Lean Hybrid Muscle Training

Regardless of your body type or the type of training that your body responds to best, hybrid muscle training is all around the most effective way to build muscle and get lean. Often times, I'm asked how hybrid training carries over into sports. Regardless of the sport, hybrid muscle training can help you be at the top of your game. But did you know that there are also sports that by their very nature help you develop hybrid muscle? Any sport that simultaneously incorporates resistance and cardio can be considered a hybrid activity. There are a number of sports that do this. Here are a few that I can point out:

Football: This is a phenomenal sport that incorporates hybrid muscle training. The heavy pads provide resistance and with the all the cardio that is involved in the sport, it helps build type III or hybrid muscle. Other aspects of football that involve hybrid training include blocking and training with sleds during practice. All of these are activities that require endurance (the cardio part) and the muscles to deliver sustained strength (the resistance part).

If you have any doubt that football is an awesome hybrid training technique that can build a powerful, muscular physique just look at guys like Adrian Peterson, Terrell Owens or retired stars like Herschel Walker. All three have amazing physiques-and it all is the result of hybrid muscle training.

Strongman: This is really is all about hybrid muscle training. Unlike say powerlifting where the goal is to achieve your one-rep max, strongman training simultaneously requires both strength and endurance. And as you know, the best way to develop these qualities is through hybrid training. Examples of hybrid training activities that you see in strongman competitions include the tire flip, log carrying, truck pulling and the keg toss, among others.

And if you have any doubt that strongman training won't build a powerful, muscular physique, just take one look at Mariusz Pudzianowski and believe me, you'll eat your words.

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA): This one also incorporates hybrid muscle training-in fact, it's essential. Look at the guys fighting in the UFC. Do you think jogging ten miles a day carries over into the octagon and is going to help a guy get in shape for fight? No-two minutes into the match and he'll be winded.

Why? Because the successful fighters have developed hybrid type III muscle that has strength, power and endurance. They need to develop long, sustainable strength. You don't get that from ordinary training. When these guys train they have to mimic the moves they'll be doing in the octagon-grappling, pulling and other things that go on in a real fight. Guys like Ken Shamrock, Matt Hughes and Randy Couture all have developed hybrid, type III muscle.

Highland games: Seriously, this is about as hybrid as it gets. Have you ever seen these events? Some of the hybrid training activities you'll encounter in Highland games include the 56-pound shot put, the hammer throw with a 22-pound round metal ball attached to a handle, or the caber toss. This would have to be the signature event for the Highland games. The caber is a tapered log or pole that varies in height (roughly 19′-22′) and weight (100-130 pounds). They lift it, run with it and then heave it.

Lumberjack games: You've probably seen these on TV before. These games require participants to carry out feats of strength and endurance using extremely large and heavy logs. This one is 100% hybrid.

Arm wrestling: Your probably wouldn't have thought of this one but yes, arm wrestling is most definitely a sport that incorporates hybrid activities. After all, it does require long-or sustained strength-and the only way to get that is through hybrid training.

Track & field: Besides the running, you've also got activities like the shot put and the javelin throw. Both of these are activities that require both strength and endurance.

Kettlebell competitions: Kettlebells have been around a long time. Their shape and handles make them ideal for hybrid training. Some of the activities you'll see here that require long strength include the clean and snatch or the one- or two-armed kettlebell swing, among others.

CrossFit Competitions: These are the kinds of routines that are often touted as the "military" workouts so you'll often see military and law enforcement guys participating in these events. Nearly all of the activities require strength and endurance.

Not only does hybrid training and the development of type III muscle fibers enhance your athletic performance in many sports, but some sports are even hybrid in their nature.

Check out the video below - Lean Hybrid Muscle Transformation


-AR

Difference Between Good & Great Leading

Guest blog from my good friend, Ryan Cook -Executive Ministries Pastor at Grand Junction First Assembly in Grand Junction, CO. Be sure to check out his blog as he has lots of great info on there!
--(http:www.ryancook.net)

I shared this w/ one of our leadership teams at GJFA the other day, and thought I'd share it w/ you. Some of it was copied, some is mine. Use it if you like.

