trimlife hormone
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trimlife hormone
from the editor’s desk Hello and welcome to our July issue! Everyday there are new diets and training programs that lure you into spending your time and energy into them. Rarely though are they worth your time and effort. This month we feature Calisthenics and the Bio-Rhythm Diet. They are both functional and worth their weight in gold! We have been associated with Menno Henselmans long enough to know that whatever he preaches is backed by solid evidence and tons of research. Surprise awaits you as you go through his article in this months issue. After reading it you will win all arguments with your friends and colleagues about why Bodybuilding is the best pursuit in Fitness and Health. Hats off Menno!! Editorial Team Chief Editor: Jyoti Dabas Co-Editor: Dev Biswas Design Satabdi Das Zainab Kanchwala Editorial Email: [email protected] Contributors Pratik Thakkar Trina Roy Sheikh Nadir Siddique Akshay Kumar Vinodh V Karishma Arora Nushafreen Irani Menno Henselmans Dev Biswas Jyoti Dabas For Sales and Adverts We also have an amazing story in the Transformation of the Month where a person did not just go from Fat to Fit but completely changed his lifestyle and attitude about food. Some of us want to undertake this journey by ourselves while others are sceptical of ‘wasting’ more money behind what they now consider a ‘lost cause’. Please consider the fact that like you cannot give up on life, neither should you give up on Health. There are many who have transformed themselves and several hundreds are now on their way to learn about proper Nutrition and Fitness principles by enrolling into our Academy. It is never too late to begin. You just have to leave your past behind and dive into this journey with us!! As always, if there is anything you love or hate about the magazine, please do send me your feedback and suggestions at [email protected] Until next month.. Stay Fit. Stay Healthy. Regards, Jyoti Dabas (N.D.) Chief Editor, FITMAG ROHIT CHATTOPADHYAY [email protected] RAJIV AMBAT MENON [email protected] Cover Photo Model: Aradhana Jagota S.Q.U.A.T.S Corporate Office Office No. 210, 1st Floor, Victoria II, Fortaleza, Kalyani Nagar, Pune411014 E-mail: [email protected] Phone:+91 82139 31874 Disclaimer FITMAG is the digital monthly magazine of TM S.Q.U.A.T.S . The opinions expressed by the columnists and contributors to FITMAG are not necessarily those of the editor or publisher. Fraudulent or objec tionable content and advertising is not knowingly accepted. Advertisers and advertising agencies assume liability for all content of advertising and any claims arising therefore. Articles appearing in FITMAG may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the TM express permission from S.Q.U.A.T.S . All Rights Reserved. SQUATS UPDATE SQUATS continues to witness whirl winding level of activity across all its verticals. In the last month, SQUATS conducted corporate seminars at TCS, QuickHeal and others. SQUATS Connect: Wellness Convention’s tickets went on sale. Further more, there were loads of webinars and also the launch of our very own learning platform - SQUATS Academy SEE IT ALL IN THE PICTURES OF THE MONTH THAT WAS.. Corporate Seminar @QuickHeal Technologies & TCS Over 140 people came together to learn Nutrition and Fitness Principles at Quick Heal Technologies office Melvin also gave a great session at QuickHeal Technologies and is fast becoming a very sought after speaker Guest Lecture by JC @ SEEtalks on Social Entrepreneurship SEEtalks brought together people from different walks of life who SEE things differently and made a difference in other people’s lives 04 JC shared his experience on social entrepreneurship in this Guest lecture organised by SEE SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 Wellness Convention @ Pune: Tickets Now On Sale! SQUATS is bringing together an eminent panel of speakers for a 2 day convention at a beautiful resort in Pune. Accelerate your learning as the best in their respective fields share with you their secrets and get inspired with their stories. This exclusive event is only open to 350 people on a first come first served basis. BOOK YOUR TICKETS - CLICK HERE TICKET PRICE INCLUDES: - Access to all lectures / panel discussions - Meals and snacks for the 2 days - Live Music - Demonstration of Ancient India’s Fighting Skills - All taxes and service charges as applicable 05 SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 LAUNCH OF SQUATS ACADEMY THE ONLY WAY TO EVOLVE IS TO CONSTANTLY KEEP DOING THINGS, CONTRIBUTING, AND PUSHING YOUR LIMITS. by the Academy for not only those who want to be a part of the fitness industry but also created keeping in mind a fitness enthusiasts need to learn more and be more. SQUATS has marked a milestone in its history with the launch of its Academy- its own unique, learning platform which aims at providing education on Fitness and Nutrition. The 3 courses currently being offered are Foundation, Expert, and Advanced Course, where the advanced course will be mentored by Menno Henselmans himself. We have collaborated with big names in the fitness industry like Menno Henselmans to make the courses at par with, or even better than other similar world class courses. Jyoti Dabas, Doctor of Naturopathy, is the Director of the Academy. She also manages her own fitness blog called FitButHow and is the Chief Editor of FITMAG. As all the courses are offered online, the Academy offers a chance to those with a busy schedule to set their own pace of learning. Currently, there are three courses being offered 06 The road ahead belongs to Knowledge. SQUATS has done everything possible to impart that to the masses. With the Academy, SQUATS is trying to bridge the gap for quality and practical knowledge when it comes to Fitness and Nutrition. SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 TRANSFORMATION OF THE MONTH Does the picture tell you enough about what happened here? Well, if not, let me tell you – A miracle. That’s what happens when the science of nutrition and training come in perfect sync and has its effects on you. Let’s hear it from the Winner of our Transformation of the month for July, SATYAJIT DASH! Our Transformation of the month will receive a stack of Supplements from the sponsors of this section, TRIMLIFE 07 Dev – Winner of the “Transformation of the Month” competition. Does it feel good to see that people regard you as the best transformation from all the other entries? Satyajit – Everyone is already a winner for transforming themselves. However, I must say I’m proud of myself today that the world recognises my achievement and effort in transforming myself. I feel delighted to be here as the Winner. Dev – We’d like to know about you. Tell us who you are. Satyajit – Professionally, I am working as a geotechnical professional with an oil & gas, E&P company in Gurgaon. I have an M.Sc. from IIT, Bombay & M.Tech from ISM, Dhanbad. I’m 44 years old, and an immigrant from the land of unhealthy and depressed world to the world of good health and fitness! Dev – Interesting introduction there! Can you tell us more about your early life in the land of ignorance and bad health? Satyajit – Between 2005 to 2010, I was leading the most unhealthy lifestyle, with the typical mindset of “Live life King-size” & “Kamate kisliye hain? Khane ke liye”. Junk food was a staple without giving second thoughts of quality or quantity. What did I end up with? “Fatty liver condition”, with doctors continuously advising me to reduce weight. I used to be 108-110 kg. When I used to discuss this with fiends & colleagues, they used to tell SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 me, “It’s OK to have fatty liver with this kind of lifestyle. Look, I don’t drink, I don’t eat nonveg, but I still fatty liver”, “I am active, I am not obese, and yet I have fatty liver. Don’t bother”. Somehow this never satisfied me. I had intermittent BP, stress, hypertension, fatigue issues, and I was weak. Dev – And you managed to change all that with your journey into fitness. How did that happen? Satyajit – After that period, from the year 2011, I really started making all possible efforts like going to the GYM, walking, running, cycling