The Smarter Sculpted Physique: Training | Nutrition | Muscle Gain | Fat Loss

---------------------------------------------------- ♦ More Real-World Support for Carb-Based Diets ♦ ---------------------------------------------------- Scott takes on a study published in The Lancet in April 17, Kaplan H, et al. “Coronary atherosclerosis in indigenous South American Tsimane: a cross-sectional cohort study.” ♦ The Tsimane Tribe: The Healthiest Hearts in the World ♦ • The Tsimane lead a holistic healthy lifestyle. • The study finds that coronary artery disease can be avoided in most people through a lifetime of very low LDL, low BP, low glucose, normal BMI, not smoking, and lots of physical activity. • The Tsimane are a true hunter-gatherer culture. They hunt, fish and farm on the Maniqui River in the Amazon rainforest in the Bolivian lowlands. Researchers admit that the rest of the world cannot revert to a hunter-gathering and early farming existence, but there are lessons for all of us. • The Tsimane diet consists of 72% carb sources like rice, maize, and manioc root, 14% - 17% protein from lean meat and fish sources. Their fat intake is 14% as compared to 34% in the US. • They are far more physically active than most Americans. Men average 17,000 steps a day, and women average 16,000. Even the over-60s have a step count over 15,000. This is not an endorsement for quantitative step counting devices. It points to the benefits of a high degree of physical activity. • Profesor Naveed Sattar, University of Glasgow, said, “Simply put, eating a healthy diet very low in saturated fat and full of unprocessed products, not smoking and being active life long, is associated with the lowest risk of [blood vessel blockage].” • Few Tsimane had signs of clogged arteries—even well into old age. • Dr. Gavin Sandercock: "The fact that they have the best indicators of cardiovascular health ever reported is the exact opposite to many recent suggestions that carbohydrates are unhealthy”. ----------------------- LINKS & RESOURCES ----------------------- The Lancet Original Study on PubMed https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28320601 BBC News Website: ‘Healthiest hearts in the world’ found – March 2017 http://www.bbc.com/news/health-39292389 Scott's Featured Books: https://scottabelfitness.com/ebooks/beyond-metabolism/ https://scottabelfitness.com/ebooks/understanding-metabolism/ https://scottabelfitness.com/ebooks/metabolic-damage/ Follow Coach Scott Abel: Main Website https://scottabelfitness.com/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CoachScottAbel/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/scottabelcoaching The Cycle Diet Program http://thecycle.diet/

