High Fructose Corn Syrup Contains Mercury!

I read this on a blog that I follow that gives me some much needed insight about food and nutrition. The guy I follow a lot is a guy named Jason Yun! He is an incredible nutrition expert and also a fitness expert who cares about changing lives like I do! It seems as if we go to work everyday with the same reason and excitement, to help each and every person we touch change their day and MAKe their day GREAT!

Here is a blog post that he just recently shared with me!

There’s Mercury in High Fructose Corn Syrup, and the FDA Has Known for Years

Maybe Jeremy Piven didn’t get mercury poisoning from fish at all — according to the results of this new study released by the Institute for Agriculture and Trace Policy (IATP), the actor may well have been sickened by soda or candy or anything that contains high fructose corn syrup, which, if you eat processed food in this country means, well, just about anything.

Foodies and nutritionists alike have been griping about high fructose corn syrup for years, and the industry has responded with an “astroturf” campaign and a level of secrecy generally reserved for the military officials or secret societies (see Corn Refiners’ Association president Audrae Erickson’s stonewalling performance in King Corn).

Of course, I wouldn’t want to show my hand either, if the making of my product could be described as undertaking a small “Manhattan Project” (see eye-glazing production info here). But as it turns out, the HFCS industry has been hiding some major skeletons in its closet — according to the IATP study (pdf), over 30% of products containing the substance tested positive for mercury.

What makes this news truly shocking is not just that the manufacturers of high fructose corn syrup would put consumers’ health at risk, but that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) knew about the mercury in the syrup and has been sitting on this information since 2005.

Here’s the connection, according to the IATP press release (pdf) announcing the study: The IATP study comes on the heels of another study, conducted in 2005 but only recently published by the scientific journal, Environmental Health, which revealed that nearly 50 percent of commercial HFCS samples tested positive for the heavy metal. Renee Dufault, who was working for the FDA at the time, was among the 2005 study’s authors.

Here’s how the mercury gets in there, according to Janet at the Ethicurean:

How did the heavy metal get in there? In making HFCS — that “natural” sweetener, as the Corn Refiners Associaton likes to call it — caustic soda is one ingredient used to separate corn starch from the corn kernel. Apparently most caustic soda for years has been produced in industrial chlorine (chlor-alkali) plants, where it can be contaminated with mercury that it passes on to the HFCS, and then to consumers.

And here’s more from the press release:

“While the FDA had evidence that commercial HFCS was contaminated with mercury four years ago, the agency did not inform consumers, help change industry practice or conduct additional testing.”

And on why it matters:

“Mercury is toxic in all its forms,” said IATP’s David Wallinga, M.D., and a co-author in both studies. “Given how much high fructose corn syrup is consumed by children, it could be a significant additional source of mercury never before considered. We are calling for immediate changes by industry and the FDA to help stop this avoidable mercury contamination of the food supply.”

In China, heads might roll over a scandal like this one, at least if the country received global attention for its allowing corrupt health officials’ greasy palms come before, um, public health.

Of course, in this country, Dufault’s neck is safe. But what about the health of American consumers? Let’s see the Corn Refiner’s Association try to spin this one.


HOMEWORK!!!!

5 Minutes Warm-up
20 Minutes of 30 sec Sprint/ 30 sec Recovery
15 minutes of Moderate Cardio (Level 5-6/10)
5 Minute Cool Down

"Finisher"
2 minutes of Squats
2 minutes of Lunges
2 minutes of Push-ups (everyone start regular and finish modified!)
2 minutes of Regular (Full) sit-ups

Remember to e-mail me!!!!

Stay Strong and Be Strong,

Ryan
ryan@peakperformancewi.com

What About Eggs....Homework As Well!

I was in a conversation with multiple friends aboput what to eat and they were talking about eggs! They asked me can we eat the yolks?

He said the following statement:
"because I thought the egg yolks were terrible for you...that's where all the nasty fat and cholesterol is".

And I replied, "you mean that's where all the nutrition is!"

This is a perfect example of how confused most people are about nutrition. In a world full of misinformation, somehow most people now mistakenly think that the egg yolk is the worst part of the egg, when in fact, the YOLK IS THE HEALTHIEST PART OF THE EGG!

