Many Don't Believe Their Obesity is Unhealthy: Study

SATURDAY, Oct. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Many overweight and obese patients seen in hospital emergency departments don't believe their weight poses a risk to their health, and many say doctors have never told them otherwise, a new study finds.

Researchers asked 450 randomly selected patients who were seen in the emergency department at Shands at the University of Florida two questions: Do you believe your present weight is damaging to your health, and has a doctor or other health professional ever told you that you are overweight?

Of those who reported that their weight was unhealthy, only 19% said they'd ever discussed it with a health care provider. And only 30% of those who reported being told by their health care provider that their weight was unhealthy agreed with that opinion, according to the study.

Researchers also measured their body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference, indicators of body fat.

About 47% of obese and overweight men said they believed their weight was a problem, while 53% didn't.

Women seemed more attuned to the health issues posed by obesity, said study author Dr. Matthew Ryan, an assistant professor of emergency medicine at University of Florida, Gainesville. About 62% of obese or overweight women said their weight was damaging their health.

Among only obese people, or those with a BMI of 30 or above, about 70% said their weight wasn't good for their health. Still, that leaves three in 10 obese people who don't see their weight as a health issue -- which it clearly is, Ryan said.

"We see the manifestations of obesity in the emergency department. Obesity is directly linked to other diseases -- hypertension, diabetes, cancers,osteoarthritis, gallbladder disease, heart disease, strokes, and metabolic syndrome," Ryan said. "We see the acute exacerbations of chronic diseases."

Despite the health risks, only 36% of overweight or obese men and 50% of overweight/obese women reported their doctors had ever discussed weight with them.

"That is disconcerting," said Keri Gans, a registered dietician and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. "People need their physician to tell them straight out that if they don't lose weight they are putting themselves at an increased risk of disease. If they are not being told by the doctors, they might think, 'Oh, there is nothing to worry about.'"

The study was to be presented Saturday at the American College of Emergency Physicians meeting in San Francisco. Because this study was presented at a medical meeting, the data and conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Prior research has suggested a disconnect between Americans' weight and their perceptions about their size. A Harris Interactive/HealthDay survey of nearly 2,500 U.S. adults conducted in August 2010 found that 30% of those whose BMI put them in the overweight range (25 to 29.9) thought of themselves as normal size. About 70% of those who were obese thought they were merely overweight.

Among the morbidly obese, 39% thought of themselves as overweight, not obese, the survey found.

A second study Ryan is also slated to present at the conference found that the overweight and obese are being seen in disproportionate numbers in the emergency department.

About 39% of people seen in the Florida ER were obese, compared to an obesity rate of 26.6% for the general Florida adult population, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics.

Although researchers didn't look at whether obesity-related problems had sent them to seek emergency care, it's safe to assume some were, Ryan said, adding that he believes the numbers would be similar in other ERs.

His research found racial differences in attitudes toward weight. Among overweight and obese black Americans, 53% said their weight was bad for their health and 40% said doctors had discussed it with them. Among whites, 60% of the overweight and obese said their weight was bad for their health and 48% had it brought up by a doctor.

About 33% of study participants were black, 52% were white and the rest were other ethnicities.

Factors that could influence whether or not people discuss their weight with their doctors may include whether they have a primary care doctor or a regular source of care, something which researchers didn't ask. It's also possible that people are ashamed of having been told to lose weight and failing to do so, and so lied and said their doctor had never mentioned it, or simply that it "fell on deaf ears," Gans said.

Ryan recommends that patients leave the ER with referrals to dieticians and other weight-loss specialists, and that primary care doctors make sure to take the time to broach the issue with patients.

Gans agreed. Though emergency room physicians are pressed for time, when patients are sick and worried about their health may be an opportune moment to encourage changes.