---------------------------------------------------------- ♦ Lies and Misinformation about Artificial Sweeteners ♦ ---------------------------------------------------------- • Scott discusses one study published in a 2016 issue of the International Journal of Obesity, Rogers et al, “Does low-energy sweetener consumption affect energy intake and body weight? A systematic review, including meta-analyses, of the evidence from human and animal studies” • In the study that includes 205 references to other clinical research, results show that consumption of artificial sweeteners in place of sugar is consistently found to reduce short-term energy intake. • Artificial sweeteners referenced acesulfame-K, aspartame, saccharin, stevia and sucralose are consumed throughout the world. • Among the lies and misinformation are quotes like this one from a fitness industry celeb, "artificial sweeteners trick our bodies so that our internal ability to count calories is thrown way off." Our bodies do not count calories. The clinical evidence says “exposure to sweetness itself was not a significant stimulus for later [energy intake.]” • The study’s results refute the idea that artificial sweeteners contribute to increased weight gain or hunger. • Fron the study: “The preponderance of evidence from all human randomized controlled trials indicates that [artificial sweeteners] do not increase [energy intake] or [body weight], whether compared with caloric or non-caloric (for example, water) control conditions. Overall, the balance of evidence indicates that use of LES [Low Energy Sweeteners -or artificial sweeteners] in place of sugar, in children and adults, leads to reduced EI and BW, and possibly also when compared with water.” • The researchers included animal studies in their analysis. Most of the studies on animals, particularly rats, included much larger doses than humans would consume, and found that artificial sweeteners did not increase bodyweight. • Most of the studies cited…reported no statistically significant effects of artificial sweeteners on body weight. Studies using higher doses of artificial sweeteners found statistically significant decreases in body weight. • Study participants who consumed LES- artificially sweetened products compared with sugar- sweetened products showed either greater weight loss or less weight gain. • Researchers also compared artificial sweetened drinks to water. Energy intake did not differ versus water, artificial sweeteners versus unsweetened product or artificial sweeteners versus nothing. In fact, consumption of artificially-sweetened beverages also reduced body weight relative to consumption of water. • From the study: “We found a considerable weight of evidence in favor of consumption of [artificial sweeteners] in place of sugar as helpful in reducing relative [energy intake] and [body weight], with no evidence from the many acute and sustained intervention studies in humans that [artificial sweetener] increase [energy intake].” • The analysis concludes that substituting artificial sweeteners for sugar, can help reduce energy intake. ---------------------- LINKS & RESOURCES ---------------------- International Journal of Obesity (2016) 40, 381–394
© 2016 Macmillan Publishers Limited https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4786736/ Scott's Featured Books: https://scottabelfitness.com/ebooks/beyond-metabolism/ https://scottabelfitness.com/ebooks/understanding-metabolism/ https://scottabelfitness.com/ebooks/metabolic-damage/ Follow Coach Scott Abel: Main Website https://scottabelfitness.com/ Facebook https://www.facebook.

------------------------------------------------------ ♦ Ange's Remarkable Transformation Success Story ♦ ------------------------------------------------------ This is a real-life story of physique transformation in the face of difficult circumstances. Sometimes, real people’s stories hit home harder than research. Ange’s fitness journey started around 2008, with realistic expectations. She wasn’t planning to compete in physique someday, she just wanted to look feminine and wear pretty clothes. Her transformation was progressing well until 2012 when she was rear-ended by a speeding car. She sustained skeletal and internal injuries that required multiple surgical procedures, dental braces, and support belts. Among the symptoms were blurred vision, tinnitus (ringing in ears), vertigo, vomiting, and shuffling gait. One internal injury went undetected until a year later, and required additional major surgery. Weight fluctuated wildly during her long recovery. She couldn’t train. Routine daily functions became difficult and painful. After four years of medical intervention and recovery, she was finally able to focus again on her fitness journey; but had to find a way to work around the lasting effects from her injuries. Fast-forward to ~2016, she was asked by a modeling agency to pose for photos. Ange used the inside-out approach, meaning that she didn’t count calories, watch macros, or use wrist-worn fitness devices. Scott refers these methods as part of “quantification.” The lessons from Ange’s story: • Begin your own transformation with acceptance and a reasonable goal. • Don’t make surmountable obstacles insurmountable. • Changed mindset and realistic assessment must occur before physique transformation can happen and last. • Think “goals and decisions,” not “questions and problems.” • Be your own champion. ----------------------- LINKS & RESOURCES ----------------------- https://scottabelfitness.com/ebooks/how-to-train-for-a-better-physique/ https://scottabelfitness.com/ebooks/busy-womans-train-at-home-program/ https://scottabelfitness.com/ebooks/abel-approach/ https://scottabelfitness.com/ebooks/hardgainer-solution/ Follow Coach Scott Abel: Main Website https://scottabelfitness.com/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CoachScottAbel/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/scottabelcoaching The Cycle Diet Program http://thecycle.diet/

