If your goal is to just burn fat and "lose weight" then go to any aerobic class in America and jump around doing your thing. But if you are interested in having a great looking physique with proper symmetry and muscle definition then I can help you. There is a reason why I don't have bells and whistles at my gym. There is no need for the hype. I find it interesting to see people work out at my facility. Those that don't want my help tend to have no idea what they are doing here. The equipment that I have has to be used in a specific way to get results. I think that when some folks join up here they want all those silly machines that do all the work for them. They believe that if they do those machines then they are working out and that they know what they are doing. Or if the machine is pretty and sleek then they will get a great looking body. My equipment has a specific purpose and if used incorrectly you won't see results. Here are just some the best exercises to develop the body that I perform at my gym.
1. High Stand Gironda Dips
2. Conant's Lat pulldown Specialization
3. Scapula Rotations
4. Neck Press
5. Body Drag
6. Spider Bench Curls
7. Kneeling Tricep Extension
8. 3 way Sissy Squats
9. Hack Slide
10. Push up Prone Leg Curl
11. Frog Sit-Ups.
These are the greatest exercises to develop the body. There is no greater feeling than engaging in an exercise that provides a pure contraction.
These exercises are hard to do without the right equipment. In fact, I have never seen any of the equipment that I use in any other gym. If I need to I will have a specific piece of equipment built. I find most machines out there useless. They are good for attracting naive people to join up at a gym. I find no advantage in Cybex machines over good ole fashioned dumbell exercises. Give me my dumbells!!!
If you would like to learn more about these exercises come to the Fitness Nut House and I will show you them personally.
tags: vince gironda, weight training, bodybuilding, nutrition, health, diet, fat loss, power lifting, steroids
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Madly In Love
All I can say is I am madly in love with my baby girl. She is the cutest little thing. Holding a little baby is the purest love their is. Nothing compares to having children. I am truly blessed and honored to be able to have the responsibility of raising three beautiful children. Many guys I know feel that having children is some type of burden. Those bastards are selfish egotistical idiots that only care about themselves. My strength comes from my family. There is no greater love than the love of a son or daughter. The more responsibility I have the greater I become. I wasn't put on earth to sit around watching television and eating potato chips. I am here to work and to teach. Having children allows me to experience every facet that life has to offer. When I hold little Faith and put her on my chest nothing else matters at that time. The love swells my heart to the size of Texas and I feel completely content. She is truly a blessing. We all need a little Faith in our lives. The best part of my life is having a great wife and three beautiful fantastic children.
Monday, December 28, 2009
How We Look
When you wake up in the morning and you look at yourself in the mirror do you like what you see? What you see is what prompts you to exercise. Most people exercise just to look better. They feel that if they look better then they will feel better and have a better outlook on life. How you look has a direct link to your emotions. If your emotional well being is compromised then your body will reflect it.
Here is the cycle of events. A person wakes up one day and looks in the mirror they see cellulite, fat around the abdominals, jiggly stuff under the arms when they wave, double chin, loose skin. They immediately get depressed and vow that they want to change. They have a moment of self perseverance they join up at a gym believing that this will be the answer to there problem.
They join the gym. They do cardiovascular exercise (treadmill, elliptical). Maybe if they are brave enough they take a class and perhaps do a few weight machines. They go home look in the mirror and see no difference. This goes on for about 1 to 2 weeks. Still seeing no difference in their body. Their enthusiasm plummets and they lose interest in exercise and end up going back to their old habits. They except the fact they will never change the way they look.
The reason why so many people fail at changing they way they look is because of the following;
1. They train don't long enough to see a result. It takes 4-6 weeks for the neuromuscular system to adapt to the exercise. During this time minimal results are seen. It is after the 4-6 week period that morphological effects occur.
2. EXERCISE IS ONLY A METABOLIC BOOSTER. It does not fully solve the fat loss, cellulite problem.
3. Nutrition, nutrition, nutrition, nutrition, nutrition. I can't say it enough. It's all about nutrition. Lack of knowledge is the downfall.
4. Emotional distress. Get control of your emotions. Being stressed, anxious, afraid, upset, in a bad relationship, stuffing your feeling, angry, depressed, sad, bored, cynical, non-loving, hateful, non-compassionate all effect how your body will look. Emotions are directly linked to hormones. If your emotions are out of balance then your body will look the way you feel. People who are over fat suffer from something within their inner subconscious that has not been resolved yet. This will set off a cascade of events that will produce a shift in homeostasis releasing hormones. If this chronically occurs then excessive weight gain is the result. These folks will end up going to the gym to resolve their issues. But it never works. They will always remain over fat, unhappy, and searching for the next miracle machine or pill to make their body fat disappear. I see time and time again unhappy people coming to the gym trying to resolve their sadness, anger, frustration. Most of the time these folks are in a relationship, job, or situation that is unhealthy, destructive, abusive. The only way out is to either get out of the relationship, job or situation. However, due to insecurity factors most people can't break from what they live in. They become victims of their circumstances. They tend to use exercise and dietary manipulation as a band aid to the problem. It is amazing how people look once they get out of their difficult situation. They are able to lose fat, increase muscle activity, are happier and have a better outlook on life. Emotions play a big part in the success of losing body fat.