"Unfortunately nothing happens until a patient becomes fearful," Gans said. "I see that all too often. I'll ask them, 'Do you need to wait until you have diabetes until you start to lose weight? Do you need to suffer a heart attack? And some people will actually say 'Yes.'"

http://www.medicinenet.com

The Hidden Benefit of Barbell Training

By now we all know that in order to get bigger and stronger you have to use a barbell in your training. This is obviously not any kind of new and exciting revelation. You want bigger legs you squat. You want bigger shoulders you overhead press. You want a bigger back you deadlift.
Now, to play devils advocate I could make a valid argument why the only barbell exercises you truly need are the squat and deadlift and why for the upper body you could get away with dumbbells and bodyweight exercises only. Hell, standing dumbbell presses would probably get the job done just as effectively, in many cases, as a bar.
The obvious problem is the incremental weight jumps you can make from workout to workout. With a bar you could go from 135 to 140. Or if you had fractional plates, as I recommend most people do, you could go up to 136 or 137.5. With dumbbells you’re usually going to be making ten pound jumps. That makes slow and steady progression a little bit more difficult. Not the end of the world but worth considering.
Secondly, some exercises done with dumbbells for low reps just aren’t that safe. If you want to train maximal strength and press for a triple it’s safer to do so with a bar. Even just getting dumbbells that heavy into position can be a little risky sometimes. For those reasons I very rarely prescribe a dumbbell exercise (other than a one arm snatch) for less than five reps.
But, in my opinion, here is the real magic and advantage of using barbells in a training center where you want to create a great atmosphere and have all of your clients loving their experience at your place…
When you base your programs around the power rack and big barbell exercises everything changes. There is more camaraderie, more team work, more competition and a better atmosphere in the gym overall.
You know why that is?
It’s pretty simple, actually.
Because in a properly run barbell workout everyone is involved in every single set their training partners do. Let’s say you have four guys in a group training together and they’re squatting. You have position 1- spot left, position 2- spot right, position 3- spot from behind, position 4- you’re up to squat. And you repeat and keep moving.
Doing this keeps every single member of the group engaged and focused. Each person is changing weights, spotting, coaching, learning and paying attention… They are FULLY entrenched in every single rep of squats that goes on during that workout.
Let’s say you were a bodyweight only guy or a guy who didn’t believe in loading the spine. I can guarantee you that your training center will never have a great atmosphere and build that same type of camaraderie and competition if you replaced the squat with the dumbbell split squat. There will be very little intensity when compared to barbell training. Guys will just wander around staring at the ceiling or counting birds outside the window.
There’s no need for them to spot, there’s no need for them to change weights and therefore they’re in their own world, concerned only about their own set or their own performance; not everyone else’s. And that creates a really shitty environment.
Of course you have to do single leg work and pushups and chins and all that kind of stuff which I’m a huge fan of, but it should be done after you get your one big barbell exercise out of the way.
That’s all it really takes is one big barbell exercise per workout to completely change everything. If all the assistance exercises are the exact same but you start with barbell military presses instead of dumbbell military presses it makes all the difference in the world for the numerous reasons I mentioned above.
After guys get their fill of the excitement, intensity and camaraderie of doing that one big lift together you can move on to assistance work.
One thing to note is that guys and girls are completely different. The majority of females (unless they are athletes) don’t enjoy healthy competition like guys do. You and I might get pissed if Billy squats more than us but it will force us to slap another five pounds on the bar or come back and whip Billy’s ass next week. Our day won’t be ruined over it.
If Susie out squats Sally, Sally will get pissed too. But not the way a guy will. She will just be pissed off in a bitter way and ready to quit. Mind you I’m not talking about every female, and especially not the ones you want in your gym. But on average this stereotype does hold true.
Same goes for coaching complicated exercises. Guys will be frustrated with themselves if they can’t do it but will desperately want to get better at it and keep trying. Girls will get very bitter and say “fuck this.”
Most females also don’t develop the same sense of camaraderie that guys do. Instead, they may “develop a sense of bitterness,” like my friend, John Alvino said, if you force them to stay put around a power rack and work together as a team.
Just keep those things in mind if you train females. Most of those types of females are better off in a bootcamp type setting and actually NOT doing barbell training.
Side rant done.
So while coaches will continue to argue the merits of dumbbells versus kettlebells versus bodyweight versus machines versus barbells I think they are missing one of the single most important factors.
For creating an incredible training atmosphere with camaraderie and competition, that people will absolutely love and tell their friends about, nothing beats the almighty barbell.
PS. Want to make even more money in your training business? Check out my friend Alwyn Cosgrove’s brand new program where he shows you exactly how to do just that.

http://jasonferruggia.com

Pumping Iron Helps Smokers Quit Without Weight Gain: Study

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Would-be ex-smokers may want to try weight lifting to help them kick the habit for good, a new study suggests.

