6 Minute Abs

Even though it's still hovering around the freezing mark here in New York, I'm starting to feel like spring is in the air. It's mostly a mental thing as come the end of February I have usually had about enough of winter.

Anyway, this is when I start checking out my abs to see what type of work I have ahead of me as spring/summer approaches.

I'm a firm believer that 6-pack abs are made in the kitchen, and there is no doubt that my diet can use some fine tuning as I tend to carb load all winter. With that said, I also like to ensure that I'm getting in a good core workout on a regular basis.

Back in November I posted Craig Ballantyne's Medicine Ball Ab Workout which is great, but not everyone has a medicine ball. That's why I also wanted to post Craig's 6 Minute Abs Bodyweight Workout, which is another great alternative for anyone, like me, who hates doing typical ab exercises such as crunches, sit-ups and hanging leg lifts.

Here's the workout:



I gave this routine a test run today with one addition; I added in Renegade Dumbbell Rows just for the heck of it.

Killer.

Give it a try, with or without the dumbbell rows, and let me know what you think!

As an FYI, Craig has mentioned that he's been playing around with a few new exercise and superset combinations for the "Awesome Abs" program that will be available in April to Turbulence Training members.

If it's anything like Turbulence Training for Abs, it should really be "awesome".

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Gourmet Nutrition Recipe 3

I have a few folks anxiously awaiting for the next Gourmet Nutrition Recipe so here is another hearty, easy to make recipe for a cold winter night.

Seared Turkey and Squash with Saffron and Apple

By Dr. John M. Berardi, PhD and Dr. John K. Williams, PhD, authors of the bestselling optimal nutrition ebook, Gourmet Nutrition.

This medley of ground turkey, butternut squash and apples in a creamy saffron sauce is perfect for a cozy autumn meal. Using frozen butternut squash reduces the cooking time significantly, so this one is great for a quick, light meal for two. The total preparation and cooking time is about 15 minutes.

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground turkey
2 medium apples, chopped and seeded
1 package (12 oz) frozen butternut squash
2 cups sliced mushrooms (about 8 medium)
1/2 cup (8 tbsp) whole plain yogurt
1 inch cube fresh ginger root, chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 chicken bouillon cube, dissolved in 1 cup warm water
1 pinch saffron
Salt, to taste

Instructions

Brown the turkey, garlic and ginger in a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium high heat, until turkey is browned (about 5 minutes). Add the apples, squash and mushrooms, and continue stirring for 5 minutes, or until vegetables start to soften. Add the cup of chicken broth, bring to a boil, and then add the yogurt one tablespoon at a time while stirring continuously. Add the saffron sparingly, and stir the mixture until the saffron imparts a yellow color, and the sauce is thick and creamy.

Makes 2 servings.

Nutritional information, per serving

	Per Serving
Total Calories	605	k/cal
Protein	58	g
Total Carbohydrates	54	g
Fiber	7	g
Total Fat	19	g
Saturated	5.8	g
Monounsaturated	6.7	g
Polyunsaturated	4.2	g
Omega-3	0.3	g
Omega-6	3.6	g

Tips: Peel, freeze and dice your ginger

After purchasing a large, plump ginger root at the market, take it home and remove the skin with a vegetable peeler. Then store your peeled ginger root in a Ziploc bag in the freezer. It will keep almost indefinitely this way, and you’ll always have it on hand when it’s needed. It is also easier to chop frozen. Just shave-off a few slices with a broad bladed knife, being careful not to get your fingers in the way. The slices can then be easily chopped.

Food Fact: Yogurt helps fight bad breath

In addition to providing a good source of protein and calcium, a new study demonstrates that the active bacteria in yogurt help reduce the stink-producing compounds on the back of our tongue by 80%. Specifically, Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaric, found in yogurt were shown to reduce odor-causing compounds in the mouth of subjects fed 3 oz of yogurt twice daily.

Want to change your body -- while still eating meals that taste this good?

If you want to build the body you never thought you could have, start eating the meals you never thought you could eat! The Gourmet Nutrition e-book contains over 100 recipes and a no-nonsense nutrition plan that will show you how to make it work. Find about more about the Gourmet Nutrition e-book.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

New Means For Fighting Hunger Cravings?

There's a fairly recent study getting alot of press lately.

A joint research effort out of Louisiana State University and the University of Florida found that supplementing with 1,000 mcg of Chromium Picolinate (CP) daily reduced hunger levels by 24%, food intake by 25%, and also reduced cravings for high-fat foods.

The full test of this study can be found here.

Study participants consisted of 42 overweight, but otherwise healthy women who had self-reported carbohydrate cravings. The duration of the study was 8-weeks with study participants randomly assigned to receive daily CP supplements or a placebo.

As mentioned, the study participants reduced overall food consumption by 25%, while those taking a placebo only reduced their food intake by 8%.

It's important to note that while the study participants receiving the CP supplementation did lose weight, it was relatively nominal at an average of 1.1 lb over the 8-week study. This suggests that perhaps participants did not maintain a consistent reduction in energy intake throughtout the study period.

My Two Cents:

First, I'm sure sales of Chromium Picolinate are going through the roof! Ok, maybe not, but there are certainly those folks who, after reading this study, are adding CP to their daily supplementation.

I'm not one of them.

Chromium naturally exists in foods and good sources include

• Romaine lettuce
• Onions
• Tomatoes
• Whole grain products
• Green beans
• Broccoli
• Lean meats

Conversely, foods high in simple sugars, such as sucrose and fructose, are not only low in Chromium, but have been found to promote Chromium loss.

If CP does indeed help fight hunger cravings I think the argument worth making is that eating unprocessed, real food is the key to a sustainable weight loss program.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Turbulence Training Podcast and Free Workout

This posting will be short and sweet, but oh so relevant!

