The 350 lb Nutrition Consultant

I had a neighbor who weighed 350 or more. The irony is that he was a chiropractor who also promoted himself as a "nutrition consultant." I often wondered how patients could possibly have confidence in his advice. The paramedics arrived one day and found him dead. It was probably heart failure, but I never knew for sure. A multitude of things can go wrong when you are that obese. He was a relatively young man, perhaps in his late 40s or early 50s.

I thought about him when a man wrote me yesterday and asked for some advice. He is in his late 50s and weighs 345 lbs. As you would expect, he is suffering from some physical problems, and his doctor has placed him on a weight loss and exercise program. The man sounds like he is taking the advice seriously and I hope that he is. I suggested that he work with a trainer and follow closely his doctor’s instructions. Weighing that much, it is probably best for him to begin by walking short distances and then gradually add time and distance to his walks. That's what I would have him doing. Some weight training would be added later.

No matter how overweight or out of condition you might be today, with the right attitude, instruction and persistence, you can become fit. Beginners would do well by following my program explained in Gray Iron: A Fitness Guide for Senior Men and Women.

More Good News About Green Tea

According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who regularly drink green tea may have a lesser risk of mental decline as they grow older. The evidence about the benefits of green tea keeps growing. Check it out.

The Hindu Push Up/Dive Bomber Combo

If I had to choose only two or three exercises to achieve a good full body workout, one of the upper body exercises would be what I call the Hindu/Dive Bomber Combo.

This one comes close to working every muscle group from the hips to the top of your head, and at the same time giving your legs a little work and a nice stretch, too.

What I’ve done is combine two push-up varieties to create a nearly perfect core and upper-body strengthener. Let’s start with the first part, the Hindu push-up. In spite of the ubiquitous Matt Furey promoting them, most people I meet, even gym people, don’t know how they are done, and many people have never even heard of them.

Then there are some people who know the movements but want to argue over which one is better, Hindu Push-Ups or Dive Bombers. Ignore them. Both are good and each places a little more emphasis on different muscles than the other. Doing the Combo gives you the best of both worlds.

Here is how they are done:



The starting and ending position of the Hindu push-up is in photo 1. Legs spread apart wider than shoulder width. Hips elevated. Hands on the ground, a little wider than shoulder width. Eyes looking backward.



Smoothly, bring your body forward by dropping your hips to the down position (photo 2) while sliding your head and shoulders forward . . . then extend your arms, raise your head and look forward (photo 3).




Now, push your hips back up to the starting position, eyes once again looking backward (photo 4). That’s one complete rep.




The entire movement should be a smooth, steady and rhythmic motion.


That is half of the Hindu/Dive Bomber Combo. Here is the second half.

Dive Bombers:

They start just like the Hindu (photo 1).

Then, just as in the Hindu, bring your body forward by dropping you hips (photo 2) while sliding your head and shoulders forward to a pushup position.



But this time, push straight back and up, while raising your hips back to the starting position (photo 3).

As with the Hindu Push-Up, the Dive Bombers are done in a smooth, steady and rhythmic motion.

To do the Combo, alternate your reps: do one Hindu followed by one Dive Bomber. Back and forth. Break up the workout into sets; or try one long set, not to failure, but close.

I like to work them into almost all of my upper body routines. Try it.

Your Most Loyal Training Partner

A columnist in our local newspaper wrote about the health and fitness advantages of owning a dog. He had some impressive statistics to back up his thesis. More important, though, he described the pure joy he sees in his Labrador retriever as they run along a beach, and the wonderful companionship they share.

This is our dog, Tyra, an Australian Cattle Dog mix, a working breed, a herder, intelligent and requiring lots of exercise. A veterinarian once said to us that you can tell ACD owners because they are in good shape. Their dogs keep them that way.

Patty and I don’t need much nudging to hike, but Tyra let’s us know we couldn’t get away with not going if we wanted to. We usually hike at the same time of day, and Tyra begins to pace as that time approaches. As soon as she sees us reach for our trail shoes, she’s headed for the door, tail wagging, excited and ready to go.

We prefer our cardio workouts outdoors on trails in the hills, rather than on machines in the gym. Rain doesn’t stop us either, unless it is really coming down. Then we head for the gym and the cardio machines. Well, that’s fine for us, but Tyra doesn’t care if there are muddy trails and a downpour. So I put on my rain gear, stand outside in the park and we play fetch.

Having trouble keeping a regular schedule for cardio? Think about getting a dog. If you’ve never had a dog, try volunteering to walk the dogs for exercise at your local humane society. It’s a great way to do good deeds and at the same time find out if you’d like a regular training partner, the most loyal one you'll ever find.

