Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Beach Body: BURN BODY FAT and be 'Forever Young'

Hudson and Jay-Z remake of 'Forever Young' anthem of the 80's
Courtesy Youtube.com




Beach Bodies

Personally... I like beach bodies.

Bikinis... body boarding... surf sun s*x [and...corona + shots] nothing beats Cali...

Glistening abs, tricps biceps, sun toned warm tanned oily skin. Shimmering pheromones.

Summers below the 37th latitude are heightened by muscles, movement and HORMESIS.



Metabolic Networks

What dominates our metabolism? An intricate network of evolutionary metabolic networks that is heavily conserved from the lowliest nematode to the most highly evolved cognitively-appealing, apex predators...

Including YOU.

Thanks LePine for inspiration and links.




'Exercise intensity and Burning Fat: Youve Gotta Move It To Lose It'

This worked for me and it will work for you if you are trying to lose body fat.

It has worked also for the same 5 lbs of body fat I've lost a dozen times in the last 2 yrs secondary to frustrating synthetic (levonorgestrel, a contraceptive endocrine disruptor) and subsequent hormone dysreguation.

Prior animal pharm: 50 # Wt Loss

Thomas Fahey EdD from Fitness Rx For Men is one of my favorite health and fitness gurus and writers. With 'Rx' in the title can one go wrong? ...speaking from a legal drug dealer point of view?

A recent article from Nov 2009 issue featuring both Dara Torres 'Woman Athlete of the Year' and SUPERBOY Oly decathlete (hybrid Asian and African American) Bryan Clay has the article entitled 'EXERCISE INTENSITY AND BURNING FAT: YOU'VE GOTTA MOVE IT TO LOSE IT'.

Love the title. Love the contents. Prof Fahey is an alright guy.




Key: 45 to 90 min 4X per Week Chronic Cardio 60-85% MAX HEARTRATE

Fahey writes, 'Elegant studies by Dr. George Brooks at the University of California, Berkeley showed that the body uses mainly fats for fuel at rest and low exercise intensities. At 65 percent of maximum effort, the body switches abruptly to carbohydrates and uses much LESS FAT [my emphasis]. The rate of fat breakdown in fat cells aslo decreases with increasing exercise intensity. The best method for losing weight through exercise looks like a no-brainer. Train at low exercise intensity because you'll use fat as FUEL....' Our mitochondria and muscles like the heart are adapted and naturally selected to run on FATTY ACIDS as the optimal fuel for endurance and day-to-day activities.



Caveat: ALSO Key -- Exercise INTENSELY in addition to Cardio

Fahey also adds the essential KEY of ripping and shredding body fat is 'The real answer to the question of how to lose fat through exercise is not so obvious. True, you use more fat as fuel when you exercise moderately. But [***hint***] you lose more body fat when you exercise more intensely during a 24-hour period because you use more fat for feul and INCREASE METABOLISM (increase calorie use) more after exercise. Also, you burn more calories during the exercise itself. The total daily energy use is more important for fat loss than the kinds of fuels used during exercise... As stated, intense exercise increases fat use after the exercise is OVER. You use th readily-available carbs during intense exercise, then SWITCH to fats during RECOVERY. The body uses more fats as fuel after an INTENSE workout than after an easy one. Intense exercise increases post-exercise mtabolisms more than light exercise. Run for an hour at 70-80% maximum effort and you get an extra post-exercise calorie-burning bonus...'


6 Pointers: 'Losing Body Fat with High-Intensity Exercise'
  • 'Do 60-90 minutes of cardio at 60-85% percent of maximum effort, three to five days per week... doesn't sound like a lot, but you will lose fat and not muscle...
  • Include interval training in your workout... Interval training includes intense running (sprinting) interrupted by periods of rest orlight exercise... exercise intensely for ONE MINUTE at near-maximum intensity, then repat six to 20 times (depending on your fitness level).... You will notice rapid increases in fitness and fat loss with this kind of training. [TRUE. Sprints in the pool, bike or asphalt for triathlon training has give me the best and most rapid gains and personal fat loss and maintenance]
  • Train with weights at least TWO DAYS PER WEEK. Weight training increases muscle mass [and testosterone + fountain-of-youth-growth-hormone-BURSTS] that will give you a higher metabolic rate. More muscle mass means you burn more calories during the day. Also, you'll look lean and fit if you have more muscle. TRAIN HARD!



