idahokettlebells.com Blog

May 9, 2019

IKSC Weekly Link Blast May 9, 2019

IKSC Weekly Link Blast May 9, 2019

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Knowledge is increasing fast about the connection between the gut biome and mental health. Here is video from a lecture I was fortunate to attend last summer on this topic. NOTE: It is a far cry from the idiotic and insulting marketing campaign Burger King is doing right now exploiting the food/brain connection by packaging foods that are specifically noted to CONTRIBUTE to poor gut health.

Sleep. Here’s a good article from a few years back on ways to optimize your sleep time. We’ll do another class on it sometime.
https://robbwolf.com/2015/10/14/sleep-your-way-to-optimal-performance-in-just-7-days/

Is breakfast important? Who said it was the most important meal of the day? I haven’t eaten a “breakfast” in a long time, but if you are going eat early, skip the carbs. That means no cereals, muffins, etc. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2732831

A good article on insulin’s role.
https://www.t-nation.com/diet-fat-loss/insulin-advantage

What media articles don’t point out about the studies relating meat and cancer.
https://www.marksdailyapple.com/red-meat-colon-cancer/

The conversation around stretching changes every few years, but a constant is that stretching immediately prior to training is mostly useless and just makes you weak and even prone to injury. What is more important is to have strength throughout your full range. http://main.poliquingroup.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/2788/Facts_and_Fibs_About_Stretching.aspx

Don’t throw away the salt shaker if you’re worried about high blood pressure. Cut the carbs and sugar.
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/in-depth/high-blood-pressure-excess-sugar-diet-may-culprit/

July 10, 2017

Ketogenic Diets

Ketogenic diets are kind of a hot thing right now. Yes, I am very familiar with all the ins and outs of it, having used this strategy consistently for a number of years. Here’s what people are getting right and wrong about this approach currently:

Right:

Reducing blood sugar and body fat by cutting out the sugar and eliminating processed carbohydrate. Carbs are an “elective” macronutrient. Your body can run on fats and protein after an adjustment period. It may or may not run its best (depending on who you are), but it will run just fine if you do it right and get through the transition period.

If humans didn’t have this “metabolic flexibility” we wouldn’t have survived. The vast majority of people in today’s society overdo their carbs. You have to earn them, or they are just going to be stored as fat.

Wrong:

Using supplements and eating low-quality, inflammatory foods and man-made oils.

A keto diet can be very healthy if you are getting lots of fatty wild fish, fatty pastured meats, grass-fed butter, low-carb veggies, etc. But, if you are getting your fats from nothing but supplements (yes, even coconut oil and MCT oil are meant to be limited), and are eating pounds of bacon and sausage per day, you are not going to do well.

So basically, what we are looking at is a very low-carb version of a paleo or primal diet, if one is to do this in a healthy way. Like it or not, that is what we’re talking about, or something about 95% there. It may be marketed as something different, but it is likely just a knockoff of a very basic ancestral diet.

October 18, 2016

Eating Fat to Burn Fat: Metabolic Flexibility

Eating Fat to Burn Fat: Metabolic Flexibility

Instructor

Jim Beaumont -Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach (CSC); Sport Nutrition Specialist; Primal Blueprint Certified Expert; WKC Kettlebell Strength and Conditioning Coach. www.idahokettlebells.com. (208) 412-6079.

Class Goal

Introduce advantages of utilizing fat instead of sugar as your body’s primary energy source (ketosis).

Nutritional Ketosis

Nutritional ketosis begins when your body switches from burning glucose (sugar) to burning fat as its primary fuel source. This is not to be confused with a dangerous medical condition called ketoacidosis. Diabetic ketoacidosis occurs when the pancreas cannot secrete enough insulin to keep excessive ketone production within healthy ranges. This only occurs in Type 1 diabetics and very brittle Type 2 diabetics with pancreatic burnout, or extreme longterm alcoholics.

Your body will make enough glucose to run via gluconeogensis to run your brain. You don’t necessarily have to eat carbs to function effectively. While in ketosis, your body’s primary energy source is beta-hydroxybutyrate (B-OHB).

