vince_andrich’s BodyBlog

Killer New Fat Loss Compounds

By Vince Andrich

Wouldn’t it be nice if science had THE PILL that made bodyfat merely melt away? Sounds great right? Don’t misunderstand me, I am a big fan of science, but I hope the magic pill NEVER comes. The reason is, if hard work, dedication and persistence are taken out of the equation, all the benefits we have as bodybuilding artists will amount to ZERO. I don’t know about you, but I like the fact that what I do with my hobby of diet and exercise makes me different than the €˜normal’ people on the street. So, I am not a fan of getting a FREE ride, but I do appreciate it when science brings us new compounds that will help us build leaner more attractive bodies.

Accelerating Your Fat Loss €˜Investment’

Even if the fat loss miracle PILL never arrives, science is making great strides in uncovering the variables associated with fat gain and loss. One of my good friends Peter Miller at Integrity Nutraceuticals turned me on to two such ingredients that look like KILLER fat loss compounds. Believe me when I tell you, Pete Miller has the science down COLD, so I think both of these compounds are definitely worth looking at (product developers go here www.integritynut.com).

“An analysis of the history of technology shows that technological change is exponential, contrary to the common-sense “intuitive linear view. So we won’t experience 100 years of progress in the 21st century€”it will be more like 20,000 years of progress…at today’s rate … Artificial Intelligence Expert Ray Kurzweil

Razberi-K …Radical Fat Burning Swiss Army Knife
The first interesting compound is called Razberi-K, also known as 4-(4-hydroxyphenyl) butan-2-one, which is a ketone unique to red raspberry. Raspberries contain many bioactive constituents beneficial for health. One particular constituent, 4-(4-hydroxyphenyl) butan-2-one appears to have the potential to decrease body fat.  In a recent study, mice were fed a high fat diet to induce obesity while treated groups were also fed an additional 1 or 2% raspberry ketone. The treated groups gained less body fat than the control groups.

How does Razberi-K work?

In laymen terms, Razberi-K appears to have at least two beneficial effects for losing bodyfat namely, decreasing absorption of dietary fat and increasing norepinephrine-induced lipolysis (see http://blog.bodybuilding.com/vince_andrich/2006/10/12/neuro-chemical-diet-warfare/). Importantly, research suggests that in the reduction of absorption of dietary fat, the inhibition of trioleoylglycerol hydrolysis plays a major role. Further research advocates that enhancing lipolysis may augment glycerol release, increasing the translocation of hormone sensitive lipase (HSL) in fat cells, and increasing brown adipose tissue, known to increases thermogensis and oxidation of body fat.
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Application and Serving Size
Razberi-K is appropriate in a product for weight management. It can be administered in a capsule, tablet, powder or liquid. The recommended serving is 100 mgs twice daily.
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Look for products with the Integrity Nutraceuticals Trademarks, to be sure you’re getting the real deal!

iFAS50…Putting the Brakes on Fat Storage
Another very interesting fat loss compound is called iFAS50. According to the R & D staff at Integrity Nutraceuticals, this novel ingredient is comprised of three potent Fatty Acid Synthase (FAS) inhibitors: Green Tea, Tuber Fleeceflower and Parasitic Loranthus. Processed uniquely, the herbs in iFAS50 are blended and then extracted together. This method promotes synergy and provides a consistent and even distribution of the herbs. Research suggests that Green Tea, Tuber Fleeceflower and Parasitic Loranthus are among the most potent inhibitors of FAS.

What the Science Says about iFAS50
As you might already know, Fatty Acid Synthase is a multienzyme process resulting in the synthesis of fatty acids. Regulators of FAS are insulin and glucose; hence by prolonged consumption of high-carbohydrate or fat-free diets, FAS synthesis increases. Fatty acids once produced are esterified and stored in fat cells as an oily substance called triacylglycerol. The process of FAS is mediated by the enzyme acetyl-CoA caboxylase (ACC). Glucagon, an important hormone produced by the alpha cells of the Islets of Langerhans, is known to interfere with ACC thus inhibiting FAS.

The bottom line is that when FAS is inhibited, the body’s ability to store fat is greatly reduced, making iFAS50 an excellent fat loss tool. In addition, inhibiting FAS also exerts numerous indirect properties particularly on hypothalamic neurons. FAS inhibition results in a significant reduction of feeding behavior according to studies. The last benefit is extremely interesting to me since I believe the next generation of fat loss products MUST take into consideration feeding behavior (see my blog, (see http://blog.bodybuilding.com/vince_andrich/2006/10/12/neuro-chemical-diet-warfare/).
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Application and Serving Size
iFAS503 is appropriate in a product for weight management. It can be administered in a capsule, tablet, powder or liquid. A serving of 250 mgs twice daily is suggested.

Again, look for products with the Integrity Nutraceuticals Trademarks; to be sure you’re getting the real deal!

You can reach Integrity Nutraceuticals direct by calling 941.342.0007 or via email at: sales@integritynut.com

Nutrition and Supplement Strategies that Go BEYOND the €˜Perpetual PUMP’ for True Muscle Growth and Cellular Recovery

PART ONE

By Vince Andrich

You want the ability to get a “perpetual pump in any body part you train, every single time you walk into the gym, right? You are in pursuit of the almighty PUMP because you truly believe it holds the key to building more muscle size and strength, correct? You also believe that the magnitude of the pump you get in the gym is an indication that you’re on your way to less bodyfat and more defined muscles, true? Now, what if I said you were right and that the PUMP really was a reliable gauge of your bodybuilding progress? Well it is, but there seems to be a misunderstanding of sorts. You see, if you’ve been following this line of thinking €” that pump equals growth €” you must realize that the traditional mechanisms for accessing a perpetual pump, pale in comparison to a startling new breakthrough in bodybuilding chemistry. Don’t get me wrong, you will still learn about an integrated system that will allow you to attain a maximum pump, but you’ll discover that there is definitely more. This approach represents an entirely new way to look at the mechanisms for bodybuilding success €” one where the benefits are noticeable and, most importantly, permanent.