whenever possible, cutting down my junk food, and I managed to reduce about 5 kg. before getting stuck again. Sometime during mid Sept-Oct 2015, I met this SQUATIAN, Shahrukh Wasay, who by then had already shredded a significant weight. He introduced me to SQUATS and the rest is in front of you. Dev – You’ve really had a 180 degree transformation, your pictures are proof of that. Tell us, what keeps you motivated? Satyajit – Yes, completely. I have more muscles now, even at 44, my energy levels are super high, BP and stress is all gone, I sleep for 7-8 hours every night. Well, that’s what health means for me. And every SQUATS post is a motivation for me. 08 I go through all the posts, answer queries, learn from others, and my mentor Dev Biswas helps me a great deal to keep me on this journey. It has been a great experience being guided by you and SQUATS all the way! I think it was in FitMag - April 2016 where I saw your article “Lean Gain – Build muscle Not Fat” after which I got in touch with you and since then have been guided by you in the fitness journey. If you remember I used to complain to you that you’re feeding me too much and I’m eating a lot, but you said carry on. And I was still losing weight even after you fed me such a huge quantity of food! Thank you for that. I know that means I’m getting healthier, my metabolism is a lot better now! ducted health talk session in my residential society. Dev – That sounds great! It’s really a great thing that you’re contributing to the society as well. Lastly, your message for our readers? Satyajit – I thank all the Squatians, friends and colleagues who have voted me the winner of “Transformation of the Month” contest. What I’d like to tell everyone is – Please do not treat your body as a lab mouse. Don’t put everything possible from the supermarket into it. Be determined. If you doubt you have the time to learn it all, well, invest a little amount and enroll with an expert. There are dozens of the BEST professionals on squats.in. Do what I did, Change your Life! Dev – It was mostly your own dedication that you’ve achieved all this. Tell us about how you want to give it back to the society? Satyajit – The beautiful world of nutrition science has fascinated me so much; I am now pursuing a sports nutrition certification from ISSA. Once I complete that, I have a plan to enrol myself with SQUATS ACADEMY for a certification. I do not miss an opportunity to educate people on the importance of nutrition to achieve an optimum health, to anyone who shows interest on knowing my secret behind my transformation. I have also con- SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 CALISTHENICS SHOULD YOU DO IT? The term ‘Calisthenics’ has been derived from the Greek word ‘kallos’ which means beauty and ‘sthenos’ that means strength. But is this the answer you are looking for? By Sheikh Nadir Siddiquee 09 SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 we all know about the famous art of Indian wrestling and the term ‘dand’- Hindu Pushups and ‘baithak’- Hindu Squat. These all are body weight exercises and the primary Calisthenics training tools. Even the ancient yoga is done all using body weight. Calisthenics is very similar to yoga which involves hand-stands( Ardho Mukha Vrksasana) /headstands (Sirsasana) etc. Calisthenics fulfils the three dimensions of fitness which is strength, agility and mobility. Training with equipment can give you strength but fails to help with agility and mobility. Doing yoga can give you strength and mobility but no agility. Also doing an endurance activity like running/sprinting would give you agility and mobility but fails to provide strength gains. We often find excuses for not going to the Gym. Some really do not have enough time or money to afford a gym and some do not enjoy it. Well, ‘Calisthenics’ might be a possible solution to your problem. Calisthenics is basically body weight workout that can be done at home, park and requires bare minimum equipment like a bar/ ring. It is the cheapest workout option available and is very effective. It is a form of resistance training wherein body is used to apply resistance. Resistance is stressing a muscle with a load of training to move against a force. The muscles do not understand 10 how much weight you are lifting to build muscles. It just understands resistance and if your body faces enough resistance, it tends to grow. One of the earliest mentions of Calisthenics can be found in the chronicles of Herodotus on the Battle of Thermopylae (480 BC). Yes, the Greek bodies were made mostly by doing Calisthenics because back then there was no hifi equipment to build muscles. The Greek geographer and traveller Pausanias also observed that athletes were trained in Calisthenics. Needless to say, Calisthenics has been a part of various cultures. For example, The basic workouts of Calisthenics are push-ups, pull-ups, squat, jumps, planks and lunges. Once you master these skills, you can move forward to advanced techniques like hand stand push-ups , kip ups, pistol squats, flips, dragon flag, human flag etc. They all look really cool but they are extremely difficult to perform. Your body gradually learns to balance and hold your body in a certain position for a certain amount of time. Calisthenics is dynamic in comparison to the regular weight training. We can always add variety to the training and still implement the basic push and pull strategy for muscle growth. And yes, a great looking ripped physique can be achieved by doing just Calisthenics and taking care of Nutrition. It can be mixed with weight training to enhance muscle growth while still being able to achieve mobility and flexibility. SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 I personally train Calisthenics every day along with my regular weight training. It helps me achieve all aspects of Fitness i.e, body, mind and soul. The best way to master Calisthenics is to start with basics like push-ups, pull-ups, squats and planks and then gradually improvise on the balancing part of the advanced Calisthenics strategies. There are two ways to train - one for improving skills which involves picking up 3-4 skills and performing every day to learn to do it and be better at it, second one is making training splits for push, pull and legs and push your muscles to reach threshold for muscle growth. There are also various books available on Calisthenics like Combat Conditioning by Matt Furey, Dinosaur Bodyweight Training by Brooks Kubik, The Naked Warrior by Pavel Tsatsouline and Convict Conditioning by Paul Wade. You can go through these books and learn the art of Calisthenics. Calisthenics is also a famous sport and the World Street Workout & Calisthenics Federation (WSWCF) based in Latvia orchestrates the annual National Championships in up to 50 different countries (as of 2015) and hosts the World Championships for all the national champions to compete at one competition. Nadir is a Calisthenics Practitioner, Fitness and Nutrition Consultant at S.Q.U.A.T.S and an ISSA Certified Sports Nutrition Specialist. To Enrol for consultation from Nadir, log on to squats.in Pics: Nadir doing a one-hand push-up (above) and the very difficult, strength and balancing handstand (below) 11 View his complete profile here SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 12 SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 WHY & HOW OF BUILDING STRONG BACK MUSCLES By VINODH VAITHEESWARAN As we start progressing towards our fitness goals, it is possible that you are not giving equal priority to development of certain muscle groups. I have seen many gym enthusiasts lifting hard to make their chests, arms and abs bigger and more defined. We can fault the mirror which on daily basis takes control of our concentration towards each muscle development. As a beginner everyone wants a bigger chest and arms since that's what makes the guys feel awesome and huge while wearing those tight tees. In this process some tend to miss their focus on deve l op i n g t h e i r b a c k muscles. Though you wouldn't worry or care as much as a beginner but in the long run an uneven development will not just run your aestheticism but become a barrier in achieving your fitness goals. KNOW YOUR BACK: Chest and back are technically two opposite