strategyforfitness.com

By

Vic Vogel

Most people are in the dark about their body’s role in health and fitness.  In Building a Strategy for Fitness: A Model to Reach and Sustain Total Fitness & Health (Amazon.com) I provide a model for developing a strategy for fitness™ (Education + Nutrition + Optimal Movement = Total Fitness™).  This model generates many questions on the education variable of the formula.  Why is education so important to fitness and health?

The primary source of knowledge about fitness and health, for most people, is advertising.  The danger is obvious.  Advertising generates revenues.  It cost to advertise, so advertisers have to sell something to pay for those costs.  Industries do not advertise to increase your health, unless they are non-profit organizations.  The food and fitness industries, and unfortunately some people in the personal training industry, conduct studies to determine exactly what people desire so they can sell them more.  It is obvious people are looking for something that is quick and simple, e.g. ab exercise machines, easy & quick nutritional programs, and books or videos for 10 minute exercises.  Most purchased products end up in garage sales.  Why do people buy these gimmicks?  The primary reason is lack of knowledge.  Information does not equal knowledge.  Knowledge comes from linking information to quality decisions that provide good results.  The points below are examples of what most people do not know, but need to know in order to make good decisions about nutrition and exercise.  These points only serve as examples of how a lack of knowledge can lead to poor decisions.  There is much more information out there.  You need to make an effort to educate yourself on health and fitness.  With so much information, it is sometimes difficult to know where to start.  To learn more about educating yourself see my chapter on education in my book.

Nutrition

What do you know about MSG?  Most people cannot state what MSG means.  Put as simply as possible, “MSG or Monosodium Glutamate is a salt of the amino acid – Glutamic Acid (glutamate).  A salt is the chemical name for a molecule held together by opposite charges.  Basically one (mono) sodium atom is “stuck” to the amino acid glutamate.”[1] MSG (monosodium glutamate) is one of the most harmful products on the market.  Research has clearly related MSG to many diseases.[2] Yet, the food industries, to include restaurants, use MSG widely to enhance food taste so you will buy more food.  You have probably used it at home.  The food enhancement named “Accent” is almost totally MSG.  People use it to tenderize meat and add flavor.  Next time you eat out ask to speak with the manager and say, “I am allergic to MSG, if you are using this in your food I will become deathly sick, please check with your chef and let me know if you are using MSG in your food preparation”. You will not be lying because MSG is linked to such deadly diseases as cancer.  You cannot ask the manager if they use MSG directly, because they most likely do not know.  The chef knows if they are using MSG.

Check the ingredients of the packaged foods you buy, and you will find either MSG listed or one of the many other names that mean the same thing (enzyme modified, anything fermented, anything protein fortified, anything ultra pasteurized, autolyzed yeast, barley malt, broth, bouillon, calcium caseinate, carrageen, flavoring, natural flavoring, gelatin, hydrolyzed oat flour, hydrhydrolyzed vegetable, malt extract , maltodextrin, natural flavors, pectin, plant protein extract, potassium glutamate, sodium caseinate, soy protein, soy sauce, stock, textured protein, whey protein, yeast extract, yeast food.).  When you look at this list you are probably thinking, “I would have to stop eating.”  The fact is you get more MSG than you possibly want in everyday consumption.  Being cognizant helps you to minimize your MSG intake.

So, what does MSG do to your body?  MSG, “may create taurine deficiency – calcium channels stay open – causing high blood pressure and counteracting calcium channel blocking medication…Glutamate is vasoactive – it changes the diameter of the blood vessels – one reason why it may cause headaches…MSG may cross the blood brain barrier and damage brain cells by excitatory neurotoxicity…May create taurine deficiency – (taurine regulates heartbeat) causing irregular or racing heartbeat…MSG’s stimulation of pancreas decreases blood glucose, making hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) worse.”[3] These are just a few issues surrounding MSG, there is much more you should research.  Just think this is only element of nutrition.

Exercise

Ever ask yourself, “What exercise should I be doing?”  To answer this question you should know a little about what different types of exercise do to your body. It is important to define what fitness is to you.  In my book I define Total Fitness™ as, “The ability to combine disease avoidance, efficiency in everyday life, the ability to do desired activities (e.g., sports, dancing, playing with children), healthy mental attitude and good social behaviors to achieve an optimal quality of life”[4] Total Fitness™ requires good muscle tone and a healthy heart.  To make a point about exercise education lets limit the information to heart health and fat loss, a couple of reasons why people exercise.

Traditionally aerobics has been stated as the best means for improving your heart’s health, and the best way to burn fat.  Media and adertising have put forth this notion for years.  Let us examine a few new ideas coming out of recent research.