To all those following the Turbulence Training program, Craig Ballantyne now has a free Podcast available for download here: Turbulence Training Podcast

These Podcasts, which Craig refers to as 7-Day Fat Burning Guides, are typically around 20 - 30 minutes in length and provide fitness and nutrition tips for each day of the upcoming week.

If you're not yet using Turbulence Training, check out this free 10-Minute Workout to get a feel for the program.

Remember folks, summer is coming up fast! Don't put off for tomorrow what you can start this weekend! Give the 10-Minute Workout a try on Saturday or Sunday and grab the Podcast on Sunday to get you primed for next week.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Myths Under The Microscope: Part 3

Hopefully you have hung in there through Parts 1 and 2 of Alan Aragon's Myths Under The Microscope series.

Part 1 of this series focused on The Low-Intensity Fat Burning zone myth while Part 2 explored Fasted Cardio.

Alan now brings it all together in what is the final chapter in this series.

Personally, I think Alan has really hit the nail on the head in explaining these two often debated topics. With that said, I realize that some of you are still going to hold strong to some of your existing beliefs, so feel free to chime in!

Not an "Either-Or" Issue

The current facts have been presented in Parts 1 and 2, and the basis for conclusion should be self-evident. Let me clarify that HIIT and linear high-intensity cardio are not the best and only ways to go.

Many folks have perfectly legitimate orthopedic, cardiac, and even psychological reasons to avoid them. Not only that, I sincerely believe that both low and high-intensity cardio have unique benefits unto themselves. Optimally, both types should be done, since each has specifically different effects.

Saying that one is bottom-line superior to the other for improvement in body composition is as false as blanketly saying 5 reps per set is superior to 15. On the contrary, there is well established benefit in periodizing training variables, or as they say in the trenches, "mixing it up."

To Much of the Same?

I've heard it mentioned that high-intensity cardio shouldn't be done concurrently with high-intensity weight training due to excessive stress on the central nervous system. Perfect excuse.

My primary response is, there's no solid proof of that danger. Certainly, there's no evidence of it in my observations as a professional in the field, working with bodybuilders, and all types of other competitive athletes such as gymnasts, sprinters, boxers, etc (you know, athletes whose incredible physiques have nothing to do with weights + high intensity cardio).

It's true that some folks regard a precociously low carb intake as a legit reason to keep intensity low. However, if your nutritional program doesn't adequately support productive training, then you've designed it ass-backwards, painting yourself into a corner of compromised adaptation.

The Options

Options can be broken down in the following ways: If you're pressed for time, and you can do HIIT without any delayed onset muscle soreness overlap (by virtue of doing a low frequency of HIIT), and you can tolerate it joint-wise and heart-wise, and you hate spending time doing cardio to being with, then do HIIT.

On the other hand, if you have the time to allot for low-intensity steady state (LISS), and you do a particularly high volume and magnitude of resistance training which raises potential recovery conflicts posed by a high frequency of HIIT, then do LISS.

If you're somewhere in between the aforementioned two camps, and you don't have a specific preference or tolerance limit, do both types on either a cyclical, rotational, or even a combined basis.

Also, it cannot be overstated that unless you undergo a very gradual progression towards the musculoskeletal tolerance for something like sprinting, you can get hurt pretty bad and there goes your productive training for several weeks.

Fasted = Suboptimal

Fasted cardio is not optimal for reasons spanning beyond its questionable track record in research. There's unavoidable positive metabolic synergy in fed (read: properly fueled) training, regardless of the sport. This effect increases with intensity of training; even in untrained subjects, whatever fat oxidation is suppressed during training is compensated for in the recovery period by multiple mechanisms, many of which are not yet identified.

Athletes are known for their gravitation towards self-sacrifice, but some rely on hearsay, while others rely on science. Did you know that way back in the 1960s, it wasn't uncommon for coaches to tell athletes in various sports to avoid drinking water before and during training? No comment needed.

Good thing researchers questioned it, and enough data surfaced to validate claims of the skeptics. Sometimes counterproductive dogma indeed dies, thank goodness.

However, the myths addressed here are admittedly more subtle than the water example. Even on suboptimal protocols, athletes all over the world still inch along, although not at optimal rates, and not necessarily to optimal levels.

So ...

I see the bottom line like this .. Do the type you have a personal preference for, and also respect your physical limits. HIIT is quicker, but riskier. LISS is safer, but takes twice as long to accomplish the same thing. Again, do what you prefer and can tolerate, but do NOT make the mistake of assuming that LISS burns more fat.

I'll end off by challenging you to diligently review the facts before blindly latching onto the myths.


About Alan Aragon

Alan earned his Bachelor and Master of Science in Nutrition with top honors and is a continuing education provider for the Commission on Dietetic Registration, National Academy of Sports Medicine, American Council on Exercise, and National Strength and Conditioning Association.

He maintains a private practice, designing program for recreational, Olympic and professional athletes, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Kings, and Anaheim Mighty Ducks.

You can check out a free sample of Alan's Research Review here.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Barbell Circuit Workout

Admittedly, I have too much time on my hands since being sidelined with a stress fracture in my foot. I've been roaming the web looking for new, diverse workouts to try once I'm back on my feet (literally) so that I can beat my body back in to shape.

This morning I came across Craig Ballantyne's Big 5 Barbell Circuit Workout:




I initially took some exception to the fact that Craig suggested females use an EZ Curl bar but, truth is ... I'm not sure I'd get through 3 sets of this workout with a 45 lb Olympic bar. I'll need to wait another few weeks to test that out but if you have a chance to give this workout a test run, I'd be very interested to hear what weight you used!

The diversity of Craig's Turbulence Training program never ceases to amaze me. As I often tell people who come to me for help in losing weight/fat, the key to success is to never let your body adapt to an exercise routine. Over time the same workout will simply become less effective.

Remember, diversity is key so give new routines a try, and don't stick with any one routine for longer than 4-weeks!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Myths Under The Microscope: Part 2

In Part 1 of this series Alan Aragon took an in-depth look at the Low Intensity Fat Burning Zone. Part 2 focuses on a concept that often goes hand-in-hand with low intensity cardio training - Fasted cardio.