---------------------------------------------------------- ♦ What Real Research Says about Training for Physique Development ♦ ---------------------------------------------------------- A discussion about what really works to build a better physique, featuring a clinical study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology in 2016: Morton et al. “Neither load nor systemic hormones determine resistance training-mediated hypertrophy or strength gains in resistance-trained young men.” This research’s results contradict popular fitness industry dogma that says, ‘train for strength and development will come.’ ♦ About the Study ♦ • This research studied 49 healthy young men who had been doing resistance training (RT) for at least the past 2 years and at least 2 workouts per week, including at least one lower body workout. • Studying trained persons is important, because untrained persons demonstrate short-term adoptive response. • The group was divided into High Rep (HR) lower weight, and Low Rep (LR) higher weight sub-groups. The HR group did 3 sets of 20-25 reps per set of about 30 and 50% of 1 Rep Max (RM). The LR group did 3 sets of 8-12 at about 75-90%. • Reps were performed to “volitional failure”, meaning until another rep can’t be performed without cheating or help. • The increases in muscular strength were not significantly different between groups. The exception was bench press 1 RM, which increased more in the LR group. • The study also measured changes in hormones. “Post-exercise levels of circulating hormones did not change as a result of the RT intervention and were unrelated to changes in muscle mass and strength.” • This study (and a recent meta-analysis) do not support the assertion that greater weights are required for muscle growth, especially [when compared to] lighter, moderate weights are used to volitional failure. ♦ Important Take-Aways from the Study ♦ • Intensity is more important than load. This study controlled for how hard the study subjects were working out. • Hormonal levels didn’t change, so there’s no evidence here about the importance of supplements or their timing. • Training heavy has to do with how much load the muscle is under at the cellular level, not how much weight is on the “bar”. Intensity of effort is the goal, not amount of load. • Hypertrophy and strength gains are not a function of the load lifted. • Continually training heavy invites unnecessary joint strain. Training with moderate weights and higher reps decreases stress on joints, allowing for more training longevity (training into later years). • The best bodybuilders are not the best powerlifters, and vice versa. You won’t see a lot of remarkable physiques at a natural powerlifting competition. • First two principles of exercise physiology: 1) Overload; 2) SAID = Specific Adaptation to Applied Demands. • This study, along with other previous studies, directly proves that hypertrophy and strength gains are not a function of the load lifted. • Intensity of effort is what determines hypertrophy. • Morton, et al, “Taken together with previous data (4, 28), the findings of the present study, along with a recent meta-analysis (35), do not support the assertion that higher-load RT is a prerequisite to maximize RT-induced muscle hypertrophy especially when lower-load exercises are performed to volitional failure.” ---------------------- LINKS & RESOURCES ---------------------- PubMed Published Study https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27174923 Scott's Featured Books: https://scottabelfitness.

---------------------------- ♦ Lose 10 Lbs. in 10 Days! ♦ ---------------------------- Sound impossible? If you’re talking about lbs. of fat, it is! Coach Scott Abel outlines what’s required to lose 10 lbs. of fat in 10 days, then contrasts it with diet strategies that actually work for long-term, sustained weight loss. • A recent edition of a popular women’s magazine featured a story on how to lose 10 lbs. in 10 days. • Scott has trained competitors who’ve lost more than 10 lbs. overnight. The question is what is actually being lost. The implication is that the 10 lbs. is 10 lbs. of fat. • Fitness and physique industries are built on “shiny new objects”. A shiny new object can be a product, how a product is marketed, branding, and so forth. 10 lbs. in 10 days (“10 in 10”) is catchy, aka “sticky”, so that it’s memorable. • “10 in 10” is linear, but the body and its systems are non-linear. An example of linearity is calories-in-calories-out. The body is more complex than that. • Using calories-in-calories-out, to lose 10 lbs. in 10 days, a person would have to lose a lb. a day, where one lb. = 3500 calories. To put this into context, an average person burns 2600 calories while running a full marathon. This leaves you 900 calories short. This assumes eating nothing at all. To lose 10 lbs. in 10 days using calorie-in-calorie-out requires running a marathon-and-a-half every day while eating nothing for 10 days. • Scott's Book, Understanding Metabolism, spells out the complexities and realities of human metabolism. • You can’t choose to lose the type of tissue you want. Losing just fat, especially quickly, isn’t possible. • Osmotic fluctuations: specific changes in diet always cause immediate and predictable outcomes, but this is from water-weight loss. Carbs hold 2.7 grams of water per gram of carb (glycogen stores in particular.) Cutting carbs causes water-weight loss (but not fat or permanent weight loss.) • Short term (water) weight loss is used as “proof” that fat diets work. • Quick weight-loss programs rely on “suspension of disbelief” where what we know to be true is ignored in order to believe what we would like to be true. • A good weight loss program focuses on progress. • The scale doesn’t tell the whole story. Scott references a female client who dropped from a size 12 to a size 8 dress size (and fit in some size 6s), but was unhappy because she had gained 2 lbs. -------------------------- ♦ LINKS & RESOURCES ♦ -------------------------- Scott's Books on Metabolism: https://scottabelfitness.com/ebooks/understanding-metabolism/ https://scottabelfitness.com/ebooks/busy-womans-train-at-home-program/ http://thecycle.diet/ Follow Coach Scott Abel: Main Website https://scottabelfitness.com/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CoachScottAbel/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/scottabelcoaching

