You heard it here first. Well… maybe not first but I’m saying it again- detox diets aren’t fun.

Finishing up day 9 of a 10-day metabolic detox and I’m looking forward to it being over.

I’m no rookie when it comes to fasting, detoxing and cleansing the body- having done my share after being exposed to the practice while studying to become a Chiropractor.

Yes they can kick-off a new fitness, weight-loss or healthy lifestyle and yes it is important to give the body’s elimination organs (kidneys, liver, colon, lungs and skin) a break from time to time, but do not think for a second that detoxing will re-write all the wrongs of the past.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way.

20 years of shitty eating cannot be reversed by a weeks worth of juicing.

More important are the daily choices you make with regards to what you put in your mouth (nutrition) and how you choose to move (exercise).

Detoxes have been around for a long time in the alternative health field and can be useful if done right based on your goals. I am more a supporter of the eat well, move well and think well philosophy and the following 3 tips go a long way to keep you healthy and detoxified without having to fast, cleanse or go on a crazy detox:
 

3 Simple things to do for Daily Detoxification

Still Sold on Doing a Detox Diet

 
Here are reasons to consider trying one:

My 10 Day Detox Diet

 
This time around… I did a 10 day express metabolic detoxification cleanse with nutritional support from Metagenics [Ultraclear Renew (vitamin support, meal replacement and protein powder) and Advaclear (antioxidant capsules)]. It is a modified elimination diet where you remove certain foods each day throughout the 10 days to lighten the toxic load on the body allowing for detoxification.

Day 1 – I eliminated fleshy proteins (fish, beef, pork, poultry, etc…) along with refined sugars, artificial sweeteners (Sucrose, HFCS, etc…), packaged and processed foods, alcohol and caffeine.

Day 2 – I eliminated eggs and dairy in addition to everything the day before. Nutritional support in the form of a powder and antioxidant supplement started today.

Day 3 – Same as the previous two days and also removed Gluten grains from my diet. Continued with the nutritional support.

Day 4 – Remove remaining grains, nuts and seeds. You are now only eating vegetables, fruits and legumes plus nutritional support.

Day 5 thru 7 – Eliminate legumes and consume only cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage and brussel sprouts), raw greens (spinach, romaine, red, green lettuce) and apples and pears. Increase nutritional support.

Day 8 – Add back fruits, vegetables and white rice to my diet. Continue nutritional support.

Day 9 – Add back gluten free grains, legumes and nuts. Finish what’s left of the nutritional support.

Day 10 – Done. Gently add food groups back to my diet.
 

How I made out on the Detox Diet

 
This was one of the easiest detoxes I’ve done. Days 1 – 4 were not that hard. I did experience headaches towards the end of day 2 which were most likely associated with my cold turkey withdrawal from my daily Americano (coffee).

I continued my training throughout the cleanse and did 3 days of Strength Resistance Training with 2 days of High Intensity Interval Training. I noticed a drop in energy and performance on Days 5 – 7, which is pretty much due to the fact that brussel sprouts alone can’t fuel a good workout.

Days 5 – 7 were the hardest mentally but as soon as day 8 got here and I could eat all the fruits, vegetables and rice I wanted, I was fine.

One thing I did throughout the week was to make sure and drink a ton of water along with plenty of rest (I guess that’s two things). And now with day 10 here I’m excited to be done, drink a coffee and perhaps a cold brewski (or 2) towards the end of the week.

All in all – I feel great. I did not lose any weight but my belly feels less bloated. My mind is clearer and energy levels in the gym are sky high.
 

Detox Diet Wrap up

 
As much as I hate detox diets I usually try to cleanse once or twice per year. Would I do this detox again? Yes. But I stress the importance of eating well, exercising and proper hydration on an ongoing basis. If you’re considering detoxing start with those 3 simple steps first and it will do wonders to how you feel.

Yours in health,

Sean

Click Here and Start Earning Your Beer

Friday QnA with Strength Coach Drew Jamieson

Question: A buddy keeps telling me to carb cycle. Says I should only be eating carbs on days I workout to avoid getting fat and gain muscle. What is he talking about?