Similar to Part 1, this article is highly research intensive. Hang in there and we'll pull everything together later this week!

False Hopes For Fasted Cardio:

False Hopes

The bandwagon is lead by blind horses

Many trainees pigeonhole weight training as an activity exclusively for building muscle, and cardio exclusively for burning fat. On the contrary, weight training can yield very similar results to cardio of similar intensity when 24-hour energy expenditure and macronutrient oxidation is measured [1].

The obvious advantage of weight training is the higher potential for lean mass and strength gains. In the bodybuilding context, cardio should be viewed as merely an adjunctive training mode to further energy expenditure and cross-complement the adaptations specific to weight training.

As far as cardio being absolutely necessary for cardiovascular health, well, that depends upon the overall volume and magnitude of your weight training - another topic for another time.

Chaos theory strikes again

On the surface, it seems logical to separate carbs from cardio if you want a maximal degree of fat oxidation to occur during training. But, there's the underlying mistake - focusing on stored fuel usage during training instead of focusing on optimally partitioning exogenous fuel for maximal lipolytic effect around the clock.

Put another way, it's a better objective to coincide your carb intake with your day's thermic peaks, where insulin sensitivity and lean tissue reception to carbs is highest. For some reason, this logic is not easily accepted, nor understood. As we know, human physiology doesn't always cooperate with logic or popular opinion, so let's scrutinize the science behind the claims.

Let the Research Speak

Carbohydrate ingestion during low-intensity exercise reduces fat oxidation

As far as 3 decades back, Ahlborg's team observed that carb ingestion during low-intensity exercise (25 - 45% VO2 max) reduced fat oxidation compared to fasted levels [2]. More recently, DeGlisezinski's team observed similar results in trained men at 50% VO2 max [3].

Efforts to determine the mechanism behind this phenomenon have been made. Coyle's team observed that at 50% VO2 max, carbohydrate availability can directly regulate fat oxidation by coordinating hyperinsulinemia to inhibit long-chain fatty acid transport into mitochondria [4].

Carbohydrate's effect on fat oxidation during moderate-intensity exercise depends on conditioning level

Civitarese's team found glucose ingestion during exercise to blunt lipolysis via decreasing the gene expression involved in fat oxidation in untrained men [5]. Wallis' team saw suppressed fat oxidation in moderately trained men and women when glucose was ingested during exercise [6].

In contrast to the above trials on beginning and intermediate trainees, Coyle's team repeatedly showed that carb ingestion during moderate-intensity (65 - 75% VO2 max) does not reduce fat oxidation during the first 120 minutes of exercise in trained men [7.8]. Interestingly, the intensity margin proximal to where fat oxidation is highest was unaffected by carb ingestion, and remained so for the first 2 hours of exercise.

Horowitz' team examined the effect of a during-training solution of high-glycemic carbs on moderately trained men undergoing either low intensity exercise (25% VO2 max) or high-moderate intensity (68% VO2 max) [9]. Similar results to Coyle's work were seen. Subjects completed a 2-hour cycling bout, and ingested the carb solution at 30, 60, and 90 minutes in. In the low-intensity treatment, fat oxidation was not reduced below fasted-state control groups' levels until 80-90 minutes of exercise. In the 68% group, no difference in fat oxidation was seen whether subjects were fasted or fed throughout the trial.

Further supporting the evidence in favor of fed cardio in trained men, Febbraio's team investigated the effects of carb ingestion pre and during training in easily one of the best designed trials on this topic [10]. Subjects exercised for 2 hours at an intensity level of 63% VO2 max, which is now known as the point of maximal fat oxidation during exercise.

The Result? Pre and during-training carbs increased performance - and there was no difference in total fat oxidation between the fasted and fed subjects. Despite the elevated insulin levels in the carb-fueled groups, there was no difference in fat availability or fat utilization.


Summing Up The Research Findings In Part 2

• At low intensities (25 - 50% VO2 max), carbs during exercise reduce fat oxidation compared to fasted trainees.


• At moderate intensities (63 - 68% VO2 max) carbs during exercise may reduce fat oxidation in untrained subjects, but do not reduce fat oxidation in trained subjects for at least the first 80-120 minutes of exercise.


• Carbohydrate during exercise spares liver glycogen, which is among the most critical factors for anticatabolism during hypocaloric and other conditions of metabolic stress. This protective hepatic effect is absent in fasted cardio.


• At the established intensity level of peak fat oxidation (~63% VO2 max), carbohydrate increases performance without any suppression of fat oxidation in trained subjects.

All references are outlined here.

About Alan Aragon

Alan earned his Bachelor and Master of Science in Nutrition with top honors and is a continuing education provider for the Commission on Dietetic Registration, National Academy of Sports Medicine, American Council on Exercise, and National Strength & Conditioning Association.

He maintains a private practice, designing programs for recreational, Olympic and professional athletes, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Kings, and Anaheim Mighty Ducks.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Ask The Trainer

We received an email this week from a reader asking whether they should perform steady-state cardio before or after strength training.

In hopes that Sydney won't be terribly annoyed at me (Sydney runs our Ask The Trainer Column), I'm going to take a shot at answering this question.

My first reaction was to ask "why" steady-state versus HIIT. Apparently this reader is already doing HIIT 2x per week, so adding a few steady-state cardio sessions is more than acceptable as there are clear cardiovascular benefits.

So, the answer to the question is that you want to perform your steady-state cardio workout post strength training, for two reasons:

1. Strength training is physically and mentally demanding. To get the most benefit out of a strength training program you want to ensure that you are lifting maximum weight. If you already burn yourself out with an extended cardio session, that is not likely to happen.

2. The metabolic boost you will obtain from strength training is going to be greater than what you'll obtain during a steady-state cardio workout. This is because when you lift heavy you are performing a high intensity, short duration activity each time you move that weight.

