Every time you turn on the news these days it is totally depressing. The recession is in full effect and everyone and everything seems to be conspiring against you to make you feel miserable.
Stocks are taking a dive.
Banks don’t want to give mortgages.
Car companies are getting rid of leasing options.
And to top it all off, you’re still feeling overweight, tired, and frustrated because the cold weather just makes it that much harder to get in better shape.
Well…we’re sick and tired of the misery…AND WE’RE ABOUT TO MAKE YOUR DAY SO MUCH BRIGHTER!
For a very short time we’re offering our 3 day per week private personal training program
for the price of our 2 day per week program!
In other words - Buy two get one FREE or Get 50% MORE for the same price. No matter how you say it, it all spells out an incredible deal.
The vast majority of our clients lose between 20 to 40 pounds in a 14 week period on our two day per week program. Imagine what you could do if you were training THREE times per week. It is almost impossible to fail!
On top of our 3 day per week exercise regime you’ll also get a full nutrition plan, fitness testing, and one-on-one personal attention that is unparalleled in the fitness industry.
If you feel like you’ve been here before and got stuck counting calories then you can thank your lucky stars because WE DO NOT COUNT CALORIES in our facility. We realize that our clients eat food not points or calories so you’ll never count another thing…(except the pounds you’re losing every week).
Of course, you might be wondering why on earth anyone might want to undertake such a program right before Christmas. Let me tell you this, December is historically a very busy month for us (even busier than January if you can believe that).
What’s more is that the people who decide to change their lives before Christmas aren’t doing it to do lip service to a half-hearted New Years resolution. They’re dead serious about losing the weight and keeping it off. In our experience, most of them do.
So what’s the catch?
The catch is that we’re only offering this deal in the mornings. Our evening spots are at a premium because they’re always busy so this promotion only applies to those who are willing to train between the hours of 6AM and 1PM.
We do know that most people hate mornings.
However, we know that you also probably hate not looking the way you want to look. We know you’ve spent enough time not feeling the way you deserve to feel. We know you’re tired of not being able to find any clothes that “fit right” or hide the things you’re trying to hide. We know you’re fed up with hardly having enough energy to keep your eyelids open at three in the afternoon.
So we’re going to bribe you with this deal to drag yourself out of bed because we believe you want to look and feel better than you’ve ever felt. We know you want this bad enough to finally make a change.
Of course, we do know that there are those of you who aren’t ready to make the change today and that’s okay. This promotion is only for those people who are absolutely PUMPED to lose 20 to 40 pounds in the next 14 weeks! But if you are interested you’d better act lightning fast because SPACES ARE VERY LIMITED. As I mentioned before, December is a busy month for us so you don’t want to get left out in the cold.
And if you’re thinking of waiting until the New Year DON’T. This deal ends on December 31st and then it’s gone – finished – done.
Pick up the phone and call 905-667-4828 RIGHT NOW
to reserve your spot before spaces disappear.
Add commentPosted: November 19th, 2008 at 08:47pmBy: mark
The way the world works can seem backwards somehow to me at times. People can baffle me like nothing else can. Sometimes we speak up when we see something we perceive is wrong and at other times we remain silent when our voices should be heard loud and clear. Don’t understand what I’m talking about? Let me explain.
Over the years we have worked with many people to help them achieve their goals. We’ve had several people hit their weight loss targets. And in almost every circumstance someone close to that person came forward with their opinion, “You’re getting too skinny”, “Are you even eating anything at all?” or “Oh- I think that’s enough weight lost, you shouldn’t lose anymore.” To be honest there have been worse things said to people than I’m willing to write here. And in all of these cases the person losing the weight looked and felt healthier than ever before and none of them would be considered underweight or undernourished.
People are so willing to step forward and tell someone that they are “getting too thin” for whatever reason BUT they do not tell their loved ones when they are gaining too much weight. Why is that? Could it be because it is a societal norm to be overweight and therefore is more readily accepted? Is it that the loved one somehow feels better about themselves because their friend is overweight? Or is it feasible that they are afraid to say anything to spare their friends feelings? Let’s examine these options further.
