Tourq

Understanding Muscle Structure for Weight Gain

Mar 272010

Muscles can be divided into three main types (Cardiac, Smooth, and Skeletal). Cardiac muscles are responsible for such tasks as breathing and the beating of your heart. Smooth muscles cover or wrap around internal organs and blood vessels, and skeletal muscles are used in everyday activities, like walking, swimming, and sitting. For the purpose of this article, we’ll be discussing only skeletal muscles and how they respond to exercise.

Skeletal muscles are attached to your bones, which is why they are called skeletal. They’re also the muscles that you look at in the mirror when you’re feeling a little bit vain. These are the muscles that you consciously use to perform your exercises.

Skeletal muscles are further divided into two groups: Type I and Type II muscle fibers. Type I (or slow-twitch) fibers, are used for less powerful, longer-lasting actions (like swimming, distance running, aerobics, etc.). Type II (or fast-twitch) fibers, are used for strenuous, powerful actions (like lifting a very heavy weight or sprinting).

Not everyone has the same number of type I and type II fibers. Some people have a lot of type I fibers, resulting in an easier time getting lean and running marathons. Others have more type II fibers, resulting in an easier time gaining muscle mass and excelling at sports that require quick bursts of power.

When you perform an action, a particular muscle fiber either gets involved or it doesn’t. A fiber doesn’t give an effort of 50%. It either goes all-out or not at all. When it does get activated, it breaks down a little bit, and then waits to get repaired by incoming protein that you consume.

When a muscle contracts, the smallest of its fibers go to work first. If that isn’t enough, more and bigger fibers will get involved. Your type I muscle fibers are the smallest, while your type II are the biggest. So in any activity you do, you activate your type I fibers first. Since they are small, the potential for their growth is small.

Since your fast-twitch type II fibers are the biggest (and used as a last resort), you’ll have to work them extremely hard to activate them in your exercises. That’s why bodybuilders work out with heavy weights, so that they can finally activate those large type II muscle fibers. It’s also important for body builders to occasionally lift their absolute maximums, so that those very last, biggest fibers get activated.

If the only exercises you do are endurance-type activities, you are never really going to bulk up your muscles. You might bulk them up a little, but nothing like that of a body builder. Simply put, the body builder routinely activates his larger, type II fibers, resulting in bigger muscle gains.

Lose 30 pounds with a 30 Pound Tire!

Words from the Editor 33 Responses »

Dec 132009

I’m back in the swing of things, almost. I did this interval running workout three times this week so far, and it has gone really well. My next workout will consist of pretty much the same thing, except that instead of doing any push-ups, sit-ups, and jump squats, I’ll simply be sprinting the straightaways (instead of jogging/running). This will make the workout go a bit faster, and get me breathing a lot heavier. It’ll be no time at all before I lose 30 pounds.

As I perform these workouts, I sometimes reminisce about the good’ole days of high school track, where I ran a lot more, a lot faster, and a lot harder. As I’m trodding down the lane at the track, I can’t help but think, “Man! This would be a lot easier if I weren’t carrying this 30 pound tire around my waist!” I think, “What would it be like, back in ’93, if I were doing these workouts and actually carrying a tire?”

This is exactly why once you start losing the weight consistently, you have to increase your workload. As you lose more weight, the workouts become easier. After you lose 30 pounds, your normal workouts will have become less effective – your body has simply become more efficient. With less weight to lug around, you are burning fewer calories to get the workout done. That is why you have to increase the workout. Run longer, harder, faster, and with change-ups (like adding push-ups, jump squats, etc.).

Or, you can go get a 30 pound tire, wriggle inside of it, and then run your normal workout!

Actually, this makes me think. Is it really doing you any good when you try to make your workout more comfortable? For someone who is trying to lose 30 pounds, does it make sense to go out and buy the ultra-light running shoes, the super-light jogging shorts and top, and yes (dare I say), the Ipod? I tried running with an Ipod, and it didn’t’ work. It might work for long distance running, where you need it to help with the boring task of doing nothing, but it’s a distraction when sprinting and jumping down the track.

