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Feb 15th, 2005 Edition

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2. Editorial
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Happy-Late-Valentines Day health, fitness, diet, and supplement enthusiasts !

I hope everyone had an enjoyable Valentines Day, along with all the
chocolately goodness this holiday involves !!  I can personally attest to
devouring a few hundred grams of some fine german chocolate....mmmm.

Do a search in our forums for 'chocolate', and you will find several articles
about chocolate, some even claiming health benefits!  Amazing.

There is nothing wrong with treating yourself once and awhile, after
all, we are human beings.  Just make sure you don't use it as an 
excuse to invite new bad habits to creep in to your daily schedule.

Don't forget our calendar and feel free to signup and enter your own
fitness, sport, and other related events. If you know of an
event that's not been posted yet, please do so !!

Thanks very much, and enjoy the newsletter.

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3.i. Featured Article:

Low Carb Dieters: Want a Break from the Meat? Make It Veggie!
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At first, your low carb diet seemed like the best dream you'd ever had. 
A dietary expert was actually telling you to eat as much meat, eggs, and
cheese as you possibly wanted. You could go to any restaurant, order 
the biggest slab of beef on the menu and — since you weren't eating 
bread or potatoes with meat — you could still claim you were watching 
your waistline when offered dessert. But, now that the low carb 
honeymoon is over, you might be finding that the thought of another 
pork chop, omelet, or hunk of cheese makes you sick to your 
stomach. If you fit this description, there is a way to keep your carbs 
low, but your spirits high. Instead of a steak for your next breakfast, 
lunch, and dinner, why don't you try a low carb vegetarian dish?

Don't worry — you don't need a special ID card to eat vegetarian foods, 
nor do you need to wear sandals and burn incense. In fact, with nuts, 
fruits, and vegetables, you eat vegetarian foods all the time! But, if 
you're ready to skip steak once in a while, it's time to replace some 
of your meat entrees with vegetarian options. And, believe it or not, 
it's easier than you might think to whip up a low carb vegetarian dish.

"I can't believe it's not vegetarian!"

The easiest way to take your low carb diet on a vegetarian trip is by
  using meat substitutes. Meat substitutes taste, feel, and even smell 
like the real deal. When you simply substitute these faux meats in 
any of your meat-based recipes, you'll have to check the package 
twice to make sure it really says "Vegetarian" on the label. From 
tofu to tempeh, seitan to TVP, there are just about as many meat 
substitutes as actual meats on the market today. You can have 
vegetarian ribs, shrimp, steak, chicken, turkey, salmon, and just 
about any other meat you can think of.

But, if you really want a break from meat, the real thing or even fakes, 
vegetarian dishes can serve you up right. If you want to take a break 
every now and then from meat, faux or otherwise, stir fries, grilled 
veggies, and low carb pastas top the vegetarian list.

Stir fry your favorite low starch, cruciferous vegetables, including 
broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, daikon, radishes, chard, turnips, and 
watercress. For protein, add in seasoned tofu.

Grill up asparagus, peppers, zucchini, summer squash, or any of the 
veggies above. Marinade your healthy delights in a little olive oil, salt, 
and pepper. For an extra zip, add cayenne pepper.

Go Italian with a low carb pasta topped with your choice of garlic, herbs, 
and tomatoes. Add a light sprinkle of Romano or Parmesan cheese for 
the perfect touch.

Your low carb world has just gotten a bit brighter — there are so many 
vegetarian options that you can add to your diet. You don't have to give up 
meat, but if you want to add variety to your menu, grab something vegetarian 
today. And, you might just like the way those sandals feel after all!

Read this article online  here

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Sylvie Charrier is the author of the revolutionary new book "Living La Vida 
Low Carb: The Vegetarian Way". As a busy work-at-home mom, she 
discovered simple ways to get more results from her low carb diet. She 
shares her recipe makeovers and health tips on her website: 
http://www.VegetarianLowCarb.com


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3.ii. Featured Article :

Understanding Amino Acids and their Importance in Diet
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The importance of protein in a healthy diet is well known to nutritional 
scientists, and widely understood by the general population. Indeed, 
every bodily system is directly or indirectly supported by protein. For 
example, protein supports the structural development of cells, helps 
ensure the integrity of tissue, aids digestion, carries hormones, and 
strengthens the immune system[i].

