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Tag Archives: shake
Stop Looking for the Pill & Shake
So in the past month I cannot believe the amount of new products that I have read about on the market for weight loss. Everything from special nutrient rich shakes, to pills and a magic drink that helps your body burn fat. I don’t know who is worse, the companies for continuing to make this crap or the public for buying it.
I would have to say that I have more of a problem with the companies! The products that are being produced are not going to solve the obesity problem in the world. In fact they will make the problem worse. All of the people that believe the wonderful stories that these companies put out, will take the product for a period of time and lose some weight, and then stop. They learned nothing about nutrition and what food can do! They basically cut calories and took the product of the day, and ended up losing some weight. They most likely did not exercise and in fact lost more muscle than fat, but to them they just wanted that number (weight) to go down. Once the number goes down they go back to life as normal and then magically the weight starts to come back. The circle of weight loss continues!
With each failed attempt people get more down on themselves and usually put more weight back on. In my opinion we have an obesity epidemic because the food being produced is highly processed and causing massive hormonal issues resulting in weight gain. There is also an issue with people being emotionally attached to food and eating. Studies have shown the fatty and sweet foods produce a chemical response in our brain that can make us crave these foods and the emotional satisfaction that they bring. Make no mistake; food is a very powerful drug. If we don’t deal with these issues then our problems will just get worse.
Government also plays a huge part in this. Companies have to get approval for their products. There should be no approval on products that only mask the problem. If the product is nothing but a crap diet that does not teach a person how to eat and live healthy, then it there is no reason to sell it! Governments everywhere are scrambling to raise taxes and find money to pay our sky rocketing health care bill. In NS alone we dedicate 42% of our budget to health care costs, and 63% of those costs are from preventable illness. That is right, if we supported each other and the companies dedicated to helping people get healthy, our health care bill could drop by 63%. Yet the problem just keeps getting worse, why? Isn’t government supposed to look out for our best interests?
There is no secret or magic pill or drink. Food is meant to fuel our body. If your body cannot use or process the food you are eating then you will suffer eventually. Your body is meant to be moved and challenged, muscle will be lost if you do not use it and help create more. If you have weight to lose then you must change your eating habits and exercise. The more weight you have to lose, the more work you have to do. There are no shortcuts! You need to work with someone that helps you change in a way that you can keep these habits for the rest of your life. Healthy eating is not for a period of time! Healthy eating and living is for the rest of your life!
It’s time we stopped making people rich that continue to make us unhealthier!
Does that stuff really work?
So the other day my cousin texted me that he was in a store that had creatine on sale for 50% off the regular price. It was a big box store and not a specialty supplement store so the 50% off was real and not just a sales gimmick. It had been a while since I had put creatine into my training plan and figured that this would be a good time to put it back in the mix as well as build a new program to test the results!
However this post is not about me or my training. Something happened at the store when I went by to purchase the creatine that made me think it was time to talk about supplements again. Specifically, young people taking supplements for a desired result.
I was going through the cash with the creatine and there was a young dude working the register. I would guess he was about 17 years old, 5’ 8” and pretty thin. He reminded me a lot of myself at that age. He picked up the container to ring it through, and as he did he read the label to see what it was. Then he looked at me and asked “Does this stuff really work?” I gave him the same answer that I gave my son when he started getting interested in training and supplementing.
Yes it works however you have to look at it for what is! It is a supplement that when used properly can increase your muscular output. But there are two things that have to be in place for this to work and for you to get positive results! Number one is your nutrition! You have to eat a clean diet with a good balance of proteins, carbs and fats (I would always lean more on the protein side when weight training). You also have to make sure that you are getting enough calories to fuel your workouts and to let your body grow. The second is work ethic! You have to train hard in order to get the results that you want and for the food and supplements to be a benefit. Gaining muscle is not easy; it takes a lot of dedication and consistency in the gym and in the kitchen. If it was as easy as the magazines and books lead you to believe we would have way more fit bodies and less obesity!
Every time that I am asked about over the counter muscle building supplements I make one thing very clear! You do not get to look like the guy or girl in the supplement ad by just taking the supplement! These models work amazingly hard to get the bodies that they have. They have dedicated their lives to always taking their body’s to new limits, to always push to get better. It is their determination and commitment that is the key! That is when supplements work to their true potential, when you are working to yours!
Before I end I will let you know how I am using creatine in my program. I am taking 3 grams in water or Gatorade about 1 hour before I train. Basically this will allow my muscles to fill with creatine and also I will have creatine in my blood stream. So when I get to the gym and start lifting and my muscles start to deplete their creatine stores they will draw on the creatine in my blood stream. Then after my workout I have a shake with another 3 grams of creatine mixed in with my protein powder and water. This replenishes the much needed nutrients that my muscles need to recover and grow. There are many thoughts on taking creatine, I like the science behind this method and will let you know how it works when I am done this program.
The key to success in any part of your life is your work ethic and your determination. No matter what your dreams are, they are all possible if you want them bad enough. Find what you are passionate about and go after it. Dream big, believe and do!
