Newsletter
HotBod May 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 report that my new book, Look Great Naked, has sold out its first printing of 20,000 copies in just over three months. It has been the #1 non-fiction paperback title on Amazon.com for three different weeks. Thanks to all who've made it a success. Again, feel free to email me with specific questions or comments.
I also am pleased to announce that I have signed an agreement to produce a three-video training series based on my "Look Great Naked" book. The shoot should take place in the next couple of months with a release soon thereafter. I'll keep you posted as events transpire.
TRAINING CORNER: Sculpting the Calves
Without question, diamond-shaped calves help to create shapely legs. But because of physiologic limitations, the calves are generally the most difficult of all muscles to develop. The reason has to do with the function of the calves. The calves get more use than any other muscle. They are constantly active any time you stand, walk, run or do anything else in an upright position. Accordingly, the calves have a high percentage of slow-twitch muscle fibers (the endurance related fibers). In fact, one of the two calf muscles called the soleus contains about 90 percent slow twitch fibers. The trouble is, slow twitch fibers don't have the capacity to grow very much--a fact that significantly impedes your bodysculpting ability.
But while achieving shapely calves is a difficult chore, it's certainly not impossible. With dedicated effort, you can significantly improve the appearance of the calf muscles. And there are multiple benefits to having shapely calves. Not only do well-developed calves look great in their own right, but increased calf development also creates the illusion of thinner thighs.
For best results, calf training should consist of two types of movements: those performed with straight-legs and those performed with bent-legs. Straight-legged exercises (such as standing calf raises, donkey calf raises, etc) target the gastrocnemius. This muscle is the most readily apparent of the calf muscles and produces the "diamond" shape that is associated with the region. Bent-legged movements, on the other hand, target the soleus. This muscle lies deep in the calf and helps to push the gastroc outward, accentuating their appearance. Three to four sets of each type of movement once or twice a week should help to make a meaningful difference in calf development in a relatively short period of time.
NUTRITION CORNER: The Food Combining Myth
Recently, there has been a proliferation of books claiming that food combining is the best nutritional strategy. Marilu Henner and Suzanne Somers, in particular, have helped to popularize this strategy. Simply stated, food combining recommends that carbs and protein should be separated and eaten at different sittings. This is based on the fact that the enzymes responsible for the digestion of protein thrive in an acidic environment while the enzymes for carbs prefer an alkaline environment. According to food combining proponents, eating these foods at the same time neutralizes stomach acids and therefore prevents proper nutrient assimilation. Without a means to be metabolized, the nutrients simply putrefy and rot in the stomach. Over time, there is a buildup of toxic waste material (called toxemia) which ultimately causes the body to store excess fat.
The truth is, however, the food combining theory has no scientific basis. Nutrients can't rot in the stomach. Once ingested, they are either assimilated or eliminated. Whatever your body can't digest passes through to the colon and is excreted in the feces. Except for constipation, there simply is no mechanism by which food can remain in your system in a degraded form for an extended period of time. And if constipation is a problem, the likely cause is a lack of dietary fiber, not food combining.
Along the same lines, toxic waste cannot turn into fat--it's a physiologic impossibility. In order for foods to be stored in adipose tissue (fat cells), they must be first broken down and then converted into triglycerides. If a food is left undigested, it can't be absorbed--period. And if a food can't be absorbed, then it can't be metabolized into a triglyceride (or anything else, for that matter). Not convinced? Well, consider the typical bodybuilding diet. In their pre-competition phase, bodybuilders often subsist on nothing but meals of chicken and rice. According to food combining proponents, these athletes should be packing on the pounds. Instead, they manage to attain bodyfat percentages as low as four percent--so much for the combination of protein and carbs causing fat storage!
So don't worry about eating carbs and protein in the same time. Not only won't it hurt you, there are many benefits to combining nutrients including better glucose assimilation and increased protein synthesis. In final analysis, the food combining theory is just another fad diet without credence.
SUPPLEMENT REVIEW: Forskolin
What it is: Forskolin is a compound derived from the Asian herb Coleus forskohlii.
What it does: Forskolin is believed to increase production of the secondary chemical messenger called cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). The purported benefits include increased thyroid function and direct stimulation of fat burning in adipocytes (fat cells).
The verdict: In high doses, forskolin does appear to accelerate fat-burning. The problem is that, at these doses, forskolin can be toxic, causing various side-effects including cardiac dysfunction. Unfortunately, lower doses don't produce much of a therapeutic effect. There is some evidence that applying the herb topically (on the skin) can help to slim down certain areas of the body. It is not clear, however, whether this is do to a loss of fat or water. My guess is that it is the latter, making it of little practical use unless you are competing in a fitness or bodybuilding show. Moreover, studies to date have only been conducted on obese women, so whether or not positive results can be obtained on those with "normal" fat levels is still equivocal.
Supplement Grade: C