The Breakthrough is Not For Everyone
The techniques outlined in this article are not intended for everyone, although anyone can benefit. What I mean is simply this: you need to €˜come clean’ and be honest about your bodybuilding goals and how YOU plan to achieve them. Let me explain more. If you are on a sophisticated regimen of bodybuilding pharmaceuticals like growth hormone, testosterone, insulin and the like, your ability to get a pump in the gym should be simple. If this is your approach to bodybuilding, then the rest of this article is of no relevance to you. I am not an expert on bodybuilding drugs, but I do know enough to say that whenever I am working with an athlete who is ON, my traditional nutritional recommendations are not necessarily applicable. This is why my focus is to work with athletes who’s hormone levels are not off €” or all over €” the charts, and therefore do not undergo severe fluctuations. However, even if you choose to go to the “dark side and use bodybuilding drugs, which I do not suggest, you can’t stay on them long term. Eventually, if you want to have your health and a great body too, you’ll be seeking out “legal bodybuilding chemistry, like the information in this article.

Nitric Oxide Boosters and the Rise of the Almighty PUMP
The popular trend in bodybuilding supplementation these days is the use of Nitric Oxide (NO) boosters as a method for increasing your “pump while weight training. The use of nitric oxide supplements (NO is the acronym, for nitric oxide), has gained quite a following since they initially hit the bodybuilding scene around four years ago. I won’t go into the exact mechanisms associated with boosting nitric oxide, but the principle benefit appears to be vasodilatation. By improving vasodilatation, an athlete would experience increased blood flow from dilated blood vessels. As time goes on, more performance supplement companies are marketing various formulas as nitric oxide boosters, thereby dramatically increasing the popularity of the category.

The highly anticipated benefits associated with increasing nitric oxide levels were initially driven by multiple marketing campaigns and by at least one popular book. Many of the marketing claims for nitric oxide products became very similar to those of creatine. For example, fuller muscles, tighter pumps, gains in power and strength, and increased cell volume. As a result, these products were €˜granted’ nearly the same credibility as creatine, when it first hit the market. The hype for the nitric oxide products gave birth to what is now almost indistinguishable from the creatine category, and in fact, many of the most popular formulas include creatine as a major active ingredient.

I have no doubt that the most significant reason these products are in demand is because they are endorsed as a means for promoting massive pumps in the gym, increasing lean mass, enhancing fast twitch muscle, quicker recovery and improving strength, but the purpose of this article is not to dispute or justify these claims. Whether or not nitric oxide supplement claims hold up to the acid test of real-world training is an entirely different subject, so I’ll save it for another time.

What is The Pump?
In bodybuilding circles, the sensation of tight congestion, or swelling, of your muscles with blood during your weight training session is €˜The Pump’. Now, a weight trainer with any experience knows that if you lift a heavy enough weight, and don’t rest too long between sets, your working muscles will become swollen with blood. In scientific jargon, this is referred to as reactive hyperemia because it involves an increase in blood flow (i.e., hyperemia) in response (i.e., reactive) to the exercise stimulus.

Triggering the Osmotic Anabolic Signaling System
So, what’s the big deal with striving to attain what popular bodybuilding jargon refers to as a Super Pump? To be blunt, The Pump is the manifestation of many physique-altering benefits that are not visible to the eye. Ironically, what seems like such a foolishly vain aspect of bodybuilding to the uninformed is, in fact, an excellent means for judging your nutritional status, current anabolic/catabolic condition and measure of training recovery.

In essence, it appears that the magnitude of the PUMP you get in the gym can be traced back to multiple factors associated with muscle growth and recovery, and are intimately related to an intricate cellular swelling mechanism that modern scientific literature calls Osmotic Anabolic Signaling  (OAS). This phenomenon is at the heart of building new muscle year round, and retaining lean mass in the face of hypo-caloric dieting. To maximize this system requires attention to several “puzzle pieces, of which nutrition tops the charts.

Diet and Muscle Cell Dynamics
When you are well fed, i.e., carbohydrates are not restricted, your ability to get a pump should be pretty easy, even if your diet is not optimal. However, it has become increasing popular for weight trainers to follow a diet that carefully considers carbohydrate intake. The modern bodybuilding diet usually allows for 40-50% of your daily calories to come from carbohydrates. This number may increase for athletes who weight train for sports, which make it necessary for additional daily energy calories to be burned beyond those needed for the gym. Typically, carb intake is under strict control when an athlete wants to avoid gaining fat (this could be all year round), or must lose excess bodyfat for a wide range of goals including contest prep. For example, consuming less than 100 grams of carbohydrates is the standard level for a “low-carb day. If this level seems low, it is, but keep in mind these diets usually remove carbohydrate calories and make up the remainder of the daily calorie allotment from increases in protein and/or fat. The best low-carb diets put an emphasis on protein intake due to its ability to promote additional calorie wasting.

The underlying problem with excessive restriction of carbohydrate is that when training intensity is high (and of course intensity is key to keeping or increasing muscle size much less the PUMP), even 200 grams of carbohydrates per day for larger athletes is tremendously meager. Research has shown that a high-protein diet coupled with low-carbohydrate intake creates a metabolic environment called acidosis, which is not conducive to high intensity weight training , . In addition, weight training intensely while simultaneously reducing carbohydrates dramatically depletes stored energy in muscle (glycogen), and therefore we know that low-carb dieting cannot be followed for weeks on end.

