extended triangle) Don’t dump into this. Take your time.
Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II) Knee over second toe. BEND into this.
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (One legged pigeon)
Bhujangasana (Cobra) Chest forward as your tailbone moves toward your heels. Pull your spine apart!
Vrksasana (Tree) Spin your lifted buttock under, toward your standing heel. Lift your armpit chest!
Virasana (Hero) Use a block if you need one.
Ustrasana (Camel) Do this at the wall! Push hips into the wall and LIFT your chest.
Supta virasana (Reclining hero) DEFINITELY support your upper back.
Dhanurasana (Bow) Knees IN.
Urdhva Dhanurasana (Full wheel, or modified: head to floor) Knees and elbows IN!

*If you cannot remember the pose by reading it, try going to the Yoga Journal site and typing in the Sanskrit name in the search box. You’ll get a picture and description.

**If you are new to yoga or need a different variation, check out this article… it walks you through ten simple ways to release the psoas.

I also recommend a few abdominal strengthening poses.

Good luck. Enjoy your practices, all of them, in good health.

Namaste!

“One of the most important skills in any field is learning what to ignore.”

Further reading

The Psoas Is…

The Almighty Psoas Muscle

I remember my younger sister telling me how creepy it was when total strangers would grab her belly in stores etc. when she was pregnant. Now regular site reader, world traveller, and cheese/chocolate aficionado, Lieke updates me on the “enjoyment” of having her body on public display. From the WTF? files…

Have you experienced similar bullshit? What’s up with this? Let’s hear your comments!

I’m 6 months pregnant and already a crappy mommy. How’s that for a new record?

I’ve just turned 40. I’m pregnant because I wanted to be, thankfully without any external assistance (apart from the one you might expect), and in damn record time too. I’m healthy and active, I try to work out 4-5 times a week according to the Gospel of Squat, and yeah: I do that with all necessary precautions and adaptations to accommodate my ever growing bump.

Truth be said, it was already kind of there because despite of being healthy like a pig, I’m also a bit overweight according to most standards, even after losing 25 pounds last year. Apart from the occasional, not even weird craving I usually don’t give in to (crisps and ice cream), I try to eat healthy stuff I cook myself. And I feel fit and great.

SO WHY THE HELL AM I ALREADY MADE OUT TO BE A CRAPPY MOMMY-TO-BE?!

For many people, being pregnant means being in a state worse than physically handicapped.

It apparently also means abstaining from any (let alone strenuous) exercise. Eating “ well” is highly recommended but can be anything from stuffing yourself because you’re “ eating for two” to counting every single damn calorie you ingest.

Also recommended by my army of apocalyptic friends and family: sitting around and not moving at all for 9 months. They even research the internet on my behalf for any scary pregnancy condition I (or the baby) might attract because of my lifestyle.

I’ve been having fun collecting insane advice about my ever-growing bump:

1. Do you drive?! (5 times)
2. You shouldn’t work out AT ALL! You might drop the baby (umpteen times)!
3. Do you swim?! (+ lots of dirty looks on the beach from older women why think I’m behaving irresponsibly)
4. While swimming: (screeching voice from the shore): YOU! HEY YOU! Who, me? YES, YOU!!!! GET OUT OF THE WATER NOW! Are you talking to me? YES, YOU!!! GET OUT! NOW!!!!! But why?! (thinking: sharks? Tsunami? WTF?) THE WATER IS DIRTY! IT’S UNHYGIENIC!!!! (look down: crystal clear, fishes dancing around my toes…)

Well, dear friends and family, I am just not buying into that shit.

Instead of listening to you I:

1. Consulted my physician/gynecologist and guess what: OH HORROR! He gave me the green light to go on with, training, eating and living like I was a normal person, barring any pregnancy complications, in which case (duh!) I should consult him again.
2. Talked to my PT, who adapted my training program and food recommendations to fit the bump.
3. I (sometimes smiling, sometimes grimacing with gritting teeth) pointed out the above to anyone trying to persuade me that “what everybody says” was actually better advice.

And guess what: they shut up.

So, for all of you ladies in the same situation as me: keep up the good work as it’s only going to benefit, not harm you; do what you have to do, want to do and can do, using your physician’s advise and your own common sense.

• Listen to expert advice and your body, and say screw you to anyone else.
• Kiss your partner and thank them for caring.
• Nod to your mom and do your own thing.
• Smile at your friends and say: thank you, I’ll think about it.
• And beat up anyone else on the useful pretext of “ pregnancy hormones” .

I am often asked what time of the day is the best time to workout. That entirely depends upon the individual. In order to reap optimal benefits from your exercise and weight loss program, you’ll need to schedule your workout for a particular time of the day when you know you will be feeling wide awake, energized and ready to focus entirley on the workout without interruption.