More recently, however, the motivation for people to choose protein-rich 
foods has been fueled by carbohydrate-free and carbohydrate-reduced 
diets, such as the Atkins™ Diet, South Beach Diet™ and Isometric 
Diet™. Via each of these diet programs, millions of people are vigilantly 
scanning food labels, and asking pertinent health questions when eating 
out. Added to this growing number of protein-aware people are, of course, 
the millions of bodybuilders, powerlifters and athletes who have 
demonstrated for centuries the irreplaceable value of protein in building 
and maintaining muscle.

As impressive and inspiring as it is to see that more people than ever 
before are “protein-conscious”, there is still more useful protein information 
to learn. It is well past time to add an understanding of amino acids to this 
protein knowledge base.

Many people – understandably -- do not recognize that amino acids are not 
acids as they are conventionally understood. Rather, they are the molecular 
units that comprise protein. They are, quite simply, the very building blocks 
of protein.

Amino acids are organic compounds that contain two groups of molecules: 
amino (-NH2) and carboxyl (-COOH). There are a total of 19 amino acids in 
the human diet, of which 11 are non-essential, and the remaining 8 are 
essential. It is this critically important fact – that there are 2 kinds of amino 
acids -- that should be well understood and acted upon by eaters everywhere.

If the term “amino acid” does not readily suggest the link to protein, the terms 
“non-essential” amino acids and “essential” amino acids can be sources of even 
greater confusion. The nutritional world is fond of the word “essential”, and uses 
it often to describe something that is important, or critical, or irreplaceable. For 
example, a nutritionist may rationally inform her patient that eating 50 grams of 
protein per day is essential; and by this she means “very important”.

This same application of the term does now, however, flow to the “essential” and 
“non essential” amino acid vocabulary.

Non-essential amino acids are those that the body is able to synthesize itself. 
This does not mean, of course, that the body can create these non-essential 
amino acids out of nothing. Rather, it means that the body's own internal laboratory 
can create these 11 non-essential amino acids from raw materials. It is for this 
reason that these 11 amino acids are called non-essential; it has nothing to do with 
the term “important” or “unimportant”. These 11 non-essential amino acids include, in
alphabetical order:[ii]

- Alanine
- Arginine
- Asparagine
- Aspartic Acid
- Cysteine
- Glutamic Acid
- Glutamine
- Glycine
- Histidine
- Proline
- Tyrosine

The remaining 8 amino acids are called essential; and this refers to the fact that
they cannot be synthesized. The body can only receive them exogenously (eg.
through food). These essential amino acids include, in alphabetical order:[iii]

- Isoleucine
- Leucine
- Lysine
- Methionine
- Phenylalanine
- Serine
- Threonine
- Tryptophan
- Valine

Understanding the importance of amino acids is critical, because a failure to eat 
foods that contain these essential amino acids can lead to deficiency and adverse 
health effects. These effects can include – but are not limited to -- fatigue, allergies, 
loss of memory, and even heart disease[iv]. When one considers the pain and 
suffering caused by any of these four ill health effects, and the myriad of subsequent 
ailments that they can provoke, it becomes readily apparent that a knowledge of 
amino acids, and especially “essential” amino acids, must be a part of an intelligent 
eater's knowledge base.

While there has been some movement on the part of nutritional supplement companies 
to provide eaters with convenient and palatable sources of protein, many of them have 
put their marketing needs first and ignored amino acids altogether. As a consequence 
of this omission, some eaters are actually suffering from an “overdose” of incomplete 
protein. This is because what they are eating may not provide them with the total, 
essential protein that they need. The only complete proteins on the planet are derived 
from dairy, meat, fish, poultry and soy, and these foods are not present in our most 
common foods. There are, however, protein supplements that also offer proteins with 
the full spectrum of amino acids.

The solution here is uncomplicated and accessible. Eaters must simply choose to 
eat foods and nutritional supplements that offer a “complete” source of protein. This 
means that all 19 essential amino acids must be present including, of course, the 
“essential 8” amino acids that the body cannot synthesize.

There are some companies – though still clearly in the minority – that create nutritional supplements that carefully ensure that all of the amino acids are present. It is notable 
that these companies do not necessarily have to do this, since neither the Food and 
Drug Administration nor many consumers are demanding this from their food labeling; 
at least, not yet. This is all the more reason to laud those companies that are putting 
people and nutrition first, and marketing a distant second.

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Read this article online  here


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3.iii. Featured Article :

Want to Build your own Gym ?
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I walked into the commercial gym yesterday after a long day of work excited to 
begin my workout. After warming up I proceeded to the squat rack to start my 
resistance training workout. I unfortunately ran into a bit of a roadblock. I was 
planning on starting with some Back Squats but there was a young man in the 
power rack performing barbell biceps curls with horrible form (a definite no-no!).