Societal Norms
In North America obesity is a raging epidemic. It is everywhere you look. It’s affected our parents, our peers and our children. Here in Hamilton, Ontario we are officially the city with the highest rate and percentage of overweight and obese citizens in all of Canada. This is definitely not something to be proud of. It is also something that I feel is not being addressed adequately. Let’s face it. It is acceptable to be overweight and obese. If someone puts on 20lbs, rarely is it discussed as a concern by the people closest to that person. It seems as if people find nothing wrong with the situation at all. As stated above, it is the norm and it is accepted.
Insecurity
I believe that everyone has their own issues with themselves. Something that makes them feel insecure. And most people, especially women, feel the need to compare themselves against others. I’ve known people who freely admit to surrounding themselves with friends who are overweight because it makes them feel better about themselves and about the way they look. Is this wrong? Heck yes! But it is a reality. And when one of their friends decides to take their health into their own hands and make a change then all of a sudden that comfort and security is threatened. Sometimes they react with some of the opinions above. You see, when people see their friends succeed in their weight loss it can be a reality check to the person. It IS possible. There is NO excuse for it not to happen. It’s almost as if their own inadequacies are coming back to haunt them when they look at their friends success. And while they should be celebrating her success and encouraging her, instead they find themselves doing the opposite. Like I said above I have seen this many times with families and friends of clients who are doing well.
Fear
Some people are afraid to say something to their friend who has packed on some weight. I do understand that feelings can and will get hurt but this option is far better than the friend falling victim to disease from obesity. There are ways to come across as concerned and encouraging. The point is that we don’t do it enough. If we really care about people and see them going down a road that leads to death then it is our responsibility to step in and say something. No one has a problem doing so when their loved one has a drug or alcohol addiction. It is the same thing. It is a sickness and it CAN kill them.
It ultimately does not matter what the reason is behind you not standing up and saying something to your loved one. It just matters that you do say something to them. It matters that you do express your love and concern for them. Being overweight or obese is dangerous. It can lead to heart disease, stroke, Type 2 Diabetes, Hypertension and many, many other health issues. It is something we should take very seriously. And it is something that we, as a society should do something about. Start with those closest to you.
Add commentPosted: November 12th, 2008 at 11:25amBy: stacey
Upon my arrival home from Mexico in mid April 2008 I felt and looked like the Michelin tire lady. At 65 years and holding I did some long, hard thinking and realized that I was on a slippery downward slope.
There are many trainers advertising their expertise so with that in mind I researched other gyms and interviewed trainers. In November of 2007 I had cut a photo of Mark out of the Spectator showing him with a lady whom we had helped loose a lot of weight and tone up. I thought he would have a huge challenge with me but I decided to interview him based on what I had read in the article and on his website. Mark really impressed me with his knowledge of what my body was experiencing due to two car accidents in three years. He understood my limitations and what I was able to do.
The first few weeks were rough. I was up and down like a roller coaster. One minute I was elated by what I was achieving. I was down in the dumps big time because the food plan was a far cry from what I was used to. Mark really had to endure lots of verbal abuse from me in regards to that plan and I had a long letter prepared to give him but in the end decided to “suck it up” and get on with trying to become as strong as I could. Since then I’ve made great strides and have now made the food plan an integral part of my life!
Every day I am amazed at what I accomplished. I am amazed at how well I feel. On the days when my body does not co-operate I realize it’s just a small blip and I still try and be as active as I can under the circumstances.
Over the time I spent with Mark I have also gained a lot of muscle mass. That is really important to me because of my age and wanting to live for a long time yet as a strong woman able to take on the challenges of a seven year old grandson.
Thank you both Mark and Stacey for all your work with me — I CAN and I WILL!!!