Many people believe they need to exercise first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach in order to burn the most fat. The theory is that after fasting all night, glycogen stores are low and the body will go straight to using fat for energy. While there may be some truth to this, it certainly isn’t necessary. It is far more important to be energized and capable of working out at your full capacity, with an all out effort, so that a signifcant amount of calories are used and you cause a spike in your metabolic rate.

Some people are early risers and enjoy a workout first thing in the morning so they can get it done and out of the way. If you feel your best first thing upon rising and choose to schedule your workouts for that time of day, that’s what it is best for you. The best time to workout is simply whatever works for the individual.

Some of us (like me) just aren’t awake when we roll out of bed and need a couple of strong cups of coffee and a big bowl of oatmeal before even considering a workout. Different strokes for different folks. I normally get my workouts in about 4 or 5 hours after I start the day. That’s when I feel most energetic and when my schedule allows for a break from work. Usually I’m at the gym sometime between 11a.m. and 1p.m.

Perhaps you’re a night owl and get a second wind later in the evening after the dishes are done and the kids are in bed. That works great too!

My point is, don’t get too wrapped up in scientific formulas that suggest you must workout in a fasted state to optimize fat burning. Don’t worry about hormone fluctuations, cortisol levels or anything else for that matter. The best time to workout is whenever you can schedule it and devote your full attention and effort to it. At the end of the day all that matters is that you burned some calories and worked those muscles.

It’s been dubbed ‘reverse retouching’ and involves using models who are cadaverously thin and then adding fake curves so they look bigger and healthier.

This deranged but increasingly common process recently hit the headlines when Jane Druker, the editor of Healthy magazine – which is sold in health food stores – admitted retouching a cover girl who pitched up at a shoot looking ‘really thin and unwell’.

It sounds crazy, but the truth is Druker is not alone. The editor of the top-selling health and fitness magazine in the U.S., Self, has admitted: ‘We retouch to make the models look bigger and healthier’…

I have taken anguished calls from a fashion editor who has put together this finely orchestrated production, only to find that the model they picked six weeks ago for her luscious curves and gleaming skin is now an anorexic waif with jutting bones and acne…

Naturally, thanks to the wonders of digital retouching, not a trace of any of these problems appeared on the pages of the magazine. At the time, when we pored over the raw images, creating the appearance of smooth flesh over protruding ribs, softening the look of collarbones that stuck out like coat hangers, adding curves to flat bottoms and cleavage to pigeon chests, we felt we were doing the right thing.

Our magazine was all about sexiness, glamour and curves. We knew our readers would be repelled by these grotesquely skinny women, and we also felt they were bad role models and it would be irresponsible to show them as they really were.

But now, I wonder. Because for all our retouching, it was still clear to the reader that these women were very, very thin. But, hey, they still looked great!”

Former Cosmo editor Leah Hardy’s column in the Daily Mail

Blog commentary: Reverse airbrushing: Photoshop Jumps the Shark

When you wake-up, your body is already in an intense detox mode, clearing itself of endotoxins and digestive waste from the past evening meal.

During the morning hours, when digestion is fully completed (while you are on an empty stomach), a primal survival mechanism, known as fight or flight reaction to stress, is triggered, maximizing your body’s capacity to generate energy, be alert, resist fatigue and resist stress.

Animals aren't the only ones with fight or flight reactions!

This highly geared survival mode is primarily dominated by part of the autonomic nervous system known as the SNS (sympathetic nervous system). At that state, the body is in its most energy-producing phase and that’s when most energy comes from fat burning. All that happens when you do not eat the typical morning meal.

If however you follow what “normal guys” do and eat your morning bagel and cereal and egg & bacon, you’ll most likely shut down the above energy producing system.

The SNS and its fight or flight mechanism will be substantially suppressed. Instead, your morning meal will trigger an antagonistic part of the automatic nervous system known as the PSNS (Para sympathetic nervous system), which makes you sleepy, slow and less resilient to fatigue and stress.

Instead of spending energy and burning fat, your body will be more geared towards storing energy and gaining fat. Under this state, detox would be inhibited. The overall metabolic stress would increase with toxins accumulating in the liver, giving the body another substantial reason to gain fat. (Fat tissues serve as a biological storage for toxins)

There's a reason many of us are naturally not hungry in the morning!

The overall suppressing effects of morning meals, can lead to energy crashes during the daily (working) hours, often with chronic cravings for pick-up foods, sweets, coffee and tobacco. Eating at the wrong time, would severely interrupt the body’s ability to be in tune with the circadian clock. The human body has never adapted to such interruptions. We are primarily pre-programmed to rotate between the two autonomic nervous system parts: the daily SNS and the nightly PSNS.