5. Not using supplements.
6. Performing too many exercises. And not knowing the exercises that actually work the best. There are only 8 exercises that you need to look your best.
7. Living in a state of unconsciousness.
8. Time Dependent Aging
9. Increase Acquired Aging
10. Lack discipline.
To create a great looking physique every aspect of your life must in balance. Other wise you are just another gerbil on the wheel.
Here is the cycle of events. A person wakes up one day and looks in the mirror they see cellulite, fat around the abdominals, jiggly stuff under the arms when they wave, double chin, loose skin. They immediately get depressed and vow that they want to change. They have a moment of self perseverance they join up at a gym believing that this will be the answer to there problem.
They join the gym. They do cardiovascular exercise (treadmill, elliptical). Maybe if they are brave enough they take a class and perhaps do a few weight machines. They go home look in the mirror and see no difference. This goes on for about 1 to 2 weeks. Still seeing no difference in their body. Their enthusiasm plummets and they lose interest in exercise and end up going back to their old habits. They except the fact they will never change the way they look.
The reason why so many people fail at changing they way they look is because of the following;
1. They train don't long enough to see a result. It takes 4-6 weeks for the neuromuscular system to adapt to the exercise. During this time minimal results are seen. It is after the 4-6 week period that morphological effects occur.
2. EXERCISE IS ONLY A METABOLIC BOOSTER. It does not fully solve the fat loss, cellulite problem.
3. Nutrition, nutrition, nutrition, nutrition, nutrition. I can't say it enough. It's all about nutrition. Lack of knowledge is the downfall.
4. Emotional distress. Get control of your emotions. Being stressed, anxious, afraid, upset, in a bad relationship, stuffing your feeling, angry, depressed, sad, bored, cynical, non-loving, hateful, non-compassionate all effect how your body will look. Emotions are directly linked to hormones. If your emotions are out of balance then your body will look the way you feel. People who are over fat suffer from something within their inner subconscious that has not been resolved yet. This will set off a cascade of events that will produce a shift in homeostasis releasing hormones. If this chronically occurs then excessive weight gain is the result. These folks will end up going to the gym to resolve their issues. But it never works. They will always remain over fat, unhappy, and searching for the next miracle machine or pill to make their body fat disappear. I see time and time again unhappy people coming to the gym trying to resolve their sadness, anger, frustration. Most of the time these folks are in a relationship, job, or situation that is unhealthy, destructive, abusive. The only way out is to either get out of the relationship, job or situation. However, due to insecurity factors most people can't break from what they live in. They become victims of their circumstances. They tend to use exercise and dietary manipulation as a band aid to the problem. It is amazing how people look once they get out of their difficult situation. They are able to lose fat, increase muscle activity, are happier and have a better outlook on life. Emotions play a big part in the success of losing body fat.
5. Not using supplements.
6. Performing too many exercises. And not knowing the exercises that actually work the best. There are only 8 exercises that you need to look your best.
7. Living in a state of unconsciousness.
8. Time Dependent Aging
9. Increase Acquired Aging
10. Lack discipline.
To create a great looking physique every aspect of your life must in balance. Other wise you are just another gerbil on the wheel.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Digestion of Starch
The digestion of starch in carbohydrates begins in the mouth and then continues in the small intestine. As mentioned earlier, the main product of carbohydrate metabolism in glucose, or blood-sugar. In this form it enters our blood stream and first supplies the energy needs of our central nervous system. Any glucose not used immediately is stored in the liver or muscles as glycogen. The excess is converted to fat and stored throughout the body. Glycogen reserves are important because this is the primary fuel of hard working muscles, and supply of it is limited.
The body can store only a limited supply of glycogen: approximately 350 grams when the supply is at its peak. One-third of the amount is stored in the liver and the remainder in the muscles. Liver glycogen is available for immediate use. It is quickly converted into glucose when needed by the body. Muscles glycogen, however, does not have the necessary enzymes for this direct secretion into body fuel. It furnishes glucose indirectly. When the muscle contracts, glycogen is converted into Lactic Acid. The Lactic Acid is carried in the bloodstream to the liver and then converted into glycogen or glucose as needed by the body. For this reason, it does not reach the brain and nervous system as directly as liver glycogen.
