5 Tips to Help you Stay on Track and Get Results

5 Tips to Help you Stay on Track and Get Results

Most everyone knows that exercise can help us burn body-fat, build muscle, and improve our fitness. But now, as science moves forward and unveils more of the incredible benefits of exercise, we’re learning that it can be utilized as a medicine to both prevent and treat conditions ranging from the common cold to cancer. And it can also be utilized as a potent mood brightener (as or more effective than prescription anti-depressants) and cognitive performance enhancer. Exercise is the best medicine I know of and all of us should be participating in it now, and for life!
Here’s 5 Tips for getting back on track and sticking with it…
#5 — Team Up!

Scientific studies show that people who connect with others for support, encouragement, and accountability get better results in the short and long run compared with those who try to go it alone. And this is something that I recommend that everyone take advantage of. Whenever possible, work out with a friend or as part of a group. Meeting a personal trainer at the gym or walking with co-workers at lunchtime will give you a tremendous advantage in consistency. If for now you’re flying solo with your workouts, at least join an online accountability group where you can share your workout plan with others each week, and then report back to them to let them know how you’ve done. And in return, offer to help support, encourage, and keep others accountable. Whenever we team up like this, we always have an extra advantage that can help keep us going strong!

#4 — Plan and Prepare

Far too often people get so busy trying to keep up with the seemingly urgent things in their life, they forget perhaps the most important thing, which is to take care of themselves. When we’re run down and not feeling good, our ability to help others, even our own families, will be compromised as a result. Knowing that, what I teach others and what I want you to consider is to plan your workouts in advance and write them into your schedule. I want you to see showing up for your workout is as important as showing up for a doctor’s appointment. Because as I shared in the introduction, exercise is very much akin to the best medicine there is. You can simply write down what time you’re going to exercise in the day ahead, where you’re going to do it, and what form of exercise or routine you’re going to complete. Just adding this one element of planning can make all the difference when it comes to sticking with a workout routine and enjoying the results it produces.

#3 — Keep Showing Up

By far and away the most important factor with getting wonderful results from exercise is consistency. Whether it’s walking, jogging, weight lifting, or following a home exercise video, you have to do it consistently to get results. And when you are consistent, any and all of those forms of exercise will help you become healthier and enjoy your life more. What I want you to know is if you’re not used to exercising regularly—whether it’s been a while since you were in the groove with it, or if it’s something you’ve never clicked with, you have every single bit as much potential to get the hang of it as me and everyone else. The breakthrough comes when you make it a habit—a pattern of action. Our patterns are the things we do without having to even think about it—we’ve got patterns and habits for how we work, how we relate to others, how we take care of ourselves and so on. And with exercise, we want to make it one of those automatic patterns so that it feels more natural to do it than not. This is best accomplished by making a commitment to show up, no matter what, for at least a month. If you don’t feel like working out or you don’t feel like you’ve got the energy to work out, go to the gym or go stand on the treadmill in your garage or basement for five minutes. Just show up. And don’t break this routine for anything. Of course, more than 9 times out of 10, when I do this myself, I get to the gym, I stand on the treadmill and I think, “What the heck… I’m already here, I might as well start walking and jogging…” Promise me you’ll keep showing up and I promise you it will get easier and easier. to stick with this good habit.

#2 — Have a Back-Up Plan

So many times people make the mistake of having an all-or-none attitude about exercise. That is, if they can’t make it to the gym for their planned exercise session, they do nothing at all. What I want you to do is have a back-up plan for those times when things don’t go as scheduled. This could be a basic routine of push ups, sit-ups, and other exercises you can do any time, anywhere, without exercise equipment. So many times, when I’m traveling and staying at different hotels, I’ll fall back on a plan like this, just to make sure I’m doing something to keep the habit of my routine going. Taking an evening walk is a good back-up plan for when you can’t get to the gym during your work day. Walking the stairs in a hotel, or your apartment or office building is also a good back-up plan. Having a basic set of free weights at home that you can work out with when you don’t have time to get to the gym will help you avoid missing work outs too. Remember, we’ve got to keep our momentum going once we get started — putting this tip into action is a surefire way to do that.

#1 — Know Your Reason

For each of us, there’s a purposeful reason for making the healthy changes that we’re deciding to make in our lives. It can take some soul searching to find it in some instances, and in others, we simply need to open our eyes and see. Why is it important for you to exercise and be healthy? Do you want to set a positive example for your children, and also be around for them as they grow up and someday have children of their own? Again I ask, what are the inspiring reasons behind your decision to transform your body and life? Give it some consideration and you will be able to identify one or more things that motivate you from within. Then I want you to remind yourself of that every single time you’re choosing whether to work out that day or not. What many people have discovered is that one inspiring reason will override a hundred excuses. So please, know yours and think of it often — allow it to strengthen your determination and commitment to follow through each and every day. The better your reasons…the better your results!

Understanding Your Calories

Fact: It not about counting Calories it's understanding what those calories really are and how your digestive system reacts to them!