group of muscles which work in different training principles i.e. push and pull techniques. Though we are over-obsessed with chest muscle, it is very important to work on those back muscles to grow bigger and also to attain symmetry. Also overtraining of Pectoral (chest) for a long run may lead to disproportional posture and injuries, especially on shoulder joints (since they act as the mediator joints). Image: Anatomy of the Back; Source: TeachMeAnatomy.info 14 The back muscle group includes Trapezoids/rhomboid muscle groups, rear deltoids and latisimuss dorsi (being the major one). Considering these muscles let me limelight few points on why one should work towards strong back. SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 Pics: Pull up is the vertical load pulling technique and is one of the basic exercises for developing a strong back WHY TO BUILD STRONG BACK MUSCLES Posture, Flexibility and Spine strength! Many of us have experienced or seen well built but with non symmetrical postures, say bigger Pecs at one side , lowered shoulder blades (Scapula) on one side of the body. These are mainly due to the improper training since the largest back muscle (Latisimuss dorsi) form the basic posture definition for every human skeletal structure. Researches say that strengthening these muscles not only improves one’s posture but also core and spine strength. A strong back is the most important thing when it comes to sports and performance athletes since they are the key towards flexibility and injury prevention. 15 The muscle groups found in the lower back include stabilisers and spinal support muscles and these when trained regularly helps in avoiding lower back pain (Ref1). Now you know why you should work on to get bigger backs and which all muscles to concentrate on. Lets explore workout techniques to train those lats (Latisimuss dorsi) or the so called “wings”. HOW TO GO ABOUT IT The back muscles can be ideally trained by two workout principles: Vertical load pulling technique (Wide grip pull down, pull ups, Dead lifts) Size and Thickness: The principle behind this type of workouts involves vertical (i.e. up-down) range of motion with respect to load/weight progression in each set. Did you know that your back muscles are the next big muscle group after your legs. In fact training back muscles with good amount of load say with workouts like dead lifts, eventually will lead to over all muscle mass gain when combined with proper nutrition. Mostly these workouts involves the retraction of scapula (i.e. shoulder blades) to obtain maximum effort during the range of motion impacting the lat muscles to maximum. SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 Horizontal load pulling technique (Seat row, wide grip row, v bar row): This technique works with the range of motion being horizontal/ parallel to ground (e.g.: seated rows) with respect to load/weight progression in each sets. Basically rowing is the king of all back workouts either barbell row, dumbbell or cable ones since the workout is dispersed to rhomboids, trapezoids and lat muscles making the workout a compound movement. Hand grip variation technique: Researchers say that though there are involvement of bicep brachii (bicep muscle) during supinated grip (palm facing top position e.g.: lat grip pull down), the load impact is distributed maximal to the lat muscles. Muscle activity in vertical pull is greatly activated in pronated grip while in horizontal pulling (like rowing) using supinated grip is recommended (Ref2). Though we have so many variations, I suggest beginners to consider the fact that staying basics is easier and simple like • “Row makes you Grow”, • build those angelic wings with pull ups and • add dead lifts for size and thickness as they have been the secret of most pros to build their almighty backs. VINODH was a sportsman since a young age playing Judo at State Level and Hockey at University level. His clients love him for the time and patience with which he handles their queries. To enrol him as your mentor, log on to squats.in View his complete profile HERE Ok, so putting all together now you know why to build bigger and better back muscles as play a key part in your physique. So when is your next back day??? References: Ref1: http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/stretching-and-strengthening-are-key-tohealing-and-preventing-back-pain Ref2: https://www.strengthandconditioningresearch.com/muscles/latissimus-dorsi/ 16 SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 QUIZ CORNER WHAT IS YOUR HEALTH IQ? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 17 Fasting can lead to increased insulin sensitivity? A. True B. False Which are the two hormones that regulate appetite? A. Insulin and Glucagon B. Growth Hormone and Thyroid C. Epinephrine and Melatonin D. Leptin and Ghrelin Carbohydrates have a positive effect on Lipolysis? A. True B. False Amino Acids are primarily absorbed in____? A. Small Intestine B. Stomach C. Liver D. Large Intestine 8 9 10 When you go on a fat loss diet, Leptin levels rise so that the body can spare body fat? A. True B. False Lactose breaks down into or is composed of? A. Fructose and Glucose B. Glucose and Galactose C. Sucralose and Fructose D. Galactose and Sucralose What are EPA and DHA long chain versions of? A. Proteins B. Omega-3 C. Complex Carbs D. Vitamin A THIS QUIZ IS COURTESY OF SQUATS ACADEMY Which are the two broad categories in which Metabolism can be divided? A. Fast and Slow Metabolism B. Anabolism and Catabolism Protein digesting enzymes are secreted by which gland? A. Pancreas B. Liver C. Salivary D. Secretary cells in Stomach If carbon forms a ______ bond with other carbon and hydrogen, then it makes up to be a Saturated Fatty Acid? A. Simple B. Complex C. Single D. Double CHECK YOUR ANSWERS 10. (B) 9. (B) 8. (B) 7. (C) 6. (A) 5. (B) 4. (A) 3. (B) 2. (D) 1. (A) SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 DOWN ACROSS 1. Tissues where leptin is produced (7) 2. Number of calories per gram of carbohydrate (4) 3. Fasting can lead to increased sensitivity of ________ (7) 4. The causal study of diseases is known as _________ (9) 6. This organ regulates the distribution of amino acids in the body (5) 5. Protein digesting enzymes are secreted by _______ (8) 7. The most important hormone when it comes to fat burning (6) 8. Proteins are converted into ________ (6) ANSWERS revealed in the next issue JUNE’S CROSSWORD SOLUTION: Across: 4. Lipids 6. Fructose 7. Keto 8. Anabolism 9.Protein 10. Glycogen Down: 1.Diabetes 2.Fiber 3.Hormone 5.Metabolism Special thanks to Trina Roy for contributing this challenging Crossword! 18 SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 A lifestyle disorder involving excessive body fat Disease in which the body produces antibodies that attack its own tissues The enzyme that helps digest carbohydrates Breakdown of molecules to provide energy The catabolic hormone that gets activated during workout The hunger hormone Class of chemical compounds which are consumed in the largest quantities Addition or the replacement of natural food By-products of the incomplete breakdown of Free Fatty Acids in the liver ANSWERS revealed in the next issue JUNE’S WORD SEARCH SOLUTION: Vitamin, Water, Triglycerides, Glycosis, Sarcoplasmic, Liver, Glycemic, Catabolism, Thermogenesis, Insulin, Plateau Special thanks to Trina Roy for contributing this challenging Wordsearch! 19 SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 FEATURED ARTICLE 3 TRUTHS ABOUT BODY BUILDING WHICH WILL STUN AND SURPRISE YOU!! BY MENNO HENSELMANS 21 SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 Bodybuilding. The word immediately evokes distaste in many people. Bronzed, oiled up men in thongs showing off their clearly unnaturally large bodies. And women that look just like men. I understand the stigma. Yet I consider myself a bodybuilder and in this article I’ll show you why you probably should be bodybuilding too. “it is a myth that stretching increases muscle length at all, atleast with any humane stretching protocol” At its core, if you strip away the competitions and the steroid usage, the bodybuilding lifestyle simply comes down to lowering your body fat percentage and increasing muscular size. This is achieved with heavy resistance training in combination with a controlled diet. Here are 3 reasons why you should consider bodybuilding in your training even if you have no interest in competing. 