Jim Salter, Cleveland, Ohio

Answer: Carb cycling is a fancy term for tapering back carbs on certain days of the week and then consuming lots on other days to help maximize fat burning and muscle building.

While I agree that consuming more carbs on days you workout is a good idea this will come naturally if you follow the guidelines laid out in the 3BG System. During your pre and post workout window you are consuming carbs that you normally wouldn’t be eating on your off days because you aren’t hitting the gym.

In a way the 3BG System has some carb cycling built in, albeit a very basic and dummed down version.

Carb cycling has proven very useful for bodybuilders and figure athletes that are looking to get rid or the last 5-10 pounds. It’s a very analytic approach to getting your measurements and body fat exactly where you want them.

Having said that, for a beginner who’s looking to put on some muscle, gain strength and lose fat, tinkering with exact numbers, calories and percentages of your macro-nutrients would not be a good use of time. Carb cycling is tailored more for intermediate and advanced athletes that have been serious about working out for at least 2 years.

In summary: Eat good whole foods with a balance of carbs, fats and proteins and hit the gym hard with compound multi-joint exercises. Develop a solid consistency and show commitment to a plan that helps improve your physique. Then when you are ready to take things to the next level we can talk numbers.

Question: Rowing machine or treadmill? What’s the best for total body fat loss?

Fred Muse, Freeport, Maine

Answer: When it comes to cardio you always want to look at total body involvement when possible. Unless you need to train a specific movement that is directly related to your sport (a sprinter would have no business rowing or swimming for example when he should be running) you should look at getting the best bang for your time- this is found by incorporating your whole body and movements with full range of motion when you train cardio.

This means that although jogging is a nice challenge for your legs, it doesn’t do much to involve your upper body.

Rowing is a better hybrid of upper and lower body movements and with the right tension and intensity I would put it ahead of a slow boring jog.

However, if you really want a good cardio workout you’ll involve both upper and lower forms of exercise that are both; fast and challenging. Things like explosive push ups, jumping jacks, burpees, shadowing boxing, swimming, rowing, medicine ball slams, medicine ball throws, and mountain climbers are all great full body cardio exercises that offer an intense challenge along with a total body effect.

The reason these are better is they give you an after-burn effect which allows you to burn fat hours after you have stopped working out. Movements like these also teach you to be more athletic, not to mention are more enjoyable (mentally at least) than a boring, monotonous steady form of cardio.

 
 
Even though this workout will take you a third of the time you would normally spend running on the treadmill, you’ll burn more fat, challenge your heart and save a ton time. Sounds good to me.

The questions, as always, were great again this week. Looking forward to it next Friday.

Stay Strong,

Drew

Click Here and Start Earning Your Beer

Question: I started working out yesterday for the first time in awhile and today I can barely move. What’s going on and should I even think about working out again?

Rafael Eduardo, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Rafael, great question. Post workout muscle soreness is a normal and natural reaction following a workout or athletic event. It is your body’s way of saying, “Hey I need protein and carbs to repair all this micro tearing”.

Proper nutrition combined with rest allow your muscles to repair and rebuild, coming back bigger, stronger and better than before.

Every person is a little different but usually between 24 to 48 hours after exercise you begin to experience muscle soreness and discomfort known as delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS.

However, it is important to be able to distinguish pain from discomfort. DOMS is typical post workout discomfort that is OK. But if you are experiencing pinching, sharp or tingling types of pain or sensations… this is not a normal post workout reaction and should always be run by your doctor.

I strongly suggest never training the same muscle group on back to back days but even if you waited 48 hours and especially if you’re a beginner (or back in the gym after time off), it is not uncommon to experience some post workout discomfort. As long as you give it 48 hours of active rest between training muscle groups, you are likely OK to hit them up again.
 

To get over the soreness try this simple technique;

 
 
In summary: DOMS is a perfectly normal result of exercising and giving a muscle group 48+ hours of active rest is always the best idea. Make sure you are able to distinguish between pain and discomfort (this comes with time) and although very tempting… avoid laying on the couch all day following a workout (even a slow walk around the block the following day will help reduce the soreness).
 

Question: What’s the best total body exercise?