The reserve of glycogen lasts 2-15 hours, depending on activity levels. Someone playing checkers can have enough to last most of the day. Body-builders in heavy training can use their entire supply of glycogen within 2-3 hours. The body will then switch to alternative, but, less efficient energy fuels. Muscle protein, for instance, can be converted by the liver into glucose in order to keep the brain and nerves supplied with fuel. However, this puts unnecessary stress on the liver. It also drains the supply of amino acids needed for building muscle and repairing the body.
Daryl Conant, M.Ed
The body can store only a limited supply of glycogen: approximately 350 grams when the supply is at its peak. One-third of the amount is stored in the liver and the remainder in the muscles. Liver glycogen is available for immediate use. It is quickly converted into glucose when needed by the body. Muscles glycogen, however, does not have the necessary enzymes for this direct secretion into body fuel. It furnishes glucose indirectly. When the muscle contracts, glycogen is converted into Lactic Acid. The Lactic Acid is carried in the bloodstream to the liver and then converted into glycogen or glucose as needed by the body. For this reason, it does not reach the brain and nervous system as directly as liver glycogen.
The reserve of glycogen lasts 2-15 hours, depending on activity levels. Someone playing checkers can have enough to last most of the day. Body-builders in heavy training can use their entire supply of glycogen within 2-3 hours. The body will then switch to alternative, but, less efficient energy fuels. Muscle protein, for instance, can be converted by the liver into glucose in order to keep the brain and nerves supplied with fuel. However, this puts unnecessary stress on the liver. It also drains the supply of amino acids needed for building muscle and repairing the body.
Daryl Conant, M.Ed
Limiting Amino Acids
The term "essential" refers to a specific nutrient that the body is not capable of producing, but does not require.If the essential nutrient is not supplied through diet or supplementation, a deficiency for that particular nutrient may occur.
As with protein synthesis, if one amino acid is supplied in a smaller amount than necessary (i.e., incomplete proteins or low-quality protein), then, the total amount of protein that can be synthesized from other amino acids will be limited. When this occurs, body protein-synthesis is restricted. If one essential amino acid is completely absent, however, the other amino acids can not be utilized and are therefore, wasted by the body.
Daryl Conant. M.Ed
As with protein synthesis, if one amino acid is supplied in a smaller amount than necessary (i.e., incomplete proteins or low-quality protein), then, the total amount of protein that can be synthesized from other amino acids will be limited. When this occurs, body protein-synthesis is restricted. If one essential amino acid is completely absent, however, the other amino acids can not be utilized and are therefore, wasted by the body.
Daryl Conant. M.Ed
Saturday, December 19, 2009
McKenna Dempsey 1991-2008
My thoughts and prayers go out to the Dempsey family this evening. It has been a year since the death of their son McKenna. He was a good son, brother and loved by many. His life was taken abruptly by uncontrollable circumstances. We all need to embrace every minute of this life and to love those that are closest to us. Life should never be taken for granted. Please take a moment and reflect upon your life and dedicate a moment of silence for the Dempsey's. They are a good family and this event is one of the saddest events I have ever been apart of. Nothing compares to the loss of a loved one. My heart truly goes out to them.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Am I Wasting My Time
I often wonder if anyone reads this blog or am I just wasting time. I know there are 14 people following this blog because they signed up for it. Sometimes it takes me 45 to write a blog. If no one is reading them then I don't want to waste my time writing them. It would be nice to know how many people are actually reading these entries. If you get a chance could you please sign in to this blog as a follower. It would give me a reason to keep posting articles. Thanks.
The Pain Threshold.
There is an old saying that goes "no pain no gain". As primitive as this sounds it is true. In order to change the body it is important to feel pain in the muscle. People who are incapable of handling the pain during exercise will never see results. When I refer to pain I am not talking about pain associated with an injury, I am talking about the pain of the hydrogen atoms building up in the muscle. When lactic acid builds up in the muscle it reduces the oxygen flow. The muscle gets engorged with blood and the blood has no place to go so it builds up in the muscle. Oxygen is flushed out of the area and lactic acid fills up in the muscle. This causes the pain that is associated with exercise. Most people can't handle the pain when it comes on, so they most likely use lower weight staying below threshold. Unfortunately, if you stay below threshold you will not see results. In order to gain muscle activity it is important to go beyond the threshold. This threshold is known as the lactate level. Lactate is a product of anabolic metabolism. The higher the lactate level the more intense a person can train without hitting the threshold. Pushing yourself into the threshold is what training is all about. You take the intensity to the point of the pain and then work against the pain a little bit more to boost the threshold. The pain you go through is only short in duration and is the only way to get feedback of knowing if the exercise is working. If you don't feel the burn by the end of the set then you are wasting your time. In order to get new growth patterns and to active more muscle tissue you have to go beyond threshold.