Bonny
Add commentPosted: November 5th, 2008 at 01:57pmBy: mark
Below are five things I think everyone needs to do. Some are related to looking good. Some are related to feeling good. Others are just related to staying alive (which is a real bonus if you’re going to do all that work to look and feel good). All in all, the thought process is pretty random, but if you’re not doing all of these things you need to start.
Eat Breakfast
You can’t start a fire without wood and you can’t start your metabolism without fuel. Skipping breakfast is the equivalent of failing to put a log on your metabolic fire. It just isn’t going to get started until you eat. What’s more important to note is that people who eat breakfast are less likely to be overweight and less likely to overeat later in the day. Ideally, breakfast would be a larger meal with meals actually tapering in size towards the end of the day.
Certainly there are those of you with excuses. Trust me, I’ve heard them all. But that doesn’t change the unalterable truth that unless you’re eating breakfast you’ll never have the body that you truly desire.
Start by eating something small within an hour of waking. Experience with hundreds of clients we’ve dealt with demonstrates that you will eventually become hungry in the morning and it will get easier.
Take Your Blood Pressure
Did you know that your blood pressure is a better predictor of cardiovascular health than your cholesterol numbers? In fact, high blood pressure does more damage to your arteries than cholesterol ever could on its own. For cholesterol to stick to your artery walls there needs to be damage and do you know where that damage comes from? Yep, you guessed it - high blood pressure.
And just in case you’re not worried about your heart, arterial damage can also affect your skin (giving you wrinkles), your eyes (giving you glaucoma), and even your parts south of the border (causing erectile dysfunction in men and loss of sensation in women).
An ideal blood pressure in the average healthy adult is 115/75. If yours is higher than this you need to do something about it as this is a MAJOR risk factor. But before you go racing to the doctor to get the latest and greatest medication consider whether you’re actually doing everything you can for your arterial health.
If your food choices are poor and you’re completely inactive you probably need to address this issue. Go get the meds if you need to, but don’t get too comfortable as these can’t stave off the effects forever. Start taking care of yourself and make it a concrete goal to get your blood pressure under control without the aid of drugs and you’ll live a healthier and happier life.
Floss Your Teeth
With all the tooth whitening products out there you’d suspect that many of those beautiful smiles would be healthy smiles, but unfortunately several of them aren’t.
Despite having brilliant looking pearly whites, many people fail to make the time to floss and this could end up being a fatal mistake. It appears that unless we take care of our gums we’re susceptible to bacterial infections causing gingivitis and other conditions. More importantly, people with these conditions are likely to experience artery damage as a result.
Scientists don’t know yet if the bacteria themselves get into the bloodstream and damage the arteries or if there is some other kind of low grade inflammatory response that affects them, but they do know that taking care of the gums reduces the risk.
Take the few seconds to floss your teeth and it might be a lifesaving experience.
Exercise a Minimum of 5 Hours Per Week
You’re busy aren’t you? In fact, you’re probably so busy that this seems to be a high price to pay for better health doesn’t it?
Well let me explain to you the most common scenario in North America to see if I can change your mind. And by the way, I’m not reading this from the statistics in a magazine either. These are the people we deal with every day.
Many people are inactive. They then become overweight or obese from being inactive. Carrying the extra weight puts excess strain on the body and they start to experience lower back, hip, or knee pain. Often they end up taking pain medication because they can’t handle the constant ache. Unfortunately, the pain leads to less movement and more weight gain resulting in Type II Diabetes. For this a doctor prescribes Metformin. In the same visit the doctor notices that the person’s blood pressure and cholesterol are sky high so they’re also now taking some form of blood pressure medication and a Statin like Lipitor for the cholesterol. The person finally decides to fight back and follows a severe diet program and loses weight rapidly only to regain it just as fast. Now they can’t lose weight for the life of them because their metabolism is shot from crash dieting, their whole body aches and they’re essentially a walking pharmacy. They’re completely depressed and their doctor has no other recourse, but to put them on antidepressants and possibly anti anxiety meds to help them relieve the stress. If they’re female the doctor will also probably suggest some calcium and vitamin D because their bones are becoming brittle from inactivity. Ultimately, they feel completely exhausted and defeated every day, they can’t look in a mirror much less shop for new clothes, and they feel that there is no hope. In essence, they’ve almost completely given up.