The SNS regulates alertness and action during the day, while PSNS regulates relaxation, digestion and sleep during the nightly hours. Any interruption in this primal daily cycle, may lead into sleepiness during the day followed by sleeping disorders at night.

Morning meals must be carefully designed not to suppress the SNS and its highly energetic state. Minimizing morning food intake to fruits, veggie soup or small amounts of fresh light protein foods, such as poached or boiled eggs, plain yogurt, or white cheese, will maintain the body in an undereating phase, while promoting the SNS with its energy producing properties.

*Note: Athletes who exercise in the morning should turn breakfast into a post-exercise recovery meal. Such meals should consist of small amounts of fresh protein plus carbs such as yogurt and banana, eggs plus a bowl of oatmeal, or cottage cheese with berries.

A better breakfast.

An insulin spike is necessary for effectively finalizing the anabolic actions of GH and IGF1 after exercise. Nonetheless, after the initial recovery meal, it’s highly recommended to maintain the body in an undereating phase by minimizing daily carb intake in the following meals.

Applying small protein meals (minimum carbs) every couple of hours will keep sustaining the SNS during the daily hours while providing amino acids for protein synthesis in the muscle tissues, promoting a long lasting anabolic effect after exercise.

In conclusion, breakfast is NOT the most important meal of the day. The most important meals are post-exercise recovery meals. Saying that, for a WARRIOR every meal is a recovery meal helping to recuperate from either nutritional stress (undereating) or physical stress (exercise). It’s when you eat that makes what you eat matter.

About Ori

Us guys just love “advanced” lifting methods.

In the morning, we’re doing drop sets, and for the second part of our two-a-days, we head back to the gym for heavy negatives. Take a day off, then we’re back at it with max effort lifts.

Since working up to a 1 rep-max isn’t enough volume for us, we’re gonna finish off the session with some more drop sets.  After all, that pump from earlier in the week felt oh-so-good.

What’s wrong with us? Seriously. Why can’t guys just keep it simple in the weight room?

Don’t get me wrong, including advanced training methods in your program is a smart idea… from time to time. Unfortunately, “from time to time” just isn’t quite as fun. Of course, neither is a fried central nervous system and beat up joints.
 
Obviously, many dudes need to ease up on heavy lifting, and/or forced reps every single week.

However, when it comes to the ladies, it is time for y’all to start to incorporate some of these more advanced methods! Guess how many ladies I know who use at least one of the methods that you’re going to read about below? One, maybe two, total.  Most girls I know seem to think that 6-8 reps is “very low” rep training.

Bored? Throw some intensity into that workout!

While there is nothing wrong with medium to high rep work, I want some of you ladies to start to use some of these more advanced techniques.

What Advanced Techniques?

Enough talk, time for me to get to the methods. While these methods have been around for many years, I’m pretty certain they will be new to 99% of female trainees out there. The three methods that I’m going to cover today are “Classic Clusters,” “Extended 5′s,” and “Singles above 90%.”

Cluster Training

The first two methods fall under the category of “cluster training.” I first learned about these methods from strength coach Christian Thibaudeau a number of years ago. The beauty of cluster training, is that it allows you to work at near max loads, and get in a decent amount of volume at the same time.

Classic Cluster

Cluster
 method number one is called “Classic Clusters.” In a classic cluster, you’ll perform 5 singles with 10-15 second rest between each rep. With classic clusters, you’ll pick a weight that you could get for a 2-3 rep-max. So, instead of getting a total of 2-3 reps in a set, you’ll get 5 reps in.

Again, this is the beauty of cluster training - it allows you to get a high(er) volume of training in while working at near max loads.

Classic Cluster Demonstration

Extended 5s

If you’re new to working at a weight that is near your 1 rep-max, and want to give cluster training a shot, I suggest starting with extended 5s rather than the classic cluster.  Extended 5s are not quite as close to max loads, and will provide a good break-in to the world of cluster training.

With extended 5s, you pick a weight that is about a 7 rep-max for you.  You lift the weight 5 times, rest for 10-15 seconds, perform 3 more reps, once again rest 10-15 seconds, and finally finish off the set with 2 more reps. 10 total reps instead of 7. It’s a beautiful thing.

Extended 5s Demonstration

Note

Classic clusters and extended 5s are intense methods that are not for everyone. If you are in the first year of your training career, you’ll still be able to make strength gains in the 10-12 rep range. If you are in year two of your training career, you’ll still be able to make strength gains in the 8-10 rep range (these are broad guidelines, but seem to be true with most people).

