Excess Post Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) is the prolonged boost that the body’s metabolism experiences after exercise. This EPOC effect is most pronounced after intense resistance training. Just like the training that we do at the X GYM. High Intensity Strength and Interval Training force a trauma to the body that must be recovered from. The “burn” that we feel when we strength train is actually the accumulation of lactic acid. This lactic acid is the by product of anaerobic exercise. Meaning that it is done with such a great intensity that oxygen is not being used. When the workout is completed the body must remove this lactic acid from the muscles, and replenish its fuel stores, as well as re oxygenate the blood. All of this requires energy.

Your body then is continuing to “work out” as you are getting back into your car, and go back to work or home or whatever you do after your workout. During this EPOC phase your heart rate is elevated above resting levels, and your body is also in an elevated fat burning state. This fat is being utilized to fuel these processes. So essentially you are doing your “Cardio” when you are done with your weights.

Studies have shown that the duration and level of the EPOC effect is most directly related to exercise intensity, not necessarily duration. This is why we advocate doing interval training for cardio. When someone does conventional “steady state” cardio the get an EPOC effect that is roughly equivalent to the amount of time they spent doing that activity. In other words, a thirty minute jog will result in 30 minutes of EPOC. Whereas a 20 minute high intensity interval training workout, will yield an EPOC effect of more than 80 minutes. More calories may be burned during the steady state workout than during the interval workout, but the net calorie and fat burn from the interval training workout, and the EPOC that ensues will be much greater.

This is one of the primary reasons why the X Gym workout has to be so intense. The harder the person lets the trainer push them during their workout, the longer and greater the EPOC effect will be, and therefore the more cardio and fat burning benefit they will receive.

Will a Glass a Day Keep the Doctor Away?

If you are one of the many people that think alcohol consumption may be leading you down a healthy path, you’re right. Well, partly. You’re also partly wrong. Study upon study relays evidence of alcohol’s (namely wine, but occasionally other drinks) benefit to the heart and preventing certain cancers. But don’t be so quick to smile if you have a glass of wine in your hand – that same beverage could be aiding other cancers in your body. Attention is being called to studies showing that alcohol consumption, even in moderation, may heighten the risk of mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, liver, colon/rectum, and breast cancer. Not to mention the risks of what could happen when one consumes an amount deemed to be more than moderate.

Whether or not you give up your drinking habits is up to you. Drinking in moderation is still much better than heavy drinking. However, the consumer must be aware that drinking in moderation is not without risk. At one point in time, a drink per day for a woman, and even two drinks per day for a man seemed to fine, and even beneficial. Susan Gapstur, vice president of epidemiology for the American Cancer Society recommends further limiting alcoholic consumption if you are at risk for any of the aforementioned cancers.

What may burst the drinker’s bubble even more is the fact that there isn’t much excuse for alcoholic drinking in the first place. With today’s information, there are positive and negative affects of drinking alcohol. However, those on the positive side are mostly due to reservatol, a powerful antioxidant found in grapes. Thus, grape juice consumption can be equally as beneficial as wine, but without the negative affects!

How to Kick the Smoking Habit!

A recent study done by the University of Exeter has provided evidence for the first time that exercise can help people that are trying to kick their smoking habit. The specific study involved 20 moderately to heavy smokers who were required to fast from smoking for 15 hours before the test. They were then given 15 minutes of moderate exercise on an exercise bike and then shown smoking related images while their very precise eye movements were tracked. The results of the study showed an 11% decrease in the amount of time a person spent looking at a smoking image after 15 minutes of exercise versus no exercise. Many other studies have shown that light to moderate exercise like a brisk walk have been able to help people curb cigarette cravings.

This study will hopefully open up a new door into the hundreds if not thousands of non-physical related ways that exercise can help people. For that matter, if light to moderate exercise is enough to help people curb one of the more addictive drugs in the world what can high intensity training help accomplish?

The growing amount of evidence that moderate exercise can significantly help smokers curb their habits is only the beginning. There is every reason to assume that many negative habits preventing people from turning a corner in their health couldn't similarly be helped with the inclusion of a regular regime of exercise.

PNF Stretching

PNF which stands for Proprioseptic Neuromuscular Facilitation is a form of stretching that involves a series of isometric (static) contractions with the muscle being stretched in order to improve its range of motion. These contractions will temporarily deactivate the muscle spindle allowing the muscle to be stretched further. The muscle spindle is what senses that the muscle is being overstretched, and signals it to contract in order to prevent injury. If these stretches and contractions are done properly, injury will not occur, and the range of motion of a given muscle group will be increased in a short period of time.

These stretches are usually accomplished with the help of a partner or a trainer. Many studies A study out of England published by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) showed that using PNF stretching only three times per week was effective in increasing knee flexibility without compromising strength. This study supports the “Less is more” approach that we have here at the X Gym.

