Newsletter
HotBod January 01
Welcome to all the new subscribers to the HotBod newsletter as well as those who have been with us from the beginning. Each month we'll explore issues relating to the three major areas of fitness: exercise, nutrition and supplementation. Don't hesitate to write if you have any comments or suggestions.
I am pleased to announce that my new book, Look Great Naked has just been released. The book describes a complete program for targeting and toning the areas that women find most problematic: the abs, butt and thighs. It also contains extensive nutritional information, cutting-edge tips on how to lose those last few pounds, and dozens of healthy recipes from today's top fitness models. I am sure that you will find the book of great interest and look forward to hearing your feedback.
EXERCISE CORNER/Is Soreness Necessary to Achieve Results?
Delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is often misunderstood. Contrary to popular belief, it is totally unrelated to a buildup of lactic acid. Lactate is rapidly cleared from muscles following a workout. Within an hour or two post-exercise, it is either completely oxidized or utilized for glycogen resynthesis. Since DOMS doesn't manifest until at least 24-hours after a training session, it therefore follows that lactic acid cannot play a part in its etiology.
Although the exact mechanisms are not fully understood, current theory suggests that DOMS is actually caused by damage to muscle tissue. It is fundamentally due to eccentric exercise, where muscles are lengthened under extreme tension. Here is the basic premise: During eccentric activity, the contractile elements (actin and myosin) in working muscles exert a "braking" action in order to resist the forces of gravity. This produces small microtears in both the contractile elements and surface membrane (sarcolemma) of the associated muscle fibers. These microtears allow calcium to escape from the muscles, disrupting their intracellular balance and causing further injury to the fibers. Various proteins (such as macrophages) then interact with the free nerve endings surrounding the damaged fibers, resulting in localized pain and stiffness.
By all accounts, research has proven that DOMS is not a prerequisite for achieving results. It is merely an indication that you have induced muscular trauma. The human body is a very adaptive organism and readily adjusts to the rigors of intense exercise. Over time, various physiologic adaptations take place in your body that ultimately make it resistant to further muscular soreness. Hence, after several months of training, most people experience little if any post-exercise soreness. Rest assured, however, that this is of no consequence. You can continue to make terrific progress in your training endeavors whether you're sore or not!
NUTRITON CORNER/Fats and Frying
The myth that all dietary fat is bad has apparently come and gone. It is now pretty much common knowledge that the moderate consumption of certain fats, namely polyunsaturated essential fatty acids (EFAs), provide a wealth of health-related benefits. These fats, found in sources such as cold water fish and various seeds and nuts, help to heighten insulin sensitivity, elevate metabolims and improve cardiovascular health.
One of the easiest ways to consume EFAs is through unrefined oils such as flax, sunflower, and safflower. These oils are quickly becoming favorites amongst consumers. They are convenient, balanced and quite palatable to most tastes.
It is important, however, to make sure that EFAs aren't used for cooking. Heat is extremely damaging to any polyunsaturated oil. It serves to break their precious double bonds, changing the oil from a healthy cis-fat into an unhealthy trans-fat. These effects are seen even at low levels of heat, but are magnified as cooking temperature increases. Thus, frying is particularly detrimental to the delicate stability of EFAs.
If you choose to cook with oils, refrain from using EFAs. At low temperatures, extra virgin olive oil holds up relatively well. For frying, saturated fats (such as cocunut or palm oil) generally are your best bet. Since these oils contain no double bonds, they are quite stable even at high temperatures.
As for EFAs, they should always be ingested in their natural state. You can add them directly to foods such as salads, oatmeal, and protein shakes, or you can simply take it by the spoonful. Either way, optimal benefits will be ensured.
SUPPLEMENT REVIEW/DHEA
What is it: A testosterone precursor.
What it does: DHEA interacts with various hormones (such as growth hormone) and purportedly promotes increased exercise performance, reduced bodyfat and anti-aging.
The Verdict: Some studies have shown that DHEA does increase testosterone levels in women. Whether this is a positive or a negative is debatable. Women can realize unwanted side-effects such as acne, hirsutism (body hair) and irregular menses. On a higher level, however, since DHEA is actually a hormone (pro-hormone), its effects on the body's delicate hormonal balance cannot be predicted. This alone should make you stay away.
SUPPLEMENT GRADE: F