To Optimize Your Health, Pay Attention to the SOURCE of Your Calories

In order to curb the current obesity epidemic, we do not need more accurate reporting of calories; we need to start focusing on eating the right kind of calories. I firmly believe that the primary keys for successful weight management and optimal health are:

1. Severely restricting carbohydrates (sugars, fructose, and grains) in your diet
2. Increasing healthy fat consumption
3. Unlimited consumption of non starchy vegetables. Because they are so low calorie, the majority of the food on your plate will be vegetables
4. Limit the use of protein to less than one gram per pound of lean body mass weight, not total body weight. In order to know this you must know your body fat percentage.

Healthful fat can be rich in calories, but these calories will not affect your body in the same way as calories from non-vegetable carbs. As explained by Dr. Robert Lustig, fructose in particular is "isocaloric but not isometabolic." This means you can have the same amount of calories from fructose or glucose, fructose and protein, or fructose and fat, but the metabolic effect will be entirely different despite the identical calorie count. Eating dietary fat isn’t what’s making you pack on the pounds. It’s the sugar/fructose and grains that are adding the padding.

So please, don’t fall for the low-fat myth, as this too is a factor in the rise in chronic health problems such as heart disease and Alzheimer’s. Your brain, heart and cardiovascular system need healthy fat for optimal functioning. In fact, emerging evidence suggests most people need at least half of their daily calories from healthy fat, and possibly as high as 70 percent. Add to that a small to medium amount of high-quality protein and plenty of vegetables. You actually need very few carbs besides vegetables; so you see, the federal guidelines are about as lopsided as they could be... pushing you toward obesity and poor health, if you follow them.

Hunger Can Be Used as a Guide to Determine How Much Fat You Need

Many do not realize this, but frequent hunger may be a major clue that you're not eating correctly and are using carbs as your primary fuel. Not only is it an indication that you're consuming the wrong types of food, but it's also a sign that you're likely consuming them in lopsided ratios for your individual biochemistry, and the timing of your eating may benefit from adjustment. Fat is far more satiating than carbs, so if you have cut down on carbs and feel ravenous, thinking you "can't do without the carbs," remember this is a sign that you haven't replaced them with sufficient amounts of fat. So go ahead and add a bit more. You do want to make sure you're adding the correct types of fat though. And vegetable oils like canola and corn oil, with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends is NOT on the healthy list… Sources of healthy fats include:

1. Olives and olive oil
2. Coconuts and coconut oil
3. Butter made from raw grass-fed organic milk
4. Raw nuts, such as almonds or pecans
5. Organic pastured egg yolks
6. Avocados
7. Grass-fed meats
8. Palm oil
9. Unheated organic nut oils

Another healthful fat you want to be mindful of is animal-based omega-3. Deficiency in this essential fat can cause or contribute to very serious health problems, both mental and physical, and may be a significant underlying factor of up to 96,000 premature deaths each year.


Mark Harris, PhD
Exercise Physiologist/Nutritionist
TexasMetabolics@gmail.com
Texas Metabolics

What is Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland at night to regulate our circadian rhythm (sometimes called the sleep wake cycle). As we age the amount of melatonin we produce reduces resulting in many older people sleeping less and having a lower quality of sleep.

What Does Melatonin Do?

Melatonin is vital to protect our hormonal system, regulate immunity and repair our body’s cells. It is commonly used by shift workers and also to treat jet lag and age related sleep disorders, but its abilities go far beyond simply its sleep inducing properties.

The Antioxidant Effects of Melatonin

Melatonin is an extremely effective antioxidant, in fact on a molecule to molecule basis, melatonin has proved to be significantly more efficient in neutralizing the toxic hydroxyl radical than the two well-known free radical scavengers, glutathione and mannitol. Likewise, melatonin is roughly twice as effective as vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) at scavenging the peroxyl radical which is generated during lipid peroxidation.

Melatonin’s Effects on Longevity

Melatonin’s effect on longevity is well documented; in fact laboratory tests on rats and mice have demonstrated that melatonin increased their lifespans by 20%. Experts believe melatonin is a vital anti aging product because of its positive effect on the aging immune system, its protection of the cardiovascular system, its ability to increase growth hormone production and above all its capacity to limit free radical damage.

Melatonin and Age Related Maccular Degeneration

Age related macular degeneration (AMD) comes in two forms, wet and dry and is a notoriously difficult disorder to treat but is commonly linked to blindness.

A recent 24 month study (published in Ann. NY Acad. Sci. 1057:384-392) with 100 patients showed that after 6 months, patients taking 3mg of Melatonin daily had halted the progression of their age related macular degeneration and at 12 months showed reversal of their AMD which continued until the trial ended at 24-months.

Boosts the bodies ability to fight Disease

New research indicates that melatonin does much more than help some people sleep better. Exciting studies show that melatonin’s multifaceted effects may improve treatment outcomes in cancer patients and extend their lives. Additional applications of melatonin include guarding the nervous system against degenerative diseases—such as Alzheimer’s disease and stroke—and preventing debilitating migraines.