  • Stretch after you workout, when the muscles are warm. Maintaining flexibility will help you prevent injury and maintain normal range of motion in the joints. Stretch after exercise during the cool-down period ather than before. [For me, yoga 20-60min after a workout is better than a MASSAGE seriously and the endorphin-releases are nice.]
  • Eat a well-balanced diet. [fats proteins carbs -- don't forget or skimp]
  • Back off if you get injured. Intense training greatly increases the risk of overuse injuries. People who train intensely ride a thin edge between peak performance and injury because they push hard all the time. Back off on the program when your knees, Achilles tendons, hips or back hurt. Take a few days off [or 1-2wks] and then begin again at a lower intensity.'




  • Sample Schedule (2 days rest, 2 days wts, 2 days short cardio+intervals, 1 day long cardio)
    Mon -- Long Cardio (track or treadmill or cycling or elliptical, etc) 60-90 min @60-85% of max

    Tue -- Weight training (1-3 sets of 10 resp for 8-10 exercises, emphasizing major muscle groups)

    Wed -- Interval training (six 200-meter sprints at 90% of max effort resting 3 min betw sprints or 10 one-minute sprints on an elliptical with one minute rest betw intervals) + Short-Cardio (45 min @60-85% max)

    Thur--REST REST REST

    Fri -- Weight training (ditto)

    Sat -- Interval training (ditto) + Short-Cardio (ditto 45 min)

    Sun -- REST REST REST




    UR...A Beautiful MONSTER

    Do you fly ur freak flag high? I don't mind.

    Join the freak nation.

    Be PROUD for being part of the minority rather than the epidemic, growing obese majority.

    Ne-Yo "Beautful Monster"
    Courtesy Youtube.com



    Additional References

    1. FitnessRxformen.com; Vol 7; Number 6; pp 46-49.

    2. The effects of intermittent liquid meal feeding on selected hormones and substrates during intense weight training.
    Fahey TD, Hoffman K, Colvin W, Lauten G.
    Int J Sport Nutr. 1993 Mar;3(1):67-75

    3. The effects of sodium bicarbonate and pyridoxine-alpha-ketoglutarate on short-term maximal exercise capacity.
    Linderman J, Kirk L, Musselman J, Dolinar B, Fahey TD.
    J Sports Sci. 1992 Jun;10(3):243-53.

    4. Serum testosterone, body composition, and strength of young adults.
    Fahey TD, Rolph R, Moungmee P, Nagel J, Mortara S.
    Med Sci Sports. 1976 Spring;8(1):31-4.

    5. Brooks GA, Fahey T, and Baldwin K. Exercise Physiology: Human Bioenergetics and its Applications. New York: McGraw Hill, 2004 (4th edition).

    38 comments:

    Anonymous said...

    A good approach that I have found works for most is;

    - No more than 3 days in a row before a day off
    - No more than 3 weeks in a row before a deload week
    - No more than 3 months in a row before an extended break (2-4 weeks of unloaded training)

    My personal programme is;
    Mon - Off
    Tue - Strength Training
    Wed - I teach an intervals-based spin class
    Thu - Strength Training
    Fri - Off
    Sat - Cycling + Intervals or X-Fit
    Sun - Cycling + Intervals or X-Fit

    The weeks can be fairly asymmetrical at times and I'll work on anything from mobility to stability, to handstand progressions in the deload week.

    Good post G!

    Marc said...

    You might get some slack over this one...I look forward to reading it if you do ;-)
    I'm not sure cardio is the way to go...

    Like you, I do love the beach bodies....and a cold corona ;-)

    Marc

    Sue said...

    Could you do the 90 mins cardio split in 2 sessions - morning and afternoon with same results?

    Dr. B G said...

    Jamie,

    That is GREAT! Sounds like you like a seasonal approach as well which jives well I think with our evo DNA substrates.

    Awesome program!!

    -G

    Dr. B G said...

    Marc,

    *wink* Really?

    But it works, no denying!

    I've tried not doing chronic cardio... and I get fat. Then I become a crazy PMS-y monster...! *haa*

    imho 60-65% heart rate is taking my heart to like 90-100 beats a minute. It's barely ticking when I do my long runs about 2-3X per month, which I find extremely relaxing and soothing for my adrenals. My lifestyle is otherwise kinda sedentary -- I think I need the movement to counter all the atrophy and entropy signals I give it all day long.

    I was going to post a pic but too many to choose from! Need some from hot readers...

    -G

    Dr. B G said...

    Hey Sue,

    From all that I've read -- all exercise can be split up and with near equal benefits.

    For conditioning, however, the value of a longer low intensity workout is full depletion of glycogen and switch to fatty acids, and to do this at a frequency that the body trains itself to be primed to do so. Mitochondrial FAO (burning of fat) pathways have to be set up well and the endurance component of 90min is just minimal in that regards. I count housekeeping... (which I don't really do much and try to keep to a 'minimum'... otoh, sex works better *wicked eye*).