When you perform this type of activity, glucose (simple sugar) is your body's preferred source of fuel. As you go through your strength training routine you will gradually use up glucose stores and start mobilizing fat for energy.

By the time you're done with your strength training workout and move to cardio, you will be in optimal fat burning mode.

The bottom line is that performing cardio after strength training burns more fat and calories!

Send your fitness questions to AskTheTrainer@CatapultFitnessBlog.com

On a side note, a BIG shout-out to Nicole who completed 2 consecutive pull-ups yesterday! That is an absolutely awesome accomplishment!!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Gourmet Nutrition Recipe 2

If anyone gave the Stir Fry Vegetable Extravaganza recipe from last week a try, I'd love to hear your feedback! People are always telling me that they don't like vegetables, or simply find it difficult to eat the recommended number of servings per day. The stir fry is an excellent way to load up on a plethora of veggies and has become a staple in my diet.

Since the wind is howling today in NYC, I thought I would post a nice, warm comfort food recipe, and it doesn't get much more comforting than a big bowl of Chili. I've made this one with ground turkey, and have even used lean ground beef on occasion.

By the way, if you're not yet eating Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah), you should be! It's absolutely delicious!!

Quinoa Ostrich Chili

By Dr. John M. Berardi, PhD and Dr. John K. Williams, PhD, authors of the bestselling optimal nutrition ebook, Gourmet Nutrition.

For those among you who are bean averse, here is a chili recipe that replaces gassy legumes with quinoa. Why quinoa? Because it tastes great, and it is one of the most nutritious whole grains on the planet. Ostrich complements the robust flavors of quinoa, tomatoes, and spices. Ostrich is a red meat closer in taste and texture to beef than to chicken. If you can’t find it, ground turkey will do in a pinch. When you toss in a heap of veggies, you’re left with a stand-alone hearty, delicious, and highly nutritious meal that will satiate the appetite of two ravenous individuals. This recipe was also designed with busy individuals in mind, and can be completed in 30 minutes from start to finish.

Ingredients

1 lb. ground ostrich, or ground turkey
½ cup dry quinoa
3 cups water
1 small can (6 oz) tomato paste
½ medium onion
½ cup frozen corn kernels
½ package mixed frozen pepper strips
½ tsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
½ tsp salt
Tabasco sauce, to taste

Instructions

1. Bring the quinoa to a boil in 3 cups water and a pinch of salt. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Set a timer for 30 minutes.
2. Brown the ground ostrich and onions in a nonstick skillet. Add the corn and peppers and toss over high heat until vegetables are thoroughly thawed and start to brown.
3. By now, about 10-15 minutes should have elapsed since you started boiling the quinoa. Remove the lid from the quinoa and stir-in the tomato paste until mixed. Add the browned ostrich and vegetables, stir, and then add the spices. Mix completely, cover, and simmer on low heat for the remainder of the time, or until you have the desired consistency (should be fairly thick).

Makes 2 servings.

Nutritional information

	Per Serving
Total Calories	700	k/cal
Protein	59	g
Total Carbohydrates	66	g
Fiber	11	g
Sugars	0	g
Total Fat	17	g
Saturated	5.5	g
Monounsaturated	6.9	g
Polyunsaturated	4.2	g
Omega-3	0.2	g
Omega-6	3.0	g

Tip: Toasting your quinoa

For a smokier flavor, toast the quinoa before you boil it. This can be done in a dry nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Pour the dry quinoa into the skillet (no oil), and stir continuously until the grains start to pop and you can smell a nice, toasty fragrance. This should not take longer than 3-5 minutes.

Food Fact: Quinoa, the Mother Grain

The ancient Incas called quinoa the “mother grain,” because they relied so heavily on its nutritive properties. Quinoa is gluten-free, and contains none of the allergens common to grains from the grass family such as wheat, rye, barley, oats, and corn. Furthermore, quinoa contains lysine, an amino acid deficient in many grains, making it a complete protein. Quinoa is also an excellent source of calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, and B vitamins.

Want to change your body -- while still eating meals that taste this good?

If you want to build the body you never thought you could have, start eating the meals you never thought you could eat! Get over 100 recipes and a no-nonsense nutrition plan that will show you how to make it work in the new ebook written by Dr. Berardi and Dr. Williams, Gourmet Nutrition.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Myths Under The Microscope: Part 1

There continues to be much confusion in regards to the best cardio protocols for incinerating fat. We have addressed this topic several times on Catapult Fitness Blog, but it is one that is well worth revisiting.

I've reached out to Alan Aragon who has given me permission to post a 3-part series that he wrote on this topic a few years back. I'm personally a big fan of Alan's and have been a subscriber to his Research Review for some time.

Parts 1 and 2 of this series are heavily research based. In Part 3 Alan does a great job of breaking it all down in to layman's terms.

The Low Intensity Fat Burning Zone:

The "Fat Burning Zone" On Trial

Origin of the myth

Dietary variables aside, the body's proportional use of fat for fuel during exercise is dependent upon training intensity. The lower the intensity, the greater the proportion of stored fat is used for fuel. The higher the intensity, the greater the proportional use of the glycogen and/or the phosphagen system. But this is where the misunderstanding begins.

Although I'm burning a greater proportion of stored fat typing this sentence, getting up and sprinting would have a greater impact on fat reduction despite its lesser proportional use of fat to power the increased intensity. Alas, sufficient investigation of the intensity threshold of maximal net fat oxidation has been done.

In what's perhaps the best designed trial of its kind, Achten & Jeukendrup found peak fat oxidation to occur during exercise at 63% VO2 max. This peak level got progressively less beyond that point, and was minimal at 82% VO2 max, near the lactate threshold of 87% [1].

