Do you eat insects?

So you think the FDA is here to serve and protect you (the consumer), right? I think if you knew just a few of the facts about how food labeling works in the United States you might think again.

Some of you are saying that doesn’t apply to me “ I read labels”. This is where you are mistaken. Did you know that as long as a food additive is Generally Regarded As Safe (GRAS) your label will only say “artificial flavor” or “artificial color” or maybe even “natural”.

With this in mind consider the average American eats their weight in food additives each year – YUUM pass me some chips,cookies or other processed food.

So again the FDA musts be looking out for us right? Did you know that the food additive manufacturers are the ones who notify the FDA of an additives status on as GRAS and they provide their own evidence to support their claim. This makes the American public guinea pigs in a giant food additive experiment doesn’t it? Kind of makes me wonder whats really in those NATURAL Doritos.

An additive doesn’t lose it’s status as GRAS until reports accumulate citing its damaging effects.

Paul Chek Fitness and nutrition expert makes the point that “insects, insect larvae, monkey guts, and even mercury are all “natural” and are just a few of the things that can end up in your food.

You think this is bad – the supplement industry is even worse – but that is another blog for another day!

C. Todd Lowder “The Fitness Guy”

www.fitnessquestpt.ning.com

Are your friends holding you back?

One of the major things I learned from Motivational Speaker James Ray was if you want to be super successful don’t spend high quality time with people you don’t want to be or become. This may sound harsh but I get it. It makes sense.

It doesn’t mean you are better than those friends it merely means you have a different mission for your life.

I hope none of you are thinking “what do you mean a mission”.

Do you ever see an eagle flying with a flock of pigeons? NO they are on a completely different plain. Birds of a feather flock together – bet you have heard that one. You have probably even said it. It is true in general isn’t it.

We can probably all agree that there is a lot to be said for surrounding ourselves with like minded people whom want to the same things out of life that we do. This no more obvious than when you are trying to raise your level of fitness.

Think about how hard it is to eat “clean” when you are surrounded by a bunch of people who don’t care about their bodies. How about the way your non exercising friends look at you when you express how great a hard workout was.

So here is my new variation of James Ray’s rule

“Don’t eat like anyone you don’t want to look like”

More on this later in the week

C. Todd Lowder “The Fitness Guy”

Fitness Fatloss Food and Vemma

This week I felt like just ranting, sorry but I hope you at least get a laugh and maybe think a little!

10 Things we should all pay more attention to or just ignore!

1. 30% of Children are overweight!

2. That number has tripled in the last 20 years

3. Whole wheat Donuts and Krispy Kreme – Give me a break!

4. America is ranked 28th for longevity among the 36 industrialized nations but we spend more on health care than any other nation.

5. Since 1955 the average american male height has stabilized while european and asian countries have not only caught up but surpassed the United States.

6. Orlistat – the latest fat loss drug has gotten a ton of attention lately but at what cost check out this noted side effect -  “oily spotting on underwear, flatulence, urgent bowel movements, fatty or oily stools, increased number of bowel movements, abdominal pain or discomfort, and inability to hold back stool (incontinence).”

7. People have to understand that a quick hop into their local Starbucks for a latte and a blueberry scone will set them back 740 calories and a whopping 21 grams of artery-clogging saturated fat. – Thanks for keeping me in business Starbucks!

8. “I dont have time to exercise” – oh come on,  the average american watches 170 minutes of tv according to a 2004 University of California Berkely Study.

9.  40% of americans students scored below basic skills for math and 23% below basic for reading – ADHD is now a common problem – child obesity is at record levels – but nobody is pointing to nutrition as a possible culpret or at least a contributing factor!!!!!!

10. Avacore, Hydroxycuts, or any one of the 100’s of fat burners out there.  How about start by getting your diet in order!!!  There are no majic pills or products or diets its all about LIFESTYLE – Diet, cardiovascular exercise and resistance training and did  I mention Diet!

11. Orange Juice – I know you are thinking what could he possible being saying about O.J. – Its simple this must be the best marketing job in the history of the food industry!  Why does everyone think this juice spiked with more sugar / high fructose corn syrup (can you spell hypoglycemia) beverage is a prerequisite for a healthy breakfast!!  Come on if you want ot be lean and healthy skip the Orange Juice and I bet not only will it aid in your efforts to get leaner but improve your energy levels!

