I'll Pass On The Banana, But Can You Hand Me My Gluten Free Cupcake....

Ok I have to start this post with a bit of a warning.  I might go on a little rant here.  I will try and keep it under control, but I can only take so much.  First off, nutrition is a very complicated topic.  I wish I had all the answers, but no one does.  No matter what Dr. Oz or any other diet "guru"  out there may tell you.  We are learning new things all the time.  Fat used to be bad for you and carbs where the devil.  Many people still believe this because of bad information that is passed around.  Somethings I can tell you though are most likely true and that is what sparked this post.

The past few weeks I have had the same comment/question come up from clients, friends, and pretty much every where I look.  The idea that fruits make you fat.  Just writing that sentence makes me quiver.  I can tell you that anyone who tells you this does not understand nutrition, physiology, or common sense.

So the argument against fruit goes like this.  Fructose cannot be converted to muscle glycogen (the sugar stored in muscle for energy) because it lacks the enzymes to do so.  Fructose instead is converted to sugar in the liver called liver glycogen.  The liver can only store so much glycogen until fructose will increase lipogenesis.  This means that if you have too much fructose it will increase fat storing.  So stop eating fruit right?

If we look closer we can see there are some misconceptions.  While nothing I noted above is a lie it isn't telling you what really goes on when we eat fruit.  First off, just look around you.  How many people do you know that are overweight consume a diet high in whole fruit?  Those that are overweight most likely are not consuming too much fruit, they are consuming too much of everything.

First off, the fructose we consume from fruit might not even make it too the liver.  It may be used immediately for energy, if consumed after a workout for example.  Next let's look at liver glycogen.  The liver can store roughly 100g of liver glycogen.  We can handle about 50g of fructose a day before sparking fat storage.  On average you will get around 6-7g of fructose in a piece of fruit.  Or up to 10-12g in the "high sugar" evil banana.  So you could have 5 bananas in one day before having to worry about increasing fat storage.

Know that you can see from a physiological perspective ,fruit does not equal increased fat.  Let's look at some of the other benefits of increasing your fruit intake.  Sugar aside, look at all of the nutrients, antioxidants, and fiber you are missing when you don't eat fruit.  Fruit helps us battle cancer, look younger, improve our heart health, and there are many more benefits.  So unless you are going for that pirate - dying of scurvy look, keep eating fruit.

Fruit is also very filling.  Because of the high water and fiber content you probably can't overeat fruit.  One apple is around 95 calories.  Eat just one and you should be pretty satisfied.  When was the last time you could say that about most other foods.

And finally if you still don't believe me and are scared to eat fruit, maybe science will convince you.  Here are just a few studies that will prove my point.

1.  Two studies from the University of Navarra in Spain put two groups of women on different diets.  One group had 5% of their diet come from fructose, while the other had 15%.  They both saw equal weight loss, but the high fructose group improve their cholesterol levels.

2.  A study published in 2011 in Metabolism compared a high fructose diet (50-70g) to a low fructose diet (under 20g).  In this study the high fructose group lost more weight in 6 weeks than the low fructose group.

3.  A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that diets higher in fruit and vegetables decreased the risk of metabolic syndrome and inflammation which is linked to many disorders.

4.  And finally another study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that diets high in fruit increased Vitamin A & C levels, as well as, lycopene.  They concluded that high fruit intake reduces early mortality.

So what we know from research and nutritionists is that fruit will help you lose weight, make you feel full, fight a variety of cancers, give your body the nutrients it needs to survive, and improve your heart health.  Or you can believe people trying to make money off some new diet program, that fruit will make you gain weight.

Science is always changing as we learn more about how the body works, and I will be the first to admit if I am wrong here, but I just don't think it will happen.  Emily and I consistently have consumed multiple servings of fruit (yes even bananas) everyday and can thank them for helping us stay healthy.  There aren't necessary good and bad foods.  Just eat certain foods in moderation and stick with mainly whole food choices.

End Rant.....

You Stay Healthy San Diego,

Mike Deibler MS, CSCS
San Diego Premier Training

2 New Studies To Help Your With Your Abs

One thing I love and hate about being in the fitness industry, is that it is such a new industry to be in.  Exercise for weight loss in particular has not been around for that long.  So more and more studies come out each week helping us find the best exercise techniques and nutrition programs to follow.  The pain is that as we learn more and new studies do come out, we find that things we thought were true may not be.

After browsing through the latest issue of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, I found two studies that I know would beneficial for my readers.  I will warn you.  With this first study you probably won't like what you hear.

In this first study, participants performed a leg extension exercise on one leg.  Researchers wanted to see what amount of muscle built and fat burn occurred specifically on the leg muscle trained vs. the rest of the body.  The participants performed 1 set of 900-1200 repetitions on the leg extension.  They found that there was significant fat burned during the exercise, but they found more significant fat loss in the upper extremities and trunk.  I know this may not sound correct but this is not the first study to show this.