So, there is really no need to start cluster training at such an early training age. If you’ve been training consistently for over two years, you can start with extended 5s. Like I mentioned, cluster training is intense, therefore you want to use sparingly. As a general rule, the stronger you are, the less often you should use them.

An 800-pound squatter from Westside Barbell may only use cluster training 2-3 times throughout the entire year. An “intermediate” can get away with cluster training more often without over doing it.

Singles Above 90% of 1 RM

I first learned of this method from strength coach Eric Cressey. With this method, you’ll work your way up to your 1 rep-max. And any singles that you performed while working your way up to your max, count toward your goal.

Let’s say that you are deadlifting and your goal is 6 sets of 1 above 90%. Here’s how that might look:

95 X 5

115 X 3

145 X 2

160 X 1

170 X 1

175 X 1 (max for the day)

170 X 1

170 X 1

165 X 1

As you can see, 175 pounds was the max. Any lift leading up to the max that is within 90% of 175 goes toward the goal of six singles. So, 160, 170, (before hitting the max lift) 175, 170, 170, and 165 equals 6 singles above 90% of the day’s 1 RM.

Heavy Lifting

So, you’re in a fat loss phase and aren’t looking to gain strength right now. Well, a wise man once said, “What you did to build muscle, you must also do to keep it.” Just because you are looking to get lean for and sexy for your bikini, doesn’t mean that a little heavy lifting won’t help that bod.  If you haven’t already done so, give one of these methods a shot. Just be sure not to abuse them like so many meathead dudes do.

Have fun!

About Danny

Danny McLarty is a fitness coach at Flex Personal Training in Danville, California. Danny earned a place in the Illinois Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007 for his high school and college career.  He accomplished this while standing at a height of 5’7″.  He is also a basketball skills coach, helping players improve their ability to get open, with and without the ball.  You can read more about Danny at his website.

Make over your cardio workout so it’s easy on the knees

by Sarah McColl

Sometime in the past several weeks, either while while running at the gym, skiing on a frozen lake, or just walking weirdly, I managed to hurt my knee. Not being able to exercise in the usual ways has been devastating, but it turns out that female athletes are between two and eight times more likely to injure their ACL knee ligaments than men.

Studies have found that hormones associated with a women’s menstrual cycle may affect the laxity of the knee joint. For those as addicted to the mood-boosting effects of exercise as I am, here are some ways to exercise that aren’t as tough on the knees as pounding the pavement.

Stationary bikes

Even though you’re not going anywhere, there’s something transporting about riding a stationary bike. You can put on your favorite music, close your eyes, and just pedal in time to the music. Make sure your seat is high enough so that your knees are not bent beyond a 90-degree angle, and your knee should be slightly bent when your leg is fully extended in the down-stroke.  An upright stationary bike (as opposed to the kicked back recumbent bike) gives you a higher intensity workout.

Boxing

This idea comes courtesy of my girl Jillian Michaels. And by “my girl,” I mean she regularly kicks my butt in the living room via her workout DVDs. Just jabbing rapidly or shadow boxing while standing (or even perched on the edge of a chair) will get your heart rate up.

Elliptical trainer

Working out on an elliptical trainer Is as low-impact as walking but can provide more intense cardio. For those who really love to run but who can’t stand the impact on the joints (up to 3x your body weight with each step!), the elliptical machine can get close to scratching that runner’s itch. Ideally, choose a machine that gets your arms pumping in a push-pull action to get a full-body workout.

Ergometers

Ergometers are like stationary bikes, except instead of pedaling with your legs, your arms to do the work. Most gyms have at least one, and it’s a godsend for someone who can’t be on their feet at all but still wants to workout.

Swimming

Have you ever noticed how pro swimmers have some of the most miraculous bodies out there? The reason, in part, is that the water’s resistance makes your muscles work harder to perform movements than if they were traveling through air. Meanwhile, the buoyancy of water supports your entire body weight, making swimming a no-impact exercise. Here are 50 easy to moderate swimming workouts.

To protect your knees against injury, exercises like knee circles, wall sits, hamstring curls, and leg lifts can help strengthen the muscles that support the knees.

The following may come as a shock to some of you… but those of you who’s been coached by me won’t be surprised by any of what I’m about to say. Ready?

Cardio is NOT Bad for You!

That’s right, I said it. Many of you have been brainwashed to believe that any and all cardiovascular activity will melt that hard-earned muscle tissue right off your body and create something that looks like a cross between a skeleton and a Shar Pei.

This is simply not true.