1. BODYBUILDING IS BETTER THAN YOGA AT LENGTHENING YOUR MUSCLES Many people think yoga gives you long muscles and bodybuilding gives you short muscles. Yet it is a complete myth that stretching increases muscle length at all, at least with any humane stretching protocol. Nor does tendon length increase, for that matter. This myth is a clear example of simplistic thinking. You stretch a muscle, it lengthens, right? Acutely, yes, but total muscle (fascicle) length stays exactly the same. As per my review on the science of stretching, this is what really happens to your flexibility when you stretch a muscle: neural stretch tolerance increases. Basically, you teach the nervous system that it’s okay to relax the muscle a bit more when stretched. Most of the neural adaptation is simply an increase in pain tolerance. Contrary to popular belief, most muscles don’t come close to reaching their maximum length during most activities. The biomechanical structure of the human body simply does not make this possible. 22 SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 I should note that viscoelasticity of the muscle may increase after hard stretching, as in over two minutes, but this is only temporary. Depending on the amount of stretching, viscoelasticity returns to baseline within a matter of minutes. So the only semi-permanent adaptation that takes place after stretching is neural. The length of your tissues stays exactly the same. You become more flexible becomes the nervous system is taught it can safely let you use more range of motion. And since this is a specific adaptation, you mainly just become better at the stretches you’re actually doing, with little transfer to other movements. But you know what does make your muscles longer? Heavy weight training. From your body’s point of view, the stress induced by stretching pales in comparison to the tension put on a muscle by a heavy weight at the end of its range of motion. This stress actually causes the muscle to adapt its structure. In conclusion, bodybuilding does not give you short muscles. It makes them longer. In contrast, yoga doesn’t do jack for the length of your muscles. So when you see a ‘muscle-bound’ bodybuilder sitting next to a ‘lean and limber’ yoga instructor in the locker rooms, realise that the bodybuilder probably has the longest muscles. 2. BODYBUILDING IS ONE OF THE SAFEST SPORTS IN THE WORLD Bodybuilding doesn’t exactly have a reputation for being a safe sport (is it even a sport?), but again this perception is entirely misguided. In the table below I’ve compiled the injury rates of various categories of exercise from the scientific litera- ture. As you can see, bodybuilding is by far the safest activity of them all. This makes perfect sense if you rationally think about it. Most team sports – soccer, American football, basketball, baseball, hockey, etc. – involve a lot of uncontrolled and explosive movement. There is also a lot of impact to the body, whether it’s with a basketball, the floor or a 300 pound linebacker. Running is far more controlled, but the impact with the ground is unforgivingly repetitive. Olympic Weightlifting and Powerlifting don’t have much impact and are relatively controlled movements, so they have a severalfold lower injury rate. Yet when you’re lifting heavy weights close to your maximum capacity, even a minor slip can result in a serious injury. CrossFit doesn’t involve as much weight, but there is less control, more impact and more cardiovascular fatigue that makes it harder to maintain perfect technique. In contrast, bodybuilding training is very controlled, has almost no impact, doesn’t involve much 23 SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 training with maximal weights and incorporates a much greater variety of movements (less repetitive strain). So if want to look good naked and you want to play it safe (no pun intended), bodybuilding is the way to go 3. BODYBUILDING IS THE MOST FUNCTIONAL TRAINING THERE IS Surely now I’ve really lost it? Bodybuilding has a reputation for being the least functional sport there is. The sole aim of bodybuilding is improving your body composition without regard for actual performance. How can this be functional? CrossFit, where someone’s score and force production are almost perfectly correlated. You move more weight, you get a better score. However, it also applies in most sports: more force equals a faster sprint, a stronger punch, a higher jump, etc. Even an elderly person that has trouble standing up straight without shaking is a matter of force. Where we informally talk about ‘losing balance’, physically the problem is a lack of force production and increasing force production capacity is what solves the problem. So functional training requires an activity to have a high degree of transferability of force production “ An activity is functional if it improves performance in many other activities. So a leg extension is generally regarded as less functional than a squat ” Let’s define our terms here. In my experience, the way most people think about the term, regardless of how you specifically define it, ‘functional training’ refers to some measure of transferability of performance across activities. An activity is functional if it improves performance, defined below, in many other activities. So a leg extension is generally regarded as less functional than a squat, because leg extension strength doesn’t transfer well to many other activities, whereas a strong squat makes you better at jumping, sprinting, etc. Now let’s define performance. In the broad sense, as the term is used in fitness, performance generally refers to the ability to produce force during a given movement (= F in physics). This is straightforward for Olympic Weightlifting, Powerlifting and 24 across various movements. What defines force production capacity? The body’s ability to produce force during a given movement is controlled by 2 things. 1 Morphological components. This in practice largely comes down to muscle size, since this correlates with many of the other components, like internal leverage arm and pennation angle. Other morphological components, like myofilament density, aren’t very important. 2 Neurological components. This basically refers to the ability of your central nervous system, specifically your brain’s motor cortex, to control your muscles. Put simply, muscle size is the body’s engine of strength and your nervous system is the driver. Together, they determine your performance. Now here’s the kicker: the second component, neural adaptation, is highly specific. Your nervous system becomes better at performing the specific movement you’re doing with little transfer to other activities. Here are some examples. - Partial range of motion strength training makes you stronger specifically in the part of motion you’re training with only ~15% transfer to the rest of the movement. - That’s why you see many guys in the gym that can quarter squat a ton, yet when they have to go ass-to-grass, they have to strip off the majority of the weight. - The optimal training methods for 0-10 m sprints are significantly different from 30 m sprints, though both are already extremely short distances. - There is barely little relation between different measures of core strength, even though it’s the same muscle groups (abs, back, etc.) performing a similar task (stabilising the torso). - Unpublished research from Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences found that there is no significant relation between trunk stability (i.e. planks) and trunk flexion (i.e. crunches). - Other unpublished research from Saeterbakken et al. in Norway found that the relations between core strength, core stability and core endurance were “non-existing to medium”. Unsurprisingly then, the typical ‘functional training’ activities like core training and the Functional Movement Screen are “not strong predictors of performance. Despite the emphasis fitness professionals have placed on functional movement and core training for increased performance, our results suggest otherwise.” [2] Similarly, stretching