My point is, won’t you work harder if you have to run with heavier shoes? Won’t you work harder if you are wearing shorts WITH sweatpants, and a sweatshirt? If you strip down to super-thin shorts and only a t-shirt, you’ll simply be ridding yourself of the opportunity to burn a few more calories in your workout. I’ve had running partners who didn’t want to workout on some days simply because they didn’t feel like running into the wind. Well, I say that is the time when you’ll get more out of your workout. I don’t make it a point to run in a bunch of clothes with hiking boots, or run in a windstorm; I simply don’t try to get the lightest shoes, shorts, and shirt.

Sorry if this was a little off-topic – I just kind of rolled along with it, just like that 30 pound tire I call my gut.

How to Not Lose 30 Pounds

Words from the Editor 25 Responses »

Nov 272009

Most of us would like to lose fat, while some of us would like to lose 30 pounds of fat. I am one of those people. I know what you’re thinking, “Hey Tourq, what happened to your progress?” Well, I have to confess, after about a month of work, I ended up right back where I started – at 204 lbs.

What Happened…
- My vacation got interrupted because I had to move my sister out of Idaho, so I couldn’t work out.
- For the rest of my vacation, I developed a breathing problem. I’ve been sucking on an inhaler for several days now. Blood tests, EKGs, CAT Scans, etc. have not yet diagnosed the problem. I’m due to see a pulmonologist soon.
- This led to some depression, because I couldn’t work out and was scared of what the problem might be.
- Which led to unhealthy eating, because I have low willpower.

So what happended, really?
Simple. I gave up. I’ll say it again. I GAVE UP.

How can I lose 30 pounds if I’m giving up in the process? As you can imagine, I’ve been a little bit upset with myself. However I realized that the reasons I fell off the bandwagon all boil down to me jumping off the bandwagon. I did it to myself. I could probably come up with several more reasons why I gained the weight back, but it wouldn’t matter; it will always be MY fault. That’s what I need to keep remembering: that I am responsible for my own weight loss. If I want to lose 30 pounds, I have to commit to it – really commit to it, regardless of the obstacles I face in the process.

What follows are some things that you can do to sabotage yourself. If you want to know how to not lose 30 pounds, follow these tips:

Do’s:
- Do find an excuse for not working out today.
- Do go to the grocery store when you’re hungry.
- Do tell yourself that you’ll start tomorrow.
- Do start off really hard and then burn yourself out.
- Do eat like crap when you can’t exercise.
- Do tell yourself that it’s too hard to diet sensibly and exercise.

Don’ts:
- Don’t set any weight loss goals.
- Don’t have a plan.
- Don’t research the best way (for you) to lose 30 pounds.
- Don’t get a workout buddy.
- Don’t work out more than twice a week.
- Don’t avoid the Big Mac on the way home.
- Don’t avoid the fries and shake, either.
- Don’t take responsibility when you don’t lose 30 pounds.

This is my pledge to be honest with my readers and myself. I’m going to start posting my results and the things that I accomplished each week. Hopefully I can keep myself accountable, and hopefully you can gleam some fat loss tips from my progress. My endeavor to lose 30 pounds is now in full force.

A Moment of Silence for the Gracies…

Workouts / Exercise 16 Responses »

Nov 152009

MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) and the UFC owe a lot to the sport of grappling. Every time I see this clip I get goosebumps, just because I know the amount of training and conditioning these two have had to go through to get to this point. This is skill…

Ryan Gracie vs. Renzo Gracie

The clip starts off slowly, but then picks up pretty quickly. I can’t even name all of the techniques they use.

How to Get Motivated to Lose 30 Pounds!

General Health 4 Responses »

Nov 082009

If you are like me, then you want to know how to get motivated to lose 30 pounds, and stay that way. Too many times we get hyped about losing weight and getting in shape, only to lose focus a short time later. Well I say, “No more! We need to see this thing through!” So here’s a way to get there.