Some Notes on Physical Imperfections

As we age, most of us collect a few chronic physical annoyances. For some, they are more than just annoyances. Some are serious, even debilitating. Few of us get through life Scot-free. If you are one of the lucky ones who seems to be escaping unscathed, the rest of us are envious.

I have been fortunate. I live a fitness lifestyle and I’m enjoying the health benefits of my commitment. Yet I have had pneumonia several times since I was a kid. I also have a mild degree of Essential Tremor, or ET, which causes hand trembling. (No, it is not Parkinson’s.) ET tends to run in families and my dad had it. Apparently, John Adams, the second President of the United States, had it, too, incidentally. Since the other half of my productive life is making art, an unsteady hand isn’t exactly an asset. But many people have far more serious things to deal with than that.

What should be remembered is that a great number of chronic health issues improve or even disappear altogether with regular exercise and good eating habits. Bad backs, high blood pressure, and dangerous cholesterol levels are three examples that commonly get better with regular exercise and weight loss through proper diet. And practically any medical condition improves with a combination of a fitness lifestyle and the wonders of modern medicine.

Nevertheless, some diseases strike suddenly without warning; and, of course, genetic factors, the luck of the draw, are beyond our control. However, we cultivate many (perhaps most?) problems ourselves from years of overeating, too much alcohol, smoking, or other drugs that assault our minds and bodies. I use an expression, “living off your youth,” to describe someone ignoring nature’s laws. It means that when we are young we can get away with excess and abuse. Yet gradually bad habits take their toll.

Today, there are growing numbers of school kids at risk of becoming diabetic. People who study disease trends say the rising percentages are the result of more overweight and out-of-shape kids than in previous generations. It seems that junk food, overeating, and lack of physical activity have lowered the “living off your youth” period clear down to elementary and middle schools. Anyone with doubts about this should click here.

The Gray Iron Fitness Blog is about adults, and mostly seasoned ones at that. So what is all this information about children? Well most of us have kids and/or grandkids. It’s up to us to set a good example. . . .

The Google ads at the top of the page can be fascinating. The way they work is that Google uses some kind of word search of the blog’s text. Instantaneously, ads appear with some matching characteristic to the text. Sometimes the results are not what you would expect.

For example, I often mention my disdain for diet pills. So what ads pop up? Ads for hoodia diet pills. It isn’t a perfect system. Here is a little item from Quackwatch:

“ConsumerLab.com has concluded that hoodia supplements have not been proven safe or effective for reducing appetite or body weight and the quality of the products is uncertain. Hoodia gordonii is a rare cactus-like plant protected by conservation laws in South Africa and Namibia. Its stems and roots are used in supplements. It has been speculated that more product is sold today than could possibly be made from all the Hoodia plants in existence, which would mean consumers might not be getting what they expect. Access to the report requires a subscription or a $10 fee. See ConsumerLab.com and search for “hoodia.”

Fitness News Briefs

The Gray Iron Fitness Blog is but one month old, yet steady on its feet and growing.

Blogging's interactive nature makes it easy for newsletter subscribers (and any other viewers) to comment, question or disagree with posts. The only rule is that remarks be relevant to the post being addressed and be in good taste. Personal attacks are verboten. And no politics, please. Other than that, let 'er rip!

P.S. A few early comments to posts did not get online because I hadn't figured out how to do it yet. My apologies to you if that happened.

Recent News Briefs:

• MIDLIFE OBESITY EQUALS EARLIER DEATH
  
  Even if you have normal blood pressure and cholesterol levels, you are subtracting years from your life if you are too fat. That is what the latest studies show. Full story. . . .
  
  
• SEX IMPROVES PUBLIC SPEAKING
  
  Here is proof that all news is not bad news. Full story. . . .
  
  
• FRUITS & VEGETABLES CUT STROKE RISK
  
  More good news: Full story. . . .
  
  
• THE MONTHLY PILL WATCH
  
  Brazilian Diet Pills: This is new one on me. Full story.
  
  Remember that most diet and "anti-aging" pill advertising is cleverly worded deception. Get truthful information from a physician you trust, a pharmacist, or registered dietician.
  
  Don't get taken!

FDA to approve "fat-blocker" for over-the-counter sales

Am I a killjoy or what? Even if approved by the FDA for over-the-counter sales, I'm still no fan of diet pills. Okay, so the FDA people apparently tested a "fat-blocker" that does dispose of some fat after it's been consumed, and I guess nobody got sick and died using it. Nevertheless, if you take diet pills, it ought to be only a minor part of an overall fitness and dietary program -- and taken under a doctor or nutritionist's supervision. At present, a doctor's prescription is required for the pills that are likely to soon be available over-the-counter.