    -G

    Unknown said...

    Good post, very informative and right on what I have read elsewhere as to the fat burning.

    Do you know anything about teaching your body to better burn fat rather then CHO during endurance sport? I'm talking about an easy training session once a week or so in a glycogen depleted state to force your body to use fat.

    Dr. B G said...

    Hi I Pull 400 W,

    What has worked for you the best?

    Personally I think it depends on the length of the event... If you are talking endurance, then you are talking a heavy glycogen-dependent activity and carbs are going to be a necessity. Even the paleo Tour de France team ate rice to sustain the fast-twitch muscles. Keith at his TheoryToPractice blog often talks about training for your event. Personally I think if one just trained glycogen depleted it will teach the mitochondria to be efficient at putting out energy in that state. We have about 100-200g glycogen in the liver and 300-500g glycogen in the muscles (genetically and with appropriate conditioning, I believe we can vary it). Hypoxemia? Sprinting trains for this and trains to switch quickly betw aerobic (fat) and anaerobic (glycogen). I noticed sprinters vary their recovery (1 min versus 3 min) to somehow max this out.

    However the caveat I suspect is how healthy are the mitochondria? Carnitine? CoQ10? B-vitamins? Alpha lipoic acid?? Trace minerals? Chromium? Proteins? Leucine? Tyrosine? Thyroid hormone? Adrenal hormones? Testosterone? Omega-3 ALA EPA DHA? Low insulin? Vitamin D? Lack of synergy with adrenaline/cortisol and HPA-axis defects could put a wrench in the machinery that optimizes energy output in glycogen-depleted states (plus puts one at high risk for infections, pneumonia, asthma, etc after an elite endurance event).

    I think all these are essential for performance and maximizing genetic expression potential...

    RobbWolf.com recently posted on a newbie ultra runner Jay Jack, "Race Day: ate eggs scrambled in bacon grease. coffee with pastured heavy cream. During the race I ate only these little energy balls made from a recipe in the Thrive Diet book made of coconut oil, dates, lime juice, and I added guarana for some extra kick. Drank only coconut water and regular water. Wore VFF treks. Kept an average heart rate of 76% (1 damn % higher than I wanted). finished in 8:12 (50k). Not setting records, but I’ve never done any race before. Not a 5k, nothing. So this was a TOTAL experiment."


    Personally I like tropical fruits -- maybe because my ancestors ate them for the last hundreds of years in Taiwan -- creamy dates, coconut, guava, mango, passionfruit, etc. This snack sounds good plus packed with ketone generating coconut and saturated fat from coconut.

    I look to hearing your training and thoughts. Anyway, I dunno! Sorry no deep thoughts.

    -G

    Unknown said...

    Thanks for the reply Dr. B G. I will be sure to check out those couple sites your mentioned.

    It's too bad even when doing low glycogen training I will have no way to tell if it's really working. It may take months or longer to make a significant impact and then any race improvements can easily be blamed on improved fitness.

    Those little energy balls sound GOOD! I may make those tomorrow actually :)

    As a raw vegan I have yet to have any form of coconut. This is mainly due to the price, but I should give it a shot sometime.

    Dr. B G said...

    Hi I Pull 400W,

    You might want to also read the adrenal insufficiency resources out there (on the WAPF site) and from Andy Deas and Robbwolf.com (podcasts). It appears to me that we are all affected by adrenal incompetence and those who do elite and endurance events seem more susceptible because of the inherent nature of pushing the adrenals for cortisol and adrenaline outputs during these kind of extended high intensity events and the training.

    Raw veganism! Wow. That is challenging but nonetheless not insurmountable. You'll love coconut -- great fiber, nutrients, etc. Coconut water has wonderful electrolytes similiar to plasma/serum. The saturated fat (though lacks cholesterol) is immunoprotective and fights microbes, candida and fungus. (some people are allergic to the salicylates in coconut, just as they are allergic to other fruit oils like olive, fyi)

    -G

    Ned Kock said...

    Nice post! I agree with you G. Light cardio makes sense. It helps burn fat, and keeps the metabolism up.

    The idea that cardio causes heart disease has become fashionable among some Paleo proponents, but it doesn't fit well with reality:

    http://healthcorrelator.blogspot.com/2010/05/long-distance-running-causes-heart.html

    Dr. B G said...

    Ned,

    I loved that post -- as I did the devil and the gap junction one!

    Anything in the context of the SAD lifestyle currently will cause plaque and chronic silent inflammation.