(1) Define your Goals

Either in a journal, diary, or document saved to your desktop, write down specifically what your goals are. Somehow, writing it down makes it official. It’s simply more real if you can see it/read it. My #1 goal is to lose 30 pounds. I have other goals that I’ll write down, also. For instance, I want to run a 6-minute mile again. I want to be able to do 50 push-ups again, and I want to be able to do 30 pull-ups.

That’s four goals right there. I’m sure that I could come up with a few others, but these four are the ones that will really make me feel good about myself. Hence, knowing these goals will help me to get motivated.

(2) Make a Workout Plan

What are you going to do to reach your goals? Write down your plan. It doesn’t have to be a big production. You don’t have to research for hours for the most used, scientifically proven method. What you do need to do is get specific. On Sunday at 10:00 A.M., I’m going to the track and performing this workout. On Monday at 7:00 P.M., I’m going to do my push-up/pull-up workout. On Tuesday, I’m going to take the day off – but I’ll use this time to dump any junk food from my fridge and pantry.

The key is to write it down. Don’t plan it out more than a few days, maybe a week – that way if you ever fall behind you can very easily readjust your plan.

(3) Track your Progress

It doesn’t have to be a large, sophisticated excel spreadsheet. If you like that kind of thing, then go ahead. I simply write down my progress, in note form, right in my plan… Did I do the workout? How many repetitions? How much weight? How long did I run for, how many laps? Did the workout make me feel good?

Opinions differ on tracking your personal weight. I like to do it. It alleviates my curiosity, and if I stagnate for two weeks, I can step back to look at what I might try differently. Just remember that some days your weight won’t change, and it might even go up. That’s totally natural. I only change things up if I haven’t lost weight for two full weeks.

If you want to know how to get motivated using only one method, tracking your progress is my choice.

(4) Ditch the Junk

I already said this, but I think it’s very important. Ditch the junk. Go through your fridge and pantry and get rid of the junk food. Seeing that food in my house makes me want to eat it. So I eat it, then feel guilty, feel like I failed, then feel like I wasted my effort. That whole process is disheartening, frustrating – not very motivational. Simply not having access to that junk can be a great booster by itself.

(5) Seek Uppers

Not drugs; people. Surround yourself with like-minded individuals. Talk or hang out with people that either motivate you, or have similar goals. At the very least, join a fitness forum. Join several. Write comments on fitness blogs. Do whatever it takes to communicate with others that are also taking charge of their lives and personal health.

(6) Find an Inspiration

This is more a personal choice for me; I don’t consider it essential for everyone. My inspiration is Thiago Alves, the MMA fighter. He and I have the same body type and height (I just have a lot more fat). Every time I see him fight I think, “Geez, I could look like that.” Except, of course, that I’m a pale white boy and he’s Brazilian.

If you’re wanting to know how to get motivated to lose 30 pounds, don’t stop here. This stuff works for me, but feel free to look for more tips. If you find other great ideas, leave a comment!

Ab Workouts Reduce Ab Fat? Yes and No

Truth or Scam? 12 Responses »

Oct 272009

You cannot target fat areas for fat loss, period. You cannot do ab workouts with the inclination that it will directly reduce the fat around the midsection. It just doesn’t work that way. Why do so many people think that it does work that way? Simple. Night after night after night on TV you’ll see an advertisement for a revolutionary new ab machine. Then you’ll see all the hunks and babes with tight abs that are using that machine. Put one and one together and you get three.

What I especially love are the small, hard to read disclaimers that you always miss at the bottom of the screen: “Results vary. Follow a diet and exercise program for maximum effect.” Translation: “This ab machine is worthless.”

Just once I would like to see, “Results ARE typical.”

Fat Loss: Regardless of the type of exercise and/or diet, you will reduce fat from where you have the most of it. For most men, that means most body fat is around the stomach. For most women, that is around the hips and legs. It’s simply a percentage game.