Misunderstanding is perpetuated in fitness circles

It has been widely misconstrued that a greater net amount of fat is burned through lower to moderate intensity work, regardless of study duration and endpoints assessed. In addition to the confusion of net fat oxidation with proportional fat oxidation, the post-exercise period is critically overlooked. No distinction is ever made between during-exercise fat oxidation, recovery period fat oxidation, total fat oxidation by the end of a 24-hour period, and most importantly, a longer term of several weeks.

Thus, the superiority of lower intensity cardio continues to be touted over the more rigorous stuff that takes half the time to do. Fortunately, we have enough research data to gain a clear understanding. Let's dig in.

Dissecting The Research

Mixed study protocols + mixed results = plenty of mixed up trainees

As with all research involving applied physiology, the highly mixed set of results is due to a wide variation of study designs in terms of subject profile, dietary manipulation, energetic balance, and actual intensities used. Nevertheless, the body of exercise-induced fat oxidation research can be easily deciphered by stratifying it into 3 subgroups: Acute effect (during exercise and immediately after), 24-hour effect & chronic effect (results over several weeks).

Acute effects spawn ideas for further research

In addition to measuring fat oxidation during exercise, most acute effect trials look at fax oxidation at the 3 to 6 hour mark post exercise [2]. Fat oxidation during exercise tends to be higher in low-intensity treatments, but post-exercise fat oxidation tends to be higher in high-intensity treatments. For example, Phelain's team compared fat oxidation at 3 hours post-exercise of 75% VO2 max versus the same kcals burned at 50% [3].

Fat oxidation was insignificantly higher during exercise for the 50% group, but was significantly higher for the 75% group 3 hours post-exercise.

Lee's team compared, in college males, the thermogenic and lipolytic effects of exercise pre-fueled with milk + glucose on high versus low-intensity training [4]. Predictably pre-exercise intake of the milk/glucose solution increased excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC, aka residual thermogenesis) significantly more than the fasted control group in both cases.

The high-intensity treatment had more fat oxidation during the recovery period than the low intensity treatment. This implicates pre-fueled high-intensity training's potential role in optimizing fat reduction while simultaneously setting the state for quicker recovery.

24-hour effects come closer to reality

You can call it Murphy's Law, but the promise of greater fat oxidation seen during and in the early post-exercise periods of lower intensity cardio disappears when the effects are measured over 24-hours. Melanson's research team was perhaps the first to break the redundancy studies that only compared effects within a few hours post-exercise [5].

In a design involving an even mix of lean, healthy men & women aged 20 - 45, identical caloric expenditures of 40% VO2 max was compared with 70% VO2 max. Result? No difference in net fat oxidation between the low & high intensity groups at the 24 hour mark.

Saris & Schrauwen conducted a similar study on obese males using the high-intensity interval protocol versus a low-intensity linear one [6]. There was no difference in fat oxidation between high & low intensity treatments at 24 hours. In addition, the high-intensity group actually maintained a lower respiratory quotient in posts-exercise. This means that their fat oxidation was higher than the low-intensity group the rest of the day following the training bout, thus evening out the end results at 24 hours.

Chronic effects come even closer

Long-term/Chronic effect studies are the true tests of whatever hints and clues we might get from acute studies. The results of trials carried out over several weeks have obvious validity advantages over shorter ones. They also afford the opportunity to measure changes in body composition, versus mere substrate use proximal to exercise.

The common thread running through these trials is that when caloric expenditure during exercise is matched, negligible fat loss differences are seen. The fact relevant to bodybuilding is that high-intensity groups either gain or maintain lean body mass, whereas the low-intensity groups tend to lose LBM, hence the high-intensity group experiences less net losses in weight gain [7 - 9].

The body of research strongly favors high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for both fat loss and lean mass gain/maintenance, even across a broad range of study populations [9 - 12]. A memorable example of this is work by Tremblay's team, observing the effect of 20 weeks of HIIT versus endurance training (ET) on young adults [9].

When energy expenditure between groups was corrected, the HIIT group showed a whopping 9 times the fat loss as the ET group. In the HIIT group, biopsies showed an increase of glycolytic enzymes, as well as an increase of 3-hydroxyacyl coenzyme A dehydrogenase (HADH) activity, a marker of fat oxidation.

Researchers concluded that the metabolic adaptions in muscle in response to HIIT favor the process of fat oxidation. The mechanisms for these results are still under investigation, but they're centered around residual thermal and lipolytic effects mediated by enzymatic, morphologic, and beta-adrenergic adaptions in muscle. Linear/steady state comparisons of the 2 types tends to find no difference, except for better cardiovascular fitness gains in the high-intensity groups [13].

Summing Up the Research Findings In Part 1

• In acute trials, fat oxidation during exercise tends to be higher in low-intensity treatments, but post-exercise fat oxidation and/or energy expenditure tends to be higher in high-intensity treatments.


• Fed subjects consistently experience a greater thermic effect post-exercise in both intensity ranges.


• In 24-hour trials, there is no difference in fat oxidation between the 2 types, pointing to a delayed rise if fat oxidation in the high-intensity groups which evens out the field.


• In long-term studies, both linear high-intensity and HIIT training is superior to lower intensities on the whole for maintaining and/or increasing cardiovascular fitness & lean muscle mass, and are at least as effective, and according to some research, far better at reducing bodyfat.

All references are outlined here.

About Alan Aragon

Alan earned his Bachelor and Master of Science in Nutrition with top honors and is a continuing education provider for the Commission on Dietetic Registration, National Academy of Sports Medicine, American Council on Exercise, and National Strength & Conditioning Association.

He maintains a private practice, designing programs for recreational, Olympic and professional athletes, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Kings, and Anaheim Mighty Ducks.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

What $20 Will Buy

You may have noticed long white tubes of foam lying around your gym. These are not packing material but rather one of the best pieces of equipment at your gym that you probably have never used.

Meet the Foam Roller.