    Jim Fixx would have died 10 yrs earlier if it were not for the marathon running, like his father. Moderation may be the key -- too much of anything can outweigh the balance between benefits and risks. I was running for a time TOO MUCH (too hard, too far, too long) and developed asthma... Perhaps extended endurance events and training were meant evolutionarily only 1-2x per year -- not weekly?

    -G

    Drs. Cynthia and David said...

    As for cardio and weight loss, check out this post (and related posts from 2008) where Ronda trained for a figure competition and got her body fat down into single digits. She used weights and 3 hours per day of easy cardio, along with strict dieting. http://roosterruns.blogspot.com/2009/10/absence-makes-heart-grow-fonder.html She's a really awesome athlete and I can't come close to the work load she does (though I sometimes try).

    I often run while fasted (except for coffee with milk first) and am a big believer in that for fat training, that and not replenishing carbs very well after workouts. I certainly have more energy if I replace the carbs, but don't really need it. I prefer to keep the muscles actively scavenging glucose from the blood, keeping glucose and insulin low. Another interesting point is that pyruvate dehydrogenase is downregulated when glycogen is low, preserving glucose for glycogen replenishment, and forcing even more fat burning for fuel until glycogen stores are replenished.

    I do almost all running (and hiking), but with lots of hills, which are basically strength training for runners :)! You know what the hills are like around here.

    Cynthia

    Dr. B G said...

    I Pull 400W,

    Here is one other recipe which I need to try -- for carb refueling days... btw do you know about the magic of maca? It is a s. american root like ginseng but is a more powerful adaptogen for stress and aids regeneration of the whole HPATGG axis... Spunky coconut and cheeseslave have discussed.

    http://www.thespunkycoconut.com/2010/04/raw-chocolate-raspberry-candy-refined.html

    Dr. B G said...

    Dear Dr. Cynthia!

    That is a great point about pyruvate -- reminds how hard-wired the mammalian systems are with energy demand and energy sourcing...

    Rooster's blog is so inspirational! Our cr*ppy norcal weather killed my running schedule this year but thankfully it's in high gear again. Hope the trails are good for ya!

    My approach is identical to yours. Low low heart rate cardio for extended durations and low carbing...

    -G

    Anonymous said...

    Dr. B G--What's your diet? I found since I went primal, my exercise requirements went down as far as for weight loss. But the ironic part was that I have more energy to exercise, so I end up being more active anyway.

    Also, from what I understand, glycogen isn't being used during low intensity cardio. Slow twitch muscle exertion doesn't need glycogen, that's what the fast twitch fibers are for. That actually hits on another good point about doing both types of intensities. Mix it up and hit both types of muscle fibers.

    Just my 2c, I could be wrong.

    Dr. B G said...

    Hey Anonymous,

    You make great points! How glycogen dependent might rely on the # of hills, sprints, jumping and other fast twitchy kind of maneuvers. I personally try to mix it up -- fast sprint the last 2-3min of a slow run or broad jumping 5-7x (I can clear 1.3 sidewalk lengths!)... Some runs are hard -- 85%max for 45 to 60 min -- more glyco I think but like Fahey discusses more fatty acid oxidation for the hours of recovery afterwards...

    I traded in the SAD for paleo during the 2yrs of 'hormone hell' so it is hard to say what the exercise requirement is right now. However I am looking to the results that you've enjoyed. Presumably when all hormones are gungho then bioenergetics and mitochondrial efficiency should also be at their height *WINK* Body fat, beach bodies and 6-pack abs as well!!!

    See ya at the beach...
    -G

    donny said...

    Hey.

    I recently tried increasing my protein, cutting back on fat (not severely. I'm not a maniac, at least not this week, lol.) Tryna get ripped. Definite pattern; more social anxiety, less energy.

    So, now I'm on 30 grams protein at lunch, about 60 at dinner.. and lots of fat. Just whipping cream for breakfast. Way better. No way of knowing whether some kind of weird amino acid imbalance causes this difference, or if it's the ketones. Gonna go heavy on coconut oil soon as I run out of heavy whipping cream, and see what happens.

    I don't really think the extra protein is necessary to getting ripped, anyways. But we're just so programmed to think that it is. I gotta get me a camera, it's really hard to be objective about what's happening to your muscle mass, just looking in the mirror.

    I think some cardio is probably effective, as long as you aren't trying to outrun beer and chocolate eclairs.