I decided to go to Plan B and rearrange my workout only to find that the flat 
benches were all occupied as well. This trend continued and everywhere I 
turned the equipment I desired was being used. I was happy that so many 
people were working out but at the same time I was frustrated that my well-laid 
plans were spoiled. I learned a long time ago that it is wise to have a back-up 
plan in place for situations like this so I decided to head home and revert to 
Plan C, which was my home workout routine.

I have found that having the option to workout at home is essential for people 
with busy schedules, for others who do not like going to crowded gyms, or for 
people who need a contingency plan for just-in-case situations (that's me!). 
Another reason to have a home gym is that warmer weather has finally arrived 
and you may be less likely to go to your commercial gym.

I have helped people design expensive, well-equipped home gyms and I have 
helped others design very cost-effective, space-saving workouts areas. My 
personal home gym consists of a Stability Ball, 5lb to 95lb Dumbbells, some 
Kettlebells, an adjustable Weighted Vest, Adjustable DB Handles, Elastic 
Bands, 2kg to 10kg Medicine Balls, Ankle Weights, an AB Roller, a variety 
of Exercise Videos, and a minimal amount of space!

Anyone can have a Home Gym and there are many reasons to have one. The 
following list of questions should help you design a Home Gym that will suit 
your needs, your space, and your budget!

Questions To Ask When Building Your Home Gym:

The First Step: Ask Yourself Why?

Why do you want a home gym? What will it give you that you do not already have? 
What is your empowering vision of your ideal physique or athletic accomplishment? 
What are your short and long term goals? Always begin with a vision of the end 
results in mind, as this will guide you in your efforts. If you have not developed a vision 
of what you want to accomplish at this point, then that is the first thing you need to do. 
Develop a plan of attack for building your body and building your home gym.

Without a plan you might end up disappointed with the lack of results and frustrated 
that you bought the wrong equipment. Ask yourself what kind of results you expect 
your home gym to deliver? Is your home gym going to supplement your commercial 
gym membership (as a contingency plan)? Will you be doing your cardiovascular 
exercise outside or inside on a machine? Will you be doing stretching, strength training, 
or both? Is your home gym going to be the only place that you work out? Think about 
these things when designing your home gym.

I. How much are you willing to spend ($$$$$$$)?

How much do you want to spend, plain and simple? If you are just starting out with 
an exercise program, you might consider starting small with a simple, yet very 
effective, pair of Dumbbells. You can perform a full-body workout with a pair of 
dumbbells, some bodyweight exercises, and with a little knowledgeable of proper 
exercise technique. If you want to do it inexpensively, hire a knowledgeable fitness 
professional to design an individualized exercise program that you can do with a 
pair of Dumbbells in the comfort of your home. I have listed a variety of items that 
you might consider adding to your home gym.

Equipment Considerations:

A. Cardiovascular Machine

If you insist on performing your cardiovascular exercise routine at home be prepared 
to spend some money! Be aware, a gym quality treadmill, stationary bike, rowing 
ergometer, or elliptical trainer is going to cost you. You can buy used or refurbished 
gym quality equipment for a discounted price and if I wanted a cardio machine for my 
home this is probably the route that I would take. If you are thinking, “I'll just save a 
few hundred dollars and buy an inexpensive treadmill at the mall,” make sure you do 
some research and ensure that you will buy something that is going to last and that 
will fit y our needs. I know many people who have purchased flimsy treadmills and 
regretted it soon thereafter. There are quality treadmills out there you just have to 
know where to look. I would recommend talking to my friend Bob McKinnon at 
McKinnon Technical Services (603-644-7539) who knows gym equipment like the 
back of his hand. He can point you in the right direction if you want to!

B. A Multi-Purpose Home Gym Machine

There are numerous multi-purpose gyms on the market and some are better than 
others. Chances are, if you turn on your television late at night and flip through the 
channels, you will be exposed to clever marketing using beautifully sculpted fitness 
models promising results in six weeks or less if you purchase their machine! Guess 
what. You can get results without a two thousand dollar machine that will most likely 
be collecting dust in a year anyway! Why not begin your quest for improved fitness 
with a modest investment in a pair of Dumbbells? Why not purchase a $20 book on 
how to get into shape? How about meeting with someone who specializes in coaching 
people through the process of positive physical change such as fitness professional or
Registered Dietician? Infomercials are notorious for clever marketing and they can be 
very compelling. Avoid impulsive buying and do some research first before purchasing 
an expensive multi-gym. I recommend consulting a qualified fitness professional about 
the usefulness of such a machine, interviewing people who have that machine, and 
possibly even test-driving one before you make this decision. I have to mention that 
every Spring and Fall I see countless multi-gyms sitting out on someone's lawn as 
part of the annual yard sale. I wonder why that is?