----------------------------------- ♦ The Foundations of Success and the Mindset of Achievement ♦ ------------------------------------ Coach Scott Abel discusses the mindset foundations of long-term success, based on some of the principles found in his book, The Mindset of Achievement, which is available for free at: scottabelfitness.com/achieve ♦ What you must embrace ♦ • Three key ideas: keep high standards, be disciplined, and have high expectations. • You can’t have the “wants” without the do’s! Or, put another way: “No perks without the works”. • Pressure is perception, but it is also something you can and should invite. Pressure is a sign of growth and challenge. • You can’t let other people dictate the direction of your process. • High expectations come with baggage – if you expect a lot for yourself, then you must expect a lot from yourself. • Structure and regimentation are grounding forces. These things are generally mandatory, not optional. • You can abide in these principles without struggling “against” them. Life happens and you deal with it, and this brings peace of mind. • Have a passion for yourself, not just this or that product. • Being truly passionate means not relying on motivation. • Remember that respect is earned… but yes, this also includes many aspects of self-respect. -------------------------- ♦ LINKS & RESOURCES ♦ -------------------------- Get Scott’s book (for free) The Mindset of Achievement: scottabelfitness.com/achieve Scott’s Book Catalogue https://scottabelfitness.com/ebooks/ Follow Coach Scott Abel: Main Website https://scottabelfitness.com/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CoachScottAbel/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/scottabelcoaching The Cycle Diet Program http://thecycle.diet/

