Fat Loss vs Weight Loss

Pictured here is a plastic replica of muscle and fat tissue.  As you can see, 5lb of muscle is significantly smaller than the same amount (weight) of fat. 

With this in mind, I often tell new trainees to look at the mirror instead of the scale.

I know bodyweight can be an important measure of health.  But obsession with it may keep you from seeing the “big picture.” 

Consider these scenarios:

Let’s say I’ve gained 5lb of muscle and lost 5lb of fat.  This would be a positive change in body composition.  That extra muscle would raise the number of calories I burn.  The fat loss may result in noticeable physical changes, such as a reduction in my waistline (depending on my starting weight/bodyfat  %).  But the scale would not show any weight loss. 

Now, let’s say I lose 5lb of muscle and 5lb of fat.  That’s 10lb of weight loss, but there’s a problem:  I’ve lost just as much muscle as fat.  I’ve lost some calorie-burning muscle tissue, which would slow my metabolism in the long run.


It’s important to keep all of this in mind in terms of diet and exercise.  Body weight is not always the most important measure of health and/or progress.

Picture: Ken Waller, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Franco Columbu

As I've mentioned before, I really prefer the physiques of the 70's bodybuilders to their contemporary counterparts.  Here's a shot of Ken Waller doing squats with Arnold and Franco. 

Steroid Alternatives

Let’s see if any of these claims look familiar:

Steroid-like gains
Legal, safe, alternative to steroids
Anabolic supplement
Powerful anabolic supplement with no side effects

I have news for you.  There’s only one thing that works like steroids—steroids! 

Anyone who tells you different is trying to sell some over-priced, over-hyped, crummy supplement.  If you see any of these claims, please don’t waste your money.

Keep something else in mind: it isn't really possible for something to be "powerful," yet have no side effects.

Let's say something is powerful enough to ad 20lb of muscle beyond your natural genetic capacity.  In order for this to happen, such a drug must siginificantly alter your hormonal state.  Side effects are an unavoidable part of this.  This is why steroids are cycled--to minimize/manage the side effects.

As I've mentioned before, I'm not promoting steroid use.  I simply want to warn my readers of bogus supplement claims.  
  

ZMA (Zinc Magnesium Aspartate) Review

I’ve mentioned some worthwhile supplements in a previous article.  Now I'd like to review another popular supplement: ZMA

ZMA is a combination of zinc magnesium aspartate and vitamin B6.  The supplement claims to promote lean muscle mass, testosterone production, and help with sleep. 

Why didn't I include ZMA in my recommended supplements?  The best research doesn’t support the hype.*  I found a study (double-blind, placebo controlled experiment) comparing men who used ZMA with those who didn’t.  Here’s the result:

Results of the present study do not support contentions that ZMA supplementation increases zinc or magnesium status and/or affects training adaptations in experienced resistance trained males with normal zinc status. These findings are in contrast with the notion that ZMA supplementation can increase zinc and magnesium status, anabolic hormone status, and/or strength gains during training.

Quoted from Effects of Zinc Magnesium Aspartate (ZMA) Supplementation on Training Adaptations and Markers of Anabolism and Catabolism

I'm not ready to completely dismiss ZMA.  These minerals are important:

In the USA, magnesium supplementation is dramatically under utilized by conventional physicians and is more important in patient therapy than most physicians realize.

. . . many people do not even get the RDA of 350 mg of magnesium daily. A therapeutic dosage could easily run between 400 mg and 1000 mg daily of elemental magnesium in divided doses. In people with normal kidneys, it is difficult to reach toxic levels of magnesium.

Quoted from:  The Importance of Magnesium to Human Nutrition

But here's the other issue:  I'm not convinced the "ZMA formula" minerals are any more beneficial than mineral supplements you could buy at the local drug store. 