The nervous system needs to be challenged to establish greater synaptic activity and hormone production. Challenging the nervous system and endrocrine system is how you stay young. As long as you are activating new neuromuscular patterns the cells are constantly getting new stimulation. New stimulation means more cell recruitment. More cell recruitment means less inactivity. Inactive cells are dormant cells that atrophy and influences the aging process. As long as you are constantly regenerating new cells the body will keep hormone production high to keep up with the neural demand. If you don't establish new cell growth your hormone levels will drop and you won't be able to restore their levels ever again. Once a hormone is reduced in the body it is gone. This is why people resort to taking steroids when they get older because their body no longer produces enough hormone to keep their body in an anabolic state.
If there is a part of your body that is soft when you try to contract it then you have atrophied tissue and lost neural conductivity to that area. These soft areas can be recharged but they will not be what they once were. The motor units need to be activated and stimulated beyond threshold in order to force new growth patterns. Women, especially, suffer from atrophied muscle tissue and high fat areas. This is because they do more cardiovascular training than weight training. Cardiovascular training is the easy way to exercise. It is easy to walk or jog on treadmill or ride on a elliptical never achieving threshold. This is the easy way out. Weight training is the greatest muscle stimulator of all. People are taught to avoid pain. So when the pain comes on they run from it. They don't realize that this is what you are supposed to feel. Like I have said before if you don't exercise correctly you are wasting your time. You have to challenge the systems of the body to the point that the cells have to be recruited to respond to the intensity.
One of the byproducts of working against the intensity is that the capillary beds will increase. When capillaries increase they help deliver more water, oxygen and help clear out carbon dioxide in the muscle. Increase in capillaries is key for fat metabolism and muscle activity. It takes stress to the neuromuscular system to activate the growth of capillaries. Again, another reason why it is crucial to train with the right intensity. If you work below threshold you lose out on developing more capillaries.
You have to use the right intensities to achieve neuromuscular changes. If you train at the Fitness Nut House I will show you how to train to maximize your efforts. What I will show you will save you years of wasted efforts. I will not write in this blog how to do it. You must see me personally if you want the correct methods to knowing how to maximize your efforts in the gym.
Tags: fitness, nutrition, health, fat metabolism, oxygen, biggest loser, american idol, cliff lee, jason bay, red sox, bodybuilding, Fitness nut house, cardiovascular conditioning, tiger woods
The nervous system needs to be challenged to establish greater synaptic activity and hormone production. Challenging the nervous system and endrocrine system is how you stay young. As long as you are activating new neuromuscular patterns the cells are constantly getting new stimulation. New stimulation means more cell recruitment. More cell recruitment means less inactivity. Inactive cells are dormant cells that atrophy and influences the aging process. As long as you are constantly regenerating new cells the body will keep hormone production high to keep up with the neural demand. If you don't establish new cell growth your hormone levels will drop and you won't be able to restore their levels ever again. Once a hormone is reduced in the body it is gone. This is why people resort to taking steroids when they get older because their body no longer produces enough hormone to keep their body in an anabolic state.
If there is a part of your body that is soft when you try to contract it then you have atrophied tissue and lost neural conductivity to that area. These soft areas can be recharged but they will not be what they once were. The motor units need to be activated and stimulated beyond threshold in order to force new growth patterns. Women, especially, suffer from atrophied muscle tissue and high fat areas. This is because they do more cardiovascular training than weight training. Cardiovascular training is the easy way to exercise. It is easy to walk or jog on treadmill or ride on a elliptical never achieving threshold. This is the easy way out. Weight training is the greatest muscle stimulator of all. People are taught to avoid pain. So when the pain comes on they run from it. They don't realize that this is what you are supposed to feel. Like I have said before if you don't exercise correctly you are wasting your time. You have to challenge the systems of the body to the point that the cells have to be recruited to respond to the intensity.
One of the byproducts of working against the intensity is that the capillary beds will increase. When capillaries increase they help deliver more water, oxygen and help clear out carbon dioxide in the muscle. Increase in capillaries is key for fat metabolism and muscle activity. It takes stress to the neuromuscular system to activate the growth of capillaries. Again, another reason why it is crucial to train with the right intensity. If you work below threshold you lose out on developing more capillaries.
You have to use the right intensities to achieve neuromuscular changes. If you train at the Fitness Nut House I will show you how to train to maximize your efforts. What I will show you will save you years of wasted efforts. I will not write in this blog how to do it. You must see me personally if you want the correct methods to knowing how to maximize your efforts in the gym.