12. A Calorie is A Calorie – Give me a break!!  This is the biggest crock of you know what I have ever heard.  So if you believe this you are telling me that 200 calories of candy have the same effect on your wt. loss efforts as 200 calories of broccoli!  I dont think so – in fact I know better.  I have seen how proper food selection at the same calorie level can make a wild difference in physique!

13. Cardiovasculr Exercise:  First dont get me wrong we all need it to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system, but so many people rely on cardio to try to cover up for poor eating habits!  I challenge you to go to any commercial gym and tell me where the leanest people are hanging out.  Hint – not the cardio deck.  Usually they are pumping iron.  I also gaurentee you they are not heading to the closest fast food joint after their workout.  They are pounding down a post workout shake, antioxidants, and some fish oil tabs.

Bonus Rant item:  VEMMA, VEMMA, VEMMA  if this stuff is the miracle of the year then why is there only 1 human study on Mangosteen (the main ingredient) done in 1932 in a singapore hospital and only showed that when added to a drug protocol  it was slightly more effective at treating dysentery!  Now, before I get a ton of hate mail this information came from an unbaised source and awesome resource ” Nutrition Action Health Letter” so write them not me – but I don’t like the way this stuff (Vemma) is being marketed either.

Fast Food can Kill You – maybe

How to do the least amount of damage while eating out!

I think we can all agree that fast food is bad for you. At the same time I don’t see many
McDonalds going out of business! So, it is safe to say that my job is to minimize the
damage!!! I have complied below some tips to help you survive while
OCCASIONALLY visiting your favorite fast food chow line. Before I enlighten you I
have an exercise for you. Next time you have a hankering for that burger or taco … I
would ask that you sit outside your restaurant ( I use the term loosely) and watch what
the bodies of those who walk out look like. I think I first heard this from Tony Robbins “
Success leaves footprints” what foot prints are you following into that Restaurant?
Please excuse the Rant – now on with the show.
So you want a Latte at Star Bucks here is the best you can do and I might add this one is
surprisingly good:
Starbucks:
The Good:
Latte ( nonfat milk no whipped cream)
Calories Fat Protein Carbohydrates
160         0     16       24
Have three egg whites before you leave the house and get one of these on the way to
work and you are not doing to bad. Now let me show you the worst:
The Bad:
White Hot Chocolate
Cal fat pro. Carb.
480 18 17    63
Ouch that will certainly go straight to your stomach or hips!!!!
Now, how about lunch at good old McDonalds? Yes it can be done you can eat good at
MCD’s.
The Good
Grilled Ceassar Salad – with light dressing
Cal fat pro. Carb.
200 6   29    9
These numbers don’t reflect the dressing but the Newmans Own light dressing is pretty
harmless unless you opt for 4 serving.
The Ugly:
I picked the following because I am sure some people might order this thinking how bad
could this be – BAD!
Crisy Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad with ranch dressing
Cal fat pro carb
640 49 27 24
WOW! This one should come with a warning label!!!! Or a voucher at the local
cardiologist!
Now for dinner we will be dinning at KFC!!! Get ready to peel some skin or else.
The Good:
Tender Roast Sandwich with Sauce ( if you ditch the sauce this meal is drastically
improved nutritionally)
Cal fat pro. Carb.
390 10 31 24
The Bad:
Original Recipe Breast
Cal fat pro. Carb.
380 19 40 11
There you have it some good ideas and not so good ideas. If you remember nothing
remember success leaves foot prints!!!!!
I just couldn’t pass up filling you in on this study. I also found
myself wondering where do I sign up to be a subject for this kind
of thing.
Sexual Orgasm Increases Longevity
Having regular (and enthusiastic) sex confers a host of measurable
physiological advantages to both men and women.
In one of the most credible studies tracking overall health with
sexual frequency, the mortality of roughly 1,000 middle-aged men
was tracked over the course of a decade.
Men who reported the highest frequency of orgasm experienced
half the death rate. Other studies have correlated frequency of sex
with, among other benefits:
· An improved sense of smell
· A reduced risk of heart disease
· Weight loss and overall fitness
· Reduced depression
· Pain relief
· Less-frequent colds and flu
· Better bladder control
In physiological terms, women experience no possibility of “overdosing” and experience
no dangers from too much sex. Men, however, can damage their penile tissue with too
much rough or forceful sex, especially now that drugs such as Viagra and Levitra can
allow for more staying power.
Forbes.com
British Medical Journal December 20, 1997; 315(7123): 1641-1644