Effects of Melatonin on Sleep

The principal factor affecting melatonin is light, which inhibits the secretion of this hormone. Darkness has the opposite effect from light, resulting in signaling to the pineal gland to increase melatonin secretion. The normal cycles of melatonin production are altered due to factors including aging, medications, and light exposure at night. While the long-term health effects of disrupted melatonin secretion are not yet fully known, some scientists have suggested that years of working nights could lead to adverse effects—even cancer.

Fortunately, melatonin supplements can safely and effectively restore balance to the body’s circadian rhythm of this important hormone—helping achieve a restful night’s sleep and keeping your biological clock ticking throughout a long, healthy life span.

Migraine Prevention

A promising study suggests that migraine sufferers may be able to reduce the frequency and severity of their headaches by using melatonin. Researchers gave 34 migraine sufferers (29 women and 5 men) a 3-mg dose of melatonin, 30 minutes before bedtime, for three months. Of the 32 patients who finished the study, more than two thirds experienced at least a 50% reduction in number of headaches per month. Additionally, the intensity and duration of headaches decreased. The scientists believe that melatonin’s anti-inflammatory effect and free-radical-scavenging effects contribute to its headache-relieving benefits.14

I personally have been taking Melatonin every night just before bed for the last 15 years. It's very affordable at less than $12 for a 3 month supply. The benefits are well worth the tiny investment. I take 3mg along with 600MG of Magnesium Citrate every night as I am about to lay down for the night. I highly recommend it!

Mark Harris, PhD
Exercise Physiologist/Nutritionist
TexasMetabolics@gmail.com
Texas Metabolics

4 Oils That Should Be In Your Diet

1. Coconut Oil: Organic virgin coconut oil is one of the best choices of good fat you can add to your diet. Coconut oil contains 90% saturated fat and is made up of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) which are easily digestible and can drastically improve your health. MCFA’s are not stored as fat because they are immediately converted to energy once in the body. This oil is also very good to cook with because it remains stable even under high temperatures. Coconut oil contains lauric acid (a known immune stimulant), is rich in fiber, and contains essential vitamins and minerals. Organic raw unrefined extra virgin coconut oil is the best to use and should be solid at room temperature.

Benefits of consuming coconut oil include: Weight loss, immune system support, cardiovascular health, increased energy, thyroid support, healthy skin, hair and nails, improved cell regeneration, disables fungus, bacteria and viruses, improves insulin secretions and protection against free radicals, reduces inflammation throughout the body.

2. Hemp-seed Oil: Hemp Seed oil is derived from the seeds of the plant cannabis sativa. It provides all the essential fatty acids (EFA’s) and essential amino acids, structured in an easily digestible form to maintain human life. The oil is composed of 80% essential fatty acids, the highest in the plant kingdom. It contains the Omega 3,6 and 9 fatty acids. No other plant oil has a perfect 3:1 ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 EFA’s. Hemp seed oil is also great for vegetarians because it provides them with healthy fatty acids without having to consume fish oil. Hemp-seed oil is also rich in vitamin E and is the only plant which provides a source of Vitamin D.

Benefits of consuming Hemp Seed oil include: Cardiovascular support, natural sunblock agent, helps high blood pressure, reduces PMS, reduces inflammation, lowers high cholesterol, calms arthritis, soothes eczema, assists the brain and nervous system, produces healthy cell membranes, healthy skin, nails and hair, and can be used as skin moisturizer without clogging pores.

3. Flax-seed Oil: Flax-seed oil is extracted from the seeds of the flax plant. This oil contains 55% of Omega 3 fatty acid by weight. Omega-3 refers to three types of fatty acids, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Once consumed, the human body converts ALA to EPA and DHA. This oil is also high in fiber and potassium. Flax-seed oil requires special packaging because it is easily destroyed by oxygen, heat and light. It is best to purchase organic flax-seed oil and keep it refrigerated to preserve freshness.

Benefits of consuming Flax-seed oil include: Helps Crohns disease, colitis, soothes intestinal walls, natural laxative, reduces high cholesterol, promotes healthy hair, nails and skin, reduces symptoms of menopause and helps burn body fat.

4. Olive Oil: Olive oil has been used as a medicine and health aid since it was first cultivated around 5000BC. It is a monounsaturated fat and contains vital vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants. Olive oil has a large amount of vitamins A, D, and K, as well as vitamin E, which are key sources needed to prevent free radical damage. When purchasing make sure the olive oil is organic, cold pressed and extra virgin.

Benefits of consuming olive oil include: Promotes healthy digestion, protects against heart disease, eases symptoms of gastritis and ulcers, lowers gallstone formation and reduces high cholesterol.