Steve, St. John’s, Newfoundland

It’s a toss up for the the best total body exercise (exercise that has multiple joint involvement) between the Olympic Clean and Jerk and the Snatch.

I’m guessing most of you are not competing in the upcoming England Summer Olympics so we might not need to take it that far. Don’t get me wrong these are 2 of the best exercises to develop total body strength, power and muscle but they come with a caveat- they are highly technical. So technical in fact that I would urge anyone who wants to incorporate these lifts into their exercise programs to find a good qualified Olympic strength coach.

Having said that I’ve found some nice alternatives that meet in the middle between technical requirements and total body benefit.

If I had to pick one exercise I would go with the One Arm Dumbbell Clean and Press. It is a very explosive movement that will hit every muscle in the body (except the Pec) and ramps up your nervous system and heart rate like no other.

As far as total body fat burning and muscle building go- it is highly effective. It is still important to note that there is proper technique and timing required to perform this movement but it is much safer and less risky than Olympic lifts. Master this movement before moving onto the Clean and Jerk or the Snatch (who named these things anyhow?).
 


Great questions. Keep em coming.

Stay Strong,

Drew

Click Here and Start Earning Your Beer

Most who know me have seen me go to town when it comes to Mexican food at one time or another. Known for my fresh made Guac, I can also put back my fare share of nachos. The problem with nachos is the calories add up very quickly.

To get my Mexican fix I stick to healthy recipes like this one. This tasty recipe is a regular I cook up and one to keep in your bag of tricks when guests unexpectedly show up.

The Corona Lime Fajita recipe is quick and easy, tastes incredible and is made fresh from scratch (no fajita kits in my kitchen). You’re going to love em… I do.

Watch below to see how I whip them up:
 

Corona Lime Fajitas

Here’s what you need for the Corona Lime Fajitas:

• 2 Chicken Breasts
• 2 Red Bell Peppers
• 1 bottle of Corona
• 2 Medium Red Onions or 1 large Red Onion
• 2 Limes
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon of chili powder
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• ½ teaspoon of ground cumin
• ½ cup of Greek Yogurt
• 4-6 8-inch Whole-Wheat tortillas
• 2-4 Ounces of Cheddar Cheese
• ½ Cup of fresh spinach (chopped)
• Guac (homemade)
• Fresh Salsa (homemade)

 
Here’s what you need for the Guacamole:

• 2 Ripe Avocados
• 1 clove of garlic
• 5 Cherry tomatoes
• 2 table spoons of diced onion
• Sea Salt and Black Pepper
• Small pinch of cayenne pepper

 
Here’s what you need for the Fresh Salsa:

• 1 small red chili pepper
• 20-25 Cherry Tomatoes
• Small bunch of Cilantro
• 2 table spoons of diced onion
• Sea Salt and Black Pepper

 
Here’s how to put it all together:
 

Fajitas

 
Halve and seed your red peppers, then slice lengthwise into thin strips. Peel, halve and finely slice your red onions as well. Slice your chicken breasts into thin strips and place everything into a bowl.

Pour a half-cup of Corona, squeeze the juice of 1 lime and add 1 tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil to the bowl. Dump in your cumin, paprika, chili powder and season with a little sea salt and black pepper. Mix well and lit sit, tenderizing while you prepare your Guac and Salsa.
 

Salsa

 
Roughly chop your cherry tomatoes and cilantro. Finely chop your chili pepper and dice up 2 tablespoons of onion. Add everything to a bowl then drizzle in 1 tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, squeeze in the juice of 1 lime and stir everything together.
 

Guacamole

 
Halve, seed and score the insides of your 2 ripe avocados. Use a spoon to scoop out the fleshy inside and place in a bowl. Finely chop the garlic, dice up another 2 tablespoons of onion, roughly chop your 5 cherry tomatoes and add everything to the bowl. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper, squeeze in the juice of 1 lime and season with a little sea salt and pepper. Mix and mash with a fork.
 

Serve it up

 
Turn a grill pan to medium high, add the chicken mixture using tongs and cook until chicken is golden brown (roughly 7-9 minutes). Keep an eye of the chicken, turning the pieces so they cook evenly and don’t burn.