---------------------------- ♦ All About Testosterone ♦ ---------------------------- Coach Scott Abel discusses testosterone, how it relates to your fitness goals and health, and some of the myths that surround it. ♦ Facts about the master hormone Testosterone ♦ Although testosterone is known to be a male hormone (as a sexual hormone), it is also present and has the same important functions and effects on women. Testosterone is not just the sex hormone as is widely known, but is also involved in various lesser-known biological functions that affect the body physically, mentally, and somatically. In its natural form, it helps protect/prevent/reduce illness and deterioration in major organs like heart and brain, and strengthens other structures like muscles and bones. HRT (Hormone Replacement Treatment) has shown to influence components of functional memory and often provides a better recovery rate. It aids the mood by reducing/preventing anxiety, depression, and excessive emotionality. Right amounts contribute to positive mood and disposition. Middle-aged people just over their 40’s tend to show signs of low T, which affects the quality of life: “not great, not bad… just flat” as Scott points out. They often come barely noticeable as energy levels are affected, as well as virility and vitality. A Quote from Doctor Morgentaler: “Sooner or later men will develop deficiency of testosterone because the tissues and feedback loops just get weaker or wear away. […] Low T is underecognized and undertreated… there’s no good reason to deprive men of a treatment that can help them regain their mojo.” According to Scott, you’re not going to be young again, but you’re going to be youthful. Low T is a part of aging, but that doesn’t mean that it should be accepted and not treated. Your quality of life can overall improve with a simple and mostly effective treatment. Find a good professional to check your levels of testosterone. You can ask for a referral to get to the right doctor. Let them know that you know, and be your own advocate. -------------------------- ♦ LINKS & RESOURCES ♦ -------------------------- Abraham Morgentaler M.D. Books Testosterone for Life: Recharge Your Vitality, Sex Drive, Muscle Mass, and Overall Health https://www.amazon.com/Testosterone-Life-Recharge-Vitality-Overall/dp/0071494804 The Truth About Men and Sex https://www.amazon.co.uk/Truth-About-Morgentaler-Abraham-M-D/dp/1250042607 Scott’s Books: Physique After 50 https://scottabelfitness.com/ebooks/physique-after-50/ The Aging Proposition https://scottabelfitness.com/ebooks/the-aging-proposition/ Understanding Metabolism https://scottabelfitness.com/ebooks/understanding-metabolism/ Follow Coach Scott Abel: Main Website https://scottabelfitness.com/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CoachScottAbel/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/scottabelcoaching The Cycle Diet Program http://thecycle.diet/

----------------------------------- ♦ Quack Quack Quackery! ♦ ------------------------------------ Coach Scott Abel discusses how to recognize myths and quackery in the diet and supplement industry. ♦ Quacks in Metabolism ♦ • Scott mentioned the article, “26 Ways to Spot Quacks and Vitamin Pushers”, explaining 15 of them in detail. • Scott has had clients who ended up in the emergency room from abusing ephedra. Oh, they had six pack abs for a bit, but they also nearly killed themselves. • In the comments, Perry M posted a link to this old journal article to address concerns about nutrient deficiency: http://jn.nutrition.org/content/24/1/41.extract • Metabolism and biofeedback are always speaking to the wisdom of the body. There’s a reason Michael Phelps needs 10,000 to 12,000 calories a day. It’s not a weird magic diet. It’s his appetite that tells him that—he only started counting them later on, after the fact. • “Stress vitamins” are bogus. They’re not the same as prescription drugs. • Every local corner grocery store is also a health-food store. • Supplement Paradox: if you put yourself on a diet that involves supplements, it’s actually the hard work and discipline you put yourself through and not the effect of the supplements that’s producing the results over your metabolism, but the credit often go to the supplements. Addition by subtraction is the way. • The industry tends to “renovate” or replace their customers every five years or so as they wear out. They also change their product names to appeal to the new consumer cycle… the supplement mentality goes on, Scott says. -------------------------- ♦ LINKS & RESOURCES ♦ -------------------------- Herbert, Victor, M.D. , J.D.; Barrett, Stephen, M.D. “26 Ways to Spot Quacks and Vitamin Pushers.” The Health Robbers: How to Protect Your Money and Your Life. Last revision: April 10, 2017. https://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/spotquack.html Scott’s Books Permanent Weight Loss https://scottabelfitness.com/ebooks/permanent-weight-loss/ Understanding Metabolism https://scottabelfitness.com/ebooks/understanding-metabolism/ Beyond Metabolism https://scottabelfitness.com/ebooks/beyond-metabolism/ The Anti-Diet Approach https://scottabelfitness.com/ebooks/anti-diet-approach/ Follow Coach Scott Abel: Main Website https://scottabelfitness.com/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CoachScottAbel/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/scottabelcoaching The Cycle Diet Program http://thecycle.diet/