The researchers found that three months of pumping iron seemed to help curb cigarette cravings and withdrawal symptoms, while lessening the weight gain that sometimes accompanies quitting.

Overall, men and women who completed the resistance training program were twice as likely to kick the habit as smokers who didn't lift weights.

"Cigarette smoking kills more than a thousand Americans every day, and while the large majority of smokers want to quit, less than 5% are able to do it without help," the study's lead author, Joseph Ciccolo, an exercise psychologist with the Miriam Hospital's Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, in Providence, said in a news release from the Lifespan health system.

"We need any new tools that can help smokers successfully quit and it appears resistance training could potentially be an effective strategy," he added.

In the study, which was funded by the U.S. National Cancer Institute, Ciccolo's team recruited 25 male and female smokers between the ages of 18 and 65 who had smoked at least five cigarettes per day for the past year or more.

All of the participants were counseled on quitting smoking for 15 to 20 minutes and given an eight-week supply of the nicotine patch, before being randomized into two groups, the authors noted.

The first group of smokers was asked to complete two one-hour full-body resistance training sessions involving 10 exercises each week for 12 weeks. The intensity of the training program was also increased every three weeks.

Meanwhile, the second group of smokers ("controls") simply watched a brief health and wellness video twice a week.

After completing the 12-week regimen, 16% of smokers in the weight-lifting group had successfully quit smoking, according to the study published in the August issue of the journal Nicotine & Tobacco Research. As an added bonus, they had also lost body weight and body fat.

In contrast, only 8% of the smokers in the control group had quit, and they had also gained both weight and body fat, the results showed.

Three months later, 15% of those in the weight-lifting group had still not started smoking again, compared to 8% of the control group.

However, despite "promising" results, the study authors noted that more research is needed on resistance training before it can be considered a clinical treatment for smoking cessation.

http://www.medicinenet.com

The #1 Tip for the Hormonally F*cked Hardgainer

Years ago I used to think the true definition of a hardgainer was a skinny dude who had trouble gaining muscle. But after nearly two decades of working with skinny dudes I no longer think that’s true.

A true hardgainer is the skinny fat guy. A guy with very little muscle and high body fat at the same time. They’re everywhere these days. For some odd reason it seems like not as many of these guys existed years ago. The majority of skinny guys were leaner. Or maybe I was just imagining things. Not sure. I was always skinny fat so maybe my perception was skewed.

The ever declining quality of our food and water supply surely has something to do with it, though.

The skinny fat dude usually has zero muscle mass with an A-frame physique, narrow shoulders, pipe cleaner arms, a little belly and soft pecs. All while weighing a whopping 138 pounds (picture my high school graduation photo). Or maybe he’s 175. Somewhere in that range. That’s how I spent the first 17 years of my life so I know the look pretty well.

That’s the true definition of a hardgainer. A skinny, ripped ectomorph is not even close to a hardgainer. Those dudes don’t have a clue how easy they have it. All they have to do is eat everything in sight and all of the weight they gain is lean muscle. I’ve worked with quite a few guys like this; some frustrated the hell out of me because they wouldn’t eat enough and others made insane gains when I taught them how to train and eat properly.

The skinny ripped guy calling himself a hardgainer is really just a guy who’s too lazy to eat. Only people with the genetics of a Ronnie Coleman gain muscle easily. Everyone else has to at least put some work in.

True hardgainers, on the other hand, are hormonally fucked. Their cortisol and estrogen is too high and often times their testosterone levels are too low.

So hormone optimization really becomes the key to transforming a hardgainer.

The number one factor above all else is going to be improving sleep quality. Hardgainers always struggle with this because of their hormonal make up and their personalities. They are usually wired with tons of nervous energy and tend to think too much and overanalyze things.