Yes, some people will use the product in a responsible context. But you know human nature. Now being told that there really is a "free lunch" after all, those looking for an easy way out will gobble up the "magic pills," while doing nothing to change disastrous eating habits. In fact, many overweight people will likely eat even more bad fat than before, figuring that the pills will block it.

Excuse my skepticism, but you know I'm right. There's still no short cut to health and fitness that doesn't require healthful eating and regular exercise. Bottom line: over-the-counter fat-blockers will not do anything to solve the nation's obesity problem. Probably they will make matters worse.

Read more about the latest diet pill panacea.

High Intensity Cardio -Austrian-style

I am obsessed with snowshoeing! Coo-coo. Alright, I am from California and this whole snow thing is a novelty that I am still enamored with. I had read somewhere a few years ago that snowshoeing was a great calorie-burning endeavor and I'm thinking SIGN ME UP! It is estimated to burn 400-500 calories per hour. I love hiking and now living in the high altitude I am getting pretty darn excited at the idea of going where no man or woman has gone. Just me and my elegant snowshoes gliding over the powder. So I am in Austria now...a village, no kidding. Plenty of uncharted territory and deep powder...and all right out my door. Let me tell you, this does work up a sweat and burns some serious calories! I have gone everyday for the past week. I highly recommend it.

jen in austria

P.S. You don't actually glide over the snow...more like sink only to your knees where it would have been your waist.

The Paralysis of Analysis

I'm on firm ground when I say that most of what is written about fitness and training applies only to a very small percentage of people, and I’m counting even those who exercise regularly.

Endless articles, countless books, magazines and web sites pick, probe and analyze to death information that applies only to the few and is often meaningless to the many. It sells. That's because many believe they are learning cutting edge "secrets" to greater strength and health. Generally, it's not true.

For most people, regular training and healthful dietary practices must be basic and easy to live with or they will not be followed for a lifetime. Anybody can follow an extreme diet or workout regimen for a week or a month. But then what happens? You know the answer to that one. Or the continuous searching for the latest and greatest can bog people down in complex and often contradictory theories and information and they never take a first step at all.

Keep it simple.

If you are a beginner, my book, written in plain, non-technical English, can be a tremendous help.

Austrian Workouts and Cheetahs

Daughter Jennifer sent an e-mail note today along with some recent pictures (shown here). She and husband Georg and my grandkids have been living in a beautiful area of Austria the past year. The countryside looks like scenery from The Sound of Music and, since it is Austria, nearly everyone skis and goes on snowshoe hikes. Jennifer says snowshoeing is a great aerobic workout. She has a home gym, too, and is a member of a health club in town. When she comes to visit us in March, she may teach some classes in Novato where she used to instruct.

Cheetahs: Patty and I went to a movie yesterday and saw Duma. If you are a runner, you must see it. Most runners that I know greatly appreciate speed and grace and, believe me, Duma has both! Have children or grandchildren? Take them to see it (recommended for those 9 and older) and enjoy a wonderful shared experience. No children or grandchildren? See it anyway. Go for the magnificent scenery and engaging tale about a boy in South Africa raising a Cheetah cub to adulthood. Ebert & Roeper give it, "Two Thumbs Up." For an online preview go to Duma . . . . Also cut me some slack to do a little name dropping. Duma's film director, Carroll Ballard (The Black Stallion, Never Cry Wolf and Fly Away Home) and I were high school classmates.

Milo's Workout

Milo, who lived in southern Italy around 500 B.C., is recognized for inventing progressive resistance exercise. People before him may have exercised by lifting heavy objects, but historians credit Milo as "The Man."

What he did one day was shoulder a small calf and carry it the length of the stadium at Olympia. The story goes that he continued carrying the animal regularly until it was full-grown. And Milo grew very strong in the process.

Once you understand the story of Milo, you understand the basics of resistance training. You begin by lifting something that is very manageable and add to it over time, gradually.

This brings me back to my sandbag swings (see “Sandbag Workout” posts on Jan. 2. and Jan. 6). Simply imagine pouring a small amount of sand into a gunnysack and hoisting it daily in a few of the basic lifts: the swing, clean and press, and squats.

Everyday, you add a small amount of sand to the bag. A set of weights may be more convenient and easier to deal with. On the other hand, sand and burlap sacks are cheap and easy to find. For the motivated trainee, it would work.

Arnold on Bodybuilding

"The good bodybuilders have the same mind that a sculptor has. If you analyze it, you look in the mirror and you say, okay, I need a bit more deltoids ... so that the proportion's right, and you exercise and put those deltoids on, whereas an artist would just slap on some clay on each side."