Yes, there's the claim that ZMA is better absorbed because it does not contain calcium--calcium is supposed to interfere with the absorption of Zinc.  Is this no-calcium formula really better?  I'm not sure:

High levels of dietary calcium impair zinc absorption in animals, but it is uncertain whether this occurs in humans. One study showed that increasing the calcium intake of postmenopausal women by 890 mg/day in the form of milk or calcium phosphate (total calcium intake, 1,360 mg/day) reduced zinc absorption and zinc balance in postmenopausal women (11), but increasing the calcium intake of adolescent girls by 1,000 mg/day in the form of calcium citrate malate (total calcium intake, 1,667 mg/day) did not affect zinc absorption or balance (12).

 Quoted from Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State

In one of the new studies, 18 relatively healthy women past menopause increased calcium intake to 1,360 milligrams daily--a little higher than the 1,200 mg now recommended for people over age 50. Their zinc absorption dropped by an average of about 2 mg, as did zinc balance. This happened regardless of whether they got the extra calcium from milk or from a calcium phosphate supplement. The study lasted 36 days.

In a second study, zinc absorption dropped by half when a group of 10 men and women took a calcium supplement with a single test meal. But adding nearly 8 mg of zinc to the calcium supplement offset this effect.

Quoted from The USDA Agricultural Research Service

So there may be something to calcium interfering with zinc absorption, but I'm not sure its something to be too concerned with. 

The B-6 in ZMA does seem to help with sleep.  But we once again have the same issue--why not just buy a "regular" (inexpensive) B-6 supplement? 

Conclusion:
There's really no evidence ZMA will increase your testosterone or lean muscle mass.  It isn't too expensive if you want to try it, but don't expect much.

Note:  I have written an updated ZMA review on my other blog with more references.  


*There is an often-quoted study that was done by the one who invented ZMA.  I don't trust that study for obvious reasons--I never trust studies/stats coming from the supplement makers.

The Secret to Fat Loss

I’m about to tell you the secret to fat loss and/or weight loss.  Here it is:

Eat less, exercise more.

 That’s the “secret.”  Sorry if you were expecting something else, but there really is no secret. 

Your body uses its fat resources when there is a negative calorie balance—when you are using more calories than you are consuming.

Yes, some ways of manipulating your diet are more effective than others (eating multiple small meals, low carb, etc).  But fat loss ultimately comes down to creating a negative calorie balance for a long period (weeks, months, or more, depending on your goals).  

Tiffara Stewart, 4'6" Basketball Star

Tiffara Stewart stands 4'6" and has multiple disabilities.  She may not be the first person you'd choose to be on your basketball team.  But she was chosen--chosen to play at the collegiate level.  See her amazing story:

Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle: a Real, Honest Review

Every "review" I've seen for Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle has been a glorified advertisement.  None of that here--I'll just tell you my opinion and you can make up your own mind.

On the positive side, BFFM has a lot of good information:  no scams, false promises, or "quick weight loss" schemes.  The author presents the basics of increasing lean body mass while decreasing bodyfat levels:

1. Train with weights to increase muscle mass, which will increase your metabolism.
2. Do cardio work in addition to weights to burn even more calories.
3. Eat 5-6 small meals a day (vs 3 large meals)--each meal should have a balance of protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats.
4. Keep track of your calories and shoot for a modest negative calorie balance.

Venuto has a very solid reputation in the fitness industry, and after reading this ebook, I understand why.  

Is there a negative side?  The ebook cost about 40 dollars.  Some may consider this a little expensive. But I think it's worth it, and Venuto has some pretty nice package deals which allow you to buy several ebooks (you get a lot of information for what you pay--I wish something like this was available back when I started training). It is also less expensive than some of the other online programs/ebooks. 

If you can answer "yes" to the following questions, I think this book can help you:

*Are you serious about making the lifestyle changes necessary to have a good body?

*Are you willing to put some time in the gym and put some planning into your diet?

 If you answered "yes" to these question, Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle is probably a wise investment for you.  Click Here if you'd like to check out the program.

Feel free to contact me if you'd like to ask a few more questions before buying.   I want you (my reader) to be sure about how you spend your hard-earned money.

Paul Wrenn's 5x3 Powerlifting Routine

I mentioned meeting Paul Wrenn in a previous article.