This is often when people finally come to us in search of one last chance to turn their lives around. If they’re not there yet, they’re usually at some place along that slippery slope and would eventually reach the endpoint given enough time.
The main point here is that all of this could have been averted if people had just made a little time each week for themselves to go out and exercise for just 45 minutes per day. In fact, just walking for 30 minutes per day is a great start.
Time might seem short with all of your work, family, and social obligations, but if you were to picture yourself in the place of the person at the end of the scenario above I guarantee you the price would not seem so high. If you can’t picture yourself there…just wait.
Inspect Your Private Parts
Many Cancers start in places that most people don’t like to talk about. Unfortunately, this often leads to lack of information on the topic and, sadly, many people die as a result of late detection. If you’re sensitive towards this topic you can skip the rest of this article. However, I’d suggest you forge forward as the information below might just save your life.
Women
It is well known that women should administer a self breast exam regularly to detect lumps that could be dangerous. However, it is less well known how often women actually do this. Because early detection is key to fast and effective treatment, make sure to do this on a monthly basis. If you think you’re not likely to remember just let your partner know that they can do it for you when they remind you it needs to be done. My guess is that you’ll never miss an exam again.
Some statistics suggest that at least 50% of sexually active women will contract human papillomavirus (HPV) at some time during their lives. Many scientists believe the number is even higher than that and that most women don’t know they have it. The biggest issue is that this can eventually lead to cervical Cancer and in most instances THERE ARE NO SYMPTOMS in the early stages. This is why it is so critical to get a pap smear annually after a woman becomes sexually active. Granted, this appointment probably won’t be your favourite day of the year, but it could be the most important day of your life.
Men
Remember when you were a teenager and your parents told you not to touch anything down there or you’d go blind? Well I’m here to give you outright permission to do just that. At least once a month it is imperative to check your testicles for lumps you don’t recognize. In fact, even if you don’t think you have any lumps it is important to get to know how things “should feel” so if you eventually do develop a lump you’ll recognize it as being out of place. If you do find something it is always better to get it checked out than to rationalize it away. Better safe than sorry. For the record, I don’t suggest using the same “ask your partner” strategy as I mentioned above for the breast exam. In this case, it might be a long time before you get your next exam.
Finally, the one test men don’t like to talk about - The prostate. The sound of a rubber glove snapping onto the hand of a doctor standing behind you is the stuff of nightmares to most men, but Cancer scares me MUCH more. In fact, prostate Cancer is the most common Cancer in Canadian men. It is estimated that in 2008 approximately 24,700 men will be diagnosed with prostate Cancer. So…as much as you hate it…every man over 45 (or 40 if your family has a history) should get a prostate exam annually. Don’t forget to ask for a PSA (prostate specific antigen) test while you’re at it. The manual prostate exam can sometimes miss things this test will pick up.
Summary
The main point is that the stuff I’ve written above are simple things that need to be done to keep you looking and feeling great while living a long and exciting life. Many of them only need to be done once yearly, monthly, or daily, but they’ll hardly take any more than a few minutes at a time (except for the 45 minutes of exercise daily…which really isn’t much time in the grand scheme of things).
If you’re looking for some small steps to take to get healthy…now you can start stepping.
Add commentPosted: October 28th, 2008 at 12:28pmBy: mark
1. There are a lot of personal trainers out there in the world but only a handful of good ones. A personal training certification can be attained in a matter of hours to a matter of weeks. It’s the ongoing quest for knowledge and the ability and desire to help people achieve their goals that separates the good from the bad.
2. A positive attitude makes a world of difference in anything you do. Just like the little engine that could… if you think you can then you are more likely to achieve it.
