Newsletter
HotBod Spring 03
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. As always, your comments, questions and suggestions are always appreciated.
TRAINING CORNER: Toning Up the Lower Abs
The lower abdominal region is a trouble area for most women. For one, it tends to be a storehouse for body fat. For another, the monthly effects of bloating (and pregnancy, if applicable) cause the area to stretch and therefore become flaccid. The result is a droopy lower pooch.
The good news is, you can shape up this area-providing you're willing to put in the effort. But it's not as simple as some people make it out to be. For one, there is a prevailing misconception that you can isolate the upper and lower abs. This simply isn't possible. The abs are one long sheath of muscle that runs from the breast bone all the way down into the pelvis. The performance of any abdominal movement causes the entire muscle to contract. Thus, when you work one part of the abs, you necessarily work the other.
That said, you can *target* the lower abs by performing movements that involve lifting the pelvis up towards the chest. Exercises such as reverse curls and hanging knee raises, amongst others, accomplish this task quite nicely. Make sure that you lift from the butt; simply lifting your legs up and down won't significantly activate the lower abdominal fibers. Aim for about 15 reps per set-if you can easily achieve this without struggling on the last few reps, use leg weights to make performance more difficult.
It's important to realize, though, that these exercises are designed to tone the abdominal muscles; they will not strip away body fat. If you have a layer of flab obscuring your lower abs, you're not going to see the results of your exercise efforts. The only way to reduce fat in any region of the body is through proper nutrition, cardiovascular exercise and total body weight training. Combine these principles with targeting lower ab movements and you'll soon be sporting fab abs!
NUTRITION CORNER: Soy Protein
Recently, a lot of hype has been given to soy protein and its role in the diet. Although not as high quality as some other proteins, soy does contain a fairly good mix of essential amino acids (although it is a little low in methionine). Given that it's not animal-based, soy is the hands-down favorite protein of vegans and strict vegetarians.
On a more controversial note, soy has been touted as having health-promoting effects. For one, it seems to promote positive benefits on cardiovascular function. Studies have shown that regular soy consumption tends to lower LDL cholesterol, a primary risk factor in cardiovascular disease. This is attributed to its content of phytoestrogens-naturally occurring plant compounds that have weak estrogenic properties. Based on all the evidence, soy does appear to be cardioprotective.
Less clear is the claim that soy is an anti-carcinogen. On one hand, several studies do show that soy helps to reduce the risk of various forms of cancer. Other studies, however, suggest that soy might actually promote tumor growth. Because of the phytoestrogens, breast tumors have actually increased in size when soy is given to women with breast cancer. It's not clear what to make of the conflicting aspects of the research, but the fact that there's even the potential for increasing cancer risk is cause for alarm.
Given the conflicting research, it is prudent to take a moderate approach to soy intake: include soy as part of your diet but refrain from consuming it on a daily basis. Until further studies clarify the facts, it's best to err on the side of caution. While soy shows a great deal of promise as a healthful food, there are still more questions that need to be answered.
SUPPLEMENT REVIEW: Myostatin Inhibitor
What it is: Myostatin blockers are TK that bind to and inactivate the myostatin gene - a protein that restricts muscle growth.
What it does: By suppressing myostatin in the body, myostatin blockers should theoretically allow better muscular development, especially when combined with regimented exercise.
The verdict: Myostatin blockers appear to be another case of a product that works better in theory than in practice. Most available research shows that the role of myostatin is limited to the early stages of development and perhaps in cases of muscle wasting (such as AIDS and related diseases); it is of no significance in healthy adults. Thus, inhibiting myostatin will have no effect on muscle hypertrophy unless it is used in children (not an advisable strategy). What's more, there is the possibility that myostatin blockers interfere with other bodily processes. Since myostatin is a growth factor, a myostatin blocker will also bind to other growth factors (which have numerous effects on many tissues in the body) and thereby have a negative impact on body function. Thus, until further research demonstrates the effectiveness of a myostatin blocker in healthy human adult subjects, it is best to stay away from myostatin blockers. The science behind the product is dubious and they can actually do more harm than good.
Supplement Grade: F