I did get the opportunity to ask him for some training advice, and he recommended a routine.  Here it is:

1.  Take a weight you can do 5 sets of 3 repetitions with (this does not include your warmup sets).
2.  Build up to 5 sets of 5 repetitions with said weight.
3.  Once you can successfuly do 5x5, ad 10-20 lbs and go back to 5x3 (five sets, three repetitions).
4.  Work your way up to 5x5 again, and repeat.

So the first week you'll do 5x3.  The next week you'll try to ad some repetitions.  You may not do the same number of reps every set--you may get 3-4 reps per set instead of just 3.

But you keep using the same weight until you can successfully do 5x5, then ad weight and go back to 5x3.  This is kind of a variation of a 5x5 workout.

I'm using this program now, and I really love it.  It's simple but effective, and the incremental strength gains keep me motivated. 


After I've done these five sets on bench or squat (depending on what bodyparts I'm working that session), I'll follow up with some lighter weight and higher rep exercises.

So my squat day looks something like this:

Squat 5x3
Romanian Deadlift 4x7 (4 sets, 7 repetitions)
Calf Work (calf raises, seated calf raise, etc).

This is usually about all I can handle for one workout.  Squats take a lot out of me, and I'm lifting in a tropical climate with no air conditioning.

Note:  I'd highly recommend Minimalist Training if you want to find some simple but brutally effective routines.

Study: Obesity Takes Years Off Lifespan

A new study from Oxford shows even moderate obesity can cut three years off your life expectancy.  The same study found severe obesity is as dangerous as smoking in terms of life expectancy:

The Oxford University research found that moderate obesity, which is now common, reduces life expectancy by about 3 years, and that severe obesity, which is still uncommon, can shorten a person’s life by 10 years. This 10 year loss is equal to the effects of lifelong smoking.

The analysis brought together data from 57 long-term research studies mostly based in Europe or North America. People were followed for an average of 10 to 15 years, during which 100,000 died, making it the largest ever investigation of how obesity affects mortality. It was coordinated by the Clinical Trial Service Unit (CTSU) in Oxford and the results are published online today (18 March) in The Lancet.  

You can read the rest of the article at the University of Oxford website. 

Michael Jordan: "Failure" (Nike Commercial)

Entrecard Bug

Hey guys,
For some reason Entrecard wiped out all of my advertisers, starting me over at square one.  I appreciate anyone who has advertised and I hope you'll try again.  I want you to know you were not removed on purpose. 

I also hope EC will give me some credits to make up for the ones I have lost.  This blog's value was about 256c to advertise--now I'm starting all over.  Grrrr

L-Carnitine and Fat Loss: the Truth

L-Carnitine has been marketed for years as a weight loss (fat burning) supplement.  I remember seeing ads for it in bodybuilding magazines back in the 80's.

Here are the facts:

L-Carnitine is a nutrient the body uses to metabolize fat.  It is crucial in trasnporting fatty acids to cells, where they can be used as fuel.


Sounds great so far, right?

But there are a few things to consider:

1.  Our bodies naturally extract all the L-Carnitine we need from our diet (dairy, meat, fish, poultry, etc).
2.  Unless one is deficient in this nutrient (due to disease, etc), there are no proven health benefits to supplementing L-Carnitine.  The body simply excretes the excess (translation: expensive urine). 
3.  There is no scientific evidence to prove L-Carnitine helps with weight loss.
4.  Many of the "diet drinks" which contain this amino acid are loaded with sugar!

Conclusion:  L-Carnitine supplementation isn't necessary or helpful for fat loss. 

If you are really looking to lose fat I'd recommend a diet and exercise program like Truth About Abs.

References:

University of Maryland Medical Center

Vanderbuilt University: L-Carnitine

Study: A Little Less Salt Could Produce Big Health Benefits

A new study shows a little less salt in our diets could produce big health benefits:

Using a sophisticated computer model to analyze trends in heart disease over time among U.S. adults, Bibbins-Domingo and colleagues discovered that incremental population-wide reductions could drastically improve public health. Cutting out just 1 g of salt (or 40 mg of sodium) per person per day could prevent 30,000 cases of coronary heart disease across the U.S. population by 2019. Reducing consumption by half — a more sizable 6 grams — could prevent 1.4 million cases of heart disease during that same period.