Improving my sleeping ability is something I still struggle with and am always looking to improve. To recap what I have said in the past here are a few tips that will help:

•    Go to bed earlier. Ideally you should be going to bed with the moon and rising with the sun. Since that’s not going to happen for most of us try to come as close as you can.
•    Wind down and lower the lights after it gets dark. Bright lights in the house will keep you stimulated and awake longer.
•    Stay off the computer after 8pm. The light of a computer or TV screen will lower melatonin production and fry your pineal gland.
•    Read something non stimulating (that won’t get your mind racing with ideas, etc.) like fiction.
•    Take an ice cold bath or shower an hour before bed.
•    Train before 3pm. Training later seems to keep the majority of people with sleep issues up all night.
•    Get 20-30 minutes of sunlight each day or get one of those goLITE’s by Phillips and use it for 15 minutes a day like I do.
•    Try a cool mist humidifier in your room.
•    Don’t have a TV in the bedroom. Instead try the Nightwave, which I also use.
•    Have as few electronic devices as possible in the bedroom.
•    Never keep your cell phone in the bedroom.
•    Try not to eat too close to bed time if this keeps you up. For me I need at least two hours between my last meal or I don’t sleep as well.
•    Have sex an hour or so before going to bed. This is preferably done with another person as your hand doesn’t seem to produce the same knockout effect.

Improving sleep quantity and quality has to take precedence over all else. When it comes tobuilding muscle, getting lean and gaining strength there is nothing more important than high quality sleep. Not the training program you’re on, not the diet, no supplement, nothing.

Now, I know most people will ignore this advice and start looking for the greatest new supplement. But trust me NOTHING is more important for your health and your gains in the gym than sleep.

I have struggled with this for years myself and always kick myself for not seriously addressing it sooner. It could have made a world of difference in my progress.

Don’t make the same mistakes I did. Address this now and your rate of progress and your quality of life will improve dramatically.

www.jasonferruggia.com

Measuring Success

Knowing where you’re at when you start a workout program is crucial in order to see how you progress.  For example, let’s say the first time you try a pull-up you can do one. Then 2 months later, after working to increase your pull-up strength, you attempt max pull-ups and you bust out six – the result shows that you’ve obviously gotten stronger.

Another example is Day 1 to Day 12 workouts for On Ramp.  The same workout is attempted the first day and the last day of your 12-session program to see the progress you have made in that short time.  In my time at Norcal Strength and Conditioning, I have ALWAYS seen improvement in people’s times.

Last week we attempted “Nancy”, a diagnostic WOD from CrossFit (400m Run, 15 Overhead Squats – 5 rounds).  For some of you in the gym, that was your first attempt at a diagnostic WOD.  For some it was a test to see if you could beat your previous.  And for some, you had no idea what you’re previous time was, but you remembered doing the workout.

The thing with measuring success is you have to record!  Whether it’s to know how much your strength as increased on your deadlift, how much faster you’ve gotten on your 500m row, or how many inches you have lost around your midline – you have to record it to compare it!

Diagnostic WOD’s give us the same opportunity to measure our improvement by comparing our score from our previous attempt and also give us the chance (if desired) to see where we stack up with our workout buddies.  Below is a list of “diagnostic WOD’s” that we may incorporate into our programming in the near future.  We want to know what YOU would like to see on the white board when you walk in the gym.  If you don’t comment you might end up doing something you despise!  If there is another WOD you truly would love to do that isn’t listed below, let us know!

*Know that modifications can be made to any of the WOD’s if you aren’t able to do the movements.

Annie:

50-40-30-20-10

Double Unders

Sit Ups

Cindy:

20 min AMRAP

5 Pull-ups

10 Pushups

15 Squats

Helen:

3 Rounds

Run 400m

21 KB Swings

12 Pull-ups

Jackie:

Row 1000k

50 Thrusters

30 Pull-ups

http://www.norcalsc.com

Killer Ab Workouts You Can Do At Home

When most people attempt to perform ab workouts at home, they usually just lie on the floor and engage in a marathon of crunch repetitions. This all too common approach will never lead to a well-balanced set of six pack abs.
First of all, the basic crunch will only provide a marginally positive training effect for beginners. Once you get strong enough to crank out sets of 50-100 or more, the resistance the crunch provides is simply too little to provide a training effect.

And secondly, the crunch only works the abs in one movement pattern: trunk flexion. Trunk flexion is just one of the many different abdominal functions that must be developed in a good ab routine. Therefore, you can’t achieve a complete ab workout by using a single exercise, like the crunch, in isolation.