The Difference Between Good and Great Leading-

Great leaders are shaped and formed in the trenches while most good leaders are born good leaders.

The difference between the 2 is a very thin and fluxuating line.

Great leaders are shaped out of 4 experiences: call, style, skill set, and context in which you see yourself. – when a leader’s call, style and skill set fit the context, the stage is set for a great leader. Opposite, sometimes the stage is set for this, but we never make the transition from good to great. Nothing bad w/ being a good leader, but if you want to make the transition, whether in church ministry or in the work field- . Let’s discuss the diff-

Great leaders challenge the prevailing rules about how to conduct ministry, while good leaders work w/ the cards that are dealt. Great leaders are never content w/ the status quo, they always have a holy discontent w/ the way things are. They know that man-made rules are made to be broken because there is always a better way.

Attitude- Today’s attitude gives me possibilities-
· My attitude when I begin a task affects the outcome more than anything else.
· My attitude towards others often determines their attitude towards me.
· My attitude, not my achievements, give me happiness.- Money will not give you happiness and debt will make you unhappy.
· My attitude- good or bad- is contagious.

Great leaders intuitively read the signs of the times while good leaders struggle to make sense out of the moment. One of the reasons good leaders never achieve greatness is because they’re to busy, preoccupied, making stuff out of nothing, doing things that don’t mean much to the big picture. They don’t take time or sit still long enough to hear. So they fail to see what God is trying to accomplish.

Today’s priorities give me focus.
· Time is our most precious commodity.
· We cannot manage time, we only manage priorities.
· We cannot change time, only our priorities.
· Priorities help us to choose wisely.

Most great leaders are constantly recreating their leadership to fit the times, while most good leaders tend to rely on past performance. Well it worked back at so and so, it worked 10 years ago, 5 years ago isn’t even acceptable. It’s much harder for a person to remain a great leader in times like today w/ such exponential change in every aspect of life and leadership.

Today’s health gives tomorrow’s strength-
· Lasting leaders recognize their body is a vehicle that carries them to their mission.
· Proper diet and exercise provide the energy to lead well over the long haul.
· Your physical health will impact your spiritual stamina and perspective.

Great leaders see no limits of what God can do thru them. They rely on God for the impossible, while most good leaders try to calculate what is possible. Great leaders know that the only way to know the limit of possibility is by pushing it to the impossible. Great leaders know that we don’t need God for the possible, we find God in what is thought impossible. If it’s possible, possibly we are doing it on our own.

Great leaders are willing to ‘ready, fire, aim’ while good leaders always want to have everything in place before they fire. Great leaders are always laying it on the line, stepping out where most people fear to go.

Your commitment will be tested everyday, that’s just how it is, BUT, Staying committed helps you overcome many of life’s obstacles.

Great leaders are passionately focused on a few things and flexible on everything else, while good leaders try to wrap their hearts and minds around too many things.

Great leaders empower others; good leaders delegate ministry to others. Good leaders are always trying to accomplish more.

Delegate: a person acting on behalf of another

Empower: to give official power to or legal authority.

Today’s family gives me stability

Families are often lost- spent as the price for successful ministries & businesses- make time for your spouse and kids-

If the part of your home that you lead is not ‘in order’ you cannot expect to lead others.

Success is having those closet to me, love and respect me the most.- You can not come in here, lead others and then go home and act an entire different way.

Pray w/ your spouses. Just heard today 65% men & 55% women upto age 40 commit adultery. They didn’t plan on it, sin crept in…. I challenge you, what’s on your TV? Desperate housewives, sex in the city, shows that glamorize adultery and immorality?

Leadership isn’t about getting people to do what you want them to do; great leadership is about helping people achieve what God created them to be.

The difference between successful and unsuccessful people is how they think. What do you think about? God is the source of great ideas!!

