Sunday, October 25, 2009

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Knowledge Is Not Always Power: An Interview with David Katz, M.D.


Another great interview by the one and only Dr. Monte



Knowledge Is Not Always Power: An Interview with David Katz, M.D.

The Importance of Acid/Alkaline Balance

I recently reconnected with an old friend of mine--Dr. Ron Cherubino--Doctor of chiropractic medicine, as well as a doctor of Alternative Medicine. He has a great handout on "Acid Alkaline Balanceand its Effects on Heath and Disease".http://l.b5z.net/i/u/6106727/f/Acid_Alkaline_Balance_and_Its_Effect_on_Health_and.pdf

Mindfulness and Health: an interview with Dr. Ellen Langer


Mindfulness and Health: an interview with Dr. Ellen Langer

Great Interview conducted by Dr. Monte Ladner with Dr. Ellen Langer. He has a podcast called Fitness Rocks, excellent podcast to subscribe to for all you fitness professionals. Click on the link above to get directed to the interview.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Why I Lost 10 Lbs. Even Though I Didn't Need To


I was working with a woman who needed to lose weight not too long ago and she asked me if I had experience with working with overweight individuals. I told her that I have done many lectures on the subject. She asked me if I ever had a weight problem. I said no, but did tell her that if I was an oncologist, I don't need to have cancer to help cancer patients. But, I knew where she was going with this, so I told her I would go on a diet with her. This handout summarizes the outcome.
http://www.coreessentials.biz/Mike_Sylvester_Lose_It1_Judy_final_version.pdf

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Can You Lose Weight Without Aerobic Exercise?

It is widely accepted in the medical community that aerobic exercise is superior to
weight training in terms of body-fat reduction due to the metabolic fuel used during
the activity (fat).

Physiologists use the term Beta Oxidation to refer to the state in which fat is used for
energy. So, aerobic exercise is an activity that promotes beta oxidation and for this
reason it is the preferred choice for weight loss programs.

Weight training (or resistive exercise) has become popular in recent years as an
adjunct for weight loss but it is not by itself, a legitimate tool for weight loss, many
believe. With this in mind, I asked the question,
“What if one was to follow a low-calorie diet and the only activity was weight
training,?” “Would this be a better means of preserving muscle mass while on a
restricted diet?”

I ask this question, not because I’m against aerobics but due to the fact that many
overweight beginners do not have a lot of time and prefer weights over aerobic
activity. This was the beginning of my search for the truth on this topic. It seems only
logical that if one decreases energy input (calories) in conjunction with weight
training, the fat should come off. Is this indeed true?

Any investigation should prove that this is indeed true due to the magnitude of the
caloric restriction not so much the type of exercise performed. Let me explain. Many
unconditioned beginners have a low exercise tolerance and therefore the energy
expenditure is minimal making the diet a more powerful tool to induce weight loss.
The importance of exercise cannot be emphasized enough for the long term chronic
adaptations that contribute to permanent weight control.

This is where the controversy exists—is an individual better off, on a weight control
standpoint, to engage in strength training or aerobic activity. On one hand, strength
training promotes fat-free mass (muscle). Fat-free mass is a powerful influence on the amount of calories an individual burns throughout the day—what physiologists refer to as the resting metabolic rate (RMR). But on the other hand, aerobic activity
increases enzymatic function on a cellular level which ultimately allows more fat to be
burned throughout the day.

Aerobic activity done regularly also increases stamina (or the technical term V02MAX.), which in turn increases your RMR, independent of
increases in muscle. Which adaptation influences an individual’s metabolism the
most? This was my reason for doing my literature search and unfortunately came up
empty handed, due to the limited research on strength training (at the time).

The few studies that I found, did, in part, support my claim. Although no consensus,
to date, has been made, many believe, it could be a viable option. Here is the bottom
line:
Dietary restriction has been shown to be a superior tool (compared to
exercise alone) to induce weight loss. There are, however, deleterious
consequences from this approach—loss of muscle, decreased metabolic
rate, etc. Weight training has been shown to counteract these negative
consequences (while on a moderate caloric restricted diet—1,200-1,500
calories/day). The studies indicate that resistance training may help
prevent an attenuation of RMR while on a moderate caloric restricted diet.
This means that weight training could help prevent the usual diet induced
decline in RMR during underfeeding.

Studies also indicate that resistance training results in maintenance of
muscle and, even regional increases in muscle during moderate caloric
restriction which is important since dieting tends to result in muscle loss.
In summary, more studies need to be performed on this topic in order to make any
definitive conclusion regarding this hypothesis. At the present time (June 1994),
there are no specific or concrete explanations as to what the proper caloric restriction
and the optimal exercise prescription that promote effective body-mass alterations
(i.e., maintain muscle mass and decrease body-fat).

To see the actual article I wrote please click on the link below:
http://www.coreessentials.biz/Myjournalarticle.pdf

Sunday, October 18, 2009


We've all heard of Jullian Michaels from "The Biggest Loser", but does her new FAT BURNING product really work? Buyer Beware.


http://www.weightloss-hq.biz/diet-supplements/jillian-michaels-maximum-strength-fat-burner-review.html#


I stumbled on 'The Nutrition Diva' podcast about a year ago, and been listening to her ever since. She is a Registered Dietician. She really knows her stuff and explains difficult concepts in a way that is understandable.

Do you suffer from G.E.R.D. or Gastrointestinal Esophogeal Reflux Disorder or what some people refer to as heartburn? Do you take acid blockers like Prevacid, Prilosec, or Nexium? Let the Nutrtion Diva tell you the truth about heartburn. Go to http://nutritiondiva.quickanddirtytips.com/reflux.aspx

Welcome to my Blog

Welcome to my blog. This is where I hope to share up-to-date information regarding health and fitness. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation regarding fitness and weight loss. What's worse, there are a lot of supplements that are either ineffective or harmful that are being promoted by so called "experts' in the industry. Anyway, I'm glad to have this medium to express my thoughts regarding fitness training and weight loss methods.

I will also draw upon other health care professionals (via podcasts, articles, etc.) to educate the public regarding the truth about certain health and fitness topics.

I'm excited and passionate to bring as much information to the general public and the health care professional as possible.