Instead, you need to perform several different ab exercises, each targeting a different abdominal function and/or region. This may sound confusing, but once you understand the anatomy and function of your abdominals, designing an effective ab workout is quite simple.

Don’t worry, I’m not going to bore you with a lesson in anatomy. Instead, I’m going to lay out a complete, ready to use ab workout for you. The following workout contains only exercises that require no equipment whatsoever, making them ideal for a home training session. Here it is:

1a) Reverse Crunch On Floor 3×20-25 30 sec rest
1b) Straight Body Side Crunch On Floor 3×12 (5sec hold) 30 sec rest
2a) Plank 3×60 sec 30 sec rest
2b) Seated Russian Twists With Leg Cycle 3×20-25 30 sec rest

Now I will give you a detailed description on how to properly execute each exercise:

Reverse Crunch On Floor- Lie on your back on a mat. Flex both knees and hips to 90 degree angles. Bring knees toward chest by flexing abdominal muscles, raising butt from floor while maintaining a constant knee angle. Return until hips and knees are again extended to 90 degree angles. Repeat for the prescribed number of reps.

Straight Body Side Crunch On Floor- Lie on your side on the floor. Keep your hands straight out above your head, in line with your body. Keep legs straight. Lock your hands together. Simultaneously raise your arms and legs up so that neither are in contact with the floor. Hold this position for the prescribed number of seconds.

Plank- Get on the floor in a push up position. Support your body on your forearms and your toes. Be sure to keep the abs tight and hold your body in a straight line. Do not let hips sag or hike them up too high. Hold for the prescribed number of seconds.

Seated Russian Twists With Leg Cycle- Sit on floor and cross your arms across your chest, grabbing the opposite shoulders. Lean back until your upper body makes a 45 degree angle to the floor. Rotate trunk to the right while simultaneously bringing your right knee towards your chest. At this point your left elbow will be touching your right knee. In a smooth motion rotate to the left and repeat this on the other side. Continue to alternate until you finish the prescribed number of reps. One full rotation equals one rep.

And there you have it! A simple ab workout you can perform anywhere with no equipment necessary. Do this workout 2-3 times per week for up to a month. After a month, it will be time to progress to a more advanced routine.
A nice set of abs is in YOUR future! Begin this routine and start getting results today!

When most people attempt to perform ab workouts at home, they usually just lie on the floor and engage in a marathon of crunch repetitions. This all too common approach will never lead to a well-balanced set of six pack abs.
First of all, the basic crunch will only provide a marginally positive training effect for beginners. Once you get strong enough to crank out sets of 50-100 or more, the resistance the crunch provides is simply too little to provide a training effect.

And secondly, the crunch only works the abs in one movement pattern: trunk flexion. Trunk flexion is just one of the many different abdominal functions that must be developed in a good ab routine. Therefore, you can’t achieve a complete ab workout by using a single exercise, like the crunch, in isolation.

Instead, you need to perform several different ab exercises, each targeting a different abdominal function and/or region. This may sound confusing, but once you understand the anatomy and function of your abdominals, designing an effective ab workout is quite simple.

Don’t worry, I’m not going to bore you with a lesson in anatomy. Instead, I’m going to lay out a complete, ready to use ab workout for you. The following workout contains only exercises that require no equipment whatsoever, making them ideal for a home training session. Here it is:

1a) Reverse Crunch On Floor 3×20-25 30 sec rest
1b) Straight Body Side Crunch On Floor 3×12 (5sec hold) 30 sec rest
2a) Plank 3×60 sec 30 sec rest
2b) Seated Russian Twists With Leg Cycle 3×20-25 30 sec rest

Now I will give you a detailed description on how to properly execute each exercise:

Reverse Crunch On Floor- Lie on your back on a mat. Flex both knees and hips to 90 degree angles. Bring knees toward chest by flexing abdominal muscles, raising butt from floor while maintaining a constant knee angle. Return until hips and knees are again extended to 90 degree angles. Repeat for the prescribed number of reps.

Straight Body Side Crunch On Floor- Lie on your side on the floor. Keep your hands straight out above your head, in line with your body. Keep legs straight. Lock your hands together. Simultaneously raise your arms and legs up so that neither are in contact with the floor. Hold this position for the prescribed number of seconds.