a muscle does not improve its range of motion during many actual functional tasks. As per the first point of this article, stretching just makes you SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 MENNO HENSELMANS is an Online Physique Coach, Fitness Model, Scientific Author and the Founding Director of Bayesian Bodybuilding. Once a former business consultant specialised in advanced statistical data analysis, he traded his company car to pursue his passion - help serious trainees attain their ideal physique. The Bayesian method he follows goes beyond the scientific system and forms rational beliefs based on available information. With a long history of natural body building, his work is well known in the fitness community to be data driven and evidence based. An international public speaker, his work has been translated into many languages - Dutch, Norwegian, Spanish, Turkish, Italian, etc. He is our keynote speaker at the Wellness Convention set for 2 days in October. Read more about the convention here - www.squatsconnect.in Menno is also bring his scientific rigour and rational thinking to the SQUATS Academy and is on our Board of Advisors. To know more about the courses, send an enquiry email to [email protected] better at stretching: you teach the nervous system to relax only during that specific stretch with little transfer to other movements. This may be hard to grasp for some people. Part of the reason for this is that our language is fundamentally flawed to under- data showing that muscle size and a low body fat percentage (= bodybuilding) determine performance in a wide range of activities (= functionality). These include: Elite volleyball, Swimming, Competitive sprinting (obviously: just look at top level sprinters!), Elite surfing, Major League Baseball. Along with “ We talk about strength and power as traits, when they are in fact skills ” stand biomechanics. We talk about strength and power as traits, when they are in fact skills. Strictly speaking, a person cannot be strong or be powerful. A Powerlifter isn’t strong: a Powerlifter has a strong bench press, deadlift and squat. Nor is an Olympic Weightlifter powerful: a weight lifters has a powerful Clean & Jerk and Snatch. American Football, these are one of the few sports that caught on to the performance benefits of being highly muscular early on. Since the nervous system is highly movement specific in its function, that leaves muscle size as the main component of functional capacity. Muscle size is the only true trait that increases force production capacity without any limitation of movement specificity. If you make a muscle bigger, it will increase your ability to generate force during every movement that that muscle is involved in. Secondly, the other thing bodybuilders excel at, which is achieving a low body fat percentage, is also strongly linked to performance during many movements. As a final example the non-specific benefits of bodybuilding for performance, consider training for jumping performance. Many ‘functional trainers’ have argued that you should train quarter squats to improve your jump, because this is a movement that resembles actual jumping. However, full squats build more muscle and lead to greater increases in jumping performance than quarter squats. Given the same muscle mass, the lower your fat mass and thereby your total bodyweight, the higher your relative strength. This is particularly important during weightbearing activities, which basically includes all ground sports. In general, as competitive pressure, the celebrity status of athletes and the financial rewards increase, athletes in many sports are becoming ever more muscular. So where most athletes are specialised in specific movements and have certain skills, bodybuilders are the most functional because their size makes them good jacks-of-all-trades. CONCLUSION Don’t be deterred by the stigma. If you want to look good naked, you want longer muscles, you want to have a highly functional body and you want to achieve all of this safely, start bodybuilding. And this isn’t just theory and logic. There is actually a ton of 25 SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 26 SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 27 SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 28 SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 SPONSORED ARTICLE ARTICLE BY COURTESY OF: Importance of CALCIUM in your body BY KARISHMA ARORA Ever since an adolescent, you were told countless times to drink milk to build strong, healthy bones. What they meant is the calcium in the milk helps build strong and healthy bones, muscles, heart & teeth. Every cell in your body utilises calcium to some capacity. The following 4 areas in our bodies need calcium on a daily basis to properly function: The most BONES well-known atCalcium tribute of calcium is guides the electrical signals within that it helps build & maintain the nervous system; also aids in susstrong, healthy bones & teeth. taining brain health and understanding Calcium deficiency can cause the ageing process. Calcium releases acute Osteoporosis. Calcium defipotassium and sodium to facilitate a ciency reduces bone mass signifnerve impulse. Calcium must move to icantly leading to brittle bones. release the ions and calcium must The deficiency can also be return before the impulse will Calcium sends linked to hypertension stop and homeostasis is reelectric signals to your and cancer. turned. muscle fibers to contract when performing an exercise or any physically demanding activity. When the calcium in the body is below the required levels the muscles cannot relax, which lowers energy levels resulting in poor contractions and hence no growth in muscles. Calcium is the transport means of large number Calcium ions HEART of amino acids and creMUSCLES are required in atine. Calcium also order for the heart helps to metabolise fat. muscle to contract and function adequately. NERVOUS SYSTEM Karishma is a four time Gold Medalist in Women’s Fitness Category and a contestant in MTV Roadies X4 29 As you see, calcium is very important to your body. With age, calcium is absorbed less in your bones; therefore, causing your body to take calcium away from your bones. By time you become a senior citizen, this could potentially lead to osteopenia or osteoporosis. This is why it is important to incorporate a diet rich in calcium, especially if you’re still between the ages of 18 to 45 years old. SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 ATHLETE of the Month IFBB Pro Deepika Chowdhury is India's first female "professional" athlete declared by International Federation of Bodybuilding. She has competed five times in the US and won all the five competitions in Figure division of bodybuilding. TRAINING SINCE 11th December 2011 WHAT MOTIVATES HER: “I think my training makes me happy unlike anything else and acts like a medicine to heal and grow strong emotionally and spiritually. I am obsessed and a disciple of my training. Achievements are byproduct of it. I don't enjoy success as much as I enjoy performing the best I can in my every training session. The other thing which makes me do what I do is the warm love and respect from people. It helps me strive to rise beyond average.” Professionally Deepika also handles molecular biology work at National Institute of Virology. Certified in sports nutrition and personal training. As an athlete she competes in the Figure category in the sport of bodybuilding. She also enjoys powerlifting and made the highest total in a meet at Mangalore in Bangalore State powerlifting competition as a guest lifter. “Even if I have not competed in a powerlifting meet after that, I plan my training for strength and hypertrophy both” D E E P I K A C H O W D H U R Y This Section is Sponsored by FEATURED ARTICLE B☤ør♄¥☂♄m Dḯ℮t THE WAY ALPHAS EAT… BY PRATIK THAKKAR Looking at the title, everyone would be too excited and probably already have this seed planted in their minds that “This is the diet I am going to follow next as it is how Alpha’s do it and by following this, I will become an Alpha.” Well, sorry to disappoint all Gollum(s), but this is not your precious. The name can be misleading and already exciting the fad diet followers’ community as they have been the proactive ones in experimenting all kinds of diets on themselves. Well, sorry to disappoint! This is not a diet program, but a pattern on how to time your macro nutrients. Before getting into the specifics, let us discuss the most important factor that dictates this pattern of eating - ‘Circadian Rhythm’ Pratik is probably the most well read of all the SQUATS consultants and he puts his knowledge to good use by brining sensational changes to his clients physique. To enrol for Consultancy from Pratik, log on to squats.in View his complete profile here 31 Circadian Rhythm is the special biological system that keeps your body in sync with the day and night cycles. Our internal time tracking device is logically synchronised to the rising and setting of the sun. Many of our body’s processes are calibrated to the appearance and disappearance of natural light. In short, the Circadian rhythm also determines how well your body will handle different macro nutrients throughout the day. The Bio Rhythm diet can be followed by structuring your meal timings accordingly. SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 The SCIENCE behind it : 1. 