Fortunately, most athletes realize that it is best to utilize carb depletion/cycling regimens rather than attempt to stay on reduced carbs for the entire length of their diet. That is, they follow a few days of low-carb eating (usually 2-3) and then allow themselves a day or so of “normalized feeding to drive the replenishment of glycogen so that training intensity can be maintained. The other benefit associated with this diet format is that the athlete enjoys maximum fat burning on low-carb days, and then when carbs are reintroduced in greater amounts, insulin is allowed to help maintain the desired anabolic state. Further, boosting carb intake at this point offers a mechanism to reinvigorate natural thyroid production €” often reduced when on low-carb diets €” for improved metabolic function.

Moreover, a consideration of importance, beyond the aspect of performance, is the anabolic effect of insulin secretion on muscle protein synthesis. Moderate carbohydrate intake at each meal should stimulate the proper insulin levels needed for maximum muscle protein synthesis. Over time depressed insulin secretion may halt any additional muscular progress.  Therefore, my approach to feeding for most of the year is to systematically eat a little less carbs than I need and more protein than I can use. This concept is fully explained in a booklet called ‘No Mistakes’ - The Nutrition Guide to Building Your Best Body Ever. I wrote this guide with my colleague Rob Thoburn, who is an absolute bodybuilding genius and now works for the forward-thinking sports nutrition company BSN.

Nutritional Clues Related to €˜OAS’
I’ve mentioned relative dietary concepts because at the end of the day, your nutritional status will ultimately become the €˜core’ to engaging OAS, and the PUMP you get in the gym. How much does nutrition have to do with OAS? Have you every wondered why your muscles are flat some days and on others full?  As you recall the muscle contains stored carbohydrates. Guess what?  For every carbohydrate gram you store an additional 2.7 grams of water!  Whenever you consume plenty of carbs, your muscle cells become saturated with them, and each carb pulls nearly 3 grams of water into a virtual anabolic Jacuzzi! Therefore, your muscles fill up like a balloon!  You can always tell how anabolic your nutrition is by how full your muscle cells are. As we touched on previously, when you are on a reduced-carb diet, your muscle cells become flat and your skin is loose, and doesn’t look very tight. The initial stages of this are common while dieting, because the athlete is simply low on carbohydrate stores in their muscle cells. However, in speaking with many advanced athletes if your muscle cells are left high and dry for too long, with nothing to hold water inside the cell, you will eventually chew up your hard-earned muscle.

So, this raises the question: Can you get a super pump in the gym while carb intake is low? In my opinion, the answer is no, probably not.
Keep in mind the pump is relative, and is can only be judged against your personal experience. But you will get a better pump when your carb intake allows for stored glycogen in your muscles to be roughly 50% of capacity, and your water intake is adequate. As a reference, adequate fluid intake for a 200-lb athlete is about 1-gallon of water, or 12, 8-ounce glasses. When it comes to gauging your stored muscle glycogen levels, then best assessment is the mirror, which we will discuss in detail in the next section.

Go Here for
PART TWO

http://blog.bodybuilding.com/vince_andrich/2006/10/25/osmotic-anabolic-signaling-part-ii/

The Next Frontier in Legal Fat Loss Pharmacology that

Goes BEYOND €˜Thermogenics’ for Rapid & Permanent Fat Loss

PART ONE

By Vince Andrich

Over the years, I’ve probably been asked more about getting ripped than about any other fitness-related topic. I’m totally cool with that because my focus has always been on the cosmetic aspects of nutrition and exercise. While some may balk at the idea of cosmetic fitness, it is my view that people are more likely to put forth the effort it takes to get the health benefits associated with fitness, if they are doing it the name of vanity. Arguably, improving your appearance seems to have more immediate “benefits than for example, improving heart health, making it a much more motivating pursuit. Ironically, what it takes to improve cosmetic fitness in fact delivers superior health benefits, but that’s another article all together.

Needless to say, the topic of getting ripped is an area that really intrigues me, and I’ve got more than a few theories that I’d like to elaborate on. But beforehand, we all need to get on the same page and understand that if you wanna get ripped €” if you really want to get lean €” there is no such thing as a free ride. Next, let’s agree that any serious “cutting regimen includes an eating strategy based on some type of macronutrient control and manipulation. The wide range of eating strategies includes everything from protein/carb cycling to simple calorie control, but for the sake of this conversation it doesn’t matter. Now, if you’re still with me, understand this: I believe that no matter what “diet you’re on, going beyond your previous best “muscle to fat ratio will eventually come down to a game of mental Russian roulette.

That’s right. Think about it! When you attempt to go beyond your normal limits in any endeavor the mind calls the shots. Those who’ve been there know what I mean. Like Christopher Walken’s character in the Deer Hunter, you take your diet to the point where each day, you roll the cylinder and see if you can escape the bullet in the chamber that will be your mental breaking point.

Don’t be confused; I’m not talking about a breakdown of mental motivation, that’s another discussion. I’m talking about improving your chances of diet success by tweaking the balance of your “mindspace through the use of what I like to call “Neuro Chemical Diet Warfare.

Engineering Irrational Minds To Prevail
I could be way off, but my opinion is that concentrations of neuro chemicals that can benefit dieters are scarcer, or simply less affective when the body is deprived. My reasoning? Well, it seems when deprived, the mind automatically obsesses on the exact thing you’re being deprived of……even if the obsession irrational. For example, I remember during those last weeks of contest dieting, the mere thought of being “allowed to eat anything “extra was always top of mind. I’d often say to myself; “maybe I screwed up my food journal and can eat another meal. Knowing full well that my food journal was always followed to the letter €” to the last morsel. So why would I begin this debate with myself? Sound familiar?

I know it has been written about many times before, but it’s worth mentioning again; dietary restrictions kick in untold years of programming that tells your brain that “you’re starving. So even if you really aren’t starving €” even if you have plentiful food within your reach €” your mind becomes irrationally obsessed with eating.