Tags: fitness, nutrition, health, fat metabolism, oxygen, biggest loser, american idol, cliff lee, jason bay, red sox, bodybuilding, Fitness nut house, cardiovascular conditioning, tiger woods
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
My Secret
I have been around weight training almost my whole life. What I have learned the most is how to save time in the weight room to get phenomenal results. I am often amazed at how many people exercise and they never look any different. It takes more than a room full of fancy equipment to get results. It takes proper physiology and kinesiology knowledge to get results. I remember when I was competing for a bodybuilding show in graduate school. I was completely ripped and in great shape. People thought I was taking steroids. This was a great compliment because that proved that my methods were working. Working so well that you couldn't tell the difference between me and the steroid users. The best part was when the guys asked me how long I trained to look so defined and muscular. I told them "I work out for only 20-30 minutes per workout 5 times a week. They were blown away! These guys would spend hours in the gym trying to get ripped (which they couldn't get). They would use all the fancy machines, cardio equipment and whatever bells and whistles the gym had to offer. All I used was the dumbell rack, a lat pulldown machine, cable crossover machine, dip stand, and smith machine. These are all the pieces that I used then and are the pieces I use now. I see changes with my physique all the time. I look better now than I did in graduate school. I have experimented with so many variations of exercises. I discard the exercises that don't work and keep the ones that do.
When I developed my business plan I only thought about the results that I could give people. I purchased only the equipment that I knew was important to getting great results. I don't need to spend 4,000 dollars on a bicep curl machine. I can develop great biceps with just dumbells. I don't need to spend 6,500 on a chest press machine. I have developed my chest by doing dips and dumbell exercises. As a gym owner my intent has always been to teach people how to get results and how to exercise correctly. My goal was not to just be a gym owner who puts a bunch of fancy machines in a room to win people over with sensationalism. People are creatures of hype. The more hype, the brighter the lights, the more fancy the bicep curl is the more they are attracted to it. The goal for these people is not to train hard and honest performing basic exercises. They are attracted to bells and whistles believing that if they use these machines that they will see a dramatic change in their body. Unfortunately, I have never seen anyone get a great looking physique from using machines only. The machines make you lazy and you lose connection with the contraction.
At my gym I am all about results. I don't care about the hype. The equipment I have at my gym is there for a specific purpose. People who are not interested in seeing results are not interested in my type of gym. They are searching for something else. Not body transformation. Here is my secret for staying ripped year round.
* I train for 20-30 minutes
* I use my specialized equipment to isolate the muscles. I have invented pieces of equipment that might not look fancy but they certainly work. I only care about the end result, not if the equipment is shiny and you can watch t.v. off it.
* I change up my routine all the time. I have developed a sequence of exercises that produce tremendous results. This type of knowledge can not be found in books. It takes years of experimenting. I see personal trainers train people and they never work out themselves. This is crazy. How can you teach an exercise when you don't know how it feels. I experiment with exercises and use the ones that work and disgard the ones that don't.
* I use the right amount of intensity. Not knowing how much intensity to use will result in failure.
* I only perform one to two exercises per muscle group.
* I change the sets and reps all the time.
* I eat differently throughout the week. Experimenting with all different types of supplements and foods to determine which combinations are best.
* I use only 2-3 pieces of equipment. The rest of the exercises are performed with free weight bars and dumbells. WHy should I spend thousands and thousands of dollars on machines that I would never use myself. It doesn't make much sense to me.
* I hypnotize myself during training to go into a higher level of consciousness.
* I use co-contractions.
* I enjoy and invite pain to enter the muscle and embrace it. I never give up when the pain comes. Too many people are afraid of the pain.
* I eat 5-6 meals a day.
* I take Supplements. If you don't take supplements you will fail at seeing the results you want to see.
* I see changes with my physique every month.
* I love training!!! It is my career and my passion.
Tags: exercise, nutrition, health, bodybuilding, muscle, fat loss, supplements, amino acids,
When I developed my business plan I only thought about the results that I could give people. I purchased only the equipment that I knew was important to getting great results. I don't need to spend 4,000 dollars on a bicep curl machine. I can develop great biceps with just dumbells. I don't need to spend 6,500 on a chest press machine. I have developed my chest by doing dips and dumbell exercises. As a gym owner my intent has always been to teach people how to get results and how to exercise correctly. My goal was not to just be a gym owner who puts a bunch of fancy machines in a room to win people over with sensationalism. People are creatures of hype. The more hype, the brighter the lights, the more fancy the bicep curl is the more they are attracted to it. The goal for these people is not to train hard and honest performing basic exercises. They are attracted to bells and whistles believing that if they use these machines that they will see a dramatic change in their body. Unfortunately, I have never seen anyone get a great looking physique from using machines only. The machines make you lazy and you lose connection with the contraction.
At my gym I am all about results. I don't care about the hype. The equipment I have at my gym is there for a specific purpose. People who are not interested in seeing results are not interested in my type of gym. They are searching for something else. Not body transformation. Here is my secret for staying ripped year round.