    Dr. B G said...

    anony,

    My sister's been staying w/us since my Hub's travelling again -- I forgot to answer anony -- we are TOTALLY gfcf paleo. No dairy, no grains. (low carby, some days hypocaloric, some days NAUGHT)

    However I have to run away from her baked goodies occasionally because they are SO D*MN GOOD. She's considering returning to the baking biz and testing her wares un us -- choco cookies, YUM pecan sandies, BREAD BREAD BREADDDDD (miss bread on paleo), banana choco bread, and of course her brownies.



    donny,

    You always crack me UP. *haa!*

    Experimentation (and good documentation or memory) helps to figure out what works best! Dairy trips me up -- I am ok cycling it in occasionally 3-4x/month but I can't do it everyday -- I get fat FAST. really fast.

    TAT is for targeted amino acid therapy, my sister 'M' mentioned before. Unfortunately pure paleo is not sufficient. The gaps from damage sometimes require extra vitamins and certain amino acids to fill in. Non-dairy fermented foods are a great way to start.

    Probiotics? These produce B-vitamins, short-chain sat fats and many other VITAL immunomodulating moieties which are absorbed in our intestines and translate to better brains, body comp/fat loss and even better profiles for cholesterol (lower oxLDL). Don't underestimate these buggers...

    Thanks for sharing your experiences!

    -G

    PartyLikeAGrokstar said...

    Donny,

    I've found some research backing the fact that we really only optimally process between 20-30 grams of protein at a time. Not to say that extra protein will kill you, but it's just not getting used.

    Unknown said...

    From my understanding extra PRO will not kill you, but can do havoc to your body over time.

    Sue said...

    Dr BG do you know of a good site which talks about how substrate is regulated during starvation and endurance exercise.

    Dr. B G said...

    Hey Sue,

    I haven't read the book yet... only the excerpt and what people say.

    http://www.hormonalfitness.com/

    Faigin is awesome.

    RobbWolf.com is awesome but until we get our sticky fingers on his new book you have to troll his blog. He seems to know endurance stuff too since a lot of Crossfitters do ultras and tri's.

    Hope that helps!

    -G

    Neonomide said...

    Yes, YES more sports stuff, fatburn and beach bodies please! ^^

    I really feel like dropping a few pounds is a good idea after a long reading & writing period for my
    bachelors.

    I'm very interested on how Panu's Kurt Harris' brother-in-law (Navy SEAL) and Free The Animal's Richard got their spaectacular fat loss/fitness results: lots of fat on the menu, low carb and 12+ hours fasts!

    Dear G, what do you think is the main reason for an association that muscle mass can be reserved or even(?) boosted by such a program ? I have read the Lyle McDonald stuff and am at the same time a bit sceptical yet very interested on the logic.

    Another interesting thing is about the tried and tested high intensive interval training - a recent trial seemed to suggest that short bursts (20-30 s) work great by itself, but the people who rested four between spurts, got even better results:

    "VO2max increased in the 30:4 (9.3%) and 10:4 (9.2%), but not the 10:2 group. Wingate peak power kg−1 increased (P < 0.05) in the 30:4 (9.5%), 10:4 (8.5%), and 10:2 (4.2%). Average Wingate power kg−1 increased (P < 0.05) in the 30:4 (12.1%) and 10:4 (6.5%) groups."


    More rest, more workload perhaps ?

    Reganding mitochondrial function, check Hipkiss et al. who found that good old carnosine may rock too!

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9464638

    A great LEF article on carnosine here:

    http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2001/jan2001_report_carnosine_1.html


    Carnosine exists mainly in muscle meat, which definitely was some of the first relevatory "animal pharmacology" for me. ^^

    I personally found great results in reducing my muscle soreness with just 400-600 mg daily and even more with the precursor beta-alanine.
    Meat ofcourse seems to work too and got BCAAs to boot! :-)

    I'm in a great hurry, sorry for some possible spelling errors here. ^^

    Dr. B G said...

    Neo,

    I've found supplements to be FANTASTIC! However, good ol exercise and forcing energy demands are even more PERFECT. I agree totally and the Xfit trainers pound this too -- sleep and recovery are KEY to optimum gains. Nothing can really happen without sleep -- that's where we become BIONIC. More rest indeedy!

    Carnosine rocks! Thanks for the Hipkiss... G

    Neonomide said...

    Great to hear, I love them too!

    I have had a somewhat sedentary lifestyle for and yet I crave for sweaty sixpack again. Coconut and paleo should do the necessary basics (TY for that!) yet I also crave for some extra help here.