Plank- Get on the floor in a push up position. Support your body on your forearms and your toes. Be sure to keep the abs tight and hold your body in a straight line. Do not let hips sag or hike them up too high. Hold for the prescribed number of seconds.

Seated Russian Twists With Leg Cycle- Sit on floor and cross your arms across your chest, grabbing the opposite shoulders. Lean back until your upper body makes a 45 degree angle to the floor. Rotate trunk to the right while simultaneously bringing your right knee towards your chest. At this point your left elbow will be touching your right knee. In a smooth motion rotate to the left and repeat this on the other side. Continue to alternate until you finish the prescribed number of reps. One full rotation equals one rep.

And there you have it! A simple ab workout you can perform anywhere with no equipment necessary. Do this workout 2-3 times per week for up to a month. After a month, it will be time to progress to a more advanced routine.
A nice set of abs is in YOUR future! Begin this routine and start getting results today!

http://jasonferruggia.com

Unlock Your Body

AWARENESS

Self awareness is everything. Most people don't understand that what you tolerate you accept, but it is a reality. Think about it. The more you sit in traffic, the more you get used to the traffic. Eventually you say, "this is normal for me, the traffic isn't that bad, I barely notice it any longer." Yet, there is a non-moving mass of cars surrounding you -- this is called grid-lock. Loss of tissue tolerance and the art of aging is similar in nature. The physical difference is basically the same, you become "locked" and consider it "normal". I really want you to think about this; what you tolerate, you accept.

With Trigger Point Performance Therapy you are able to see/feel what you've been tolerating. You become aware of the limitations AND the potential you have as the TPPT tools bring needed body awareness.

The first steps in understanding the aches and pains of the body:

THE FOOT

The muscles in the lower leg all connect in the foot.

Foot is the foundation for the body. The foot is first and last thing to hit the ground each day, giving it the greatest influence on overall biomechanics. As the foot goes, so goes the rest of the body.

If the foot can strike the ground confidently, the rest of the body will move confidently. However if there is fear of pain, or if the foot has become rigid and dysfunctional due to loss of tissue tolerance in the muscles of the lower leg, biomechanics will be compromised and aches and pains will follow.

"MANY PEOPLE WANT TO WEAR A FERRARI ON THEIR FOOT, BUT THEY HAVE THE SUSPENSION OF A PINTO."

- Cassidy Phillips

THE CHAIN REACTION

Every bone has muscle and fascia that surrounds it, and every joint has a muscle and a tendon that support it. Muscles are designed to create and maintain structural integrity in the body through proper force couples and length tension relationships. Structural integrity of the muscles produces proper biomechanics through intra and inter muscular coordination.

The biomechanical chain reaction, beginning with the foot, can take dysfunction from the lower leg all the way up to the quads, hip, IT band and even the lower back. Trigger Point Performance Therapy addresses biomechanical efficiency within the body from the ground up.

Similar to the structure of a well-built house, the foundation of the body begins at the foot and is built by establishing a sound and efficient base. The stronger the foundation, the more positive response the body will yield as a whole.

The sequence of events described above illustrates why addressing the entire biomechanical chain, not just one problem area, is important. By performing Myofascial Compression Techniques tissue tolerance will increase as length tension relationships and elasticity are restored, resulting in enhanced mobility and improved overall biomechanics.

Structurally, we have very little control over the development of our bones. At Trigger Point Performance Therapy we have geared our attention to the soft tissue of skeletal muscle because we know we can make dramatic improvements over time that will ultimately change how the body moves as a whole. Efficiency of movement is the result of pliable skeletal muscle tissue that allows the body to do what it naturally was created to do.

"WHAT YOU TOLERATE, YOU ACCEPT."

- Cassidy Phillips

Core Competency is defined as the competency and/or structural integrity of the trunk muscles and their ability to stabilize the spine and transfer force efficiently between the supported extremities.

False Fulcrums: Loss of muscle tissue tolerance leads to altered biomechanics, forcing the creation False Fulcrums throughout the body. These False Fulcrums limit the body's ability to produce, reduce, and stabilize force while creating the potential for pain and injury. False Fulcrums form above and below the major fulcrums of the body creating excessive stress and dysfunction.