* I train for 20-30 minutes
* I use my specialized equipment to isolate the muscles. I have invented pieces of equipment that might not look fancy but they certainly work. I only care about the end result, not if the equipment is shiny and you can watch t.v. off it.
* I change up my routine all the time. I have developed a sequence of exercises that produce tremendous results. This type of knowledge can not be found in books. It takes years of experimenting. I see personal trainers train people and they never work out themselves. This is crazy. How can you teach an exercise when you don't know how it feels. I experiment with exercises and use the ones that work and disgard the ones that don't.
* I use the right amount of intensity. Not knowing how much intensity to use will result in failure.
* I only perform one to two exercises per muscle group.
* I change the sets and reps all the time.
* I eat differently throughout the week. Experimenting with all different types of supplements and foods to determine which combinations are best.
* I use only 2-3 pieces of equipment. The rest of the exercises are performed with free weight bars and dumbells. WHy should I spend thousands and thousands of dollars on machines that I would never use myself. It doesn't make much sense to me.
* I hypnotize myself during training to go into a higher level of consciousness.
* I use co-contractions.
* I enjoy and invite pain to enter the muscle and embrace it. I never give up when the pain comes. Too many people are afraid of the pain.
* I eat 5-6 meals a day.
* I take Supplements. If you don't take supplements you will fail at seeing the results you want to see.
* I see changes with my physique every month.
* I love training!!! It is my career and my passion.
Tags: exercise, nutrition, health, bodybuilding, muscle, fat loss, supplements, amino acids,
Monday, December 14, 2009
Caffeine
Caffeine is the most widely used drug in the world. It is a potent stimulant and may be consumed in a multitude of forms. These include: coffee, tea, cola drinks, chocolates, cold remedies, pain relievers and dozens of other over-the-counter drugs.
Caffeine also is a powerful stimulant to nerve tissues. It affects the higher centers of the brain, producing a wakening effect and a more rapid flow of mental processes. It assists the body in overcoming the sense of fatigue, however, it does not relieve it.
Caffeine Facts:
Two cups of coffee will cause an increase in hydrochloric acid (HCL) in the stomach for at least an hour. This is a problem for anyone suffering from an ulcer or over-acidity problem.
Caffeine slows the rate of healing of stomach ulcers.
One cup of coffee will cause a rise in blood pressure.
Caffeine decreases the body's ability the handle stress.
In pregnant women, caffeine will enter the fetal circulation in the same concentrations as the mothers. May be related to birth defects. Withdrawal symptoms tend to discourage people from giving up caffeine.
Continued use of caffeine may lead to insomnia, nervousness, restlessness and even tremors.
Caffeine masks fatigue when the body needs to rest.
Caffeine increases respiration rate, urine output and an increase of fatty acids into the bloodstream.
Caffeine also inhibits fat metabolism. Fat is released from fat cells but does not get metabolized through muscle tissue. The only benefit from caffeine could be for long distance athletes as an ergogenic aid. This is only for a boost in energy during long distance events.
Daryl Conant
Tags: caffeine, coffee, fat, muscle, strength, endurance, aerobic, fitness, health,
Caffeine also is a powerful stimulant to nerve tissues. It affects the higher centers of the brain, producing a wakening effect and a more rapid flow of mental processes. It assists the body in overcoming the sense of fatigue, however, it does not relieve it.
Caffeine Facts:
Two cups of coffee will cause an increase in hydrochloric acid (HCL) in the stomach for at least an hour. This is a problem for anyone suffering from an ulcer or over-acidity problem.
Caffeine slows the rate of healing of stomach ulcers.
One cup of coffee will cause a rise in blood pressure.
Caffeine decreases the body's ability the handle stress.
In pregnant women, caffeine will enter the fetal circulation in the same concentrations as the mothers. May be related to birth defects. Withdrawal symptoms tend to discourage people from giving up caffeine.
Continued use of caffeine may lead to insomnia, nervousness, restlessness and even tremors.
Caffeine masks fatigue when the body needs to rest.
Caffeine increases respiration rate, urine output and an increase of fatty acids into the bloodstream.
Caffeine also inhibits fat metabolism. Fat is released from fat cells but does not get metabolized through muscle tissue. The only benefit from caffeine could be for long distance athletes as an ergogenic aid. This is only for a boost in energy during long distance events.
Daryl Conant
Tags: caffeine, coffee, fat, muscle, strength, endurance, aerobic, fitness, health,
Saturday, December 5, 2009
The Greatest Moments in Life
Faith is Born 12/3/09 6:01 p.m. 7 lbs 19 inches.