2. 3. 4. 32 During the beginning of the active phase of the day, consume more of fats (10 - 30 grams) and moderate protein. You can skip carbohydrates altogether. By ingesting high fat meal, you are increasing metabolic flexibility - setting the metabolism for higher fat oxidation. Insulin sensitivity is higher in all cells during the day, including fat cells. Having carbohydrates later in the day during lesser insulin sensitivity partitions carbohydrates being actively stored in muscle vs. fat. Resistance training engaging muscles enhance this. Having high carbohydrate meal in the night will push the leptin signaling (3 - 6 hours after going to sleep) burning more fat during that time and the subsequent day. High carbohydrate meal at night will increase the neurotransmitter seratonin and make you sleepy. It will also be more satiating and will ensure better sleep quality. Practical guidelines : 1. 2. 3. 4. Breakfast - High fat + moderate protein Lunch / Pre workout - Protein + Fat (preferably MCT’s) Post workout - Protein + Carbohydrates (30 - 50 grams per meal; if the goal is fat loss, carbohydrates can be totally avoided as well) Dinner - Heavy carbohydrate meal + lean sources of protein. Keep little to no fat in this meal. This will not only help you achieve your goals a bit faster but will ensure that you take full advantage of the body’s biological clock. From my personal experience, the clients whom I have recommended this eating pattern have reported better energy levels and increased concentration throughout the day. “This is not a diet program, but a pattern on how to time your macro nutrients” http://www.aasmnet.org/resources/ factsheets/crsd.pdf http://www.princeton.edu/~ota/ disk1/1991/9108/910805.PDF http://news.yale.edu/2013/06/17/ rhythm-everything References : h t t p : / / w w w. n c b i . n l m . n i h . g o v / pubmed/18419318 SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 5 ESSENTIAL GYM EQUIPMENTS B Y A KS H AY KU M A R SQUAT RACK One of the most essential equipment every gym should have is a squat rack. Now mostly squat rack is replaced by a smith machine in most of the gym. This is understandable as Smith machines are good for those who are starting to workout. If you are a beginner, your main focus should be to improve your form and technique. Start with body weight exercise then using free bars and then progress to barbell with weights. 1 Research has shown that doing squat using barbell is better for your Trunk Musculature, vastus lateralis (quadriceps). So basically they found out that the EMG averaged over all muscles during the free weight squat was 43% higher when compared to the Smith machine squat (Ref1) If you feel that using smith machines eliminates the need for spotter, then you should also know that all squat racks come with guards or catcher, which can be used in case you need to bail during squat. A huge drawback of the Smith machine is that it eliminates the need for your body to build stabiliser muscles, as it does the stabilisation for you. So long story cut short stop giving excuses of replacing squat rack with smith machine. Start lifting and get under those bars. Akshay’s clients swear by his knowledge of Nutrition and Sports Science. Winner of many fitness competitions, he is extremely friendly and approachable. To enrol for Consultation with him, log on to squats.in View his complete profile HERE 33 SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 2 PREACHER CURL Bio-mechanically very similar to concentration curls, preacher curl is a very good exercise for a perfect isolation movement for biceps. With the upper arm pressed against the pad during the movement there is minimal assistance of other muscle groups. It not only isolates biceps but also shift the stress to the outer head since the short head of the biceps enters active insufficiency. Active and passive insufficiency is a very interesting topic and would be useful for us to target different muscle group efficiently. Flexing the shoulder by lying on the pad of preacher curl, recruits the short head of the bicep. So biceps enter active insufficiency at the top of the range of motion, so we work the brachialis with this. LEG PRESS Leg press machine according to me is good for functional development and also for people who have some recent injuries or are not well. As we say there should be no excuse and legs day should not be ignored. So the question is does leg press helps us in functional movement like walking, jumping etc. Karlsen and Helgerud did a study to find out whether maximal strength leg press training improves walking mechanical efficiency in heart disease patients, involving 4 sets of 4 reps with a horizontal leg press at ~85% of 1RM with 2 minutes rest between sets, 3 times per week. Not only did leg press 1RM increase 44% but walking efficiency (oxygen consumed for the same workload) improved by 35% (Ref2) 1RM increased 31%, walking economy increased 10%, and performance in a treadmill test to exhaustion increased 14%. So, Leg press exercise, alone or with other lower-body, improves measurable, functional strength in most populations, including diseased, elderly and young people. It can increase walking efficiency, balance, horizontal jump distance, short-distance sprinting ability. And No, it probably won’t be as effective for improving athletic performance as the conventional back squat . However, if you think it won’t improve functional strength at all, or if you believe that it will somehow will make an athlete perform worse, then that is not right. There is simply no evidence to support this idea and whatever few research we have suggests exactly the opposite. 3 Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) patients have reduced muscle strength and impaired walking ability So Wang E published a study in Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. They used a similar, 8-week training program where Leg press 34 SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 CABLE CROSSOVER Now cable cross machine no doubt is a one stop equipment. You name a body part and you can perform an exercise for that body part, be it biceps, triceps, rear delts or back. We also know that training your body both bilaterally and unilaterally is very important for proper development of your muscles and symmetry. For this, the cable cross machine can be used wisely. 4 Now what you need to understand here is that if it’s a single pulley cable cross machine, then 50 kgs in the plate is equal to the force you need to apply to lift it, but as the number of pulleys increase you can easily go heavy. So make note of what your doing and have a progressive overload plan. Doing a drop set or superset with this machine is also easier, since it has a stack of weights, you can quickly do the transition. SEATED LEG CURL As we know hamstring development and its engagement in our daily functional movement is very important. So lets see a bit of anatomy of hamstrings. It consist of three main muscles -- biceps femoris, semitendinosus and semimembranosus -- extending from your sit-bones to your knees. Now not to mention that these muscles are responsible for bending your knees. If they’re rock solid, you can jump high, run fast and accelerate with explosive power. With well-developed hamstrings, you can maintain good posture and prevent leg injuries. Now coming from there to Seated leg curl machine. Now there has been a lot of controversy that we should avoid leg curl machines , but I don’t agree. As we know about active and passive insufficiency , so would be easy for us to relate it now. So while doing seated leg curl basically Dorsal flexion of ankle reduces active insufficiency of Gastrocnemius allowing it to assist in knee flexion. Just make sure there is not much of hip extension. 