Mark Harris, PhD
Exercise Physiologist/Nutritionist
TexasMetabolics@gmail.com
Texas Metabolics

10 Facts for Fitness and Fat Loss

1. The diet phenomena paradox: We oversimplify the complicated science of fat loss whilst over-complicating the practice of it.
2. Release yourself of the fear of judgement when following a healthy path: It’s ok to order a salad, skip desert and ask for substitutions when out on the town.
3. There’s a place for almost everything. Despite the fact that some trends are “passé” or categorically shunned, there is a place for static stretching, traditional cardio and carbohydrates.
4. 3 steps to tackle sugar cravings: 1. Distract 2. Distract more intensely 3. Give in (without fully giving in). Drink a chocolate protein smoothie, have berries with greek yogurt and a bit of maple syrup, a couple of pieces of dark chocolate drizzled on strawberries. DONE.
5. Be calorie aware but not obsessed. Counting calories is not neurotic when the end goal is creating awareness.
6. Change is challenging: Associate as much pain as possible with NOT changing and as much pleasure as possible with your desired picture of health.
7. Goal-setting: Be realistic, multi-layered (include health, body composition but also mindset and lifestyle related goals). Also be specific, flexible and forgiving.
8. Your self-talk can make or break your fat loss efforts. Be kind to yourself.
9. Genetics loads the gun but we pull the trigger with our lifestyle choices.
10. Try these 3 single leg variations: Pistols, Bulgarian Split Squat, Single leg Romanian Deadlift. Thank me (or more likely curse me) tomorrow.

Mark Harris, PhD
Exercise Physiologist/Nutritionist
TexasMetabolics@gmail.com
Texas Metabolics

Carbohydrate Addiction is Epidemic

A staggering two-thirds of Americans are now overweight, and one in four are either diabetic or pre-diabetic.

Obesity rates in children in several states are now above 30%!!!!!!

Carb-rich processed foods are a primary driver of these statistics, and while many blame Americans’ overindulgence of processed junk foods on lack of self-control, scientists are now starting to reveal the truly addictive nature of such foods.

Most recently, researchers at the Boston Children's Hospital concluded that highly processed carbohydrates stimulate brain regions involved in reward and cravings, promoting excess hunger.

As reported by Science Daily:

“These findings suggest that limiting these 'high-glycemic index' foods could help obese individuals avoid overeating.”

While I don’t agree with the concept of high glycemic foods, it is important that they are at least thinking in the right direction. Also, the timing is ironic, considering the fact that the American Medical Association (AMA) recently declared obesity a disease, treatable with a variety of conventional methods, from drugs to novel anti-obesity vaccines...

The featured research is on the mark, and shows just how foolhardy the AMA’s financially-driven decision really is. Drugs and vaccines are clearly not going to do anything to address the underlying problem of addictive junk food.

Brain Imaging Shows Food Addiction Is Real

The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined the effects of high-glycemic foods on brain activity, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). One dozen overweight or obese men between the ages of 18 and 35 each consumed one high-glycemic and one low-glycemic meal. The fMRI was done four hours after each test meal. According to the researchers:

“Compared with an isocaloric low-GI meal, a high-glycemic index meal decreased plasma glucose, increased hunger, and selectively stimulated brain regions associated with reward and craving in the late postprandial period, which is a time with special significance to eating behavior at the next meal.”

The study demonstrates what many people experience: After eating a high-glycemic meal, i.e. rapidly digesting carbohydrates, their blood sugar initially spiked, followed by a sharp crash a few hours later. The fMRI confirmed that this crash in blood glucose intensely activated a brain region involved in addictive behaviors, known as the nucleus accumbens.

Dr. Robert Lustig, Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology at the University of California, a pioneer in decoding sugar metabolism, weighed in on the featured research in an article by NPR:

“As Dr. Robert Lustig... points out, this research can’t tell us if there’s a cause and effect relationship between eating certain foods and triggering brain responses, or if those responses lead to overeating and obesity.

'[The study] doesn’t tell you if this is the reason they got obese,' says Lustig, 'or if this is what happens once you’re already obese.' Nonetheless... he thinks this study offers another bit of evidence that 'this phenomenon is real.'”

Previously, Dr. Lustig has explained the addictive nature of sugar as follows:

"The brain's pleasure center, called the nucleus accumbens, is essential for our survival as a species... Turn off pleasure, and you turn off the will to live... But long-term stimulation of the pleasure center drives the process of addiction... When you consume any substance of abuse, including sugar, the nucleus accumbens receives a dopamine signal, from which you experience pleasure. And so you consume more.

The problem is that with prolonged exposure, the signal attenuates, gets weaker. So you have to consume more to get the same effect -- tolerance. And if you pull back on the substance, you go into withdrawal. Tolerance and withdrawal constitute addiction. And make no mistake, sugar is addictive."

The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food

Previous research has demonstrated that refined sugar is more addictive than cocaine, giving you pleasure by triggering an innate process in your brain via dopamine and opioid signals. Your brain essentially becomes addicted to stimulating the release of its own opioids.

Researchers have speculated that the sweet receptors located on your tongue, which evolved in ancestral times when the diet was very low in sugar, have not adapted to the seemingly unlimited access to a cheap and omnipresent sugar supply in the modern diet.

Therefore, the abnormally high stimulation of these receptors by our sugar-rich diets generates excessive reward signals in your brain, which have the potential to override normal self-control mechanisms, thus leading to addiction.

But it doesn’t end there. Food manufacturers have gotten savvy to the addictive nature of certain foods and tastes, including saltiness and sweetness, and have turned addictive taste into a science in and of itself.