Heat your tortillas in the microwave for 15 seconds, spread some guacamole in them, and add your chicken and veggies, a little chopped spinach, a spoonful of Greek yogurt, fresh salsa and a little cheddar cheese. Squeeze over a little lime, sprinkle on some fresh cilantro and go to town.

Sooooo delicious.

Yours in health,

Sean

PS. Follow the link for more Cooking With Beer Recipes.

Click Here and Start Earning Your Beer

Some of you might wonder how I decide which beer to review? To that I’d say- keep guessing… because there’s no real process to how I pick em. Suggestions are definitely welcome.

Lucky for me, my girlfriend and roommate are on a beer kick and I found a Bavarian beauty kicking around their fridge. Thanks ladies.

The Thirsty Thursday beer I chose to review this week is the German beer- Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier. Say that 3 times fast.
 

Worlds Oldest Brewery

 
Because the inscription on the bottle reads, “The Worlds Oldest Brewery (Seit 1040)”, I decided a little history digging was in need. After a few Google searches and multiple miss spellings I came across the official website and really liked what I found – Weihenstephaner.de (Great video explaining the brewery’s origin and their new state of the art brewing science).

Talk about history- the brewery use to be a Benedictine Monastery and in 1040 the monks were granted the right to brew beer. Petty cool monks if you ask me.

Beer was a part of their daily diet and was even consumed during lent as it was understood the monks did not break fast by consuming liquids (keep that one up your sleeve the next time the old lady wants you to try out her new “fasting diet”).

Today, not only do they brew beer but they study it as well. Weihenstephan is known as the Harvard of beer schools. The tradition of beer is taken very seriously and the brewing behind it is considered a science.

Being that the recipe for this yeast wheat masterpiece is a thousand years old, it’s safe to say they know a thing or two when it comes to brewing a tasty beer.

Lucky for us, Weihenstephan Hefeweissbier is available year round, nationwide and comes in two sizes (12oz or a 22oz bottle).
 

Here’s what I thought

 
In a standard pint glass the appearance is a deep golden wheat. The beer is extremely cloudy and hard to see through. After a strong pour releasing some of the aromas, there was a full long lasting white head which hung around. The beer let loose a general fruitiness and strong European Smell of Alcohol- likely from the yeast or Hefe. The beer is strongly spiced yet not overpowering.

Fellow reviewers noted hints of banana but I’m not to sure of that. The taste was crisp with a light citrus and spice. A very strong bread-like malt on the tongue but it in no way overpowered the beer like I’ve experienced in other Hefes.

This is a full bodied beer yet somehow a light tasting one at that. It is a very refreshing beer and comes close to matching one of my all time favorites which is also a Weissbier.

I give this beer an A and if you’re on a patio enjoying the sunshine an A+.

Prost!

Jon

Click Here and Start Earning Your Beer

What better time to sample a Belgian beer than on a snowy Sunday afternoon watching not one, but two awesome NFL playoff games. Just to rub it in a little more- I later enjoyed some of New York City’s finest wings from Blondie’s with a tray of veggies on the side of course.

Needless to say it was a good night for me and both, Patriot and Giant fans. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for Raven’s kicker, Billy Cundiff after shanking a 30 yard field goal. I always feel for those kickers but nonetheless I’m looking forward to a heated rematch and some awesomely expensive commercials in a couple weeks time.
 

Dave Matthew’s Band and the Belgium Golden Ale

 
Sunday wasn’t my first time sampling the imported Belgium Golden Ale “Duvel”. My first tasting came while I was over in Europe playing hockey. A few buddies and I planned a road trip from Cologne, Germany to Antwerp, Belgium and hit up a Dave Matthew’s Band concert while we were there.

After 10 of us piled into a van the trip literally started off with a bang. Our designated driver, lets call him “Shannon”, backed the van into a parked car while the occupants sat idling. Whoops. Not the best way to start off a road trip.

I don’t know if it was the fact that we were ten hockey players in a van or that the damaged car was filled with illegal contraband but the mildly pissed off owner of the car said that we should go.