I was first introduced to foam rollers a couple of years ago when I started biking and developed tightness in my hip flexors. It was at this time that a friend introduced me to the concept of Self-Myofascial Release (SMFR), a technique first brought to the sports medicine community by NASM President, Micheal Clark whose explanation for SMFR is simply to get a foam foller and use your bodyweight to apply pressure to sore spots.

As simple as it sounds, that's about it.

You can read a detailed explanation of SMFR by Micheal Clark himself by visiting the Perform Better website.

In the simplest terms, SMFR is a form of deep tissue massage used to manipulate the fascia which can become restricted over time due to

1. Postural imbalances
2. Persistent inflammation
3. Disuse
4. Injury
5. Trauma, including surgery

Fascia is the soft connective tissue just below the skin that wraps and connects to our muscles, bones, nerves and blood vessels. It is the glue that keeps our body together.

The fascia and muscle make up the myofasica system. For the reasons stated above, the fascia and muscle tissue can form adhesion's (become "stuck" together) which may result in pain, stiffness, soreness and reduced range of motion.

Through SMFR the fascia is manipulated, which allows for the connective tissue fibers to "unstick".

Below are some videos that provide instruction on how to use foam rollers. This is really just a starting point! YouTube offers many videos on SMFR that enable you to work out your kinks.

Piriformis Glute Myofascial Release


Thigh, IT Band Myofascial Release


Lats Self Myofascial Release


My Two Cents

If you ever had a deep tissue sports massage you know it's no walk in the park. It can be down-right painful. If you decide to give SMFR a try, be prepared for some level of discomfort as you work out your kinks and trigger points.

With that said, the foam roller should not cause bruising and at the end of the session, you should feel better.

Flexibility is important in order to maintain elasticity in our muscles and help prevent injury and SMFR is a worthy addition to a comprehensive flexibility program.

Do you have favorite SMFR exercises? I would love to hear about them!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Gourmet Nutrition Recipe 1

I have had many requests for recipes and have decided that there's no better place to start than by sharing with Catapult Fitness Blog readers some of the selections from Dr. John Berardi's Gourmet Nutrition.

JB has been nice enough to provide me with permission to share several recipes from Gourmet Nutrition and I will be posting these over the course of this month.

The Gourmet Nutrition recipes are especially attractive for those of you who are having problems consuming enough quality calories throughout the day, and from my reader mail, there are many of you who fall in to that category!

For those readers looking for a lower calorie option, simply serve smaller portions. I've been quite satisfied using the recipe below for 4 portions versus the suggested 3 portions.

Stir Fry Veggie Extravaganza

By Dr. John M. Berardi, PhD and Dr. John K. Williams, PhD, authors of the bestselling optimal nutrition book, Gourmet Nutrition.

Most of us could benefit from increasing our intake of fresh, whole vegetables. If the cancer-fighting properties of vegetables aren’t enough incentive, then take into consideration that they contain a ton of micronutrients that fill nutritional voids, they have small quantities of healthy fats such as omega-3’s, they counteract high acidity produced by high protein diets, and they give us a big dose of fiber.

Getting ample vegetables sounds great in theory, but in practice many of us fail utterly in finding ways to consistently consume our photosynthesizing friends. Let’s face it, the world is full of veggie haters. As the famous and sometimes gruff 20th century archaeologist Francois Bordes used to say when asked if he would like a salad with his meal, “What do I look like to you, a rabbit?”

Sure, vegetables can be downright repulsive, but given the correct method of preparation, even the most finicky of eaters can reap the benefits of these wonder foods, sow good eating habits, alleviate any seeds of doubt, and harvest superior nutritional properties. Now that the puns are out of the way, let’s move on to the recipe.

Asian stir-fry is one of the best ways to eat vegetables in both quantity and variety. Cooking the vegetables quickly over high heat keeps them crisp (no more mushy cafeteria mystery vegetable), and slightly caramelizes their surface, dramatically enhancing flavor. Another bonus is that you can cook stir-fry in bulk, storing tasty vegetable-laden meals for days at a time.

After messing around with varieties of this recipe, we finally discovered a great combination of vegetable variety, healthfulness, texture, and taste. You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to significantly increase your vegetable intake with just this one recipe.

This is a stand-alone dish that needs no rice. Just pile it high on a plate and enjoy. There is enough variety that it can even be cooked and eaten without meat, as a side dish for us omnivores, or as a main dish for a vegetarian.

Ingredients

1 lb chicken breast, sliced thin
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 whole dried chili peppers, chopped
2 tbsp white cooking wine
2 cubic inches fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp corn starch, mixed together with 4 tbsp water
1 cup fresh shitake mushrooms
2 stalks celery, diagonally sliced
2 bundles scallions (green onions) (15 total), diced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
2 medium carrots, sliced
2 handfuls snow peas (25-30 pods)
1 can sliced water chestnuts, rinsed and drained
1 can slivered bamboo shoots, rinsed and drained
1 head Napa cabbage, sliced
3 cups fresh bean sprouts
1 bouillon cube (chicken or vegetable), mixed with 1 cup hot water
4 tbsp soy sauce
½ cup whole roasted and salted cashews

Instructions

First slice the chicken breast and marinate it in a large bowl together with half of the chopped garlic, crushed chili peppers, white wine and a dash of salt.

Chop all of your vegetables and get them ready before the cooking process starts. Also, make your cornstarch solution in a small bowl or cup by stirring 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into 4-5 tablespoons of water. Stir until thoroughly mixed into a thick solution.

Heat a large nonstick wok over medium-high heat, and then add the sliced chicken together with the marinade. Stir-fry for a few minutes, until browned. Push the chicken up to the sides of the wok, lightly coat the surface with cooking spray, and then add the remaining garlic and chopped ginger. Stir-fry for a couple of minutes, and then add vegetables, two at a time, stir-frying about 4 minutes each batch. When the wok gets too full, place the contents into a large bowl and continue stir-frying the remaining vegetables. If the wok gets dry, you can coat it again with cooking oil, or add some soy sauce.

