Big fat food fraud with Jeff Scot Philips

In this episode of the 40+ Fitness Podcast, we speak with Jeff Scott Philips.  In his book, Big Fat Food Fraud, he takes us through his past as a health food manufacturer.  It is a very interesting story that provides great insight into the way food labels are done in this country.  It is quite eye-opening.

Food Fraud

Government Control (or lack thereof)

Despite having an onsight monitor, Jeff learned that this individual wasn't so much a controlling factor, but was more of an enabler. Additionally, because the laws are so complex, many labeling issues fall through the cracks between organizations. While this comes off as frustrating to someone who wants to do the right thing, it provides a ton of opportunity for those who want to make health claims.

Tactics

Food companies can use many different tactics to misrepresent the food in the package.  The food label, while intended to show you what is in the food, is seen by the food companies as just another part of the package for marketing their product.  From rounding, to burying ingredients in other “ingredients”, to using other names for things you may be looking to avoid, these tactics allow them to skirt the rules.

Kale and Broccoli don't have labels

Real food doesn't pose the same labeling risks processed foods do.  When you're making your own meals from whole food ingredients, you can know much more about the contents of what you're eating.

Links

Big Fat Food Fraud

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11 Reasons to lift weights

Resistance training with weights or body weight is a key component of one’s fitness routine. This involves taxing the muscles through a range of motion so they are pushed to a point where they will regrow stronger and bigger. Here are 11 great reasons why you should lift weights:

1. Strength – As we age, we lose strength. If you don’t have the strength to perform basic functions, you may lose your independence. Lifting weights builds this strength.
2. Mass – Lifting weights will allow you to maintain and build back any muscle lost over time. Don’t worry, you won’t get bulky!
3. Body composition – Building muscle mass through lifting weights will protect you from building body fat, which will lead to a better body composition.
4. Makes you better at other things – Lifting weights could make you a better runner, athlete, or it may simply give you the ability to play with your grandkids.
5. Resilience – You will build the right muscles, leading to appropriate muscle balance. Make sure you have a balanced program through a full range of motion.
6. Can boost testosterone – This will help maintain lean muscle and promote a healthy libido.
7. Satisfaction – Lifting weights makes you feel that you have done something good for yourself and boosts your confidence.
8. Community – You may form lasting bonds with others at the gym. This is a great support network to learn from and encourage.
9. Longevity – Studies have shown that the more muscle mass you have, the longer you may live.
10. Stress reduction – Vent some frustration, relieve stress, and get rid of some of that cortisol.
11. Variety – Mix weight lifting with modalities such as speed or cardio. This will allow you to work your muscles in different ways.

Lifting weights offers many benefits throughout your health and fitness journey. Get started today!

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Positively Resilient with Doug Hensch

Doug Hensch is a certified executive coach, consultant, corporate trainer, and author of Positively Resilient. In this book, Doug examines the central theme that, “you can bounce back from anything.”

We all have different ways of getting through the difficult times in life. Many times, you will realize that you have crossover skills from a previous difficulty you overcame that will help you through a current challenge. The approach of this book is that you can bounce back from any physical, mental, or professional calamity.

Doug explains that optimism is a skill. While some people are naturally optimistic, it is a skill which you can build. The key is to focus on the positive, while not denying the negative. Channel your energy toward what is controllable and exhibit a realistic, not forced, sense of optimism.

One way to drive optimism is through setting goals. When you achieve small goals every day, your optimism is more effective because it is coming from your own success rather than simply being told to be optimistic. You are the best example of your own optimism. Use those accomplishments as fuel to be a better you tomorrow. Focus on incrementalism and build momentum.

While some perceive quitting as a negative, it can be used to be more resilient. Many people are stuck in situations they don’t like, whether personal or professional. Identify your deeply held values and made decisions accordingly. You may find that quitting something that’s not serving you could mean opening another door to winning.

To learn more about Positively Resilient or to connect with Doug Hensch directly, visit www.drh-group.com. You can also find Doug on Twitter at @doughensch.