We did however eventually make it to a pub in Belgium and my initial impression of Duvel was this – “What is this “magical” beer the Belgians drink?”

It was good, and I mean really good.

Served in a traditional tulip glass the foam rested on top of the crystal clear beer.

Looking back now I can’t remember with much detail what I liked most about the beer. If I had to guess, it had a lot to do with getting it fresh from the source, the quantity it came in and the people I was with.
 

New York City and the Belgium Golden Ale

 
Being an off day from the hustle and bustle I grabbed the 75cl bottle (the equivalent to 3/4 of a litre or approximately 26 ounces). To my surprise the bottle came nicely topped with a champagne cork and wasn’t something we often see here on this side of the Atlantic.

Nothing is cheap in this city and I had to shell out a handful of dollars and cents, something I’ll gladly do over paying 5 dollars in any New York City establishment for a Coors Light. The alcohol content was a strong 8.5% abv.- giving you a good bang for your buck.

Considering myself more of a beer connoisseur (definitely still a rookie) than I use to be, I opted for a reasonably sized red wine glass in place of the standard tulip shaped glass most bars serve a Duvel in.

Honestly any glass will do and it is what makes you feel comfortable that is important. Just make sure it is clean, as I was reminded how important that is during a recent trip to ‘Beer School’ while visiting the Anheuser-Busch brewery in Colorado. Foam and bubbles stick to dirt in a glass and can make a good beer taste skunky.

I gave the Duvel a steady pour trying to give life to the beer and was pleasantly surprised by the amount of carbonation and foam sitting a top the pale golden beer. The initial smell was on the sweet side but the yeast took over reminding me of Stella Artois (its Belgium cousin).

The heavy foam which hung around forever made it look heavier than it tasted. The beer struck a mix of fruit and spice with a clean smooth aftertaste.

Crisp and clean is the simplest way to describe this beauty.

In my opinion this is a great beer for anytime, with anyone and with anything- 8.9 out of 10. Go earn it!

Cheers,

Jon

PS. Stay tuned for highlights from my trip to Anheuser-Busch brewery, time spent with the Budweiser Clydesdales and Beer School.

Click Here and Start Earning Your Beer

If the title from today’s post is throwing you off a little- it should. Who in their right mind would want to do exercises for their beer bellies?

To reduce confusion I should have re-worded the title “exercises to reduce your beer belly, beer gut or love handles” but contrary to popular belief, it is actually impossible to spot reduce or burn fat from a targeted area on your body, hence more confusion.

I thought I was saving you from scratching your head by calling the blog post what I did but now that I read it over, it does sound a little perplexing. In any event my aim was not to confuse you but to stir the pot and encourage you to listen to something very important I have to tell you.

This “something” will save you the hundreds of dollars spent on late night infomercials selling contraptions that promise to blast beer belly fat away and carve out mouth-dropping six-pack abs where the keg once lay.
 

Beer Belly’s cannot be Spot Reduced

 
The concept of spot reduction is a widely misunderstood field and one that deserves more focus. When you exercise, whether it is in the form of running, weight training, body weight training or high intensity interval training- you cannot target a specific area like your beer belly and expect that you are going to get 6-pack abs from them.

Unfortunately, the body does not burn fat that way. If you have fat on your beer belly you cannot hammer out 1000 crunches and hope for razor sharp abs. When you exercise, fat loss happens from all over the body. You cannot pick where you want it to come off first.

Sad right? Unless you sign up for liposuction and the Doctor sticks the blow-torchy fat melting thing directly into your “problem area” and sucks the fat out, you are stuck burning fat from your entire body one small inch at a time.
 

Beer Belly Fat Distribution is Genetically Influenced

 
To make matters worse, most of the fat burning that happens is genetically influenced. Everyone has witnessed this first hand; you workout like crazy expecting to lose weight from your gut and you end up losing weight from your back fat instead. Then you put in a few more hours in the gym and it’s your love handles that disappear. And finally you’re ready to give up because it seems impossible to shed the remaining L-B’s from the beer belly.