I’ve grown a little tired of justifying adding as little as 15 minutes of cardio to my shocked clients’ cutting programs, so I figured I’d post my reasoning right here on the site for everyone to see, and hopefully discuss below. This topic is open for debate, so if you have any concerns as to what I’m saying here, please feel free to contest it in the comments section.

Let’s go over a few basic principles before diving into any debates:

• Yes, you can lose fat without doing extraordinary amounts of cardio — but you’ll have to eat a diet that consists of fewer calories than you could get away with had you been doing cardio. This in itself may lead to muscle loss.

• It’s absolutely true that some people are simply naturally lean and require no cardio to reach competition-low body fat levels, however, these people are the exception, not the rule.

• You can lose fat utilizing Tabata, plyometrics, sprints, and metabolic workouts — but supplementing these with HIIT and steady state cardio is often beneficial as well. Mixing it up brings the best results, by far (while preventing boredom, to boot!).

Three of the most frequent questions I get on this topic from clients, are as follows:

• Should everyone be doing cardio?

Of course, the answer to this one is NO.

• Should everyone be doing the same amount of cardio?

NO, of course not!

It's not all about the treadmill!

• What factors should be taken into consideration when deciding whether I should be doing cardio or not — and how much of it?

Whether or not you should be doing cardio will depend on three main factors:

1. Your goals. If you’re primarily interested in gaining muscle, are generally a healthy individual without much fat to lose, then you shouldn’t even be reading this article — go lift something heavy, instead.

2. Your body type. If you are an ectomorph, chances are good that you’re having a tougher time gaining muscle and maintaining any shape to your body, than losing fat (which should come easily once you’ve worked out the basic ideas of clean eating). If you’re having a tough time maintaining muscle, cardio may not be the best thing you can do with your time.

Contrary to popular belief, mesomorphs can usually benefit from cardio and respond to it quite well. They don’t lose muscle easily, yet do have a tougher time dropping fat without at least moderate cardiovascular work.

Lastly, if you’re an endomorph, you should view cardio as your best friend. It’ll help you get lean when the cleanest diets seem to be failing you!

3. Your activity level. Yes, that’s right, what you do on a daily basis matters when it comes to your optimal program (there’s a reason I ask for your daily schedule on my client questionnaire).

If you work a sedentary job, sitting at a computer all day… don’t do anything but watch TV and head to bed upon arriving at home, and spend your weekends playing video games, your program should be very different from someone who works as a mountain climbing instructor, takes her 3 dogs out for a 2-hour walk each night, and spends her weekends surfing.

The latter person in that example can probably get away with cutting on nothing but intense workouts and a clean diet. She may never have to do any cardio at all — even if she isn’t naturally lean.

If this is all you ever do, chances are, you NEED cardio!

But I Read that I’ll Lose All My Muscle!

Yes, we all read that. Many, many times. The simple fact is, you won’t.

People like to take a radical stance on a variety of topics — simply because this is what gets them attention, and in our field, clients.

Think about it — you hate cardio. I tell you that cardio is terrible for you, and I can get you lean without it. Won’t that make you sign up with me as soon as you can get my payment information? Of course it will!

The bottom line is, it’s ALL individual. Do not listen to anyone who tries to tell you that any one thing is great or bad for everyone. That’s simply not factual.

Cardio may be bad for some people, but it certainly isn’t bad for everyone. And chances are, even an ectomorph can get away with doing cardio without risking muscle loss simply by eating a well-balanced diet that’s sufficient in calories, and taking BCAAs before and after her session.

It’s all relative!

So, enough with all those excuses. If you have fat to lose, stop avoiding that treadmill like the plague. Be logical about your decisions; stop convincing yourself that what you want to believe is a fact. Life doesn’t always work that way. We all make sacrifices to get where we want to get in life; your physique is an extension of that.

Take some responsibility.

Oh, and those of you doing 2 hours of cardio a day? You’re in a whole separate category — to be addressed in a future article.

The mic is yours, ladies — voice your thoughts below, let’s hear ‘em.

I came across the following article when I was browsing MSN the other day. It’s full of great information that may open your eyes to facts of which you haven’t been aware.

The following article originally appeared on MSN Health.

It’s not just about calories in versus calories out.

If that were all it took to lose weight—eating a little less and exercising a little more—then weight loss would be as simple as grade-school math: Subtract Y from Z and end up with X.

But if you’ve ever followed a diet program and achieved less than your desired result, you probably came away feeling frustrated, depressed, and maybe a bit guilty. What did I do wrong?

Instead of X, it’s XXL.

Why?

Because there’s probably more at work here than just calories in/calories out. More and more research is indicating that America’s obesity crisis can’t be blamed entirely on too much fast food and too little exercise. (Or on these seven habits of highly obese people.) A third factor may be in play: a class of natural and synthetic chemicals known as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), or as researchers have begun to call them, obesogens.