By throwing out the yolk and only eating egg whites, you're essentially throwing out the most nutrient dense, antioxidant-rich, vitamin and mineral loaded portion of the egg. The yolks contain so many B-vitamins, trace minerals, vitamin A, folate, choline, lutein, and other powerful nutrients... it's not even worth trying to list them all.

In fact, the egg whites are almost devoid of nutrition compared to the yolk.

Even the protein in egg whites isn't as powerful without the yolks to balance out the amino acid profile and make the protein more bio-available. Not to even mention that the egg yolks from free range chickens are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids.

Yolks contain more than 90% of the calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, B6, folate, and B12, and panthothenic acid of the egg. In addition, the yolks contain all of the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K in the egg, as well as all of the essential fatty acids.

And now the common objection I get all the time when I say that the yolks are the most nutritious part of the egg...

"But I heard that whole eggs will skyrocket my cholesterol through the roof"

No, this is FALSE!

First of all, when you eat a food that contains a high amount of dietary cholesterol such as eggs, your body down-regulates it's internal production of cholesterol to balance things out.

On the other hand, if you don't eat enough cholesterol, your body simply produces more since cholesterol has tons of important functions in the body.

And here's where it gets even more interesting...

There are indications that eating whole eggs actually raises your good HDL cholesterol to a higher degree than LDL cholesterol, thereby improving your overall cholesterol ratio and blood chemistry.

And 3rd... high cholesterol is NOT a disease! Heart disease is a disease...but high cholesterol is NOT.

So I hope we've established that whole eggs are not some evil food that will wreck your body... instead whole eggs are FAR superior to egg whites.

So next time a health or fitness professional tells you that egg whites are superior, you can quietly ignore their advice knowing that you understand the REAL deal about egg yolks.

One more thing about eggs...

I read a study recently that compared groups of people that ate egg breakfasts vs groups of people that ate cereal or bagel based breakfasts. The results of the study showed that the egg eaters lost or maintained a healthier bodyweight, while the cereal/bagel eaters gained weight.

It was hypothesized that the egg eaters actually ate less calories during the remainder of the day because their appetite was more satisfied compared to the cereal/bagel eaters who would have been more prone to wild blood sugar swings and food cravings.


NOW FOR THE HOMEWORK:


Warm-up for 5 minutes
10 rounds of 60 second Sprints/120 Recovery

The sprint should be at a 7-9/10 and no less. You should be physically exhausted!

Cool-down for 5 minutes

100 Push-ups
200 Sit-ups (Full)

Reminder, make sure you e-mail that you completed it!


Don't be lazy.....Be Lean,

Ryan

What Does Benjamin Button Have To Do With Your Fat Loss Results?

Last week I got to see the Benjamin Button movie.

I had been waiting to see since they first started promoting it and I can say that I wasn't disappointed.

It was a cool movie that was definitely different to the usual story. It was worth it just to see how they age (and then make younger) Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett.

Now, before I become too much a movie critic, let me explain what Benjamin Button has to do with your fat loss results.



If you aren't familiar with the story, Benjamin Button was born an old man who gets younger instead of getting older like we all do.

That alone got me thinking.

It is exactly the same as what training can do for you.

Make you feel younger.

Make you look younger.

Sure, you may never technically see the clock wind back as you become a teenager again but surely that's a good thing right!

What you will notice when you get that training routine happening is that you have more energy no matter how old you are. You will be feeling years younger.

I know personally, at the ripe "old" age of 29, I feel better than I did as a 21 year old, and I am in a LOT better shape than when I was running around America drinking beers and eating pizzas.

You can actually reverse your aging process by simply taking action and starting (or resuming if you have been out of the game for a while) your fat loss regime.

What's the best way to start taking action?

Take one small step at a time.

Make today better than yesterday and repeat.

Implement one small change this week such as cutting out your cheat foods that you ate all holiday season.

Next week add another improvement such as drinking more water.

And so on and so on until you have the fat loss results that you deserve!

It really isn't rocket science.

People just make it seem harder than it really is.

The hardest thing is just taking action right away.

So, what are you waiting for?