11 Best weight loss lessons

Throughout my own journey with health and fitness, I learned a number of weight loss lessons that I want to share in today’s podcast:

My best weight loss lessons

1. Exercise is important, but not for weight loss – You can’t exercise yourself out of a bad diet. The food you eat is key to your weight loss.
2. Insulin – To lose weight, reduce your total insulin load so the body can burn fat for energy. Do this by limiting your sugars and simple carbs.
3. Ghellin – This is a hunger hormone that tends to be cyclical, usually highest in the evening and lowest in the morning.
4. Leptin – This hormone signals to the brain that you’ve had enough food. Slow down on your eating so you allow time for this signaling to occur. This will prevent overeating.
5. Cortisol – When your body is in a stress mode, it produces the hormone cortisol, which leads to storing body fat in your mid-section. Manage your stress levels to avoid this.
6. Sleep – Get quality sleep and your hormones will balance out and work in harmony, promoting a good Circadian rhythm.
7. Out of sight out mind – Don’t buy unhealthy foods. If you must, keep them in a separate space from the healthy food you are consuming.
8. The decision isn't enough – Make a commitment to be healthier for the right reasons, perhaps an emotional one.
9. Love yourself – Have internal self-love and make a commitment to yourself to be healthier.
10. Scale movement doesn't equal health – Don’t let the scale define you. Focus on how you look and feel.
11. Don't go it alone – Find an accountability partner or support network.

Perhaps you have some of your own weight loss tips. Share them in the comments!

Functional fitness with Lamar Lowery

Lamar Lowery is the founder of the Lamar Functional Training Academy in Germany and the author of a new book called Functional Fitness. While intended for personal trainers, Functional Fitness offers information and sample exercises that everyone can use in building their own functional fitness.

What is functional fitness?

Lamar explains that fitness can be functional and not just traditional. Every moment involves a chain of muscles and nerves, which when repeated over time helps to restore the body’s natural capacity for movement.

Four pillars of human movement

In the book, Lamar discusses the four pillars of human movement, which provide a strong foundation to build upon when improving one’s functional fitness. They include:

1. Locomotion, which involves standing and moving.
2. Core area of the body, including the shoulder to the knee. This does not stop at the hips.
3. Pushing and pulling, such as opening and closing doors, moving a mouse. We do these motions constantly throughout the day.
4. Rotation and diagonal movement, which involves keeping your arms swinging when the body is moving. This keeps the muscles in the upper body activated. Another helpful exercise is doing squats by simply sitting in and getting up from a chair.

The functional path to better performance

To get started, Lamar recommends starting with the basics. This involves moving everything symmetrically and in pairs. Make sure your posture is aligned. Practice basic body positions including the push up position and a laying position. Learn to control these movements and then move on to more complex exercises. This is the functional path to better performance.

Functional Fitness is a great resource of various exercises, both basic and advanced, for both personal trainers and anyone interested in improving their health and fitness. To get a copy of Lamar's book, go to your local bookstore and request that they order it for you.

11 Best time management tips

Don't have time to work out?  Cooking your own food just takes too much time?  These 11 time management tips will help you free up the time to both work out and eat right.

Best Time Management Tips

1. Go to bed 30 minutes earlier

   This may seem odd.  But going to bed earlier will help allow you to get more sleep.  Being well rested will help you be more productive.  Let's face it, you were just going to watch television that half hour that you can now apply to something much better for your help, sleep.

2. Time style of work

   Don't want to work out during your lunch hour because you'll be sweaty all afternoon? Then schedule your work for times where it makes more sense. I prefer a moderate pace walk during my lunch hour. I do my more sweat inducing work in the morning (I was going to shower anyway). This way, I maximize my workout time based on my existing schedule/activities.

3. Multitask

   Multitasking can allow you to get things done while you're doing something else.  For example, I'll often do my squats (Forever Fitness 30-Day Squat Challenge) while I'm brushing my teeth or cooking breakfast.  I'll go for a walk while I'm on a conference call.

4. Batch cooking

   I love batch cooking as a time saver.  Cooking large batch meals on the weekend and packaging them up in single servings frees up time during the week, when all that's left is to warm up the meal.

5. TV Exercises

   We all find ourselves in front of the television from time to time.  Consider doing some squats or better yet, burpees during commercial breaks.  Or set up a treadmill or stationary bike and walk/ride during your show.