The new weight-gain threat

Obesogens are chemicals that disrupt the function of hormonal systems; many researchers believe they lead to weight gain and, in turn, numerous diseases that curse the American populace. They enter our bodies from a variety of sources—natural hormones found in soy products, hormones administered to animals, plastics in some food and drink packaging, ingredients added to processed foods, and pesticides sprayed on produce. They act in a variety of ways: by mimicking human hormones such as estrogen, by misprogramming stem cells to become fat cells and, researchers think, by altering the function of genes.

Endocrine disruptors are suspected of playing a role in fertility problems, genital malformation, reduced male birth rates, precocious puberty, miscarriage, behavior problems, brain abnormalities, impaired immune function, various cancers, and cardiovascular disease. “We have data linking environmental chemicals to practically every major human disease, from cardiovascular disease to attention-deficit disorder,” says Jerry Heindel, Ph.D., an expert on EDCs at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).

Now new research is finding that some EDCs, the obesogens, may be helping to make us fat. This field of research is dominated by animal and test-tube studies. And while researchers note that the known effects of many obesogens are more potent in the unborn and newly born, some suspect a similar impact on adults.

This combination of factors, along with our growing tendency to put on weight, is what we call the obesogen effect. Understanding it could be the key to freeing ourselves from weight gain and the other hazards of these chemicals.

Why traditional diets don’t work

Decades ago, before big, soft guts were the norm in the United States, we referred to overweight people as having “glandular problems.” Their weight was not their fault, doctors explained; their bodies just didn’t have the ability to fight off weight gain like most people’s bodies did.

We don’t use that polite phrase any longer. What changed? Now that about two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese, did those folks with “glandular problems” disappear? No; it’s just that many others have caught the same disease. Thanks to the obesogen effect, we may all be at risk for some glandular problems.

The average American family.

Because it’s probably been a while since you took high-school anatomy, here’s a quick refresher: Your endocrine system is the contingent of glands producing the hormones that regulate your body. Growth and development, sexual function, reproductive processes, mood, sleep, hunger, stress, metabolism—they’re all controlled by hormones. And the pancreas, hypothalamus, adrenal glands, thyroid, pituitary gland, and testes are all part of that system. So whether you’re male or female, tall or short, hirsute or hairless, lean or heavy—that’s all determined in a big way by your endocrine system.

Your endocrine system is a finely tuned instrument that can easily be thrown out of kilter. “Obesogens are thought to act by hijacking the regulatory systems that control body weight,” says Frederick vom Saal, Ph.D., curators’ professor of biological sciences at the University of Missouri. “And any chemical that interferes with body weight is an endocrine disruptor.”

That’s why obesogens seem to be good at making us fat—and why researchers are so bent on uncovering the truth about these chemicals. The NIEHS is funding studies that target them. The Endocrine Society, the largest organization for hormone research and clinical endocrinology, has also noted the connection. “The rise in the incidence in obesity matches the rise in the use and distribution of industrial chemicals that may be playing a role in generation of obesity,” it stated in a recent report, “suggesting that EDCs may be linked to this epidemic.”

That’s one reason weight-loss advice may not always work. In fact, even strictly following the smartest traditional advice won’t lower your obesogen exposure. See, an apple a day may have kept the doctor away 150 years ago. But if that apple now comes with chemicals believed to promote obesity, then that advice is way out of date. In fact, apples have been named one of the most pesticide-laden produce choices out there.

The obesogen effect may be part of the reason why traditional dieting practices—choosing chicken over beef, eating more fish, loading up on fruits and vegetables—may not work anymore.

But as we began researching our book, The New American Diet, we found some good news: There’s no reason why our favorite foods—steak, burgers, pasta, ice cream—can’t be part of a reasonable weight-loss program. We just need to move past the old thinking, and adopt some new laws of leanness.

Leanness Law 1: Know when to go organic

Every day the average American is exposed to an estimated 10 to 13 different pesticides and/or their metabolites (breakdown products) through food, beverages, and drinking water.

Some of those chemicals can mimic estrogen during development, which can lead to weight gain later in life. Others can spur unnecessary fat-cell formation at any age. At the University of California at Irvine, Bruce Blumberg, Ph.D., recently reported that prenatal exposure to obesogens among mice can predispose them to weight gain later in life. The effect is likely the same in humans. In one study, the adult daughters of women who had the highest levels of DDE (a breakdown product of the pesticide DDT) in their blood during childbearing years were found to be 20 pounds heavier, on average, than daughters of women who had the least.

And the evidence continues to accumulate.