Quite possibly our starvation radar goes off even sooner when we are simply attempting to go below a certain level of bodyfat, often called the “set point. This effect is most pronounced and extremely exaggerated when restricting water, say for a bodybuilding contest or making a weight class. All you can think about is liquids, or something wetter than your dry like the Sahara desert mouth! Seriously, until you REALLY restrict water intake you just don’t know how good a thimble of water or ice cube sounds. These thoughts take precedence over everything. No doubt food (and more so, water) top the charts for survival and so getting an extra edge in this arena will be tough, but certainly worthwhile. IMO, this survival or pleasure mechanism can be overridden.

Why? Because it happens naturally in everyday life, and is most easily seen when a person either falls in love or they have issues with their love interest such as the possible break-up of a marriage/relationship. Simply stated, the desire for food has been known to significantly change whenever a person experiences something very pleasant or unpleasant.

These are just a few of the reasons I believe tweaking your supply and balance of serotonin, epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine is seriously a BIG DEAL when it comes to fat loss. No matter how experienced you are as a dieter, understanding the power of these neurochemicals holds the key to suspending or minimizing those unforgettable feeding signals that are hardwired into our biology.

Talking Points, Theories and Situation Analysis
The talking points set out below outline a possible prototype for future neurochemical diet strategies. Take these points for what they are; theories, but they are theories with the added insight of what really goes on inside the mind of a serious dieter. Some experts in the applicable fields will probably cringe, at least in places, because inevitably, some of my pop neuroscience is simplistic to the point of perversion. But I am not here to cure mental illness; but I do want to give YOU a mental advantage so you can lose more fat with less pain and suffering.

So that’s all the apologies I’ll make. I feel the subject matter is relevant and in the near future will be key a factor in any high level athlete or serious dieter’s fat loss plan. It is almost insane NOT to realize, quite intuitively that is, that the mind is the ultimate decision maker and all diets succeed or fail because of these decisions.

Willpower and Anti-Food Psychotropics
There is a whole host of psychotropic players that can affect food intake, but for the most part your brain levels of two key neurochemicals €” serotonin and dopamine €” seem to be most notable. The problem is that when it comes to making neurochemical connections to food intake, not everyone has the same wiring, and thus, there is not one off-the-shelf solution. Take serotonin for example; this neurochemical has been linked to carbohydrate cravings and is, in fact, released in response to eating carbohydrates. This is why dieters who want to naturally increase their brain levels of serotonin often take the supplement 5-HTP, a precursor to serotonin. The simple reasoning for increasing serotonin in the brain would be to reduce or delay your carbohydrate cravings. Put another way, your mind knows that eating carbs will eventually lead to the release of -serotonin, but if brain levels are “artificially adequate (through supplementation) your cravings might be minimized. On the surface this seems to be a great idea for low-carb dieters or those with heavy carb cravings.

Too bad it’s not that simple

Let’s take a look at some popular drugs that work on serotonin. It is well established that many people who use Prozac®, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), eat less and therefore can lose weight (although in some cases weight gain does occur). In contrast, Paxil®, another brand name SSRI, lists weight GAIN, not LOSS, as a side effect. In fact, I’ve spoke to many people who use Paxil and swear it is the cause of their weight gain. Now, it can be argued that the two SSRI compounds listed above are similar, but not exactly the same. However, it would seem that inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin would result in many of the same side effects or benefits. But it doesn’t always work that way. Something else must be going on.

The answer may be found in a study comparing the effects of fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft®), citalopram (Celexa©) and fluvoxamine (Luvox®) on extracellular concentrations of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine in the prefrontal cortex of the brain. In this study, only fluoxetine (Prozac) showed robust and sustained increases in extracellular concentrations of norepinephrine and dopamine after acute systemic administration. This simple difference might explain why Prozac could be a better drug for dieters. Of course this study doesn’t take into consideration what happens when you’re faced with dietary “restrictions.

Keep that thought:.

On the flip side, dopamine, a naturally produced neurochemical, functions as a neurotransmitter that activates dopamine receptors. Dopamine is also a neuro-hormone released by the hypothalamus. Dopamine is a precursor to epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline) and is part of the catecholamine family, which plays a key role in releasing energy from fat and inhibiting fat storage. So, maybe we should just find a way to crank up the dopamine, right?

Well, take a look at this:

One drug affects dopamine and IMO, deserves much attention when it comes to dieting. The drug is Bupropion (amfebutamone), which is better known by the brand names Wellbutrin and Zyban.

I’m fascinated because the chemical is both a dopamine reuptake inhibitor and a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Also, Bupropion has only a small effect on serotonin reuptake. Not surprisingly it is similar in structure to the stimulant cathinone, and to phenethylamines in general. It is a chemical derivative of diethylpropion, an amphetamine-like substance that is prescribed as an appetite suppressant. Pretty, cool so far, right?

For an athlete looking to get ultra ripped however, we want a reduction in appetite, not amphetamine induced anorexia that will grind up our mind and muscle and spit it out. You see if you flip the dopamine switch on high and break off the knob, you’ll be headed for a downhill spiral. This is because the closer you chemically get to amphetamines such as methamphetamines or cocaine, you beat on your dopamine system to the point where the desired signal is always ON and the neurotransmitters are not recycled. The net result is that dopamine gets severely depleted and the user becomes mentally addicted and in no condition to positively alter body composition.

The good news is that when dopamine rises to higher ranges in an intermittent fashion, our body handles the increase by engaging dopamine transporters (DAT’s) to remove excess dopamine from the receptor, effectively ending the signaling of the neurotransmitter and recycling the transmitter. So a transitory boost in dopamine levels when food cravings are imminent could be a very useful appetite suppressor. For sure it seems any positive neurochemical diet protocol would require the availability and proper recycling of serotonin and dopamine. Coincidently, Bupropion is also used to for smoking cessation, and since people who quit smoking seem to gain weight, there must be another food connection. So what’s the big deal with smoking?