3. People always want to do something that will make them happy eventually. “When I pay off my debt, I’ll be happy”, “When I get married, I’ll be happy”, “When I lose 30lbs, I’ll be happy” or “When I’m retired, I’ll be happy”. The trick is to BE HAPPY TODAY regardless of circumstance. Don’t waste time being miserable. You never know how much time you have so please make the best of it.
4. Motivation is something that comes from within. As a personal trainer it is part of my job to help motivate people to do better. That’s right, I said to HELP. I can provide the tools but the drive and persistence has to come from within.
5. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
6. People have a tendency to look for validation that what they are currently doing is working. Just because Lean Cuisine says that you will lose weight eating their fettuccini alfredo or that someone educated says that a glass of wine and a piece of dark chocolate a day is beneficial for your health does NOT mean that I agree or that it will work for everyone. If it works for you then all the power to you. If not – stop validating things and make real changes.
7. The formula for weight loss is very simple. Expend more calories than you take in. The formula for health is also very simple. Eat what the earth provides and exercise frequently. This is not rocket science and you do not need gimmicks or pills to accomplish these things.
8. In order to change your body you must combine both exercise and nutrition. Any plan that offers only one or the other is not doing you a service. Some popular plans only offer nutrition and while you may lose weight you do not look and feel the best that you can.
9. We, as a species have done unimaginable things to our planet. Educate yourselves and make small changes. Many small changes can make a big difference.
10. Anyone lucky enough to be blessed with children has an opportunity to instil good habits and values in them.
11. If you’ve ever seen the show “Jon and Kate + 8” then you get a taste of what it would be like to have a set of twins and a set of sextuplets. I’ve learned by watching this show that absolutely anything is possible.
12. Recently, my husband and I attended a fitness trade show in Toronto. We were appalled at the food choices provided. There were booths with French fries, pizzas and pretzels. Obviously we were not prepared for this because we assumed that there would be healthy options. So we headed outside and fought through the crowds of “fitness professionals” waiting in line to get to that French Fry Truck for some good old hot dogs and onion rings. We made our way across the street to a restaurant and ordered some healthier options. Strangely, the restaurant was not busy and we had a good view of that line up of hungry “motivators”.
13. Most women that start training seem to have a fear or lifting “big weights” and “bulking up”. I’ve learned to accept that this is the mindset and to alter it. In order to change one must progress and challenge herself.
14. Along the road to good health and weight loss people will stumble. There will be tough times and you will slip. Accept this and move on. Do not dwell on it for this will only end negatively. Simply pick up the pieces and get back on track.
15. Spot reduction or being able to lose weight in one specific area on your body is a load of crap and anyone that tells you differently is trying to sell you something.
16. You must EAT to lose weight. Your metabolism needs fuel in order for it to speed up. To stop eating is to kill your body and ensure many more health issues than you bargained for.
17. Setting clear and concise goals for yourself makes you more likely to be successful. I have said this many times and I will continue to say it. You can achieve things if you set your mind to them even if they seem impossible at the time that you set them. This is a video of my husband performing The Human Flag, something he couldn’t imagine himself doing.
18. Too many people in this industry are trying to make the almighty dollar while selling you absolutely useless products and supplements. Do not fall victim to this. Do your research. And see #7 on my list.
19. Some people will disappoint you in your life and leave you feeling jaded. But on the flip side others will astound you. The key is to balance the two.
20. And finally I have learned that health, happiness and family are irreplaceable.
Add commentPosted: October 22nd, 2008 at 11:26amBy: stacey
I NEVER THOUGHT I NEEDED HELP UNTIL I SAW MYSELF IN PICTURES!!!
Hello my name is Valarie and I’m soon to be 33 yrs of age. I would first like to tell you a little of my history in the battle of my bulges!! I have three wonderful girls aged 11, 8 and 6. I started having children when I was 21.
I’m 5ft 10″ and before I had children I was a size 5. After my third I went up to a size 13!! My weight at that time was 183 lbs. I have always been active and was able to lose some weight on my own but I was never able to tone up the way I wanted.