• Researchers have noted a link between organochlorine pesticides and impaired thyroid function. According to the Endocrine Society’s 2009 report on EDCs, changes in thyroid function can result in metabolic effects. Indeed, the authors of a 2009 Thyroid Research article cited hypothyroidism, a symptom of which can be weight gain, as a possible effect of organochlorines on the thyroid.
• The authors of a study in the journal BioScience found that tributyltin, a fungicide, activates components in human cells known as retinoid X receptors, which are part of the metabolic pathway necessary for fat-cell formation. They also found that tributyltin causes the growth of fat cells in mice exposed to it. Although tributyltin is no longer used on crops, experts suspect that a similar compound still used on produce, fenbutatin, is at least as potent.
• The authors of a recent study in Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology note that organophosphates and carbamates, two common classes of pesticides, cause obesity in animals.

But there is some hopeful research; a study in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives found that children who ate fruits and vegetables free of organophosphorous pesticides for just five days reduced their urine concentrations of those pesticides to undetectable levels.

According to the Environmental Working Group, you can reduce your pesticide exposure by nearly 80 percent simply by choosing organic versions of the 12 fruits and vegetables shown in its tests to contain the highest pesticide load. The group calls them the Dirty Dozen: In order of pesticide load, they are peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, kale, lettuce, imported grapes, carrots, and pears.

There’s a Clean Fifteen, too, a group of conventionally grown fruits and vegetables with the least pesticide residue: onions, avocados, sweet corn, pineapples, mangoes, asparagus, sweet peas, kiwis, cabbages, eggplants, papayas, watermelons, broccoli, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes.

Leanness Law 2: Stop eating plastic

You’re thinking, “Well, I don’t generally eat plastic.”

Ah, but you do.

Chances are you’re among the 93 percent of Americans with detectable levels of bisphenol A (BPA) in their bodies, and you’re also among the 75-plus percent of Americans with detectable levels of phthalates in their urine. Both of these synthetic chemicals, found in plastics, mimic estrogen. And like some pesticides, these chemicals can predispose your body from an early age to gain fat.

How do they end up inside you? Mostly through what you eat and drink: Phthalates can be found in food packaging, plastic wraps, and pesticides, as well as children’s toys, PVC pipe, and medical supplies. Each year, about 18 billion pounds of phthalate esters are created worldwide, and they can easily leach into your body.

More than 6 billion pounds of BPA, found in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, is produced every year; it leaches from food and drink packaging, baby bottles, cans, and bottle tops. Pop the top off a jar of tomato sauce and check out the resin on the inside of the cap—that’s where the BPA comes from. A recent study published on BPA’s effects on humans found that workers exposed to BPA at Chinese factories had more than four times the risk of erection difficulties. (Japan reduced the use of BPA in cans between 1998 and 2003; as a result, measures of BPA in some Japanese populations dropped more than 50 percent.)

According to the Environmental Working Group, canned chicken soup, infant formula, and ravioli have BPA levels of the highest concern. And your sturdy reusable water bottle? After people drank out of a polycarbonate bottle (usually stamped with a 7 on the bottom) for just one week, their BPA levels jumped by nearly 70 percent, according to a seminal study from Harvard University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It may look innocent...

Here’s how you can limit your exposure.

• Follow vom Saal’s rule: “No plastic item ever goes into the oven or the microwave.” Heat can damage plastic and increase leaching.
• Avoid plastic-wrapped meat. “The plastic wrap used at the supermarket is mostly PVC, whereas the plastic wrap you buy to wrap things at home is increasingly made from polyethylene,” vom Saal says. PVC contains phthalates that, according to animal studies, may lower testosterone levels. In humans, lower testosterone leads to weight gain as well as a decrease in muscle mass and sex drive. Go to a butcher who uses paper instead.
• Cut down on canned goods like tuna, and buy frozen vegetables in bags instead of canned produce. Consider buying Eden Foods canned beans and jarred foods, which are in BPA-free packaging.
• Use a nonplastic mug whenever you can. And for good measure, avoid drinking coffee or other hot beverages out of Styrofoam, which can leach styrene, a compound linked to cancer.

Leanness Law 3: Don’t eat the Viking

When was the last time you took a dose of weight-promoting hormones?

OK, when was the last time you ate a burger?

The answer to both questions may well be the same. Every time you eat conventionally grown beef, there’s a chance you’re eating weight-gain hormones—a potential cocktail of natural and synthetic obesogens. In fact, a report in the International Journal of Obesity by researchers at 10 universities, including Yale, Johns Hopkins, and Cornell, notes that the use of hormones in meat could be a contributing factor to the obesity epidemic.