----------------------------------- ♦ Vitamin Myths ♦ ------------------------------------ Coach Scott Abel discusses the myths surrounding vitamins and health. The supplement industry is largely unregulated, and it is governed first and foremost by marketing rather than a real concern for your health. Scott discusses some findings and research reported in the website Business Insider, and offers his own additional insights and experiences from his work in the supplement industry, and his work with clients who have had less than stellar experiences with supplements. ♦ What’s real and what’s fake about vitamins ♦ • Many new supplements specifically target affluent women. This is a growing trend. • Vitamins were created as a response to combat malnutrition back in the early 20th century. Scott claims that nowadays we have “over-nutrition,” not malnutrition. • Lies spread faster than truths, especially in the supplement industry. • Scott likes Michael Pollan’s work. Of particular relevance, here is the fact that real foods may be what’s best, but no one advertises it. You don’t hear huge ad campaigns for apples. You do for supplements, pills, potions, and “snack foods” or other branded food items. But for the basics? No. Because people can’t make money off of those, even if they’re the best choice. -------------------------- ♦ LINKS & RESOURCES ♦ -------------------------- Brodwin, Erin. “The $37 billion supplement industry is barely regulated – and it’s allowing dangerous products to slip through the cracks”. Business Insider (2017). http://www.businessinsider.com/supplements-vitamins-bad-or-good-health-2017-8 Scott’s Book Catalogue https://scottabelfitness.com/ebooks/ Follow Coach Scott Able: Main Website https://scottabelfitness.com/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CoachScottAbel/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/scottabelcoaching The Cycle Diet Program http://thecycle.diet/

----------------------------------- ♦ BCAA Myths ♦ ------------------------------------ Scott discusses a recent research on Branched Chain Amino Acids, or “BCAAs”. Scott’s been against BCAAs for a long time, but as the research article notes, “The concept that the BCAAs may have a unique capacity to stimulate muscle protein synthesis has been put forward for more than 35 years” (p. 1) Back in the 90s, Scott was consulted “behind the scenes” in the supplement industry and what he experienced there has firmly entrenched his opinions that they are pretty much a scam. ♦ BCAAs and muscle protein synthesis in humans: myth or reality? ♦ -Key conclusion from the article abstract: We conclude that the claim that consumption of dietary BCAAs stimulates muscle protein synthesis or produces an anabolic response in human subjects is unwarranted. -Parts of the research even noted that BCAA ingestion can have a catabolic effect: We can conclude from these two studies that BCAA infusion not only fails to increase the rate of muscle protein synthesis in human subjects, but actually reduces the rate of muscle protein synthesis and the rate of muscle protein turnover. The catabolic state was not reversed to an anabolic state in either study. Further, a sustained reduction in the rate of muscle protein turnover would be expected to have a detrimental effect on muscle strength, even if muscle mass is maintained. (p. 4, emphasis added) -------------------------- ♦ LINKS & RESOURCES ♦ -------------------------- Wolfe, Robert R. “Branched-Chain Amino Acids and Muscle Protein Synthesis in Humans: Myth or Reality?” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 14.1 (2017): 30. Print. https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-017-0184-9 Mindset of Achievement Book https://scottabelfitness.com/books/moa/the-mindset-of-achievement.pdf Understanding Metabolism Book http://scottabelfitness.com/ebooks/understanding-metabolism/ The Anti-Diet Approach Book https://scottabelfitness.com/ebooks/anti-diet-approach/ Follow Coach Scott Abel: Main Website https://scottabelfitness.com/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CoachScottAbel/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/scottabelcoaching The Cycle Diet Program http://thecycle.diet/