Stay tuned for PART TWO

Last night I was browsing the Internet gathering information on anti-aging supplements, and research that supports the concept. Suddenly, I started to see some very interesting patterns that caused me to encounter a flashback of sorts. The thoughts that ran through my head seemed to have an obvious link, and the implications, if true, will have a significant impact on the lives of you and me. That is if you want to use modern science to build your body and stave off the effects of aging by using high-end supplementation, or with a legitimate prescription! I know I DO, and I am sure most everyone on this site feels the same way. Without a doubt, as I sit here today I know that the decision to participate in building the strength of my body and preserving my mind is the best decision I’ve ever made……period. On the other hand, you may just be a “passenger in this ride we call life, and if so, what this blog will have you ponder will be of no consequence at all. I will say, if you believe it is your right to have access to the best science has to offer, and live stronger…smarter…longer, you’ll see that we are the minority in a twisted plot full of mind games geared to homogenize the population into a feeble state.

Oliver Stone I Am NOT

Please understand that by nature I am very trusting person…bordering the na¯ve at times.This trait alone is manageable, but can launch me into an obsessive bit of investigative work when I “finally see something that just doesn’t add up. Right now, that “something bothers me quite a bit because it pertains to two of the few “material things that concern me the most. These are 1) what I can put in my body, and 2) my livelihood in the sports nutrition business. So what started as seemingly harmless exercise to connect the dots, soon took on the life of a conspiracy theory and a peak into a future that seems all too possible.

The next topic has been beatean to death; nevertheless it needs to be re-stated to make my point.

Pardon me while I digress:

I don’t know about you, but when George Bush made his 2004 State of the Union Address and mentioned that a key initiative for America’s war on drugs included steroids and baseball/athletics, I almost forearmed my TV into a million pieces. For those that missed this riveting speech, it really happened, and I’ve put the highlights here for you to get the full impact. Yep, the Bush dynasty was putting their favorite son, George W. forth as our 43 President, yet little did we know that he would profoundly state one of his key concerns in the following.

“The use of performance-enhancing drugs like steroids in baseball, football, and other sports is dangerous, and it sends the wrong message — that there are shortcuts to accomplishment, and that performance is more important than character. So tonight I call on team owners, union representatives, coaches, and players to take the lead, to send the right signal, to get tough, and to get rid of steroids now.

Let’s put this in perspective. Either America has a real steroid problem that is on par with running multiple wars, poverty, national debt, obesity etc, or this was an effort to evade tougher issues and tell the popular vote what it wants to hear. What do you think? Maybe we just need more drug laws on the books so we can fill the pocketbooks of the people who control our nations growing number of privatized prisons and the racketeering that feeds it.

I can hear you laughing, but it’s no joke. Ask yourself if this is possible after you check out the link, and get informed.

In any event, certainly a war on obesity could upset the 65% of Americans who are either overweight or obese, and thus making it an unpopular initiative. Hell, if we’re talking sports here, in my book, the obesity issue is like getting pitched a “softball in the sense that it’s surely worthy of a hefty swing. Politics are different, whereas it is better to get into a bad situation and have the crowd focus on you “getting the save.

Nothing is better than an “insurmountable crisis to get everyone to root for you!
Make no mistake; all of my personal loyalties are American, so I’ll give the president his props. Honestly, the notion that the leader of the last superpower on the planet would have the morals, ethics and “balls to reach out to “the people and state character is more important than winning a baseball game, should have been MONUMENTAL. Too bad the world isn’t perfect. So asking people, young or old, not to use any means possible, including drugs, to help them reach the American dream of million dollar contracts and endorsement deals, is borderline fantasy. Surely, some people with lofty goals resist temptation, but many others whose ambition has reached the point of no return, will unfortunately have nowhere to go except the “dark side. Whether this is right or wrong depends on whom you ask. One thing is certain; humans rationalize their behavior when they want something, so even if they know something is wrong they tell themselves “the end justifies the means.

Nevertheless, the President could have said, “the American Dream is a croc, I know it because everyday people who appear to have it all don’t. In fact, many sacrifice morals for fame and fortune.

But he didn’t.

Maybe the President could have proffered a war on obesity and put the burden on giant food companies to use truth in advertising, much like supplement companies are governed to do. Then we might see ads with disclaimers like, “the foods in this ad have not been approved by the FDA, and therefore, may contribute to premature aging or death due to diseases, such as obesity and heart disease.

IMO, there has been no real government initiative on the obesity epidemic because consumers and the fast food peddlers are already hooked on each other. In essence, that deal with the devil is on autopilot. The junk food “dealers continue to “push play and we keep listening.

Maybe I’m wrong. For sure, I’ve been way off before. It’s just hard for me to believe anyone, including our current President, can expect to teach kids about morals and ethics when the best jobs on earth appear to be held by men elevated to “heroes, and are playing what appear to be “games on TV, living the so-called dream. Let’s just say, he meant well:

Shortly after the “Bush Monologue of 2004, I started to seriously think, WTF? I mean since I work in the nutrition business, I thought I’d heard it all. I had been through my share of arduous debates regarding the sale of pro-hormones as dietary supplements. I also saw first hand how the mainstream media confused real “juice with pro-hormones and even simple creatine. I knew the media and conservative experts, none of which ever used or prescribed the drugs themselves, would ever get the scientific facts correct, and athletes who used real steroids would blame any failed drug test on their newly found scapegoat “andro. Through all of this, my colleagues and I knew it was just a matter of time before pro-hormones were reclassified and on par with other already illegal substances.