In a recent New York Times article, Michael Moss, author of Salt Sugar Fat, dished the dirt on the processed food industry, revealing that there’s a conscious effort on behalf of food manufacturers to get you hooked on foods that are convenient and inexpensive to make.

I recommend reading his article in its entirety, as it offers a series of case studies that shed light on the extraordinary science and marketing tactics that make junk food so hard to resist.

Sugar, salt and fat are the top three substances making processed foods so addictive. In a Time Magazine interview discussing his book, Moss says:

“One of the things that really surprised me was how concerted and targeted the effort is by food companies to hit the magical formulation. Take sugar for example. The optimum amount of sugar in a product became known as the 'bliss point.' Food inventors and scientists spend a huge amount of time formulating the perfect amount of sugar that will send us over the moon, and send products flying off the shelves. It is the process they've engineered that struck me as really stunning.”

It’s important to realize that added sugar (typically in the form of high fructose corn syrup) is not confined to junky snack foods. For example, most of Prego’s spaghetti sauces have one common feature, and that is sugar—it’s the second largest ingredient, right after tomatoes. A half-cup of Prego Traditional contains the equivalent of more than two teaspoons of sugar.

Novel Flavor-Enhancers May Also Contribute to Food Addiction

Another guiding principle for the processed food industry is known as “sensory-specific satiety.” Moss describes this as “the tendency for big, distinct flavors to overwhelm your brain, which responds by depressing your desire to have more.” The greatest successes, whether beverages or foods, owe their “craveability” to complex formulas that pique your taste buds just enough, without overwhelming them, thereby overriding your brain’s inclination to say “enough.”

Novel biotech flavor companies like Senomyx also play an important role.

Senomyx specializes in helping companies find new flavors that allow them to use less salt and sugar in their foods. But does that really make the food healthier? This is a questionable assertion at best, seeing how these “flavor enhancers” are created using secret, patented processes. They also do not need to be listed on the food label, which leaves you completely in the dark. As of now, they simply fall under the generic category of artificial and/or natural flavors, and they don’t even need to be tested for safety, as they’re used in minute amounts.

How to Combat Food Addiction and Regain Your Health

To protect your health, I advise spending 90 percent of your food budget on whole foods, and only 10 percent on processed foods. It’s important to realize that refined carbohydrates like breakfast cereals, bagels, waffles, pretzels, and most other processed foods quickly break down to sugar, increase your insulin levels, and cause insulin resistance, which is the number one underlying factor of nearly every chronic disease and condition known to man, including weight gain.

By taking the advice offered in the featured study and cutting out these high-glycemic foods you can retrain your body to burn fat instead of sugar. However, it’s important to replace these foods with healthy fats, not protein—a fact not addressed in this research. I believe most people may need between 50-70 percent of their daily calories in the form of healthful fats, which include:

1. Olives & Olive oil
2. Coconut and Coconut Oils
3. Natural whole fat butter
4. Organic raw nuts, especially macadamia nuts, which are low in protein and omega-6 fat.
5. Organic pastured eggs and pastured meats
6. Avocados

A growing body of evidence also suggests that intermittent fasting is particularly effective if you’re struggling with excess weight as it provokes the natural secretion of human growth hormone (HGH), a fat-burning hormone. It also increases resting energy expenditure while decreasing insulin levels, which allows stored fat to be burned for fuel. Together, these and other factors will turn you into an effective fat-burning machine.

Best of all, once you transition to fat burning mode your cravings for sugar and carbohydrates will virtually disappear, as if by magic... While you’re making the adjustment, you could supplement L-Glutamine (1,000MG) before each meal and 3,000-6,000 MG at bed time. This will help reduce cravings.

Other tricks to help you overcome your sugar cravings include:

Exercise: Anyone who exercises intensely on a regular basis will know that a significant amount of resistance exercise is one of the best "cures" for food cravings. It always amazes me how my appetite, especially for sweets, dramatically decreases after a good workout. I believe the mechanism is related to the dramatic reduction in insulin levels that occurs after exercise.

Organic black coffee: Coffee is a potent opioid receptor antagonist, and contains compounds such as cafestrol -- found plentifully in both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee -- which can bind to your opioid receptors, occupy them and essentially block your addiction to other opioid-releasing foods. This may profoundly reduce the addictive power of other substances, such as sugar.

Mark Harris, PhD
Exercise Physiologist/Nutritionist
TexasMetabolics@gmail.com
Texas Metabolics

The dangers of eating Soy

As time goes by, people are steadily waking up to some of the proven facts about soy, such as the knowledge that most soy is GMO. If that is the case, one can deduce that to solve the problem one can simply buy organic soy products. While it’s true that organic soy is healthier for you than GMO soy, there are other facts about soy that pose serious health risks. Here are four facts that debunk soy as a healthy food choice.