Aerobics has always been stated as the best means for improving your cardiovascular health and reducing the risk of heart attack.  Yet recent research referenced in an article by Kurt Wilkens quoting Dr. Al Sears (cardiologist & author),

“Heart attacks aren’t caused by a lack of endurance.  Heart attacks typically occur at rest or at periods of very high cardiac output.  Often there is a sudden increase in demand.  A person lifts a heavy object, is having sex, or receives an unexpected emotional blow.  The sudden demand for cardiac output exceeds that heart’s capacity to adapt.  What you really need is faster cardiac output.  By exercising for long periods, you actually induce the opposite response.  When you exercise continuously for more than about 10 minutes [aerobic], your heart has to become more efficient.  Greater efficiency comes from ‘downsizing’.  You give up maximal capacity because smaller can go further.”

This brings a different thought process to improving your heart health.  If you think about it, this makes sense.  Most people do not live their lives in endurance mode.  They are not running at a moderate pace for several hours at a time.  People tend to experience events like Dr. Sears mentions, particularly in these stressful times.  Knowing what you have learned to this point would you stick with the old adage, aerobic exercise is best for your heart.  You certainly might want to question it, and research it further.  In other words, to jog or not to jog, that is the question.

On the other hand, anaerobic exercises such as interval weight training fit the heart-healthy format described above.  Wilkens states, “Anaerobic exercise occurs in the Immediate and Non-Oxidative Energy Systems.  The Immediate Energy System, sometimes referred to as the ATP/CP Pathway, involves the breakdown of Adenosine Triphosphate and Creatine Phosphate in the cells for energy; it provides instant energy for very brief bouts of intense exercise, typically lasting no longer than about three seconds.”[5] You will recognize this energy state by heavier breathing.  It sometimes is described as being winded.  The body is deprived of oxygen.  Often clients are yawning in the early anaerobic stages, which is a physical response for more oxygen.

In fact, recent research indicates that high intensity training such as weight lifting, intense body weight exercises, and sprinting are better fat burning workouts than aerobic exercises.  This flies in the face of many years of thought.  Research that is more current indicates that Low intensity/long distance exercises, i.e. between 30 minutes to 60 minutes burns more calories, but also burns muscle.  High intensity workouts tax muscles more and fat burning is more efficient and last longer after the exercise is completed, without cannibalizing muscle.  It has been found that high intensity workouts actually create more subcutaneous fat loss than low intensity/long distance exercises, resulting in great reduction of body fat percent, even though the aerobic exercises burned more caloies.  Simply put anaerobic exercises are more efficient at burning fat.[6]

If this information is something you were unaware of then you recognize the importance of becoming more educated about your nutrition and exercise decisions.  Researching information allows you to compile a variety of relevant information, sort, and filter it so that it becomes knowledge that guides your fitness decisions.  People take the time to learn their jobs, learn how to cook, learn how to dance, and learn how to play games.  Yet, learning what it takes to improve health and fitness seems to be a chore.  When you compare the affect of educating yourself about your fitness, and then compare it to other things, it becomes evident; you must begin the process of becoming more knowledgeable about fitness and health.  The result of fitness education does not only affect you, it impacts your work, family, friends, and associates.  Become disciplined about scheduling time to learn about your body, nutrition, and exercise.

Vic Vogel is an internationally NFPT certified personal trainer /fitness consultant, author, and sports nutritionist.  He provides fitness consulting to individuals and businesses.  Vic served in the Army’s Special Forces.  He received his Masters Degree from the University of Oklahoma, and a Bachelors Degree from the University of West Florida.  He has two black belt certifications in two different martial art styles.  Vic has conducted fitness lectures in both businesses and non-profit organizations.  He is the Principal and owner of Strategy for Fitness, StrategyForFitness.com, and CEO of Victor L. Vogel & Associates, Inc.  Vic’s two books Building a Strategy for Fitness: A Model to Reach and Sustain Total Fitness & Health, and Strategy for Fitness: Nutritional Manual can be found at www.strategyforfitness.com and Amazon.com.  Vic resides and practices in Oklahoma City, and travels for fitness consulting.

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[1] “Body Systems Affected by MSG”. MSGTruth.org. 12-10-2009 <http://www.msgtruth.org/>.

[2] <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17911358?itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&ordinalpos=27>.

[3] “Body Systems Affected by MSG”. MSGTruth.org. 12-10-2009 <http://www.msgtruth.org/>.

[4] Vogel, Vic, Building A Strategy For Fitness: A Model To Reach and Sustain Total Fitness & Health, CreateSpace, Oklahoma City, 2009.

[5] Wikens, K.J., RKC. “Endurance Training: Intervals vs. Long-Slow/Steady-Distance For Heart Health, Fat Loss, and Physical Performance”. DragonDoor.com. 12-10-2009 <http://www.russiankettlebells.com/articler/mode3/392/>.

[6] Q. Is it true that low-intensity aerobic exercise is the best way to lose fat?

Bass, C.. “Q. Is it true that low-intensity aerobic exercise is the best way to lose fat? “. Ripped. 12-10-2009 <http://www.cbass.com/FAQ.HTM#Is%20it%20true>.