If you are in are part of this ministry and it is a huge burden, maybe this is not what God called you to be involved in. Find a spot where you are happy and like doing what you do and where you get the most fulfillment; that’s where you are supposed to be.

Great leaders are like scouts and coaches than player. They’re constantly looking for talented, passionate leaders who have the potential to be great, while most good leaders are focused on the fullfilment of a particular ministry.

If you want to be great, empower people to reach their potential.

Great leaders surround themselves w/ good leaders, while good leaders surround themselves w/ people of lesser skills.

This shows extreme insecurities. Afraid someone is going to take your job or think you cant do it. This is where we need to show and exude confidence, not to be mixed w/ arrogant or cockiness.
Some leaders spend to much time focused on problem people or needy people and overlook the other 99% . Sure, these people need help, but the leader doesn’t have to run around and help and clean all the messes, empower others to help others.

Today relationships give me fulfillment.
· You’ll enjoy life more if you enjoy people.
· You’ll get further in life if people enjoy you.
· Most people can trace their success and failures to relationships in their life.

Great leaders are made by how they create or respond to the context in which they find themselves. Buckle up and get yourself in a context where you can become all that God has made you to be. If you’re not in the right context, find the one that fits you. Don’t settle for ‘whatever’.

Time is short, most the time we only have one shot at this.

-AR

DANGER: Fast Food Kills

Fast food is very tempting to consumers because of its convenience. It’s so easy to swing through the drive thru on your way home from work, starving, and order a super size extra value meal for yourself, spouse, and kids. The food is fairly cheap and you usually won’t spend more than five minutes in line. If the food that fast food companies are serving were actually good for you this would be an ideal situation. However this is not the case. Instead, fast food companies are profiting off of clogging your arteries resulting in heart disease.

The problem with fast food is that over the decades they have been increasing their serving sizes. Today when you order a small fries, you actually get what would have been a medium size just five years ago. The larger serving size you are served, the harder it is for you to know when to stop. From the time we are children our parents teach us to clean our plates because there are those less fortunate who have no food. So if we are given an extra large fry, we should be thankful and eat the whole thing.

Fries, burgers, nuggets, shakes, sodas, and other items you can find at fast food establishments are usually three times larger than the amount you should be consuming. This means that you could easily be consuming 1,000+ calories per meal when you super size it. If you are trying to stick to a healthy 2,000 per day calorie diet, you will have consumed over ½ of your entire daily food allowance.

Another problem with the foods you are served at fast food restaurants is that these foods lack nutritional value. The foods are high in fat and sugar. By regularly consuming these high calorie meals that do not have any nutritious value is basically poisoning your body.

There are even some studies that have shown fast food may be addictive. The high levels of salt and sugar content found in most fast food items cause the brain to seek them out. This stems back thousands of years when salt and sugar were hard to come by so people would stock up on their supply when they could.

People will continue to frequent fast food restaurants as long as they continue to see ads on television for Big Macs and super size fries. One solution to this problem would be to limit the number of ads fast food companies can have at any one time.

While we cannot blame fast food companies entirely for our increasingly expanding waist lines, it is their food that is making us this way. If they increased the cost of a burger and lowered the cost of a salad there may be more incentive for consumers to choose the salad over the burger.

As long as fast food companies are making money off of their 1,000 calorie burgers, they will continue to sell them. The best way to prevent weight gain associated with a fast food diet is to completely cut fast food out of your diet. Drive right by those golden arches and hurry home where you can make a healthy meal. Completely removing fast food from your diet is similar to detox; it removes the addictive properties found in fast food.

Also, exercise is a vital aspect that is missing in most people’s daily lives. This is an essential piece of the puzzle to reverse the effects of high calorie fast food diets. Incorporating some type of a daily exercise routine will decrease your risk of heart disease ten fold.