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, Pumping Iron

Sandbag Workout (part 2)

Kettlebell swings challenge your whole body, with an emphasis on hamstrings, hips and glutes. Your back and shoulders don’t get off easy, either. And doing high reps will have you panting as if sprinting uphill. Trust me.

I tried the “kettlebell” swing using a 50-lb sandbag and it worked pretty well. If it's your first time doing swings, be sure to start with a weight you can handle with proper form. Going heavy before learning proper technique is a good way to hurt yourself. There will be plenty of time later to increase your sandbag's weight or reps.

Here is how to go about it: Place the sandbag on the ground and between your feet, with legs spread a little wider than shoulder width. Reach down and grip the bag. Keep your arms straight. Your posture should the same as if you were going to do a standing long jump (see the first photo): knees bent, butt extended back, straight spine, head up. Now, with straight arms, swing the bag back and forth a little to get some momentum going. Inhale as the bag swings backward. Exhale as it goes forward.

Once you have momentum, from the start position (first photo), straighten your legs while snapping your hips forward, swinging the bag up to eye level or a little higher (see the second photo). Keep a solid base and your abs tight throughout.

Then let the bag fall, with control, retracing the arc, back between your legs. That is one rep. Now, swing the bag up again, and then back. That's two reps. Do it again. Keep going. Concentrate on your form and establish a rhythm. Remember to exhale as the bag rises. Inhale as it falls.

Proper technique is everything. When your form starts to break down, stop. Getting sloppy is when people hurt themselves. Get it right before challenging yourself.

"It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing . . ."

Sandbag Workout (part 1)

The year 2006 began with more excitement than I needed or bargained for. A massive storm struck Northern California. And at 4:15 a.m., a neighbor rang our doorbell to alert us to mudslides and flooding. Fallen trees from the hills behind our homes were washed into the valley. A culvert was blocked, creating a powerful, muddy river that smashed through the home directly across the street from ours.

All the king’s horses and all the king’s men — in this case sheriff’s deputies, firefighters, and various county workers — could not subdue Mother Nature. Our neighbor lost her home and the cleanup all around us is no small task.

That a tragedy brings out the best and worst in people was in evidence. Most neighbors acted as good neighbors should, helping in any way possible, wading through mud, muck and water to salvage what was salvageable. Inevitably, though, gawkers showed up, at times clogging our small court of six homes. A few “adults” allowed their children to play barefoot in the river of muck and water as parents took photographs or made home videos.

It was a missed opportunity to teach their children something about decency and good manners. The loss of someone's home and emotional suffering of the owner is not just another “event” and photo opportunity. Even a few giggling "adult" women waded barefoot. Crazier yet, there was shattered glass buried in the muck.

How does any of this fit into a fitness blog? Reporters are taught to look for the local angle. There was a fitness angle even in this.

My son and I went to the firehouse to fill burlap sacks with sand for warding off rushing water. While there, I discovered that swinging a half-filled sack of sand into the back of my pickup is very close to the exercise called the kettlebell swing. I’m serious. When everything dries out, I will fill several sacks at various weights and keep them for swings, cleans, and presses.

“Out of the mud grows the lotus,” according to a Chinese proverb.

Training to Failure

Training to failure on any kind of regular basis always seemed to me like a bad idea. I’ve tried it a few times and found that it soon takes its toll on my mind and body. I simply cannot sustain pushing myself to the absolute limit workout after workout.

Then I would read how people like Bill Phillips believe in training to failure and wonder how they handle it. I always preferred what Bill Pearl says about the concept. I’m paraphrasing, but Pearl says to end a set when you could do one or two more reps, if you really had to. Finish your workouts leaving a little gas still in the tank.

That makes sense to me.

The other day, I was looking at an article in the latest Men’s Health magazine and the author described two different types of training to failure. One type is training to absolute failure, and the other type is training to technical failure.

He defined training to absolute failure as not being able to complete another rep, no matter what. While training to technical failure is that point when your body posture must change to complete the movement. In other words, when you have to cheat by leaning or swinging forward or back, or you can’t control the speed of the weight you are lifting. That makes a little more sense to me than going to absolute failure.

"Train don't strain" used to be the advice in the old muscle building courses. I think it still makes the most sense of all.

From the Gym to Iraq

Not that long ago, Brad Avots was a college student. Patty and I met him at the gym where we workout. For a while, his girlfriend at the time was in the cardio-kickboxing classes we taught.

Brad talked about becoming a Marine. Unlike most college students, segments of his summers were spent in Quantico, Virginia at the U.S. Marine Corps Officer Candidate School.