There are many defining moments in life. Experiencing the birth of a child is the greatest moment of my life. There is nothing that compares to the wonder of seeing my two boys and my new girl being born. This is what life is all about. There is no word to describe the feeling that over comes me. What I feel is beyond Love. I have done many great feats in my life and nothing compares to what I just experienced. The birth of Faith was so beautiful. My wife Joy is an amazing woman. Her strength and control during birth was unbelievable. She is truly a blessing to do what she has done. I love her very much and am very grateful for her devotion and fearlessness during pregnancy and giving birth. I am her biggest fan.
When my two sons saw their baby sister for the first time, that was another unbelievable experience. There is no amount of money that could buy that. I love being a Dad and I love my family. I thank God every day for allowing me to be a part of all of these wonderful moments.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
My Dedication
loy⋅al⋅ty [loi-uhl-tee]
–noun, plural -ties.
1. the state or quality of being loyal; faithfulness to commitments or obligations.
2. faithful adherence to a sovereign, government, leader, cause, etc.
3. an example or instance of faithfulness, adherence, or the like: a man with fierce loyalties.
Synonyms:
2. fealty, devotion, constancy. Loyalty, allegiance, fidelity all imply a sense of duty or of devoted attachment to something or someone. Loyalty connotes sentiment and the feeling of devotion that one holds for one's country, creed, family, friends, etc. Allegiance applies particularly to a citizen's duty to his or her country, or, by extension, one's obligation to support a party, cause, leader, etc. Fidelity implies unwavering devotion and allegiance to a person, principle, etc.
Antonyms:
1, 2. faithlessness.
Staying disciplined to your fitness regime for years and years is hard if you don't have a goal or an inner conviction. Being faithful to your own belief system is important for the success of staying fit. Someone asked me once how do I stay committed to exercise for over twenty five years. What drives me is different than what might drive you, however, once you develop a strong inner conviction believing in what you are doing it is hard to break from it. For me it has never been about looking like a displaced, mutated, mammoth muscle bound freak. Though the physical realm is fun and important to some degree, the main reason why I train and stay disciplined to training is to resolve the inner struggles within my own self conscience. What I mean by this is that there are moments in my life that inspire me and force me to be the best I can be. As humans we are always faced with negative and positive forces that direct us into making the right or wrong decisions. This dualistic opposition is the driving force of our motivation. We are the ones that make the ultimate decision of what we choose in this world. I have chosen to live the true natural bodybuilding life at an early age. Once I commit to something that I believe in I will never let it go. My dedication and discipline to exercise and nutrition is just a symbolic reminder for all those people who have forged through all the negativity life has to offer and continues to remain a positive light for generations to see. I feel that we all have a certain responsibility to this earth and to future generations. Keeping fit and going through the pain of training is only a small donation of what I can give to pay homage to those that have given their life for the pursuit of positivity. It is very easy to give up on life and to sit around getting fat, diseased, cynical,and being negative. I consider these types of people a waste of human space. Unfortunately, negativity is becoming the norm in this world. It is harder and harder to find people who actually embrace the ideas of positivity, love, peace, good values, good morals and everlasting acceptance. Staying positive is much harder than being negative. The social consciousness of this world has shifted so far into the negative that I don't think it will ever change. In fact, it is going to get worse.
Every time I train I dedicate each session to those great men and women who have lived their life in accordance to the laws of positivity and love. Many of these great folks gave their life for what they believed in. Imagine giving up your life for the belief of love. That is pretty amazing. I want to say thank you to all of the great people past and present who have inspired me to be the best I can be and to continue to live for the betterment of mankind. It is our duty as humans to take inventory of our own selves and to respect this world and to respect the human experience for generations and generations.
–noun, plural -ties.
1. the state or quality of being loyal; faithfulness to commitments or obligations.
2. faithful adherence to a sovereign, government, leader, cause, etc.
3. an example or instance of faithfulness, adherence, or the like: a man with fierce loyalties.
Synonyms:
2. fealty, devotion, constancy. Loyalty, allegiance, fidelity all imply a sense of duty or of devoted attachment to something or someone. Loyalty connotes sentiment and the feeling of devotion that one holds for one's country, creed, family, friends, etc. Allegiance applies particularly to a citizen's duty to his or her country, or, by extension, one's obligation to support a party, cause, leader, etc. Fidelity implies unwavering devotion and allegiance to a person, principle, etc.
Antonyms:
1, 2. faithlessness.