Be sure to check out this video by Josh Trent (fitnessSD), NASM-CES, simply titled "Fast Food Fitness". It's a great video that depicts the problem with fast food and how it affects your health based on the decisions you make for what you eat.

Remember.....less hot dog and more downward dog!

-AR

Fast Food Fitness

Check out this video by Josh Trent, NASM-CES, of fitnessSD as he "drops some knowledge" while visiting a local fast food burger chain in my old stompin' grounds of San Diego, CA. Enjoy!

-AR

Soccer for Fat Loss?

Guest blog by Craig Ballantyne, CSCS
-- (http://www.turbulencetraining.com/)

Recreational soccer is an effective health-promoting activity for untrained men
Krustrup et al.
British Journal of Sports Medicine 2009;43:825-831

36 healthy untrained men were randomised into a soccer group, a running group and a control group.

Training was performed for 1 hour two or three times per week for 12 weeks; at an average heart rate of 82% of HRmax for both training groups.

During the 12-week program, the soccer group improved maximal oxygen uptake (a measure of aerobic fitness) 62% more than the running group. The soccer group also lost an average of 50% more fat than the running group (6lbs vs 4lbs).

The soccer group had an increase in lean body mass of 3.75lbs, an increase in lower
extremity bone mass, a greater decrease in LDL-cholesterol and an increase in fat oxidation
during running at 9.5 km/h. The running group saw none of these changes.

The number of capillaries per muscle fibre was also almost 50% higher in the soccer training group than in running. Both groups reduced blood pressure equally.

The researchers concluded that participation in recreational soccer training, has significant beneficial effects on health profile and physical capacity and in some aspects it is superior
to frequent moderate-intensity running.

What does this tell us? Well, think about soccer. The difference is more than adding a ball while running. Soccer (I mean FOOTBALL) is essentially a form of interval training (although the work and recovery periods are randomized - CHAOS training as my friend Robert Dos Remedios calls it). It's also multi-directional, multi-movement (jumping, heading, running, sprinting, kicking, tackling, with contact) and multi-planar.

Basically this study shows that open interval training, using multiple movements and directions is superior for conditioning, muscle building and fat loss when compared to the same intensity of running.

I just wish they'd discovered that watching soccer was just as good.....

By the way, why do they call it "soccer" when it's really FOOT-ball? Played with your feet.....


-AR

The Fat Cell Theory

It is a known fact that the number of fat cells in our bodies determines our physical size. Our fat cells, also called adipose cells, are where energy is stored. There are two ways that are body increases fat cells: by increasing the size of the fat cells or simply increasing the number of fat cells. It is expected by many researchers that the body increases the number of fat cells during infancy to early adulthood. After this time your body stores more in the fat cells rather than create new ones. Fat cells can expand two even three times their normal size. At any time our bodies can create new fat cells in response to our bodies need for more energy. Once a fat cell has been created it then exists for life. Fat cells are not destructible.

Therefore, the fat cell theory proposes that our size is dependent on whether the actual size of the fat cell is decreased or increased. Of course a reduction in the size of the fat cell will result in weight loss and an increase in the size will result in weight gain. This theory will also explain why many of us who grow a large number of fat cells during childhood are at risk for obesity as adults. The number of fat stored in the fat cell can always be decreased but the number of fat cells cannot be reduced. In other words, the sizes of these cells may change, but they will not decrease in number. Thus someone who is overnourished in childhood (or genetically programmed to grow more fat cells), will have an excess number of fat cells, making it more difficult to control his weight as an adult. While there may be some truth to this fat cell theory (one of the reasons I stress the importance of raising a lean, active child), new insights suggest that neither the number nor the size of the fat cells is genetically fixed or set for life. It is certainly possible for previously overfat children or adults to become lean for the rest of their lives.

There is only one solution to this theory if it is accurate in nature. We must reduce the number of fat cells that are being ingested in our children with regular exercise. Also, as adults it is important that we stay healthy in our diets, keeping track of our caloric intake and exercising. An increasingly large number of fat cells will put you at risk for several major negative health conditions. Choose a diet that is healthy and stick with it.