Make it happen today NOT tomorrow.


Ryan Schroeder

Homework and More!!!!

Hey ladies,

First of all here is the homework!

Boot Camp Homework

I hope that each and everyone of you had a great first week! Keep in mind that I am here for you and that if need something let me know right away!

Here is a some insight about Diet Sodas!

Do you drink diet sodas? If so, why are you doing so? IS it because you are trying to lose weight? Lose that gut? Trim down? Or are you trying to reduce the amount of calories you are getting? Or is it all of the above?

Drinking diet sodas are not the best option for a beverage choice. But are diet sodas holding you back from gaining yourself a better body? The answer is 'Yes'. You work hard in the gym, hard on other aspects of your diet, so why sabotage yourself with diet drinks.

Here's a list of the ingredients inside one of the leading diet drinks:
Carbonated Water
High Fructose Corn Syrup- something you should avoid at all costs in any product if you are trying to lose body fat.
Caramel Color
Phosphoric Acid- used for rust removal in concentrated form, can damage the enamel of you teeth Natural Flavors Caffeine Aspartame (NutraSweet brand)- sugar replacement that has been shown to cause harm to the brain and nervous system.
Potassium Benzoate
Citric acid

Now that makes for a nasty combo of ingredients that I don't think was ever supposed to be combined and put into human being's bodies. And some studies have shown that diet sodas are actually worse than there higher calorie, regular soda brothers.

The major reason for this is the sweeteners used in diet drinks causes an increase in release of fat storing hormone production in the body and increases the craving you feel for more sweets and processed carbs shortly after consuming a diet soda.

So my advice is if you want to lose it, you got to stop drinking diet sodas. Or pretty much anything with artificial sweeteners in it.

If you want a good natural sweetener that you can use and still drop the fat pounds, try Stevia.
You can order it here:
http://tinyurl.com/5rf97d

Avoid high Fructose Corn Syrup too. You'd be surprised how many things you eat on a regular basis contain this. Ketchup, some cereals, most processed and refined foods, and many others. Look through you pantry and see. Eliminate these as soon as possible.

So what to drink in place of diet drinks. Obviously the best choice is plain 'ol water. The you have your choice of different types of teas. Green is the best, but you have black, white, red, herbal, etc... Plus you get the benefits of the healthy anti-oxidants from teas.

If your going to drink fruit juice, make sure it is 100% juice and not from concentrate. Also be careful with the servings. 1 8 oz glass of orange juice is the equivalent in calories to eating 2-3.5 oranges.

Until next time---


Get Strong, Be Strong, Stay Strong!

Ryan

Bad News Bowl of Veggies...

It's just about impossible to gain weight just by eating veggeis. I mean seriously, you'd have to eat a LOT of 'em.

BUT...

Salads are a different story altogether. Why is it that every time people want to get rid of their belly fat they break out the salad bowls and start eating like a rabbit?

Thing is, MOST salads people eat are loaded with fat and calories. It's as if people think bacon, cheese and ranch dressing suddenly have amazing fat burning properties when they're on top of a couple of carrots and broccoli.

Look, you probably don't really want to know how much damage you did the last time you ate "healthy" and went to the salad bar for lunch.

But what's done is done. Here are the tips you need to remember the next time you order one:

1) Ask for the dressing on the side and dip the tongs of your fork in the dressing and THEN pick up some salad. It gives you just enough flavor and keeps your calorie intake under control.

2) Choose a salad that has grilled protein in it such as chicken or fish. Remember, it should be GRILLED and not fried.

3) Sorry, leave off the cheese and bacon bits. You know why

Get Strong and Stay Strong,

Ryan Schroeder

Great First Day Except....

Great work today and it was fun to see all you working so hard! Remember that the work that you put into this will definitely pay off!

The keys that I would like to talk about again are that we have got to have a concern for cardiovascular fitness, concern for resistance training, and most importantly, we need to make some great strides on the nutritional aspect of of our fitness programs.

Nutrition is the number #1 reason why people fail in a fitness program. We need to be conscious of what we do and make the right choices and that starts with breakfast!
Look, you can make fat loss as difficult as you like. You can make it out to be super complicated if you so choose.