The word “gym” was never in my vocabulary until I met Stacey (or Saint to me!). We hit it off right away and when we started talking about body types and I told her what I had been struggling with. Over the next couple of weeks she sat down with me and went over the things I should start doing (like going to the gym).
One year later with me putting up a fight and the knowledge that Stacey has given me I have finally been able to take a picture and feel comfortable at a size 7 and 139 lbs! Now I look forward to the next level of building more muscle. Thank you so much Stacey for being a great drill sergeant!!!
Add commentPosted: October 15th, 2008 at 09:01amBy: stacey
Recently the Hamilton Spectator launched a new Ask a Trainer column and last week I was asked to discuss a powerful workout method called supersets. Nutrex Solutions personal trainer Crystal Vermeer was also featured in the photographs.
To learn about the profound benefits of supersets and why you should be using them in your workouts check out the full article HERE.
Add commentPosted: October 8th, 2008 at 12:49pmBy: mark
Since I first started in the personal training industry my views on supplements have changed dramatically. Having come from a prestigious exercise metabolism research lab I knew that there was a lot of junk out there and I was always skeptical of the latest and greatest supplement on the market. I also knew that, although supplement companies do have independent labs research their products, they tend to change the wording to make it seem as though the product is better than it is.
For example, researchers might run a study and make the following conclusion:
Over 4 months the group that received the fat loss product managed to lose 1 pound while the group who did not only lost half a pound.
With a few small changes the marketing company runs this in a magazine:
In clinical research trials the group who took our product lost 100% MORE WEIGHT than the group who did not.
I’ve actually seen something like this done by one company who will remain nameless. Technically they’re not lying, but they aren’t exactly being totally transparent either. Would you spend $60-$80 per month to lose an extra half of a pound over the course of four months?!?
With that in mind I came up with three criteria to determine if a supplement might be of use to my clients.
1. Is there high quality published research done on the product? And more importantly, how many studies have been done?
Generally speaking, a single research study in isolation does not mean very much. Repeated studies with a similar result over the course of several years are a better indication of the effectiveness of a supplement.
2. Have I personally read this research?
As mentioned above, supplement companies tend to inflate the statements from research papers so you really can’t trust them too much. They’re in the business to make money and, in this case, truth doesn’t always sell the product.
More importantly, fitness experts who are genuinely trying to help the public are often forced to interpret articles that are beyond their scope of expertise. This information gets passed on and is sometimes taken as gospel by other professionals.
One such example is a popular study that concludes that taking amino acids (protein building blocks) and carbohydrates (sugar) before training has a greater muscle building effect than taking them after training.
Unfortunately, what many people miss is that one of the methods for measuring blood flow (an important factor in this study) is subject to errors and that the result is likely untrue.
In a later study the same group of researchers found that a whole protein (actually whey protein) taken before exercise was no better than when it was taken after exercise. In this case, it is possible that the blood flow measures were actually accurate and that would likely explain the difference in the outcome.
Of course, if you didn’t know what you were looking for you’d probably miss it. That’s why I like to read things for myself.
3. Is the supplement conducive to the goals of my client?
People often come in and ask if a certain supplement is good. My first question is always “good for what?”
While creatine might help you gain some strength and muscle size, it probably isn’t going to help you too much for fat loss so supplements have to be specifically chosen to help you reach your goals. No matter how well researched a supplement is, you have to make sure to choose the right one.
The Turning Point
For the earlier part of my career these rules served me fairly well, but one day a couple of years ago I was reading the newspaper when I read something that caused me to start thinking a little differently. That day a world renowned researcher was asked about the ultimate post-exercise recovery drink. His answer? “Chocolate Milk.”
At that moment it finally occurred to me that just because something works doesn’t mean that we should consume it. Granted, chocolate milk might make you gain some muscle, but I highly doubt that this is the type of nutrition our bodies were meant to consume.
Since that day I’ve slowly started to rethink my views on supplements, but it wasn’t until recently that I finally had a complete change of heart. As far as I can tell, there were two factors that pushed me over the edge.