    Here's an interesting randomized trial (2009, free fulltext) on - for once - *sedentary* people who did HIIT for six weeks and took some beta-alanine compared to those who did not:

    http://www.jissn.com/content/6/1/5


    Although I wouldn't encourage BA supplementation as chronic because of some minor uncertainties, this study may be the first that shows that it may give a great kick-start to greater overall fitness:

    "Interestingly, the improvements in performance over the six-weeks of training also demonstrated concomitant gains in lean body mass in the β-alanine group only. Recent evidence suggests that intense exercise may elicit intramuscular acidosis, potentially augmenting protein degradation [51], inhibiting protein synthesis [52] and thus hindering training adaptations. Another theory posited suggests that β-alanine supplementation may have allowed for greater training volume thus providing a greater stimulus, resulting in significant gains in lean body mass, as observed in the current study."


    Yes! Get LEANER, training MORE with less aching muscles and then titrate slowly off BA - seems like a nice comb!?

    I'm certainly positive for rational use of some tried & tested mostly safe sports supplements like hydrogenated whey, BCAAs, creatine and BA. So I'll try it -again. ^^

    People have reported for insane and rapid gains with Vit D as well, like getting 10 lbs more up in bench press and far faster recovery and balance. We need and love these OTC substances! Even if the "counter" is at our front door... ^^

    lightcan said...

    Dear G,
    You're my favourite 'legal drug dealer'!!
    Huge PMS check, stubborn subcut fat check, quick fat deposition with carb and cheese increase (does that mean low leptin and insulin sensitive? How can you minimise your sat fat for carb cycling?), hormonal mess (thyroid, cortisol, androgens) check, all nighters fueled by 85 choc and tea, madness.
    I would like to start some kind of fitness program and might copy your sample, if permitted, for lack of inspiration.
    Sorry for my sports physio ignorance but how do you know when your heart rate is at about 60 %?
    I suppose it depends on fitness (it's that what you mean when you say conditioning?) and fatness. I notice that I can run much easier and for longer now that I am much leaner but I always had breathing problems, even as child when doing endurance 800 m at school PE, so not doing it for very long. (maybe need training)
    I totally get the weight training for increased metabolic rate and more day long fat burning but the difference in fat burning or cal consumption between rest and 60% is small, isn't it, so why do it then? (says the lazy trying to figure out a way to get around it)

    Neonomide said...

    Fancy of some beetroot juice ? ^^


    Beetroot seems to be a promising ergogenic aid, according to this study:


    "Pharmacological sodium nitrate supplementation has been reported to reduce the O2 cost of submaximal exercise in humans. In this study, we hypothesized that dietary supplementation with inorganic nitrate in the form of beetroot juice (BR) would reduce the O2 cost of submaximal exercise and enhance the tolerance to high-intensity exercise. In a double-blind, placebo (PL)-controlled, crossover study, eight men (aged 19-38 yr) consumed 500 ml/day of either BR (containing 11.2 +/- 0.6 mM of nitrate) or blackcurrant cordial (as a PL, with negligible nitrate content) for 6 consecutive days and completed a series of "step" moderate-intensity and severe-intensity exercise tests on the last 3 days. On days 4-6, plasma nitrite concentration was significantly greater following dietary nitrate supplementation compared with PL (BR: 273 +/- 44 vs. PL: 140 +/- 50 nM; P < 0.05), and systolic blood pressure was significantly reduced (BR: 124 +/- 2 vs. PL: 132 +/- 5 mmHg; P < 0.01). During moderate exercise, nitrate supplementation reduced muscle fractional O2 extraction (as estimated using near-infrared spectroscopy). The gain of the increase in pulmonary O2 uptake following the onset of moderate exercise was reduced by 19% in the BR condition (BR: 8.6 +/- 0.7 vs. PL: 10.8 +/- 1.6 ml.min(-1).W(-1); P < 0.05). During severe exercise, the O2 uptake slow component was reduced (BR: 0.57 +/- 0.20 vs. PL: 0.74 +/- 0.24 l/min; P < 0.05), and the time-to-exhaustion was extended (BR: 675 +/- 203 vs. PL: 583 +/- 145 s; P < 0.05). The reduced O2 cost of exercise following increased dietary nitrate intake has important implications for our understanding of the factors that regulate mitochondrial respiration and muscle contractile energetics in humans."

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19661447


    As I like to track down new sports supplements, this stroke me hard. A short study, sure. But the gain in oxygen cost was insane:

    “The principal original finding of this investigation is that three days of dietary supplementation with nitrate-rich beetroot juice (which doubled the plasma nitrite) significantly reduced the O2 cost of cycling at a fixed sub-maximal work rate and increased the time to task failure during severe exercise,” wrote Jones and his co-workers.

    “That an acute nutritional intervention (ie, dietary supplementation with a natural food product that is rich in nitrate) can reduce the O2 cost of a given increment in work rate by about 20 per cent is therefore remarkable,” they added.