Start living for the future as well as today!

-AR

Caffeine & Your Workouts

Just the other day I had a member as me the following:

Question: Is caffeine good for my workouts?

Answer: Caffeine has long been used by endurance athletes and sleepy office workers alike to help increase energy and endurance, but is it safe and does it work?

Studies have found that, when it comes to exercise, caffeine:

• Delays fatigue
• Slows the breakdown of muscle glycogen, which means your body has more fuel to keep going
• Enhances endurance
• Keeps you more alert
• Can reduce muscle pain during exercise
• May lower perceived exertion, making exercise feel more comfortable

While caffeine can have a positive effects on endurance exercise, you don't need it to have a good workout. If you're a competitive athlete thinking of using caffeine, keep in mind that it is a diuretic, so you may need more bathroom breaks. That could affect your workouts as well as your hydration levels.

How Much Caffeine Is Enough?

Studies have shown that 3 mg/kg to 6 mg/kg is enough to enhance endurance. The average cup of coffee has about 60 mg to 120 mg, so it doesn't take much caffeine to do the job.

Cautions

Caffeine is a stimulant, so it does have side effects that could cause problems for certain people:

• Increased urination
• Stomach upset
• Trembling or shaking
• Trouble sleeping
• Increased anxiety
• Headaches
• Nausea

If you're pregnant, you should avoid caffeine and you should also be cautious if you're on medication or taking other performance-enhancing supplements that contain other stimulants. Too much caffeine can increase the side effects and could be dangerous to your health if you have other illnesses or conditions.

-AR

Think Like an Exerciser

If you’re trying to lose weight or stick to a consistent exercise program, what you may notice is how many things stand in the way of your goals. How are you supposed to exercise when you have to meet with a client, run the kids to the dentist, cut the grass, watch your favorite TV show and take out the trash? What you may not realize is that fitting in exercise is a matter of how you think and not what’s on your schedule. Thinking like an exerciser can increase your odds of success and put you in the right frame of mind for making the choice to exercise.

1. Look for opportunities, not excuses. While a non-exerciser may look at situations like traveling or working late as reasons to skip their workouts, exercisers actually seek out ways to exercise, even if it seems impossible.

Imagine a non-exerciser and an exerciser on a business trip:

The Non-Exerciser packs their workout clothes, thinking, "Maybe if I get a break, I’ll squeeze in a workout." What that translates to is, "I’m bringing my workout clothes so I’ll feel good about myself, but I’ll never actually wear them."

The Exerciser packs their workout clothes, thinking, "I have meetings all day, so I’ll get up extra early and get in a short workout beforehand." There’s no ‘maybe’ about it, even if it means working out at a time that isn’t comfortable.

What the exerciser knows is that they have to commit to their workouts, even if their schedule works against them. The exerciser is willing to make the effort, even if it means a workout session that isn’t ideal.

How to Think Like an Exerciser:

• Act as if exercise is a priority. Is exercise an afterthought? Something you only do when everything goes as planned? If so, practice putting it at the top of your to-do list. How would you plan your day if you knew you had to work everything else around your workouts? Just changing how you think about exercise can change whether actually do it.
  Act as if everything counts. New or non-exercisers often think they have to do a certain type of workout (e.g., lung-busting workouts that last for three hours) for it to ‘count.’ Exercisers count everything, whether it’s a few jumping jacks or pushups in a hotel room or taking a brisk walk during a lunch break.
• Plan ahead. Rather than waiting for the perfect time to exercise, work with the schedule you already have. Even if you can only find 10 minutes, you’ll burn calories and improve your health much more than if you didn’t move at all.

2. View exercise as a necessity rather than an indulgence. Another difference between how exercisers and non-exercisers think is how they perceive exercise. A non-exerciser may see it as a chore, something that takes away from the rest of her day. An exerciser, on the other hands, looks at her workouts as a necessity – something she needs to make her day better.