Four reasons to phase-out most soy products on the market

1. Soybeans contain large amounts of toxins. Unlike with other foods where any toxins are destroyed or deactivated during cooking, the toxins in soybeans remain intact. Some of these toxins, or “enzyme inhibitors,” block the actions of enzymes needed for the digestion of protein. The enzyme inhibitors in soy are linked to cancer in lab animal tests. Test animals fed enzyme inhibitors developed enlargement and pathological conditions of the pancreas, including pancreatic cancer.
2. Soybeans can interfere with nutrient absorption during digestion. This is because soy is high in phytic acid, which has been shown to block absorption of minerals calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc.
3. Soybeans are among the most highly pesticide-contaminated foods on the market. As you probably know, pesticides are a toxic, distorted-energy-spin substance, linked to a variety of ailments. Soy products also contain high levels of aluminum, a life-force sapping heavy metal which does not belong in foods that we put in our bodies, as it has bio-accumulative negative health effects. The aluminum in soy comes from the aluminum tanks in which the beans are acid washed and heat-processed.
4. Soybeans contain haemagglutinin, nitrites, soy protein isolates, and goitrogens. Each of these substances has a particular negative effect on your health. Haemagglutinin is a blood clot-promoting substance which causes red blood cells to clump together. Nitrites are powerful carcinogens which form when soybeans are spray-dried (carcinogens are potential cancer-causing agents). Soy protein isolates have been shown to enlarge the pancreas and thyroid gland and also increase fatty acid deposits in the liver. Goitrogens are found in soy-based foods in large amounts. They block thyroid hormone production. All of the above substances have the effect of disrupting body chemistry and hormones.

Wait a minute! I thought soy was good for me

Like me, you’ve probably been under the impression that soy was healthy for years. In which case, the truth turns out to be shocking as it was to me. And still, proponents of soy will assert that Asian cultures have been safely eating soy for thousands of years. However, this has been debunked as only a partial truth. Asians began eating soybeans 2,500 years ago only after figuring out how to ferment it. Ancient Asian cultures knew that soybeans contain multiple toxic substances even after cooking. It is only through the process of fermentation that toxins in soy are safely neutralized.

Mark Harris, PhD

Exercise Physiologist/Nutritionist

TexasMetabolics@gmail.com
Texas Metabolics

5 Health Benefits of eating Mushrooms

Whatever your favorite—crimini, enoki, oyster, portobello, shiitake or white button—all mushrooms are loaded with essential nutrients.

Many varieties of mushrooms contain good-for-your-bladder selenium and, like us, they produce vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. Oyster mushrooms are a good source or iron. Plus, they're low in calories: Six medium white, for example, have just 22. Here are some of the many health benefits of mushrooms.

1. Increase your vitamin D

Yes, vitamin D! Mushrooms are the only fruit or vegetable source of this critical vitamin. Like humans, mushrooms produce vitamin D when in sunlight. Exposing them to high levels of ultraviolet B just before going to market converts more of the plant sterol ergosterol into the so-called sunshine vitamin. In the U.S., portobellos fortified with vitamin D are already being sold, with a three-ounce serving providing about 400 IU of vitamin D.

2. Boost your immune system

A study done on mice and published by the American Society for Nutrition found that white button mushrooms may promote immune function by increasing the production of antiviral and other proteins that are released by cells while they are trying to protect and repair the body’s tissues. A later study showed that these mushrooms promoted the maturation of immune system cells–called dendrite cells–from bone marrow. According to he researchers, this may help enhance the body’s immunity leading to better defense systems against invading microbes.

3. Eat your Antioxidants

When it comes to antioxidants—the substances that help fight free radicals that are the result of oxidation in our body—we’re more likely to think of colourful vegetables than neutral-hued mushrooms. But a study at Penn State university showed that the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC)—a measure of a food’s total antioxidants—of crimini and portobello mushrooms were about the same as for red peppers.

4. Kick up your metabolism

B vitamins are vital for turning food (carbohydrates) into fuel (glucose), which the body burns to produce energy. They also help the body metabolize fats and protein. Mushrooms contain loads of vitamin B2 (riboflavin) and vitamin B3 (niacin): 100 grams (31/2 ounces) of crimini have 44 percent and 30 percent of your daily recommended amount, respectively, white button have 36 and 30 percent, and oyster mushrooms have 32 and 39 percent.

5. Be good to your bladder

An analysis of seven studies—published last year in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention—showed that the higher the level of selenium, as measured in blood serum and toenails, the lower the risk of bladder cancer. Selenium had a significant protective effect mainly among women, which the researchers believe may result from gender-specific differences in this its accumulation and excretion. Several types of mushrooms are rich in this essential trace mineral: 100 grams of raw crimini have 47 percent of your daily needs, cooked shiitakes have 45 percent and raw white button have 17 percent.


It's amazing the many different ways you can prepare mushrooms and include them in almost any dish. So make sure you start including these nutrient dense foods in your regular diet. The benefits of getting proper amounts of Vitamin D on a daily basis are amazing and Mushrooms can do just that!