Let’s say you have worked hard and eaten well, and reduced your total fat percentage by 10%. That means that you’ve reduced fat by 10% each and every place that it is stored. 10% of the fat in your arms is gone, 10% of the fat in your legs is gone, and 10% of the fat in your midsection is gone. The actual amount of fat in the arms is less than that in your midsection, but each area loses 10% individually. Hense, wherever you have the most, you lose the most.

You can’t take water out of one end of the pool and expect the water-level at that end to be lower; the loss gets dispersed throughout the whole pool.

Ahah! But ab workouts DO reduce ab fat! <sigh> Ok, here’s the deal. An ab workout, by itself, is still a workout. It’s not a great workout, but it still gets you to burn some calories. As we all know, burning more calories than we consume causes fat loss. Just don’t think that an ab workout will replace a normal one.

Do not spend 30 minutes on your abs. If you want, include five to ten minutes of ab workout in your regular routine two or three times per week, but no more. Most likely, your abs already get a good workout by simply being involved in other exercises: pull-ups, push-ups, jumping jacks, lunges, cable cross-overs, etc., etc., etc.

If you have weight to lose, and you spend hours working on your abs, you’ll probably have good-looking abs – if you could see under all that fat. So, while an ab workout can tone your abs and make them stronger, you’ll have to diet and exercise regularly to show them off.

Acai Berry: Fruit or Fruitless?

Truth or Scam? 5 Responses »

Oct 262009

Acai (ah-sah-ee, ah-sigh-ee) is a fruit hailing from Central and Southern America. If you’ve been on the internet in the last couple of years, you have no doubt seen advertisements for these acai berries and acai supplements. Time and time again I have seen so many claims as to the health benefits of this miracle fruit, so I have finally decided to look into it myself.

Where it is grown, it is widely consumed in various forms (smoothies and other juice drinks, alcohol, ice cream flavors, and even mixed with cereal). There’s no doubt about what it is – a fruit. What is in doubt are the claims made by the hundreds or thousands of distributors and advertisers that are peddling this product. Flip through any magazine or spend any time on the internet and you’ll come across it.

I get really peeved when I see something advertised as truth without any facts to support the claims. Most advertisements claim acai promotes weight loss, while others try to get away with other claims: “If you eat this dietary supplement, you will lose weight, cleanse your system, improve sleep, beat depression, have more energy, and even grow bigger.”

Acai is a fruit, so you can expect to get all the benefits that come with eating fruit (that is, if you eat a handfull of actual acai berries). The problem is that most people in the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Africa don’t eat the fruit; they eat the non-FDA approved supplements, instead. The actual fruit, even compared to other fruits, does not seem very impressive. It ranks about the same as rasberries, apples, oranges, and grapes. Not bad, but really, any other comparison is simply spltting hairs.

There are many types of advertisements on the web for this “miracle fruit.” Most of them boil down to three types:

The miracle weight loss supplement.
The miracle weight loss supplement combined with a cleansing product for maximum effect.
Those that claim to have tested acai beforehand, with before and after pictures. They just want to be “truthful” and “help” others to lose weight, just like they did.

Most advertisers are fly-bys. They are people that see an opportunity to make some money off of others’ hopeful dreams and/or lack of knowledge. Many times, free trials are offered simply to get you to sign up. Too many times these free trials are nearly impossible to cancel, resulting in multiple charges to credit cards. I especially loathe those advertisers who purport to warn about acai scams, when that is exactly what they are doing – scamming others. Maybe I should set up a quick acai website of my own, advertise the ‘benefits’ of acai supplements and acai juice, and then make probably over $500 a month – easy.

I’m like most people. I would like there to be a miracle supplement that does all of the hard work for me. Unfortunately, acai berries are not that miracle. If they came to my supermarket, I might try a few, but I would not expect anything from them other than what normally comes from a fruit. I advise anyone that is interested in acai fruit to avoid it until you can buy it locally.

Thanks for reading,

-Tourq

Running to Lose Weight (Sundays)

Workouts / Exercise 3 Responses »

Oct 232009

Running to lose weight is one of my all-time favorites for general fitness, and is a front-runner (pun intended) in getting me to lose 30 pounds. I’m not talking about endurance training, I’m talking about interval running.