But one of the easiest things you can do to start melting the fat off your frame is to start eating a breakfast that boosts your metabolism and sets the tone for fat loss all day long.

Now, there's a very good chance you're shaking your head in agreement with me, but saying something like, "That's great. I know that. But what the heck do I eat?"

Glad you asked ;-)

Here are three simple fat fighting breakfasts:

1- Cottage cheese mixed with real fruit

2- Hard boiled egg and yogurt mixed with real fruit

3- 2 pieces of fruit and a scrambled egg wrap

Seriously, would that be so hard? Don't you think you can manage that in the morning?

Well, if you can't, we have another suggestion. You can use a nutritious meal replacement shake like Cinch

I love these shakes and have many different flavors such as chocolate, vanilla, caffe latte, and even strawberry!

Ok, so there are 4 options for a Fat Blasting Breakfast. Enjoy!

Ryan Schroeder, NSCA-CPT

PS - Remember, call Amanda at 866.305.8575 ext. 3 to get your nutrition product order taken care of so you don't miss out on the chance to get the Physique of your choice!

This Year I resolve To.........

Sorry for the delay in my postings, but I vow to you to at least post 2-3 times per week for the entire Boot Camp. Please feel free to give me some topics that you would like discussed and I will do my best to cover them either here on the blog or at Boot Camp!

Boy, I’m glad the holidays are over! Don’t get me wrong I like the holidays and spending time with my family, but since the holiday décor, holiday music, holiday themed catalogs, holiday sales, etc., began back in October it feels like the holidays last forever. By the time January rolls around I’m holidayed out and ready to get things back to normal.

In my line of work, January is a busy time for folks who want to get back into the habit of a healthy lifestyle, get into shape, and lose those few extra pounds they gained over the holidays. Now, I always say that there is never a better time than now (whenever that may be) to begin a new health and fitness program. But with New Year’s comes ‘New Years Resolutions’ and the additional drive for folks to make some changes.

Unfortunately, most New Years Resolutions are broken within the first week and more than half are completely forgotten about after January. Why is that we stop and give up on these well intended resolutions that are healthy and doable? Most people have no idea why they quit before they accomplish their resolutions. The rest said that they were not 100% committed to doing it, lacked self confidence, had poor planning, lacked time management, lacked energy, and lacked support.

How can you break this cycle this year and STICK TO your New Years Resolutions in 2009?

‘Resolve’ means to decide with determination and a fixed, firm purpose. So, if from the get-go you are not 100% committed to reaching your resolution (or goal) then it is not a resolution. It is simply a wish, a fantasy or an idea until you become completely committed.

Once you are committed, you want to create ‘S.M.A.R.T.’ resolutions or goals for yourself. Here’s the quick and easy formula to use anytime you are setting a resolution or goal:

· Specific - A specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general goal. To set a specific goal you must answer the six “W” questions—who, what, when, where, which, & why.

· Measurable - Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of each goal you set. When you measure your progress, you stay on track, reach your target dates, and experience the exhilaration of achievement that spurs you on to continued effort required to reach your goal. To determine if your goal is measurable, ask questions such as……How much? How many? How will I know when it is accomplished?

· Attainable - You can attain most any goal you set when you plan your steps wisely and establish a time frame that allows you to carry out those steps.

· Realistic - To be realistic, a goal must represent an objective toward which you are both willing and able to work. A goal can be both high and realistic; you are the only one who can decide just how high your goal should be. But be sure that every goal represents substantial progress.

· Timely - A goal should be grounded within a time frame. With no time frame tied to it there’s no sense of urgency. If you want to lose 10 lbs, when do you want to lose it by? T can also stand for Tangible - A goal is tangible when you can experience it with one of the senses, that is, taste, touch, smell, sight or hearing. When your goal is tangible you have a better chance of making it specific and measurable and thus attainable.

Use this formula to create your resolutions and you’ll be better off in reaching them from the get-go. Remember to be patient, remind yourself each day of the commitment you’ve made to your goals, measure and track your progress often, and don’t be too hard on yourself, stick to it and you can achieve your resolutions this year.

To your health & happiness,

Ryan Schroeder