Mark Harris, PhD

Exercise Physiologist/Nutritionist

TexasMetabolics@gmail.com
Texas Metabolics

Asparagus - More Than Just A Green Vegetable

Asparagus is more than just a green vegetable served as a side dish. It's also been recognized historically for its medicinal properties Down through the ages this popular veggie been used as a diuretic to reduce water retention and as a laxative due to its high fiber content. Even though you won't find asparagus sold in a drugstore, this popular veggie has some interesting health properties that make it a good addition to almost any diet. What are the health benefits of eating asparagus?

Health Benefits of Eating Asparagus: Natural Varicose Vein Prevention?

Having an extra order of asparagus may help to protect against unsightly varicose veins. Why? Asparagus is a good source of a flavonoid compound called rutin. Rutin not only has anti-inflammatory properties, but it also helps to improve circulation and strengthen veins and tiny blood vessels known as capillaries '" all of which reduce the appearance of varicosities.

Health Benefits of Eating Asparagus: It Helps to Reduce the Risk of Heart Disease

Asparagus helps to reduce the risk of heart disease in several ways It's a good source of potassium to normalize blood pressure, and folate another nutrient important for heart health. It's also rich in soluble fiber to help lower blood cholesterol levels. Asparagus also lowers cholesterol by another mechanism - saponins. Natural saponins found in asparagus bind to cholesterol in the digestive tract so that it's less readily absorbed into the bloodstream. It also alters liver metabolism of cholesterol in a favorable way. All in all, asparagus is one heart friendly vegetable.

Health Benefits of Eating Asparagus: It Won't Make You Fat

Asparagus is a vegetable you can eat without guilt. At twenty-seven calories per cup, it's hard to eat too much of this low calorie veggie. Use it as a side dish instead of potatoes and you'll get more food for fewer calories '" and more nutrients too!

Health Benefits of Eating Asparagus: It's Good if You're Pregnant

Asparagus is an excellent source of folate, a vitamin that's important for reducing the risk of neural tube defects in an unborn baby.

Health Benefits of Eating Asparagus: It's Good for the Skin

Asparagus is a good source of vitamins A and C, anti-oxidant vitamins that help to protect the skin from free radical damage. Vitamin C is also important for maintaining collagen, a component that gives skin its support structure and prevents sagging.

Another Unexpected Benefit of Asparagus

Asparagus extract may help to prevent hangovers. It seems that asparagus extract boost enzymes in the liver that break down alcohol. Unfortunately, you'd have to eat the leaves rather than the stalks to get this benefit - or else take an extract.

How to Serve It

To make asparagus tastier, roast it at high temperature in the oven to bring out its flavor. 

One word of caution. About half the people who eat asparagus will develop an unpleasant urine odor immediately after eating it. This is due to the breakdown of sulfur compounds in the asparagus. This is no cause for alarm and doesn't indicate an underlying health problem.

Mark Harris, PhD

Exercise Physiologist/Nutritionist

TexasMetabolics@gmail.com
Texas Metabolics

Training Through Injuries – The Dos And Don'ts

So many times people do their best to ignore those nagging aches and pains our bodies have simply because they do NOT want to stop training. Those pains you feel are often a warning signal for us to back off, yet many of us continue to TRAIN! 

Let's Get Real!

If you tell me your shoulder hurts so bad you cannot lift it and you just hurt it yesterday, You should have enough common sense to just GO HOME. I understand you are game and ready to go, but we need to think beyond today. We are not professional athletes and tomorrow is not the Olympics. When you are injured, your priority is dealing with your injury, or at the very least, not worsening it. If you are questioning whether or not you should be at the gym – go home.

Focus On Recovery 

Use your time at home to work your recovery. Recovery does not mean sitting still. It could mean using a foam roller and a lacrosse ball to work out muscle spasms or adhesions. It could mean icing for ten minutes at the top of every hour. It could mean visiting your chiropractor, massage therapist or personal trainer. It could mean visiting your doctor and having diagnostic tests run. It does mean, without a doubt, listening to your body and being nice to it.

Be Reasonable

If you choose to stay at the gym and work around your injury, then really work around it and make sure your trainer is aware of the situation. Do not do things that only “hurt a little.” If it hurts, stop doing it. If you are hurting it, you are not healing it. Yes, it might feel better once you get going into the workout, but that has more to do with endorphins and adrenalin than it does with whether or not you are causing damage and preventing healing. This does not mean you cannot move around at all, but do not do things that cause pain.

Don’t Create Other Injuries

If you are dealing with an injury requiring a long healing period, a shoulder injury for example, be careful you do not cause other injuries or imbalances in your training. If your left shoulder is hurt and you spend three months only working your right arm and right shoulder, you are setting yourself up for future problems. It is not just your arms, but your back, hips, and legs that will be affected by this constant unbalanced unilateral movement. In this scenario, you are better of focusing on lower body and core exercises. Engage your coach in helping you choose appropriate exercises.

There Is No Quick Fix

As with most things in life, we are in a hurry to get to the next step and injury recovery is no different. Beware of the quick fix. I have had clients come to me saying their doctor wanted to give them a cortisone shot. Unless you are playing the Super Bowl tomorrow, there is no reason for you to get a cortisone shot. In my experience it only allows you to train through the pain and worsen the injury. Likewise, beware of painkillers in general. If you want to take something, double or triple your fish oil and deal with the inflammation aspect of your injury. Pain is not a voice we should carelessly stifle.