After you’ve worked your way through the vegetables down to the cabbage and bean sprouts, push the vegetables to the side of the wok, add the broth, and bring to a boil. Thicken the broth by stirring-in the cornstarch solution (stir it again before slowly adding).

Return all of the vegetables and chicken to the wok, and toss together with the soy sauce and cashews. Don’t add the cashews until the very end to ensure a crunchy texture. Mix thoroughly and serve.

Makes 3 large servings (or several small ones).

Nutritional information

	Per Serving
Total Calories	621	k/cal
Protein	54	g
Total Carbohydrates	74	g
Fiber	18	g
Sugars	0	g
Total Fat	15	g
Saturated	3	g
Monounsaturated	7	g
Polyunsaturated	4	g
Omega-3	1	g
Omega-6	3	g

Tip: Slicing vegetables, the safe way

This recipe requires a lot of chopping, so to ensure you don’t get bits of finger in your meal, let’s discuss how to chop vegetables quickly and safely. It’s very important to have a good knife. Sharp knives are actually safer because you don’t have to use so much force to cut the vegetables. The knife should also have a broad blade, such as a chef’s knife or a cleaver. The blade needs to be broad so that you can place the side of the knife on your knuckles as you chop. Holding the vegetable with your fingertips on the cutting board, fold your knuckles over and lightly move the knife across them while chopping, being careful not to raise the knife above the level of your knuckles (never let the side of the knife lose contact with your guiding hand). As long as you keep your fingers tucked away, then no worries.

Food Fact: Cabbage, the forgotten veggie

Cabbage is one of those veggies that is often overlooked in western diets. The good news is that it tastes great in this stir-fry, and the better news is that cabbage has great health properties. Cabbage contains a beneficial phytochemical called indole-3-carbinole (I3C), which has powerful cancer-fighting properties. I3C also helps to break down estrogen in the body, which further decreases cancer risk, particularly breast cancer in women.

Want to change your body -- while still eating meals that taste this good?

If you want to build the body you never thought you could have, start eating the meals you never thought you could eat! Get over 100 recipes and a no-nonsense nutrition plan that will show you how to make it work in the new book written by Dr. Berardi and Dr. Williams, Gourmet Nutrition.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

A Review Of Turbulence Training

For anyone who has spent any amount of time on Catapult Fitness Blog, you know that I'm a big fan of Craig Ballantyne and the Turbulence Training program. When people ask me how I was able to trim down and tone up, my response is "Body By Craig".

It will be one year this February 13 that I started using Turbulence Training. 12-months in to the program, I feel I'm finally qualified to write a review, so here goes.

What initially drew me to the program is that Turbulence Training promises fast fat loss results for men and women who don't have a lot of time for exercise. The workouts promise maximum results in only three workouts per week. This is exactly what I was looking for last February when I was working 12+ hours/day at a desk job.

With that said, there are dozens of similar claims made online, so I first conducted due dillegence on Craig. For starters, Craig Ballantyne's name has appeared many times in popular fitness magazines such as Men's Health and Men's Fitness, and Oxygen and Shape magazines. So the program is clearly put together by a trusted fitness expert.

A little more research and I found that Craig's experience goes back to the mid-nineties, in both the gym and in the research lab. He's actually led research trials on sport supplements, strength training, and cardiovascular training.

Lastly, I am not a fan of hour long aerobic sessions and found that Craig's articles were pretty hard on traditional aerobic cardio workouts. I felt as if we had a connection.

So, "What is Turbulence Training?" Well according to Craig, its the combination of resistance training and interval training used to boost your metabolism so that your body burns calories and fat between workouts. He says, "Cardio doesn't boost your metabolism after exercise. Only strength training and interval training do that - while you work, sleep, and eat - your body will be shedding fat."

Fortunately, Craig's unique system of bodyweight exercises, dumbbell exercises, and interval training can all be done at home, with minimal equipment. This was a huge factor for me as I rarely got home from the office before 9 pm, and didn't have time to first change and get to the gym.

And, even though I now work from home I still focus on Turbulence Training.

Why? Because there is no need for long workouts!

Additionally, I don't get bored. Craig provides website members with new routines a minimum of once per month, with each workout progressing into the next - with beginner, intermediate and advanced programs. It's truly a workout system that I'll never outgrow.

Okay, so bottom line. Turbulence Training is NOT....

• Long, slow cardio workouts
• A machine-based exercise circuit
• A bodybuilding program to gain bulk
• A workout with lots of time-wasting isolation exercises
• A restrictive eating plan

Turbulence Training provides NONE of the above. On the other hand, Turbulence Training is perfect for busy individuals who want to burn fat in the comfort of their own homes without spending a lot of money on equipment or space on exercise machines.

If you're in the slightest bit curious, I recommend you look closely at Craig's program. I was very impressed with all of the Turbulence Training workouts, the bonuses, and Craig's expertise (YES, Craig does respond to messages posted in the TT Members forum!).

I'm proud to have Turbulence Training as a recipient of the Catapult Fitness Blog NO BULL Seal Of Approval.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

The High Fructose Corn Syrup Controversy

I find myself struggling lately with the High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) topic.

Don't get me wrong; I get that sugar is bad for a variety of reasons. I rarely, if ever, exceed more than 40 grams of sugar in a day. What I've been struggling with is whether or not HFCS is really any different than sucrose (table sugar)?

Chemistry Refresher

Sugar is a simple carbohydrate which means it is broken down quickly by the body and used as a source of energy. Sugars include monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides and oligosaccharides. As the names suggest, multiple sugar molecules (monosacharides) can be combined.

Monosaccharides are the simplest form of carbohydrates. They consist of one sugar and include glucose, fructose, galactose, xylose and ribose.

Disaccharides are made up of two monosaccharides and include sucrose (table sugar), lactose and maltose.