Imagine an exerciser and a non-exerciser facing an unexpected visit from a mother-in-law:

The Non-Exerciser panics and thinks, "There’s no way I can exercise if she’s coming. How will I have the time to iron the sheets, drink a bottle of wine and scrub the floors with a toothbrush?"

The Exerciser panics and thinks, "I will never get my guilt-deflectors working if I don’t exercise. I better squeeze in a quick run and, if the house isn’t clean enough, I’ll just start a small fire to distract her."

How to Think Like an Exerciser

• Think of exercise as your energy source. Believe it or not, taking time out to exercise can actually give you more energy and focus for your day.
• Take advantage of your workout time. When you have a busy day or an unexpected visitor, your workout time may be the only quiet time you get. Taking a walk or run will give your mind, and stress levels, a break and you’ll be better prepared for what’s to come.
• Learn how to motivate yourself. Exercisers find motivation rather than waiting for it to happen. If you've got a lot to do, use that as an impetus to get moving. The stronger you are and the more endurance you have, the more you can get done.

3. Find ways to move all day long. Non-exercisers and exercisers alike tend to spend a lot of time sitting each day, but many exercisers find ways to be active above and beyond their regular exercise routines. Whether it's taking more walks, parking at the end of the parking lot or taking the stairs at work, exercisers know that any movement can generate more energy and momentum.

Imagine an exerciser and a non-exerciser facing a flight delay:

The Non-Exerciser stays at the gate, thinking, "I better save my strength to fight the other passengers for overhead bin space. I already have my eye on that woman and her giant suitcase."

The Exerciser grabs their bag and starts walking, thinking, "I'm going to be on that plane for at least two hours and probably squished in the middle seat between two linebackers. Better get a walk in while I can."

How to Think Like an Exerciser

• Stand up. Sitting can actually shut down your metabolism. Stand up whenever you can – while on the phone, watching TV, opening your mail or taking a break from work.
• Invent reasons to move. Leave something in your car and take the stairs to get it. Make a rule that you have to walk around the parking lot at work three times before you can go in. Sit on an exercise ball when you're at the computer or watching TV. Eventually, these movements become habits and, before you know it, you're moving more than you're sitting.
• Wear a pedometer. Pedometers can actually increase activity, motivating you to walk more just to see how many steps you can take.

4. Look at Exercise as a tool for getting what you want. Exercisers know that working out isn't just for weight loss, but a tool they can use to find balance, more time for the things they enjoy and a way to keep up with life with fewer injuries, illnesses and other things that keep them from functioning at their best.

Imagine an exerciser and a non-exerciser with a tight, aching back after a long day at work:

The Non-Exerciser is exhausted and decides to skip their planned workout, thinking, "My back hurts, so I probably shouldn't exercise. I'll just go home and put my feet up, which will allow my husband to attend to my needs more easily."

The Exerciser is exhausted, but decides to go through with his workout, thinking, "My back hurts from sitting for too many hours and my butt is starting to look a lot like my office chair. A workout will loosen things up and keep me from completely falling apart."

How to Think Like an Exerciser

• View exercise as a timesaver. While you may see exercise as something that takes away from your time, it can actually save you time in the long run. A little exercise every day can help manage aches and pain, fatigue and offer protection from more serious illnesses like diabetes and cancer. If your schedule is overloaded, wouldn't you rather spend a little time each day exercising rather than hours in a doctor's waiting room, a hospital or in line for a prescription you might be able to avoid?
• View exercise as a sanity-saver. Exercise is one of the few activities you can do that can increase your confidence, boost your mood and make you feel good about yourself all at the same time. It can also help manage symptoms of depression and anxiety. If you have trouble getting started, think about how you'll feel at the end of your workout.
• View exercise as a body-saver. If you have an aching back or tight shoulder muscles, you may mistakenly think you need more rest, when what your body craves is movement. In fact, exercise is a great way to manage and prevent back pain along with the other aches and pains that happen when we sit for hours at a time.

