The Health and Fitness ChannelAugust 2003 IssueYour Truth In Fitness Source
THOUGH I'D HATE TO SEE YOU GO, IF YOU WISH TO CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION PLEASE SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS EMAIL AND FOLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS THERE. "Am I worthy of a better body?"
When asked this question, most people would say, "of course I am!" But if you dig down deep inside, a lot of people mirroring those positive statements actually hide an insecurity -- a feeling of really maybe not deserving that better body their words say they should. Is it possible you feel that way ? There's no shame if it is, because most people do. Why? Human nature. I'll give you an example. Have you ever noticed how even the most famous movie stars often publicly say they go "ga-ga" when meeting other famous actors? The reason is we all idolize others that are publicly known and acknowledged. From actors to politicians or astronauts, when seen or read about from afar, these figures seem larger than life. In reality they're no different from you or I. Ever notice how often people say after meeting a famous person that, "they seemed so nice, so down to earth." It was as if they expected them to somehow act "different" and not be at all like "normal" humans act. But they are normal, no different than the average person. They just happen to be better known either through their deeds or other societally admirable trait. The point I'm trying to make is, often, many that are trying to get in shape look at others that are in shape and say to themselves they can't ever look that way. They unknowingly sabotage themselves before they ever start by erecting a mental roadblock. They reason those people are "genetically gifted" and can get in shape easily. They also know they've struggled all their lives to get in shape so they must be different. Don't believe it! While it's true there are differences in the rate at which everyone loses fat and gains muscle, those differences are subtle. Here's a true statement: EVERYONE can lose fat, gain lean muscle, and get into great shape. Here's another one: It doesn't matter what age you are, you can get into great shape...Really! What I want you to come away from today is the realization that it is possible for you to get into really good shape. You are no different from I or anyone else that is fit. I'll remind you that before I won the 1998 EAS Physique Transformation Contest (Body For Life contest as it's called today), I had already been working out for 8 years. Yet I looked like I hadn't worked out a single day in my life. If there was anyone that could complain about having bad genetics it was me. Yet, in a matter of months I completely turned my body and life around. After winning I was featured in Muscle Media magazine, had a new Corvette, money, and was on top of the world. People looked up to me and used my body as an example for the one they wanted. Yet, I hadn't really changed on the inside. I was still the same person that had struggled just a few short months before, desperately trying to figure out a way to finally get in shape. In reality, I knew how to get in shape all along. I had gained a vast amount of knowledge from the past 8 years where I studied everything I could get my hands on about getting in shape. The only thing I did differently was I finally applied that knowledge. I "chose" to get in shape. I had a client tell me the other day that they couldn't do my program. They said, "I can't give up hamburgers...every time I pass McDonald's I have to stop in and get one." You and I see how ludicrous this sounds. I mean, there is no invisible force turning the steering wheel of his car into the drive-thru of a McDonald's, or telling the order person he wants a hamburger, or paying for it and then eating it. Yet he said it with complete seriousness. Yet I bet if you videotaped his life you would see him tell others that he's trying to lose weight and get in shape before but no matter what he tries the fat just doesn't want to come off. He's lying to others, of course, but even worse is he's lying to himself. Choice...that's all it boils down to. Yes, you may be looking for the right program to get you there, but unless you act upon what you find, it's all for naught. Getting in shape is simple really... 1. Find the right program See you next month. This month we have a special guest, Dr. Alfredo-Franco Obregon. I asked Dr. Obregon to write a short article about creatine. There are so many myths and misconceptions about creatine that I asked Dr. Obregon to help clear some of them up. This particular article is especially instructive for those looking to gain more lean muscle and for women afraid of taking creatine for fear of becoming bloated. Enjoy! Will creatine make me look bloated? Creatine influences muscle growth on a variety of levels. The first is that creatine increases energy availability during strenuous bouts of exercise, which, as it turns out, is the optimal stimulus for new muscle growth to occur. This happens through an increase in muscle protein content and possibly an increase in the total number of muscle cells. These two forms of muscle growth are known as hypertrophy and hyperplasia, respectively. The second manner in which creatine induces muscle growth is through increased fluid retention, specifically within muscle cells. This second process is commonly referred to as "muscle volumizing", since our muscles increase in volume (size) as they swell with water. Simply explained, water follows creatine into muscle in an attempt to dilute the final concentration of creatine inside the cell. Recent evidence suggests that swelling of the muscle cell with water also directly stimulates the production of new muscle proteins. In this instance, cell swelling might mistakenly signal to the cell that it has grown through more natural means. The cell would then respond by increasing the production of new muscle proteins. This would be the third mechanism through which creatine induces muscle growth. Research has clearly shown that as a result of the combination of these three processes our amount of fat-free muscle mass increases following creatine supplementation. Muscle volumizing is without doubt the greatest as well as the most transient of these three forms of muscle growth. Muscle fluid retention can account for as much as 3-5 pounds of added body mass within the first weeks of supplementation. Remember, however, that this is only water weight. Your body mass will return to normal after about one month of discontinuing supplementation and will mirror the return to baseline of your muscle creatine stores. On the other hand, any increases in muscle size you made as a result of new muscle proteins will persist for a considerable time following supplementation. Athletes familiar with the mechanism of muscle volumizing often ask me if creatine use would make them bloated or appear puffy. This is a reasonable question and stems from the fact that in our everyday experience fluid retention by the body is most typically associated with the subcutaneous (between the muscle and skin) compartment. While it is true that creatine increases the body's capacity to retain water, water retention is specific to skeletal muscle. In other words, the amount of water outside the cell doesn't change with creatine use. In fact, muscle volumizing might have an additional benefit not previously considered by the scientific literature. It has been reported to me on several occasions that the swelling of our muscles during volumizing, in addition to making them larger and harder, also stretches the overlying skin making it appear thinner and tighter. This would have the effect of having you appear more cut, not puffy or bloated as suggested by the original question. Although, I know of no scientific proof supporting this effect, the possibility does seem reasonable. About the author: Dr. Franco-Obregón is also the author of Creatine: A practical
guide. Please send your questions to The Fitness
Corner
I hope you enjoyed this latest issue. See you next month with more tips and solutions to achieving your best body. Good luck, God bless, and all the best in health and fitness, Harry "Hank" Johnson Jr,
President
Harry is the creator of the "Amazing Fat-Loss/Ultimate Results Program" - specifically designed to help you lose fat quickly and easily. "When you want to lose 20 pounds of fat (or more) in 6 weeks (or
less) --
Also,
please send me your questions on getting fit, working out, To see back issues of The Health and Fitness Channel newsletter please Click Here. Sign
up others for my Newsletter and WIN Free
Products! |