5 35 SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 FITNESS & WELLBEING FEATURED ARTICLE 37 FOR THE INDIAN WOMEN BY NUSHAFREEN IRANI Typically women’s day begins with waking up early in the morning and preparing meals for the family. This is same for both working women and housewife as she is the only one who would convert the sticky dough into a fluffy ‘roti’. There is no denying that the scenario is changing with men trying to help and giving the lady an occasional break with take-aways or Holachef. However if we look around, the role of a woman has been same across the class for as long as we can remember. In Marathi they say “mulgi-shikli-pragatizhali” which means if “Girl is educated it leads to progress”. But with the dual drive to build a career and also looking after the house, women are seriously losing out on their own wellbeing. Her nutrition is often neglected with the exception of her pregnancy. This needs to change. The lifestyle choices of a fit woman automatically trickles to the rest of her family. By “fit” I mean both physical as well as mental aspects and not just focus on cosmetic changes. Most women partake fitness to be the domain of men and choose welfare of family over self-care. However, as they age and the body weakens, the resilience fades. This is a self-perpetuating cycle !! they will often complain but would seldom make time for change. SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 Shifting from Problem to Planning! There are some simple ways how this cycle can be broken: DIET: Most women look after grocery shopping for the family and this is one aspect she can control and improve. Choosing a more protein based diet over carb and choosing Ghee over regular refined oil are some of the starting points. Eating smart can also be made rewarding by making mindful selection. For example, choosing ‘Dark chocolate’ over regular ones. Dark chocolates contain flavanols which 38 encourages brain to release endorphins, also known as ‘happy hormones’. Dark chocolates especially those with 80% above coco content can help you to lose weight as it acts directly on satiety center. But keep this to a square or two. YOGA: Surya-namaskar i.e. Sun Salutation is preferred at sunrise and must be done with a target beginning with two or three per day and slowly increase as per your capacity. It is considered to be the most complete body workout and estimated that one round of Surya “Most women partake fitness to be the domain of men and choose welfare of family over self-care.” Namaskar burns up to 13.90 calories for an average weighing person. Toning of muscles can be achieved by doing the 12 steps at SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 slower pace and for cardiovascular workout a faster pace of 12 such sets is preferred. If done it makes the body flexible giving relaxation with some even experiencing a meditative state. Daily practice of yoga helps in changing long time wrong habits by re-establishing metabolic and hormonal balance. Surya-namaskar also has its effect on premenopausal symptoms. So buy that yoga mat and place it where you shall see it every day to get going as for us women the guilt of buying ¬ using mostly works! EXERCISE: Resistance training can be initiated with string exercises which can be done daily after a two to three hour interval. These simple exercises don’t require much space and are baby steps towards weight lifting exercise which will help you build in skeletal muscle mass. SLEEP: Many people would not pay much attention to their 39 sleep .One of the notable repair processes occurring during sleep time is the production of new collagen which prevents sagging of skin.An increase in blood flow to skin is achieved while you are asleep which augments a better complexion and healthy skin. Also the lack of sleep or fragmented sleep will lead to more hair loss as there is decrease in blood flow to hair follicles as blood supplies the vital nutrients to root base. When you are asleep, skin loses more water than it does while you are awake. Thus applying creamy moisturiser before bedtime and drinking plenty of water during day will keep your skin hydrated overnight. These are some of the steps women can incorporate in their daily lives without much alteration to their already busy and varied schedule. Nushafreen is a senior research officer at the International Institute of Sleep Sciences (IISS) and pursuing PhD from University of Mumbai. She is a guest lecturer in conferences and faculty in conducting workshops on Sleep Science. Nushafreen is also a Yoga Teacher and holds a Diploma in the same. SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 Recipe OF THE COTTAGE CHEESE MONTH kebabs INGREDIENTS • 2 cups long grained white rice • 200 gm Full Fat paneer grated • 1/2 cup finely chopped french beans • 1/2 cup finely chopped green bell peppers • 1/2 cup finely chopped carrots • 1 celery, finely chopped • 1 cup chopped spring onions (white part) • An inch piece of ginger, grated • 3 to 4 spring onions, finely chopped • 1 tsp soya sauce • 1 tsp black pepper powder • Ghee/ butter for cooking • Salt to taste METHOD Shobhit Modi is pursuing his Masters in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from University of Warwick, UK 1. First start by cooking the rice and allow it to cool completely (For Kebab, a rice that is made a day old is better, as it has the perfect texture) 2. Heat oil in a pan; add the beans, carrots, green bell peppers celery, ginger, spring onions, grated paneer and sauté on high flame for 3 – 4 minutes until the vegetables become slightly tender 3. Add the rice, soy sauce, black pepper, and salt. Mix well and stir fry the rice for 2 more minutes. Turn off the heat and transfer the mixture to a bowl 4. Keep it in the refrigerator for 1 hour to cool 5. Make small kebab like pieces and shallow fry / grill using Ghee . Make sure that you turn only when one side has become crispy 6. You can serve with yogurt and green chutney . Serve chaat masala and some lemon while serving CONSULTANT OF THE MONTH SHIEKH NADIR SIDDIQUEE He was last seen doing a handstand on a push up bar. Standing at 5’10” from a 54 kg ectomorph to a 69 kg muscular hunk today, he has seen it all, and tries to give the very same thing to his clients as a SQUATS consultant. Dev talked to our Consultant of the Month for July, Nadir Siddique. Let’s have a look at what he had to say: Dev – Talking about that, you were a very lean guy back in the days. What helped you pack on muscles and become this athletic person today? Nadir – Nutrition is the key, believe me when I say that. I always worked out and have been into fitness since almost 8-9 years now. But the real change happened when I set my nutrition in place. That was the turning point. Dev – Hello Nadir! Welcome to the section every consultant aspires to be in. Congratulations on the feat! Nadir – (puts down his cup of black coffee) Thank you so much Dev! It feels amazing to finally get featured on this section. Pushes us as change-makers to do more. Dev – Most people know you as a Fitness Consultant today. But what most people don’t know is that you came into Fitness after spending years in the world of IT. How did the transition happen? Nadir – Yes, I was in IT for almost 6 years but I wasn’t really enjoying it. I always wanted to do what I loved, but lacked the direction. But after SQUATS happened to me, I got a path to walk on and gathered enough courage to quit my routine job and take this risk. And I’m glad that it was worth it. Dev – That indeed was a significant turn in your life with the 42 motivation