Staying disciplined to your fitness regime for years and years is hard if you don't have a goal or an inner conviction. Being faithful to your own belief system is important for the success of staying fit. Someone asked me once how do I stay committed to exercise for over twenty five years. What drives me is different than what might drive you, however, once you develop a strong inner conviction believing in what you are doing it is hard to break from it. For me it has never been about looking like a displaced, mutated, mammoth muscle bound freak. Though the physical realm is fun and important to some degree, the main reason why I train and stay disciplined to training is to resolve the inner struggles within my own self conscience. What I mean by this is that there are moments in my life that inspire me and force me to be the best I can be. As humans we are always faced with negative and positive forces that direct us into making the right or wrong decisions. This dualistic opposition is the driving force of our motivation. We are the ones that make the ultimate decision of what we choose in this world. I have chosen to live the true natural bodybuilding life at an early age. Once I commit to something that I believe in I will never let it go. My dedication and discipline to exercise and nutrition is just a symbolic reminder for all those people who have forged through all the negativity life has to offer and continues to remain a positive light for generations to see. I feel that we all have a certain responsibility to this earth and to future generations. Keeping fit and going through the pain of training is only a small donation of what I can give to pay homage to those that have given their life for the pursuit of positivity. It is very easy to give up on life and to sit around getting fat, diseased, cynical,and being negative. I consider these types of people a waste of human space. Unfortunately, negativity is becoming the norm in this world. It is harder and harder to find people who actually embrace the ideas of positivity, love, peace, good values, good morals and everlasting acceptance. Staying positive is much harder than being negative. The social consciousness of this world has shifted so far into the negative that I don't think it will ever change. In fact, it is going to get worse.
Every time I train I dedicate each session to those great men and women who have lived their life in accordance to the laws of positivity and love. Many of these great folks gave their life for what they believed in. Imagine giving up your life for the belief of love. That is pretty amazing. I want to say thank you to all of the great people past and present who have inspired me to be the best I can be and to continue to live for the betterment of mankind. It is our duty as humans to take inventory of our own selves and to respect this world and to respect the human experience for generations and generations.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Digestion
What You Should Know About Your Body
Your body is approximately fifty-five percent (55%) water, twenty percent (20%) protein, fifteen percent (15%) fat, nine percent (9%) minerals, and one percent (1%) carbohydrates and vitamins.
These basic components must constantly be replenished through the foods we eat. But, not necessarily in the same proportions for each of us. Some foods enter our bodies as fuel and are burned on consumption to meet energy needs. Others become the basic building blocks of tissues and fluids. Still, others are vital to the delicate interactions required by the body's many functions.
Your Are a "One-of-a-Kind"
Throughout your personalized program you will continually hear how each of us is unique. We are all different. This holds true for our metabolic process as well. The metabolic process begins with digestion.
The digestion tract involves the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and the large intestine. The mechanical and chemical phase of digestion occurs in these organs.
Your Body is a Sophisticated Food Processor
The mechanical phase of digestion is responsible for sub dividing, mixing and propelling of food along the digestive tract. It includes chewing, swallowing, and the muscular activity of the walls of the digestive tract itself.
The chemical phase of digestion is responsible for the final breakdown of food particles. It is brought about by digestive enzymes. Enzymes act as catalysts in the body. They increase the rate of a reaction without becoming part of the final reaction product. Digestive enzymes aid in the breakdown of large nutrient molecules into smaller molecules. For example, carbohydrates are changed into simple sugars, fats into glycerol, and fatty acids and proteins into amino acids.
The Digestive Process
The process of digestion starts when food enters the body through the mouth where it is Chewed, broken into small pieces, and mixed with saliva. The fluid secreted by salivary glands contains digestive enzymes that can act upon carbohydrates. From the mouth, food passes to the stomach by way of the esophagus.
The digestion of certain foods continues in the stomach under the influence of the secretions and churning action of the stomach wall.
Ordinarily, a mixed meal leaves the stomach in three to four hours.
Carbohydrates leave the stomach most rapidly, followed by proteins. Fats remain in the stomach for a longer period. Thus, the sensation of hunger will occur sooner after a meal that is high in carbohydrates than after a meal containing adequate amounts of proteins or fat.
Beyond the Stomach
After leaving the stomach, the liquefied mass, called chyme, passes into the small intestine for further absorption into the body. The small intestine is affected by secretion from its walls and from the liver and pancreas. The undigested food residues pass from the small intestine to the large intestine or colon. This material also contains some of the end products of digestion such as water, as well as waste materials. These waste products travel through th e large intestine where they await periodic excretion from the body.
How Your Body Absorbs Nutrients
Absorption follows digestion. The function of digestion is to prepare the nutrients for absorption through the walls of the digestive tract. Most of this absorption takes place in the small intestine. However, water and small amounts of simple sugars and alcohol pass through the mucosa of the stomach into the bloodstream. And, various minerals and water are absorbed in the large intestine.
Located on the wall of the intestines and into the food canal, are finger-like projections called villi. They increase the absorption surface area about 600-fold. Each villus contains a network of tiny vessels that drink up the nutrients as they pass along the food canal.
Nutrients then circulate throughout the body in a manner analogous to diners at a cafeteria. As the blood flows by, cells take what they need. Excess nutrients may be stored, converted to more complex compounds, or excreted.
Daryl Conant
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