Fat burning (we’ll just call ketosis that from now). Is the body’s preferred state. Throughout over 90% of our evolution this is how we operated. We did not have a consistent and reliable source of carbohydrate until fairly recently.

Different Ketogenic Strategies

1) Standard Ketogenic Diet: Very low-carb, high-fat, and moderate protein. 75-80% of calories come from fats, 5-10% from carbs, and around 20% from protein.

2) Cyclical Ketogenic Diet: Carbs are strategically timed to remain in ketosis for the vast majority of the time. Usually, this entails only consuming carbs right after exercise, and it might entail introducing high-carb meals on select days.

3) High-Protein Ketogenic Diet: This method works well in conjunction with strength training. Protein is generally in the 30% range, carbs around 5-10% and the rest fats (this is basically where I am 90% of the time). This does very well to keep body fat in check and is very satisfying.

Benefits of Being a Fat Burner

1. Proven weight loss without deliberate calorie restriction…”Carbs drive insulin; Insulin drives fat.”

2. Healthy blood sugars though increased insulin sensitivity.

3. Low levels of inflammation and lowered blood pressure.

4. Better skin.

5. Effortless appetite control.

6. Potential resistance to cancer, Alzheimer’s, dementia, premature aging.

7. Ketogenic diets are currently being researched to help epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, and assist in recovery from brain injuries (look these up if you don’t believe me).

8. Increased endurance performance. Endless energy supply for athletic purposes. Dual fuel sources.

Foods to Avoid to become a Fat-Burning Beast

* Added sugars of all kinds.

* All grains and starches (pasta, bread, rice, corn).

* Fruit. One small piece per day is about it.

* Diet products or low-fat foods.

* Legumes (beans, lentils, peas, peanuts, etc.)

* Most root vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, etc.

* Man-made fats like soy and canola oil, trans-fats, and seed oils.

* Most alcoholic beverages.

Preferred Beast Foods

* Meat, eggs, and fatty wild fish.

* Small amounts of full-fat cheese.

* Cream and grass-fed butter.

* Nuts and seeds such as almonds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, and hazelnuts.

* Avocados.

* Low-carb veggies like broccoli, spinach, kale, red cabbage, onions, peppers, etc.

* Healthy oils like coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil.

* Spices

Supplements

* MCT oil. Helps increase ketone production. Instant energy.

* Caffeine. Why not? Helps to mobilize fatty acid stores.

* Magnesium. Preferred types are magnesium glycinate, aspartate, and citrate.

Side Effects

Ketogenic diets are very safe.The main downside is what is called the “low-carb flu.” It is generally over in about 4-5 days. This can include brain fog, low-energy, nausea, some sleep or anxiety issues. Plenty of water, extra salt (up to 5000mg per day), potassium, and magnesium are the best ways to combat this.

Additional Information

Here are some easy additional resources.

Youtube:

Peter Attia, M.D. – “An Advantaged Metabolic State: Human Performance, Resilience & Health” 

Dr. Stephen Phinney – “The Art and Science of Nutritional Ketosis” 

Books:

The Art and Science of Low-Carbohydrate Living: Jeff Volek, PhD, R.D. and Stephen Phinney, M.D., PhD.

 

March 18, 2015

Full-Body Conditioning Simplified: Run, Swing, Repeat.


Simple, full-body conditioning. ASAP!

One of the primary reasons people get sidetracked or discouraged in any exercise program is the massive number of exercise variations and the tidal wave of information available online.

Ideally, you should have your week or day’s training already planned out, because random “workout of the day” formats only get you so far. But, sometimes a break is in order, or maybe time or equipment is short for that day. You still have to train, though.

Here is one of my simple workouts for a little extra conditioning and some strength work. I have found that a good mix of basic kettlebell exercises and bodyweight movements are absolute gold for body-composition, mobility, and conditioning.

You will need a single kettlebell, a stopwatch or timer, and an open space.

2-Arm kettlebell swings, jog, burpees, jog, repeat.

Take a single kettlebell to an open field, park, or parking lot.

Pace out about 100 strides, or just eyeball an object in the distance approximately 100 yards away.