Shifting your thinking from a non-exerciser's point of view to an exerciser's point of view isn't easy. It requires looking at your daily tasks and choices with a different attitude and an eye toward your overall goals in life -- feeling good, having more energy and getting satisfaction out of your accomplishments. Fitting in exercise isn't just a function of weight loss, but a way to improve your overall quality of life. Changing how you think may be your first step in changing how live for the better.

-AR

*Source: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington. The longitudinal effects of depression on physical activity. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2009 Jul-Aug;31(4):306-15. Epub 2009 May 13.

Healthy Junk Food?

Did you know there are more than 15 types of saturated fat? And despite the fact that they've been damned as a whole by nutrition experts for decades, some of them are actually heart healthy. That's good news, since high-fat foods are often the tastiest.

But a bad reputation is hard to shake. And though saturated fat is the most obvious example of a bad food gone good, it's not the only one. I've run the numbers and scoured the research to determine which vilified foods have been unjustly convicted. The result: six snacks and drinks that deserve an immediate pardon.

Pork Rinds
Why you think they're bad: These puffy snacks are literally cut from pigskin. Then they're deep-fried.

Why they're not: A 1-ounce serving contains zero carbohydrates, 17 grams (g) of protein, and 9 g fat. That's nine times the protein and less fat than you'll find in a serving of carb-packed potato chips. Even better, 43 percent of a pork rind's fat is unsaturated, and most of that is oleic acid—the same healthy fat found in olive oil. Another 13% of its fat content is stearic acid, a type of saturated fat that's considered harmless, because it doesn't raise cholesterol levels.

Eat this: J&J Critters Microwave Pork Rinds (http://www.microwaveporkrinds.com/). Because the rinds are cooked and puffed in a microwave instead of deep-fried, each serving contains only 4 g fat—meaning they're lower in calories and less greasy than regular pork rinds.

Alcohol
Why you think it's bad: It has little nutritional value and is the reason we need the term "beer belly."

Why it's not: In a study of more than 18,000 men, Harvard scientists discovered that those who had an average of two drinks every day, 5 to 7 days a week, had the lowest risk of heart attack. Researchers at the University of Buffalo found that men who consume that same daily amount have lower levels of abdominal fat than those who drink only once or twice every 2 weeks but down more than four drinks each time.

Drink this: Pinot noir. It contains more disease-fighting antioxidants than any other type of alcoholic beverage. Look for a pinot noir that's a 2002 to 2004 vintage; those are generally recognized as the top wine-producing years for this finicky grape.

Beef Jerky
Why you think it's bad: It's unhealthy meat that's loaded with preservatives.

Why it's not: Beef jerky is high in protein and doesn't raise your level of insulin—a hormone that signals your body to store fat. That makes it an ideal between-meals snack, especially when you're trying to lose weight. While some beef-jerky brands are packed with high-sodium ingredients, such as MSG and sodium nitrate, chemical-free products are available. If you have high blood pressure, check the label for brands that are made from all-natural ingredients, which reduce the total sodium content.

Eat this: Gourmet Natural Beef Jerky (available at americangrassfedbeef.com or US Wellness Meats). It has no preservatives and is made from lean, grass-fed beef. Research shows that, unlike grain-fed products, grass-fed beef contains the same healthy omega-3 fats found in fish.

Sour Cream
Why you think it's bad: You know 90% of its' calories are derived from fat, at least half of which is saturated.

Why it's not: The percentage of fat is high, but the total amount isn't. Consider that a serving of sour cream is 2 tablespoons. That provides just 52 calories— half the amount that's in a single tablespoon of mayonnaise—and less saturated fat than you'd get from drinking a 12 oz. glass of 2% reduced-fat milk.

Eat this: Full-fat sour cream. Unless you actually prefer the taste of light or fat-free products (and who does?), opt for the classic version; it tastes richer, and the fat will help keep you full longer.