6. Circuit training

   Circuit training is where you go through a series of exercise, one right after the other.  This can allow you to get a series of strength training exercises done in a short period of time.  And you get a metabolic boost.

7. Minimum effective dose

   Many people go much harder and longer than they need to get results.  To improve fitness you need challenge, feeding and recovery.  There is an upper limit to how fast you can improve.  More of a good thing isn't always a good thing.

8. Go faster

   Seems simple, just go faster and you get the work done in less time. This strategy works, but you have to be careful.  As you get more fit, you may be able to move faster, for example adding a jog to your daily walk.

9. Single focus/goal

   When I go into the gym, I have one thing on my mind, get the work done and get out.  Having a plan and focusing on the work will keep you working at pace and not wasting time.

10. Raw/quick prep food

    Choosing foods that require minimal preparation can save time. I'm not talking about microwave meals, but rather pre-washed salads, single serve nuts, etc.

11. Eliminate low value non-exercise activities

    If you sat and wrote down what you do in a day, I imagine you'd find many low value activities. Could you eliminate them?

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Fasting for weight loss with Dr. Jason Fung and Jimmy Moore

I will use ketosis to manage my body composition, which invariably leads to fasting for weight loss.  In the new book, The Complete Guide to Fasting, Dr. Jason Fung (77)and Jimmy Moore (18, 23, 28) explain how we can use fasting to improve our health and lose weight.  Fasting for weight loss can be done in a healthy and safe way.  Dr. Fung uses fasting in his clinic to address obesity and type II diabetes.  Jimmy Moore has been experimenting with fasting and shares his experiences in the first and only complete guide on fasting.

Fasting for weight loss

Virtually half of our medical conditions today are caused by obesity and type II diabetes.  Fasting for weight loss can be an effective protocol to manage obesity and type II diabetes.

Types of fasting

Intermittent Fast – By pushing your normal nighttime fast to 16 to 24 hours, you'll get many of the benefits of fasting in a very manageable way.

Alternate Day Fast – This style fasting is where you eat every other day, which leads to a 36 hour fast.

Extended Fast – An extended fast goes from 3 days, but most people find that the first three days are the hardest.  Jimmy is currently on day 11 of a 21 day fast.

Diets don't work

Most diets focus your attention on eating.  You're told to eat from the time you wake up until you go to bed.  If you're adding energy to your system as you need it, you won't lose weight.  Fasting is an approach that will allow you to lose weight.

Fasting is not a cause of eating disorders

Fasting is a normal part of the human condition.  Today it is mostly associated with religious rituals.  When it is brought up as a way to manage weight and health, some will complain that this will cause an eating disorder.  This logic would tell you that instructing your children to wash their hands before dinner will lead to OCD.  Eating disorders are associated with body image, not triggered by someone doing a fast.

Postscript on fasting

After I stopped recording the call, Dr. Fung, Jimmy and I kept talking and some wonderful gems came out that we wanted to make sure we captured it for you.

When you fast, you'll lose weight.  When you stop fasting, you'll gain some of that weight back.  This happens for two reasons:

1. Water – With the resumption of eating your body will store more water.
2. Homeostasis – Your body has a tendency to stick to a given state/body weight.  This is the cause of plateaus and the reason your body will work to get back to the previous set weight.

When you lose weight from intermittent fasting, it isn't due to calorie restriction but rather from hormone changes.  Insulin is reduced and eventually, you begin healing your insulin resistance.

Follow up on Jimmy's 21-Day Fast

We discussed that Jimmy was on a 21-day fast. Up through day 11, Jimmy had had only had one cup of bone broth. I asked Jimmy for an update on his fast and here is what he said:

I made it the full 21 days and had two meals (one at the end of Day 12 and one at the end of Day 18). I lost 27 pounds in the 21 days even with these meals, saw many of my skin tags shrivel up and fall off (a sign of insulin resistance healing), and became more abundantly aware that my need for eating as often is likely unnecessary. Will be continuing to implement lessons from this fast into my everyday lifestyle moving forward as I continue to pursue healing the insulin resistance. 🙂

Links

www.intensivedietarymanagement.com
dietdoctor.com
Fungsweigh Facebook Group
livinlavidalowcarb.com
Jimmy on Periscope

 

 

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