If It Hurts, Stop. It’s Just Not Worth It. 

This one is worth repeating. For the vast majority of us, we work out for fun or because we are committed to a certain level of health. We are not professional athletes, nor for the most part even competitive amateur athletes. Our priorities in our lives are different from a pro-athlete and therefore our priorities in the gym should be also.

Your mission in the gym is to get stronger, fitter, and healthier for the long haul. As a coach, I want to see you getting out of bed on your own at the age of 80. Training through pain and skipping recovery will not get you to that place. You can do it in the short-term, but it will come back to haunt you in the form of continued injuries, arthritis, chronic pain and more.

Think about the people in the gym who have the best form and put up the best numbers. They are the people who put in the work day in and day out, not the people who try to muscle through things. Treat your injury recovery the same way. Take the time necessary to heal properly; it will serve you in both your performance and your quality of life for years to come.

Mark Harris, PhD

Exercise Physiologist/Nutritionist

TexasMetabolics@gmail.com

Texas Metabolics

The 3 Cycles of Periodization Training

Periodization is the process of dividing an annual training plan into specific time blocks, where each block has a particular goal and provides your body with different types of stress.
This allows you to create some hard training periods and some easier periods to facilitate recovery. Periodization also helps you develop different energy systems during various phases of training (e.g., aerobic, anaerobic). Most significantly, periodization is the best way to promote the training effect, which consists of changes in your cardiopulmonary and musculoskeletal systems that result in greater speed and endurance in all aspects of competition and training. To develop an effective training program, it is important to understand the foundation of periodization. This foundation consists of three cycles: macrocycles, mesocycles and micro cycles.

The Macrocycle

The macrocycle is the longest of the three cycles and includes all four stages of a periodized training program (e.g., endurance, intensity, competition and recovery). Because macrocycles incorporate all 52 weeks of your annual plan, they provide you with a bird's-eye view of your training regimen and allow you to facilitate long-range planning.

For example, if you want to peak for a national championship event one year from now, you can mark that date on your calendar and work backwards to create a program that allows you to peak at that time. You can use the same process to identify several major events throughout the year and develop a plan that facilitates multiple fitness peaks. Remember, because of its length, you will always make changes to your macrocycle throughout the year.

The Mesocycle

The mesocycle represents a specific block of training that is designed to accomplish a particular goal. For instance, during the endurance phase, you might develop a mesocycle designed to enhance your aerobic endurance (the ability to use oxygen to produce energy for the muscles over an extended period of time). This mesocycle might consist of three weeks of increasingly long rides, and one week of recovery.
Similarly, you could develop a mesocycle for the intensity phase that is designed to improve your functional threshold power (the highest average power, measured in watts that you can sustain for one hour). This mesocycle might include three weeks of lactate threshold intervals followed by a week of recovery.

During the competition phase, you could develop a mesocycle that improves your neuromuscular power, which is the ability to pedal a very big gear, at a very high cadence for a short period of time (i.e., sprinting). This mesocycle might include four long sprint interval workouts and four short sprint interval workouts over a three week period.
You can even develop a mesocycle for the recovery stage of training. Of course, the primary goal of this mesocycle will be to rest and recuperate, but it will also include a series of easy rides designed to enhance the recovery process.
Mesocycles are typically three or four weeks in length. Two very common mesocycles consist of 21 and 28-day training blocks. For example, a 25-year old experienced competitor might use a 23/5 training pattern (i.e., a 28-day mesocycle). This consists of 23 days of relatively hard work followed by 5 days of recovery and easy spinning. Conversely, an older or less-experienced cyclist may opt for a 16/5 training pattern (i.e., a 21-day mesocycle) that includes 16 days of hard training followed by 5 days of recovery.
If you are unsure about which option to choose, I suggest you begin with a 21-day mesocycle and shift to the longer option when you are ready for a harder challenge. Conversely, if you are currently using a 28-day mesocycle and are dealing with recurring fatigue, use the shorter mesocycle, which provides you with more time to recover.

The Microcyle

A microcycle is the shortest training cycle, typically lasting a week with the goal of facilitating a focused block of training. An example of this is an endurance block where a cyclist strings three or four long rides together within one week to progressively overload training volume.
Another example incorporates block training, which consists of very hard workouts for two or three consecutive days followed by an equal amount of recovery (days off or very easy rides). This would constitute an intensity microcycle where the goal is to improve key physiological abilities such as lactate threshold (the highest intensity a fit cyclist can maintain for 60 minutes) and aerobic capacity (the maximum amount of oxygen the body can consume during high intensity exercise). Generally speaking, three or four microcycles are tied together to form a mesocycle.

For more on Periodization training contact us today and book your time for a personal assessment, 713-870-6960.

Mark Harris, PhD

Exercise Physiologist/Nutritionist

TexasMetabolics@gmail.com

Texas Metabolics