A 1999 European study concluded that people who eat meat from cattle treated with growth hormones are taking in hormones and their metabolites: estrogens in the range of 1 to 84 nanograms per person per day, progesterone (64 to 467 ng), and testosterone (5 to 189 ng).

If it's not grass fed and organic, just say no!

A nanogram is a billionth of a gram: That’s tiny. But it may be enough to disrupt the way your hormone system operates, research indicates. Some experts believe that certain obesogens exert influence at below 1 part per billion. And small amounts from many sources add up over time.

Perhaps even more worrisome are the potent synthetic steroids we ingest from beef. Trenbolone acetate is an anabolic steroid estimated to be eight to 10 times as potent as testosterone, which is an endocrine-disrupting chemical by definition. “This cocktail of hormones given to beef has huge consequences,” vom Saal says. We know what happens to the body when it receives large doses of steroids over a short period of time, but there is no research on the effects of small doses over years.

To bring this all home, imagine you’ve been in a terrible plane crash in the Andes, like those poor souls depicted in the movie Alive. The only way to survive is to pick one of the dead folks to eat. You’re given the choice of an obese, grotesquely muscled, man-boob-toting Minnesota Vikings lineman with shrunken testicles who’s been injecting himself with hormones for a dozen years, or someone of normal size and body type and hormonal function. (One of the Kardashian sisters, maybe.) Which would you choose?

Well, every time you eat conventionally raised beef, you’re choosing the Viking.

There’s a better way. Organic beef has none of the weight-promoting steroid hormones of conventional beef, while grass-fed beef has been found to have more omega-3s and more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). CLA is a fatty-acid mixture that’s been linked to protection against cardiovascular disease and diabetes; it can also help you lose weight, according to a meta-analysis in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Similarly, conventionally raised dairy cows are often given hormones to produce more milk, which may lead to some nutrient dilution. Grass grazing, however, may increase omega-3 content in milk. By choosing to eat and drink more omega-3s, more CLA, and more nutrients, you’re choosing to fill your body with more nutrition—feeding your brain, fueling weight loss, and keeping hunger at bay.

Leanness Law 4: Beware of the sneaky saboteurs

Ingesting pesticides, growth hormones, and plastic-based chemicals obviously isn’t a good idea. But other, sneakier obesogens are at work. We’re talking about high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and soy, which are added into your diet and the diet of the animals you eat, and which carry or are converted into natural obesogens.

But wait: Isn’t soy good for your heart? Not necessarily. A review in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation notes that soy protein can lower LDL cholesterol, but only a measly 3 percent. You’d have to eat the equivalent of 2 pounds of tofu a day to reap that benefit. As a result, the AHA withdrew support for definitive health claims for soy protein and coronary heart disease. Yet soy is in hiding in everything from cookies to french fries to salad dressing.

Still eating soy? You may want to reconsider.

The result of all that extra soy could be—get ready for it—more fat. This is particularly true for people who were given soy-based formula as infants. You see, soy contains two naturally occurring chemicals, genistein and daidzein, both of which are estrogenics, which can spur the formation of fat cells.

But wait! Guess who else is on a soy diet? Elsie, Wilbur, and Chicken Little—the animals we depend on for food. (Many fish, too, are chowing down on soy.) Chickens that once ate natural grasses and forage now feed on a high-energy diet of which soybean meal is a large component.

According to British researchers, this type of diet is partly to blame for the fact that some modern chickens contain two to three times as many calories from fat as from protein. (That’s right: The chicken’s proportion of muscle is dropping, just like ours! Sounds like the obesogen effect.)

So when you eat modern, supermarket chicken and beef you’re eating more fat, less protein, and more obesogens.

High-fructose corn syrup, too, has been fingered by some experts as a possible player in the obesity crisis. HFCS is found in countless items, from bread to ketchup to Life Savers to cough medicine. Recent research indicates that a diet high in HFCS may trick your brain into craving more food even when you don’t need it. And preliminary research indicates that HFCS may even play a role in disrupting the endocrine system, says Robert Lustig, M.D., a pediatric endocrinologist at UCSF. In overweight people, it interferes with leptin, a hormone that regulates appetite.

Is all this a bit disturbing? You bet. Depressing? Not at all. Because you can reconsider the old weight-loss advice—the “diet wisdom” that told you to stop eating burgers, pasta, and ice cream—and go back to eating what you love. Of course, you should eat reasonably-sized portions. But the key is to eat natural, obesogen-free versions. Do this while keeping up your exercise program and over time you’ll see results. Your waistline, your tastebuds, and even your muscles and libido will thank you.

Adapted from The New American Diet (Rodale 2009), available at bookstores and at NewAmDiet.com.