First, my wife and I recently purchased a DVD of a seminar we once attended by a guy named Paul Chek. If you’ve never heard of him I would highly suggest you pick up his book How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy. I strongly believe that this is one book that everyone should have in their library. Granted, the guy can be considered downright crazy sometimes, but at other times he’s a veritable genius. If you’re looking for top notch information on nutrition I promise you that this book will not disappoint.
Anyway, the seminar essentially reminded me of something I already knew, but Paul drove the point home with conviction. We can get everything in these supplements from food. Protein comes from meat and dairy. Creatine is from meat. Calcium comes from dairy. Vitamins come from almost every major food group. Fish oil is obviously from fish. Fiber comes from fruits, vegetables, legumes. Do we really need supplements?
The second factor sealed the deal for me. Recently my wife and I were invited to attend the Canadian Health Food Association expo at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. This event is primarily for retailers that are promoting health, but nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to see.
In the whole place with thousands of tables I only saw ONE full of fruits and vegetables and one other booth selling organic dairy. The rest of the “food” consisted primarily of microwavable organic dinners, organic chocolate pretzels, and other similar items. The remaining 50% of the booths were peddling various supplements, pills, and concoctions that were scientifically proven to build muscle, burn fat, improve health, and everything under the sun.
However, what hit me the hardest was that about 95% of the people selling and purchasing all of these items showed little to no evidence that they’d ever eaten a healthy food or exercised at all. At that moment I came to the firm conclusion that most people have no business at all using any form of supplement whatsoever.
Yep. I just said that. Unless your diet is 100% perfect and you’re performing a bare minimum of 5 hours of exercise per week you have not earned the right to take a supplement. Only after you have done this can you even CONSIDER it.
Granted, there are exceptions to the rule (i.e, cancer patients who are unable to eat or exercise), but you are most likely not one of them. Our bodies are meant to consume food not some gelatin encapsulated food substitute.
“But why is my trainer, chiropractor, gym selling this stuff to me if it doesn’t work?”
I’m not saying it doesn’t work. I’m just saying that food works the same way and our body is meant to process food. It is not meant to process a neon green energy drink or a synthetic protein substitute. Maybe they mean to help you, but they’re naively feeding your body unrecognizable chemicals.
Secondly, people sell this stuff because it is an additional revenue stream. As much as I hate to say it, there are people out there who would sell you anything as long as it put a dollar in their pocket. Not all people are trying to be malicious, but they could unknowingly be giving you something that is negatively affecting your health to make money to pay the rent.
“What about naturopaths?”
In my opinion, food should be the first course of action for anyone with the root word “nature” in the name of their chosen profession. While I genuinely believe that most naturopaths are sincerely trying to help you, I feel that many have been misguided. I would be apt to suggest trying food by itself first not in conjunction with supplementation to rectify any problems.
That said, if you’re taking more than two supplements I would highly suggest you revise your understanding of the word “natural”. Last time I checked, I didn’t see any untouched aboriginal tribes popping Centrum multivitamins in the morning.
In Conclusion
As with most things, the truth usually lies somewhere between the two extremes. While it might seem that I’m quite far on the anti-supplement side of the spectrum, I’m actually not totally averse to their use. In fact, in some cases a high quality protein supplement or nutrient replacement is warranted. The main point I’m trying to make here is that food and regular exercise should take precedence over anything that comes in a bottle. Only once you have completely mastered these two elements should supplementation be carefully considered.
Eat food. Be active. Become Healthy.
Add commentPosted: October 2nd, 2008 at 11:38amBy: mark
Nutrex Solutions was created in 2002 to help people lose weight, become healthy, or just plain improve their physical appearance. Using our cutting edge system our goal is to help you reach levels of fitness you thought were impossible and, more importantly, to stay that way. » Read More
. I strongly believe that this is one book that everyone should have in their library. Granted, the guy can be considered downright crazy sometimes, but at other times he’s a veritable genius. If you’re looking for top notch information on nutrition I promise you that this book will not disappoint.