One of the main reasons we felt prohormones were doomed, is that during this time period many of these products worked and worked well. Ironically, supplements that work the best are often the subject of PR smear campaigns, i.e., ephedra and even creatine:

Indeed, under the new Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2004, which applies across the country (as of January 20, 2005), steroids and steroid precursors (such as “andro”) are in the same legal class — Schedule III — as barbiturates, LSD precursors, veterinary tranquilizers like ketamine and narcotic painkillers like Vicodin. Simple possession is a federal offense punishable by up to one year in prison and/or a minimum fine of $1,000 for a first offense. Selling steroids, or possessing them with intent to sell, is a federal felony. An individual who sells steroids, or possesses them with intent to sell, is punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine for a first offense.

Hey nice work Prez, you’re making a difference:or at least the perception is, you’re following through.

Hmm, maybe NOT

We now know, that to date no big name €˜’baller has gone to grey bar motel for “cheating with steroids. In fact, when asked by congress months later, most hi-profile athletes took the Fifth Amendment. Even the athletes who admitted using the drugs were immune from punishment. We now have stricter laws for supplements that build muscle, and a message from our president that performance-enhancing drugs are BAD for our nations youth. Sadly, since most of the athletes couldn’t let their secret out, and because they carry a huge influence over our youth, it seems they dropped the “ball. Hell, who can blame them for giving us the silent treatment? You know if they told the truth it would be like telling our youth there is no “Athletic Santa Clause, and ruin it for everyone (dubious fans as well).

What’s worse, is that it’s a good bet our government has other business endeavors they need to protect. Why else couldn’t they really drop the hammer on the athletes who profit the most? Here’s what I think. If the highest levels of athletic talent went away, the lawmakers would be at odds with network media moguls who make money by selling advertising for televised sporting events. That would spell disaster for politicians who need the same media outlets to spin their stories each day.

No wonder the team owners were asked to deal with it, but what’s their motivation? It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that super athletes fill stadiums, and bring in the big TV deals.

As I said before, I believe the notion of no drugs in high-level sport is destined for failure simply due to economics. It’s a shame, but the only thing our youth got out of this exercise was, if you can make it to the athletic elite, you’re untouchable.

In laymen terms that means, “don’t get caught!
The message has now become deluded into what is called, “classic doublethink. Whereas, the public knows that the athletes do take drugs, but choose to believe they do not!

On the surface these issues don’t matter much to me, I’d already lived and competed in the “good ole days, when the best bodybuilding “drugs were not scheduled. Not to mention, being a decent bodybuilder back then did not preclude a one-way ticket to the dead pool. LOL.

No, I was more upset with the fact that the athletic performance side of the supplement industry was being attacked, again, and IMO used as a sacrificial lamb to suck-up to the popular vote, or the ill-informed, and protect the million dollar athletes who really have the financial motivation to use them.

Alright, enough of the back-story:

I wanted to bring these past issues up, because I know the sports supplement industry will continue to bring exotic and effective products to the market, and continue to face more scrutiny. If the trend continues, the only supplements hardcore consumers like us will have left to enhance our body and mind; will be Snickers with protein and Gatorade. SO YES, I AM PISSED AND YOU SHOULD BE TOO. This is starting to have the same two faced “pro-health” public image as the other prime enemy of innovative supplements does :

BIG PHARMA

Anyone who has worked in the business generally known as “Vitamins has at one time or another, believed that big pharmaceutical firms want their products available ultimately by prescription only. That’s because drug companies, not supplement firms, court doctors and if you need scrip you can’t bypass your MD and run to your local health food store to get your “stuff. This “run at the supplement business has been tougher to accomplish in the last 15 years since science based nutritional discoveries has increased dramatically. Further hindering big pharma’s plans, are the growing numbers of consumers who give a shit about their health. These hardcore enthusiasts, like those found here on my blog, realize they know more about exercise, eating right and supplementation than most doctors (not all), ever will. This has caused the pharmaceutical firms to go through the side door and cut a deal with the enemy.

Here’s the connection:

The goal is to fatten the wallets of the giant pharmaceutical companies by controlling multiple consumer markets. This well thought out crime syndicate works like this: 1) lobby to outlaw supplements that provide effective dosages of scientifically valid nutrients and 2) get legislation passed so the big vitamin companies can sell more worthless “basic vitamins in a unified global marketplace (see guidelines here). The plan is clean and elegant, especially when you realize the biggest pharmaceutical houses in the world make money synthesizing the “basic vitamins that go into the biggest supplement companies’ low-grade products.

The end-result for big pharma, is the ability to continue selling more drugs to stave off the effects of a poor diet, and also profit from the low-grade supplements they help manufacture, while simultaneously blocking access to powerful supplements that your victims (all of us) rely on. This power play is a sure fire way to limit the benefits WE get from exercising our body and nourishing our mind.

Sounds a bit too wild right? You’re probably saying “NO FRIGGIN WAY this all seems so ridiculous it could never be true. Keep in mind that the best schemes are usually outlandish and right in front of your eyes. The “far-fetched approach works well because the victims say to themselves “no one could dream that up But if you need more proof, this topic is fully discussed in an article by Rima E Laibow MD, that details how dietary supplements are under stealth global attack, and what you must do to defend your access.

I can hear the media spin its propaganda; “Americans need to have wider access to safe supplements and better drugs to cure disease:

My translation is a bit harsher: “Nothing is 100% safe. So by making supplements with inactive dosages, by definition they are as safe as possible. This tactic drives product costs down and essentially affordable to the masses. The inherent low cost allows Americans to have wider access to these worthless products, and be lulled into thinking they are warding off disease. This further causes the unsuspecting public to forget about changing their current diet of junk. This will mark the end to “good health, as we know it, thus creating an increased market for drugs. In the end, it is the ultimate false security blanket.

By now, if your’e not a conspiracy theorist, you must be a coincidence theorist.

So Where Are We Now?