I can't tell you how many times I get the question, "What's the best exercise to get rid of fat on my [insert body part]?"  It just doesn't work this way.  You can do 1000 crunches everyday and loss fat from your arm, but not your stomach.  It's not fair I know, but that's life.

So what should you do?  Stop trying to perform exercises with the purpose to lose fat in that area.  It won't work no matter how hard you try.  Instead first focus on burning fat in general.  Higher intensity exercises that work multiple body parts work best.  If you have little fat over an area and want to see definition or muscle tone, then you can work on that specific muscle more intensely.   And of course don't forget about your diet.

The second study had to do with ab training as well.  So I just mentioned how ab exercises don't necessarily burn fat in your stomach.  It will burn some, but it may come from other places as well.  But this doesn't mean you never should do ab exercises ever.  We will want to work on building strength, endurance, and stability for our abdominals.  This second study compared sit up and curl up exercises two different ways to see what was more effective.  

They had participants perform 2 minutes of sit ups and curls with and without their feet restrained.  The study found that when the feet were restrained during sit ups and curl ups, there was higher activation of the abdominal muscles.  This sounds great, but there is a concern here.  They also found that during these exercises there was a greater activation of the hip flexor muscles.

In the past these types of exercises have shown to increase shear and compressive forces placed on the lower back.  This is likely due to increased activity from the hip flexor muscles.  So even though the feet restrained produced the best abdominal response, it comes at a cost of increase low back injuries.  So even though there was not as much ab activity when the feet are not restrained it may be the better exercise choice, especially if you have back issues.

Try this during your next workout if you plan on doing sit ups or curls ups.  When you raise up try not to allow your legs to move or lift at all. When they lift it means the hip flexors are starting to take over.

You Stay Healthy San Diego,

Mike Deibler MS, CSCS
San Diego Premier Training

Simple Way To Get More Fruits And Veggies IN Your Diet

Hey Guys!

I have recently decided to take on the challenge of becoming a bit more of a nutritional "go-to" at the studio and am excited to begin my nutritional certification  classes in September. With that- I wanted to touch base on one thing that many clients may not know much about- or maybe you have heard us babbling about it before- and didn't pay much interest at the time... 

To start- did you know that 1 in 10 people take in the recommended daily amount of fruits and vegetables per day? Think about your diet for a minute and how do you compare? Are you in that part that doesn't get all your needs every day? If so- I am sure you have asked Mike or I about ways to get more fruits and/or veggies in your diet and I guarantee the first thing we have mentioned is a greens supplement.  A greens supplement is veggies, fruits, algae, and grasses that have been compacted or dehydrated and distilled into a powder form. The benefits of this supplement  include reducing cardiovascular disease, lowering blood pressure, lowering high cholesterol, reducing COPD, helping with weight loss and preventing obesity, along with many more.  Basically all the same benefits of eating a diet high in vegetables and fruits.  

Another important thing to bring up- is how a diet rich in vegetables  and fruits can aid in keeping the body in the right acid/alkaline levels. pH Levels are measured in the body on a scale of 0-14 with 7 being neutral. Lower numbers indicate a higher acidity in the body, while higher levels conversely indicate lower acidity in the body. Lower pH levels can lead to fatigue, cardiovascular damage, bone loss, and weight gain. While regular exercise is important to incorporate in your life to assist with this- it can cause an increase in acid production due to repeat muscle contractions in the body. Being in an acidic state is not great for a variety of reasons- so making the necessary adjustments in your diet to compliment your workouts are obviously helpful not only in the weight loss side of things. Research has shown that there are many harmful organisms (bacteria, viruses, etc) that tend to thrive in a more acidic environment.  By including more veggies and fruits in your diet we can keep these organisms away- while reaping the benefits of more energy, quicker recovery, bone health and weight loss!

Now- a greens supplement can't replace a diet that is healthy in vegetable consumption- however, it can be helpful in getting you closer to reaching that recommended serving amount each day. Mike and I know how hard it can be to get in health meals all the time and a greens supplement, as mentioned is our usual first suggestion to any one that is having troubles. It is especially helpful to those that are on the go alot- since this is the hardest time to find nutritious whole foods. Adding this simple supplement to a smoothie or protein shake- will be a great addition to your healthful diet. 

Now it is important to check the ingredients on any supplement that you consider incorporating into your diet. Not all are created the same- so be sure to find a reputable one. Also- find one that has a flavor you like.  If you have a great supplement but can't stand the taste- then you are much less likely to use it. 

You can pick up some greens supplements at Trader Joe's, GNC (ask for Vida), or it is more expensive but www.AthleticGreens.com is another good company.  

That's all for now- I will be in touch with more great recipes and nutritional info soon! Enjoy your smoothies! :)

You Stay Healthy San Diego,

Emily Deibler

San Diego Premier Training