He also had this very Marine habit of putting on a weighted pack and going up steep slopes (locally, the flanks of Mt. Tamalpais) to stay in shape.

It seems like yesterday, and it really wasn't that long ago, that he graduated from Sonoma State University and the USMC Officer Candidate School. Today, he is 1st Lt. Bradley Avots, and leading a Marine unit in Iraq.

When the Vice President was in Iraq this week, Brad’s Marines were charged with his staff’s security.

Twice, he and his unit have been featured on the late-night TV show, Jimmy Kimmel Live. Patty and I taped it both times and watched the next day.

He gets to come home in February. Let's wish him well.

Winter Cardio

Foul weather finally hit the Bay Area this week.

Patty and I will hike in the rain unless it is truly storming and the trails are mostly sloppy mud holes. Mild rain is kind of fun, and we have a few streams and waterfalls nearby that provide wonderful sights and sounds.

Yesterday was a cardio day and it was pouring. So we decided to go to the gym instead of slopping around in the muck. Patty used an elliptical trainer and I got on a recumbent bike. Not bad. In fact, we rather enjoyed it.

Patty has an iPod and says the music really gets her fired up. I understand. Yet when I’m in the gym pumping iron and look over at the cardio room, it reminds me of a bunch of hamsters on exercise wheels. What are they doing on treadmills when they could be out on a beautiful trail?

It was a good workout. Overall, though, I’ll still take a walk in the woods anytime.

How to Start the Day

We all have our morning rituals. Some begin with coffee, pastry and, God forbid, a cigarette. I guess it kick-starts their engines — while at the same time sending blood sugar/insulin levels through the roof and coating their lungs with gunk. I hope you aren’t one of them.

Patty and I have a cup of coffee, at about 5:30 or 6 a.m., and right afterward we have the almost perfect starter, a breakfast shake made with the following (for two people):

• 3-heaping tablespoons of freshly ground flaxseeds.
• 2-tablespoons of nonfat yogurt containing live friendly bacteria (and no added sweeteners).
• 2-scoops of whey protein powder (40 grams).
• 2-cups of fresh or frozen mixed berries (no added sweeteners).
• 3-cups of plain soy milk (no added sweeteners).
  
  Blend, drink, and take a . . .
  
• Quality multiple vitamin/mineral supplement.
• Glucosamine/Chondroitin/MSN tablet.
• Garlic tablet.
  

Highly recommended. Maybe you’ll try it. You might also consider pharmaceutical grade fish oil. We don’t take it because we eat quite a bit of salmon, flaxseeds, and walnuts. Ask your doctor.

Life Lessons

The first time I saw Art Gearing was about 6-1/2 years ago. I was doing leg presses, looked up, and saw someone entering the gym on skates. I was a new member and Art was a regular. He knew everybody and you could tell everybody liked him. Born in Canada, he is an avid hockey fan and a player. I think it’s genetic.

Art is a couple of years older than I am. He’s had rotator cuff surgery on both shoulders, and his wife, Gerry, passed away last year, after 50 years of marriage. Not an easy time, but Art is tough. And he is close to his two sons, Vince and Dan, and the grandkids.

We used to see each other a lot at the gym. For a long time, he was in our kickboxing class. Now, Patty and I workout earlier the afternoon and we don’t see him as much. Yesterday, though, he came in as we were finishing up. He’s in top shape, still pumping iron, still playing baseball, loving golf, and always has a big smile.

Living life to the fullest usually is a choice people make. Art is a good example of how it should be done.

Fair Weather Sports Fan

I have all but deserted our local pro football teams, the Raiders and 49ers. I gave up on the Raiders years ago. All that outlaw image stuff goes against my grain. And the 49ers are dreadful. However, I do think the 49ers are on the right track and, in a year or two, they’ll be just fine. Yes, I still watch them, but find myself actually dozing off during games.

Strange, but the Warriors have caught my eye. Patty watches basketball and I’ve never paid much attention to it. Now that the locals are winning, I’ve started watching, too. They’re an okay bunch, young and not yet fully tattooed like NBA versions of the Yakusa.

We go to one Giants baseball game per year. Our friends, Steve and Carolyn, organize a huge annual group tailgate party and we all sit together at the game. Until this past season, Barry Bonds has been kind enough to hit at least one home run at every game we have attended. Yes, it is something to watch him blast that thing out of the park and into San Francisco Bay. Yet, it’s really the tailgate party I enjoy. If we went home right afterward, I wouldn’t miss the game much.

Fair weather fans have the advantage of ignoring bad home teams without guilt. We know what we are. And it leaves more time for hiking in the woods.