Set the bell down, set the timer for 10,15 or 20 minutes. Do a hard set of swings with the bell, in few enough reps that the last rep of your set is just as explosive and fast as your first rep.

Slow jog to the pre-determined spot in the distance. Drop down and do 5-10 burpees. Try to do them as fast and powerfully as possible. I know there are 100s of burpee variations out there. Don’t overthink this. Just pick one and do it.

Jog back to the kettlebell. Repeat for the allotted time. Count rounds if you want, but I usually don’t. I just work for the allotted time and don’t worry about the numbers.

Remember that the run is supposed to be an easy, recovery jog. Take it easy, so that you can put as much speed into your swings and burpees as possible. The idea is not to let those movements get slow. Remember, they are both power movements, which means speed is important.

What kind of swing?
For me, I generally just do the low-tech 2-arm swing for this and drag out either a 40kg or 48kg bell. 8-10 swings per set seems to be the sweet spot for sustained power production in this exercise for me with these weights. Any more and they start to slow and power production starts to drop. I would choose a weight you can manage 15-20 perfect reps with at a maximum, and then only do 8-10 reps per set to make sure every rep is perfect.

Just because you might do competitive kettlebell sport, you don’t have to ignore the 2-Arm “Hardstyle” Swing as an exercise. It’s OK. Relax. The kettlebell gods won’t strike you down.

It is a different exercise than the 1-arm GS Swing designed to improve your snatch or long-cycle numbers, but it is still a great conditioning movement. I see it on the same level as the burpee, and probably has as much to do with your sport numbers as the burpee does (which is little). This is about getting in a few minutes of good conditioning with a little strength built in. No skill involved, just work. This might be a good addition to add after high-skill movements like the jerk or snatch.

The heavy 2-Arm Swing will build conditioning unlike nearly any other exercise. The swing works the entire posterior chain, but special emphasis is placed on the glutes, hamstrings and mid-line stabilization muscles (core).

The 2-Arm Swing is a perfectly symmetrical exercise. You can’t favor one side. If you do, you will know about it real fast.
Since the swing is primarily focused on mid-line stabilization – in synchronization with explosive hip and knee extension – its carryover into sports activities and other functional movement is incredible.

In plain English, this means that it will help you lift heavier, jump higher and run faster. Or, simply do these things easier and with less risk of injury.

In theory, you could take a group with some kind of body-composition goal and have them finish out 20-30 minutes of strength training with 10-15 minutes of this a few days a week.

Low-skill. Easy on the hands.
One of the benefits of this type of training for a martial artist or kettlebell sport competitor is these low-skill movements are easy on the hands. If you’ve been drilling the snatch or long-cycle for timed sets, your concentration can be a little fried and the hands might need rest. Short, heavy sets of 2-arm swings don’t put a ton of wear on the hands and are safe enough and low-skill enough that they shouldn’t interfere with recovery or risk injury.

Listen to your body, and don’t be afraid to scale back.
This basic workout is simple, but not easy. It is designed to be low-skill, and not interfere with recovery time. It should also challenge anyone if you use the right bell and move fast enough. The simplest way to up the ante, if needed, is to simply reduce the length of your recovery jog. Reducing it to 50 yards instead of 100 yards is actually a huge increase in difficulty.

There is no reason to risk injury if you are new to training, either. If burpees are not possible, then just do pushups, or maybe even a plank hold instead. If swings aren’t on the table yet, then kettlebell deadlifts or goblet squats are a good substitute.

I have used this exact training for senior citizens and extremely de-conditioned individuals, using plank holds, a one-minute brisk walk, and kettlebell deadlifts in place of swings. Whatever you choose, just make sure your first rep looks as good as your last.

Get off the computer and get moving!
Quit looking for a magical workout or exercise. Just get moving with a few simple movements. Enough thinking and reading. Work!

-Jim Beaumont
Idaho Kettlebell Strength and Conditioning
www.idahokettlebells.com

February 24, 2015

“Graduate” to Building Strength and Health

“Graduate” to Building Strength and Health.

Conversation with a long-time member of IKSC yesterday about goals:  It really brought me to one of the things of which I am most proud.