Read the rest of this article here .

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4. Featured Tip:

FAST Abs: Follow these guidelines for a six-pack ===========================================================
(By: David Zinczenko, Editor-in-Chief of Men's Health and Ted Spiker,
Co-authors of The Abs Diet)

When I was in college, I had a friend who argued that he knew the key to a six-pack: 
"All you have to do is 1,000 crunches a day for a month." He said it in a way that made 
you believe him-that if only you were disciplined enough to put in the time every day to 
concentrate on your abdominal muscles, then you'd eventually chisel away a gut of 
stone. His theory was that it all boiled down to volume and discipline. He went on to 
say that the iconic ab exercise would do more than just build abs-that it was also the 
fix-all to weight problems, that you could simply crunch away years of bingeing on 
pizza, wings, and all-night keg parties.

In a lot of ways (a heck of a lot of ways, actually), my friend was wrong. For one, crunching 
won't burn fat. And you won't develop abs by doing the same exercise over and over-let 
alone the same exercise every day. And 1,000 repetitions? C'mon. There's only one thing 
most of us would do 1,000 times a day if it were physically possible, and it wouldn't be a 
crunch. But he was right in one sense: If you want abs that will make you stronger, healthier, 
and better looking, you do have to work them. And that does take discipline-but not as much 
as you'd think.

Though your midsection works as one unified core, it does help to think of your abdominal 
center in regions. To build speed-bump abs, you need to work the entire region. The three 
visible regions consist of the upper abs, the lower abs, and the obliques (the muscles 
along the side of your torso). But there are also a number of supporting muscles that, 
when developed, will add strength to your abdominals: your lower back and the transverse 
abdominis-muscles that run underneath your abdomen horizontally to give support to your 
entire midsection.

You already have all of these muscles; you just need to break them out. That's why your 
priorities have to revolve around the first two components: the nutrition principles and the 
fat-burning workout. Once you strip away the fat, your abs can grow and show. Unlike what 
my friend said, you won't get a six-pack by working your abdominal muscles every day. 
Instead, follow these guidelines for adding the final component.

Work your abs 2 or 3 days a week. Abs are like any other muscle in your body. They'll grow 
when they're at rest, not when you're working them. So working them every day doesn't give 
them a chance to grow and get strong. You will develop abs by working them two or three 
times a week. I'd recommend adding the ab circuit to the beginning of your workout. Saving 
them until the end of the workout means there's more possibility that you'll skimp and take 
shortcuts.

Hit the whole region. You have five regions of your abdominals that you're going to work. For 
each workout, pick one exercise per region to ensure that you're hitting every area.

Pick different exercises every workout. The key is variety: Changing your routine doesn't allow 
your abs to get comfortable, so they'll continue to grow after each workout.

Do a circuit. In the first week of workouts, just do one set of each exercise (10 to 15 repetitions,
  depending on the exercise). In the second and third week, do two sets if you'd like, but perform 
them in a circuit so that you're doing each exercise once before repeating an exercise. After that,
  you can do three circuits. Even then, your ab workouts shouldn't take more than 5 minutes.

Go slow. Each rep of an ab exercise should last 4 to 6 seconds. Any faster, and you run the 
risk of letting momentum do the work. The slower you go, the higher the intensity. The 
higher the intensity, the stronger the stomach.

Think of the ab exercise portion of your workout and diet plan as the toy at the bottom of the 
cereal box, the paycheck at the end of the week, the finish line at the end of the marathon. 
It's the motivation. It's the reward. It's the goal that no scale could ever show.

Here's a great one with a Swiss-ball to get you started fast:

Lie on your back on a Swiss ball, with your knees bent at 90 degrees, your feet flat, and 
your hands behind your ears. Keeping your right foot planted, lift your left foot off the floor 
and bring it toward you as you curl your torso up and to the left so your right elbow meets 
your left knee. Do 12 repetitions. Then plant your left foot on the floor and curl toward your 
right knee for another 12 reps.

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