to pursue your dreams. Tell us, how do you motivate your clients in their fitness dreams? Nadir – I always interact with my clients right at the beginning of the program to understand their goals and I keep repeating their own goals to themselves during the course of their fitness journey. That serves as a motivation to them, and also, if I can do it, anyone can. I remind them of the possibilities if they put their mind into it. Dev – You’re practicing a lot of calisthenics lately. Can you tell us more about it? Nadir – It comes from two Greek words meaning beauty and strength. It’s one of the foundational ways to make yourself fit and adds dynamics to your fitness goals. All you need is the floor and the bar and you’re set. There’s no need of fancy equipments and machines. Great way to develop strength and get fit. Dev – 9 years sounds pretty impressive. Take us into your initial days and your journey, and maybe what other people can learn from it? Nadir – One thing that’s becoming a rage right now is wanting to get massive results in a short time. That’s ridiculously rare and only happens with a small section of the people owing to their genetics. The majority needs to invest time to reach somewhere significant in their fitness journey. People want to build 10 kilos of muscles in 6 months (some even 3 months). That’s ridiculous. Muscle building takes time. Although fat loss is significantly faster than muscle building, still people should set realistic goals.” 20 kg in 3 months” happens once in a while, in 1 or 2 out of 10 or 15. And I hate putting numbers to goals. It should reflect on you rather than on the scale. Dev – You’re right. That’s indeed what upsets most people when they achieve significantly visible results but still compare themselves with the select few and set unrealistic goals for themselves. What you said is indeed a takeaway. Thanks a lot for being with us today. Nadir – Thanks a lot for the opportunity. To Enrol for Consultation with Nadir, log on to squats.in View his complete profile here SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 JC’s ARCHIVES Meal frequency 101 ======================= Bodybuilders eating 8 meals a day, 6 meals a day is common, and even dieticians suggest portion control, hell even Precision Nutrition suggests portion control (I hate them more and more ) What does the research suggest ? That it doesn't matter! Eating few meals or more frequently doesn’t matter, as long as you hit your daily target macros. There are certain metabolic advantages when fasting in the morning or eating carbs at night. However increased meal frequency doesn't make any sense. The TEF or the thermic effect of food is directly proportional to the food consumed. Let me try breaking it down simply for you: You have a car, you turn on the ignition for 1 mins, then after two hours you turn is again for 1 min, you keep doing this 8 times throughout the day, 8x amount of fuel is burned and some amount of heat is generated. Now you turn on your ignition for 8 mins, 8x amount of fuel is burned; turn on your ignition for 4 mins, 2 times, 8x amount of fuel is burned. The fact is, meal frequency is inconsequential, so don't kill yourselves packing lunches, packing meals, eat as many or as few meals as you like, just make sure you hit your macros. Frequency doesn't matter, but timing does. I'm still a proponent of having your meals around workout, just to make sure you get enough energy to kill your workouts, also, fasting in morning and carb-ing at nights, but as far as meal frequency is concerned, I'll stick to fewer meals a day (suits my busy schedule ) This article was originally posted by JC in the SQUATS FB Group in November 2015. THE LAST WORD Did you know that bones are live metabolic tissues. Everyday your bones are dissolving and reforming – by this process about 10% of your bone structure is replaced every year. In some cases though the rate of bone resorption (i.e. dissolving) can be higher than the rate of remodelling (i.e. reforming). This leads to bones with low density that are prone to damage and give rise to osteomalacia. WHAT YOU CAN DO TO LOOK AFTER YOUR BONES By JYOTI DABAS (N.D.) Here is what you can do to ensure strong and healthy bones: 44 SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016 1. Spend 5-10 minutes in the sun everyday. Without Sunscreen. Morning sun exposure is better than evening. Your car windows have a UVA-B protection film because of which melatonin formation cannot be triggered. So roll down the windows if you can. Time needed to be spent in the sun depends on your skin colour where fair skin needs only a few minutes while darker skin tones require as much as 8-10 minutes. (Ref1) 2. Eat foods rich in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and omega-3 fatty acids. Also foods rich in vitamin D, K, and A are essential to assist your body to efficiently carry out the bone remodelling process. You will get all these and more just by including green leafy vegetables (make them a part of your daily diet – spinach, fenugreek (methi), lettuce, broccoli and even cauliflower, cabbage, etc), fatty fish (like tuna, salmon, mackerel, etc), egg yolk, flaxseeds (esp. recommended for vegetarians), etc. 3. Dairy has recently received bad press and most adults consume only just as much as they need in their coffee. This is not good. Unless you specifically have an allergy to dairy, you should consume it in good quantity in one form or another. 2-3 glasses of milk everyday, 12 servings of yogurt or lassi (i.e. buttermilk) and even cheese if your diet allows, are vital for good bone health. 4. Chronic Inflammation upsets the bone turnover rate. This is a side-effect of our over-worked lives and largely results from eating processed foods, from an upset intake ratio of omega 3 to omega 6, stress, inadequate sleep and poor gut health. To address these, go through chapters in my ebook: ‘7 Easy Ways To Improve Your Diet’ that discuss omega3omega6 fatty acids and how to look after your gut health. 45 5. Drink just enough water. Dehydration has been overhyped. Not everybody needs 8 glasses of water. The colour of your pee is the best indicator of your hydration levels. If your pee is transparent or water coloured, you are drinking too much water. It should be only slightly yellowish. When you drink too much water the mineral content in your blood gets diluted which causes the bones to dissolve themselves releasing calcium and other minerals. If this happens too often you are upsetting the natural bone reformation rates resulting in lower density bones. Subjects: An overview of Systemic Reviews and Meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2016 Feb Ref4: Winters-Stone KM, Snow CM. Site-specific response of bone to exercise in premenopausal women. Bone. 2006 Dec; 39(6): 1203-9 6. Finally, mechanical stress on the bones helps it to grow stronger. Even old bones respond to the same training signals. If the heaviest thing you lift in a day are your office bags or the TV remote, it is time to take up a challenge. You can start with this 30 Day Push -Up Challenge. Body resistance exercises like squats, push-ups, pull-ups and even jumping rope are all examples of ‘impact training’ and can be used to strengthen bones (Ref3). If these are too easy for you, get to the gym and start lifting heavy. Also keep in mind that only bones subjected to stress become stronger (Ref4). It is important that you do a full body resistance program. Training only your legs or arms would do nothing for the bones that are not directly targeted. References: Ref1: SunSmart: How Much Sun Is Enough. http://www.sunsmart.com.au/downloads/vitamin-d/howmuch-sun-is-enough-vitamind.pdf . Last accessed May 2016. Ref2: UV Index in Delhi, Bangalore and most cities in India is close to 12, i.e. only a few minutes a day is enough for daily vitaminD requirement. http://www.weatheronline.in/ Karnataka/Bangalore/ UVindex.htm . Last accessed May 2016. Ref3: Xu J, et al. Effects of Exercise on Bone Status in Female Jyoti is the Chief Editor of FITMAG, Director of SQUATS Academy and a certified Naturopathy Doctor. She writes about nutrition, weight lifting, yoga, meditation and more in her personal blog FitButHow View complete profile HERE SQUATS FitMag | JULY 2016