Everything came full circle when I found a document  called “911, The Road to Tyranny” written by political activist Alex Jones. In the written document (there is a video as well) Jones’ claims that the United Nations wants an 80% die-off of the World’s population so that the remainder of the global elite can have the life extension drugs all to themselves. At first, I had to laugh, but only after I dismissed the notion of the “establishment cleansing the population with germs that cause untimely deaths through diseases we’ve never seen. On the other hand, I was spooked by the images in my head of unhealthy and inactive world leaders finally pumping iron and actually making health a priority before their doctor says give up Krispy Kremes.

I tried my best to forget about it all, but by then the damage was done and I arrived at the answer to this question; why would the most powerful and richest people in the world want the life extension drugs all to themselves? Not such a tough one to answer when you simply realize that when you have all the power and money you could ever need, the most elusive thing on earth is being able to keep it until you’re 125 years YOUNG! The payoff is even more dramatic when you realize that if the general public CANNOT get the best life extending and physique preserving substances, but you can, the common man not only has less economic advantages, but gets sicker, less productive and dies off quicker than your elite fraternity.

It’s a simple case of more for them, less for you.

And, the plot thickens.

I hope that following the twist and turns in my rant you see that the people in this country who take care of themselves and want to pursue “super health are the minority. That means you and me. The real problem is we can’t ask any of the players mentioned above to help us, because the minority doesn’t line their pockets enough or represent a huge base of voters. But, who says we can’t give em a run? We certainly have home field advantage in a sense because for all intensive purposes the athletic community paved the way for everything the elitists want to get their greedy little hands on. We opened the door to “off label uses for bodybuilding drugs and life extension regimens and are the biggest consumer group in the world (that isn’t obese) driving innovations in the nutritional sciences that help prevent our body and mind from premature decay.

So how to we WIN? IMO, we need to be aware of how other consumer groups have insulated themselves from attack. Simply put, consumer-buying power and sheer participants is KING in a capitalist economy. Sure, didn’t hurt fast food, cigarettes and booze right? Question is how we increase our consumer power base. I suggest we use a tactic that the silver spoon frat boys use frequently, yet never do sincerely. We give to receive (they give to deceive). Here is how it works (really, no more hoarding your secrets, ok maybe your stash).

1. Give others your inspiration……this means the more people that you turn on to the benefits of weight training and super potent supplements that work, the stronger WE all get.

2. Give others your knowledge……this means turning more people on to performance nutrition websites like and others like bodybuilding.com, antiaging-systems or life-extension that specialize in credible information and cutting edge products, because we’ll never win if we don’t have a bigger voice.

3. Give others your awareness……this means tell more people to look around and see that the only alternative to our way of life is to become a Zombie in the

Land of the Weak, Poor and Dying:

 By Vince Andrich

I’ve been on the road quite a bit and so frequent visits to the airport knick knack shops are the norm. Since I am in THE business, I always take a look at the current issues of popular fitness magazines. Now, unless I am imagining it, nearly every big budget magazine takes a crack at a fitness theme every 3-months or so. Rags for women like Vogue (the Shape Issue), Allure (Look Younger Now), Fitness (De-Jelly Your Belly) sure exploit the idea of getting a better body, yet deliver everything you want to know about fitness that won’t help you one bit. No doubt, the programs are easy, so you feel good, and of course the magazines look great on your coffee table. That is, if you need that kind of validation from your friends. If so, you might want to rethink you reasons for getting a better body, and if you’re still serious read on….

Much like the popular women’s magazines, for Men we have such fashionable staples like GQ, Esquire, Men’s Vogue, and even Maxim who feature UFC fighters, WWE Stars and other athletes on their covers, in an attempt to grab a slice of the wanna bee male exercise consumer set. Nice ploy to grab more readers, and although the men’s fashion rags don’t try this as often as their female counterparts, they stiill can’t resist trying to make a guy who is looking for a new watch do broomstick twists.

Some of the magazine’s in question are on the bubble, as in not so bad. In this category, we have high gloss magazines like Men’s Health, Best Life, Self and Shape vying for the ever so fickle fringe exercisers. Don’t get me wrong, the not so bad magazines have some decent information, but compared to the big promises they make on their covers (like Lose Your Gut in Two Weeks), they fall extremely short. Once again, the big fitness promise’s combined with targeting the, “never gonna stick to types”, is a ploy big budget magazines use to ask for more mainstream ad dollars for clothing and cologne. In my experience, these magazines are only for people who want to amuse themselves with the idea of following a real exercise program that gets results.

So whats my point? Well if you’re looking to get into better shape, let me give you a few clues as to which magazines might be good for you. First you need to do a little test. That is, for each magazine you’re thumbing through, count the amount of ad pages for NON-FITNESS related products. These items include cosmetics, clothes, shoes, booze, beer, cigars, cologne and watches, to name a few. Then go over to an enthusiast magazine, like Surfer, for duh, Surfers, or Hot Rod Magazine for Speed Freaks and count the ads for products NOT specific to Surfers or Speed Freaks.  Get the point? Sure you do. The point is, if you’re serious about a particular interest, the best place to get information is the same place the most fanatical consumers in every industry do. Here’s a hint, they don’t read magazines about their favorite subject that is clouded by products they can read about in a dozen other titles.

For getting in shape the fanatics still go for Muscle and Fitness, FLEX, Oxygen, Fitness Rx, Ironman, REPS and Muscular Development. Now, if youre more advanced you’re out here on the web getting your advice from real people who have the SAME goals as you do. The moral of the story is; big advertisers (NON-Fitness related) will never spend much money in the real serious fitness magazines.