I feel safe to say that not many are here at IKSC because they are trying to “lose” anything, and there has never been a short-term weight loss challenge or contest.  We do lots of monthly challenges, of course, but they are always centered on building some physical skill or healthy eating pattern.

We are here to build positive things, not focus on a negative. I think you’ll find that in doing so, the negatives kind of go away on their own. Things like weight loss challenges are about focusing on some element of dissatisfaction that is to be reduced, not building a positive. Think about that for a minute. When people is trying to lose weight we suggest them to use best weight loss pills for women instead of those challenges that at the end what they bring are just side effects, so its better for them to take these pills so they will see good results on them.

Some fat or weight loss may occur as a result of training appropriately and following a healthy eating pattern, but most are truly here in order to build rather than reduce.

  • Strength – Because it makes everything in life better. Without this, nothing else is important or possible.
  • Proper Movement Patterns –Because this enables strength to be utilized. Without it, it is like a car with a great engine, but no wheels to travel with.
  • Low-Risk/High-Yield training  Living pain-free should be your default setting. If you are becoming injured as a result of your training system, you’d better take a long look at it.
  • Health -Through the best nutrition education available, I am happy to say that those that follow our nutrition education guidelines are just as likely to report better skin, hair, energy levels, less inflammation, higher strength levels, and  improved clinical blood test results as they are pounds lost on a scale.
  • Long-term Focus and Lifestyle Change –The goal is never about a few weeks out. It is about what is continuing to happen in 5, 10, or 20 years.

These things are not an accident.

The fitness industry preys on people’s insecurities and self-hatred. This simply does not happen here.

You truly have to enjoy making yourself stronger and healthier to train here. When a new member makes the decision to train, I think of them as a “student” that is here to learn and build something permanent.

This is quite a paradigm shift for many. In a way, I feel that they “graduate” to advanced study at Idaho Kettlebell Strength and Conditioning .

-Jim

Idaho Kettlebell Strength and Conditioning

February 15, 2015

Strategies for Success on Any Nutrition Program.

Strategies for Success on Any Nutrition Program.

1) You must log everything you eat and drink. No exceptions.  If you don’t have an accurate account of what you are taking in, the quantities, and the times you are eating them, failure is very likely.

2) You can’t be afraid of meat, fish, and/or eggs. Protein coming from real food is your 1# priority. This is one thing that pretty much all legitimate nutrition plans agree on.

3) You will have to drink lots of water.

4) Don’t drink calories if you have a weight or fat loss goal. The digestive process begins – and satiety signals are sent -the instant nutrients hit your salivary glands. Drinking calories “short circuits” this process. Your body expects to have to chew to get nutrients. Don’t confuse it.

5) Your logs are tools for your learning process, and they need to include more than carbs, fats, and protein. It is helpful to make notes about sleep, mood, life stressors , energy levels, etc.

6) Develop the mindset that whatever plan you decide to follow is an education program not a diet or short-term weight loss program. This is a process to figure out what makes your body run best.

-Jim Beaumont

Idaho Kettlebell Strength and Conditioning

February 4, 2015

21 Instant and Irresistible Low-Carb/High-Nutrient Snacks


21 Instant and Irresistible Low-Carb/High-Nutrient Snacks

Poor Planning=Poor Eating.

I have found that pre-planning nutritious and irresistible low-carbohydrate meals/snacks is vital in dealing with sugar cravings. Here are a few examples to have on-deck when cutting out the carbs. If I know that one of these yummy and extremely satisfying options are waiting for me, it is way easier to avoid the drive-thru. Some of these are not “perfect” primal options, but they are certainly good, instant options.

All of these can be prepared in about a minute or less. Bacon can be pre-cooked and eaten cold or warmed for about 20 seconds in a microwave. Have a few of these options on hand when time is an issue.