Research and Fat Loss

I have helped thousands lose weight over the past 16 years in the fitness industry. In that time I have learned there are no short cuts but several simple truths. Fat-loss and having the body of your dreams is so simple not easy but definitely simple. If you are looking for crazy tricks you have the wrong guy. I am here to give you tried and true easy to use research based FAT LOSS techniques.

1. Eat more protein -  its caloric cost to digest or Thermic Effect of Food is 25- 30% .  Another words if you eat 100 calories of protein you burn 25 to 30 calories just to digest the food you eat.  100 calories of carbohydrate only requires 7 calories to digest – bummer!

2. A 2005 study in the Journal of clinical nutrition shows those who eat small frequent meals ate fewer calories, had lower post meal insulin levels,  and lower cholesterol levels.

3. Buy a Tivo – What does this have to do with fat loss?  Easy the average American watches 3 hours of tv per day.  With a Tivo you can save 10 minutes per 30 minute show so that means to average American would have a extra hour per night to workout.  Who says you don’t have time to workout.

C.Todd Lowder “The Fitness Guy”

The Blue Angels and You

This past weekend my sons and I ventured to the Prairie Air show in Peoria, IL. to see the Navy Blue Angels perform. In my younger years, the only thing I would marvel was the power and speed of the team. I still love the testosterone filled, high speed passes and the sheer power of these $28 million machines. This time, I was struck by something all together different.

Upon arriving at the air show it was hard not to notice the center piece of the show the F/A 18 Blue Angels planes, perfectly parked in front of the crowd on the runway. The planes were spotless the gear and support equipment were impeccably placed around the planes. It seemed nothing was left to chance even with the placement of their gear. To some, this wouldn’t be noticed or even expected. I was struck by this commitment to excellence. That is something you rarely encounter in todays world. The only time people see this type of attention, would be at an event like the Blue Angels air show.

“I think that one of the greatest things that I talk about is making simple commitments. That you are going to get the job done and that you are going to work as hard as you can at everything you do. Once you have that simple commitment, whether it’s hanging up your clothes in your closet or even on your final exam, if you do the best you can at everything that you do, there is really nothing that you cannot achieve, whether you want to be a Blue Angel or if you want to be successful at whatever you do.”

Lieutenant Scholl

It is not stretch to understand why these pilots and crew are so committed to such precision given the consequences in the air if they don’t but what about the commitment to even parking their planes perfectly separated at the proper angle and the crew placement of gear. Now this is attention to detail and 100% commitment to doing everything to the best of their ability. You see I call this the “trickle up phenomenon” . Most only pay attention to doing the big things right and often lose ground in the details.

“Success Lies in the details”!!!

I believe if you commit to paying attention to doing the little things right, the seemingly insignificant things the big things become easy to do with excellence.

Let me give you an example. Most people who want to lose weight or improve their physiques – exercise ,workout, and get their cardiovascular and maybe even eat O.K., but find it easy to cheat at least a couple times per day. When it comes to their food intake they think “Well, it’s just one meal, one bite, or one snack – what can it hurt?” Ever done this? This is exactly what I am talking about. You concentrate on the big things but fall down on the small things. These small things add up and I can guarantee you, EVERYTHING MATTERS.

Am I saying never cheat or never have fun? NO. I am saying if you have a goal and are really committed to that goal – stay focused! Commit to excellence in everything you do. You will be amazed at how this begins to seep into every area of your life. Consider this the sun with all of its infinite heat and power cannot start a fire until its energy and power are concentrated and focused with a magnifying glass.

Ask yourself “Am I focused and What is my commitment to Excellence?”

C.Todd Lowder “The Fitness Guy”