On the other hand, you can bet the serious fitness information will never be found in a magazine that cares more about living the good life than working nard to get a better body. One more reason, you should subscribe to my BodyBlog! You can bet on it, the information that can help you understand how to finally get healthy and fit will be found right here…

Vince

So you’re ready to take your physique to an entirely new level and make believers of your family, friends and even some enemies. To make this happen, you know you can’t keep doing the same old things, over and over and expect a different result, as that would be insanity. You need to be creative, insightful and diligent. You need to unleash what I call, your "body transformation genius." Now, don’t misunderstand, what I’m telling you is that even if you’re not a certified genius, you can use the same strategies as Beethoven and Einstein, to harness the power of your creative mind, to better develop your health and fitness future and build your dream body.

The following eight strategies push you to think productively, rather than reproductively, in order to arrive at solutions to your health and fitness goals. These strategies are common to the thinking styles of creative geniuses in science, art, and industry throughout history. Now, let’s get started.

1. Look at problems in many different ways
In other words, find new perspectives that no one else has taken (or no one else has publicized!)

Note This: Leonardo da Vinci believed, that to gain knowledge about the form of a problem, you begin by learning how to restructure it in many different ways. He realized that the first way he looked at a problem was often too biased. By reconstructing the problem, you will find new solutions and break down personal barriers.

Try This: Not enough time to train, then take a new perspective that says. it will be most beneficial for you to ONLY workout 30 minutes per session. Make your workouts a race against the clock to improve intensity and new gains will be yours in no time.

2. Visualize!

Note This: When Einstein thought through a problem, he always found it necessary to formulate his subject in as many different ways as possible, including using diagrams. He visualized solutions, and believed that words and numbers as such did not play a significant role in his thinking process.

Try This: When looking for ways to improve a specific body part, draw your physique and then make notes about how you train each muscle area. Is your focus and concentration the same for your weak bodyparts, as it is for your strong ones? One sure fire way to re-focus your efforts on your weaknesses is this; if a bodypart is too small train it with weights 3 times per week. If a bodypart is too large, (or fat) train it only every two weeks. This method allows your body to build your weak body parts up, while systematically causing your larger body parts to shrink. Of course, diet and overall metabolic rate is necessary to burn off the extra fat, but in combination, this method allows you to put maximum energy against the most difficult areas to build.

3. Produce!

Not surprising, but one of the most distinguishing characteristics of genius is productivity.

Note This: Thomas Edison held 1,093 patents. He guaranteed productivity by giving himself and his assistants idea quotas. In a study of 2,036 scientists throughout history, Dean Keith Simonton of the University of California at Davis found that the most respected scientists produced not only great works, but also many “bad” ones. They weren’t afraid to fail, or to produce mediocre in order to arrive at excellence.

Try This: Don’t expect a perfect workout every single time. On days you feel less energetic, you can allow yourself a “cruising”  workout, with a focus on form and deep contractions. This will serve as an active rest, and the lack of pressure to perform may actually help you find new ways to connect to your muscles like never before.

4. Make novel combinations!
Combine, and recombine, ideas, images, and thoughts into different combinations no matter how incongruent or unusual.

Note This: The laws of heredity on which the basis for the modern science of genetics came from the Austrian monk Grego Mendel, who combined mathematics and biology to create a new science.

Try This: Start each training session with a different bodypart. This means you don’t always have to do compound movements before single joint exercises and vice versa. You can also do high reps, for multi-muscle teamwork exercises like the bench press or squat and low reps, for machine lifts like leg extensions. Other variations are, foot and hand positions and rest between sets. Mix it up, you may just find your perfect recipe for a great workout almost any time.

5. Form relationships; make connections between dissimilar subjects.

Note This: Da Vinci forced a relationship between the sound of a bell and a stone hitting water. This enabled him to make the connection that sound travels in waves. Samuel Morse invented relay stations for telegraphic signals when observing relay stations for horses.

Try This: When doing individual exercises, focus on the area of the muscle where most of the tension or burn is being developed. This way you can make better exercise choices when targeting specific areas of each muscle. In addition, like in strategy #4, make mental notes of small changes in hand, feet and height positions when doing specific movements. You are a sculptor and you must understand how each tool (the weights) are best used to alter your physique.

6. Think in opposites.

Note This: Physicist Niels Bohr believed that if you held opposites together, then you suspend your thought, and your mind moves to a new level. His ability to imagine light as both a particle and a wave led to his conception of the principle of complementarity. Suspending thought (logic) may allow your mind to create a new form.

Try This: You’ll see dramatic changes if you’ve been eating a high protein low carb diet, then switch to the exact opposite for 1-2 days. Also, if you’re used to dieting and feeling hungry, try to eat one meal every 48 - hours that completely fills your stomach, or until you can’t eat another bite. The trick here is to eat water rich steamed veggies, small amounts of brown rice, loads of greens and fiber. Top this off with ample amounts of fresh water and your body will be tricked into thinking it gets to eat until it pops, thus breaking the chains of deprivation that wreak havoc on your ability to mentally handle dieting.

7. Prepare yourself for chance.

Note This: Whenever we attempt to do something and fail, we end up doing something else. That is the first principle of creative accident. Failure can be productive only if we do not focus on it as an unproductive result. Instead: analyze the process, its components, and how you can change them to arrive at other results. Do not ask the question “Why have I failed?”, but rather “What have I done?”

Try This: Keep an exercise, nutrition and supplement journal, and use it to note how your body feels when eating certain foods, the time of day you eat, train and how much rest you get between workouts. Be sure to note even slight changes in your workout system and how your body responds mentally and physically. This journal is your personal roadmap to success.

8. Think metaphorically.

Note This: Aristotle considered metaphor a sign of genius, and believed that the individual who had the capacity to perceive resemblances between two separate areas of existence and link them together was a person of special gifts.

Try This: Go through the strategies above and make new links to fitness related issues in each of the sections. This way you’ll be taking proven concepts and metaphorically linking them to your fitness goals.

Vince