    Mechanism

    "It is unclear what the exact mechanism behind the apparent benefits is, said the researchers. They do, however, suspect it could be a result of the nitrate turning into nitric oxide in the body, reducing the oxygen cost of exercise."

    http://www.foodnavigator.com/Product-Categories/Fruit-vegetable-nut-ingredients/Beetroot-juice-may-boost-endurance-Study

    Dr. B G said...

    Neo,

    'crave sweaty 6-paks'... *haaa* u totally crack me up!

    The b-ala placebo controlled trial was interesting. Do you think they would've had even improved outcomes with Carnosine instead of b-ala? I think if they upped the protein the diet 25-25% and adequate cholesterol/sat fats in both arms, perhaps their results would be different at post-training...

    Does Leucine and/or BCAA trials have similar metrics in improvements (lean mass, VO2, reduced time to fatigue)?

    I wish vitamin D worked alone (wouldn't it be nice??!) but I think it is in concert with the physical triggers and induction from bearing weight, load and intensity (reps vs. 30-100% failure) ... same w/whey, creatine and BCAA/leucine.

    Don't worry -- your 6-pak is emerging w/your dedication! The mind is 90% of the battle!!
    -G

    Dr. B G said...

    will ck out beet juice! I like roasted beets -- large dice 450 degrees F for 15 min then 45 min at 300 degrees w/generous olive oil and Utah salt. MHHHHmmm...

    The greens (beet tops) apparently have some of the best antioxidants and vitamins... would be good to 'juice' if someone has one of the $500 mega-juicers *wink*

    Dr. B G said...

    OK Lightcan,

    We're talkin now!

    Some hormones you can DIY (do-it-yourself) are the vitamin D -- consider starting 4000 IU since you are in the UK, northern hemisphere. Are you doing that already?

    If you read Wilson's 'adrenal fatigue -- 21st century stress syndrome' get a grip focusing on lifestyles that are conducive to overall organ health. Yes.

    VERY DIFFICULT HARDWORKING MOMMIES LIKE YOU!!!!!!


    Focus on:
    --sleeping everyday 8hrs to 9hrs (no more allnighters)
    --get your beauty slumber, Paleo Princess *haa*
    --continue the low intensity walking jogging housecleaning etc 30 to 60min most days -- outdoors is best to get fresh air and some UVB -- sunlight resets our circadian rhythms which can get jacked by computer and TV screens
    --omit all LIGHT in your bedroom to promote deep REM sleep (consider some melatonin 2-stage release 1-2 mg 1h prior to sleep if you cannot get restful sleep; read my post on melatonin)
    --no alarm, PDA, iPhone, TV lights in the bedroom
    --minimize stimulants -- confine caffeine to only mornings and only 1 cup then eventually try reducing (don't stop cold turkey which will just make you feel ILL -- gradually is better) then later consider switching to decaf green tea (the ECGC improves wt loss but the caffeine stresses out the adrenals)

    You are doing weight training? You can ck out the crossfit.com page for some workouts that might be do-able at home -- 400 m jog, 40 air squats, 30 situps, 20 pushups, 10 pull ups (or something else like 7 kg barbell lifts).

    This is the 'newbie' workout of the day (WOD). Try it for time and see your improvement over the next 1- 2mos!


    Max HR (heart rate) is calculated by subtracting your age from 220(real age *haa* but biological... 20?? works too).

    So 60% would be 120 beats per min -- you should be able to talk VERY comfortable at this pace.

    For HIIT and intensity if you sprint or go for 70-85% of max intensity you will feel a little out of breath for the 30-60 sec duration. You should be able to recover in 3-5 min back down to normal heart rate (if not, it will improve over time).


    Of course. With any new physical ed program, please run by your physician and get an OK in case of pre-existing conditions or heart conditions. Stop anything which causes discomfort. Start 'low' and go slow.

    It took me literally about 24-36 months to build up my tendons, ligaments and musculature to do physical stuff... always warm up properly 10-20min prior to any major exertion to avoid injuries, pulls and tears. The key is not to overdo anything and preventing injuries.

    Yoga? This prevents injuries, stretches as well as loads our major muscles in gentle ways. Also very HEALING toward the adrenals and thyroid glands. DO IT. It's best after 30-60min of exercise warming up.


    Hey would to hear your progress and how you are doing later! Your insights would be much appreciated!!

    -grace

    lightcan said...

    Thanks for the lengthy reply.
    I have taken 5000 vit D for months (Now, at your suggestion)
    I don't drink any coffee, but drink white tea once or twice a day. No caffeine withdrawal problem
    The alarm clock in on my husband's side. Silly him.
    I did my first 45 min walk/jog today before dinner. Tomorrow will do some weight training. 20 pushups? No way.
    BTW, I just started putting in everything in Fitday and after two days I'm surprised to see that I'm under 1200 kcal, with 24 g of carbs today, 41 yesterday. I should be losing but I'm not. Maybe the weights are going to make a difference.