------------------------------------------------- • Detox Diets, Cleanses and Elimination Diets • ------------------------------------------------- Scott discusses some research on detox diets, cleanses, and other forms of elimination diets. Link to the research: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25522674 • Detox diets for toxin elimination and weight management: a critical review of the evidence • From the article abstract: "Although the detox industry is booming, there is very little clinical evidence to support the use of these diets. A handful of clinical studies have shown that commercial detox diets enhance liver detoxification and eliminate persistent organic pollutants from the body, although these studies are hampered by flawed methodologies and small sample sizes. […] To the best of our knowledge, no randomized controlled trials have been conducted to assess the effectiveness of commercial detox diets in humans. This is an area that deserves attention so that consumers can be informed of the potential benefits and risks of detox programs." Key quote from the article: “It is known that dieting in general has an estimated success rate of only 20%. (84). A possible explanation for this lack of success is that animals and humans have evolved mechanisms to defend against weight loss because starvation can lead to reduced fertility and even death (85).” (p. 681) Scott points out that dieters need to consider three realms of time: the immediate, the residual, and the cumulative. Detox diets feel good in the immediate realm of time during those first few days or weeks—which is why they seem like they’re working—but consumers don’t realize that the rebound or metabolic or hormonal push-back they experience in the residual and cumulative realms of time was caused by the initial diet, even though there might be a delay between the actual dieting and the longer term ramifications. ----------------------- LINKS & RESOURCES ----------------------- Original study published on PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25522674 • Scott’s Featured e-Books: https://scottabelfitness.com/ebooks/cycle-diet/ https://scottabelfitness.com/ebooks/understanding-metabolism/ https://scottabelfitness.com/ebooks/beyond-metabolism/ https://scottabelfitness.com/ebooks/metabolic-damage/ • Follow Coach Scott Abel: Main Website https://scottabelfitness.com/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CoachScottAbel/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/scottabelcoaching The Cycle Diet Program http://thecycle.diet/

----------------------------------- ♦ Recent Research on Interval Cardio and Fat Loss ♦ ------------------------------------ Scott discusses research on using interval training and cardio for fat loss, and what the research actually shows, according to a new article in VICE discussing several studies and meta analyses. ♦ Quote from the article, summarizing the research ♦ High-intensity interval cardio doesn't burn any more fat than traditional cardio, according to new research in Obesity Reviews. That's what scientists determined after they analyzed 31 studies on the topic and found the two methods resulted in the same fat loss. […] The scientists compared three different methods: steady state cardio, done for 20 to 60 minutes at about 65 percent of maximum effort; high-intensity interval training, cardio in one-to-four-minute spurts at about 80 percent of max effort; and sprint intervals, done in 8-to-30-second bursts at an all-out effort. When the scientists matched the methods for how much energy each burned—for example, a 30-minute, slower bike ride that burned 500 calories compared to 15 minutes of bike intervals that also burned 500 calories—they discovered that participants lost equivalent amounts of fat. -------------------------- ♦ LINKS & RESOURCES ♦ -------------------------- The original article in VICE https://tonic.vice.com/en_us/article/new9e8/your-seven-minute-workout-sucks Twelve Weeks of Sprint Interval Training Improves Indices of Cardiometabolic Health Similar to Traditional Endurance Training despite a Five-Fold Lower Exercise Volume and Time Commitment http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0154075 National Weight Control Registry http://www.nwcr.ws/Research/default.htm ♦ About Coach Scott Abel ♦ Main Website scottabelfitness.com Facebook facebook.com/CoachScottAbel Youtube youtube.com/scottabelcoaching Program Design Master Class http://programdesignmasterclass.com/ Archives https://scottabelfitness.com/library/ The Cycle Diet Program http://thecycle.diet/