While flexibility is important, too much stretching can detract from results, especially if done right before strength training. That’s why we tell people at the X Gym to not stretch before their workouts. Stretching will take away the elasticity of the muscles and essentially make them weaker. This weakening of the muscles will lessen the effectiveness of the strength training workout, and also leave the person more prone to injury. I equate it to trying to use a rubber band that has had all the stretchiness taken out.

We therefore advise people to stretch after their workouts and on off days. This will help with recovery and prevent injury. Because of its intense nature, it is my feeling that PNF stretching should be done on separate days from your X Gym workout - preferably after a cardio workout, while the muscles are still warm and pliable.

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What is HCG??

Human Chorionic Gonaotropin or HCG as it is abbreviated is a hormone that is naturally occurring in humans primarily during pregnancy. It acts directly on the part of the brain responsible for all automatic animal functions, i.e. sleep, breathing, and various aspects of metabolism. This tiny region is called the hypothalamus. One of HCG’s many actions on the hypothalamus is the mobilization of the mother’s fat stores to nourish the developing fetus.

In order to understand how HCG works as a weight loss adjunct one must first understand the nature of obesity itself. The body actually has three different reserves of fat. The first type of fat is structural fat. This is the fat that is stored around the organs and acts as an insulator, and protective “padding”. The second type of fat is the reserve fat. This is the normal healthy fat that the body readily uses as fuel. The third type of fat is the kind that is associated with obesity. This fat is stored when the body experiences a large caloric surplus. The problem with this type of fat is that it is not made readily available as a fuel source. So herein lays the downward spiral of obesity. This fat that gets accumulated around the hip, stomach etc, that people most want to get rid of, is the fat that the body is the least willing to let go. When a person goes on a crash diet their bodies are more likely to burn off fat from the first two sources, and even their lean mass before the third source is tapped in to.

HCG treatment involves taking the hormone twice daily in either oral liquid form, or once daily injections. Many undergo this treatment under the supervision of a physician or naturopath, and have their body fat percentage measured periodically to monitor progress. The treatment can be done on the patients own as well, but supervision is recommended. During the treatment which last between 23 and 40 days, patients are placed on a very restricted diet. This is to create a caloric deficit necessary for the excess fat to be utilized. This diet is only about 500 calories and consists largely of protein, fruits and veggies, with no refined sugars or starches. No carbs and very little fat are needed because the body is being run off the stored fat.

The theory behind HCG treatment is that it stimulates the hypothalamus to unlock this obesity fat, and therefore allows it to be used as a fuel source. The diet is geared primarily towards maintaining lean mass. One of the benefits to this treatment is that since the patients are being “fed” by their own fat reserves they do not feel an excessive amount of hunger, and feel satiated off those 500 calories, and are still able to maintain their lean mass, which is essential for keeping the weight off. Even with such a reduced calorie diet surprisingly very little supplementation is recommended. Vitamin C and Calcium with vitamin D are the only ones recommended. The calcium and vitamin D are recommended primarily for people with unhealthy teeth.

After treatment, a patient is allowed to increase their caloric intake and eat whatever they want with the exception of refined sugars and starches for a period of 3 more weeks, this should allow their weight to stabilize. After which point they can add carbs and sugars back in on a limited basis, returning to a basically normal diet without regaining weight.

There are some risks of side effects to HCG. The most dangerous side effect is potential life threatening condition called ovarian hyperstmulation. Symptoms of this include sever pain in the pelvic region, nausea, vomiting, and swelling of the feet and legs. If these symptoms occur, the patient is advised to stop treatment and get medical assistance. This condition is extremely rare however. Other possible side effects include local swelling of the injection sight, and some people report headaches in the first couple days of treatment, this is possibly due to the release of toxins stored in the fat tissue that is now being burned.

The FDA has criticized this treatment because the results in weight loss in some studies have not been significantly different than placebo treatment, or simple calorie reduction. But, what the FDA has not taken into account in these studies is the difference between fat loss and weight loss. Like I stated earlier when people are on an HCG treatment they are loosing fat weight and are able to maintain their lean mass. At the X Gym we tell people that the scale does not tells the entire story. The FDA has not been so quick to catch up on this.

At the X Gym we are not very keen on the usage of “weight loss treatments” or even supplements for that matter, with the exception of protein. We also feel that the best way to loose fat off of your body is through proper nutrition, strength training, cardio and rest. But after reading about HCG and how it actually works, and observing someone who has undergone the treatment, I must say that this stuff does appear at least to work. The training that one receives at the X Gym especially the nutrition guidance will make them much more successful with HCG treatment, especially when it comes to maintaining the fat loss post treatment.

Understand that I am not writing an endorsement for HCG. But this treatment for obesity makes a lot of sense to me. And obviously if someone where to consider it, I would encourage them to proceed with caution, and do their own research on the matter.

Chris won the BL contest

Chris won the BL contest with a 39% change in fat percentage!

BLLB winners and their stats will be featured in the next newsletter, so stay tuned!