1. Beef jerky and nuts (look for jerky that has less than 5gr of sugar per serving, and paleo-approved nuts).
2. Wild salmon lox and cream cheese (no bagel, and be very sparing on the cream cheese).
3. Bacon and avocado slices on a romaine lettuce leaf, rolled up like a taco.
4. Tanka buffalo meat snacks.
5. 85% or higher dark chocolate with a tablespoon of coconut oil smeared on top.
6. Cucumber slices soaked in a small bowl of white vinegar with salt and pepper.
7. A whole sliced avocado with lime juice, salt and pepper.
8. Related to #6, a whole avocado with lemon juice and cayenne pepper.
9. Sardines (packed in water or olive oil…watch out for soybean oil in many brands). I like mine sprinkled with Tabasco sauce.
10. Dry salami and Kerrygold cheese slices rolled into little burrito thingys.
11. Fried pork skins/Chicharrones.
12. Two words: Bacon Jerky. Lower in sugar than most any jerky. Very satisfying.
13. A scoop of coconut oil and a handful of paleo- approved, raw nuts. Not roasted.
14. Ostrim ostrich sticks.
15. Smoked wild salmon. All by itself.
16. Crispy bacon with slices of avocado made into little bacon and avocado sandwiches.
17. Lettuce wraps with homemade guacamole and bacon strips.
18. Roasted deli meat…you have to be really careful about the ingredients. Look out for wheat and sugars.
19. 88% pure dark chocolate. All by itself.
20. 2 ounces of a hard, dry cheese like parmesan or Romano.
21. Canned smoked herring. Double check the contents for nasty oils like canola or cottonseed oil.

These are all options that are fair game on my 6-Week Nutrition Education Program.
-Jim


June 29, 2014

July Fitness and Nutrition Challenge

July Fitness and Nutrition Challenge

For the vast majority of exercisers, the July Challenge is a more productive month than can be had from any fitness or nutrition program anywhere, at any price. It entails eating unprocessed foods and doing lots of bodyweight exercise.

It is totally free to do, but I’ve seen people spend $1,000s in a month’s time for private nutrition and training without the results this CAN get you. This is also why this has been copied by gyms in other parts of the country, usually with some sort of entry fee attached.

Here is why it works: It forces people to pre-plan exercise into their week or day and carefully consider everything they eat and drink. That is it. The vast majority of the population doesn’t do this and when they do, changes are rapid and positive.

There is no magical mixture of exercises or nutritional combination. You are eliminating man-made foods as much as practically possible and replacing sitting time with exercise.

Doing a base number of reps (100 reps of some kind of pulling, 300 reps of some kind of pushing, and 500 reps of some form of squatting) is really not a huge challenge, as long a person prioritizes it. If they procrastinate, it may not be possible, but as long as you divide it up throughout the week it isn’t that tough.

I started this July Challenge thing in 2011, and every year I see some of the most amazing changes of the entire year.

Here are the details:

July Fitness and Nutrition Challenge

(Do as much as you can…some will be better than none. The goal of this is to get a bunch of low-level activity in and eat nutritious foods.)

Do not overthink this!
Eat ONLY meat, fish, eggs, raw nuts, and fresh produce (if you want to drop body fat, potatoes, corn and sugary fruits like bananas are not going to help with that).
Drink ONLY water.
(Reasonable amounts of condiments, like real butter, real sour cream, coconut oil, olive oil, vinegar, etc are allowed).

Supplements are OK, as long as they are not a primary source of nutrition or consumed as meal replacements. Unsweetened coffee or tea are supplements and are just fine. Preworkout drinks are supplements too, just don’t go overboard.

ONE cheat meal per week is allowed. Plan it and enjoy whatever you want.

Bodyweight Exercise Minimum Quota:

Level III
200 pullups per week
300 pushups per week
1,000 squats per week

Level II
150 pullups
200 pushups
800 squats

Level I
100 pullups per week
200 pushups week
500 squats per week

-Break this up over as many days, into as many sets as needed. Do this as part of, or in addition to, your normal training. Don’t overthink this! Just start doing reps. Feel free to do more.

ANY needed or reasonable modification of these exercises is permitted.

Omission of any of these is OK for bonafide medical reasons (not just because you are sore or too busy. Suck it up).

Get creative and get moving.

Please…I don’t want to hear a single excuse from anyone.

Either do it or choose not to. I only want to hear what you CAN do, not how hard this is, or hear reasons why you can’t do any part of it. We’re all adults. If something just doesn’t work for you then it doesn’t. Modify or improvise if you need to. Do the best you can.