 You can read the whole article on the Time website.

Does Muscle Turn to Fat?

I’ve had more than one person ask me this.  There’s a commonly held belief that you’ll turn into a tub of lard if you lift weights then stop.  Some even believe working out will make them fatter. 

So, does muscle turn to fat?  NO!

Fat and muscle are two completely different types of tissue with different functions.  Can one type of tissue turn into another?  Can hair turn into bone?  Can your fingernails turn into teeth? 

Next question: can a lean, muscular person turn into a fat person?  YES!  
Can a fat person turn into a lean, muscular person?  YES!

Body composition (bodyfat level, etc) is dynamic—it changes according to one’s exercise and diet.  

A muscular person could become fat by doing the following:

1. Stopping his/her weight training.  Given enough time, the muscle would shrink (a process called atrophy). 
2. Eating more calories than he/she uses—which would eventually be stored as bodyfat. 

This process wouldn’t happen overnight, but eventually, the muscles would shrink and one’s bodyfat level would rise (if he/she consumed more calories than he/she used).

Likewise, a fat person could become more lean and muscular by doing the reverse:

1. Train with weights, which increases muscle mass (muscle growth is a process called hypertrophy).  The increased muscle mass would cause his/her metabolism to be faster, burning more calories 24/7.
2.  Eat fewer calories than he/she uses, or eat only as many calories as he/she uses (a negative or neutral calorie balance). 

The end result would be a decrease in bodyfat level and an increase in muscle mass.

One final question:  is a muscular person more likely to turn into a fat person?  NO.

I’ve seen former bodybuilders who are now in terrible shape.  But I’ve also seen guys in their 60’s and 70’s who look incredible.  It depends on how they eat and train.

I’ve also seen guys who were beanpoles in high school but now fight the battle of the bulge.  They got used to eating whatever they wanted, and it eventually caught up with their waistlines. 

This is a highly simplified explanation, but I think you get the point. 

Summary:

1.  The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn 24/7.
2.  Body composition is dynamic.  I changes according to diet/exercise.
3.  Muscle does not turn to fat--don't let this irrational fear keep you out of the gym.

My Picture

I just realized that I don't have any pictures of myself here at strongandfit.net.


This picture is nothing special--just something I snapped with my MacBook.  As you can see, I'm not a pro bodybuilder (I don't want to be).  But I just thought I'd prove to my readers that I do indeed go to the gym and apply this stuff I write about.

Study: Optimists Live Longer, Healthier Lives

Optimists live longer, healthier lives than pessimists, U.S. researchers said on Thursday in a study that may give pessimists one more reason to grumble.

Researchers at University of Pittsburgh looked at rates of death and chronic health conditions among participants of the Women's Health Initiative study, which has followed more than 100,000 women ages 50 and over since 1994.

Women who were optimistic -- those who expect good rather than bad things to happen -- were 14 percent less likely to die from any cause than pessimists and 30 percent less likely to die from heart disease after eight years of follow up in the study.

Optimists also were also less likely to have high blood pressure, diabetes or smoke cigarettes. . . .

You can read the full story HERE (Reuters).

Lou Ferrigno

Here's an old picture of big Lou Ferrigno.  I still remember watching him on The Incredible Hulk when I was a kid. 

You can visit Lou's website if you want to look at more of his pictures, etc.

Are Online Bodyfat Calculators Accurate?

If
1.  You've been lifting weights
2.  The calculation uses height, weight, neck and waist measurements

Then the answer is "no."  

I tried one, and here's what I got:

Over 17% bodyfat? I don't think so. I'm not super-lean right now, but I'm not anywhere near that.

I've used different methods for measuring my bodyfat.  Here's what I've discovered so far:  any method which factors in weight tends to overestimate my bodyfat level.