    Dr. B G said...

    lightcan,

    *flat stare*

    U CR*CK ME UP!!!

    You are riding an uphill donkey which does not want to go up the hill -- from my experience going against the hormonal tide is SUPER difficult. I did -- I could name half a dozen others online who also who have done so but it's totally uphill, grrrly. Don't worry.

    Babysteps :) Hey I don't do pushups either -- I do the grrly on the knees ones (otherwise shoulder issues). I do a LOT OF THINGS on my knees *haa*... like handstand pushups...


    That walk was great!! You've come so far and already met a lot of your weight and health goals, right? With adrenal issues, remember to have carbs at most meals -- this prevents the adrenal from freaking out -- trying to pump out cortisol to cover low glucoses. Cycle higher carbs on heavy work out days. You may gain little but the muscle gains will be larger and more importantly less strain again on the adrenals.

    -G

    lightcan said...

    Did my workout yesterday.

    For other newbees out there that don't know where to start, I suggest you follow the fitness program on this site. Don't mind the food. Choose a leader.
    http://www.rte.ie/ot/

    Neonomide said...

    @BG,

    Sry for sleeping, have a bookmark now. ^^

    Regarding that b-ala trial, I think carnosine would have worked too, because it get broken into histidine and b-ala in blood anyway. It just would cost a lot more lettuce.

    Before b-ala I actually used carnosine around 400-600 mg for Crohn's and noticed that after a while it started to help muscle spasms and recovery. It was before I started to read about b-ala trials and carn metabolism in humans. All of this is pretty new information really, that near miraculous H+ blocking effect has been known only for about 20 years so far.

    I think I wrote about this before, but years ago I got a bad sprain in my left leg and should have gone to surgery according to surgeon. I didn't and the pain and movement restriction went chronic - not fun in combination with Crohn's-related intermittent nagging arthitic pain and constant running/martial arts training. Beta-alanine supplementation seemed to change that, as not only I could train more, I also got more flexibility (full splits without warming again!) and of course the resistance to fear of injury. Carnosine has been used in wound healing in Russia for over 50 years, so I figured out it may have had a more direct effect as well. What do you think ?

    Yes, I think that upped protein would have made a difference as well. I think BCAA's are great too and complement quality animal diet in some ways. Btw there is a more efficiently metabolized sublingual form of BCAA on the way, I may write more about it if I get a change. Leucine tastes like pure #%¤%&.


    You said,

    "Does Leucine and/or BCAA trials have similar metrics in improvements (lean mass, VO2, reduced time to fatigue)?"

    I can't put refs right now, (friend loaned a book last night ^^) but the effect exists on lean mass, lessened DOMS (late-set muscle soreness) and reducing muscle wasting during dieting. I personally wouldn't diet without some BCAA's. Those are perhaps the most important effects by far. Performance boosting effects seem so far more unequivocal, but I hope to write more about this.

    I hope to get to read this new review paper on Vitamin D in sports, it may well put more light to it's roles in sport performance:

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20538161


    Of course, taking the all supplements that may work with a killer diet [no pun], lifestyle & attitude doesn't mean that everything nicely adds with each other. ;-)

    Oh and b-ala seems to be an neurotransmitter too! (June 2010)

    "beta-Alanine as a small molecule neurotransmitter." PMID: 20540981


    Must go & hunt some beetroot now, happy sixpacking!! ^^

    Neonomide said...

    I just have to link this nice interview of Jeff Volek on low carb training:

    http://www.tmuscle.com/readArticle.do?id=1670854

    Dr. B G said...

    lightcan,

    How are your workouts? Thanks for the link -- hope others find it helpful!



    Neo,

    I read Volek's interview a long time ago and it is still insightfully thorough and comprehensive. I appreciate the reminder!

    b-ala is a neurotransmitter? Not surprising. Taurine is also since it binds GABA receptors.

    It is interesting you note the recovery and flexibility improvements with b-ala when you were injured. Carnosine is great stuff -- I don't take it regularly but I think it helped me to overcome the damage from the bike injuries and took a little for the adrenals (just in case). Synergy of good food, exercise, sleep, relaxation and a some supplemental potent nutrients may be the way to go! Cool new vitamin D review -- we're so ahead of the game aren't we?

    -G

    Anonymous said...

    Another blog I found which may be relevent

    http://metaboliceffect.wordpress.com/