Coconut
Why you think it's bad: Ounce for ounce, coconut contains more saturated fat than butter does. As a result, health experts have warned that it will clog your arteries.

Why it's not: Even though coconut is packed with saturated fat, it appears to have a beneficial effect on heart-disease risk factors. One reason: More than 50% of its saturated-fat content is lauric acid. A recent analysis of 60 studies published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports that even though lauric acid raises LDL (bad) cholesterol, it boosts HDL (good) cholesterol even more. Overall, this means it decreases your risk of cardiovascular disease. The rest of the saturated fat is almost entirely composed of "medium-chain" fatty acids, which have little or no effect on cholesterol levels.

Eat this: Shredded, unsweetened coconut.Have a handful as an anytime snack, straight from the bag. (Don't gorge; it's still high in calories.) It'll be filling, and won't spike your blood sugar.

Chocolate Bars
Why you think they're bad: They're high in both sugar and fat.

Why they're not: Cocoa is rich in flavonoids—the same heart-healthy compounds found in red wine and green tea. Its most potent form is dark chocolate. In a recent study, Greek researchers found that consuming dark chocolate containing 100mg of flavonoids relaxes your blood vessels, improving bloodflow to your heart. What about the fat? It's mostly stearic and oleic acids.

Eat this: CocoaVia chocolate bars. Each 100-calorie bar is guaranteed to contain 100 mg flavonoids. As an added benefit, the chocolate has been beefed up with phytosterols, compounds that have been shown to help reduce cholesterol. Find the bars at many local stores/supermarkets or online at cocoavia.com.

-AR

*Source: menshealth.com

Workout of the Day

Here's a Metabolic Acceleration workout that I did today. Check it out, try it and BRING IT!!

Dynamic Warm-Up - Complete a set of each exercise in the same numbered pair (for example, 1A & 1B, 2A & 2B, etc.) back-to-back w/ no rest between sets. Once finished, rest for 1-min. and move on to the next exercise pair.

• 1A) Forward/Backward Jumps - 20 reps
• 2A) Gate Swings - 20 reps

• 1B) Lateral Jumps - 20 reps
• 2B) Dymanic Lunges w/ Overhead Reach - 10 reps

• 1C) Jacks - 20 reps
• 2C) Reverse Dynamic Lunges w/ Twist - 10 reps

PreHab - Complete each exercise in order as listed, rest for 1-min. between each exercise

• 1) YTWL Delt Raises -10 reps
• 2) Prone Plank - Hold for 60-sec.
• 3) Single-Leg Glute Bridge - 15 reps/side w/ 2-sec. pause @ top of the movement

Strength - Complete a set of each exercise in the same numbered pair (for example, 1A & 1B)back-to-back w/ no rest between sets. Once finished, rest for 1-min. and move on to the next exercise pair. Don't move on to the next pair until all listed sets are complete.

• 1A) Body Weight Squats - 2 sets x 10 reps
• 1B) Spiderman Pushups - 2 sets x 10 reps

• 2A) Bulgarian Split Squats - 2 sets x 10 reps each side
• 2B) Inverted Row - 2 sets x failure

• 3A) Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift - 2 sets 10 reps each side
• 3B) DB Push Press - 2 sets x 10 reps

• 4A) Side Lunge - 2 sets x 10 reps each side
• 4B) Pullups - 2 sets x failure

Conditioning - Perform each exercise for 30-sec., rest for 30-sec., then move to the next exercise. Repeat all exercises 3x in sequence.

• 1) DB Swing
• 2) Burpees
• 3) Squat Jumps
• 4) Shuttle Runs

Mission Accomplished in 45-minutes!

Notice that I didn't do any slow, boring cardio at all. The reason being is that I worked using a combo of high-intensity intervals (HIIT) and supersets which results in a higher output of fat calories and post-workout metabolic acceleration. If fat loss is what you're after, you can't go wrong with HIIT and supersets.

Train hard & have fun!

-AR