Like other carbohydrates, sugar contributes 4 calories per gram.

HFCS Versus Other Sugars

The Corn Refiners Association will argue that HFCS is similar in composition to sucrose (table sugar). A recent article by Lyle McDonald compared the percentage of fructose and glucose content across different sweeteners and indeed, the composition of HFCS is similar to its counterparts:



Health Concerns Surrounding HFCS

I was listening to a podcast the other day that quickly demonized HFCS by referring to a study that indicates that un-bound fructose causes extremely elevated levels of reactive carbonyls - compounds that are typically elevated in the blood of people with diabetes.

Specifically, here is what was said during the podcast:

It is true that, in fact, high fructose corn syrup is far more sinister than regular sugar. They were doing a study with diabetics and they were finding a compound called carbonyl at extremely elevated levels in diabetics.

When high fructose corn syrup is manufactured there's a reaction with fructose and glucose molecules where they become unbound and they elevate the level of carbonyls and this is obviously what's going on with your soda.

With regular sugar, sucrose does not become unbound. The way that it's processed is totally different.

The podcast in question is one that is hosted by an individual that I feel is extremely intelligent and well versed in many areas of health and fitness. Unfortunately, the information reported is simply incorrect.

The study being referenced is a 2007 research paper by Dr. Chi-Tang Ho, a professor of food science at Rutgers University. Dr. Ho's study did not use diabetics as a control base. Rather, it was a laboratory study of commonly consumed carbonated beverages. If you read on you'll better understand as to why sucrose does indeed become unbound if used in the manufacturing of soda.

For full disclosure, I requested Lyle McDonald's assistance in deciphering Dr. Ho's research and, as always, Lyle's input was very insightful.

The Research Study De-Constructed

The original news report entitled Soda Warning? New Study Supports Link Between Diabetes, High-Fructose Corn Syrup points out that Dr. Ho's team tested 11 carbonated soft drinks that contained HFCS and found

'astonishingly high' levels of reactive carbonyls in those beverages. These undesirable and highly-reactive compounds associated with "unbound" fructose and glucose molecules are believed to cause tissue damage, says Ho, a professor of food science at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J. By contrast, reactive carbonyls are not present in table sugar, whose fructose and glucose components are "bound" and chemically stable, the research notes.

Keep that last sentence in mind as we're going to get back to that point later on in this posting.

The news article goes on to point out that

Ho's group is also probing the mechanisms by which carbonation increases the amount of reactive carbonyls formed in sodas containing HFCS. They note that non-carbonated fruit juices containing HFCS have one-third the amount of reactive carbonyl species found in carbonated sodas with HFCS.

The diabetes connection is that reactive carbonyls are elevated in the blood of individuals with diabetes.

The question begs to be asked, is HFCS the problem, or is it carbonation plus HFCS that is the real issue?

Lyle was able to pinpoint a blog posting with the following information:

First, Chi-Tang Ho et al did not compare the HFCS sodas to sucrose sodas. They compared 11 HFCS sodas to a diet soda control. There was no sucrose soda control, so this research does not allows us to make comparisons.

Second, though the article states that sucrose does not have reactive carbonyls by virtue of the fact that fructose and glucose are bound together in sucrose, this overlooks the fact that sucrose is in fact hydrolyzed in soft drinks into - you guessed it - fructose and glucose.

For instance, The Soft Drinks Companion: A Technical Handbook for the Beverage Industry, Maurice Shachman, pp. 81 - 82, states:

The sugar inversion process takes place under acidic conditions and speeds up with a decrease in pH. Soft drinks are flavored with acids to achieve the sourness notes essential for their taste profiles. They are therefore acidic drinks, usually in the pH+3 range. This is especially true of the sour fruit flavors, such as lemon and other citrus fruit species. Cola beverages that often use phosphoric acid as the acidulant are at even lower pH values. In carbonated soft drinks, the dissolved carbon dioxide is converted to carbonic acid, which further adds to the acidification of these drinks. Regardless of the exact acid content of such beverages, they can all be considered to a lesser or greater degree, as acidic solutions. As such, some inversion of the sucrose in these beverages will take place.

So, even if the drinks starts with sucrose, much if not most of it will be broken down into unbound fructose and glucse by the acid in the soda. In fact, according to Marov and Dowling (1990)*, at typical storage times and temperatures, more than 90% of the sucrose in soft drinks can by hydrolyzed. Therefore, even if a soft drink is sweetened with sucrose, unbound glucose and fructose will start to appear immediately and be available to participate in carbonyl forming reactions.

* Marov, G. J., Dowling, J.F., 1990. Sugar in beverages. In: Pennington, N.L., Baker, C.W. (Eds.(, Sugar: A User's Guide to Sucrose, vol. 13. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, pp. 189 - 211.

Based on this information, Lyle drew the following conclusion and I concur -

There is still NO functional difference in a soda sweetened with HFCS vs. sucrose vs. invert sugar vs. anything else. Put them in acid and they become unbound; carbonate them and you generate carbonyls.

My Two Cents

I myself was on the anti-HFCS bandwagon. The fact is, several times I started to compose seething postings in regards to the commercials run by The Corn Refiners Association.

However, the more I have researched the topic, the more questions I have. Ultimately, it seems as if current research is inconclusive and High Fructose Corn Syrup is simply today's whipping-boy, same as dietary fat and carbohydrates have been in the past.

We live in a sound-bite era where context is often missing and it becomes easy to draw conclusions without having reviewed all the evidence.

I read a statistic that stated that the per-capita consumption of soft drinks is in excess of 150 quarts per year, or about three quarts per week in the U.S. When you consider that a 20 oz bottle of soda contains 250 calories and the equivalent of 16 teaspoons of sugar, it seems to me that we're kidding ourselves by focusing on HFCS as being the problem.

My opinion on HFCS is the same as it is in regards to all simple carbohydrates - they should be limited as they are wasted calories, void of any nutritional value.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan