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Pearls of Wisdom From Gray Cook
by Patrick on April 21, 2010
“This weekend I attended the Perform Better Clinic here in Phoenix, Arizona. All of the speakers were excellent. Gray Cook was a real treat. I have seen Gray speak numerous time…s at various clinics over the past few years. However, this was the first opportunity I actually had to speak directly with Gray. He was incredibly generous with his time and spent about 20 or 30 minutes talking with us after the clinic had ended. We talked about a variety of topics such as breathing patterns, corrective exercise, dry needling trigger points, and manual therapy.
I thought I would share some of the pearls of wisdom Gray dropped on us that day:
* Tightness in a muscle covers up instability somewhere else.
* Durability and performance are not measured the same way.
* Assessing flexibility as a risk factor for injury is inconclusive, because flexibility is not movement oriented, and is intent on discussing the remedy (stretch the tight muscle), without discussing the problem (why is the muscle tight in the first place?). We must take other factors into consideration – movement, nervous system, fascia, etc…
* Working on any link in the chain other than the weakest link will not fix the chain.
* If you can’t do a proficient deadlift or single leg deadlift, you have no business doing a kettlebell swing.
* Once your client can do a perfect segmental roll, immediately get them up into quadraped and then 1/2 kneeling so that they can “own” it. Don’t waste time doing more rolling.
* If a client has a problem rolling that centers around poor neck mobility, you may want to check their eye function.
* The brain is 2% of our body weight and 20% of our total energy consumption.
* Corrective work needs to be done in a proprioceptive rich environment and challenge the client to “work it out”. This was an important one for me to see firsthand, as I am obsessive about exercise technique, and Gray was really specific about putting someone into a position that he wanted them to be in, and then challenging them to maintain that position. The second they got out of that position, he stopped them, let them re-group, and then continue to try and “work out” the problem.
* The transverse abdominus is always firing to some extent, whether we are moving or not. Clients with poor transverse abdominus firing will use a “high threshold strategy” to create stability, by contracting their outer core muscles to a greater extent, as the inner unit (transverse abdominus, diaphragm, lumbar multifidi, pelvic floor muscles) are not doing their job.
* One of the best ways to improve transverse abdominus and inner unit function is to teach diaphragmatic breathing.
* During exercise, if the client goes into a high threshold strategy and alters their breathing to an upper chest breathing pattern, stop the exercise, and regress down to an exercise that they can perform with proper breathing.
What is the difference between artificial and natural flavors?
July 29, 2002
Gary Reineccius, a professor in the department of food science and nutrition at the University of Minnesota, explains.
Natural and artificial flavors are defined for the consumer in the Code of Federal Regulations. A key line from this definition is the following: “� a natural flavor is the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.” Artificial flavors are those that are made from components that do not meet this definition.
The question at hand, however, appears to be less a matter of legal definition than the “real” or practical difference between these two types of flavorings. There is little substantive difference in the chemical compositions of natural and artificial flavorings. They are both made in a laboratory by a trained professional, a “flavorist,” who blends appropriate chemicals together in the right proportions. The flavorist uses “natural” chemicals to make natural flavorings and “synthetic” chemicals to make artificial flavorings. The flavorist creating an artificial flavoring must use the same chemicals in his formulation as would be used to make a natural flavoring, however. Otherwise, the flavoring will not have the desired flavor. The distinction in flavorings–natural versus artificial–comes from the source of these identical chemicals and may be likened to saying that an apple sold in a gas station is artificial and one sold from a fruit stand is natural.
This issue is somewhat confusing to the average consumer in part because of other seeming parallels in the world. One can, for example, make a blue dye out of blueberry extract or synthetic pigments. These dyes are very different in chemical composition yet both yield a blue color. Similarly, consider one shirt made from wool and another from nylon. Both are shirts, but they have very different chemical compositions. This diversity of building blocks is not possible in flavorings–one makes a given flavor only by using specific chemicals. Thus, if a consumer purchases an apple beverage that contains an artificial flavor, she will ingest the same primary chemicals that she would take in if she had chosen a naturally flavored apple beverage.
When making a flavor, the flavorist always begins by going to the scientific literature and researching what chemicals nature uses to make the desired flavor. He then selects from the list of flavor components found in, say, real apples, generally simplifying nature�s list to eliminate those chemicals that make little contribution to taste or are not permitted owing to toxicity. (Nature has no restrictions on using toxic chemicals, whereas the flavorist does.) The flavorist then either chooses chemicals that are natural (isolated from nature as described above) or synthetic chemicals (made by people) to make the flavor.
So is there truly a difference between natural and artificial flavorings? Yes. Artificial flavorings are simpler in composition and potentially safer because only safety-tested components are utilized. Another difference between natural and artificial flavorings is cost. The search for “natural” sources of chemicals often requires that a manufacturer go to great lengths to obtain a given chemical. Natural coconut flavorings, for example, depend on a chemical called massoya lactone. Massoya lactone comes from the bark of the Massoya tree, which grows in Malaysia. Collecting this natural chemical kills the tree because harvesters must remove the bark and extract it to obtain the lactone. Furthermore, the process is costly. This pure natural chemical is identical to the version made in an organic chemist�s laboratory, yet it is much more expensive than the synthetic alternative. Consumers pay a lot for natural flavorings. But these are in fact no better in quality, nor are they safer, than their cost-effective artificial counterparts.
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This week I have heard more excuses as to why people are not losing fat than I have ever heard in my life. I have literally heard people tell their trainers – “I am following the nutrition program exactly, but instead of an egg white omelet for breakfast, I have a muffin and a latte”. Hmmm. Not “exactly” the same is it?
So I thought this would be a good time to share some of my ‘wisdom’ for those of you still looking for the magic pill.
Having worked with hundreds of individuals over the years and as a trainer, magazine writer and lecturer to other fitness professionals I am amazed how often I am asked “What are the secrets to fat loss?”
I can vividly remember doing a photo shoot at our gym with a male client who had lost 85lbs of fat and now had a nice six-pack to show for his efforts. My own gym members came up and asked me what his “secret” was. THERE’S NO SECRET. They seemed to think I’d given him the “real” information and had withheld it from them! He’s been given the same advice as I give to everyone else – he just chose to follow it a little more closely.
Fat loss is not under the control of the magic fat loss fairies. It’s based on simple changes in behavior.
So I thought I would take this opportunity to launch into an Alwyn Cosgrove rant. Those among you who are politically correct and easily offended can stop reading now. And if any of the rest of you are offended, then I’m sure there is a new diet book that will tell you exactly what to do to achieve fat loss nirvana (hint – you have to eat less, fat boy, tends not to fill up a 300 page diet book). So put down your copy of “Eat Right for Your IQ” and listen up.
To lose fat:
Eat less calories than you burn.
Yes, there are some factors that can make this a little more difficult – metabolic type, medical disorders, food sensitivities, medications, sleep patterns, etc. But these are the minutiae – the small details. Even if you adjust or control for every single other variable in your body and your environment – if you consume more calories than you burn – you are going to gain fat.
Here are a few basic truths that no one really wants to hear:
Think about the foods you are about to consume. Are they going to bring you closer to your goal? Or will they make you feel like crap and take you farther away from what you want? Yeah I know that when you were younger, before you had kids, you could eat blah de blah de blah and not gain weight. Too bad – times have changed. And I know your friend can eat whatever he or she wants and is in great shape. Yay for them, sucks for you. But no amount of whining will change the fact that you need to work to get your butt in shape.
Stop rushing your meals – eat slowly. This will give your body a chance to actually realize that you’ve eaten, and register that you are full. It takes 20 minutes for the satiety mechanisms to kick in. Give your body a chance to tell you that it’s full before you cram another 500 calories in your pie hole.
Eat smaller portions. Unfortunately you cannot eat unlimited amounts of the food you would like and still get lean. Sorry. Second helpings? I seriously doubt it. Appetizers, main course and dessert? You’re kidding me.
Make correct meal choices that contain appropriate servings of protein, carbs and fats. I love the new “low carb diet” options at most restaurant chains now. A steak with melted cheese on the top. That’s not a diet food people. I also saw a low carb buffalo wings option. The difference? No carrots to dip in the blue cheese. Like that’s your problem – too many carrots in your diet.
A big ass bowl of pasta? That’s what marathon runners eat the night before the race. If you have a marathon planned tomorrow then go ahead. If not – you don’t need the calories.
“You are what you eat” is a true statement. And it wouldn’t surprise me to find out that some of you have eaten a fat bastard or two in your time. Are you a lean piece of meat – or a saggy nasty sausage?
If certain foods are a “trigger” for you and you cannot eat them sensibly, then you have to give them up. I have known very few people that can eat their “trigger” food and not end up blowing their diet. Once you “pop” you can’t stop right? Usually one cookie means the whole bag. So you can’t be trusted. Don’t have them in the house.
You do not need something sweet to finish your meal. This is a conditioned response from your childhood days when cleaning your plate meant ice cream. ‘Need’ something sweet? Do you realize how much you just ate? You don’t need anything. Dessert is not a psychological need for survival. It is just a bad habit. Habits can be broken. You do not need the cheesecake.
Do not buy junk food. If it is there – you will eat it. If you have a craving for candy and there’s none in the house – it’s highly unlikely you’ll get up and go to the store. You’ll just sit your ass back down and finish watching American Idol.
Oh, and buying the junk food “for the kids” is an absolute bullshit excuse. The kids do not need the cheezy poofs either. In fact, in my opinion, the childhood obesity epidemic has been caused by parents buying shit for their children. It’s essentially child abuse plain and simple. Depriving your kids of crap is a good parenting decision.
If you screw up a meal – do not, I repeat DO NOT try to adjust the next meal to “make up for it”. All you did then was screw up two meals. If you overeat at meal number one – just get back on track. Immediately. Because thinking “Well, I’ve blown it now so I might as well REALLY blow it,” is akin to getting a flat tire as you drive down the freeway and getting out and totaling your car.
Cookies, doughnuts and muffins are crap food choices. You can’t ever justify eating them on a regular basis. And low carb, fat free cookies, doughnuts and muffins are still crap – don’t kid yourself.
Yes you can eat fast food. It’s called grilled chicken sandwich or a turkey sub, Jarod. Fries? No. And you do not need to supersize for an extra 50c.
Yes it’s hard. You want to look great? Nothing tastes as good as lean and buff feels. It’s true. This week I’ve heard “It’s too hard – I want an easier diet”. What that means is “I’d rather eat crappy foods than look or feel any better. I have made a conscious decision to get fatter because my love for junk food is a more powerful love than my desire to get lean.” It’s unfortunate but you will have to work for the body you want.
Little changes add up. Switching from a glass of orange juice every morning to a cup of green tea will save you 100 calories per day (this is without including the antioxidant and thermogenic benefits of green tea). That adds up to over ten pounds of fat loss per year.
Little discrepancies add up too. A Big Mac meal is about 1500 calories. You’ll have to walk 15 miles to balance that out.
If you aren’t a fat loss expert – hire one. Or follow a plan written by one. I wrote a 16 week all inclusive fat loss program called AFTERBURN that includes diet cardio and weight training. If you don’t like that option I have an online fat loss training program. Using either of these approaches means you CANNOT fail. You just need to follow the program. I’m amazed how many people STILL ask me how they can get single-digit lean. The info is out there people.
This is by no means a complete list but I think you’re probably getting the point. There is no secret to fat loss. At any one time your body is either getting leaner or it’s getting fatter. You just need to adjust the balance. In today’s world it just takes a little effort on your part.
But if you want to eat whatever you want you have two choices:
Move a lot. A LOT.
Gain weight, get fat, accept it and stop complaining.
And if you want to look great, the keys to fat loss are (from my politically incorrect colleague Lyle McDonald):
Change your eating habits: so that you’re eating less.
Change your activity patterns: so that you’re expending more calories.
Repeat: Keep doing this over a long period of time.
Forever: Newsflash, you don’t EVER get to go back to your old eating habits unless you want to get fat again. To maintain weight loss means maintaining at least part of the changes you made to 1 and 2.
It really is that simple. If you are not losing fat it’s YOUR fault. It’s not mine, it’s not your trainer, it’s not your husband, wife, kids or your boss – it’s YOU. There are 168 hours in each week – no matter who you are. Maybe you train for three of them. That leaves 165 for you to completely blow it.
If you are not good at self discipline then hire someone who will make you accountable. Until then realize that the choices are yours. Getting really lean is not difficult in terms of knowing what to do – it’s doing it that makes the difference.
Here’s a fairly descent link on “Interval Training” for those interested… interval training has been proven to be more beneficial as a cardio stimulus than the typical boring, “Long Slow Cardio” seen in most Gyms. Most interval workouts can be done in 10-20 minutes. Also check out the new book Cardio Strength Training by Robert Dos Remedios!
http://www.intervaltraining.net/