This process also happens in reverse. Subcutaneous fat tends to be genetically influenced in its distribution. When one doesn’t exercise and eats in excess, one’s body will pack the fat on in specific areas first.
 

Beer Belly Fat (Visceral Fat) is Hard to Lose

 
More bad news… The Anatomy of a Beer Belly taught us that our beer bellies are comprised mostly of visceral fat. Visceral fat is harder to burn than subcutaneous fat. Studies support that in can be done but the intensity needs to be there. A simple walk in the park won’t cut it. You need to hit it hard when it comes to exercising and working out. You need to earn your beer.
 

Exercises to Reduce Your Beer Belly

 
Enough sad news today, time to shift gears and figure out what exercises are best to reduce beer belly fat.

Now that the idea of spot reduction has been banished from our thoughts here are a few principles guaranteed to blowtorch body fat and thus reduce the beer gut as well.

1. Compound Movements – Are multi-joint movements that work several muscles or even several muscle groups at one time. Instead of a bicep curl, think about a push-up, an exercise that engages the back, abs, shoulders, arms and chest.

Compound movements activate large muscle groups and involve larger ranges of motion, both of which create a greater caloric demand and produce better results. Moreover, you can activate many muscle groups in one exercise instead of having to work each one individually, giving you more results in less time.

When performing exercises like squats, deadlifts, bench presses, pull-ups, and push-presses you demand more work from your body, which in turn stimulates the production of two very important hormones for fat loss and muscle gain- testosterone and growth hormone.

2. High Intensity Interval Training – Metabolic training that Shocks and Awes your body can be achieved through all kinds of workouts. Interval workouts, also known as High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), combined with intense strength- resistance training is the most effective way to shed pounds from your body and get into shape fast.

Low-intensity cardio, such as aerobics or long distance running, work your body at 50-70% of your maximum effort for long periods of time. This type of exercise trains your body to become more energy efficient, requiring less fuel (fat) to perform the same amount of work. If you are looking to get in shape, this is the opposite of what you want. Ideally you want to burn through the maximum amount of fuel (fat) during your workout.

Think of long periods of low-intensity training as turning your body into an energy efficient Toyota Prius; a car that is able to undergo lots of work with little fuel burnt. Instead, what you want is to be a Formula-1 racecar; a car that pummels through the same amount of fuel in a fraction of the time. Formula-1 racing is your HIIT.

An interval training session involves a light warm up session followed by intense shock and awe bouts of increased exertion interchanged with a recovery period. By going hard and fast for short bursts and then allowing the body brief recovery periods you’re demanding a ton of work in a short amount of time. An example is 8-15 second sprints followed by a 45-60 second rest period. The added bonus to this sort of training is that workouts fly by, as you are busy catching your breath and watching the clock.

3. Metabolic Circuits and Supersets – Another awesome tool aimed at getting more results in less time is the “super-set”. A superset refers to pairing two or more exercises back-to- back with little to no rest in between. The idea is that you work multiple muscle groups in a shorter period of time and spend less time resting between sets, increasing your efficiency.

The trick to getting even more out of your supersets and getting more done in the shortest amount of time is using non-competing muscle groups. A non-competing muscle group is a group of muscles used by the body for different movements. Meaning if you were doing a pushing movement as the first exercise in the superset, you can immediately follow that up with a pulling exercise. This allows you to push hard and tax one muscle group and still have energy to pull hard with another. This also keeps your heart rate elevated because you are moving between pushing and pulling or lower and upper body exercises, all in succession.

Tri-sets are the same concept as a superset, but with 3 exercises done in sequence instead of two. You can even take it as far as 4 or 5 exercises back to back as your fitness and stamina increase, each pushing your cardio further and shredding off more fat.
 

The Beer Belly Exercise Wrap Up

 
Now that you know spot reduction is as much of a myth as thinking 12 oz beer can curls can give you sleeve-busting biceps it is time to implement these concepts into your routine. Your beer gut and the rest of the fat on your body won’t stand a chance.

Remember, losing the gut is possible but takes a little hard work, determination and total body resistance training like the plan outlined in the 3BG Beer Belly Fat Loss System.

Yours in health,

Sean

Click Here and Start Earning Your Beer