What is interval running? In a nutshell, you perform several sprints with short rests in between, instead of running for 20 – 60 minutes straight. Of course, there are many variations to these sprint workouts, so you really can’t get bored with it.

Getting started: If you’re like me, and you’re looking to get started with losing weight, start with something easy. This type of workout requires only a pair of running shoes and a track. On Sunday, go to your local high-school or college track. It should be vacant.

For beginners: Walk or jog around the track for two laps. After that, get a bit of stretching in. When you’re ready, take a sip of water and then walk around the first turn (100 meters). When you get to the straight-away, jog until you get to the next turn. That is when you walk again. So really, just walk the turns and jog the straight-aways. Do this for one mile (four laps). After that, get a drink of water and then walk for two laps. Regardless of how ambitious you are (or want to be), jog slow enough that you can complete all eight laps as instructed. The goal here is to finish the workout without getting burned out.

When you get home after the workout, get a bite to eat (preferably something that includes protein). Adopt a meal plan if you’re serious about losing weight.

For those accustomed to running: Perform the workout above. However, after walking the turn, sprint about 50% speed down the straight-aways. You’ll know if you have to slow down.

The goal is not to see how fast you can complete the workout; it’s to get you to finish the workout and feel good about it. Sometimes, I’ll do this workout two or three times per week (becasue I love it). If I can’t run around a track (because it’s getting used), I’ll run around the block instead. The workout might need a bit of tweaking for that, but it still works.

As I said earlier, running to lose weight is one of my all-time favorites. It’s easy and it doesn’t really require any special equipment. Make sure you don’t over-do it, because when you’re just getting started, you’ll want to feel good about it. That way you come back for more!

A Healthy Meal Plan!

Diet / Meal 6 Responses »

Oct 202009

Make a Meal Plan! What follows is mine. From each category, I’m allowed so many selections throughout the day. As I eat one portion, I cross off one portion allowance. If I ever cheat, I cross off a snack portion and keep going!

By all means, copy the meal plan for yourself. Delete food items that you will never eat and add food items that you will – that way you can have your own personalized meal plan (one that works for you). My meal plan assumes that I am 200 lbs., looking to lose about 30. If you weigh about 175, subtract one portion from four different categories (leave vegetables alone). If you weigh about 150, subtract one portion from each category. If you weigh more than 200 lbs., leave it alone. If you exercise during any given day, feel free to eat all the portions. If you aren’t going to exercise that day, try not to eat all of the portions.

One last thing: While the portion sizes may seem small, the number of portions is just right. Don’t clump all of your portions into two or three heavy meals – spread them out across the day. Always eat breakfast!

Thanks for reading,

-Tourq

PROTIENS: O O O O O O O O
3 oz chicken breast
3 oz ham/turkey slices
3 oz pork tenderloin
3 oz red meat
3 oz tuna or other fish
3 eggs or 6 egg whites
1 scoop protein powder with water

VEGETABLES: O O O O
Asparagus
Broccoli
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Cucumber
Lettuce
Peas
Spinach
Squash
String beans
Tomatoes
Vegetable soup

DAIRY: O O O
1 cheese slice
1 cup cottage cheese
8 oz skim milk
8 oz yogurt

FRUITS: O O O
1 apple
1 banana
1 pear
1 peach
1 cup berries
1 cup grapes
1 cup watermelon

SNACKS: O O O
Protein bar
Protein shake
Nuts
String cheese
1 oz jerky
8 oz cottage cheese
8 oz yogurt

CARBOHYDRATES: O O
1 whole wheat bagel
2 slices whole wheat bread
2 English muffins (wheat)
1 whole wheat tortilla
1 cup brown rice
1 cup beans
1 cup lintels
1 cup of non-sugar cereal
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup pasta
1 potato/ sweet potato
10-12 crackers

FATS: O
Canola oil
Flaxseed oil
Olives
Olive oil

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