---------------------------------------------- ♦ Cortisol: What You Really Need to Know ♦ ---------------------------------------------- Scott discusses cortisol with a more balanced view. You actually can’t live without it, and there are negative side effects to not having the right amount of it. ♦ What you really need to know about cortisol ♦ All hormones the body produces serve vital functions; that’s why our bodies make them. Pop culture is full of reports and ads demonizing cortisol, but this is too simple. Primarily, cortisol helps the body respond quickly and usefully to stress. Remember, cortisol doesn’t “cause” stress – it is a response to stress. Cortisol also stimulates brain function under stress; and it stimulates the muscles, heart and circulatory systems too. This isn’t a ‘bad’ thing. If these effects of cortisol happen in the right physiological context as they are meant to, these are good effects, not bad effects. Cortisol can help fight jet lag, fatigue, ADD, confusion, hypoglycemia, sugar cravings, anxiety, irritability, depression, low blood pressure and apathy, among others; also cortisol helps improve digestion and optimize metabolism by stimulating appetite, aid the joints movement, eases inflammation and pain (as a natural reliever), and is a natural immune system enhancer. All hormones do their jobs in a delicate dance and balance, so there’s no reason to hold them back. The takeaways? Stop second guessing your body’s natural hormone functions and processes. They exist for very good reasons! Stick to the basics, and eat a healthy whole foods diet that makes sense in order to help with healthy and proper hormone balance. -------------------------- ♦ LINKS & RESOURCES ♦ -------------------------- Scott's Main Website - scottabelfitness.com Scott's Facebook - facebook.com/CoachScottAbel Scott's YouTube Channel - youtube.com/scottabelcoaching

----------------------------------- ♦ JC Santana on Hybrid Training, Biomechanics, Supplements and More ♦ ------------------------------------ JC Santana returned once again to discuss a wide variety of topics related to functional training, mixing various hybrid forms of training, diet, supplements, aging, real life, and more. ♦ Assorted Topics ♦ The trio discussed different gym environments. Sometimes JC will spend literally 2 hours going through his workout, and yes, that includes lots of chatting with friends. But he still gets the work done. Scott lamented the differences in gym environments these days, comparing your average big commercial gym to the comradery you can see in Pumping Iron. Mike noted that Daniel Coyle talks a lot about talent hot spots or talent hot beds in his book, Talent is Overrated, and his upcoming book, The Culture Code, is actually going to be all about these. JC admits to being a “biohacker,” and downs 35-40 pills a day. But he thinks when you get into it for vanity reasons, well, that’s a slippery slope. Bret Contreras’ glute work has helped JC a lot recently with his squats, and for the first time he’s actually feeling his glutes in his squats. But to do this, it involved a lot of exercises that guys typically don’t want to do… because they’re misguidedly viewed as “women’s exercises”. There was a lot of discussion about hybridity and hybrid forms of training – when to bring bodybuilding into functional training, or vice versa. The dumbest thing JC has done? Stepping on a stability ball to talk about how dumb it is to step on a stability ball. Yes, it led to injury. -------------------------- ♦ LINKS & RESOURCES ♦ -------------------------- JC’s Main Website – IHPfit.com JC Santana Instagram - Instagram.com/ihpfit Facebook - Facebook.com/JCSIHP

----------------------------------- ♦ The Client Assessment File for Online Coaches ♦ ------------------------------------ Scott and Mike discuss the coaching “Assessment file”, a tool for online coaches to use to assess and track their clients’ progress and specific needs. ♦ The Client Assessment File ♦ • Give Scott a breakdown of your current training regimen and how long you have been following it. • Your vital stats: height, age, weight. • A brief breakdown of your lifestyle and lifestyle stressors. • A detailed 3 day diet – current history. • Provide information on how many days per week you can realistically workout and for how many hours per training day. • A breakdown of your training goals: physique transformation, get fit, feel more energetic, gain muscle, lose fat, get strong etc… • Pictures of yourself from front side and back. • List any injuries or medical conditions and medications which may affect training protocol. This is deliberately open-ended and not a specific form that people fill out, because “how” any client answers these questions provides Scott with a lot of info. How much do they know about diet and training? How do they approach their daily diet? Are they buying into buzzwords? Scott bases his assessment file on his experience in social work. -------------------------- ♦ LINKS & RESOURCES ♦ -------------------------- The Scott Abel Starter Set - scottabelfitness.com/starter How to Be An Insanely Good Fitness Coach - http://scottabelfitness.com/ebooks/online-fitness-coach/