-Jim Beaumont
Idaho Kettlebell Strength and Conditioning

April 7, 2014

Inflammation in Very Simple Terms.

Inflammation in very simple terms.

Inflammation is the body’s defense against irritation, infection, or injury. This can also be caused by lots of stress, eating foods that cause inflammation, inadequate rest, or excessive training.

Inflammation is not always a negative thing (more on that later), but when we generate more of it than we are designed to handle, all sorts of issues can ensue, including GI issues, joint pain, weight gain, and compromised immunity. Your body can handle these things for short periods, as in after a hard workout or to recover from an injury, but when your body has to deal with elevated inflammation levels for long stretches, things just don’t work right.

Lowering excessive inflammation is one of the goals of proper nutrition and hormonal balance.
Now, if you think you have screwed up hormones, don’t take my advice on it. I am not a doctor. Even most MDs will refer you to an endocrinologist in order to help with a suspected hormone problem, which they would only confirm through blood or saliva tests. So, don’t diagnose yourself as having some hormone or adrenal issue via the internet.

But, here are some super simple bits of information I’ve learned about inflammation and how to help minimize it.

Your body works in a coordinated fashion, meaning all the systems work together and must be looked at together. You can’t just look at your training without paying attention to nutrition and expect to look, feel or perform better.

Excess inflammation means fat gain, muscle loss, and “Man-Boobs”
When levels of inflammation go up, the body’s defense is to increase the stress hormone cortisol as an anti-inflammatory hormone. This becomes a priority for your body, instead of producing sex hormones like testosterone, DHEA, androstendione, and progesterone. This is important because having these sex hormones working correctly helps you to train hard, build muscle, burn fat, and make other humans. This is important. Lack of sex drive should be a big sign that something is wrong.

If these hormones aren’t in sync, one of the outcomes is estrogen dominance, which will kill sex drive and cause fat gain. Both men and women have to have the correct amount of estrogen, and when estrogen levels are too high one of the first things is fat gain in the stomach, legs, and chest (the dreaded “Man-Rack”). This can be more than just cosmetic, in that estrogen dominance has also been linked to things like breast cancer and prostate cancer.

Fatty Acid Balance

One of the ways to combat excess inflammation is to balance your fatty acid intake. Which in the simplest terms, means balancing the amount of omega3 fats and omega6 fats.

While experts debate the exact ratio of omega3 fats to omega6 fats needed to stay in balance (some say it should be 1:1, while others say it should be 1:3 or 1:4), the important thing to realize is that if you are eating a standard diet of corn-fed beef and chicken, farmed fish, and seed oils like canola and soybean, you are getting bombarded with omega6 fats and your ratio is way higher, like in the neighborhood of 1:20-1:25. This causes your body to produce excessive inflammation.

Good sources of omega3 fats are fish oil, flaxseed oil, grass-fed beef, wild fish, free-range chicken and chicken eggs. Try to eat as much of these as possible.

You still need omega6 fats to be healthy, though. It is not like you ONLY should consume omega3 fats. You should still be getting a good amount of fats from nuts and seeds, and lots of meat. Avocados and coconut oil are some of my favorite sources.

Excess carbs and sugar cause inflammation.
Excess carbohydrate intake causes inflammation by causing high insulin levels for sustained periods. We don’t want insulin to be high all the time. It constricts arteries and raises blood pressure, and also causes excess fat storage and if prolonged, eventually diabetes.

Insulin resistance is caused by having high insulin levels. Your body gets used to having it high, and it takes more and more to get the desired effect (of moving sugar and nutrients into cells). It becomes less and less sensitive to it because it is high all the time.

This is a precursor to diabetes, and is almost always accompanied by excess bodyfat. In fact, almost every obese or nearly obese person is insulin-resistant. It goes hand-in-hand with obesity and all the other corresponding issues that accompany obesity.

What we want to build is insulin sensitivity. Insulin is not a bad thing, but having too much all the time is. We want our insulin levels to rise temporarily in response to a meal, but not too much. 95% of this is done by getting rid of excess sugars and starchy carbs in the diet.

The most direct way to do this is limit carbohydrate intake to non-starchy vegetables, and very little fruit. NO processed carbohydrates, like bread, pasta, cereal, granola, etc.

Another important aspect of this is to take at least 4 hours between meals, as a minimum. 6-8 hours is preferable, in order to help make your body more insulin sensitive.

Everyone is different.
Yes, everyone is different and some people will have inflammation from foods that don’t bother others. I recommend starting with a strict paleo diet for at least a month, and then maybe experiment with adding certain foods back in one at a time. Kind of find what you can get away with.

For example: Let’s say you’ve gone strict paleo and eliminated grains and dairy completely for a month (and actually did it, and didn’t cheat). After a month, you decide to eat some bread.

For someone that is sensitive to the gluten or excess of carbohydrate, they will immediately experience a massive amount of inflammation, and will add a few pounds of weight on the scale the next day and will look puffy, kind of like their whole body is bloated. That is inflammation. Different foods affect different people differently.

This response is your body telling you that you SHOULD NOT be eating these foods.

Again, this is not a one-size-fits-all thing. I know people that are fine with one type of food, but maybe another has that effect on them. Everyone is different.

Personally, I can eat a dry cheese and have no problem. If I have a small amount of ice cream, though, I am 3-5lbs heavier the next day, puffy and have dark circles under my eyes. Any wheat or bread, and I am pounds heavier and my nose runs.

Get your magnesium.
One of the critical elements to fighting inflammation is maintaining adequate levels of magnesium. Magnesium deficiency is chronic for many people eating highly processed foods and grains, which deplete your body of magnesium and calcium.

Here are a few reasons to get your magnesium:
It helps to lower cortisol, a hormone that is elevated as a response to stress.
It helps to raise DHEA levels, which is an anti-inflammatory hormone.
Magnesium deficiency makes it hard for your body to metabolize essential fatty acids.
Magnesium can help with sleep and recovery from hard exercise, which can also cause inflammation.

Gut Health

Inflammation is also caused by having poor gut health. Completely eliminating grains, legumes and sugar is an important first step, and I would argue that as long as you are still consuming these anti-nutrients, you are pretty well stopping your body’s ability to attain proper gut health, and leaching minerals like calcium and magnesium from your body. Beyond that, however, taking a good probiotic is important for some people. Another strategy is eating fermented foods like sauerkraut or kim-chee is a good move.

High-inflammatory versus low-inflammatory foods.

There are lots of anti-inflammatory strategies out there. One of the major ones is simply eliminating foods that are highly-inflammatory, or consuming them in very small quantities. Here are some examples of how just a few different foods rank.

Highly-inflammatory
Feedlot-raised beef, pork, chicken.
Farmed fish.
Wheat
Soy
Corn
legumes
Seed oils, like corn oils and canola oil.
Trans fats
Sugar
Alcohol
Any refined carbohydrate

Low-inflammatory
Wild fish
Green, leafy vegetables like spinach and kale
Wild game and pastured meats
Natural oils like olive oil and coconut oil
Avocados
Fruits like papaya, pineapple, cherries, and blueberries

-Jim Beaumont
Idaho Kettlebell Strength and Conditioning
www.idahokettlebells.com

April 2, 2014

Hill Sprints

Ajax Hill Sprint

You all know I recommend hill sprints once a week to compliment strength training.

How to start?

Here is the simplest “program” I can think of:

Find a hill, steep or not. Walk UP the hill for about 45 seconds or about 100 steps.

Walk back to the start. Set a timer or stopwatch for 15-20 minutes.

Run up the hill to the spot you reached before. Walk slowly back to the start. Repeat for 20 minutes. Done. That’s it. No, this isn’t true max-speed “sprints” but they will be just fine for most people. You want to rest enough between efforts that you can run as fast as possible, but the hill will reduce the stride length and add enough resistance that the risk of injury is minimized.

For best results, do this on an empty stomach.

And, take your dog or dogs. They’ll love this!

Older Posts »
seo reseller

Powered by WordPress

All original content on these pages is fingerprinted and certified by Digiprove https://infantcore.com/